End of a Great Thing

AVA

Three years have passed since we entrusted Matt with the leadership of the Red Claw Pack. Our triplets arrived three months ahead of schedule. They’re breathtakingly beautiful—two boys, Aiden and Josiah, and a girl, Lillith.

Dominic is completely smitten with them. The toddlers fill our home with their laughter and games. The boys, even at this tender age, are fiercely protective of their sister. They willingly shoulder the blame for her mischiefs, just to spare her any sadness.

Lillith has everyone wrapped around her little finger, not that she needs to. We discovered at her birth that she’s like me—imbued with magic.

I’ve been on the road a lot lately, assisting the coven and Matt with a brewing war. My help was needed to negotiate new treaties and forge alliances.

Dominic stayed home with the kids. I miss them terribly, but it’s a sacrifice I have to make for their safety.

Matt and I have grown close. We talk daily, and he visits every few months to see the kids and catch up with Dominic.

The coven has been a pillar of support. We’re free of threats and internal squabbles—unless it’s about who’s sleeping with whom.

Today, after three long months, I get to see my children again. It’s been tough, but their safety necessitated my travels.

Lately, I’ve been feeling out of sorts, and I can’t put my finger on why.

Lyra has been unusually upset about something she won’t disclose. Dominic has been distant since I started aiding the neighboring covens and packs. I’ve invited him to join me numerous times, but he always declines.

Last night, Abel sent a mind-link message that I’m needed at home, but I shouldn’t let anyone know I’m coming. He’s meeting me at the border and masking my scent so I can slip in unnoticed.

This secrecy is making me anxious. If Abel is sneaking me into my own home, it’s because there’s something I’m not supposed to know.

~“Abel! I’m here.”~ I watch him emerge from the trees, his face a mask of sadness. He embraces me tightly. I take a deep breath to steady my nerves before we start our trek through the forest.

We take the back route to avoid being seen. Abel leads me to the office. As we approach, I hear Dominic’s voice mingling with a woman’s. They’re flirting. I turn to Abel, my eyes wide with shock.

He shields me behind him, giving me a moment to compose myself.

“So, how long will it take for your bond to break from her?” I hear the woman ask. “I mean, she’s hardly ever here.”

My heart shatters. I look up at Abel, who’s seething with anger, and take a deep breath. I walk past the office, gather my belongings, and stealthily carry them out to the forest.

If my second-chance mate rejects me, I’ll lose my wolf. My children will feel the bond break as I slowly descend into madness. I can’t do anything until they’re safe and away from him.

Once my things are safely hidden, I pack some of the children’s belongings, then send a mind-link message to Matt, asking him to help me escape.

With Abel’s help, I gather the children and have him and Matt take them to the pack house. I tell them we’re going to have a sleepover for a few weeks so they can meet other wolf pups.

Once my children are safely tucked in bed with Matt and his mate, he masks their scent and settles them in bed with his son.

When I return to the coven, I’m seething and ready to confront the situation. People notice my return, but before they can alert Dominic, I warn them that doing so would be considered treason.

With Abel by my side, we enter the house and head to my room, where I hear Dominic and the same woman. In bed. I know what they’re doing because I feel it like a knife through my heart.

I clutch Abel’s shoulder and bury my face in my arm, holding my breath. Fighting back the pain, I kiss Abel, knowing Dominic will feel it. I hear him push the woman away as he cries out in pain.

“What the fuck is that!” he screams.

Before he can react, I burst into the room. Abel watches from behind me as I stride in and slap Dominic with all my might. I glare at the woman, who smirks as if she’s won a trophy.

“Dominic, I should have known you’d betray me. I’ve done nothing but work tirelessly for this coven. I’ve traveled far and wide to uphold our treaties and protect our coven and our children, ensuring they have a secure future.”

His expression is one of utter devastation. Lyra’s whimper echoes my own heartache as we witness our mate in bed with another woman.

“Do you have any idea how much it hurt to be away from my family for months on end? But you didn’t give a damn. You just jumped into bed with the first woman you found! I heard you earlier, leading her on, making her believe our bond could be broken.

“You didn’t reject me and I didn’t reject you, so that was a lie. But if that’s what you want, fine. I’ll lose my wolf for this, but I, Ava Blood, formally reject King Dominic as my mate from this moment on!”

My heart feels like it’s being torn apart, and Abel watches in shock at what I’ve just done. Dominic starts to cry, realizing that I’ll lose everything, and so will he.

I don’t stick around to hear his response. I just glance at the vampire in our bed, then turn away, forcing a laugh, and exit our room.

I gather everyone who’s awake at this hour and lead them into the forest, preparing to run. Abel says he’ll come with me when I leave. Some men look pleased to see me until they catch sight of my expressionless face.

“Thank you all for gathering here at such short notice. As many of you know, I’ve been away, upholding our treaties and preventing a war from reaching us.

“While I was risking my life to protect this coven and ensure a bright future for our children, my mate took a lover. I’m leaving tonight and I won’t be coming back. I am no longer your queen. I have rejected the king.

“I have my children and they’ll stay with me since there’s no one else here to uphold the treaties now. I’m sorry, I love you all but I can’t stay here,” I say before turning and crossing the border.

I feel my links snap and my bond with Dominic start to fracture. I collapse to the ground, the pain unbearable, as Lyra panics at the loss of both her mates. Abel sees this and picks me up, carrying me, with the others trailing behind.

I hear Dominic’s voice one last time in our link.

~“Please don’t leave me! You’re going to kill yourself. I can’t do this without you… I messed up. I didn’t realize what I was doing. Please don’t go,”~ he begs as I scream in agony.

I see Abel link with Dominic, tears streaming down his face, and catch a snippet of their conversation. ~“I’m sorry, Dominic. I’ve been by your side my whole life, but I can’t abandon her now. I’m going with her to protect her and the kids.”~

His eyes are heavy with sorrow as he leaves the coven with me. Some coven members choose to follow us, hoping for a better future with me and my children.

I link with Matt. ~“I need to use a guest house. Some members of the coven left with me and need a place to stay until I can find them a new home.”~

Once we cross his border, he meets us and helps get the coven settled in a house on Red Claw land where they’ll be safe. Abel carries me to my old room, which has been fully furnished and painted.

Over the next few days, I contact other covens to arrange new homes for the last of my loyal coven members.

I inform them that I’m no longer queen, that I’m back at Red Claw now, and explain that I’ll soon lose everything because Dominic was my second mate.

I tell them I came home to find him in bed with another woman and rejected him to protect my children. Most understand and have started to transfer treaties to Red Claw, ensuring my children will be safe here once I’m gone.