Page 16 of Luna Ascending

I raise an eyebrow, entirely unused to my beta ordering me around

“OUTSIDE. Right NOW” his volume rises

I send Freya an apologetic shoulder shrug, roll my eyes and follow my bizarrely behaving beta outside.

“What the hell is up? I didn't want a fucking double-date to end the night either, and I know I'm supposed to be looking for a fated-mate, and Iknowshe's human but....”

Tavey explodes in my face.

“THIS is the girl you've been moping over? This is the girl you've been wondering might be your mate?! She can NOT be your mate. She is a bloody witch! After your sister, I'd have thought dipping your dick in the Coven is the last thing you'd do!”

I laugh incredulously feeling my anger rise “Get over yourself Tavey, if she” I jab a finger towards a puzzled looking Freya in the window “is a witch don't you think I'd know it?”

“Then she's hiding it from you Aaron, Icansense it. You must believe me”

I check my temper. The urgency in his voice makes my hackles rise. Tavey has an inherent sense for the truth of things, far better than your average wolf. Doubt starts to linger at the edge of my mind and I take a sideways glance at the stunning red-head inside.

If she's hiding being a witch, and if she's so good at hiding it ... why is she hiding it? My thoughts are running away with me when Tavey interjects.

“She's not even taken her supposed best friend into her confidence – Liz has no idea who she is, what she is! As your beta I'm telling you, you cannottrust her” he hesitates, taking a deep breath before ploughing on “And as your friend I'm telling you I've seen her with Marciel. Intimately with him, Aaron – just this week, getting a fucking massage in a coffee shop from Marciel. Marciel de Vaudou.”

The air is sucked out of the world. I lean over, nausea and dizziness washing over me. She's been canoodling in public with Marciel, whom I thought I was 'saving' her from that night in the bistro.

Could that have been a set up?! Marciel is the heir to the de Vaudou's Dynasty - the French aristocracy heading the Coven for centuries- the Coven that destroyed my sister's wolf. The same Coven that are targetting wolf-shifters, my family, my pack.

It suddenly makes sense... this feeling of connection with a simple human, this stupid idea that perhaps a human could be my mate, my fated-mate. It's all been a fucking spell.

A deep growl of disgust escapes me as I glare at the witch through the window. How could I be so stupid? I didn't even believe in fated mates until now. I've allowed myself to be manipulated, used, drawn into whatever heinous plan the Coven have. My heart and my wolf are protesting, but at least my beta caught her out before anyone else got hurt.

Tavey is watching me carefully. “Witches aren't all bad Aaron” he sighs “but why the hell did it have to be this one? I'll grab Liz, and leave you to deal with her”.

The 'her' came out strangled. I blink slowly watching Tavey walk away, shoulders slumped, dragging a protesting Liz. My beta seems nearly as cut up about it as I am. It's what makes him a good beta I guess. He won't go too far, until he knows the 'threat' is safely dealt with. Until I deal with it, with her. I turn back inside trying to shake off the creeping sadness filling me.

Approaching Freya I have to focus on the betrayal, any other feelings I might have are the effect of her fucking spell. Despite my wolf's yowling, now that I know what she is, she can't get away with it.

No-one does this to me, no-one gets to harm my sister and not suffer the consequences. No-one makes me fall for them under false pretences. I have to get the truth out of this conniving bitch of a sorceress.

Chapter Eleven

Freya's POV

The man who storms back inside is an entirely different beast to the sexily charming one who'd ambled out moments before. As he stalks in my direction I feel a coldness wash over me.

His beautiful eyes are dark, intense and accusatory. The anger emanates from him in waves before he even opens his mouth.

I gulp nervously watching him try to control himself enough to speak, ten thousand thoughts flying through my mind. What the hell happened to cause such a violent change? What the fuck did Tavey say, and where is Liz going?!

His words are spat at me like rocks being thrown.

“How long did you think you could hide it?” he growls. His icy tone sets my arm hairs on end “How far were you going to go, you little whore?”

I wince at the unexpected insult. What the hell is wrong with this guy?

“Watch who the hell you're talking to like that!”

He gives a wry smile. “And out comes your true nature” Aaron mocks.

He almost looks sad for a second, but when I peer into his face again hoping to find an explanation, the sadness is gone and it's replaced by a raw hatred that's terrifying.

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