Page 38 of Tricked By Fate

The subtle quiver of her lip told me that this wasn’t easy. She’d never shown any mercy, let alone an emotion that might make her seem less than immortal.

I took in her appearance. The dull sheen to her eyes. The dirt coating her skin. Bruises would heal. Her wolf could do that much. But the rest?

“Nessa, answer me.”

She turned her gaze up as she spoke.

“I have nowhere else to go.”

I clenched my hands by my sides, trying to bite back the anger.

“So we are a last resort? Why not sell yourself to the highest bidder? I’m sure there are plenty that want an alpha female.”

She slunk lower, positioning her body closer to Devon.

“I—I’m sorry. I… My father deserved what he got.”

What did that mean?

“Is that an apology to Devon or me or what? Sorry, but your pack destroyed my life.”

She didn’t move, but she kept low. My wolf snorted out as we caught her scent. No, we didn’t like her one damn bit.

“You are being given a safe haven. But one single threat, or one single hair on her head is harmed, you will not live to wonder what it would be like to be rouge,” answered Devon.

Devon’s authority had my wolf thirsty for his touch.

I lifted the skirt of the dress as I moved closer, crouching before her.

“My mate, Nessa. Mine. He is mine. He might defend me now, but make no mistake, that I own him and will fight for him. I will tear you limb from limb to the point your own father won’t recognize you when your tortured soul reaches him in the afterworld. Do I make myself clear?”

She nodded. At least she wasn’t dumb enough to try to shed a tear. Her world sucked now, and I would agree it was mostly her father's doing. But still, she could have chosen differently.

“I, Nessa, swear my loyalty to the Black Creek Pack.” Devon pressed a drop of his blood to her lips. I wanted to hate him touching her, but this was the only way to tie her to this pack. He’d done it to a few dozen others, but he was right. Their pack wasn’t large. Their pack had been failing long before I’d been sold to them. It had me wondering what my old pack would have been if this had seemed like an answer to a fucked up prayer.

She licked up the blood, and I watched her eyes as they burned, and she winced as her old pack ties were severed and the new snapped into place. Her eyes glowed for a moment with the new connection.

“Go, Nessa, and do what you couldn’t do under your father. Live.”

She gave me the saddest little nod and I wonder what broke her. What had happened at the compound that even her own fucked up pack couldn’t do?

What happened to her?

Devon shook his head.

Your guess is as good as anyone’s. No one is certain. She won’t talk.

The anger that had pooled deep within me became diluted like water added to vinegar. Fate always had a plan, and although mine hadn’t been an easy road to follow, I’d found my happily ever after.

Nessa’s struggle was just starting.

CHAPTER12

Devon

“No more business.Feast, enjoy, rejoice, and remember that the future of the Black Creek Pack is strong and certain.”

I could say these words with clarity and certainty. For the first time, I knew that I would be the leader they needed with my Luna, my Kiara, at my side. The other side of this was that I now realized what we had.

---