fought it. I’m still fighting it, but it was out of my hands-”
“Who?” she gasped, looking horrified as she shook her head in denial.
“Rosalie Oscura,” I croaked and she winced, her face twisting in revulsion, refusal. A possessive energy filled me that made me want to snap at her for looking like that, beat her down for daring to suggest Rosalie was anything but perfect. But that was wrong. All so fucking wrong. “It’s been months now. I hid the mark.” I turned, pointing to where I’d placed the new tattoo of thorny roses around it – practically the same fucking tattoo as she had winding up her body which I’d realised after getting the damn thing done. Why did everything I do these days revolve around her, intentionally or otherwise?
“Oh my stars,” she gasped, her fingers grazing the silvery crescent moon mark as she found it amongst the tattoo. “Alpha this is…this is terrible!”
“Shh,” I hushed, her, spinning around and shoving her against the wall as I cupped a hand to her mouth. “You will tell no one,” I demanded and she nodded beneath my hand. The threat was clear. If she broke this promise, I would kill her. As simple as that. I lowered my hand, letting her speak as my next request burned my throat, my tongue. “It’s why I can’t bear to sleep with you all anymore, why I can’t fuck a single one of you. I’m hers whether I want it or not. I’m hers, Harper. Body and fucking soul.”
Her eyes practically bugged out of her head as she nodded again, continuing to nod as she tried to process that.
“So I need…someone to cover for me,” I said slowly. “So that the pack understand why I’m avoiding them. And I know it’s a lot to ask of you, Harper, but I need you to be that someone. To pretend to be my mate.”
Her jaw dropped as she gaped at me. “But Alpha-”
“I know what I’m asking you to sacrifice. But your sentence is up in six months. Then you’ll be free to go and be with as many Wolves as you want. It’s not so-”
“Ethan,” she growled, using my full name for once and I growled in response, sensing the challenge in her words. “I can’t be without the contact of the pack. I can’t – I’ll go mad.”
I nodded as I accepted that, drawing in a deep breath. She was right. It was too much. I couldn’t make her go against her own instincts for that amount of time, it would be insufferable. As I was well fucking aware. “Well…maybe I can arrange ways for you to be with another Wolf or two under my watch. Some mates enjoy that. It’s not unheard of.”
She nodded, seeming to respond better to that idea. “And you’ll be there too?” she asked hopefully. I’d admittedly been with Harper in the past, but I was used to the Wolves vying for my attention. I’d laid with plenty of my pack and others besides. But being an Alpha meant I didn’t ache for them like they did for me. Most of them wanted to please me, it satisfied them to do so. And she was missing that just like the others were.
“Yeah, I’ll be there,” I said firmly and a small smile tugged at her lips.
“I’ll keep your secret.”
“You’ll need a mark.” I raised a hand to trace the place behind her ear where Rosalie had hers. My gut twisted sharply at the thought of anyone else standing in her place, even if it was just a farce. But this way I could have a solid explanation for my pack as to why I didn’t want their attention. I didn’t have to let them know the truth which would lead to my downfall as the Alpha of the Lunar Brotherhood in Darkmore. Because how could anyone follow me after that?
“Will you do it?” she asked.
“No, I’ve offered protection to Alvin Zion to keep this secret. He did this.” I pointed to the tattoo covering my mark and she nodded, looking slightly hurt that I’d told someone before her.
“I was afraid of what would happen if I told you, love,” I said gently and she nodded with a sigh.
“I understand…but how are you going to deal with this?” she asked. “Ryder Drac-”
“I don’t want to discuss the fate of my old leader,” I warned. “It won’t be like that.”