Forsaken Luna, Cherished by the Rival Alpha King

Selena Vale's POV:

Pale light fell through the windows and cast shadows over the carpet.

The moon was full.

For werewolves, a full moon stirred a restless heat, making the urge to mate hard to ignore.

I studied my reflection in the mirror.

My nightgown was so thin that it barely covered me, and the fabric followed the shape of my waist and breasts.

Just beneath my collarbone, I had dabbed on a little white tea perfume. Ethan Sterling had loved that scent three years earlier.

We had just registered our mate bond with the Werewolf Council when he pulled me into his arms and told me the scent made him feel safe.

A click from the lock drew me out of the memory. Ethan had come home.

I tried to calm my restless wolf before going over to him.

"You're back." I reached up and gently placed my hand on his shoulder.

An ache settled low in my belly as the full moon's pull grew stronger. The throbbing between my thighs wouldn't stop, and my underwear was already damp.

My wolf's instincts urged me to mate with him and take a true mark.

I stretched up to kiss the side of his neck, aiming for the sensitive gland where an Alpha received a mark.

He pulled away before I could reach him, his face making it clear the kiss was unwelcome.

"What the hell are you wearing?"

I could hear the disgust in his voice.

"The moon's full tonight," I replied, trying to sound calm. "It's been so long since we..."

"Is this how the Luna of the pack behaves? Throwing herself at me like a bitch in heat?" He interrupted me and pushed my arm away.

His cedar scent suddenly grew so strong that every breath felt sharp in my chest.

He was letting his Alpha pressure bear down on me.

My knees buckled, and my wolf whimpered. Instinct told her to submit to an Alpha as powerful as him.

"We're legally bonded, Ethan." I met his eyes. "Is wanting to be close to you really asking too much?"

After taking off his jacket, he flung it onto the sofa and faced me. "Do you actually want me, or do you just want my mark?" He laughed without a trace of warmth. "You think it'll secure your place as Luna, don't you? Without it, you're afraid the Council of Elders will cast you out because you were born a rogue?"

His fingers closed around my wrist, and he pushed me back. I stumbled and landed hard on the bed.

I tried to get up, but he moved over me before I could.

"You wanted me to mate with you, didn't you?" he asked in a rough, threatening voice.

He grabbed the neckline of my nightgown and pulled hard.

The material ripped, exposing my breasts to the cold air.

He forced my legs apart with his thigh, his breath hot against my collarbone.

Even through his trousers, I could feel his erection pushing against me.

He ran a hand along the inside of my thigh, pulled my underwear out of the way, and rubbed roughly against my clitoris.

"Oh..." I let out a moan before I could stop myself.

The contractions low in my belly intensified. My body's eagerness shamed me, but I still wanted him inside me.

I leaned my head back and shut my eyes, preparing to let him take me.

Then I picked up a smell I didn't recognize. Beneath his scent was a faint musk that smelled sickly sweet.

I knew a she-wolf left that scent on an Alpha after they'd mated.

Nausea rolled through me.

Just then, a single buzz came from his phone on the nightstand.

Light spread across the display.

He briefly stopped moving.

I looked toward the phone when he did. Lila Vance's name was on the screen.

Her message was easy to read. "Are you coming back to my place tonight?"

Neither of us made a sound.

My wolf gave a sharp, grief-stricken howl. Her desire disappeared, and she sank down and closed her eyes.

I'd spent three years trying to prove I was worthy of the home Ethan had offered me. The thought left me bitter. His coldness hadn't been part of his nature after all. He'd simply come to me from another woman's bed.

I felt so disgusted that I no longer wanted him anywhere near me.

"Get off me!" I pressed my palms against his chest and shoved with all my strength.

He hadn't been expecting that. He staggered back a step, then frowned as though my reaction offended him.

After looking over the wrinkles in his shirt, he took his time adjusting his cuffs.

"Enough of this nonsense," he snapped, pulling out his wallet and tossing a bank card toward me.

"You'll get twice the money you usually get this month." His gaze returned to me. "Spend tomorrow shopping for jewelry. Have some friends over if you're bored. Keep yourself busy with your duties as Luna and quit making things difficult for me."

I carefully eased myself onto the edge of the bed and gathered the torn nightgown over my chest. "Is that what you think of me? That I'll put up with anything for your money and a title?"

"You owe everything you've got to the Stormclaw Pack." He stared at me coldly. "You couldn't manage a day without me. Face reality."

Without another word, he left and slammed the door.

For a long time, I remained on the bed with my eyes fixed on the black card.

Eventually, I took my phone and called a friend.

"What's going on, Selena? Why are you calling so late?" Nora Quinn still sounded groggy.

I turned toward the windows and the full moon beyond them. "I need an Unbinding Petition drawn up, Nora. I want this mate bond ended, and I don't want to wait any longer than I have to."