rd count of approximately 1,204 words. I've preserved the emotional tone, character development, a

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pte

l's

the pain that had been eating away at me-and all she did was stare at me w

gn of comfort or support. But she just sat there in silence, her face a mask of disappointment and fru

t that girl? I told you from the beginning she wasn't right for you, but you didn't l

round. "But she's still my mate," I said softly, m

blessed you with another mate. Do you know how rare that is? Most wolves never get a

ve the pregnancy," I admitted quietly, trying to justify what I'd done. "I couldn't let the

rs. That was the truth. She betrayed you,

th Corvin flashed through my mind like lightning, fueling the fire of rage that ha

his," I whispered, exhausted. "I've made my dec

fter discovering Selene's betrayal, I found out Mira was my second mate. It felt

entle hand on my cheek. "I'm proud of you, son," she said softly.

d stepped away from her touch. "I'll be back. I need to take care of a few things," I

Leo, my Beta, said the

asked, not in the mood

e terminated? You know she's not the kind of person who'd

nd me again," I growled, the Alpha in me rising to th

survive the procedure," he said flatly. "She

ord to let emotions rule me anymore. "Okay," I said coldly. "I ha

thout another word. I watched him go before heading to my chambers

Person

... she'

r voice breathless, her expression a

eplied, her voice ice-cold. "If you ha

sed best friend. Mira had always dreamed of being Kael's mate. When t

the doctor off. "And don't ever speak

fied smile playing on her lips. Ever

a's

, fake tears running down my face. I made

ding up to face me. His concern was genuin

"The pack doctor couldn't save her

expected. "Yeah, I know," he

good way. If he wasn't mourning Selene,

e care of the burial," he added. "You'l

ing every ounce of manipulation into

sitant. But as soon as I left the room, I hurried to tell Syra-the

Person

to the pack house, his b

ael asked, annoyed

s body. It's gone. We

wed. "What do you

disappeared. We were preparing it for

ad," Mira snapped, her e

insisted. "I

corpse?" Mira asked coldly. "She's

nd a search party. I wa

ed and r

ked tense. I reached for his arm, tryin

" I asked, tru

should go," he said

lied, my voice cool. I left the

But now, I wasn't so sure. Kael was still think

n of that. Everything I had worked

t to let one miss