Page 27 of Ruthless Reign

He lifts a shoulder, shrugging casually. "It's more of a common fact than you being mated to multiple alphas. Which is the other reason, I might add. Not only did you have multiple mates, but two alphas? Seems a lot like history repeating."

"I can't speak on that," I murmur. "I didn't know that Goddess Ophelia had multiple mates, or that she was a Luna. I just knew that she had negotiated peace treaties with packs and helped to end the war."

"I think there's a lot of misinformation about that time. We're lucky to have a lot of her own personal journals in our possession. We wouldn't have found the information without them," he answers, making me nod. Mrs. Lyons said the same about the misinformation, and from my readings, I could see that. When word was only passed from mouth to mouth, things were bound to be lost in translation. Plus, people like to stir the pot. They would have enjoyed spreading false information, making history seem far more exciting than it was. Though I can't say I agree—if what Cade is saying is true, it was very full on, even without the dramatization.

I'm overwhelmed by it all if I'm being honest. I don't feel ready for any of the responsibilities that come with being Luna. But I swore I would try, to give it my best shot. Knowing I had people like Luna Grace and Luna Eve by my side to assist, I figured I had a chance at being decent. But this… this is too much. I'm only twenty-one. Half the time I forget to eat unless a responsible adult reminds me. And let's not forget my talented ability to always run late. The number of times I've nearly hadmy head bitten off by Alpha Daxton, only being saved by my parents waking me up… how can I be confident to protect not one, not even two… but three packs? I can barely get myself out of bed some mornings.

"So, you apparently knew about Maverick's thoughts on the mate situation?" I ask, circling back.

Cade nods. "Even if we don't personally know every alpha and their pack, we knowofthem. Given it's one of our duties to find our mate and Luna, it was well known—or at least thought—between the alphas that Maverick had no desire. We knew about his father's passing. It's common knowledge when an alpha dies. We keep tabs on other packs so that we know what is happening. Maverick was mate-less and made no attempt to find his Luna. It was assumed he didn't want to."

My face tightens. "Then why did your men try to kill him that night? Or at least insinuate that they were going to?"

"Because Maverick is an asshole," Cade laughs. "Ezra doesn't like him much—so I think he was just saying that in the moment. And we knew that he would try to kill us—even if he had no ties to you. His reputation precedes him as a fighter."

As much as I hate his answer, I can't help the way my mouth twitches when he refers to Maverick as an asshole. Heisan asshole, but I've come to realize that it's only surface deep. But if there's one thing Maverick is known for, it's being protective of his pack. If he felt like he was in danger, he would absolutely attack without remorse.

"Did you kill him?" I ask quietly, needing to hear it for myself.

Cade shakes his head. "No, of course not. The bastard wounded Matteo, but other than that, he walked away relatively unharmed. I think he caught my men by surprise."

"Why is that?"

"Because he was trying to get to you."

A silence falls between us when he finishes speaking. I already knew this, but hearing it from someone else, just hits differently. The insinuation in his tone feeds the reassurance I need to hear that Maverick cares about me.

When Cade sees my mind start to swirl with uncertainty, he smiles. "I think you managed to get your claws into him. We made the assumption that he wouldn't try to intervene. But they saw you two together. It's why they waited until you were separated. However, I think that's the reason why Ezra called the pack off. Once they had him down, they left him unscathed. It was interesting hearing that someone had managed to bring out a different side of him."

I want to argue back and say that he's wrong—that Maverick doesn't want me. But I can't bring myself to voice it out loud. It's too painful, still remembering his words about leaving me behind and never looking back. Thankfully, Cade doesn't push further, letting me go quiet.

"Anyway," he redirects. "I expect we'll see him soon. I have no doubt that he'll be on his way with the others."

Shaking my head, I glance at him sharply. "And where does that leave us now? You said you don't share."

"I said Idon't likesharing," he corrects. "So, I'm going to negotiate with them—because I have no intention of letting you go now that I've found you."

Chapter Eleven

Lex

After Daxton filled us in about Nyx being able to reach out and mind link, I became more determined than ever.

Apparently, she wasn't able to say much, and the conversation was abruptly cut short—likely by whoever was with her, but she did give one name.

Alpha Cade.

Instantly, we all knew where she was. And I'm ready to tear the New Moon Pack apart.

Wyatt had gloated briefly about being correct in his suspicions, and thankfully we were already heading toward them. But given how little I know about Cade, I can only assume the worst. Especially since Nyx was cut short in her transmission.

I hate that I wasn't the one she reached out to, but in all honesty, I think it was for the best. Hearing her voice would have sent me feral, igniting every visceral, primal urge in my body. I would have shifted, leaving the others behind as I sprang into action. But also, by choosing Daxton, her most constant connection, she knew we would all get the message.

As we trek through the woods, crossing the abandoned land of the Selene Pack, I can't help but feel a sense of urgency. I don't know how much time we have to get to her, but we're moving as fast as we can. Our large group, consisting of members from my pack, Daxton's, Maverick's, and Wyatt's are approaching in unison. Spread out in rows of four, each of us lead our people as we search for her.

Daxton said her words were cut short—falling deathly quiet like the connection was severed. I know what it means.

It means they are expecting us.

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