Page 42 of Luna's Forgotten Vow

The words are so raw, I startle, releasing a dark laugh. "Oh, that is rich coming from you." I tilt my head slightly, letting the laughter drain from my face. "I want your marriage to Tova annulled. I want the peace treaty rewritten, in which you agree to rescind authority over the lands and packs you stole from me. My borders will be closed again and your unlimited access to my resources and weapons will be revoked. You will release my men you hold in your dungeons and withdraw the spies you have littered around my lands, lest I return them to you in body bags. More importantly, the little clause that allows for hostile takeovers will be removed."

Ronan's muscles strain and the veins around his neck look to be seconds away from popping. "Seraphina isn't worth that much. You can keep her."

He's bluffing. I can smell his fear as sharply as I can the scent of myrrh and alcohol. I smile, letting a little of Kaelin to the surface. Let him see the wolf lurking beneath my skin, the hunger that ravages the depth of my soul when I think of Seraphina. "Oh, but I plan to."

I part my lips to say more. But then?—

A sharp pulse of fear sears through me. It is so damn strong, my grip on Callahan falters. And it isn't coming from me.

Kaelin whines inside my chest as a vicious ache replaces the fear.

The last time I felt this, Seraphina was curled up on the bathroom floor, barely conscious, shaking and cold.

Irun.

I don't hear the footsteps chasing after me.I don't care.

I track her scent, moving fast, my mind already playing the worst. My fear mingles with hers, making me wild with panic.

A commotion by the back hall seizes my attention and my heart stalls when someone says, "Oh my, is she alright?"

The crowd parts, letting me through, and they stare at me with varying degrees of worry, surprise and disbelief as I push past face after face, body after body until...

"She just came out of nowhere!" An annoyingly nasal voice echoes, and one glance up reveals Kaida Callahan, staring at me with something like fear. "She fell."

"No. You pushed her," someone else remarks.

I hit my knees by Seraphina's side, heart caving at the sight of her on the ground, face frozen in a painful expression. Pale. Motionless. My fingers search for her pulse. It's faint. Too faint.

A tremor ripples through me.

I cradle her to my chest. "Get Rayne. Any physician. Now!"

Feet shuffle around, informing me that someone's tending to that particular order. Murmurs rise. Someone calls my name. It might have been Tova, but everyone other than Seraphina is shrouded in a cloud of red. A threat. And I growl, snapping and ready to sink my teeth into any one who comes close. Ready to fucking kill them.

Wisely, they give me wide berth, scurrying out of my path like I am a viper coiled tightly and ready to bite.

My focus hones in sharply on her.

And the raw sobbing sound she makes as I lift her into my arms.

"Shh," I whisper, arms tightening around her smaller frame. "I've got you."

She quietens, head lolling right to rest against my heart.

I see Ronan in my peripheral, watching us with worry and loathing. And my pack, they stare. Our guests watch with incredulity.

Because never has it been heard of that Soren Winter lost his shit over a woman. Not even Rayne could get this reaction out of me.

Because I have just revealed to them—to the entire world that I do have a weakness and my entire world orbits around the fragile woman in my arms.

And I am not ashamed.

"She's alright," the Glacial Pack's physician says, rubbing a sore spot on his jaw. He's still dressed for the celebrations, though most of the guests have already been sent home. "It's completely normal for the body to grow tired when the mind is constantly at war. The more her memories return, the worse the dizzy spells will become."

My canines grind together. My foot skids across the rug. "You said it was unlikely she'd regain them at all."

He nods, lowering his voice. "I did. But something must have triggered her tonight—something strong enough to shake her after months of perfect health and healing." A weary smile tugs at his lips. "The brain is still a mystery to us. You must forgive me for my incorrect analysis. On the bright side, she's recovering faster than expected."

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