Bitter Blood

Lumina POV

The morning sun warms the training grounds as Harper and I make our way toward the bustling field. The crisp air smells of pine and damp earth, a perfect backdrop for a morning walk. Harper strolls beside me, chattering non-stop about her blooming friendship with Damon. She waves her hands around, describing the movie they watched yesterday in vivid detail.

"The movie was amazing. If you could have torn yourself away from my brother for longer than thirty minutes, you would know exactly how awesome it was," Harper says, shooting me a playful sideways glance.

"Harp, we just went shopping two days ago. Besides, you know Kaelen is not the biggest fan of Damon." I nudge her shoulder with a light laugh.

"I know. I just do not understand why. Damon is super nice," she replies, kicking a loose pebble across the dirt path.

"I agree, but I do not want to make Kaelen uncomfortable."

"Yes, goddess forbid my brother be uncomfortable," Harper deadpans, rolling her eyes toward the blue sky.

We arrive at the edge of the training field. The loud grunts and sounds of physical combat fill the air. The elite warriors are finishing up their rigorous morning session. My eyes bypass the sparring pairs and lock onto Kaelen. He stands in the center of the dirt ring, leading the drills with lethal precision. Sweat slicks his naked torso, catching the sunlight and highlighting every carved muscle of his chest and abdomen. I admire his raw strength, watching the powerful flex of his back as he demonstrates a combat maneuver.

"Could you drool less over my brother? I am going to puke." Harper groans, bumping her hip against mine.

I laugh, refusing to tear my gaze away from my mate. Kaelen senses my presence. He turns his head, and his dark eyes lock onto mine. He immediately halts the session. He dismisses his seasoned warriors with a sharp wave of his hand, ignoring their exhausted panting. He heads straight for me, his strides long and predatory. A possessive gleam burns in his eyes as he closes the distance between us.

"Hey, how is my girl?" Kaelen asks, stopping right in front of me.

"Enjoying the view," I reply, tracing a lazy look down his spectacular chest.

Harper sighs loudly, throwing her hands in the air. "Seriously, I am glad you are mates because that makes Lumi my sister. But you two are disgusting. I am going to find Damon. He is my new best friend."

She marches off toward the pack house, leaving us alone at the edge of the field.

"So, what do you want to do tonight?" I ask Kaelen, leaning closer to inhale his spicy, musky scent.

Corbin steps into our space, shattering the sweet, private moment.

"He won't be doing anything with you tonight, Lumina. You know he has actual duties to attend to," Corbin snaps.

My brother forcefully inserts himself between Kaelen and me. His face is twisted in a dark scowl. His voice drips with a sharp hostility that shatters my heart. I stare at Corbin, feeling the sting of his unprovoked anger. He glares at me with a look of pure disgust, a look that makes me feel like a stranger instead of his sister.

A deep, menacing rumble vibrates in Kaelen's chest. He lets out a warning growl, his muscles bunching with sudden tension. Kaelen steps up, towering over my brother, demanding respect for me as his fated mate and the future Luna of the Obsidian Thorn Pack.

"You will not speak to your sister, my mate, and the future Luna of this pack that way again. Are we clear, Corbin?" Kaelen demands.

The heavy Alpha command presses down on the training field, suffocating the air around us. Corbin bears his neck, his jaw clenching under the immense pressure.

"I am sorry, Kaelen. I am sorry, Lumina. I just meant that we are going to be on patrol later," Corbin says through tight lips.

It is a reluctant, hollow apology. His eyes hold zero remorse as he looks at me.

"It is fine, Corbin. I am sure I can find something to do," I whisper, fighting the sting of tears in my eyes.

I turn to walk away, needing to escape my brother's cruel gaze. Kaelen grabs my hand, lacing his fingers through mine.

"I do not have to go on patrol for a few hours. Let's go back to my room. I will shower, and then we can watch a movie." Kaelen leads me away from the tension, steering me back toward the safety of the pack house.

We reach the quiet sanctuary of his bedroom. The moment the door clicks shut, Kaelen pulls me securely into his warm arms. The floodgates open, and stray tears escape my eyes, trailing down my cheeks. He cups my face, his large thumbs gently brushing away the wetness.

"He doesn't hate you, Lumina. You are his sister and he loves you," Kaelen soothes in a low, comforting tone.

"Kaelen, I feel like it is more than that. He has always been the best brother. He protected me, and now he hates me," I cry, resting my cheek against his chest.

"I do not ever want to see you cry, Lumina. It kills me to see you upset. I will get to the bottom of whatever is causing his sudden behavior," he promises, stroking my hair.

He tilts my chin up and captures my lips in a deep, heated kiss. The frantic slide of his tongue against mine leaves my head spinning. He pours his reassurance into the kiss, grounding my fractured emotions. He reluctantly pulls away, panting softly.

"Let me grab a quick shower," he murmurs.

He grabs a change of clothes and heads into the connected bathroom. I slip off my shoes and sit on the edge of his massive bed. The sound of running water echoes through the room. I wait in the silence, trying to process the agonizing rift between Corbin and me.

A harsh, demanding knock on the heavy wooden door startles me.

I frown, crossing the room. I pull the door open and find a scowling Corbin standing in the hallway.

"What are you doing here, Corbin? Kaelen said he doesn't have patrol for a few hours," I say.

Without missing a beat, Corbin launches into a cruel tirade.

"I am protecting you from acting like a bitch in heat. You are not even claimed yet," Corbin spits.

His words are designed to inflict maximum pain. It feels like a physical punch to my gut. I swallow the painful, jagged lump lodged in my throat. I straighten my spine, lifting my chin to look him dead in the eye.

"I don't know what the hell your problem is, but I am done taking your baseless cruelty. Do not talk to me anymore unless you can stop being an asshole," I tell him firmly.

But Corbin is relentless. His next words are laced with pure venom.

"You aren't worthy of being his mate or being the Luna of this pack. Kaelen will realize that soon enough and reject your ass for someone better."

The sheer cruelty of his statement breaks my resolve. The firm facade I built crumbles into dust. Hot tears spill heavily down my cheeks. My chest heaves with a massive sob, the pain of his betrayal ripping through my chest. I stare at the brother who used to be my protector, now standing before me as my biggest tormentor.

Before my heart can shatter, the bathroom door swings open.

Kaelen emerges into the bedroom. He is dripping wet, with a white towel barely wrapped around his waist. He takes one single look at my devastated, weeping form standing in the doorway.

Torin, his wolf, seizes control. A menacing, bloodcurdling growl rips from his throat, shaking the walls of the pack house. His eyes shift into a terrifying, pitch-black void.

Corbin, blind to the imminent danger, mutters his final insult. "I just don't think the goddess should have made my sister your mate. She isn't good enough for an Alpha."

Without a second of warning, Kaelen lunges.

He rushes Corbin with terrifying speed. He reaches through the open doorway, wrapping a massive hand tightly around my brother's throat. Kaelen lifts him up, slamming Corbin off the ground against the hard hallway wall. Corbin chokes, his hands clawing frantically at Kaelen's unyielding forearm.

"Don't you ever say such a thing again. She is perfect and she is mine. You will stay away from my mate, Beta," Kaelen snarls.

He unleashes a suffocating, crushing Alpha command that forces Corbin into submission. The sheer power rolling off Kaelen makes the air thick and unbreathable. Corbin gasps for air, his face turning a deep shade of red.

"Yes, Alpha," Corbin chokes out.

"Now leave. You are stripped of your patrol duties. Get out of my sight," Kaelen growls, banishing him from the hallway.

Kaelen releases his iron grip. Corbin drops to the floor, gasping for breath, and scrambles away without looking back.

Kaelen steps back into the room and shuts the door, locking it with a sharp click. Once we are finally alone, the last of his ferocious anger melts away into deep concern.

He strides over and scoops my shaking, sobbing form into his strong arms. He carries me to the bed, sitting down with me in his lap. He holds my face tightly against his bare, damp chest. I wrap my arms around his waist, crying into his skin.

"I love you, Lumina. You are perfect. The goddess doesn't make mistakes," Kaelen murmurs fiercely into my hair.

He rains soft, comforting kisses over my face, his lips catching my falling tears. He traces his thumbs over my cheekbones, urging me to look at him.

"I love you too, Kaelen. I just don't understand why he is being this way to me," I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.

"I promise you that if he does it again, the punishment will be far worse than missing a patrol. You are the future Luna of this pack and the love of my life. No one will hurt you," he says.

He leans in and takes my lips. Our ensuing kisses quickly escalate from comforting to passionate. I part my lips, welcoming the demanding slide of his tongue. I moan into his mouth, my hands gripping his wet shoulders. His large hands skim expertly over the curves of my body. He traces the dip of my waist, the flare of my hips, and the soft swell of my breasts. He strokes the sensitive peaks through the thin fabric of my shirt, sending a jolt of raw pleasure straight to my core.

I shift my weight, straddling his lap. His thick, hard dick presses eagerly against the juncture of my thighs through the damp fabric of his towel. The friction sends a rush of intense heat through my veins. We are both flushed and breathless, lost in the heavy fog of our mating bond. I grind my hips downward, seeking more contact, ready to surrender to the intoxicating heat and bridge the final, intimate gap between us.

Just as I reach for the hem of my shirt to pull it over my head, Kaelen pulls back. He grips my hips to stop my movements, panting heavily.

"We have to stop, or I am not going to be able to, my love," he says, his chest heaving under my palms.

"What if I don't want you to stop, Kaelen? We are mates. Why can't we be together?" I ask, my skin burning with unsatisfied desire.

He cups my cheek, his dark eyes locking deeply into mine. I see nothing but endless love and devotion shining in his gaze.

Kaelen whispers his promise to me. "I want our first time to be special. I want to announce you as my Luna in front of the whole pack while you are wearing a sexy dress. Then I want to bring you to our new wing and make love to you until we are both too exhausted to stand. Then I am going to place my mark right here, making you mine for the rest of our lives."

He traces a gentle finger over the sensitive skin of my neck, right over my marking spot. The promise in his words sends a shiver down my spine. I am overwhelmed by his romantic devotion. The idea of him claiming me in front of everyone, proving to the pack that I am his chosen mate, fills my heart with an indescribable warmth.

"Okay," I whisper, reluctantly agreeing.

I am willing to do just about anything to make this incredible man happy. He pulls me into a tight, comforting hug, burying his face in my neck. Despite Corbin's cruel words echoing in the dark corners of my mind, threatening to bring me down, I anchor myself to the solid warmth of the boy holding me. As I look at Kaelen, feeling the steady beat of his heart against my chest, I know the undeniable truth. We were made perfectly for each other.