Chapter 26

Luca

Ileft the manor when I sensed Ren come back with his female. There was no doubt he'd taken his mate in the way of our kind—under the light of the full moon, claiming her fully and placing his mark on her. It was the way of our species, a sacred, ritualistic act that mates did when they were finally complete with the woman meant to be theirs.

I wasn't strong enough to deny the pull of the moon, to let my Lycan fully out and run free; and every time the moon was high, I locked myself away, making my inner beast suffer with the pain of not being free one more time.

But on this night, I broke habit. Ren deserved to have this time in his home with his mate alone. He didn't need a brother who was slowly losing his mind bellowing in the very bottom chamber of the estate as he pulled his female close and reveled in the fact that he was no longer alone.

So here I was, walking the slightly worn path in the forest, the same one my brother clearly took night after night before he found his female. I could smell Ren's scent lingering within the trees, and the faint aroma of his claiming with the woman who was now irrevocably his for all time trailed in the wind.

I was happy for him, relieved we both wouldn't suffer the same fate.

And now here I was, taking the same path as he. But I'd long since lost the hope that he clearly hung onto all this time.

A break in the trees had the silvery glow from the moon casting down. I stepped into the clearing and tipped my head back, closing my eyes and letting that powerful pull almost lull me.

My brother would no doubt have the mating ceremony as soon as he could. He already claimed her—which I could easily smell in the air—but I knew he'd want our kind, as well as those in allegiance with the Lycans, to witness him mating his female properly. It was similar to a human wedding, but without the vows, the white dress, or the throwing of fucking rice. Basically, it was a way for our kind to show off our mates and to let the males know she was theirs—the mark on her neck on proud display. The word would travel between species so all knew not to fuck with her or they'd face death.

So yeah, my brother would most certainly be doing the ceremony as soon as possible. And I couldn't blame him. Hell, I would too.

I closed my eyes and exhaled, letting the glow from the moon try to soothe me as it always did. And it helped—minimally.

I knew rumors of me going mad had run rampant through our world. They all thought I was dangerous, violent, more beast than creature. I supposed I was. But for my brother, I'd make an appearance at his ceremony out of respect. I couldn't not go. And I'd look every one of those bastards in the eye and let them see I was still here—barely alive, but still here.

Then I'd crawl back into the pits of the manor and truly contemplate if it was all worth it anymore.