Gunnar’s POV
My brothers and I already told our father a week ago that we would be bringing our mate to him.
We did not tell him everything. We did not explain how the bond happened. We did not explain that the Moon Goddess decided to bind one woman to three Alphas. We barely understood it ourselves, and we were not about to explain sothing he would never accept.
Father Sebastian made it very clear from the beginning that he did not want us ruling the pack. He has never wanted that. He smiles in public, plays the proud Alpha, but behind closed doors, he despises us. Always has.
And now he is threatening to hand over the pack to his best friend, Calistus.
Ethan’s father.
We all understand the ssage in that threat.
It is blackmail.
Submit or lose everything.
I clench my jaw just thinking about it.
If werewolves did not live as long as we do, I swear it would have been easier if Sebastian was already dead. At least then we would not be dealing with this constant power play, this endless manipulation, this obsession with control.
I am already boiling inside.
Cane notices before I say anything. His hand tightens on my arm under the table, a silent warning.
Caden leans closer and murmurs, "Not here. Not now, don’t do anything rash Gunnar."
I breathe in slowly through my nose and force myself to stay seated but barely.
Because now our mate is here, standing right in front of Sebastian, and instead of acknowledging the bond, instead of accepting the Moon’s decision, he dismisses her like she is nothing.
Like she is disposable and that is sothing I will never tolerate.
Of course, he sides with Sapphire.
Sapphire sits there clinging to his arm like she belongs there, like she is already the Luna. Her eyes never stop moving to Riley, always watching. She thinks the rulership does not suit us. She has said it openly before to us in front of our father Sebastian.
She has also tried to seduce .
And Cane.
And Caden.
When that failed, she turned to my father.
The weak bastard fell for it. She thinks if she keeps his bed warm, she can secure the Luna title once our mother dies.
As if my mother is already dead. As if sickness makes her irrelevant.
As if she can erase her just by smiling and spreading her legs.
The thought makes my blood boil. I push my chair back abruptly and stand up.
That is it. If I stay here any longer, soone will die.
I do not care who.
Cane imdiately stands as well. "Gunnar—"
"I need air," I snapped at him. "Before I break sothing."
Caden nods once, understanding. "Go."
I turn and storm out without another word, my footsteps heavy against the stone floor. I ignore the stares. Ignore the murmurs. Ignore Sapphire’s smug expression burning into my back.
I do not stop walking until I reach the darker corridors of Obsidian Veil.
This place has not changed much since we left.
The narrow paths twist deeper into the old parts of the residence, places no one bothers to visit anymore. The air feels chiller here.. because this is where my mother stays.
I stop in front of a plain wooden door and raise my hand to knock.
No response. I knock again. Still nothing.
My chest tightens."Mom," I call softly.
But there’s silence.
I push the door open slowly and step inside.
She is sitting on the floor as usual.
My heart sinks instantly.
Her hair is loose and wild, her clothes mismatched, her eyes unfocused. The room slls faintly of herbs and paint and old stone.
Then she looks up at and she laughs.
Not a soft laugh neither a happy one.
A loud, hysterical laugh that echoes off the walls.
"Ohhh," she sings, climbing to her feet with surprising speed. "My pretty boy. My handso Alpha."
She rushes toward before I can react and cups my face in her hands, her grip firm, her fingers cold.
I do not pull away. I never do.
"Mom," I murmur. "It’s ."
"I know it’s you," she says, grinning too wide. "I always know."
She drags toward her bed and pushes down onto it, climbing onto her knees in front of like this is normal. She grabs jars and small containers from the table beside her and opens them.
They’re filled with paint and dark colors.
She sars it across my face without warning, laughing as she does it. I let her. I always let her.
She has been like this for eighteen years.
Eighteen. She has been ntally unstable...
I stopped counting after a while.
She pauses suddenly, her nose twitching slightly. Her eyes narrow as she leans closer to , sniffing.
Then her face lights up."Gunnar," she squeals. "You finally found her."
My body goes still.
"You found her," she repeats, clapping her hands. "You found her, you found her, you found her."
My heart starts pounding."What are you talking about?" I ask carefully.
"I can sll her all over you," she says, pressing her forehead against mine. "She’s here. She’s finally here."
I swallow hard. Even in her madness, my mother says things that are true.
Things she should not know. Things she sohow always knows.
"Who, Mom?" I ask quietly.
She laughs again. "Your moon. Your fire. Your problem."
My hands curl into fists. "You an our mate," I reply..
She gasps dramatically. "Yes! Yes! Her!"
I feel sothing tighten in my chest.
"She’s human," I say.
My mother frowns for a mont, then shrugs. "Doesn’t matter."
"It does to Father," I mutter.
She snorts. "Your father is a fool."
I almost laugh, almost.
"She is strong," my mother continues, her tone suddenly serious. "Stronger than she looks."
I think of Riley.
Of how she stood her ground in front of Sebastian.
Of how she spoke without fear.
Of how she did not bend for anyone. Was there more to her than just the eyes?
"I know," I say softly.
"She will suffer," my mother says suddenly, her voice dropping. "Before she rises."
My jaw tightens. "I won’t let that happen."
She tilts her head and smiles at , that strange knowing smile. "You won’t be able to stop all of it my baby."
I hate that she might be right. I stand up slowly and wipe so of the paint off my face as I hear familiar footsteps approaching the room.
"I have to go now Mom," I tell her. "But I’ll co back."
She waves her hand dismissively. "Bring her next ti when coming"
I pause at the door."I will," And with that I rushed out, because my father has strictly restricted anyone from seeing her..if I’m discovered here, that would spare a bigger trouble..
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