Vance's POV

Dear Moon Goddess!


Nadia is being such a prick.

They think that Alex and I are still talking ourselves into this whole thing, she's definitely not helping matters.

'Let's bath shall we?" I talk to Alex through our mindlink, right after Nadia shut the door in our face.


It's gonna be a freaking long day.

'Do you think she is worth it?" Alex asks, albeit out of the blue.


'I'm not sure, Alex. I need an heir, and I want it now." I release a held breath. 'Nadia had one, we could have another." I explain, even though I own no one explanation.

Nadia is my second chance mate, manu wolves die alone after the loss of their mates.

Admittedly, I have not really felt the explicable pull I feel towards Talia with Nadia, but she is the safest option for me.

As much as I try to bury memories of Nadia and I when we were much younger, bits and pieces kept creeping up on me, even while I had Talia.

Now I try to remember, a desperate attempt to rekindle what I think we had then, but I barely feel it.

Nadia wasn't always the most pretty or witty, but we certainly have gotten along, with and without Talia's knowledge.

'What is it you plan to do now?" The gentle whispering voice of Tracy floats beyond the kitchen to my ears not so far away.

I wait a while to figure our what it's about.

'Did you get the note to Landon?" I could make out Nadia's sexy voice, even in a whisper.

'He's still very mad. He cursed and tore it to shreds." Tracy replied to her. Beyond passing absolutely necessary information, I've never heard her say so many words.

'Alright." Nadia says in a hushed tone. 'I'll see you after today."

'Wait," Tracy called her back, 'what if I say I'm tired? Fed up even." That sounds more of a a harsh reminder than a cry for help.

'Then I'm not listening." Nadia doesn't sound so sympathetic. 'You need to stick it out, and stick it out you will." I can imagine her poking commanding fingers. 'I'm off to meet my sweetheart." She says finally, and I hear her footsteps approach.

Should I be hyped? Does she really want me this much?

I don't leave where I am, two steps away from the kitchen door.

Nadia looks a little startled when she sees me, but also recovers speedily.

She tears her gaze away with utmost alacrity and moves to walk away.

I grab her by the neck, albeit not so rough.

'What was that about?" I confront Nadia.

'How much did you hear?" She asks back. I'd be to to say I did not see it coming.

'‘...I'm off to meet my sweetheart. '" I somehow think better than tell her everything I heard. Some things are for finding out.

'It's self explanatory." She replies without further consideration, staring me in the eyes.

Our eyes are locked like bulls with locked horns.

Each unsure of the next move they and the other would make.

'There's time for just one round." She says in whispers, censoring nothing exactly, because she has said more lewd things in Tracy's presence and earshot.

'I'll pass," I reply to her, smiling, 'it's not so ideal, exactly not this morning."

'I'm sorry for not being ideal, I'm sorry for not being Talia." She wrenches my hand off her body and walks away, her step giving ‘kiss my dust.'

'Who said anything about Talia?" I called out after her.

I have to play it cool till I get my heir.

With every day that passes, pack members are becoming more ambitious and less satisfied.

In the history of every Alphas reign, there is always that greedy discontent wolf who wants to take power.

I don't see any coming, but that does not mean there isn't.

'Alex?" He's been silent in my head all the while.

'Yeah." He answers, sounding somehow weak.

'What is going on?" I ask him.

'With Tyla, I was not exactly attracted," He starts, but that's old news, 'but now, being around her feels like touching silver."

'What do you mean?" I'm confused.

'It's similar to the feeling you get when you go against your mate bond." He sounds very unsure.

'That couldn't be true." Alex must be glitching. Talia is gone and forgotten.

Nadia and I haven't exactly been intimate since Talia passed two weeks ago. I kinda want to believe it's because of Talia.

I want to gaslight myself into thinking I'm over her, it should her with healing.

Transformation has not been exactly the same since Talia passed. Alex and I have difficulties switching.

I have Alex for way shorter times, and each time we switch, I end up becoming weaker.

Just two days ago, Alex transforming to me made me bleed from my nose and ears.

It could only be one thing…but it couldn't.

That's so stupid to think.

We both saw Talia die, we buried her.

Or…

No one wants a spineless, gutless wolf for an Alpha. I have to pick myself up.

'It's the second time we are doing this in less than five years." I say to Alex through our mindlink, while putting on the long black cloak I wore for my previous wedding. 'Hey buddy" I call out to him when I don't get an answer.

'...feel…weak…for later." it seemed as though I was talking to him through poor connection.

What is going on Moon Goddess.

I really cannot wait for the next full moon.

'The pack has assembled, they are waiting for you." Tracy intrudes my thoughts. 'Nadia too is fully dressed."

The ceremony today is going to be very brief. It's more of a necessity than a ceremony.

Landon, my beta, is supposed to be in charge of the program . I have written a number of unreplied letters to him.

It's not fault of his if he is still mourning Talia.

I put on the necklaces and all other necessary charms. My neckline looks less sunk in, but I also look less happy.

I don't know what is going on with me. I feel weaker, both Alex and I, and the bleeding after transformation thing isn't exactly healthy. This is the last chance to pass my Alpha blood on to someone else. The future of the pack too is on the line.

Maybe the pep talk would help, maybe it won't.

The wedding is going to be held behind my house, under the cover of luxurious pine woods.

'You look beautiful." I say to Nadia when I see her. She has way more adornments than I've ever seen a person wear.

It's sometimes strikes me as though she is unaware of the circumstances of our marriage.

'It's time." I say to her.

She gets up without saying a word, takes one last glance at the mirror and walks towards me, slipping her hands in mine.

As we walk through the pack, there's very little cheer-ons and smiles.

I don't want Alex to come now, but I want to hear what they are thinking.

With Alex help, I starting to get into their thoughts, hearing it all unfiltered.

‘Bloody murderer'

‘Has to be why they killed Talia.'

‘They always had it coming.'

My feet are still steady in their tracks as Nadia and I both make our way through over five hundred of them.

‘He should've died a long time ago, save for…' I barely hear the rest of what was coming before I tear my arms away from Nadia and slash the thinker.

Alex is out, and back in, in a split second.

Leaving me with bloodied hands and a livid crowd.