The Mark of Betrayal (by Cooper) novel Chapter 31

Roman

The next morning, I wake up late. I still feel mentally exhausted after everything that I learned last night.

Sawyer. The man I thought was my friend. The man I grew up with, who grew up with Theo, betrayed us. If Samara hadn’t shown me the evidence from her memory, I’m not sure I would have ever believed it.

Overnight, the grief has turned to rage and fury. The man I considered one of my best friends will die for what he did to Theo and his family. He will die for putting Samara through everything that she has suffered.

Samara. I smile, pulling my mate closer to me. I not only found her, finally giving myself some peace after nine long years, but the woman is mine. No wonder she knew who I was at the Alpha meeting. I probably look very similar to the seventeen-year-old she remembers. She, however, looks very different from the gangly nine-year-old that I remember. The tomboy has matured into the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen in my life. Intelligent, strong, and beautiful. She’s perfect.

I press a kiss to the top of her head. I’m mated to a white wolf. The reality that the Moon Goddess thinks so highly of me as to give me this gift is overwhelming, especially after years of believing I wasn’t worthy of a mate at all.

“How is your mind so awake already?” Samara murmurs sleepily. She snuggles against me, making my already aching length harden even more. It’s a state I’ve become accustomed to over the past few weeks but having her snuggle against me is only making it more difficult. Knowing that I’ll be able to complete the mate bond with her soon, mark her as mine forever, is making it more difficult for me to maintain my distance.

“That was a lot of information to process yesterday,” I say nuzzling her hair. “How are you feeling today?”

I see her eyes open as she thinks through her answer. “Lighter. Does that make sense?” she asks, looking over her shoulder at me.

I smile. Other than the rage that I feel toward Sawyer, I feel lighter too. The overwhelming grief that has hung over me like a cloud for nine years is gone, or mostly gone.

“Yeah, that makes sense,” I say, kissing her nose. “Sharing our grief, carrying it together is making it easier for both of us, I think.”

“Yeah, plus now you know you found me,” she says, smiling.

“Yeah, I did. And I’m keeping you too.” I growl against her neck, holding her to me as she squeals.

Memories of better days, when Samara was young and I would tease her or tickle her until she squealed like this come flooding into my mind. Rather than causing pain, they make me happy.

I found her. She’s safe in my arms and I’ll make sure she stays that way forever.

“When do I get to see my mate?” Pierce growls against her neck. Her entire body shivers.

“I thought you were taking me for a run this morning,” Ayla purrs. “Or perhaps, my mate, I’ll take you for a run.”

He nibbles on her earlobe. “Challenge accepted. Let’s go. I want to see you,” he says.

We get up and dressed quickly.

‘I’m taking Sam...antha out for a run,” I say in the mind link to Austin and Adrian.

“Does that mean she’s letting you see her wolf finally?’ Austin asks.

‘Yes. When we return, I have an announcement to make, but I’ll warn you both now. We’re going to war. We’ll talk more when I get back.’

‘Yes, Alpha,’ they both say. I can feel the concern about war mixed with the excitement in both of them that Samara has finally accepted me enough to let me run with her.

When we’re dressed, I lead her out back, checking over the warriors who are still in training. Samara waves and I nod at them, but we continue into the forest. Once we’re far enough away that I know we’re alone, I step back.

“Let me see you, beautiful,” I say, excited to finally get a chance to see my gorgeous mate in her wolf form.

She hasn’t been naked in front of me since our shower in the hotel. Even in bed, she wears sleep shirts and shorts, so I’m not surprised when she blushes as she strips down. I don’t bother hiding my pleasure at seeing her magnificent body, growling possessively at the gorgeous woman who’s all mine.

She gives me a heated look before her pure white fur begins sprouting over her body. I watch as her bones snap and she shifts into her Ayla’s form.

I gasp at how beautiful she is. “You’re stunning,” I say, completely captivated by her.

I step up to her slowly, sliding my hands through the fur on her face. “So soft,” I whisper as I stroke my fingers down her body, feeling her body shiver in response to my touch.

“Utterly gorgeous,” I say with pride.

“Mine!” Pierce growls possessively.

‘Only if you can catch me,’ Ayla purrs, before leaping away and taking off at a very fast pace.

I don’t have time to take off our clothes before Pierce pulls the shift, chasing after his mate.

His possessive growl is loud as we both realize how fast our mate is. She is strong and beautiful as she runs, her white fur glinting in the morning sun, making it look golden where the sun hits it.

Ayla yips excitedly as she runs, obviously enjoying being chased. I open the mind link to Samara and hear her laughing, enjoying this as much as her wolf is. Pierce chases her for hours, working hard to keep up with her powerful pace.

When he finally does catch her, he tackles her to the ground, laying on top of her and sniffing her as she licks his mouth. He rubs his face against hers, scenting her and showing her how much he loves her.

I turn and look at the forest. “Ayla,” I call.

As soon as she steps out of the forest, the entire pack gasps. I smile as Ayla walks majestically toward me, taking her time so that every pack member has a chance to admire her. She's gone her whole life without anyone appreciating who she is. All of my pack members understand what it means that she's a white wolf.

When she steps up beside me, I run my fingers through her soft fur. “As you can see, my mate is a white wolf.”

“How?” someone asks.

“Shift for me, my love,” I say. As soon as she shifts, I put the robe on her and pull her to me.

“You all know how I’ve struggled with the death of my dear friend Alpha Theo and you know how I’ve struggled with not being able to find his younger sister, Samara.”

I hear Austin gasp. He’s figured it out.

“Little did I know that I had found her. She just needed to know that I was not part of the group who betrayed her family. My pack, I present to you your Luna, Samara Brenner.”

It takes a moment, then the entire pack begins to howl excitedly. Pierce lifts our head and howls his own excitement as I hug Samara to me. I can feel her happiness at the pack’s response as she hugs me back.

When the excitement settles, I kiss Samara quickly, then turn back to the pack.

“That was the good news. Now for the bad news. Samara saw the person who murdered her brother, Theo. She has shared her memories of that night with me,” I say, feeling my throat get tight.

Samara’s arms tighten around me and she looks up at me, my sorrow reflected in her eyes.

“A person I trusted, a person Theo trusted, betrayed him and his family. My pack, we are going to war. I will finally be able to avenge the death of my friend and his family. And we will do that with his sister at my side.”

“Alpha, who betrayed them?” Austin asks.

I look at my pack members. Sawyer has been my friend my entire life. He’s spent time in this pack. Most, if not all, of my pack members know him.

“Alpha Sawyer.’

I feel their shock through the bond, see it on their faces, and hear it in their gasps.

“And he will die for what he’s done,” I growl.