The Rejected Luna Rising

”Can we really go to the Crystal Moon Pack?” Caroline asked again, seeking confirmation.

”You think Victor can deny us entry?” Andrew mused, shifting closer to her. He propped his elbow against the soft pillow, resting his head in his hand while fixing his dark, intent gaze on her. ”You are my Luna now. Victor doesn’t have the authority to stop you.”

”If I see him, I want to kill him with my own hands,” Caroline said, her voice turning cold with rage.

”You must stay patient for that,” Andrew answered smoothly. ”Trust me, as much as you wish to kill him, I want to do the exact same thing.” His fingers trailed lightly over hers, his eyes darkening as her scent suddenly shifted in the air.

”Why are you releasing your pheromones?” Andrew asked softly, his tone turning low and husky. He closed the remaining distance between them, leaning down until he rested his head directly on her lap. ”Are you releasing them because of me?”

Caroline’s heart thudded wildly against her ribs. Having him this close, heavy against her thighs and looking up at her, sent a sudden rush through her pulse.

”I think it’s Lily, my wolf,” Caroline admitted, holding his gaze without backing away. ”She has been drawn to your wolf ever since we shared that kiss at the altar.”

”Hmm. Ares formed a connection with her, too. Your wolf is cute,” Andrew noted.

”You can see her?” Caroline arched her brows, staring at him in disbelief. ”Even when I haven’t transformed?”

”Yes, I can,” Andrew answered.

Without warning, he shifted his weight and pressed his palm gently against her lower belly. Caroline flinched, her body tensing in anticipation.

”Do you still feel pain here?” he asked, his voice softening slightly.

”No. But a sharp pain shoots through it every now and then,” Caroline admitted, looking away. ”I... I really don’t want to think about it.”

Andrew stared at her, the urge rising in his chest to tell her not to shed another tear over a bastard’s child. But seeing the sorrow in her eyes, he held back the harsh words, knowing it would only break her heart further.

He shifted upward, settling close to her and cupping her chin firmly between his fingers. Before she could react, he captured her lips in a deep kiss. Caroline’s hands curled into the sheets, and she pulled back slightly, meeting his gaze as his burgundy eyes narrowed with intense curiosity.

”Don’t want to kiss me before sleeping?” he asked, his voice a low whisper.

”No, it’s not that,” Caroline murmured, biting her bottom lip.

Andrew’s thumb brushed against her bruised lip, soothing the spot before slowly sliding past her teeth. Her tongue grazed the pad of his thumb in a fleeting, heat-filled touch. Satisfied, he drew his thumb out and buried his face in the crook of her neck. He bit and sucked sharply against her sensitive skin, drawing a breathless gasp from her throat.

Her hand drifted to his arm, her fingers tightening around his bicep as a sudden warmth spread through her body.

His hand trailed upward along her thigh, his palm rough against the softness of her skin. ”I want to claim every inch of you,” he murmured against her skin. ”You’re mine, Caroline. From the moment I saw you... you became mine. My wolf bows to you, and so do I. I want to feel you beneath me so badly.”

His lips pressed a trail of soft, burning kisses along the curve of her neck and down to her collarbone, while his hand settled higher on her inner thigh.

Caroline’s breath hitched, her senses overwhelmed by the intense reaction stirring inside her. She couldn’t tell if it was the irresistible pull of the mate bond driving this sudden desire, or if her own body was genuinely craving his touch. All she knew was that with every kiss he stole, her heart hammered faster against her ribs.

Her lips parted, a sharp gasp dissolving into a soft moan. Her eyes snapped open, a sudden blush warming her cheeks at her own reaction.

Andrew’s lips curved into a dark, knowing smirk. He grazed his teeth along her collarbone, his touch agonizingly deliberate.

”Andrew, we should—Ah!” She flinched as he nipped the sensitive skin, leaving a bright red mark behind.

He lifted his head, locking his gaze with hers. The burgundy hue in his eyes had surrendered to a deep, burning pink, flashing with Alpha instinct.

She recognized the shift immediately. The sheer urge to mate.

Before she could speak, his mouth crashed over hers. This time, she didn’t pull back. She yielded to him, finally catching the rich, intoxicating trace of his pheromones in the air.

’Why does kissing him feel so soothing?’ she thought, her fingers tightening against his arms. ’I don’t want this to stop.’

His tongue glided over hers, deepening the kiss as he tilted her head to command complete access. One hand stroked her thigh while the other smoothed along her arm, shifting onto her shoulder before tracing the curve of her breast.

’Fuck,’ Andrew thought, battling the urge tearing through his mind. ’She radiates her scent from everywhere—especially down there. I can’t do this. She hasn’t healed yet.’

Oxygen ran thin, forcing Andrew to break the kiss. A thin strand of saliva stretched between them as he pulled back, both of them breathing heavily in the quiet room. Caroline panted, staring up into his darkened eyes as the reality of what she had just permitted settled over her.

She didn’t regret a single second of it.

”It’s time to sleep,” Andrew said, nuzzling his nose against hers. ”I got swayed in your scent. I didn’t mean it to take it–”

”It’s fine,” she immediately cut him off. ”I–I liked it.”

He smiled and planted a soft kiss in the middle of her forehead. Then, turning, he pulled up the duvet and covered them from it before turning off the lights with a clap of his hands.

Caroline turned her back while keeping her fist close to her heart. Her breath hitched when Andrew snuggled her from behind.

”Good night, wife,” he whispered in her ear and closed his eyes.