Page 165 of His Fated Luna

“Don’t,” I snarled, my canines elongating, saliva dripping mutinously down them. “Don’t ever think of mating with my luna!” And with another mighty roar, I shifted, going straight for Jake’s jugular.

Rose's POV

By the time I made it outside and spotted the two wolves near the woods off to the right side of the house, I could barely stifle the scream that almost escaped my lips. Aiden in his wolf form was locked to some other wolf in a ferocious battle. The smell of the other wolf was telling me it was Jake.My stomach heaved at the violent display of masculinity, and I felt like I was going to be sick.

I was witnessing how Aiden snapped at Jake’s neck and Jake swiped a paw straight at Aiden's eye. Aiden pulled back, teeth bared as the two wolves jumped at each other again. This time, they became locked around each other, teeth sinking into the back of each other’s necks. Blood dripped down to the ground as neither wolf let up, pushing against each other in an attempt to gain the upper hand. I had seen how they both sunk their teeth further into each other’s necks.

They were going to kill each other, I realized. And then I spotted Lexia. The willowy blonde looked pale and distraught, like she was going to faint at any moment.

“Lexia, Lexia why…what’s going on?” I asked stepping towards her. I had to know what was going on if I was going to stop this.

“Jake challenged Aiden for the title of alpha…and Aiden accepted.” Lexia spoke as if she couldn’t quite believe what was going on. Suddenly, Lexia's head whipped around, turning to stare at me. “He…he…I’ve never seen Aiden go feral,” Lexiasaid in a dawning realization. "I think I made a mistake." Lexia choked the words out feebly.

Fear gripped my heart as I watched the two cousins try to rip each other apart. They’d let up, pulling back to circle each other, both of their furs matted in thick dark blood. Jake lunged for Aiden who managed to dodge and finally pounce, his claws out. Jake was effectively pinned beneath Aiden's wolf. Jake’s wolf growled up at Aiden, saliva and blood dripping from his teeth. Aiden swiped a paw straight over Jake's left eye, successfully tearing skin. Crimson tears flowed down the newly formed cuts. Jake howled in pain. Aiden's wolf paid him no heed, pushing his paw against his opponent's throat, applying pressure relentlessly. Jake’s wolf began to suffocate from lack of air, his struggles becoming rickety and weak. Aiden opened his jaws wide to kill Jake.

My voice rang out clear as day.

“No! Aiden …STOP! It doesn’t have to be till death . You’ve won!” I screamed, running over to Aiden who looked at me through his wolf eyes, half-crazed. He snapped at me with his teeth. I recoiled slightly, but then inched forward. He wouldn’t hurt me. He would never hurt me.

“HE WANTS TO MATE WITH YOU! YOU’RE MINE!”Aiden howled at me through the mind-link, his voice an inhumane growl.

I knew his wolf instincts were in complete control of him. I had to reach Aiden. He was in there somewhere. I just had to reassure him.

“I’m yours, you don’t need to do this. I’ll always be yours no matter what happens,” I whispered. Aiden's wolf simply snapped his teeth, perilously close to Jake’s jugular. Jake snarled weakly with what little life he had left in him.

I took a deep breath before confessing, “I love you, Aiden.”

Jake’s snarling stilled as the import of my words sunk into both animals.

I heard Lexia's sudden intake of breath from behind. She had heard every word I spoke.

Aiden turned back to human form. He was naked, bloody, and sweaty as he looked at me. Through it all, he had still managed to keep Jake’s wolf pinned to the ground by maintaining his forearm over Jake's throat. Maintaining such precise control on his limbs while shifting in itself was an amazing feat. What had Jake been thinking, trying to challenge Aiden?I knew better than to ask this question aloud though.

Instead, I nodded encouragingly at Aiden with a small smile as the yellow glow of his eyes retreated back to his normal eye color. My eyes suddenly trailed worriedly over Jake's wolf whose eyes were rolling back into his head.

“Aiden …let him go,” I pleaded, staring down at Jake’s wolf form beginning to lose consciousness.

No sooner did I say the words than Aiden acquiesced, letting go of Jake only to have Jake turn back into his human form.

“If you ever think about going near Rose again, I’ll kill you,” Aiden bit out before walking over to me. He was dirty and bloody. But to his surprise, I didn’t care. I jumped into his arms.

Aiden winced slightly from my impact, the deep scratches on his neck from Jake’s wolf were still healing but he picked me up, spinning me around.

“I’m not going to let anyone take you from me,” he said hoarsely, kissing me soundly. “I love you so damn much.”

He set me back down on the ground, his love for me plain as day for everyone to see. It was written all over his face.

We kissed again, Aiden's arms around my waist, clutching me tightly to his body. Almost as if he was afraid someone was going to snatch me away from him.

I turned my eyes and found Lexia standing by watching with a pale face as Jake stood up shakily. Tony was also nearby and looked like he'd been sucker punched. Immediately, upon seeing Jake moving, the beta tensed, ready to grab Jake if he tried anything. Jake may be his cousin, but the lone wolf had no business challenging the alpha of their pack. I knew Tony well enough to ascertain what he was thinking.

“You told me—” Jake began with a trembling voice, pointing a shaking finger at Lexia. “You told me he was just using her. That they were both miserable and Aiden was simply trying to find a loophole to get away from Rose. You said he told you he wanted to leave her.”

“I…I…” Lexia stuttered.

Aiden turned his tender gaze from me. The full blast of his arctic gaze landed on Lexia and I was witnessing its intensity..We were both livid.

“Is this what you had been doing this entire time? Pretending to need me for comfort but plotting to get Jake to challenge me? Were you really so self-absorbed that you didn't stop to think that one of us could have been seriously hurt?” Aiden grunted.