Chapter 37. The Dark Side

Brayden couldn’t sit still ever since he felt it. He felt it way too many times in the past 24 hours for it to be
nothing. The soul-shattering sharp pain that started in his march and then was echoing through his whole
body. Unfortunately, he knew exactly what he was experiencing, and he hated the thought alone of his
wife being taken by someone else.

“Alpha,” Roxanne wrapped her arms around his neck leading from the back of his chair and brushed her
fingers softly over the part of his chest that was exposed through his unbuttoned shirt, “You don’t look too
well. If anything, you look like you are in pain. Maybe I can help you to get rid of it? A mate’s touch is
healing for another mate. Let me help you. Let me ease your pain.”

He never thought that he would say it out loud but he had enough of bl.ow jobs and her suggestion
wasn’t as appealing as she probably hoped. It was amazing to have a mate and he loved every minute of
it. Someone ready for him any time, someone happy to receive just a speck of his attention,someone
who was ready to drop to her knees at him simply implying it, someone who was ready to do everything
to please him. She was HIS. He did not have to conquer her, he did not have to keep up with her. With
his mate everything was easy. She felt his mood swings very well and knew when to back off. She was
working around him, eager to please, ready for everything. Just the way it should be.

Yet his mind kept coming back to his wife since his mark was hurting him.

Riannon was with someone else and there was no denying it. Moreover, he was pretty sure that it was
that as.shole, the Lycan king. The way he fought for her to come to his kingdom was way too obvious.
And the worse thing was that there was nothing he could do about it now. It wasn’t like he could march
into the lycans’ lair and demand his wife back. They were more powerful.

He couldn’t start a war with them. His pack would be wiped out quickly and no other alphas would
support him in such an affair. They would probably even be happy to see his fall and try to claim his
territories afterwards.



This wasn’t the way.

“Damn, Ri, what are you doing?!” he groaned as he texted her for one thousand’s time, not even
expecting to receive a reply anymore.

It did not help that he knew that she was angry with him. For not rejecting Roxy. Was she with the lycan
king willingly now? Was it her little revenge on him?

If it was, he knew he deserved it. He handled it all wrong, hoping that she would just do be a Luna, was
trained to be one, this was all she was. She knew how to make the necessary sacrifices and he really
hoped that she would take one for the team this time too.

The joke was on him as he overdid it. He should have taken his mate to some remote forest cottage and
kept her there with some guards, visiting her when the need was arising. But he wanted it all.

Knowing how his wife was loyal to their pack and how they loved each other, he was sure that she would
get used to the idea. After all, Roxy was never threatening her position as an omega. No one would want
her as their Luna. And Brayden never saw that as an option. He just wanted her close to enjoy their mate
bond and all the extra sensations that came with it.

Sometimes he was getting bold and imagined the three of them living together… But this was where it all
went wrong. For Riannon was an Alpha too and did not want to share what was hers.

An Alpha female… He loved it about her and hated it about her at the same time. She was always a
challenge, always on top of things. Whenever he had an idea, she had a better one. Whenever they had
a problem, she was the one coming with the best solution.

He was a better warrior and there was that… But sometimes he wished that his wife was more
submissive to him.



This was when Roxy fitted just perfectly. For she was giving him what Riannon couldn’t. With her, he was
superior in everything. And he loved that.

However, it wasn’t enough. She lacked in many areas. Starting from her low rank to her education. Could
someone like her even be compared to Riannon?

So, now he was facing a really big problem. What was he to do now with all that mess?

He wanted Riannon back. She was his. This was undeniable. If he had to choose between his mate and
his wife, he would pick the wife. She was something that everyone wanted, and Brayden wasn’t going to
lose that.

Besides that, he loved her. Yes, they were not mates but she was his chosen mate. They spent years
together and never ever had he doubted his choice. She was beautiful and smart. A full package. And
she knew him better than anyone else. Their union proved to be successful in many ways. The only thing
they were lacking was an heir. And this was something they agreed to try for next year.

But considering all the changes, maybe he had to push the date closer. It would probably be a good idea
to do that now. An heir would give Riannon security and peace of mind in her

Yes, it was a good decision.

There was only one problem – how was he to get her back into The Silver River Pack? What if the king
decided to leave her there permanently?

“My love,” Roxanne, who was massaging his shoulders this whole time called him, “I can see that you
are worried.”

“Don’t concern your pretty head with things like this,” Brayden told her, sighing heavily and closing his
eyes.



“How can lignore this when you are not happy?” she purred into his ear, almost annoying him,)“I can see
you texting her for the past few hours. Is this about your wife again?”

He grabbed her hand forcefully and yanked her to her knees before him. “Don’t speak about my wife and
your Luna!” he growled but then saw tears forming in her eyes and his wolf snarled at him in his mind for
making their mate sad again, “She is off-limits for you. Got it?”

“I am sorry,” she said, sulking slightly, “I understand the vast difference between the two of us. I just want
to help.”

“How can an omega help an Alpha?” a cruel laugh escaped him.

“I may be just an omega,” she placed her palms back on his knees, “But I am still a woman and
understand some things from a female’s perspective.”

Now she got him interested and he tilted his head slightly, watching her and giving her a reassuring nod
to speak.

“Your wife is hurt because of me and it probably made her do some wrong choices,” the girl on the floor
said, averting his gaze, “It’s very sad that she betrayed you when you had your first difficulties. But…
never mind. You want her back here, right? But she wouldn’t come on her own if I assume everything
correctly.”

“And?” he was growing impatient.

“Then you need to make her want to come,” she glanced at him and there was something dangerous in
that glance. However, it was gone quickly, replaced by her usual eagerness to please.

“I am afraid this time a diamond necklace isn’t going to cut it,” he scoffed.



“Nothing nice will,” Roxy nodded her head, “But I would come anywhere if something was to happen to
you.”

“I understand,” she agreed with him again, “But I bet there is someone else in that pack who she cares
about.”

He watched her for a few seconds before what she meant registered.

It wasn’t what he liked to do. But desperate times…

“There is that best friend of hers,” Roxanne continued, “They are practically like sisters to each other…”

Their eyes met and she held his gaze with her lips curled slightly.

“If I touch Maya…” He started saying when she interrupted him.

“You don’t have to do anything,” she smirked for the first time, “I can take care of that. Just support me
when the time comes.”

“All right,” Brayden sneered and watched his mate jump back to her feet and leave the room. :

Maybe, just maybe, that omega mate of his was worth more than he thought…


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