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room just as I had climbed into bed. She wore her gold dressing robe and sat next to me.

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"I was thinking we should get our own vehicle. I have some money saved, so I'm going to

speak to Ivan tomorrow after I drop you off at the infirmary. I'll see about getting us an SUV or a

pick-up truck."

Warmed by her generosity, I smiled. "Thanks Quinn. That sounds like a good idea, but it

would be more affordable if we both went half on getting a vehicle. I have money in the bank in

New York. I just need to call them and have it transferred to the bank in Black River after I open

an account."

She smiled back. Then she averted her gaze and there was silence between us for a few

minutes.

"I think I know what happened to Riley," she said quietly, finally looking at me. "I have a theory."

I sat up slightly, my eyes wide with intrigue. "What theory?"

"Sometimes when a person is injured, a part of their body may become paralyzed. I think

Riley has a paralyzed light. That's why it's not shining under the scanner. I believe his light is

still there, but we can't see it. Some paralysis is not curable and I think this is one of them. If he would've stayed in his wolf form while he was injured, I think it would've healed. By forcing

himself to take human form after his wolf body had experienced serious trauma, I think he

paralyzed his light."

I considered Quinn's words. They made sense to me, but I still felt Riley's injury was my

fault. Then I thought about Dominic and realized he was partially to blame as well. Thoughts of

Dominic then turned to Aidan and his nonsensical laws.

"Your father said if Dominic won the fight, I wouldn't have the choice to reject him. Why

couldn't I reject him when he claimed me? Then none of this would've happened. I don't

understand your father's laws."

"Because your choice is taken away once the males start competing for you." My mouth

dropped in disbelief. "You become a prize to be won." I rolled my eyes and sucked my teeth

because the concept was sexist and ridiculous. "Males need females because without us, they

cannot populate the pack. They believe the larger the pack, the better. Larger packs acquire more

territory, which means expansive
Varulv
communities. Plus, there's increased safety in numbers.

You can also look at it this way...male fighting supersedes female choice. You can blame that

reasoning on our male-dominated society. Their argument is…a male wouldn't risk his life to

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mate with a female just so she can reject him. That's why you can't say no, and that's the
only

instance where you don't have a choice in your mate. If Dominic would've made a claim for you

before
Riley did, you could've rejected him. Then Riley could've made a claim for you, and

Dominic wouldn’t have a say. Once you're rejected by a potential mate, you can't claim them

again."

I sighed heavily, frustration lacing my words. "Why is it so damn complicated?"

"Because males are stupid and they like to fight," she said blandly. I chuckled as she got

up from the bed. She walked toward the door, but stopped short and turned around. "Goodnight

Paige. Try to get some sleep."

"I'll try. Goodnight."

She left the room and closed the door with a quiet click. I reached over and turned off the

lamp on the nightstand. I faced Riley's side of the bed and touched his pillow. Then I brushed my

hand over the mattress where he usually lay. I wanted him next to me so badly. I was used to

feeling his warm embrace and tender kiss before he would fall asleep. Then I would nestle close

to his wolf body and bury my face into his soft fur.

I cried myself to sleep, sobs racking my body until hiccups filled the room. Luckily,

Quinn didn't come back into the room. I didn't want her to keep seeing me fall apart. It was bad

enough I was human and she was
Varulv
, so by nature I was physically weaker than she was.

Lately, I felt like I had proven to be the weaker female and wasn't worthy of taking her place in

the pack hierarchy.

I thought I was dreaming when I heard a man call my name. With my eyes still closed, I

stirred in my sleep and mumbled, "Riley, is that you?"

The masculine voice replied, "No, I'm not Riley. Wake up, Paige." I opened my eyes

slowly and saw nothing but Riley's pillow. "I'm over here. Turn around." The man sounded very demanding.

I flipped onto my back and turned my head in his direction. Moonlight shrouded my

room and I saw someone sitting in the armchair across from my bed. That's all it took for me to

sit upright and gasp in fright.

"Who are you?" I yelled. I leaned away from them, clutching the quilt to my chest. "Get out or I'll call the sheriff!"

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"That may be difficult," he said dryly in a European accent I couldn't quite identify.

"Considering you don't have telephone service in your cabin, and your mobile phone has no

reception in this area. You can try screaming for the sheriff though."

I gaped at the mysterious, sarcastic stranger. "How do you know about my phones?" I

asked meekly.

I reached for the lamp, but a beam of white light shot through the window and hit the

bulb, illuminating the room. I gasped and whipped my head toward the man.

Even in a sitting position, I could tell he was tall and lanky. He had Nordic features:

alabaster skin, sandy blond hair cut above the ears, and steel-blue eyes. I could see stubble on his

chin and upper lip. He had high cheekbones, a straight nose, and a chiseled jaw. He was

undeniably handsome and he sat cross-legged, almost regally, in slate trousers. He wore a black

leather jacket---which I found odd in early August---with a purple button-down shirt underneath.

I suspected his leather shoes were
Gucci
.

I swallowed nervously under his piercing stare. "Did you turn on the light? How did you

do that?"

He blinked slowly. "Yes, I turned on the light," he drawled. His expression looked bored,

yet he exuded a confident aura.

"Who are you?"

"I am called Máni."

My eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. "The Norse god of the moon?"

He inclined his head toward me. "Yes. It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance,

Paige Donovan."

My chest heaved as I took rapid breaths. I had an urge to challenge his identity, but was

too afraid he'd prove me wrong.

"Um, what do you want?"

Uncrossing his legs, he leaned toward me, but I leaned further away. "I want you to get

up and go to the window." His head jerked toward the two windows in the room.

My eyebrows knit in confusion. "Why? What's this about?"

He sat back in the chair and sighed. "Just go to the window."

This time I sighed. God or no god, I wasn't in the mood for his vagueness. "Look, I'm

tired and had a horrible night. I just want to sleep."

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"I know. I saw everything that happened."

My jaw dropped. "You did? You saw Riley fight?"

"Yes."

Outraged, I shouted, "Why didn't you do anything? Why didn't you stop the fight?"

Raising my voice did nothing to disrupt Máni's relaxed demeanor. "I could not interfere

with Riley's battle. 'Tis the way of a wolf pack. Aidan was correct when he said Dominic had the

right to claim you and challenge his son. Riley made the wise decision by accepting his

challenge. He fought bravely and I am very proud of him."

I shook my head in disbelief. "And now he'll never be human again," I said bitterly. Tears

pricked at the back of my eyes and my voice lost some of its strength. "I never should've come

here. I never should've agreed to be part of the pack. Look what happened."

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed and he leaned closer to me again. "You think staying here

was a mistake?" I think I detected anger in his voice. "What do you think would've happened if you left? How would your heart feel knowing you rejected the love Riley offered you so freely?

What about Riley's heart? It would've broken the minute you drove away." Now I knew he was

angry because of his more pronounced accent.

I guess that made two of us because I was angry with him. I shot back, "But Riley

wouldn't be hurt like this!"

He cocked his head. "You think so? His spirit would've suffered if you left him. Why do

you think you had the dream about the first time you met? It was a sign you
needed
to return to Black River. For years, Riley has been howling for you. He finally reached you in your dreams

halfway across the country."

How did Máni know about my dream? I never told anyone about it.
Oh my God, he’s the

real thing
.

"If I had never come back here...Riley would be able to be human." Tears leaked from

my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away because I felt ashamed to appear weak in front of a god.

Máni gave me a hard look. I jumped in surprise when he stood from the chair. With

inhuman speed, he moved to the other side of the bed and towered over me. I shrank away from

him, but he reached out and pulled me out of bed. I yelled in protest, but was on my feet in a

matter of seconds. I looked at him in fear, trembling in nothing but my nightgown. Máni had to

be at least six-foot-four, and carved from nothing but lean muscle and unearthly power.

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"Go to the window," he commanded sternly.

He was like a giant Evergreen in front of me, so I squeezed past his massive form and

padded barefoot to the window.

In the distance, I saw a woman standing near the forest's edge. A soft white light

surrounded her as she beckoned to me.

"Who is that?" I turned around to look at Máni, but he was gone. My eyes darted around

the fully lit room, but there was no sign of him.

I turned back toward the window and the woman was still there. She wore a long red

gown that flowed like silk. Her hair looked like a blonde sheet that rippled in the nightly breeze.

I took a deep breath and gulped nervously. Obviously, Máni and this woman wanted to show me

something.

I walked out of my bedroom, down the stairs, and out the back door. The blonde woman

stood in the same spot. I stopped, hoping she would approach me, but she didn't move. I stepped

closer, but she refused to meet me halfway. As soon as I came within a few feet from her, she

turned and walked into the woods. I assumed she wanted me to follow her. I ran to catch up with

her, but for some reason, she always stayed a few paces ahead of me. Even when I started to run,

she walked faster...which made no sense if she wanted me to
follow
and not
chase
her.

I stopped for a moment to look back, and realized my cabin was nowhere in sight. I was

deep in the dark forest. I looked ahead and the woman stood a few yards away. She beckoned to

me again and I continued to follow her.

All of a sudden, the light surrounding her---that also lit my path---disappeared. I saw the

hem of her dress and ran to catch up with her again, but she was gone.
Did I lose her
? I halted my steps, my eyes searching for any sign of her, but found myself alone.

That's when I panicked. I spun in a circle, surrounded by nothing but trees and darkness. I

wanted to walk back to my cabin, but had no sense of direction.

"Hello?" My voice echoed, but dead silence answered.

A few seconds ticked by and then I heard footsteps on leaves. I whipped my head toward

the sound, and saw the blonde woman standing there looking at me. I took cautious steps toward

her because I wasn't sure if she would disappear again.

When I finally stood in front of her, my gaze traveled the full length of her body. At

about five-foot-ten, she was thin, but curvy with skin the color of cream made from pearls. She

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looked at me with a kind smile. Her long lashes framed aqua eyes. She had bow-shaped lips and

cheeks tinted with rouge. Her dress reminded me of something from
Dolce & Gabbana
, made of garnet taffeta with a corset midsection and Victorian-inspired bustier.

After my admiration of this stunning mystery woman, I found my voice. "Who are you?"