hapter 13 +15 BON Chapter 13 " My fated mate is- " " Raymond ! " I shouted , leaping to my feet and grabbing his arm . My heart pounded against my ribs like a trapped animal . " Please , not here , " I whispered urgently . His eyes met mine , burning with frustration and something that looked almost like hatred . For a terrifying moment , I thought he would shove me aside and finish his sentence , destroying everything . But something in my desperate expression must have reached him . Raymond's jaw clenched tight . With a growl of frustration , he yanked his arm from my grip and stormed out , slamming the door with enough force to rattle the crystal glasses on the table . I forced a smile that felt like shattered glass cutting my cheeks . " He's just nervous about taking over as Alpha , " I said , my voice barely above a whisper . " I'll talk to him . " I excused myself quickly , before they could see the tears threatening to spill . Raymond was already gone , his scent trail leading toward the forest - toward Giana . I drove home in a daze , my vision blurred . As I pushed open the front door , my father's scent hit me - rage , disappointment , and alcohol . " So , " he said , his voice deceptively quiet as he emerged from the shadows of our living room . " Raymond almost exposed everything tonight . " I froze . " How did you- " " The Alpha called me , " he spat . " What happened ? What did you do to make him snap like that ? " " I didn't do anything ," I whispered . The slap came without warning , the force of it whipping my head to the side . Pain bloomed across my cheek as my eyes watered . " Don't lie to me ! " he roared , grabbing my shoulders and shaking me . " You're ruining everything ! Do you have any idea what's at stake ? " I tasted blood where my teeth had cut into my cheek . " It's not my fault . Raymond loves Giana . He always will . " " I don't care who he loves ! " My father's fingers dug painfully into my shoulders . " He will marry you, and you will be Luna . That's all that matters . " I looked up at him , searching for any trace of the father who had once loved me . But all I saw was a desperate man clinging to power . " Why are you so certain it's my fault ? " I asked , my voice breaking . " Why can't you ever take my side ? " Chapter 13 +15 BONUS " Take your side ? Against the future Alpha ? Are you insane ? " He released me with a shove . " Raymond is the best husband you could ever have . He's becoming Alpha . Do you understand how fortunate you are ? " " Fortunate ? To marry someone who loves another woman ? " " Yes , " he hissed , leaning close enough that I could smell the whiskey on his breath . " And you will endure it . For your mother . For our family . For the pack . " He turned away . " Tomorrow , you will go to Raymond . You will apologize for whatever you did to upset him . You will fix this . " That night , I barely slept , my dreams filled with wedding dresses that strangled me and Raymond walking away , never looking back . The next morning , I ignored Raymond's calls and texts . I knew I couldn't avoid him forever - my father had made that painfully clear - but I needed time to rebuild my walls . When the knocking started at my bedroom door , I buried my head under my pillow . " Aurora , " my father called , his voice dangerously calm . " Raymond is here to see you . " A scraping sound at my window made me bolt upright in bed . Raymond's face appeared behind the glass , his expression determined as he jimmied the latch just like he used to when we were teenagers . Before I could react , he had pushed the window open and climbed inside , landing softly on my bedroom floor . For a moment , the familiarity of the gesture made my heart ache with longing for simpler times . " You can't ignore me forever , " he said , straightening up . Then he noticed my face , and his expression shifted to concern . " What happened to your cheek ? " I turned away , pulling my knees up to my chest . " Nothing . Why are you here ? " Raymond sighed , running a hand through his dark hair . " To apologize for last night . And to thank you for stopping me . " He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small box , setting it on my nightstand . " A peace offering . " I stared at the box without touching it . " Climbing through my window doesn't change anything , Raymond . " I know , " he said , sitting at the edge of my bed . The familiar weight of him made the mattress dip . I shifted away . " But we need to talk about where we go from here . " 2 Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!