Skye’s POV
“Come on, Ryder said, his usual cafefive grih returning despite his obvious discomfort. Can’t lie here all day.
1 accepted his hand, wincing as he pulled me to my feet. Every muscle screamed in protest.
‘You didn’t have to do all five hundred, Nadia commented, eyeing me with something that might have been respect. “Adrian clearly said one fonded wa enough for you.”
I shrugged, immediately regretting the movement as pain shot through my shoulders. “I don’t want special treatment just because I’m new. That wouldn’t fair to either of you.”
The truth was more complicated. I didn’t want to be viewed as weak–as someone who needed profection or special consideration. I’d spent three wears proving my independence as a lone wolf. Now that I’d found my place in a pack, I wasn’t about to position myself as the fragile newcomer whey couldn’t handle the same punishment as everyone else.
By the time I arrived at the orphanage, my arms and legs felt like they’d been filled with molten lead. Every step was torture, every movement a fresh reminder of this morning’s punishment. The children were taking their afternoon nap, the building unusually quiet as I gathered soiled bedsheets and clothing for washing.
Venus entered the laundry room, her single arm laden with groceries which she deposited on a nearby counter with practiced efficiency.
“Need any help?” she asked, observing my struggle with an overflowing laundry basket.
“I’ve got it,” I insisted, reaching up to hang a freshly washed sheet on the drying line. My trembling arms betrayed me, the wet fabric slipping from my grasp and nearly falling to the floor before Venus swooped in to catch it.
Despite having only one arm, she moved with remarkable coordination, tucking the corner of the sheet under her chin to create tension while her right hand secured it to the line with wooden clothespins. Within seconds, she had accomplished what I’d been fumbling with for nearly a minute.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, embarrassed by my own inefficiency.
Venus smiled, retrieving another sheet from the basket. ‘I heard about your punishment this morning,” she said conversationally. Five hundred push–ups for drinking wolf liquor with Ryder?”
Heat crept up my neck that had nothing to do with exertion. “Word travels fast around here.”
“Small pack, Venus replied with a shrug. “Everyone saw Adrian carry you out of the tavern last night. Quite the spectacle, apparently.”
I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “It won’t happen again. I had no idea wolf liquor would affect me so strongly.”
Venus secured another sheet to the line, her movements smooth and practiced. “Adrian seemed particularly concerned about you,” she remarked, a knowing smile playing at her lips. “More so than I’ve seen him with other pack members.”
“I’m sure it’s just because I’m a new member,” I said quickly, busying myself with sorting the children’s tiny socks into pairs. “He feels responsible for me.”
Venus shook her head emphatically. “No, no, no. It’s definitely not that.”
‘Please don’t start,” I sighed. Adrian isn’t my mate. We both know that.”
“And what if he isn’t?” Venus challenged, surprising me with her intensity. “What exactly does being someone’s mate guarantee, anyway?”
She lifted the stump of her left arm pointedly. My mate did this to me. So forgive me if I’m not impressed by the Moon Goddess’s matchmaking skills.”
I stood frozen, uncertain how to respond. “I’m so sorry,” I finally managed, the words feeling woefully inadequate.
Venus waved away my sympathy with a dismissive gesture. ‘Don’t look at me like that. One arm for that bastard’s life? I consider it a fair trade. Her voice carried no bitterness, only a matter–of–fact acceptance that somehow made her story even more heartbreaking. “I don’t believe in this destined mate
1/2
Chapter 44
nonsense anymore. Sometimes the Moon Goddess gives us the winng option just so we can revanine marielovi slowly and water da parte
The right choice. The phrase echoed in my mind. Had Leon made the right choles in rejecting me? Had I made the right choice in ruin
Venus continued hanging laundry, her movements never faltering despite our heavy conversation. I always wanted children, di malidad, Bal flat de conceive. For years, I blamed myself, felt worthless as a Luna.”
She paused, her eyes distant with memory. “At first, I made excuses for him when the beatings started. He was an Alpha, he needed an heir, it can my heal For failing him. I tried every herbal remedy, every old wives‘ tale to cure my supposed barrenness.”
My heart ached for her as she continued, het voice steady despite the horror of her words.
Three years into our marriage, his temper worsened. He started bringing prostitutes home, flaunting them in my face. Her jaw tightened. “I considered requesting to break the mate bond, but he refused. Then one night, after I’d thrown out yet another woman he’d brought home, he came at me again.
She took a deep breath. “That night, I fought back.”
I stared at her, shock mingling with a strange sense of admiration. This elegant, composed woman had survived unimaginable betrayal yet remained unbroken.
“After he was dead, Venus continued, her voice dropping almost to a whisper, “I found medical records in his office. It wasn’t me who couldn’t conceive–it was him. He’d known all along.”
Understanding dawned. “That’s why he wouldn’t agree to break the bond,” I realized aloud. “He was afraid you’d discover the truth if you left him.”
Venus nodded, a sad smile playing across her lips. “I should have left the first time he hit me, mate bond be damned. But I stayed, believing that sacred connection meant something.” She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. “The bond matters less than the man, Skye. And Adrian is a good man.
“Yes,” I agreed softly. “His mate will be very fortunate.”
Eager to shift the focus away from Adrian and myself, I nudged Venus playfully. “What about you? I can see how much you love children. Have you considered having your own? Marcus seems quite attentive to you.”
A genuine smile brightened Venus’s face, her eyes crinkling with mischief. “He’s still on probation,” she said with a laugh. “But the outlook is promising.”
Before I could inquire further, the sound of small feet pattering down the hallway announced that naptime had ended. Venus and I exchanged a knowing look before heading out to greet the newly awakened children.
Hours later, after the last child had been fed dinner and tucked into bed, I gathered my things to head home. My muscles still ached from the morning’s punishment, but the pain had dulled to a manageable throb. Venus’s story had given me much to contemplate–about mates, about choices, about the difference between destiny and agency.
As I pushed open the orphanage door, preparing to step into the cool desert evening, I froze in place.
Adrian stood waiting outside, his tall figure silhouetted against the setting sun.
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