MARTIN

Sharing a bed with Ramon Draven was the most awkward experience of my life.

He stayed on his side like he'd promised. Didn't move. Barely seemed to breathe. But the bond made his presence overwhelming. I could feel the heat of him, smell pine and snow and something uniquely him.

My wolf, the part of me I'd suppressed for so long, wanted to move closer. I wanted to curl into his warmth and let his strength shelter me.

I stayed rigidly on my side.

"You're not sleeping," Ramon said after an hour of this.

"Neither are you."

"I'm used to sleeping light. You're exhausted. I can feel it through the bond."

"It's hard to relax when people want me dead."

He rolled onto his side, facing me across the pillows. In the darkness, his eyes caught moonlight. "Tell me about your life before. Before all this."

"Why?"

"Because we're mates and I know nothing about you except that you're terrified and stubborn."

"I'm not stubborn."

"You're arguing with me right now."

Fair point.

I sighed. "There's not much to tell. Elder Senna found me when I was a child. My parents had died, and I was alone. She took me in, taught me healing. We lived quietly. That's it."

"How did she know what you were?"

"Male omega? She smelled it. Said I was lucky she found me before anyone else did." I pulled the furs closer. "She told me stories about others like me. How they were killed. Blamed for pack disasters. Called cursed."

"And you believed her?"

"Why wouldn't I? I've spent my whole life feeling wrong. Different. Like I didn't fit anywhere."

Ramon was quiet for a moment. Then, "You fit here."

"Your pack tried to kill me today."

"Three idiots tried to intimidate you. Big difference."

"Semantics."

He reached across the space between us, his hand finding mine under the furs. The bond flared warm.

"I know this is hell," he said quietly. "I know you didn't choose any of this. But we're in it together now. And I've survived worse with worse odds."

"What if we can't survive this?"

"Then we go down fighting. But we won't give up." His thumb traced circles on my palm. "Deal?"

I wanted to argue. I wanted to list all the reasons this was hopeless. But something in his voice, that absolute certainty, made me believe him.

"Deal," I whispered.

I finally slept, still holding his hand across the divide.

The next morning, Tessa appeared with breakfast and news.

"Malric sent an envoy," she announced, setting down a tray. "They're demanding Ramon appear before the Council within the week."

My stomach dropped. "To answer for claiming me."

"Essentially, yes." She poured tea with practiced efficiency. "The charges are heresy, defiance of sacred law, and corrupting the Rite. If found guilty, Ramon loses his title. His pack. Everything."

Ramon, already dressed in training leathers, didn't look concerned. "Let them try."

"This isn't a joke. Malric's been building this case for decades. He wants your territory, your resources, your power. You just gave him the perfect excuse."

"Then I'll fight him."

"You can't fight the entire Council."

"Watch me."

Tessa threw up her hands. "You're impossible."

After she left, I picked at the food, my appetite gone. "You should go to them. Without me. Tell them I died or ran away or"

"No."

"Ramon"

"I said no." He crossed to where I sat, gripping my chin to force my eyes to his. "Stop trying to sacrifice yourself. It's annoying."

"I'm trying to save your life."

"And I'm trying to save yours. We're at an impasse."

Despite everything, I almost smiled. "You're infuriating."

"You're not the first to say so." He released me, stepping back. "Get dressed. I'm taking you to the training yard."

"What? Why?"

"Because you need to learn to defend yourself. My pack respects strength. If you want them to accept you, you need to show you can hold your own."

"I'm a healer, not a warrior."

"You're Luna. Time to act like one."

An hour later, I stood in the training yard wearing borrowed leathers that were too big, holding a practice sword that felt like it weighed a hundred pounds.

Pack members had gathered to watch. Some are curious. Most skeptical.

Ramon circled me slowly. "Basic stance. Feet shoulder-width apart. Knees bent."

I tried to copy his positioning. Failed miserably.

Someone in the crowd laughed.

"Again," Ramon said patiently.

We went through basic forms for an hour. My arms burned. Sweat soaked through my shirt. I dropped the sword more times than I could count.

The crowd's skepticism turned to open mockery.

"Luna can't even hold a blade," someone called.

"This is your great mate, Alpha? Pathetic."

I felt my face burn. Felt the old shame rising up, the feeling of being wrong and weak and useless.

Ramon's hand caught my shoulder. "Ignore them. Focus on me."

"I can't do this."

"Yes, you can." He positioned himself behind me, his hands guiding my grip. "You're thinking too much. Let your instincts take over."

"My instincts are to run and hide."

"Then we'll train new instincts." He moved with me through a simple sequence. "Your strength isn't in your arms, it's in your core. Use your whole body."

Something in his voice, calm and certain, cut through my panic. I breathed. Focused. I tried again.

The blade moved smoother this time. Not graceful, but not completely hopeless either.

"Better," Ramon said. "Now defend."

He moved fast, his practice blade swinging toward me in a controlled arc. I blocked instinctively, our weapons clashing with a sharp crack.

The crowd went quiet.

Ramon smiled. "Good. Again."

We sparred for another half hour. I didn't win. Didn't even come close. But I held my own longer than anyone expected, including me.

When we finally stopped, I was shaking with exhaustion. But something had shifted.

The pack members watching looked less mocking now. Still skeptical, but maybe, possibly, a tiny bit impressed.

"Not bad for a first lesson," Tessa said, appearing with water. "You might survive after all."

"I'm going to be so sore tomorrow."

"That's how you know you're getting stronger." She glanced at Ramon. "The envoy's waiting in the council chamber. They want an answer about appearing before Malric."

Ramon wiped sweat from his face. "Tell them I'll consider it."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only one they're getting today." He turned to me. "Can you make it back to the chambers?"

I nodded, not trusting my voice. Every muscle screamed.

He walked me back anyway, his presence solid and reassuring beside me. At the door to his quarters, he paused.

"You did well today."

"I dropped the sword six times."

"And picked it up seven times. That's what matters."

Before I could respond, his hand cupped my face, thumb brushing my cheekbone. The bond surged between us, warm and electric.

"The moon's getting stronger," he said quietly. "I can feel it pulling. Can you?"

I nodded. The lunar call was constant now, singing in my blood. Demanding things I didn't understand.

"Two more days until it's full." His voice had gone rough. "Martin, whatever happens that night."

A howl cut through the air. Then another. Alarm calls.

Ramon's expression went hard. "Stay here. Lock the door."

"What's happening?"

"I don't know but anything good."

He was gone before I could ask more questions, leaving me alone with the sound of wolves calling danger.

And through the bond, I felt his rage rising like a storm.