Chapter 88: Blood and Betrayal

Screams tore through the air.

Not from White Moon.

From the inside.

Bella whirled around, her breath catching.

Because wolves—their wolves—were attacking.

White Moon warriors turned on each other, their fangs sinking into flesh, claws slashing across throats.

Bella's stomach twisted violently.

"No."

Gabriel chuckled darkly.

"You see, little wolf, while you were busy celebrating, I was busy building something greater."

His black eyes gleamed.

"Loyalty is such a fickle thing, isn't it?"

Dante's snarl shook the trees.

"You turned our own against us?"

Gabriel smirked. "You turned them against yourselves. I just helped them see the truth."

Bella couldn't breathe.

She had fought for White Moon.

Bled for them.

Nearly died for them.

And now?

They were tearing each other apart.

Dante moved.

Fast.

Too fast for Gabriel to counter.

One second, he was beside Bella—

The next, he was on Gabriel, tackling him to the ground, claws ripping into flesh.

Gabriel laughed as blood sprayed across the dirt.

"That's it, Alpha. Show me what you're made of."

Dante didn't hesitate.

He sank his fangs into Gabriel's throat.

And ripped.

Tore.

Destroyed.

And yet—

Gabriel didn't die.

His body twitched, healed, reformed right before their eyes.

Dante staggered back, his fangs coated in blood, his eyes wide with something close to horror.

"What the fuck—"

Gabriel grinned, licking the blood from his lips.

"Did you really think I came back the same?"

Bella's chest tightened.

"What did you do?"

Gabriel turned to her, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

"I evolved."

Then—

He snapped his fingers.

And Bella felt it.

A sharp, agonizing pull deep inside her chest.

Not the mate bond.

Something else.

Something ancient.

Something wrong.

Her knees buckled, pain tearing through her veins, her body screaming in agony.

Dante was at her side instantly, gripping her shoulders, his face twisted in fury.

"What the fuck are you doing to her?"

Gabriel's lips curled.

"You took what was mine, Alpha."

He tilted his head.

"Did you really think the mate bond would stop me from taking her back?"

Bella's vision blurred.

Because she knew.

She felt it.

Gabriel wasn't just stronger.

He was linked to her.

Bound to her in a way that shouldn't be possible.

And unless they broke whatever the fuck this was—

He would never let her go.