HEARTS OF DIVINE RUIN (The MoonGoddess and The AlphaKing)

"That one..." she whispered softly, as if saying it aloud might summon a ghost from her past. "He was... my mate."
The world seemed to stop, tipping on its axis.
Mate? His entire body stilled, disbelief rippling across his face, followed by a violent surge of confusion and something darker, something sharper that twisted deep inside him. Mate? The word echoed in his mind, each syllable laced with a wave of conflicting emotions. Shock. Denial. And something close to... jealousy?
"You—" He swallowed hard, fighting to find his voice, to mask the turmoil clawing at his chest. "You have a mate?"
"Had," she corrected softly, but the word seemed to hang between them, heavy and ominous.
Alex's gaze locked onto hers, searching, struggling to reconcile this revelation. Her gaze met his steadily, but there was something raw in her eyes, something haunted and old.
"Alex, come on—after living for this long, it'd be more surprising if I hadn't had one. And you had one too," she murmured, like it was the most natural thing in the world, as if it could somehow soften the blow.
But it didn't.
Like it was that simple. 
Like this revelation wouldn't shatter something between them.
His jaw tightened, a muscle jumping in his cheek. "That's not the same, Luna." He bit out, but the protest felt hollow. 
Not the same.
Davina had been his mate. And yes, he'd loved her once—but it was a past that was now a distant blur, a vague impression of what love used to feel like. Things were over between him and Davina. He'd moved on. Or at least, he believe he had. 
But this... Luna's voice, the look on her face—it was different. Deeper. It was like the remnants of something that had once consumed her. He could see that for her there were things that she has not let go. 
"Why is he back?" The question left him in a strained whisper, every word coated in an undercurrent of possessiveness that tightened his grip on her hand. His thumb brushed against her skin, as if silently staking his claim.
Luna's gaze softened, but shadows flickered in its depths, dark and haunted. "It's not what you think, Alex. He's not back because of love." Her lips twisted into a cold, humorless smile. "He is back because wants revenge. He wants me dead—and everyone I care about."
The words struck Alex like a punch to the gut.
Disbelief flared across his face. Kill her? The idea was so absurd, so enraging that his mind rejected it outright. How could anyone, how dare anyone, want to hurt her? What reason could her mate possibly have to want her dead? His heart hammered furiously, each beat pulsing with rising anger. And as the realization settled, a low, dangerous growl rumbled in his chest, echoing the possessive fury of his wolf.
"Why?" The question escaped in a guttural snarl, his voice raw. "Why would he—?" He broke off, struggling to contain the violent protectiveness roaring to life within him. All he could see was red—the urge to hunt down whoever this man was and tear him apart. "What reason could he have for wanting his own mate dead ?"
Luna held his gaze, pain swimming beneath the coolness of her expression. 
"Because he had been wronged because of me. He had been wrongs in ways no one should be even in their wildest dreams , Alex," she murmured quietly, each word heavy with guilt and an anguish that seemed to bleed through her voice. 
"I had wronged him - my entire existence did. " She took a shuddering breath, her shoulders slumping slightly as if the weight of what she was about to admit was almost too much to bear. "I understand his anger , his pain but - "
His face hardened, jaw tightening as he cut her off . "Luna—"
"No, you need to hear this," she interrupted, stepping closer. "Just know , I'm not a good person, Alex. Whatever you think, whatever this is..." She gestured between them. "It doesn't change that fact. You have a choice. You don't have to stay." Her gaze turned fierce, pleading. "I wouldn't blame you for walking away right now."
For a second, he couldn't speak, couldn't breathe as the meaning behind her words slammed into him. 
Leave her? His entire being recoiled at the very thought. How could she even suggest that? A bitter laugh bubbled up inside him, laced with disbelief and something darker.
"Leave you?" he spat, his voice low and trembling with rage. "Because of something that happened before? I don't care who you were, Luna. I don't give a damn what you did. What matters to me is you, here, now." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a rough whisper. "And just so you know - I knew it from the very start that you are not a good person but still that didn't stop me from caring about you and no one, no one, gets to hurt you. Not even him."
The intensity in his gaze stole her breath, his presence crackling with raw, unyielding energy. She tried to speak, but words failed her as his eyes—grey, burning—held hers captive.
"You think I'd just walk away?" he continued softly, his hand cupping her cheek, thumb brushing lightly against her skin. "You think I'd leave you to face this alone?" His voice hardened, fierce with a determination that left no room for argument. "I don't care what you've done, Luna. Whatever this man wants, whatever you think you deserve—none of it matters. He will never—ever—touch you. Not as long as I'm breathing."
His words were a vow, a promise wrapped in steel and fire. Something deep and primal inside him snarled in agreement. Protect her. Always.
"Alex, you—"
"Enough," he cut her off, his voice harsh. "Whatever you think you are, you're mine to protect. And if that bastard thinks he can lay a finger on you, he'll have to go through me first."
They stood there, locked in each other's gaze, the world shrinking until it was just them, the air between them charged and trembling. Luna's lips parted, surprise flickering in her eyes, and for a moment, she looked almost... fragile. As if she didn't know what to do with the fierce, relentless loyalty shining in his gaze.
"You really are a fool," she whispered, but her voice was soft, almost tender.
Alex's lips quirked into a lopsided smile, his eyes never leaving hers. "Yeah, but I'm your fool," he murmured, his voice dropping to a low, intimate rumble that seemed to wrap around her heart. "Hopelessly, recklessly yours."
Her breath caught, the world narrowing to just him, his gaze so intense it was almost unbearable. And then he grinned, that familiar, roguish smile that always seemed to weaken her resolve.
"And you know what, Luna?" he added, his tone turning teasing, but there was no mistaking the sincerity beneath it. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
For a moment, everything else faded—the danger, the past, the weight of all the things left unsaid—and all she could do was stare at him, her heart pounding in a way that made her feel just a little bit breathless.
Because even though he was a fool, he was right.
He was her fool.
And something deep inside her ached at the thought of ever letting him go.
Luna broke her gaze on him and looked away as her heart was becoming overwhelmed and then once again fell into silence again, but this time, it wasn't strained or suffocating. It was something deeper, something shared and understood. When they started walking once more, his grip on her hand was firm but careful, his presence a steady, reassuring warmth beside her. And though he longed to press her for more, he held back, sensing that pushing now would only make her retreat.
But then, as they neared the car, Luna's steps faltered. Her fingers slipped from his grasp, her gaze turning distant and haunted. For a heartbeat, she seemed lost in some dark memory, her face tightening with an emotion he couldn't quite decipher. And then, just as abruptly, she blinked, forcing the mask back into place.
"There's the car," she murmured, nodding toward the dark silhouette in the distance. She turned to him, a strained smile tugging at her lips. "The rest of the story will have to wait. Just... know this. He's not who he once was. He's ruthless, cruel, and..." She paused, searching for the right word, her expression hardening. "If I had to put it simply—evil. And he's not back just for me. His revenge is for everyone who's ever wronged him."
Alex's brow furrowed, a cold confusion sweeping through him. "What are you saying?"
"He's not just after me," she whispered, voice dropping to a low, eerie murmur. "He's back for all of us. Every wolf, every trace of our kind... He wants to destroy it all."
Alex's mind reeled, barely able to process the words. Eradicate the wolves? The thought was so monstrous, so utterly abhorrent that his entire being recoiled from it. Her people. His people. The image of his pack—his family—flashed before his eyes. And then the thought of Luna, surrounded by flames, hunted by the one person who should have protected her...
A savage growl tore from his throat, low and vicious. His wolf surged forward, snarling in rage. "Over my dead body," he growled, his grip on her arm tightening, but not out of anger—out of a need to anchor her, to remind them both she was still here. Still safe. "If he thinks he's going to lay a single finger on you, or my people—"
"Alex—"
"No." His voice was pure steel, his eyes blazing. "As i said earlier - Before he even dares come for you, before he touches a single member of my pack or any wolf , he'll have to go through me first."
Luna's eyes widened slightly, surprise flickering in their depths. For a moment, the world narrowed to just the two of them, his gaze locked with hers, burning with a raw, unfiltered intensity that left no room for misunderstanding. He would fight for her. Die for her if that's what it took.
"Alex, you—"
"I mean it," he cut her off, voice low and steady, every word a vow. There was no teasing now, no playful banter—only the fierce promise of a man who would tear apart heaven and earth to keep her safe. "He'll have to kill me before he even dreams of hurting you. And even then... he'll wish he hadn't."
Because if there was one thing Alex knew for certain, it was that no one—no matter how powerful—would ever lay a hand on what was his.
And as far as he was concerned, Luna was his to protect.
No matter the cost.
A strange mix of relief and vulnerability washed over her, softening her features as she looked up at him. For once, the weight she carried seemed a little lighter. "Alright," she whispered, something fragile and unspoken in her voice. "I'm yours to protect, then... so protect me."
Without another word, Alex pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against him. The embrace was fierce yet gentle, his warmth seeping into her, wrapping her in a cocoon of comfort and safety. His arms encircled her shoulders, his hand cradling the back of her head as if shielding her from a world intent on breaking her. And as she nestled into the solid strength of his chest, she felt something she hadn't in a long time—a sense of security, a belief that for once, maybe she didn't have to fight alone.
"Luna," he murmured against her hair, his breath warm on her temple. He hesitated, the words lodged in his throat. "He's not your mate anymore. Don't call him that. Instead just use his name."
Her shoulders tensed slightly, the softness in her expression tightening at the edges. 
"Quintus," she whispered, the name barely more than a breath, tinged with sadness that cut through him like a knife. 
Alex clenched his jaw, jealousy and an unfamiliar bitterness twisting inside him. But he swallowed it down, forcing himself to simply be there for her.
"Hm," he hummed softly, the sound a low vibration against her skin. He pulled her closer, holding her as if that would somehow erase the shadows of her past.
Because even if he didn't understand everything yet—even if a part of her still belonged to someone else—he knew one thing.
He wasn't letting her go.
Not now.
Not ever.