Chapter 6
Marissa held the phone against her ear, her gaze drifting toward the window where the forest stretched out under a clouded sky. Her father’s voice came through the line, deep and reassuring, yet tinged with a worry she hadn’t heard in a long time.
“I know this isn’t an easy decision. You’ll be bound to someone you haven’t chosen,” he murmured, his tone carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken words. “But this Alpha–the one chosen for you- is strong, perhaps the strongest among them all. With him, you‘ ll be stable.”
The idea of marrying a stranger might have once sent shivers down her spine, but now, it felt like just another part of the life she‘ d accepted. Her strength, her very survival, relied on the stability of her blood -and that meant finding a mate capable of keeping her safe from herself.
“I understand, Dad,” she replied, her
80% 14-49
1/7
Chapter 6
voice calm, almost detached. “It’s not as though I have much choice. My blood…” she trailed off, glancing at her bandaged leg, where the faint remnants of pain still pulsed. “It’s been acting up.”
Her father sighed, the sound laced with an understanding only a fellow Lycan could share. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he uttered, his voice carrying sympathy.
She felt a flicker of curiosity, almost against her will. The man she‘ d be bound to for life, the one who‘ d anchor her blood and become part of her very existence. Who was he?
“Who is he?” She started to ask, but before she could finish, she sensed movement in the hall outside her room. The familiar scent of Alpha Caleb drifted toward her, bringing with it an ache she had tried to bury.
“Marissa?” Alpha Caleb‘ s voice called softly from the other side of the door, followed by a quiet knock.
80% 14:49
217
Chapter 6
She let out a breath, feeling her wolf stir uneasily within her. “I’ll speak to you soon, Dad,” she said in a low tone, and ended the call before the door swung open.
Alpha Caleb stood in the doorway, his eyes filled with curiosity and concern. For a moment, he looked exactly as he had when they were children, innocent and full of questions, ready to fix any problem she had. But those days were long gone.
The Alpha glanced from her to the phone. in her hand, his brow furrowing slightly.
“Who were you talking to?”
He crossed his arms, his gaze sharp and expectant. “Yeah, and what was it about?”
Marissa pocketed her phone and lifted her gaze to meet his, her expression cold and unyielding. “It’s none of your business.”
The sharpness in her voice left him visibly stunned. His mouth parted as though he
B0%, 14:49
3/7
Chapter 6
had been about to say something but had lost the words. His gaze hardened, and he took a step forward, his hand raised as if to
catch her attention.
“What?” he echoed, confusion and a hint of hurt coloring his tone. “Why are you shutting me out?”
Her wolf bristled at the edge in his voice, a reminder of how quickly his loyalty had shifted to Ivy. He had no right to demand answers from her now, not after all he‘ d put her through. She kept her face. impassive, refusing to let even the faintest flicker of emotion betray her.
“There’s nothing to tell,” she replied simply, her tone icy and dismissive.
Alpha Caleb’s eyes darkened as he took a tentative step closer. “Marissa, what’s
You’ve going on with you? You‘ ve been…
different these days.”
She scoffed, her gaze unwavering. “Oh, so now you care? Now that it suits you?” Her
80% 14:49
4/7
Chapter 6
voice held a note of sarcasm that even she
hadn’t intended, but the bitterness was impossible to hold back. “Don’t pretend like you care, Alpha.”
His expression turned defensive, his jaw clenched as he spoke. “You‘ ve become…
cold.”
“Cold?” She raised an eyebrow, feeling her wolf‘ s anger bubble to the surface. “Don’t mistake silence for coldness, Alpha. I simply have nothing left to say to you.”
The words hung in the air, and she saw the faintest flicker of disbelief cross his face. His eyes filled with something closer to regret. She steeled herself against it, refusing to be drawn back into their world of hollow promises.
Alpha Caleb’s voice softened, and he reached out, his hand hovering just inches
from her arm. “Marissa… don’t do this. Don’t push me away.”
90 14 49
5/7
Chapter 6
She stepped back, pulling herself out of his reach, her expression as closed as the door
she wished she could slam between them. “I’m not pushing anyone away. You did that on your own when you decided to impregnate Ivy.”
At the mention of Ivy, Alpha Caleb‘ s face tightened, and he stepped forward, his gaze hardening. “This isn‘ t about Ivy. You‘ re acting like I abandoned you when all I did was show her a little kindness. She’s carrying my heir.”
Marissa clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she struggled to keep her wolf in check. He couldn’t see it, could he? He couldn’t see how much he had turned his backs on her, how quickly he had cast her aside.
“Kindness?” Her voice was barely more than a whisper, but it held a dangerous edge. “Kindness isn’t forgetting the promises you made just because someone else gave you what you’ve been asking for-
6/7
80% 14:49
Chapter 6
an heir. You don’t get to tell me what kindness is, Alpha.”
You might also like
