The car sped up as it neared, engine roaring like an enraged wolf, barreling straight toward me.
I stumbled back, my boots scraping the pavement.
My back slammed into Adrian, who’d been chasing me, and before I could react, he wrapped his arms around me, yanking me back like he was shielding a pup.
But his clumsy grip threw me off balance; my smooth retreat turned into a mess, and we both crashed to the ground, his weight pressing into my shoulders.
The scent of his cloying cologne mixed with Vanessa’s bitter aura flooded my nose, making my throat burn. Another car roared up, tires screeching as it skidded between us and the first vehicle, forcing it to a halt.
“Vivian!”
Cassie’s voice cut through the chaos.
She rushed over, yanking me up by the arm, she snuck a kick at Adrian’s shin.
He yelped, glaring at her, but his attention snapped back to me, his hand reaching out.
“You okay?”
“Get lost!”
I dodged his hand. The mere thought of him touching me made my wolf’s instincts recoil–his scent now feit like poison, thick and suffocating.
Two wolves stepped out of the cars.
Vanessa first, her coat of expensive fur ruffled, her eyes wild with rage.
Then Caleb, his broad frame tense, his jaw set–he’d been tailing us since last night, even drove us to the enforcer station, and now he’d cut her off.
Relief flickered through me, but it died fast when Vanessa charged at me, her claws out, eyes blazing with
madness.
“You slut, trying to steal him even after you broke the bond!”
She raised her hand to slash, but Caleb grabbed her wrist, his grip like iron, yanking her back. Adrian stepped in front of me then, his chest puffed out, acting like some heroic protector.
I stared at him, stone–faced, and sidestepped–his fake concern made me gag more than Vanessa’s insanity.
“Vanessa, what the hell were you doing?”
Adrian’s eyes burned red with fury.
“Didn’t I tell you not to touch her? Don’t touch her! Lay a finger on her, and I’ll kill you! What did you promise me?”
VID Ad–Free >
15:53
< Chapter 107
His voice was cold, no warmth left.
Vanessa’s eyes welled up, her lower lip trembling
“You’re my mate! Why are you seeing her? I won’t let you!”
“She came to sign the forgiveness pact!”
+ Bonus
*Menu
Adrian snapped, his voice rising.
“She’s already backed off–what more do you want?”
“I want you to never see her again! You’re mine, only mine!”
Vanessa screamed.
“Any she–wolf who gets near you–I’ll make them pay with their lives!”
“You’re insane!”
Adrian clutched his throbbing head, like the weight of being bound to her was crushing his skull.
He stepped closer to her, his gaze dark and terrifying, the aura of a male wolf pushed to the edge.
“Last warning: if she loses so much as a claw, I’ll never bind with you. Threaten me all you want–we’ll both go down in flames!”
Vanessa’s tears spilled over, her shoulders shaking.
She clung to his arm, desperation oozing from her like a bad scent.
“I won’t do it again, I swear. I’ll leave her alone. I just… I can’t control my temper. I love you too much, Adrian. I’m carrying your pup–you can’t abandon me.”
“I love you. I love you so much.”
Adrian’s voice cracked, but his face stayed cold, like he was fighting to keep his sanity. “This ends here. Neither of us bothers her again.”
Vanessa nodded frantically, her head bobbing like a puppet.
“Yes, yes, I’ll listen. I promise, I really promise.”
She turned to me then, and her face split into a fake, innocent smile–so forced it made my skin crawl.
“Vivian, I’m sorry. We hurt you. We won’t bother you anymore. Just… don’t come after Adrian. Don’t try to seduce him.”
I was speechless.
I prayed for a lightning bolt to strike these two lunatics–for the moon to curse them, for any pack elder to see how deranged they were. I was starting to think I was dealing with a pair of wolves crazy enough for the asylum, the kind that made even the most unruly pups look tame. I couldn’t take it anymore; when you’re this done, even cursing feels like a waste of breath.
VIP Ad–Free >
15:53
< Chapter 107
I took two steps forward.
45 bonus * Menu
“You two… glue yourselves together with super glue and never break the bond. Do it for the good of all packs,
to clean the air of your toxic scent.”
“You’re mocking me!”
Vanessa glared, then smirked, her eyes narrowing.
“I know you’re bitter. I told you he’d be mine. You’ve got nothing now. I won.”
I nodded, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Yup, you win. He’s all yours.”
My tone made Vanessa grit her teeth, her jaw tight.
Before she could snap back, a smooth voice cut in from behind–deep, calm, with that familiar pine–and–cedar scent that made my tail twitch.
“Nothing? Hardly.”
I turned, and there was Gideon, strolling over from the enforcer station, his hands in his pockets, his aura steady and strong.
I blinked, my mouth dropping open.
“Gideon, what’re you-”
“Handling some business,” he said, brushing it off like he hadn’t just interrupted a chaotic mess.
He smiled at Adrian and Vanessa, but his eyes were cold, no warmth in them.
“Congrats on getting what youd. True devotion cracks stone, clears the clouds to reveal the moon.
Truly touching.”
He shifted his gaze to me, his tone softening.
“No need to worry about my Vivian. Her best days are ahead.”
He clapped my shoulder, like a mentor hyping up a protégé, and nodded toward the street. “Let’s go, pup. Time to walk the golden path.”
He steered me forward, his arm around my shoulders, and I was so flustered I nearly tripped over my own
feet.
Cassie, who’d been seething the whole time–writing that forgiveness pact had felt like swallowing broken glass–grinned, seeing her chance to twist the knife. She called out, “Off to the golden path!”
She sized up Adrian, her claws glinting in the sun.
“Way better than some filthy, piss–soaked alley, right? The golden path’s clean, fragrant, lined with blooming flowers. My girl’s got a charmed life–makes me jealous.”
VIP Ad–Free
15:53
Chapter 107
She slung her bag over her shoulder and strutted off, keeping pace with us.
I glanced back, and saw Vanessa’s grip on Adrian’s arm tighten, her nails digging into his flesh hard enough
to draw blood.
Adrian didn’t flinch; he just stared blankly at us walking away, his eyes hollow. I knew that look on his face- he’d realized I was falling for someone else, that he was gone from my heart, replaced by a wolf who didn’t
treat me like a pawn.
Good, I thought. Let him wallow in his own mess.
He pulled his arm free from Vanessa’s grasp, turning away with a deadened expression. Her hysterical calls followed, but he ignored them.
Two enforcers emerged from the station, heading for Vanessa.
“Vanessa, epilepsy all cleared up? Time to come back.”
Her nerve was unreal–causing a scene right outside the enforcer station, targeting the victim no less. The enforcers working the case were pissed. Everyone knew she was faking, but someone was pulling strings, greasing palms, making her evidence look legit. By the book, they could only send her to a healer.
I bolted.
I had arrived in Caleb’s car.
A few minutes into the drive, the silence was suffocating.
I sat stiffly.
“What were you doing at the enforcer station?”
Gideon asked.
“Yesterday, Adrian cornered me, demanded I sign a forgiveness pact for Vanessa. He threatened my family. You know how deranged she is–I couldn’t risk it, so…”
“So you went this morning and signed.”
“Yeah.”
Gideon paused for two seconds.
“You did the right thing. Don’t feel weak. You’re up against heavy odds–it’s not your fault. Stepping back to protect yourself was smart.”
No one had ever said that.
I nodded softly. “Yeah.”
“Don’t lose heart. Believe this: justice comes, it’s just a matter of time.”
15:53 00
< The Alpha Regretted Having An Affair
