Chapter Forty One
The Alpha’s eyes flashed with anger, and he raised his hand to strike her. But before he could land the blow, the door burst open, and Liam walked in.
“What is going on here?” he demanded, his voice firm.
The Alpha let go of Chloe and stepped back, his expression turning neutral. “Just teaching our prisoner a lesson,” he said casually.
Liam’s eyes narrowed, and he looked from Chloe to the Alpha. “I will not tolerate this kind of behavior,” he said firmly. “Chloe is not just a prisoner, she is a guest in our home. And I expect her to be treated with respect and dignity.”
The Alpha nodded, but Chloe could tell he was seething inside. She knew this wasn’t over yet, and that she would have to be on her guard at all times. But for now, she was grateful for Liam’s intervention, and she vowed to herself that she would never let the Alpha break her spirit.
The Alpha let out a growl before turning his back on her and leaving the room. Chloe let out a shaky breath as she was left alone with Liam. He tells her they have to get through with the ceremony else his father will kill them both, her especially and there was nothing he can do about that, she asked him if there was nothing he can do or didnt wants to do anything, and she tells him that she doesnt love him, and he tells her that her promblem is that, she doesnt know the difference between a friend and an enemy
She knew that this was only the beginning of a long and difficult journey, but she was ready to face it head-on.
Chloe narrowed her eyes at Liam. “Don’t you dare lecture me about friends and enemies, Liam. You’re the one who’s been nothing but an enemy to me since the day we met.”
Liam stepped closer to her, his eyes darkening with anger. “You don’t understand, Chloe. My father is a powerful Alpha and he won’t hesitate to kill us both if we don’t go through with this.”
“And what about your feelings, Liam? Don’t they matter at all?” Chloe asked, her voice trembling with emotion.
Liam’s expression softened a little as he looked at her. “Of course they do. But this is bigger than just us. We have to think about our pack, our families, our future.”
Chloe shook her head. “I can’t do this, Liam. I can’t marry someone I don’t love, someone who treats me like garbage. You have to find someone who loves you.”
“I don’t treat you like garbage, Chloe. I may not have been the nicest to you, but I’ve never hurt you,” Liam protested.
Chloe let out a bitter laugh. “You’re right. You’ve never physically hurt me. But you’ve hurt me in so many other ways. You’ve insulted me, belittled me, and made me feel like I’m not worthy of anything.”
Liam sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, Chloe. I know I’ve been a jerk to you. But please, just try to understand where I’m coming from. I don’t want to do this any more than you do.”
Chloe looked up at him, her eyes full of tears. “Then why are you doing it, Liam? Why can’t we stand up to your father and make our own decisions?”
“Because it’s not that simple, Chloe. You don’t know my father like I do. He’s ruthless and he’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants. And right now, what he wants is for us to get married and unite our packs.”
Chloe shook her head. “I can’t do this, Liam. I won’t do this. I’d rather die than be forced into a loveless marriage.”
Liam’s eyes widened in shock. “Chloe, don’t say that. Please. We can figure something out. We can run away together, start our own pack.”
Chloe looked at him, her eyes filling with hope. “You’d do that? You’d leave everything behind for me?”
Liam nodded firmly. “I would, Chloe. I love you, and I’ll do whatever it takes to be with you.”
Chloe’s heart swelled with love and gratitude as she threw her arms around him. “Thank you, Liam. Thank you for finally standing up for us.”
As they embraced, Chloe felt a sense of relief wash over her. Maybe they didn’t have to go through with the ceremony after all. Maybe they could make their future together, on their own terms.
Chloe stood before the full-length mirror, gazing at her reflection as the maids worked tirelessly to get her ready for the ceremony. She couldn’t help but feel like a pawn in a game of chess, being moved around at the will of others.
“Is something the matter, my lady?” one of the maids asked, noticing the solemn expression on Chloe’s face.
Chloe let out a sigh, “I just can’t shake the feeling that I’m making a mistake.”
The maid tilted her head sympathetically, “Mistake, my lady?”
“Yes, choosing between two men that I don’t love. What kind of life is that?”
The maid’s eyes widened in surprise, “Oh my lady, it’s not about love, it’s about duty. You must choose the one who is best for our pack and our people.”
“But what about me? What about my own happiness?” Chloe retorted.
The maid shrugged, “As a Luna, your happiness is tied to that of the pack. And besides, love is a luxury that not all of us can afford.”
Chloe gritted her teeth, “I refuse to believe that. Love should never be a luxury, it’s a fundamental human need.”
“Perhaps, my lady. But in our world, duty always comes before desire,” the maid replied softly.
Chloe opened her mouth to argue further, but before she could say anything, the door burst open and Liam stormed in.
“Chloe, we have to go. The ceremony is about to start,” Liam said, his tone urgent.
Chloe turned to face him, her expression defiant, “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me the truth. Do you really love me, or are you just using me for your own gain?”
Liam’s face softened, “Chloe, you know I care for you. But we have to do what’s best for our pack. And right now, that means going through with this ceremony.”
“I can’t just ignore my feelings, Liam. I can’t pretend that everything is okay when it’s not,” Chloe said, her voice shaking.
Liam stepped closer to her, “I know this isn’t ideal, but we have to be strong. We have to put aside our personal desires for the good of our people.”Copyright by Nôv/elDrama.Org.