Chapter 39
I hurriedly put on my trousers, feeling Chloe’s intense gaze burning into me, her anger palpable. “Where are you going?” she demanded, scrutinizing my every move.
I shot her a deadly glare, causing her to cower in fear as she stepped back from me.
I stormed out, slamming the door behind me. With determined steps, I made my way straight to the dungeon, where I locked Lyra away.
My heart pounded wondering what could be wrong with Lyra. Her betrayal was unforgivable.
As I walked out the door, I couldn’t shake the sense of Chloe’s emotions swirling around me. She was perfect, and I couldn’t understand why I no longer felt that deep connection with her.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.
We used to be inseparable, and she meant the world to me. But now, I struggled to comprehend how my feelings for her were slowly fading away.
Clenching my fist, I desperately tried to force it to align with my thoughts, refusing to believe that I could fall out of love with her.
Memories of our intimate moments flooded my mind. Yet, despite my efforts to cling to those memories, they seemed distant, like fragments of a past that was slipping away.
All her life, she had always dreamt of becoming a Luna, and with me, she saw me as an Alpha-the perfect match.
Chloe didn’t know of the agenda I had with Jack, Lyra’s uncle. She only sees Lyra as a breeder, because that’s what I made her believe. She hates her guts.
This agenda will affect my relationship with Chloe.
My heart was burdened with the weight of my deception towards Chloe. And how could I continue to deceive the woman I once cherished?
Would Chloe ever forgive me if she discovered the truth? And what price would I ultimately pay for the choices I’d made?
We had both rejected our mates so we could be together. We had promised ourselves that when we eventually found our mates, we would both reject them and continue with our lives.
And now I seem to have broken part of my bargain-not because of my mate, but because of that little petite woman who has taken over all my thoughts.
I am torn between the love I once felt and the forbidden longing that now consumes me. How do I reconcile the two?
“Is it because I’m her first?” I thought.
“You beast, you forced her and took away her innocence,” my wolf Clint said in my head.
“Fuck off,” I growled, frustration and self-loathing coursing through me.
Soon, I found my way to the dungeon. It wasn’t my intention to put Lyra there, but Chloe insisted. She believed that if I didn’t punish Lyra for trying to poison the Alpha, many would see me as weak.
“What’s happening, Orion?” I asked, my voice tinged with concern.
“I think she might die if we don’t take her out of the dungeon,” Orion replied grimly. “It’s been two weeks with no food or water, and let’s not forget, it’s laced with wolfsbane.”
Dread coiled in the pit of my stomach as I took in Orion’s words. I had condemned Lyra to a fate worse than death, all in the name of maintaining the illusion of strength and power.
I couldn’t let him know how I felt, so I said in anger, “That’s what she gets for trying to poison me.”
He looked at me and shook his head. “Have you thought of what Jack will do to you when he finds she died in your dungeons?”
I swallowed hard, my throat dry as sandpaper, Jack was not a man to be trifled with, and the thought of facing his fury sent shivers down my spine.
But I chose to take a look at her and noticed her slow breathing. She was lifeless and could pass out at any moment. I needed to act fast, so I wouldn’t incur Jack’s wrath.
She looked pale and dirty, and her bones were sticking out. It crushed my heart to see her in this state, but it is what it was.
I carried her, her almost lifeless form with no resistance as I rushed her to the infirmary. Though my anger still boiled for her attempted poisoning and escape, I knew I had to be logical to avoid incurring Jack’s wrath.
The pack doctor, Dillon, shook his head as he examined her. “This doesn’t look good,” he murmured, his voice heavy with concern. But he wasted no time in springing into action.
I stood watching, a knot of worry tightening in my chest as I feared she might slip away from life at any moment.
I reached out and gently touched her pale face, a whirlwind of emotions swirling through my mind.
Reluctantly, I stepped aside and allowed Dillon to work his magic, silently praying for Lyra’s recovery.
Returning to my office, I found Chloe pacing anxiously. As soon as she caught sight of me, she rushed over, her eyes wide with concern, and demanded to know what had happened.
I didn’t give her a response.
I knew she was trying to contain her anger. “Don’t tell me you have released Lyra from the dungeon.”
Still, I didn’t say anything.
“God damn you, Tristan,” she exclaimed, her voice laced with fury. “That girl must not stand between me and you. And so help me, Moon Goddess, if she crosses my path, I’m going to make her regret the day she came to this pack.”
A flash of anger crossed my eyes as I spoke, my voice dripping with menace, making her tremble in fear. “Touch a strand of her hair and see what I’ll do to you,” I warned, my tone dangerous.
She stepped back in shock, clearly taken aback by my sudden outburst. For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air as she processed my words. Then, regaining her composure, she asked quietly, “Don’t tell me you have started developing feelings for her?”
I said nothing, avoiding looking at her, so she assumed it was a yes. She gripped her hair tightly and said, “Tristan, you can’t do this to me. We have come too far to back down now. You can’t feel anything for Lyra.”
I stepped away from her and walked back to my seat. I slumped and told her, “Can you please leave me the fuck alone? I need to think, and I wouldn’t like any disturbance.”
She looked at me, contemplating if she should obey or not, but I gave her a look that she would dare not disobey.
She appeared angry, puffing up, and then she stomped out of my office.
Alone once more, I sank deeper into the chair, the weight of my decisions pressing down on me like a suffocating blanket. Thoughts of Lyra and Chloe are heavy on my heart.
What will I do to Lyra? She keeps invading my thoughts, and I haven’t been able to pinpoint how I truly feel. But I know she sees me as a monster and wouldn’t want to have anything to do with me if I ever told her about how I truly feel.
The number of times I have hurt her haunted me like a plague; I needed to set my thoughts right. I took a bottle of whiskey and poured out some for myself.
I gulped it down in one go; it burned deep. Then, my cell phone started ringing. It was an unknown number. I contemplated not picking up, but the call persisted. Reluctantly, I took the phone and placed it to my ear.
“Hello,” the person said.
“Hello,” I responded carefully, guarding my emotions.
“I heard you have what belongs to me,” they continued.
I froze in horror as I realized who was on the phone with me.