Bonds at War: The Untouched is Mine novel Chapter 423

**Chapter 423 Absolutely Obsessed**

**ELIAS**

Even now, I could still feel her presence lingering beneath me, a ghost of a moment that refused to fade.

My men were hauling me away, gripping my arms like I was some drunken fool being ejected from a bar. Yet, the memory of that instant clung to me tenaciously, an indelible mark on my mind. The image replayed in my thoughts, circling relentlessly.

What… in the absolute hell was that?

The hood had slipped just enough for a fleeting moment. A gust of wind had danced through her hair, revealing what she had concealed all along.

“I’m not hallucinating,” I whispered to myself, trying to convince my racing heart. “I can’t be. It’s impossible.”

But maybe, just maybe, I was. There was no conceivable world where Mina could look like that beneath that cloak.

Why would she hide such beauty?

Why would anyone?

Her features were etched into my memory—delicate lines, those clear, expressive eyes, a softness she had hidden so fiercely that I now questioned if I had imagined the whole thing. When Calista had hinted that Mina possessed something “unimaginable” beneath that fabric, I had assumed she meant something trivial, perhaps a peculiar haircut or an embarrassing blemish.

Not… that.

Whatever that was.

My thoughts spiraled out of control, so much so that I didn’t realize I had come to a complete stop until I felt a sharp slap on my cheek.

My head jerked to the side, and I turned slowly to face Ezra, who still had his hand raised, a mix of concern and annoyance on his face.

“You really,” I said, my voice dangerously calm, “just slapped your Alpha?”

Ezra pressed his lips together, a defensive posture. “You wouldn’t snap out of it,” he replied. “You were staring into the void for a full minute. We thought maybe a deer had kicked you in the head.”

“I’m the one who got kicked in the head?” I hissed incredulously. “Did you even see what happened? There was—”

I faltered, my words trailing off as I struggled to articulate the chaos in my mind.

Her.

Ezra let out a frustrated exhale. “Alright, sorry, Alpha. Anyway, it’s time to count ballots. Everything’s collected.”

I shook my head, raking my fingers through my hair in a futile attempt to dislodge the image from my thoughts. It was no use.

“It’s already obvious who’s going to win,” I muttered to myself, frustration creeping into my tone. “We all know who Montrose wants.”

Ezra shot me a look that clearly communicated his intention to slap me again if I continued down this path of nonsense. “We still have to count fairly,” he reminded me, his tone firm.

I groaned, knowing he was right.

Integrity, fairness, all that noble stuff I had sworn to uphold?

Yeah. Fine. Okay.

With that, we set off toward the newly constructed center of Montrose. Outside, people milled about, their warm breaths forming little clouds in the biting cold.

My mind should have been entirely focused on the election, but all I could think about was—had she been hiding from everyone? Or just from me?

Was she embarrassed? Afraid? Shy?

Once again, I grappled with the question of why she would choose to conceal herself.

And worse still…

I didn’t think I could bear the thought of never seeing her face again.

Damn it.

As we stepped into the center, workers bustled about, moving crates filled with ballots and inking stamps with the urgency of a ticking clock. My men and I proceeded to the counting hall, which had already been cleared and arranged with long tables, ready for the task ahead.

The work commenced.

Box after box was opened. Slips of paper were sorted, tallied, and checked with meticulous care. Voices murmured counts, confirmed each other’s findings, and logged the numbers with precision.

My body was in motion.

My hands sorted through the ballots.

My mouth barked orders.

Ezra blinked, taken aback. “The… whole of Montrose?”

“Were you planning to feed half of it?” I raised an eyebrow, my tone incredulous.

He groaned, muttering something about my sanity, then nodded reluctantly and marched out to coordinate with the kitchen staff and the local council.

As tasks were distributed, the hall gradually emptied. My men filed out to oversee security for the following day. After a few more moments, the room finally settled into silence.

I stood there, hands resting on my hips, staring at the empty tables, my mind still fixated on her.

I rubbed my temple, frustration bubbling inside me. “No way. This is ridiculous. It’s actually ridiculous.”

I made my way out of the hall and headed toward the quarters assigned to me during my stay in Montrose. The guards saluted as I passed, and I nodded in acknowledgment, my mind still elsewhere.

My body moved on autopilot.

Upon entering my quarters, I shut the door behind me and released a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The room was warm from the crackling fireplace, the blankets neatly arranged. I kicked off my boots, tossed my jacket onto a chair, and collapsed onto the bed.

The mattress cradled me, soft and inviting. My muscles surrendered instantly to the exhaustion that washed over me, but something else surged within me.

The moment I closed my eyes, her image materialized once more.

Mina.

The cloak half-fallen, her hair swept aside by the wind I had created in my haste, her face glowing in the fading afternoon light.

Goodness, she—

“Fuck,” I muttered into the pillow, frustration mingling with longing. “Why would you hide that face?”

It was utterly unfair.

She should have been the one plastered on posters, celebrated for her beauty.

She had no right to look like that and then act like she was an inconvenience to the world.

I groaned louder this time, burying my face deeper into the pillow.

“I want to see her again.”