Chapter 18
Alpha Jack
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I stand by the window, watching as my mate walks away without a single moment of hesitation. Her heavy bag of gold is slung over her shoulder, yet she carries it as if it weighs nothing. She doesn’t glance back–not even once. No second thoughts, no lingering doubts in her steps. Just pure determination, as if she truly believes she’s convinced she’s escaping. The thought irks me more than it should.
Did she really think I’d let her go that easily?
A bitter chuckle escapes my lips as lean against the frame. A part of me wonders–how the hell did a woman like her, strong and stubborn, come to possess that much gold? What kind of job could she have done? Because one thing is certain–she would never bow to an Alpha and earn such a fortune through obedience or dedication.
But more than that, what truly fascinates me is her audacity–the way she tried to reject me so heartlessly, so effortlessly, without even a flicker of hesitation. If I hadn’t silenced her with that kiss, she would have done it–slicing the bond clean through as if it meant nothing. That damn rejection
would have been cold–blooded, ruthless.
Still, there was one good thing that came from her little attempt-
Kali.
Her name. So damn beautiful. So fitting.
And the bond? Fucking electric. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt something like this. But she’s fighting it fighting me. And I fucking hate it.
A low growl rumbles in my chest, my wolf restless and agitated. “Are you seriously just going to stand here and watch her leave?”
I roll my eyes at his possessiveness.
“Yes. To gain her trust,” I mutter.
“Trust?” My wolf scoffs.
“Let her think we’re not the big, scary, bad wolf lurking in the dark.”
“But we are.”
I huff. “And if we act like it now, we’ll never have her. She’s one stubborn she–wolf. If we force her, she’ll fight harder. If we let her run…”
“Then we hunt,” my wolf finishes, his voice dark with anticipation but there’s no patience in him. I don’t care what she thinks. She is ours. She belongs to us. She should be in our arms, not running from us. Let’s claim her now. Mark her!”
A snarl rips from my throat, shaking the walls. “And what? Lock her up until she submits? Force her? You want to repeat our past mistakes? Do you want history to repeat itself?!”
My voice is laced with fury, but underneath it, there’s a raw edge–one only my wolf and I understand.
He falls silent. Then, a low whine escapes him, a deep, aching pain threading through our bond. A haunting agony that makes my muscles tense. The past is something we never speak of. The past is something we drown.
I exhale slowly, forcing control over both of us before speaking again. “Tell me… you enjoy the hunt, don’t you?” A cruel smirk tugs at my lips.
My wolf lets out a rumbling growl. “Yes. The thrill of letting prey think it’s free–letting it taste safety, only to drag it back into our jaws–it makes the feast
all the sweeter.”
“Exactly.” My smirk widens.
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16:37 Thu, 19 Jun
Chapter 18
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I grip the windowsill, watching Kali disappear into the woods. “That’s what we’re doing. Letting her think she’s free. Letting her come back to us willingly. Letting her fight, struggle… and then break. We make her submit when the time is right.”
But my wolf isn’t satisfied. He growls low, restless. “And when will the time come? You saw the look in her eyes. You felt her wolf’s silence. She blocked me when I tried to reach her. She’s already planning to reject us the moment she gets the chance. You’re playing a dangerous game, jack.”
His desperation coils in my chest, making it hard to breathe. And I know he’s right. I saw it too. She’s strong–dangerously so. And if she keeps resisting….
A sharp pain explodes in my skull.
Blinding, searing pain.
Fuck! I clutch my head, staggering away from the window. It’s happening again. The pain. The loss. The madness.
I need to lock myself up. Now.
When I arrive, I see her already performing the ritual, her hair falling in long strands as she shaves it off, her hands steady, her expression serene. Once
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