Chapter 40 - XII

The old man's voice cut through the air like a sharp blade, carrying the weight of his authority as he stormed into the room. "You're the talk of the town now," he snarled, slamming a magazine onto the table with a loud thud, his eyes fixed on his son."Out. All of you," he commanded, his voice booming, leaving no room for argument. The room quickly emptied, save for Alex, who let out a weary sigh, nodding to the others to comply."Good morning, Father," Alex finally greeted, turning to face the man who was already brimming with barely contained fury. He had been expecting this confrontation, but not so soon. His mind had been preoccupied with fortifying the pack's borders, ensuring yesterday's attack would never happen again. But now, his attention was pulled toward the very thing he had tried to avoid.His gaze shifted to the magazine his father had brought, the headline glaring up at him in bold, mocking letters:"ALPHA KING ABANDONS HIS ENGAGEMENT FOR A MYSTERIOUS GIRL."His heart sank. The weight of the accusation, though false, felt like a thousand stones pressing against his chest."Father, you know it's not true," Alex muttered, rubbing his forehead as if he could massage the frustration away."Not true?" The old man's voice cracked with venom. "I saw you. You tore the pack apart looking for that girl! And you have the nerve to tell me it's not true? What's wrong with you, Alexander Valencia Anderson? Do you even realize what you've done? Do you know how many important people were there? What image did you give them? An Alpha who runs away, abandoning his mate for a random girl he knows nothing about?" His father's words were sharp, each one a wound designed to cut Alex down to size."Victoria was attacked by rogues. That girl you're talking about saved her life," Alex's voice was strained, but steady. "As for the engagement... it's just a ring, isn't it? If it's such a big deal, I'll put it on her finger right now."There was a hesitation in his tone, a crack in his resolve, but he knew it was what needed to be said. Victoria was his mate, after all. His responsibility."Do you think this is some kind of game?" His father spat, his voice rising. "You are not just marrying for yourself, boy. You're the king of this wolf kingdom. Every move you make is for your people. You can't start your life with your mate without the Moon Goddess's blessing. You'll wait until the next full moon, and by then, I expect you to fix this mess!" He slammed a finger onto the magazine cover, the accusation looming like a shadow over them both.Alex could only nod, his father's words echoing long after he stormed out. As soon as the door closed, Alex collapsed into his chair, his body weighed down by the burden of his title. His eyes lingered on the image of Davina on the magazine cover. The emotions in his eyes were raw, conflicting—a tempest of duty, desire, and despair.He shoved the magazine into his drawer, locking it away like he wished he could lock away his thoughts of her. His fingers hovered over his phone for a moment before he typed a brief message to Victoria."Dinner @ 9."The restaurant was perfect. Private. Empty. Yet the air between them was thick with tension, the unspoken hanging in the silence. They sat across from each other, the weight of what had been left unsaid threatening to suffocate them both."You look a little off today," Victoria finally broke the silence, her voice gentle but probing."Just some pack matters," Alex replied vaguely, his gaze fixed on the table, avoiding her eyes."The engagement—""I'm sorry," Alex cut her off, his voice quiet but firm. He stopped fiddling with his fork, finally meeting her gaze."For what?""For everything," he admitted, his voice low, the weight of his guilt pressing down on him. "It was supposed to be a special day for you, but it was ruined. I couldn't protect you... and for that, I'm sorry."For a moment, Victoria was still. The apology felt foreign to her. No one had ever apologized to her for not protecting her. She had always been the protector, the one expected to shield others, not the one to be shielded.Her thoughts drifted back to the day her life had taken a sharp, irreversible turn. The day she had saved a child—a child that should never have been born. A hybrid demon, with powers far beyond her understanding. She had loved that child, protected her from the shadows, until the elders discovered the truth. The child was erased, as if she had never existed. But Lucifer—Lucifer had interfered, and now Victoria was here, bound by a mission she wasn't sure she could complete."Are you okay?" Alex's voice pulled her back from the dark corridors of her mind."Yes," she mumbled, pushing her food around on her plate."Alex?" she asked quietly, after a pause."Mhm?""Suppose you raised a cat, but then one day, you find out you're allergic to it. No matter how far you try to leave it, it keeps coming back to you. What would you do?"Alex looked at her, puzzled. "I'd take anti-allergic meds, I guess. What about you?"Victoria smiled softly, but there was no warmth in it. "I'd kill the cat."Alex's eyes widened slightly, taken aback by her cold response, but he said nothing. Instead, the silence stretched between them, heavy and foreboding.The moonless night greeted Alex as he walked back toward the pack house, his thoughts spiraling into darker places. One thought gnawed at him relentlessly—her.The path seemed longer than usual, stretching endlessly into the shadows. But then, he saw her. Standing on the edge of the cliff, Davina's silhouette was haunting under the night sky. His heart lurched painfully, and before he could think, he was running.Within moments, his hands were on her, pulling her back from the brink."What the FUCK is wrong with you?" he roared, his voice trembling with rage and fear. Her hands were ice-cold, her face pale in the darkness. She opened her mouth to speak, but Alex didn't give her the chance."Do you think this is some kind of joke? Were you trying to jump? Have you even thought about what that would do to the people around you? What about that little boy? What about—" He stopped himself, his words unraveling into chaos. "What about me?"Davina blinked, her face unreadable. "I was just out for some air. I got lost."Alex didn't believe her for a second. She couldn't have gotten lost, not here. But the thought of her standing on the edge like that... it terrified him more than he could admit.Davina's heart ached at his concern, but she masked it with a forced smile. "Never mind," she whispered, trying to take a step back, her legs trembling beneath her. She wavered, and before she could fall, Alex's arms were around her again, pulling her close.His face hovered inches from hers, his breath warm against her skin. "You're driving me crazy, little one," he whispered, his lips brushing against her cheek, sending shivers down her spine. His hands tightened around her waist, drawing her impossibly closer."Stop me," he murmured, his voice thick with desire, "before I do something crazy." When she didn't respond, his lips found the hollow of her temple. "Or now." He traced her cheek with his mouth. "Or now." His lips brushed hers."Or—"But she pulled him down to her, her lips crushing against his in a kiss that was anything but gentle. It was fierce, demanding, filled with the desperation of everything they had kept buried for too long.His arms wrapped around her, his kiss deepening, filled with the weight of their unspoken truths. His lips trailed down to her neck, and then she felt it—a sharp, burning pain as his fangs pierced her skin.Davina gasped, the pain radiating through her body, hot and searing. Alex pulled away, his eyes filled with regret and something darker.He had marked her.