Nicholas’s POV
I could feel the bond between Danica and I slipping as I watched her ran off. The pull that had always been undeniable, was weakening. And I refused to let that happen.
I turned sharply, my eyes burning with fury as they locked onto Kendrick, who stood there smirking like he had already won.
“If you don’t stop interfering, I will personally see to it that you’re banned from ever stepping foot into my Pack,” I growled, my voice laced with the threat of an Alpha.
Kendrick only chuckled, completely unfazed. “Oh, Nicholas,” he drawled, crossing his arms. “You’re not angry at me. You’re angry at yourself. You let her slip away, and now you’re scrambling to fix what you broke. But tell me, Alpha, can you?”
I clenched my fists, my wolf raging inside me. Kendrick was playing with fire, and if he didn’t back down, I would have no choice but to burn him.
Before I could launch at him, a slow, deliberate sound of heels clicking against the stone path caught my attention.
Celeste.
She approached with a serene grace, her head high, her eyes sharp as they settled on me.
I turned to her, my patience at its breaking point.
“This needs to end, Celeste,” I said coldly, my tone leaving no room for argument. “Call off the engagement.”
Celeste’s smile was slow, almost amused, but her eyes were ice. “Oh, Nicholas, it doesn’t work that way,” she said, shaking her head in mock pity. “Our union was arranged years ago. You don’t get to change the rules now. Do you have any idea how long I have been waiting for you?”
I stepped closer, towering over her. “I. Don’t. Care.” The words came out in a low, dangerous growl. “I am done with you.”
Her expression flickered for a second, just a second, before she recovered, tilting her chin up defiantly. “And what of your Pack, Nicholas?” she challenged. “Do you think your Council will accept this? Our engagement was meant to unite two powerful bloodlines. Breaking it now…” She trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.
But I didn’t hesitate. “Let them come to me,” I spat. “I will deal with the consequences.”
For the first time, Celeste’s confidence wavered, and something dark flashed across her face. She knew I wasn’t bluffing.
Without another word, I turned on my heels and stormed off. I had wasted enough time.
I needed to find Danica and I knew the only way to do that was to catch her scent.
Her scent was faint, but I followed it deep into the forest, past the towering trees and toward the riverbank where the moon cast a silver glow over the water.
And there she was.
She stood still, staring at the moon, her back to me. The wind gently lifted her hair, the strands dancing like whispers of sorrow.
My chest tightened at the sight of her, knowing how much I had hurt her.
I stepped forward, careful but urgent. “Danica,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “Let me explain.”
She didn’t turn. “There’s nothing to explain,” she said, her tone lifeless, detached. “You’re engaged. I was just a distraction.”
Her words felt like a dagger to my chest.
I moved closer, unable to stop myself. “You think I don’t want you?” My voice was rough, desperate. “I never wanted Celeste!”
She finally turned to face me, her eyes blazing with pain and fury. “It’s a lie! All a lie!” she shouted, her voice cracking as tears spilled down her cheeks. “You think I want this too? You have no idea how much I detest the fact that I have a mate, and not just anyone, but you!”
I flinched at the raw pain in her voice.
“This isn’t just about you, Alpha,” she continued bitterly. “This is about me too. How I feel. You should have told me about Celeste from the beginning. Maybe then, I would have left quietly and saved myself the heartache. I could have left all of this behind—”
I didn’t let her finish.
I reached for her, grabbing her face roughly, my fingers tangling in her hair as I slammed my lips onto hers.
She gasped, her body stiff against mine for only a second before my touch consumed her.
The kiss was raw, desperate—an unspoken battle between anger and longing.
I pushed her back onto the grassy earth, hovering over her, my lips moving feverishly against hers, trying to erase every ounce of doubt, every argument, every painful word spoken between us.
She fought me at first, her hands pressing against my chest as if trying to push me away. But then, something shifted.
Her resistance melted, her fingers curled into my shirt, pulling me closer instead of pushing me away.
The fire between us roared to life, unyielding and untamed.
And in that moment, nothing else mattered.