Chapter 109
Chapter 109:
It wasn’t a sound. It was a physical weight, heavy and crushing, like the atmospheric pressure dropping before a catastrophic storm. The oxygen seemed to vanish from the room. The guards froze mid-step. Katherine stopped screaming, her mouth hanging open as primal terror washed over her features.
A scent reached me — ozone, rain, and deep, rich cedar.
Dallas.
He stepped out of the shadows at the end of the hall, moving with a lethal, predatory grace that made every other man in the room look like a child. He wore a charcoal suit that strained across his shoulders, his dark eyes devoid of any human warmth.
He didn’t look at the guards. He didn’t look at Katherine, who was now trembling visibly. He didn’t even glance at Braydon, who had gone deathly pale on the floor.
Th𝗈𝘂sa𝗇d𝗌 𝗈𝘧 𝗿еad𝘦r𝘴 𝗈𝘯
His obsidian gaze locked onto mine, anchoring me.
“Is my Mate being bothered p>
The words were spoken softly, yet they carried the weight of a thunderclap.
Mate.
The silence that followed was absolute. Katherine’s face drained of all color. The guards immediately lowered their heads, baring their necks in submission to a power far greater than any Alpha. A Lycan.
Dallas walked toward me, the crowd parting like the Red Sea. He stopped inches from me, his large hand rising to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing over my skin possessively.
“Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice low and rough.
“No,” I whispered, my knees weak with relief. “I’m okay p>
Satisfied, Dallas turned his attention to the floor. He looked down at Braydon with the indifference one might show a crushed insect.
Braydon was shaking, the faint smell of fear mixing with blood and soil.
Dallas leaned down, his voice a guttural growl that vibrated through the floorboards. “If you ever lay a hand on her again, I will rip your throat out p>
He didn’t wait for a response. He straightened, wrapped a protective arm around my waist, and guided me away from the wreckage. “We’re leaving p>
No one dared to stop us.
The valet stand was a blur of rain and neon lights. A sleek black armored Bentley pulled up the moment we stepped outside, as if it had been waiting for a signal.
Dallas opened the door for me, and I slid into the leather interior. The car was a sanctuary — silent, warm, and smelling entirely of him. As he slid into the driver’s seat and the locks engaged with a heavy thud, the adrenaline finally began to crash.
I looked at his profile, illuminated by the dashboard lights. His jaw was set tight, a muscle ticking in his cheek.
“How did you know?” I asked, my voice breaking the silence. “I didn’t call you. I didn’t mind-link you. How did you know I was in trouble p>
Dallas merged into traffic, his grip on the steering wheel white-knuckled. For a long moment, I thought he wouldn’t answer.
“I am always watching, Adella,” he said, his tone flat and unapologetic.
He reached over with one hand, his fingers brushing the spot just below my shoulder blade, sending a jolt of electricity through me.