Chapter 499
“Let them laugh,” I whispered, my eyes locked on her smile. “If she thinks I rejected her because I’m a coward… because I’m broken and ashamed… she’ll hate me.”
Duncan stared at me, the realization dawning in his eyes, heavy with sorrow.
“Hate is a powerful anchor,” I continued, my voice breaking. “It will keep her moving forward. Anger is easier to survive than grief.”
Duncan bowed his head, his voice thick with unshed tears. “Yes, Alpha. I’ll make sure Kael finds exactly what he’s looking for.”
I closed my eyes, letting the hum of the machine drown out the whimpers of my dying Lycan.
Hate me, Adella. Just live.
The Hallowed Moon Ballroom was a breathtaking display of Pack wealth, adorned with white marble and glowing moonstones. The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfumes, roasted meats, and the overwhelming energy of hundreds of guests. I stood near the edge of the room, my spine straight. I wasn’t here to celebrate Vance Decker’s wedding; I was here to shatter the walls Dallas had built.
Across the room, Chelsi Parrish’s eyes locked onto me. Even from a distance, I could see the pure venom flashing in her gaze. She leaned into a rugged, arrogant-looking Alpha from an allied Pack—Hunter Lloyd, the same man who had been sniffing around her at Hyde Industries. His family’s fortune had come from hunting trophies and border skirmishes, and his reputation was built on the same: brute force with little finesse.
I could read her glossy lips as she whispered to him, her tone dripping with malice. “See that little wolfless stray? The King’s broken toy. Desperate for any Alpha’s attention.”
Hunter’s gaze snapped to me. His eyes darkened with interest, his focus sharpening as he took in the fact that I was alone, unprotected. A wave of nausea hit me. I quickly looked away and took a seat at an empty table near the back.
Moments later, the sharp smell of whiskey and something muskier flooded my space before I even saw him. Hunter leaned down, his breath hot against my ear.
“You don’t have your Alpha’s protection anymore,” he murmured, his voice thick with sleaze. “A real Alpha could fix that.”
Before I could react, his heavy hand clamped onto my bare shoulder. His fingers dug into my skin, sliding toward the sensitive spot at the nape of my neck—the exact place meant for a Marking.
Pure revulsion spiked through my veins. I slapped his hand away with all my strength. “Don’t touch me,” I hissed, my voice trembling with icy warning.
Dallas POV
Up in the Alpha’s Balcony, the darkness of the room mirrored the violent storm inside my chest. Through the enchanted one-way glass, I watched Hunter Lloyd’s filthy hand touch my mate.
A feral, bloodcurdling roar echoed in my mind. Ragnar. My dormant Lycan clawed at the inside of my ribs, awakened by pure, unadulterated wrath. I tried to stand, to tear the door off its hinges and slaughter the bastard where he stood, but my failing legs gave out beneath me.