Chapter 78

Chapter 78:

We descended into the secure underground garage, where a sleek black armored Bentley waited like a crouching beast. The air down here was cool, smelling of concrete and gasoline — but the moment Dallas opened the door and ushered me inside, I was enveloped in silence and luxury.

The door thudded shut, sealing us in a world of black leather and tinted glass. As the car began to move, gliding effortlessly toward the exit, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

I pulled it out. It was a text from Azalea.

Did you crush him? Please tell me Dallas left nothing but dust.

I stared at the words, a shiver tracing down my spine.

“Braydon,” I said, the name tasting like ash. I turned to look at Dallas. He was watching the city blur past the window, his profile sharp and predatory in the passing streetlights. “What did you do to him p>

Dallas didn’t answer immediately. His jaw tightened, a muscle feathering beneath the skin. “I ensured he understands his place in the food chain, Adella. He won’t approach you again. He won’t even look in your direction p>

“You destroyed him,” I whispered. It wasn’t a question.

“He threatened what is mine,” Dallas said, turning his gaze to me. His golden eyes burned with an intensity that made the air in the car feel thin. “In my world, that is a death sentence. He got off lightly with a shattered ego and a broken hierarchy p>

What is mine. He said it with such absolute conviction.

“You broke the rules,” I said softly, my fingers twisting the hem of my sweater. “Clause Seven. No public displays. No emotional entanglements. You claimed me in front of him. You made it real p>

Y𝗼u𝘳 dа𝗂𝗅𝘆 𝘥𝗼𝘴𝖾 о𝖿 no𝘃𝖾𝗅𝘀 o𝗻.с𝗈𝗺

Dallas shifted, his body angling toward me. The leather seat creaked under his weight. He reached out, his rough fingers capturing my chin and tilting my face up until I had no choice but to drown in his gaze.

“Are you angry, Adella?” he asked, his voice dropping to a dangerous, velvety whisper. “Do you want me to apologize for telling him you belong to me p>

I searched his face, looking for the arrogance I expected. But beneath the Alpha dominance, I saw something else — a flicker of raw need. He was waiting for my verdict. He had torn up our contract the moment he walked into that hospital room, and now he was waiting to see if I would piece it back together.

I thought about Braydon’s sneer. I thought about the years of feeling like prey, always looking over my shoulder, always waiting for the next person to discover how weak I was.

Then I looked at Dallas. The Lycan King who had leveled a Pack heir simply because he had made me cry.

“No,” I breathed, the truth tumbling out before I could stop it. “I’m not angry p>

Dallas’s thumb brushed over my lower lip, sending a jolt of electricity straight through me.

“I’m glad,” I admitted, my voice trembling. “I’m glad you destroyed him. When you said it — when you claimed me — I didn’t feel trapped, Dallas. I felt safe. For the first time, I felt like someone was fighting for me p>