Chapter 834
[ 511 words ]
Chapter 834:
“You’re awake,” I said, startled by how quietly he’d appeared, then laughed softly. “Ethan, don’t you think you’re getting a little too attached lately? You even have to stand here watching me cook, like you’re afraid I’ll disappear the second you look away.”
He didn’t deny it. Instead, he walked over, wrapped both arms around my waist from behind, and held me tightly, as though he truly feared letting me slip away.
Resting his face against the side of my neck, he mumbled quietly, “Is that really so bad?”
His question left me completely speechless. All I could do was relax into his embrace and let him hold me. But the peaceful moment didn’t last long. The phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.
𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗉𝖺𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗈𝗇 𝗀𝖺𝗅𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗌.𝖼𝗈𝗆
He glanced down at the screen, and in an instant, every trace of warmth vanished from his face, replaced by a cold, serious expression.
“I need to take this,” he said softly, loosening his embrace before stepping back into the bedroom.
Although he deliberately kept his voice low, I could still make out fragments of the conversation, catching words like, “I’ll be there right away.”
When he came back out, he had already changed into a neatly pressed suit. The warmth that had lingered in his eyes moments earlier was gone, replaced by the sharp, commanding presence of the Thorn Pack’s Alpha.
“Something urgent has come up at the office. I need to leave,” he said, walking over to gently cup my cheek, a trace of apology lingering in his expression.
“Go,” I replied calmly, already having guessed what this was about. “Ethan, I don’t mind you taking care of these matters. I only want things to end fairly. Take care of yourself.”
As I watched him disappear through the door, I let out a quiet sigh. He was always the same—shielding me from every danger and every ugly truth outside, determined to preserve this small pocket of peace for my sake.
Ethan’s POV:
The instant I stepped into the hotel room, the hostility brewing inside me felt almost solid.
Melisa was seated comfortably on the sofa, lazily swirling a glass of red wine. The smug confidence written across her face made my stomach turn. She knew exactly where my weakness lay, yet she kept using Lianne’s life as a bargaining chip, hoping to force me into accepting a mate bond with her.
“So, Ethan,” she drawled after taking a slow sip of wine, “have you made your decision? Agree to my terms, and the antidote is yours. Otherwise, Lianne’s body will suffer irreversible damage.”
“I’ll only say this once more.” My voice was cold enough to freeze the air. “The answer is no.” I stared at her without the slightest intention of compromising. “Melisa, don’t mistake my patience for permission to keep testing my limits.”
“Are you really prepared to watch her die?” She sprang to her feet, her voice rising sharply. “I’m the only person who can save her! The only reason you accepted my other conditions was to buy time for your experts to create an antidote. Stop deceiving yourself—they’ll never be able to do that!”
.
.
.
If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.