CHAPTER 6

Ezekiel’s POV

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to focus as the bond began to fray. The connection between us, once so powerful, started to weaken. It felt like my chest was being torn apart, my very essence unraveling with every second that passed.Kailey collapsed onto the bed, clutching at her chest as if trying to hold onto the bond herself. Her cries were raw and broken, and they shattered what little resolve I had left. But it was too late to stop now.A searing pain shot through me as the final thread of the bond snapped. My wolf let out a mournful howl, the sound echoing in my mind as the connection between Kailey and me disappeared entirely.Kailey’s scream pierced the air, her body convulsing as the pain of the severed bond wracked through her. I rushed to her side, but the moment I reached for her, she flinched away from me, her wide, tear-filled eyes filled with a mixture of agony and betrayal.“Don’t touch me,” she choked out, her voice barely above a whisper.“Kailey...” My voice broke as I tried to reach for her again, but she shook her head, her body trembling violently.“You... you promised to protect me,” she sobbed, her words stabbing into me like a thousand knives. “You said you wouldn’t let him hurt me.”“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my own tears blurring my vision. “I didn’t want to... I had to...”Her gaze hardened, her pain turning into something darker—something I hadn’t expected. “You didn’t have to,” she said, her voice laced with bitterness. “You chose to.”Her words hit me like a blow, and I felt the weight of my decision settle heavily on my shoulders. The room was silent except for her ragged breathing and the sound of my own breaking heart.“Mark’s voice broke through the silence, cold and unfeeling. ‘It’s done. Now, get her out of here.’”My blood boiled at his command, and I instinctively stepped in front of Kailey, shielding her from the guards who had entered the room. Their expressions were neutral, but I could see the hesitation in their movements as they approached.“Don’t touch her,” I growled, my voice low and deadly.One of the guards dared to move closer. Without thinking, I swung my fist. The impact was solid, and he crumpled to the ground, clutching his jaw. My wolf surged forward, ready for more, as I turned to the others.“Anyone else want to try?” I snarled, daring them with a glare.The remaining guards froze, glancing at each other nervously. My dominance filled the room like a storm, and none of them seemed willing to challenge me. But before I could revel in their submission, my father’s voice cut through the tension.“Ezekiel,” he barked, his tone sharp and commanding. “Stand down. Now.”I turned to face him, my chest heaving with anger. “I won’t let you take her,” I said firmly, my voice trembling with a mix of rage and desperation. “She’s been through enough.”Mark stepped forward, his cold eyes boring into mine. “If you don’t want to be on my bad side, you’ll let them pass. This is not your fight anymore.”“It is my fight!” I shouted, my voice echoing in the room. “She’s my mate, my responsibility!”“She was your mate,” Mark corrected, his voice like ice. “You severed the bond. Or have you already forgotten the choice you made?”I clenched my fists, my knuckles aching from the punch I’d just thrown. “That doesn’t mean I’ll stand by and let you hurt her.”“Hurt her?” Mark laughed humorlessly. “I’m protecting her. From you. From yourself. Do you think the Elders will overlook this? Protecting her means defying them. Do you want to lose your position as Alpha? Because that’s what you’re doing.”His words hit me like a slap. The weight of his argument pressed down on me, and for a moment, doubt crept into my resolve. I glanced at Kailey, who was still trembling on the bed, her eyes filled with fear and betrayal. My heart shattered all over again.“You think the Elders will forgive this insubordination?” Mark continued, his voice steady and cutting. “They’ll strip you of everything—your title, your authority. All for what? A girl who is no longer tied to you? A riffraff?”“Don’t call her that!” I snapped, my voice filled with venom.“She’s nothing to you anymore, Ezekiel,” he said coldly. “The moment you broke the bond, she ceased to be your concern. Do you understand the consequences of your actions? Protecting her means putting everything on the line—your future, your pack, your title.”I swallowed hard, my mind racing. My father’s words made sense in the worst possible way. If I continued to defy him, I risked losing everything I’d worked for, everything I was destined to be. The Elders wouldn’t hesitate to punish me, and the pack would suffer for my choices.But when I looked at Kailey, I couldn’t bring myself to step aside. Her pain, her fear—it was unbearable. I couldn’t let them take her, no matter the cost.“Ezekiel,” Mark said again, his tone softening slightly, though it still held an edge of authority. “Think carefully. You’re not just risking yourself—you’re risking the entire pack. Is she worth that?”I hesitated, my resolve wavering. My father stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous whisper.“If you let this continue, you’ll force my hand,” he said. “And you won’t like the outcome. Don’t make me choose between you and the pack.”The room fell silent. My mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Protecting Kailey felt like the right thing to do, but the cost... Could I really risk everything for her?Kailey’s voice broke through my thoughts, soft and broken. “Ezekiel... just let them take me.”I whipped my head around to face her, my heart sinking. “What? No, I can’t—”“You have to,” she whispered, tears streaming down her face. “I’m not worth this. I’m not worth your position, your future. Please, just let them take me.”Her words were like daggers to my soul. How could she think so little of herself? How could she not see how much she meant to me, even without the bond?“No,” I said firmly, shaking my head. “I won’t let them—”“Stop it!” she cried, her voice filled with anguish. “Just stop. I’m tired of being the reason you’re suffering. If this is what it takes to end all of this, then so be it.”I opened my mouth to argue, but the words wouldn’t come. Her pain was too raw, too overwhelming. My father seized the opportunity.“Do you see, Ezekiel?” he said, his voice calm but relentless. “Even she understands. This isn’t about you anymore. It’s about what’s best for everyone.”I looked at Kailey one last time, my heart breaking into a thousand pieces. Her tear-streaked face, her trembling body—I wanted to fight for her, but deep down, I knew my father was right. Protecting her meant sacrificing everything, and in the end, I wasn’t sure if I had the strength to do it.Slowly, reluctantly, I stepped aside. The guards hesitated, but Mark nodded, and they moved forward to take Kailey. She didn’t resist, her body limp as they led her away.As the door closed behind her, the weight of my decision crashed down on me. I had chosen my pack, my position, my future—but I had lost her. And in that moment, I wasn’t sure if it was worth it. Fuck!!! I messed up!!