It turns out that I'm still the same Caroline as before, in the end I can only run from all my problems.Coward Caroline.But who am I really? My steps slowed as that question popped up in my head. Am I Caroline Brennan or Gabriella Gold? Who am I? Wherever I go I feel like I have no place to return to.I've dropped the name Gabrielle Gold.And now I can't go back to the Brennans. I wasn't sure I could see Alex's face again without breaking down. My entire life as Caroline Brennan has been centered around Alex and this pseudo mate bond.Once this fragile bond is broken, I have no place to return to ... I have no reason to return to Alex.Seeing and feeling Alex and Cameron's mate bond directly made me realize that what I believed in and tried to achieve all this time was only a false hope.What's between me and Alex is different from what a real mate has. Different from what I saw and felt from Zaya and Val's bond, from Alpha Sam and Chloe, and even from my parents.A drop of hot tear
I woke up on my way back to Yellowstone territory. My head still feels dizzy and heavy but the car we're in feels very warm and comfortable, so I can sleep for quite a while. Maybe Dimitri turned the heater up. The street outside was still very dark and deserted.I forced my head to look at Dimitri who was behind the driver's seat. "How long before we get there?" I asked in a hoarse voice.He glanced briefly at me, I could not see the expression on his face clearly in the darkness of this car and my vision was still blurry."In a minute. We're almost there."My body feels weird. I've never felt this weak before. It felt like all my bones and joints were going weak, throbbing pain also continued to appear throughout my body."You didn't ask anything" I muttered still hoarsely. My throat felt dry from crying so much.Dimitri suddenly leaned over behind the driver's seat and handed me a bottle of mineral water. "Compared to my curiosity, I'm more worried about your current condition, Car
"What did you say?" I whispered half stunned.Is this all a cruel joke? I thought vaguely. But judging by his expression it didn't seem like Balthazar was joking with me. "I'm Alex's mate?" I muttered slowly.My shock made it hard for me to digest the information I just heard. It feels like just yesterday I convinced myself that we weren't real mate. "You- You said Leykan doesn't have a mate," I said a little accusingly.Balthazar did not rebut my words. He just nodded stiffly and ruffled his dark hair briefly with one hand."I didn't say you were the mate, Caroline. You know Alex's mark bite has some nasty side effects on your body, too."My forehead creased deeply while the throbbing in my temple grew stronger. "So ... I'm not his mate, but at the same time I will also die if Alex is paired with another werewolf?""Broadly speaking ... yeah," Balthazar muttered grimly. "So far that's all we know."I couldn't stop the sound of weak laughter that escaped my mouth. Isn't fate too cruel
Alex frowned angrily. "It was Vincent who came to save Cara-""Do you think that makes sense?" interrupted Balthazar ironically. "Dante is only a kid, how can he take on thirteenAlphas at once? Even a pure-blooded Leykan will have a hard time defeating them."We will never know what really happened that night. Whatever Elizabeth's reasons are, it's clear that her decision that night saved Caroline ... as well as created this problem" continued Balthazar gloomily. "Now all that's left to do is find a way to break this mate bond.""No ... " I whispered from behind the oxygen mask.All eyes turned towards me. Alex gasped when he heard my hoarse voice, his eyelids trembled faintly but he didn't take his eyes off me.I swallowed my saliva to moisten my dry throat. "Is ... Isn't there another way?""Caroline, do you really want to live like forever? Alex couldn't even give you his mark without a lethal side effect on your body. And you think only Gabriel Adler would take advantage of a sit
"Then-"I sighed before Balthazar finished speaking. I've only had this sensation a few times. The last one was when Balthazar immersed my body in the lake.My heart felt like it was being stabbed by a hot knife that was slowly slicing through every muscle and tissue in my heart.An intense pain exploded from my chest. This sharp stabbing feeling felt like breaking a bone, only a hundred times more intense as all the bones in my body were crushed together.CRACK!That terrible sound broke the tense atmosphere of this room. I opened my eyes with difficulty but I couldn't see anything because Balthazar's palm was still covering my eyes.I was writhing in pain on the bed while I heard Balthazar's harsh swearing sound which somehow sounded very faint in my ear. Like He was standing very far from me, even though He was still at my side of the bed.CRACK! CRACK!"I told you to exhale slowly!" His angry screams appeared faintly again.I closed my eyes again because I couldn't bear the pain t
I stared into the face of the currently enraged teenage Balthazar while my thoughts were racing in all directions at once.Why did Vincent give me this ring?I still keep looking at his face. Balthazar slowly returned my gaze too. We stared at each other for a few seconds that felt like years."You are my father ... right?" I whispered in a tight voice.His pale face looked even paler. "I ... I don't know about this."My biological mother must have never told him, Balthazar looked really shocked until his body slumped to the ground."Oh my God ... Elizabeth." he muttered blankly.We both sat in silence until finally we heard footsteps running towards us. From the scent I could smell Dimitri and Alex were the ones heading to this location.In the midst of my shock, my stomach churned again when I smelled the scent of Alex's mate.This situation is really messed up ...My mate paired up with another werewolf ... then all of a sudden I had a dad. I looked back at Balthazar who was sittin
"When I got to the scene of the massacre-" Dimitri stopped suddenly and cleared his throat awkwardly.I turned to him with a questioning look. He rubbed his mouth with the palm of his hand in passing before continuing.'By the time I got to your family's house it was too late. Me and Viktor only had time to visit the place briefly because our main goal at that time was to confirm your condition, but we didn't find your body ... ""So that's why you guys thought I was still alive" I muttered under my breath."Of course." His voice turned deeper. "Even though we didn't know each other at that time but you are my fiance?. At first I thought they kidnapped you, but it turns out you ran away with your uncle."I turned my gaze to the rocky road in front of me while my throat felt tight. "Did ... you see the bodies of my parents there?"Dimitri didn't answer my question right away. I could feel his hesitation before he finally opened his mouth again.'I saw Gregory Gold's body, while your mo
Alex and I froze in place after hearing Balthazar's last words.We turned to him together. The scowl on his teenage face deepened when he saw me surprised along with Alex."Wait, Balthazar- So Cara is really your daughter?" Alex gasped and staggered backwards a bit. Her bright brown eyes blinked a few times. All of his previous angry expression had disappeared from his handsome face.Why did Alex say it like he already knew about this before?Balthazar on the other hand, was still glaring at her fiercely. He shoved his hands into his pockets and his face darkened even more. "I don't know. Right now there's only one person who knows the truth. Get Dante to meet me asap, he still owes me an explanation. Ah ... tell him too, I'll come look for him if he dares to run away from me." His words sounded like a death threat.Alex nodded faintly then swallowed his saliva."And you Caroline, come inside when you're done talking. And don't stand too close to this idiot" he grumbled at me as he tu
Looks like Gabriel Adler is a little desperate after failing to blackmail us.A pinch of satisfaction that appeared made me smile at him, this time my smile was truly sincere unlike before. Of courseGabriel returned my smile with an angry look that he tried to contain."Guarding and hiding someone is not an easy thing ... " I muttered, deliberately enjoying his gloomy attitude mixed with anger. "Especially with my current situation."I had planned to recruit Cameron into the Pack I was about to found, but luckily I hadn't offered it to him yet.'Quickly say what you want."Look at this damn thing ... You don't know yourself, before he himself was stalling for time now he's trying to push me.I glanced at the two Pack members chatting in the communal room while occasionally glancing back at me andGabriel. Even though they greeted me kindly but everyone still kept their distance from me after I came back here."We'll talk in Alex's study." Gabriel followed me from behind as I headed u
Doctor Pack gave specific instructions that Alex should stay in bed for the next three days, at least until the broken bones in his leg and several fractured ribs begin to regenerate. Luckily his other injuries had turned into faint bruises in just a night.I thought last night's injuries and events would make Alex more submissive and docile than usual ... but I was so wrong.Even though I was stuck in bed for almost twenty four hours straight, Alex still kept bugging me about last night's incident, more specifically, he repeatedly made me say every detail and part where Viktor 'touched me'.At first I understood his anger but after a while I felt annoyed because the anger was now starting to target me. Being next to him almost drives me crazy myself."Alex, Viktor is dead. What else do you want?!" I exclaimed when I saw the furious expression on his face."You shouldn't have chased him! Do you know what he would have done if the seal didn't kill him?!"I had told him about the seal t
'Victor!" My shrill scream pierced the silence of this forest. I didn't expect him to stop when he heard my voice but the sound of his footsteps stopped instantly when he heard my voice. I easily caught up with him then I stopped a few meters behind him without making a sound.We are currently in the deepest part of this forest. It's already quite far from Alex's crash site, I think it's safe enough if I release my Leykan power here.Viktor turned slowly in the darkness of this forest and stared at me without expression. His semi-naked muscular body was still tensing up, preparing to fight me.Why didn't he transform into his wolf form, the question flashed through my head but I didn't have time to think about it further.My Leykan power is already at its limit and I can't suppress it any longer.Just like when I attacked Alex the first time, the atmosphere around us turned even more sinister than before. A strong wind blew so that the trees around it shook violently. The forest that
Her sudden anger made me freeze for a moment in shock.Alex was still standing clutching my shoulders with his hands that were still shaking a little. From this close distance I could see his pale face filled with worry and anger."It looks like you're very busy so I decided to go home ... " I answered in a half whisper.Her two golden brown eyes closed instantly as her tense jaw continued to throb. "I thought you left me again" he growled before opening his eyes again. A few strands of her brown hair fell to cover her eyes which at this time looked terrible."Alex, how many times have I told you? I will never leave you again."Actually, I'm also a bit angry myself because her trust in me is only limited to this, but at the same time I also understand her feelings. I took a deep breath and knelt down to hug his neck.I'm sorry" I mumbled, kissing his neck briefly. "I was just about to call you to tell you."Looks like Ihave to buy a new phone soon.His tensed body slowly relaxed and t
I should have been able to anticipate the responses of the four people sitting in front of me. Even Vincent who had previously heard of my plan returned to his gloomy face while shaking his head.I glanced at Jake, Alex, and Balthazar in turn and then cleared my throat to break the tense atmosphere that permeated the room. "Of course once I announce myself as Leykan and they can accept me, I will step down from the Alpha position."Jake glared at me, the expression on his face clearly saying are-you're-mad. I know my plan sounds a little crazy and risky. So far there has never been a female Alpha, let alone a Leykan, leading a pack of werewolves.Not to mention that I have to meet the minimum requirements for setting up a new Pack which is quite difficult to fulfill. In addition to having territories and ten members, a new Pack must also have the approval of at least six other Alphas as the total of all Packs in the country is twelve.Well, if all goes well I've got five Alpha endorse
As I was about to follow the two Vincent grabbed my shoulder to hold me down. "We should talk too, Caroline.""Then you two just talk together first, I'll stop by Pack's house," said Evelyn which I waved my hand back.I waited for him to walk away before turning to my uncle again, pulling my eyebrows up and looking at his crumpled, bruised face. "Balthazar really beat you up, huh ? "Vincent groaned in annoyance then brushed his hand through his brown hair. "He just misunderstood, I also did not know the ring was actually his."I folded my arms across my chest and tilted my head briefly at the large oak tree across from Pack's driveway. "So ... Balthazar is my father?" I asked while walking towards the tree with him.Vincent didn't answer my question right away. We stopped under a shady oak tree while the morning sun illuminates all corners of this large courtyard. I sat down on the grass while Vincent stood with his back against the big trunk of this tree."I don't know ... " he mutt
One of my hands slipped through his slightly wet hair with sweat. Alex hasn't moved an inch to give my body time to adjust.Her eyes were tightly closed while her ragged breaths were getting more and more irregular. I can't imagine what he's feeling right now, but I understand he's trying to keep himself from hurting me.Her attitude touched me. I know for an Alpha, controlling himself is not easy.The drizzle outside had turned into heavy rain, the sound of water droplets hitting the window glass muffled the sound of my breathing which was starting to return to normal.I put my palm on his pounding chest, Alex opened his eyes again with a panicked look. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"I dragged my hand to his face and caressed it briefly. "You don't have to hold back like this, Alex."His erection throbbed violently at my words but Alex didn't move from his position at all. He took a deep breath then let it out slowly. "I want this moment to be perfect for you" he mumbled before kiss
I don't think there's anything else that can surprise me because I've known him for dozens of years. But apparently there is still a side of Alex that I have never seen from him before.My raised hand only lasted for a few seconds before Alex lunged at me. He moved so fast that I had to pull my hand again because of my instincts.For a moment a sense of surprised fear welled up within me, but that feeling faded on its own as I felt his warm and large body embrace me carefully.I don't know where the tingling feeling that tickled my chest came from, I couldn't hold back the laughter that escaped my lips. Alex who previously buried his face in my hair finally pulled himself to look at me."Ah, sorry" I said before laughing again. His face that looks really confused makes me even more amused. "Just now you looked like you wanted to pounce on me, your too serious face made me want to laugh."Alex snorted while raising his eyebrows, pretending to be offended. I raised my hand to tidy up a
Alex was standing in front of the bathroom door with an unreadable expression on his face. His gaze descended on my body which was only clad in his oversized black shirt and then stopped for a moment as he stared at my bare feet.He cleared his throat before pulling his gaze back to my face. At least now he doesn't look like he's pounced on me anymore."Ah, I didn't find my old clothes in the cupboard" I explained when he looked again at the shirt I was wearing."Mum cleaned it up when she visited Pack's house" Alex replied before stepping back so I could get out of the bathroom.'O- Oh." I awkwardly stepped out while pulling the hem of the shirt that covered part of my thigh."Cara, sorry ... I couldn't control myself before." His cautious tone made my nervousness vanish instantly. A guilty look that looked sincere appeared on his handsome face. "I understand you're not ready, I shouldn't have forced you."I tried to ignore my slight disappointment when I heard his last words. Argh.