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Ch 12: This Isn't Jealousy
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 13: The Bond He Refused
[--Kaiser Volkov--][FLASHBACK]I sat down by the riverbank, the familiar hum of the water flowing gently in the background, the kind of peaceful sound that usually helped clear my head. But today, it felt like nothing could drown out the noise in my mind. My gaze dropped to the bruise on my wrist, dark and fading, but still there, a stubborn reminder of everything I’d been through. The skin around it felt tender, and as I scratched at it absently, a dull ache shot through my arm. The pain was nothing new—too familiar, too constant. I sighed, letting my hand fall back into my lap, staring at the water without really seeing it."Hey!"The sudden sound of Esmarie’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. My heart skipped a beat, the kind of reflexive reaction that always hit me when I heard her. Esmarie. Damn. I panicked for a second, hastily tugging the sleeve of my shirt down over my wrist to cover the bruise. The last thing I wanted was for her to see that and start asking questions. I p
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 14: A Meaningless Apology
[--Kasier Volkov--]I marched into her bedroom, and she abruptly ended the call.“What are you doing here? Don’t you know how to knock?” she scowls at me.“You’re talking to Elias. In this pack, he’s an enemy. I’m gonna need you to not do that.”Her eyes roll, and she drops into the plump pink chair next to her bed. “You cannot tell me what to do. And for the record, sleeping with a guy’s fiancee is crazy. That’s a low even for a whore like you.”I didn’t let the anger show on my face. Instead, I let it go. She wants to talk to Elias. Let her. Elias is a good alpha. Just like me. We’re alike in many ways. He doesn’t know my dirty secrets, but I know enough of his. I stepped back and left her room.Continuing my path to the kitchen when I heard her footsteps following me. I pulled out a plate, and some ingredients so I could prepare a nice meal for my breakfast.“That’s it? You’re just going to walk away, you don’t want to defend yourself?”“Why? You don’t like me, you seem comfortable
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 15: A Biased Opinion
[--Esmarie Cruz--]Kaiser’s apology was bogus. But for the rest of the day, while he was at work, I thought over it. He looked flushed when I asked if they hurt him, which made me call Martha over. This time I was out on the front porch waiting for her. Elias had suggested that I take one of the twins. Open the door, and focus on them while I walk out. He said having a safety, something I love might ground me as I walk out for the first time.It was helpful. I couldn’t go further due to fear, but at least I made it out and onto the porch. Incredible. I never would have done that before without his advice. I know he and Kaiser are enemies but the guy is nice. I don’t trust him, fuck no. I’m not that dumb but I think he’s a good person.When Martha arrived she made me walk back. I held Elijah tightly and sat on the living room couch next to the bassinet where my daughter was napping.“How are you doing honey?”“I’m fine. I wanted to ask you some questions about... Kaiser.”She smiled. S
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 16: The Problem With Rogue Wolves
[--Kaiser Volkov--]Running a pack is not easy, and every single day I am reminded of why it isn’t. There’s always something—territorial disputes, hunting issues, internal squabbles, and above all, rogue werewolves. They’re the worst. Always testing boundaries, causing chaos where none is needed, and forcing us into battles that leave everyone worse for wear. Today had been no exception.I was sitting in my office, going over plans with a contractor for a new building we were looking to add to the pack’s compound. It wasn’t just about expansion—it was about strengthening our defenses and modernizing our structures to better protect the pack. We’d been doing well, but these days, you could never be too prepared. There were always threats looming, and a leader’s job is to anticipate, to think ahead, to make sure everyone within their territory is safe, even when they don’t realize the dangers that could be right around the corner.As I reviewed the blueprints, and went over logistics fo
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 17: I Prefer Hate
[--Kaiser Volkov--]After the meeting with the contractors wrapped up, I sat back at my desk, fingers brushing through my hair, mind drifting to what I could have for dinner. My stomach grumbled, but I was reluctant to go home to Esmarie. Lately, she hadn’t exactly been my biggest fan, and every encounter with her seemed to be a battlefield where I always ended up on the losing side. Sighing, I slumped in my chair, staring blankly at the paperwork scattered in front of me, trying to push aside the thought of another awkward evening under the same roof.My phone rang, cutting through the thick silence of my office. Glancing at the screen, I was surprised to see Esmarie’s name. We hadn’t spoken much unless it was necessary-- and those necessary words were usually hate, so her calling me out of the blue was unexpected. I hesitated for a moment, wondering what this could be about, before finally answering."Hey, um... Martha heard there was some ruckus happening at the south gate, and she
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 18: Truce?
[--Esmarie Cruz--]I held on to his arm, my fingers lightly tracing over the ridges of his knuckles, feeling the warmth of his skin. His hand was large, rough in places, and yet still gentle in a way I hadn't forgotten. My eyes slowly traveled over the thick muscle of his arm, the veins that ran like rivers beneath his skin, and the tattoo that curled around his forearm, a permanent mark of a past he never really let me in on. He smelled different now too, like a mixture of pine, smoke, and something earthy, something that wasn’t there before. Time had changed him, in more ways than one."Martha and I spoke," I said, breaking the silence that had hung between us like a fragile thread. My voice was soft, and careful, but there was an edge to it. "Why didn’t you tell me they used to hurt you?”Kaiser tensed immediately. I felt it ripple through his body, saw it in the slight tightening of his jaw, and the way his fingers twitched against mine. His eyes, once so clear and vibrant, darken
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 19: First Time Drinking
[--Kaiser Volkov--]Her laughter was strange, almost foreign. It wasn’t the carefree kind of laughter I’d expected or remembered, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on why it unsettled me. I hadn’t thought about her laugh in years—why was it even on my mind now? She wasn’t some old flame, not someone who left a lasting mark on my life. Sure, we’d kissed once, but that was nothing. I’ve kissed—and slept with—a lot of people since then. Yet, something about the sound of her laugh made me feel... off.“I have a patio out back,” I said, trying to shake the strange feeling from my mind. “With a pool. Wanna sit out there and drink?”She wrinkled her nose, giving me a hesitant look. “Sure, but I’ve never actually drank alcohol before. I’m kind of nervous about it. But the twins—”“Baby monitor,” I interjected, cutting off her excuse with a half-smile. “We’ll keep an eye on them from there. Hovering over them all night will only make you more anxious.”As soon as I said it, I felt a pang o
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 20: Drinking and Dancing
[--Esmarie Cruz--]Kaiser didn’t really open up to me, not in the way I had hoped. Sure, he confirmed that he’d been through abuse, but instead of talking about it in detail, he deflected, steering the conversation toward drinking. I let it slide. Maybe it wasn’t the time to push too hard. The weight of the truth was there between us, but it floated, unspoken, just beneath the surface. The pool water was surprisingly warm for the time of night, and the drink—sharp and unfamiliar—settled in my stomach, creating a slow heat that spread through my limbs. Not that I was a connoisseur or anything. This was one of my first experiences with alcohol, and I didn’t really know what “the best” was supposed to taste like.We sat there for a while, nursing our drinks and dipping our toes into the water, the quiet hum of the evening wrapping around us like a blanket. Eventually, the edges of the world started to blur. My head felt light, and the wooziness set in, like I was floating in the pool wit
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Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 88: Under The Blue Moon pt 2
[--Esmarie Cruz--]After the festivities of the evening, watching the vibrant fireworks and basking under the serene glow of the blue moon, Kaiser drove us back home. The ride was a quiet one, the kind of silence that feels natural after a long and eventful day. I felt a sense of peace, mixed with exhaustion and a tinge of happiness. The twins were snug in their car seats, their soft breaths barely audible but enough to remind me of their comforting presence. Kaiser seemed at ease as he drove, his usual stern features softened by what I could only describe as contentment.There wasn’t much to say between us, and the silence stretched comfortably. I found myself lost in the hum of the car’s engine, my thoughts wandering back to the festival. The glow of the moon, the music, the laughter of the crowd—all of it replayed in my mind like a pleasant daydream. Every now and then, I would glance at Kaiser, trying to decipher his thoughts, but his focus remained on the road, his expression unr
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 87: Under The Blue Moon pt 1
[--Esmarie Cruz--]I sat at Martha's booth, working alongside her and spending the majority of the day helping to feed people. It wasn’t something I had expected to enjoy, but as the hours went by, I found myself actually looking forward to it. The rhythm of chopping, stirring, and serving felt comforting in a way I hadn't anticipated. The people who stopped by were all so kind, and their smiles after tasting the food made it all the more rewarding. Each compliment was like a small victory, and by the time the afternoon began to fade, I was proud of what we had accomplished. The booth was buzzing with energy, the air filled with the mingling scents of freshly cooked dishes. But underneath the pleasant hum of conversation and laughter, there was an underlying current of nervous excitement in me. The twilight ceremony was only a few hours away.I was both nervous and excited. It was my first time experiencing the twilight ceremony. The anticipation, the magic of it all, stirred somethin
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 86: Day Two Of The Festival
[--Esmarie Cruz--]The next morning, I woke up nestled in Kaiser’s arms. The sensation was disorienting—unfamiliar yet oddly comforting. My first instinct was to pull away, but a part of me hesitated, feeling a strange sense of safety I hadn’t expected. The light filtered through the curtains, bathing the room in soft hues, and I could feel his slow, steady breathing as he stirred awake beside me. His eyes fluttered open, meeting mine briefly before we both groaned in unison. It wasn’t irritation or frustration; it was more of an unspoken agreement to set aside whatever had happened the night before. Without exchanging a single word, we moved apart, a mutual understanding that today would start fresh as if yesterday’s events were a story meant to be rewritten.I slipped out of the blanket- not sure where it came from, the chill of the morning air hitting my skin, and began to stretch the stiffness from my body. Kaiser rolled onto his back, running a hand through his tousled hair, befo
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 85: Suffocating Emotions pt 3
[--Kaiser Volkov--]After Esmarie sobbed into my arms, her body trembling as if her emotions had drained every ounce of strength she had left, I let her stay there, holding her tightly. My shirt was damp from her tears, but I didn’t care. I didn’t want to let go, not yet. She needed this moment, and, truth be told, so did I. There’s something about seeing someone you care about break down in front of you that makes you want to fight the entire world to make it right.She said some words to me, but it didn’t really feel like we were speaking about it. She had been focused on me rather than what I had revealed. God, I consider my luck turning. If not, there’s no reason for her to be in my arms instead of across the street screaming bloody murder at me.Once her breathing evened out and her sobs softened, I hesitated before speaking. I knew what I had to say would only add to the storm swirling in her mind, but I couldn’t keep it from her. Not now. Not when I was trying so damn hard to p
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 84: Suffocating Emotions pt 2
[--Esmarie Cruz--]I dropped to my knees, the weight of everything hitting me all at once. My legs buckled beneath me as if they couldn't support the burden of the truth Kaiser had just revealed. I clutched at his arms, fingers trembling as they gripped the fabric of his shirt. My chest heaved with ragged breaths, and I fought to keep the overwhelming emotions from spilling out all at once."I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. The words cracked as they left his lips, soft and almost hesitant. He didn’t move to embrace me right away, though I could feel the tension in his arms. His restraint was deliberate, his way of giving me the space I might need to process this. It was so him, but not him at the same time. Sometimes careful careful, sometimes he thinks of me first. And yet, his quietness only made it harder. It made me feel annoyed at myself for not being more pissed off at him.What is this weakness of an emotion?I shook as waves of emotion rolled through me—a
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 83: Suffocating Emotions pt 1
[--Esmarie Cruz--]I didn’t think it was possible for things in my life to go from bad to worse. I honestly didn’t think that was possible.There are a million things I expected to hear from Kaiser in my lifetime, but none of them were the words that just came out of his mouth. My breath caught, and before I knew it, tears streamed down my face, silent but unrelenting. Throughout my years with the Darkwood family, I’d been told that my mother had abandoned me. That she’d disappeared because she wanted nothing to do with me. Barry made sure I believed that. He’d drilled it into my mind that she was cruel and only loved herself and money, that she’d walked away without looking back.While most of that was true, turns out that he’s not just a sadistic bastard but he’s a lying bitch who had always wanted to keep me trapped.Now, hearing the truth—that Kaiser was the one who killed her because they made him do it—it shattered me. Completely. My chest ached, and I could barely see through m
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 82: Pains Of The Past
[--Kaiser Volkov--]I drove to Martha's house late in the night, almost midnight, exhaustion clinging to me like a second skin. My bones ached from the day's relentless grind, and my mind was teetering between shutting down and spiraling out of control. As I pulled into the driveway, I spotted the faint glow of the living room lights through the curtains. It didn’t surprise me to find Esmarie awake, sitting on the floor with her twins, who were transfixed by whatever cartoon Martha had queued up on the TV. Their big, drooling smiles and bubbling laughter were a stark contrast to how drained I felt. It was oddly comforting—just for a moment, anyway.Martha’s house always smelled the same: a blend of lavender air freshener and whatever was baking in her oven earlier that day. Which might have been nothing since she cooked at my house. Her place always smells like there’s a new meal in the oven waiting to be brought out.Tonight, it smelled faintly of cinnamon. I stood in the doorway, wat
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 81: Living A Dangerous Life pt 2
[--Kaiser Volkov--]I met up with the assassin I’d hired after sending Esmarie home with Martha. The meeting was held in a secluded alley just outside the pack, the kind of place where shadows seemed to linger a little longer and the air always smelled faintly of damp concrete and regret. The man, tall and broad-shouldered, wore a plain black jacket and a hood that obscured most of his face. Not that it mattered—we didn’t need formalities, not in this line of work.When he approached, he didn’t say a word, and neither did I. We both understood the weight of unspoken agreements. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a thick envelope, holding it out with a steady hand. I nodded as I took it from him, a brief acknowledgment passing between us. No gratitude, no farewells. Just business. He turned on his heel and disappeared down the darkened alley, his steps quiet but deliberate.Wolves like him kill for cash—efficient, detached, and dangerous. He wasn’t the type to do favors, but our
Runaway To My Alpha Brother-In-Law Ch 80: Living A Dangerous Life pt 1
[--Esmarie Cruz--]The first day of the festival went by smoothly, even better than I’d anticipated. The morning had been a whirlwind of activity as I helped set up, juggling tasks and tending to my children. Despite the chaos, there was something grounding about the festival's rhythm, the way it brought everyone together. By the time the evening arrived, I was exhausted but content. Watching Kaiser take the stage for his closing speech, I saw something rare, to me at least,—a deep respect in the eyes of his pack members, a kind of admiration that felt earned. His words were met with thunderous applause and genuine affection, and for a moment, I allowed myself to feel proud of him.I expected us to leave for home right after the speech, eager to put the day behind us, but Kaiser had other plans. With a quiet command, he instructed Martha to take me to her house for the night. The idea surprised me, but I didn’t argue; it was unlike him to deviate from routine.And I haven’t been to he
