Chapter Twenty-Two

Ryan’s Pov

I pulled the car to a stop in front of Aurora’s apartment building. My grip on the steering wheel tightened as I scanned the building’s exterior—chipped paint, cracked windows, and an aura of neglect that made my skin crawl. This wasn’t a place for her. Not for my little one.

Aurora reached for the door handle, pausing to glance at me. Her delicate features were tinged with exhaustion, yet she still managed a small, polite smile. It was the same smile she’d given me earlier, as if she had to reassure me that she was fine.

She wasn’t fine. I could see it, feel it. And leaving her here felt like abandoning her to the wolves.

“Be ready tomorrow morning,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “We leave early.”

She nodded, murmuring a soft, “Thank you,” before stepping out of the car.

I watched her disappear into the dimly lit entrance, a wave of frustration and anger surging within me. What the hell was I doing? Dropping her off in this filthy, unsafe place?

My jaw tightened as I made a silent vow. She wouldn’t be staying here for long. As soon as we returned from the trip, I’d make sure she had a better place, a safe place. I didn’t care if she resisted. She could be as stubborn as she wanted; I wasn’t giving her a choice.

I let out a long breath, trying to shake the unease clinging to me. When I’d told the driver earlier that I’d handle the drop-off myself, I hadn’t anticipated how much harder it would feel to leave her here.

She’s not yours to protect, a voice in my head whispered. But it was wrong. She was mine to protect, whether she realized it or not.

I turned the car around and headed for Shadowheaven. The familiar roads blurred as my thoughts kept circling back to her.

By the time I reached Shadowheaven, the night had deepened, and the vast expanse of the estate loomed before me. It was quiet, too quiet. Karen wasn’t back yet.

A pang of guilt tugged at me as I entered the main hall. I couldn’t entirely push away the memory of our last conversation. She’d looked at me with so much pain, so much anger, as if I’d betrayed her in the worst way. But I hadn’t.

I’d told her the truth from the beginning. I’d never loved her as my soon-to-be Luna. I cared for her as a person, but that was where it ended.

Still, guilt wasn’t something I could afford. Not now. Not when everything was falling apart.

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to focus. Karen’s absence wasn’t my only concern. There was Micah and Olivia, a mess I needed to clean up before anything else. Uncle Elliot’s call about their situation had been brief but urgent, and I’d postponed dealing with it for far too long.

With a heavy sigh, I headed for my study. Aurora’s image lingered in my mind, a distraction I couldn’t shake. But there was no time for distractions now.

I stormed into the hall where Micah and Olivia waited, their backs stiff as they sensed my approach. The air around them was thick with unease, yet Micah stood with his chest puffed out, defiance etched into his features. Olivia lingered close to his side, her hand clutching his arm as if she could hold him back.

I swallowed the growl building in my chest. “Micah,” I began, my voice low but laced with steel, “care to explain why you and your wife were planning to leave in secret without informing anyone?”

Micah didn’t answer, his jaw tightening.

I took a step closer, my patience wearing thin.

“Answer me. Now. Before you make me do something you’ll regret.”

Micah scoffed, his lips curling into a sneer. “You? Regret? Don’t make me laugh. You’ve always done whatever you wanted, Ryan. You don’t regret anything. You walk around like you’re better than everyone else, making people feel inferior, like we’re beneath you.”

My claws ached to extend, but I forced my hands to remain steady. “I am better,” I said, my voice a dangerous whisper. “I’m the Alpha. And you don’t speak to me in that manner.”

Micah took a step forward, matching my defiance. “And you don’t talk to me like that. I’m a wolf, just like you.”

I bared my teeth. “But I’m your Alpha. Or have you forgotten?”

He laughed bitterly, his voice cutting through the tension. “An Alpha who can’t even take care of his own? You discard your subordinates like they’re nothing. Like they don’t matter.”

“Watch your mouth,” I growled, the threat evident in my tone.

“Or what?” Micah shot back, his eyes blazing with fury. “Do your worst.”

Beside him, Olivia tugged at his arm, her voice trembling. “Stop it, Micah. Just stop.”

But Micah was too far gone, his anger blinding him.

My patience snapped.

The air in the room thickened as my wolf surged forward, my eyes flaring, claws extending, fangs bared. Before Micah could react, I moved fast as a whip and grabbed him by the throat.

His eyes widened in shock, and his hands flew to mine, clawing at my grip, but it was too late. My claws sank into his flesh, a fatal wound inflicted by an Alpha. Blood spilled down his neck, staining the floor beneath us.

The room fell silent. Even the maids, who thought they were hidden, stood frozen in terror, their gazes locked on me. I knew they were watching. Let them.

Olivia’s scream shattered the quiet. “No!” she cried, rushing toward Micah, but she stopped short as I turned my gaze to her, cold and unyielding.

I released Micah, letting his body collapse to the floor, his blood pooling beneath him. He wasn’t dead yet, but he would be soon. No wolf could survive an Alpha’s wound.

Olivia dropped to her knees beside him, tears streaming down her face. She looked up at me, her voice shaking with fury and grief. “You’ll regret this,” she spat.

I tilted my head, my expression impassive. “I don’t regret protecting my position. You and your husband brought this upon yourselves.”

She sobbed, clutching Micah’s lifeless hand, but I didn’t feel an ounce of guilt.

I straightened, turning to the guards. “Take her out. She’ll serve as one of the maids now. Let her understand what happens when you defy your Alpha.”

The guards hesitated for a moment before stepping forward, gripping Olivia by the arms. She struggled, her cries echoing through the hall as they dragged her away.

I stood there, surveying the room, my breathing steady. No one dared to speak.

“Let this serve as a warning,” I said, my voice cutting through the silence. “Disrespect your Alpha, and you’ll face the consequences.”

With that, I turned and walked away, satisfied. The pack needed to understand one thing above all else: I wouldn’t tolerate betrayal.