chapter 19

The night had dragged on endlessly. My heart pounded, and my breath was shallow as I paced the confines of my room. I couldn’t escape the fact that I was trapped in this nightmare with Alaric—my mate. I had tried to ignore it, to deny it, but with every passing hour, it became more impossible to escape the truth.

I’d seen the way he fought, the way he ripped a man’s heart out with his bare hands, the way his eyes glowed like embers in the dark. He was a werewolf. Not just any werewolf, but an Alpha—the leader of the Bloodhound pack. A pack so dangerous that even the most hardened criminals feared its name. And I, of all people, was his mate.

I clenched my fists in frustration. There had to be a way out. There had to be a way to escape. I had heard the whispers—how Alaric was powerful, and once you were his mate, there was no running. But I refused to believe it. I refused to accept that my fate was already sealed.

I was human. I was a *person*. I had the right to choose my own path, even if that path led me away from this hellhole.

I waited until I heard the sounds of the mansion settling for the night, the guards dispersing. I knew this was my chance.

I quickly gathered my things, slipping a small bag under my bed. It wasn’t much—just a few clothes and essentials—but it would have to do. I was ready.

I’d heard the house staff mention a service door that led out into the woods, a hidden exit that was rarely guarded. It was my only chance.

With every step, my heart raced faster. I moved quietly through the hallways, holding my breath each time I passed a guard. But luck was on my side tonight. The mansion was eerily quiet.

I reached the door, my pulse quickening. I hesitated for just a second, but then the door was in front of me. I took a deep breath and stepped outside.

The cool night air hit me like a shock, and for a moment, I thought I might be able to breathe again. I had escaped.

Or so I thought.

Just as I was about to take another step toward the trees, I heard the unmistakable rustling of movement behind me. My blood ran cold.

A shadow moved through the darkness, and before I could turn around, I felt a powerful grip on my arm.

“Running away, are we?”

Alaric’s voice was a low growl, one that sent chills down my spine. I froze in his hold, my body tense with fear. I tried to jerk away, but it was like trying to break free from iron chains.

He didn’t need to speak again. His eyes—glowing softly in the dark—told me everything. He had found me.

“You’re not going anywhere, Vanessa.” His voice was firm, but not cruel. There was something almost apologetic in the way he spoke, like he was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince me. “You can run, but I’ll always find you.”

His words were a weight on my chest, a suffocating truth that I couldn’t escape. There was no running from him. The bond between us was undeniable, even if I didn’t want to accept it.

“I can’t do this,” I whispered, shaking my head as the tears welled up in my eyes. “I can’t be around you. I’m not meant for this. I don’t belong in your world.”

He took a step closer, his grip loosening, but he didn’t let me go completely. “You have a debt to pay,mate. Whether you accept it or not.”

I couldn’t look at him. His presence was overwhelming, suffocating, and every part of me screamed that I needed to get away.

But the longer I stood there, the more that pull—the mate bond—became impossible to ignore. It was a magnetic force, drawing me closer to him despite everything inside me telling me to fight it.

Before I could even try to break free again, the sound of footsteps echoed from behind us.

“Alaric.”

It was Emma. Her voice—sharp, trembling with anger—cut through the night air. She was already standing a few feet away, her eyes wide with disbelief as she took in the scene in front of her.

Alaric turned slowly, his hand still wrapped around my arm, and there was a moment of silence. I could feel the tension between them, a thick, almost suffocating air that hung heavy in the night.

Emma’s gaze flicked from Alaric to me, her eyes narrowing in confusion, then narrowing further as realization dawned.

“What is this?” Emma’s voice was barely a whisper, but it carried an edge of disbelief, followed by something darker. “Alaric, what’s going on?”

Alaric let go of me, but only just enough to step back. His posture was protective, almost possessive, but there was a softness in his eyes as he turned to Emma.

“I’m sorry, Emma. I should’ve told you sooner,” he said quietly, his voice laced with regret. “But she’s my mate. I never meant for you to find out this way, but... I didn’t know how to say it.”

Emma blinked, her face pale as the words seemed to hang in the air, suspended between them.

“I—” She took a step back, her voice catching in her throat. “You—you’re telling me that *this*?” She pointed at me. “This human—she’s your mate?”

Alaric nodded, his gaze unwavering. “Yes and There’s nothing either of us can do about it.”

I could see the anger building in Emma’s eyes, the way her jaw clenched.

“No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “No, Alaric. You can’t... You can’t just throw everything away for her. For some *human*.”

Alaric stepped closer to her, his voice soft, almost pleading. “I am not throwing anything away Emma,she is my mate but that doesn't change what we have."

Emma’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her voice a mixture of disbelief and hurt. “I thought I was everything to you,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

“You are,” Alaric said, taking another step toward her, his tone regretful. “But there are things beyond our control. This is one of them.”

I stood there, watching the scene unfold in front of me. I wanted to disappear, to run, but I knew I couldn’t. Alaric’s words, his touch, they all left a mark on me. I was his. Whether I liked it or not, he was mine.

But Emma wasn’t going to give up so easily.

“Fine,” she said sharply, her voice cold now. “If that’s how it is, then fine. But you can’t have both, Alaric. You can’t keep me and her.”

Alaric’s eyes darkened. “Stop,we will talk about this...in private"

I swallowed hard as I realized just how much he was torn between us. I wasn’t the only one struggling with this bond. Alaric didn’t want this either. But fate had dealt him a hand he couldn’t ignore.

And I had to face the fact that I was stuck in the middle of it.