CHAPTER 7

I followed the assistant through the dimly lit corridors of the pack’s main house, my boots echoing against the polished wooden floors. The air was thick with tension, and every step felt heavier than the last. I clenched my fists at my sides, my nails digging into my palms as I tried to steady my breathing.

My uncle walked silently beside me, his expression grim. He hadn’t said a word since the summons, but the tension in his jaw and the way his shoulders were stiff told me everything I needed to know. He was worried—no, terrified—about what was about to happen.

“You don’t have to do this,” he said finally, his voice low and urgent as we approached the Alpha’s office. “You can still leave. I can arrange for you to go somewhere safe, far away from here.”

I stopped in my tracks and turned to face him. “And what? Run away like a coward? Let him win?”

My uncle’s eyes softened, but his tone remained firm. “This isn’t about winning or losing, Jessica. This is about survival. Christopher isn’t just the Alpha—he’s the most powerful wolf in this pack. If you push him too far, he won’t hesitate to—”

“To what?” I interrupted, my voice rising. “Kill me? Banish me? He’s already made it clear he wants me gone. What more can he do?”

My uncle opened his mouth to respond, but the assistant cleared his throat, cutting him off.

“The Alpha is waiting,” he said, his tone cold and final.

I shot my uncle one last defiant look before turning on my heel and striding toward the office door. I didn’t wait for an invitation. I pushed the door open and stepped inside, my heart pounding in my chest.

Christopher’s office was exactly as I expected it to be—cold, imposing, and dripping with authority. The walls were lined with bookshelves filled with ancient tomes and trophies from battles long past. A large mahogany desk dominated the center of the room, and behind it sat Christopher, his expression unreadable.

He looked up as I entered, his piercing blue eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence was deafening, broken only by the sound of my heartbeat thundering in my ears.

“Leave us,” Christopher said, his voice low and commanding.

The assistant nodded and stepped out, closing the door behind him. My uncle hesitated, his eyes darting between me and Christopher.

“Cole,” Christopher said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Leave.”

My uncle gave me one last worried look before reluctantly following the assistant out of the room. The door clicked shut, leaving me alone with the man who had once been my everything.

Christopher leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving mine. “Sit.”

I didn’t move. “I’ll stand.”

A flicker of irritation crossed his face, but he didn’t press the issue. Instead, he reached into a drawer and pulled out a thick envelope, sliding it across the desk toward me.

“Take it,” he said simply.

I glanced at the envelope but made no move to pick it up. “What is it?”

“Money,” Christopher replied, his tone cold and detached. “Enough to start a new life somewhere far away from here. Take it and go. It’s the best thing for everyone.”

I stared at him, my blood boiling. “You think you can buy me off? That I’ll just take your money and disappear like some stray dog?”

Christopher’s jaw tightened, but his voice remained calm. “This isn’t a negotiation, Jessica. It’s an order. Take the money and leave. You’re no longer welcome here.”

I stepped forward, slamming my hands on the desk. “Then reject me.”

Christopher blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

“You heard me,” I said, my voice trembling with anger. “If you want me gone so badly, then reject me. Properly. Sever the bond. Let me move on with my life.”

For the first time since I’d entered the room, Christopher’s mask of indifference slipped. He looked away, his jaw clenching as he struggled to find the right words.

“It’s not that simple,” he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

I laughed bitterly. “Not that simple? What’s so complicated about it? You don’t want me. You’ve made that perfectly clear. So reject me and be done with it. I sigh. “Look I don’t know anything about being a werewolf or what being in a pack entails but what I do know is that we both have a connection and even if I do leave that connection is always going to bind the us, so do the honorable thing and reject me if you want me gone so badly”

Christopher stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. “You don’t understand what you’re asking for.”

“Then explain it to me!” I shouted, my voice echoing through the room. “Tell me why you’re so determined to get rid of me but can’t bring yourself to reject me. What are you so afraid of?”

Christopher’s eyes flashed with something—anger, frustration, maybe even pain—but he didn’t respond. Instead, he turned away, running a hand through his hair as he paced the length of the room.

I watched him, my chest heaving as I tried to make sense of the man standing before me.

“You’re a coward,” I said quietly, my voice cutting through the silence like a knife.

Christopher froze, his back still turned to me. “What did you say?”

“You heard me,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. “You’re a coward. You’d rather throw money at me and hope I disappear than face the truth. Whatever this is—whatever’s going on—you’re too afraid to deal with it.”

Christopher turned to face me, his eyes blazing. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Then tell me!” I shot back, my voice breaking. “Tell me why you’re doing this. Tell me why you’re pushing me away. Because I deserve to know, Christopher. I deserve the truth.”

For a long moment, Christopher just stared at me, his chest rising and falling with each ragged breath. Then, without a word, he turned and walked to the window, his back to me once more.

“Leave,” he said, his voice barely audible. “Just… leave.”

I felt the fight drain out of me, replaced by a hollow ache in my chest. I picked up the envelope, my hands trembling as I tucked it into my jacket.

“Fine,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “But this isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”

I turned and walked out of the office, my heart heavy but my resolve stronger than ever. Whatever Christopher was hiding, I would find out. And when I did, I’d make him regret ever pushing me away.