All Chapters of Between Hate and Fate: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Since the kiss, I’ve been avoiding Katya like the damn plague. Every time I see her, every time I feel the bond pull between us, all I can think about is her screaming at me, blaming me for destroying her life.I can feel the tension between us every time we’re in the same room, but I don’t make eye contact, don’t give her any reason to start another conversation.The bond between us is still there, humming in the background, but I’ve gotten good at ignoring it. At least, I try to. After that kiss, though? It’s been harder. The way she kissed me back, like she was just as lost in the pull of it as I was—it’s all I can think about. And I hate it.Because I shouldn’t be feeling anything for her.She forgot. She forgot that I killed Andrei. She blamed me for ruining her life, for tearing it apart, and the worst part is she doesn’t even know the whole truth.She doesn’t know what Andrei did to my life. Doesn’t know that her beloved husband shattered my world before I ever laid a hand on h

It’s late — too late, and I haven’t slept. The clock on the wall reads just past 3 a.m. but time hasn’t meant much to me in hours. I’ve been lying here, staring at the ceiling, my mind running in circles since the argument with Katya. It’s all I can think about — her tear-streaked face, the pain in her eyes when she realised the truth about Andrei. I thought telling her might give me some kind of release, some closure, but instead, all I feel is empty.I didn’t want to hurt her. I never wanted this.But I did hurt her, and now I can feel her pain through the bond. It’s a steady, dull ache that won’t go away, and the worst part is knowing that I caused it. I shattered her world, just like mine was shattered all those years ago. I turn over in bed, pressing the heels of my palms against my eyes, trying to block out the memories, the guilt. But it doesn’t help. Nothing does. All I can think about is the look on her face when she heard the truth, how it broke something in her. And the b

As soon as Katya walks out of my bedroom, I let out a long sigh and lay back against the pillows. What the hell is going to happen now? We’ve crossed some line, I’m sure of it, but I have no idea where it leaves us. Am I still the man she wants executed? The one responsible for destroying her world? Or am I something else to her now?The bond between us has shifted. I felt it last night, in the way she came to me, seeking comfort, and I gave in, holding her like she needed. But that doesn’t change the fact that I’m still the man who killed her husband, no matter what he did.I rub my hand over my face, frustrated. I can’t keep thinking like this. There’s no point in trying to figure out where we stand because it’s too messy, too complicated. I get out of bed, throwing on a pair of sweatpants and heading to the kitchen. I need to clear my head, and if there’s one thing that’s always helped me think, it’s cooking. My sisters used to love pancakes—Mina and Mila would beg me to make th

The cabin is too quiet. Too still. I’ve spent most of the day avoiding Ruslan, not saying much, barely even looking at him. But it doesn’t help. His presence fills every corner of this place, and I can’t ignore him no matter how hard I try.He’s everywhere.Even now, as I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, my thoughts keep drifting back to him. It’s maddening, how aware I am of him. I can feel him, feel the weight of the bond between us, and no matter what I do, I can’t shake it.I roll onto my side, pulling the blanket tighter around me, but the thoughts won’t stop. His face flashes in my mind, and it’s like I can still see him standing in the kitchen earlier today, flipping pancakes like it was the most normal thing in the world. But it wasn’t. Nothing about him is normal. The scars on his chest, the roughness in his voice, the way he moves with this quiet, deadly power. Ruslan is a real Alpha—one who’s fought, who’s led his pack, one who’s had everything ripped away from him.A

I lean against the doorframe, just out of sight, my back pressed against the wood as I listen to Katya’s sobs fill the air. Tomas’s car just pulled away, the sound of the engine fading into the distance, and I heard every single word they exchanged. Heard him lie through his teeth, twisting the truth to protect himself.My jaw tightens as her sobs grow louder. She’s broken, shattered by the truth she just learned. I wait until I’m sure Tomas’s gone, then push myself off the doorframe and step outside. Katya is still on the ground, curled up in herself, her body shaking with sobs. It hits me like a knife to my heart, seeing her like this. I’ve seen her angry, strong, defiant... but this? She’s completely undone. I hate that it’s because of this bond—this thing neither of us asked for.I walk toward her, my steps slow, purposeful, trying not to spook her. She doesn’t notice me at first, too lost in her grief. When I’m close enough, I stop and take a breath, steadying myself before spe