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Chapter 50

Elise’s POV

What have I just done? Why the hell did I slip up and call Rygan’s name right at this moment? I felt mortified the moment I realized what I had done.

An awkward silence ensued between me and Calder, who couldly stare at each other in silence at my mistake. I felt so

waist. mortified by it. “Oh my… Kaide, I’m so, so sorry” I started as I felt his hands loosen their hold on my

“No, it’s fine.”

“It’s not fine, oh gods. I can’t believe I just said that. I muttered, covering my face with my hands in embarrassment. “I’m going to leave,” I said, still flustered by the situation.

“El, you don’t have to.”

i

“Please, I feel ashamed of staying here already,” I said to Kaide. I pleaded with my gaze, hoping he’d see the utter humiliation I was feeling at that moment. Even right now, Rygan ka’al Andras still plagues my thoughts

“Let me walk you back then.”

“No” I exclaimed, still flustered from what just occurred minutes ago. “I can go myself, please,” I begged. I could see him. immediately back down and let my hands free, maybe pitying how embarrassed I was at that moment.

I didn’t even wait for him to finish his words as I rushed to the door, out of the cabin, and down the narrow trail away from Kaide

“Elise, how could you be so stupid?” I scolded myself: I felt so embarrassed. I felt tears pricking my eyes as I climbed the bridge. I’d be more ashamed if Vienna were to hear a word about how this date went. And what am I supposed to say? I was. imagining sucking lips with Rygan while with Kai’s, and I said this name out loud?!

I didn’t know what led me back to the moon house instead; maybe it was the embarrassment of telling Vienna, but it was a better option to head back there than tell my friend about the moon’s awful ending of my date.

I climbed up the steps of the moon house; not being around for over two days made me feel weird as I got into the quiet house. It felt like something had happened, and I had no idea how to put my finger on it.

But before I could take the steps to my chambers, I heard a loud thud, a repetitive thud, and a grunt echoing from another room. It was like someone was punching something.

My curiosity gets the best of me as I abandon the journey room and head to where the sound is echoing from, and that is the open–space courtyard.

Only the moon shone as I caught a glimpse of a very bare–chested Rygan sparring in the darkness of his home; his kicks and punches to the combat punching bag that hung high felt like I walked into a heated fire of enraged pheromones that spread.

My knees felt weak as I watched him spar with the dummy. His muscles stretched and flexed with each deadly blow to the dummy, and he didn’t stop till multiple holes were made and the punching bag burst and fell from the bag

I take that as my cue to leave, hoping he hadn’t noticed me. “Stop,” he sent through the mind link.

“Um, hey.” I muster, leaning over the entryway, and I couldn’t help but bite my lips, my leg jerking and anxious to hear his reply.

“Why are you here?” He asked, not even facing me. I watched as he unwrapped the bands protecting his hands, the way sweat dripped from his hair and skin to the expanse of his back muscles glistened with sweat that flexed with each movement, I was so far drawn in I had to look away.

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Chapter 30

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“I’m sorry. I just heard voices, and I figured I’d come to see; I didn’t mean to interrupt you,” you continued. Rygan finally faced me, and I felt my words stop.

His gaze was dark and deadly: his eyes roamed my body, quiet, but the pressure from that gaze had my legs a wobbling mess 1 tried to control. I squeezed my hands to feel nails dug into my skin, something to hold me from slipping up.

“You’re dressed up, from your date, I presume,” he bites coldly. It was a bizarre reaction from what I’d expected as I finally took a steady breath to steel my nerves.

I watched as he went to pick up his shirt. I couldn’t help but feel embarrassment when I remembered the reason I practically ran away from Kaide’s place: because I called Rygan’s name instead while kissing him.

“Yeah, it was. I replied, but stopped when I heard him let out a dry laugh with a bitter tone, yet his eyes were filled with hurt.

“I didn’t ask you to tell a story about your date; what did you do? Look at books all evening and hear about his maps.” He scoffed. Now it was getting to me, and I hated the fact that he predicted what we had done.

I close my eyes to center myself as I brush my hair away from my face before 1 look up to Rygan and say, “Look, we ended things maturely, but what I didn’t expect was for Rygan to be right in front of me in mere seconds. The heat from his still- cooling body did something to me.

“No, you entled it and then decided to go fuck my friend and beta in command,” he says dryly, no emotion whatsoever in his gaze. With a cold, wicked expression, he only gazes at his inferiors.

“I didn’t fuck him,” I grind through my teeth, and I just don’t want whatever quarrel is going on with you and Kaide continue; you are sworn wolf brothers, childhood friends, and-

to

And what? I should hug it out with him, and everything will magically heal and snap back together. The only thing I want to snap with him is his neck.” He stops himself before he says something he might regret: “I’m not even going to waste my time on this, you wanted him, you got him, little wolf, so congratulations.”

I don’t know why those words struck something painful in me, but my heart panged as I watched Rygan’s gaze turn treacherously cold as he backed away from me. My wolf whined in response.

“Rygan,” I call to him as he stops in his tracks. “I didn’t mean for all this to happen; I just wanted us to finally get closure.”

“Well, thanks to you. I see why what matters now,” he hissed, his gaze immediately darkening as he turned towards me. “And I’ll expect to see you and my brother‘ at my engagement ceremony then,” he said.

A dreadful shiver runs down my spine from those words, “Your engagement.” I tried to continue to speak, but the words. couldn’t come out. I felt like I was gasping for air

“Yes, with my fiancé Alvira, whom you desperately wanted me to get along with so much to leave you alone, so thank you, Elise; your wish came true; we are nothing to each other now,” he snarts.

“Congratulations,” I say to him. He stays still as if frozen, his gaze watching mine, maybe hoping they’d be hesitant in their tears, but I stood strong. I swallowed my weak words that were about to beg him.

“Fuck you, Elise Alderman.” 1 flinched from his words. I could tell he was hurt, but the next words he said hurt me. “You broke me more than that dungeon ever did… From how cruel you are, you just might be your father’s daughter,” he cursed before walking away from me.

My eyes flamed with hurt as I watched his retreating figure, and I felt a crumpling anxiety build up as reality was quickly setting in. This was the end of us.

My dark thoughts were immediately interrupted by the sound of someone running towards the yard. I was on the far right of the large courtyard when I peered at the familiar figure of Taz coming from another entryway to the courtyard.

“Ryan!” He called to him, making him pause. Rygan’s jaw flexed in annoyance as he answered his friend in an annoyed tone.

12.13 Mon, Sep 2 GB.

Chapter 50

“What is it?” He muttered, still enraged from the confrontation with me.

“The delta, he is dead!” He called in a panic. Rygan whirled in surprise; his fac mediately contoured from confusion to

he marched to Taz’s side. “Fuck! Fuck! Let go!” he mutters.

anger

as

would stop myself.

By the look on their faces, it wasn’t just anyone. Call it intrigue, but you began moving before I could stop

1 don’t know what makes me follow them blindly as I watch them do the dark steps of the spiral stairs leading to another part of the moonhouse I never knew existed.

That was when I heard whispers from more people who had gathered by the cell. “Who was the last person here?!” I hear Rygan’s voice boom in outrage.

“I was, but he was alright, but someone had poisoned him with wolfsbane, fuck, he was our pony witness to replaceing out what happened with Elise,” Taz curses out,

My heart thumps in my chest when I hear my name. Wait, what does this have to do with me? I peek out from the large wall I’m hiding behind, watching as the light shined on the dead male’s face in the cell.

Those eyes immediately struck me as I recalled them. That night I struggled before I was drugged; how I scratched to be free from my assailant’s hold–that was the same male I had seen coming out of Rygan’s office, but my memories weren’t fully back that day.

I couldn’t help the gasp that escaped my lips, my voice gaining the attention of both Rygan and Taz, who looked at me, both their eyes widening to see me there.

“What are you doing here, red?” Taz asked, stunned to see that I’d followed them. I let out a breath to calm that shiver of terrgr down my spine as I walked further in.

“I should be here, especially when the case was about me; why didn’t you tell me?” I muttered, looking up at Rygan, but he didn’t face me, nor did he say a word.

“Rygan had caught him, but he didn’t want you to recall those traumatic memories. That’s why we kept it hushed; we have been interrogating him, but he stayed strong in fear of the person’s name he was protecting.

But someone had got to him first–someone who is clearly in power and could easily get in and out of the moon house–is hiding a secret from us,” Taz said.

I couldn’t help that creepy shudder pass through me; that means the person who wants me gone is still in the pack.

And I could still be in danger!

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