Chapter 16

Rowan's pov

The moment Beta Carlos parks in front of the Alpha’s estate, I’m out of the car before he even shifts to neutral. My heart drums violently in my chest, but it's not from fear,it's fury. Betrayal.

I ignore the guards stationed outside Kael’s door. One of them steps forward, murmuring something about clearance, but one look at my face and he freezes in place. Good. Let them try to stop me. Let them all watch.

I storm through the entry hall, boots echoing off marble floors, the silence of the estate shattering beneath the weight of my wrath. I don’t bother knocking on the office door. I push it open with both hands, hard enough that it hits the wall behind it with a crack.

Kael is seated behind his massive desk, a map of the outer borderlands spread before him. Two beta warriors flank him on either side, standing at attention.

He looks up, unbothered by my sudden arrival. “Out,” he says simply, without looking at the warriors. They hesitate for half a second before nodding and filing out without a word.

The door clicks shut behind them.

Kael leans back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. “Carlos told me you were coming. I expected you'd be upset.”

“Upset?” My voice is a raw snarl, I have long given control over to my wolf. “Upset doesn’t begin to cover it.”

I don’t wait for him to speak. I pace forward, crossing the room like a storm given form.

“You were going to hand me over to Elvira without even telling me? Let her perform gods-know-what kind of dangerous procedure that could kill my child? Did you even stop for a second to think about what that means?”

He doesn't respond immediately, but his jaw tightens, and his fingers curl into fists.

“I found out from strangers, Kael Whispering in the damn library, like I’m some experiment they’re excited to see fail! Is that what I am to you? A test subject?”

Using his name without adding his title feels strange on my tongue, but that's what my wolf wants, she wants him to know we are not weak, we are willing to ignore his position.

This is the Rowan that got angry at the infirminary, this is the Rowan that stood up to the Elders, she has been gone far too long and I'd be dammed if I let her go again.

“Rowan—”

“Do not say my name,” I yell, my voice shaking with emotion. “You may not have a responsibility to me, I may be trash beneath you, but you sure as hell have responsibility to your child. And yet all you’ve done is lie and hide and plot behind my back!”

His nostrils flare. “You think this is easy for me? That I wanted any of this? You think I wanted you to carry my heir”

The words dont even hurt, I dont need to be a mindreader to know I'm not the ideal mother for his heir, yet it has happened and there's no changing the fact, and I will not falter.

“So it’s true then. You’d rather kill my child than accept it. Because what,I'm not Chelsea or Vivinne? I’m not polished and political enough for your seed? Because I was born low?”

“I have a duty to this pack—”

“And what about your duty to your own blood? Does that mean nothing to you? How do you sleep at night, Kael? Knowing what you’re willing to sacrifice just to keep your council happy?”

His chair scrapes against the floor as he stands suddenly, towering over me now. His voice rises, cold and sharp. “You don’t understand what’s at stake. This isn’t just about you, Rowan. This is about all of us. The curse, the unrest, the power shift—everything is on the brink!”

“You’re a coward, they say you're the greatest alpha who's ever lived but you're just a coward.” I hiss. “You act like you’re protecting everyone, but you’re just scared. Scared of what they’ll think. You say you’re an Alpha,but you’d let fear dictate your every move!”

Kael’s face darkens like thunderclouds rolling in. “Watch your tone, don't forget who you speak to.”

“No,” I seethe, stepping closer, head tilted defiantly. “You don’t get to silence me now. Not after you planned to let a witch tear me open without my consent. Not after you stripped me of everything and still expect me to kneel.”

“Enough!” he roars, and in a blur of motion, his hand lashes out, catching me by the throat. He doesn’t squeeze,yet—but the weight of his grip is enough to halt my breath, my body pressed back against the edge of his desk.

“You forget your place,” he growls, face inches from mine. “You’re nothing but a little slut, who belongs to me!"

My blood runs cold,but only for a second. The rage returns just as swiftly. And then I do the only thing that feels right. I spit,right into his face.

I spit on the ruthless alphas face, and I do not regret it.

The moment the glob of saliva hits his cheek, his grip slackens. Pure shock flashes across his features. He releases me like I’m fire in his hands, stepping back in disbelief.

I fix him with a cold, searing stare. “If I am nothing, then may the godess curse you for trying to destroy something so small.”

I turn on my heel and walk out, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a single tear.

He doesn’t call after me. And I don’t look back.