Chapter 41

Dante's pov

I shook my head, and for once my voice didn’t crack. “No, Elora. This isn’t the end...l, honestly, it’s where shit starts getting interesting. A bond doesn’t just poof away. One of you has to finish it for real, break it on purpose. Only after that...maybe someone else can claim you. Until then, you still belong to yourself.”

I reached out, tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

Her breath hitched, and her voice cracked out my name. “Dante…”

I pasted on a fake smile, my ribs felt like they were splintering inside. “Don’t call it a loss. He’s blind, not you. He can’t see you… But I always have. Always.”

Her eyes were wet, caught between wanting something and the pain of knowing she shouldn’t. She pulled back before I could say or do something even stupider.

She had sounded so torn up, all shaky, stuck between what she owed and what she actually wanted. I swore up and down that she shouldn’t stress, but let’s be real, promises are flimsy as hell when the truth hangs over you like an axe.

I lingered with her longer than was probably smart, keeping my voice low, hands reassuring, hoping maybe I could glue the pieces of her together for just a moment. Didn’t last. The harsh slap of boots on flagstones, interrupting, because of course they would, broke whatever spell we’d managed. A pair of guards came up, heads ducked, but they moved with this weird urgency, like they were walking straight into a fire.

“Beta Dante,” one said, choosing their words like stepping through a minefield. “The Alpha wants you. Right now. He’s… uh… he’s in your chambers.”

Wait, what? I frowned. My own rooms? That was...no, that was weird. Dominic never went into anyone’s quarters unless stuff was seriously sideways. Especially not mine.

I saw Elora’s eyebrows launch to her hairline. “Your chambers?” She might as well have shouted, “Are you kidding me?”

“Yeah,” guard number two cut in, bowed, turned, and stomped away like he wanted this off his plate. The anxiety practically radiated off him.

“Nothing about this adds up,” I muttered to Elora.

Her lips got all tight and colorless. “Do you have any idea why?”

I shook my head. “No clue.”

She was death-gripping her dress, knuckles white. Getting ready for something ugly, even if she didn’t know what it was. She moved in close, dropped her voice. “Dante, something isn’t right. I know it.”

I didn’t even have time to agree before a maid came sprinting up, tripping right into a bow like she was sure someone would smack her for being slow or something.

“My Lady,” she gasped, so nervous she looked ready to bolt. “Things are… not well. The Alpha, he’s… he’s furious. In Beta Dante’s rooms. He has been waiting for a while.”

Well, that wasn’t ominous or anything. The tension was thick enough to chew. Elora turned to me, eyes huge. “What could you possibly have done?” Her tone was sharp, but mostly she just sounded scared.

“Nothing,” I told her, but inside my stomach was knotting itself into origami. Dominic wasn’t easy to piss off without real cause. If he picked my private room to stage his little meltdown? Something stank. Something was way, way off.

I squared my shoulders, jaw set. “Let’s go,” I said quietly to her.

She hesitated, all wild-eyed. “If he’s angry at you...”

“I actually do not care,” I cut in, a little too quick, maybe a little too rough. “If something’s going down and he’s been lied to… You need to see. You’ve seen how he doubts me. If I go alone, he can rewrite it all afterward, making me the villain. But if you’re with me…”

Her look held a war, fear battling loyalty, and finally settled into a grim nod. “Then I’m going with you.”

We sped down the corridor, the echo of our steps following us. My thoughts spun in circles...had Mira run her mouth? Twisted things? That spiteful little viper watched Elora at every party like she wanted her scalp as a trophy. I still remember the flowery, sick smell of her supposed poison...pretty convenient play for sympathy, huh? If she’d found some new way to worm into Dominic’s good graces and pin the blame for whatever mess was brewing…

I felt sick.

We finally got to my door. Two guards posted like statues, tension in every muscle. One swallowed hard, glanced at Elora, and practically threw the door open, everyone desperate not to own this mess.

The place was dark, fire flickering, air like a meat locker.

And in the center, stood Dominic.

So much for calm, regal Alpha. He looked wrecked. Rage coming off him in waves. Letters in his fists, crumpling so hard the paper looked tortured. His eyes landed on mine and for a second, I saw a total stranger, betrayed and dangerous.

“Took you long enough,” he bit out, voice low and sharp as broken glass.

I stepped in, slowly. “You wanted me.”

He barely glanced at Elora, sneering like he’d just caught us committing a crime.

“Yeah,” he said, “I did.”

Suddenly, the letters exploded from his hands, hitting my chest, and scattered at my feet. Some I grabbed out of reflex, heart pounding. Crests of rival packs. My name and Elora’s everywhere, ugly lines about betrayal, about coups, about stealing the throne...none of it in my handwriting. Hers, either.

Plans that weren’t ours, forged in someone else’s ink.

Of course. Of course.

Elora gasped behind me.

Dominic’s voice thundered in the chamber.

“Care to explain why I found these in your room, brother?”