Chapter 3：Trust Me

Corie POV:

I returned to my rented cottage, staring at the ceiling and not sleeping a single wink all night.

When I dragged myself up early the next morning, my head throbbed with a dizzying, sickening ache.

I pressed a palm to my forehead—I was burning up with fever.

Every tiny movement pulled at the shredded soles of my feet, swollen and radiating waves of raw heat.

I crammed a few essential pieces of clothing into a duffel bag, then ruthlessly swept the remaining clutter of my past life straight into trash bags, piling them by the door to be thrown away.

The front door suddenly swung open, and Kent rushed inside, his breathing uneven.

"Corie, why the hell didn't you answer my calls?"

A jolt went through me, and the glass in my grip slipped, shattering into a sharp burst of shards across the floor.

I cast an icy glance at him, fetched a small trash can, and picked up the broken glass piece by piece.

He crossed the room in two strides and crouched beside me.

"Let me do that."

"No need, noble Alpha."

His outstretched hand froze dead midair.

"Corie, please. Hear me out."

"Don't waste your breath, Alpha."

I had zero appetite for whatever sugarcoated version of last night's betrayal he had prepared.

"I had no choice," he rasped, desperation bleeding through his tone.

He reached out and snatched my wrist to stop me.

"Ah—"

A sharp sting bit into my fingertip as a bead of bright red blood welled up.

"What do you think you're doing!" I yanked my hand back with all my force.

His jaw tightened, his voice dropping low.

"I didn't mean to."

As an Alpha, apologies almost never crossed his lips.

And of course, someone like me didn't deserve one anyway.

I grabbed a few tissues and wrapped them around my finger, the white paper soaking through instantly.

I went back to packing.

He stood there, watching my every movement in a suffocating, heavy silence.

Only when I stuffed the bag to the brim and pulled the zipper shut did the harsh reality seem to strike him.

"Where are you going?"

"Leaving."

"Why?"

"None of your business."

Silence fell over the small room.

Only his heavy breathing echoed in the air.

"Corie, last night was a move I was forced to make."

"Is that so?”

A bitter laugh escaped my throat. "Did I force you to fuck me like crazy before wedding, or did Sarah force you into her bed last night?"

He dropped his head, cutting off eye contact.

"Don't say that, Corie," he rasped, the words tearing out of his chest. "I can't let you go. The one I truly love—the only one—is you."

"So in your fucked-up world, even the deepest love can be traded away when a better deal comes along."

He flinched, his jaw locking tight.

"We're looking at this from completely different places," he raised his voice.

"I'm the Alpha now. I just took over, my grip isn't stable yet, and I have a responsibility to Silvercrest."

"And so what?" I yelled back. "You could have warned me. You could have rejected me before any of this.

“But you chose to let me put on a dress, walk out there, and turn me into everyone's cheap punchline!"

I hated myself for breaking, but hot tears burst through my defenses anyway.

He went dead quiet, the anger draining out of him, leaving only a hollow exhaustion.

"I know this is hell for you, but do you think it was easy for me?"

His voice was raspy.

"I fought the Elders until the final hour... I'm sorry, Corie. I'm so damn sorry."

Exhaustion weighed down his tone.

"But I had to use the ceremony to cement Sarah's standing."

My tears spilled over, hot and blinding.

"So I'm just collateral damage to you?"

His throat worked as he swallowed hard.

"I know you're hurting. Just give me time. I'll figure a way out."

"She's already the Luna!" I spat, my voice raw. "What the hell else can you possibly do?"

He locked his eyes onto mine, dead set.

"Don't leave. Stay by my side. Once my power is solid, I'll strip her title and make you the true Luna."

I froze.

A beat passed. Then two.

And then a hysterical, bitter laugh burst from my chest.

"In what capacity am I supposed to stay by your side?

“Your hidden mistress?

“Your royal housemaid?"

He hesitated for a second.

"We'll figure something out. You just have to trust me."

"Sorry, but I will never trust you again."

I picked up my duffel bag from the floor and headed for the door.

"Get back here—"

He lunged forward, grabbed my bag, and tossed it callously aside before dragging me violently into his chest.

"Let go!"

I shook with rage, struggling with everything I had.

"Corie, please, don't leave me." He growled, tightening his iron grip until I could barely breathe.

"You arrogant bastard, let me go!"

Suddenly, his grip loosened.

He cupped my burning face in his hands, his eyes wide.

"You're burning up—are you sick?"

The harsh Alpha facade vanished, replaced by a spike of raw, unshielded panic.

Just like before.

My heart foolishly traitor-leaped. I almost... almost slipped back under his spell.

But reality snapped me awake immediately; I backed away a few steps and snatched my bag.

"None of your damn business."

"Corie," he stepped in, blocking the threshold.

"I forbid you to leave."

I sucked in sharp breaths, forcing the tears back down my throat.

"Sorry, but I have zero interest in being the pathetic third person in my sister's marriage."

The light in his eyes dimmed for a fraction of a second, his chest heaving.

Then, the warmth in his gaze cooled into ice, degree by degree.

"In that case, Corie,” he rumbled, lowering his voice into a suffocating command, "I order you as your Alpha: you are not to leave."

Something shattered inside me, just like the glass on the floor earlier.

I wiped the wetness from my face and stared straight into the coldness of his eyes.

"My noble Alpha, what if I insist ?

“Are you going to throw me in a cell, or have me executed?"

His lips pressed into a tight, hard line.

I slung the duffel bag onto my shoulder, taking one step back toward the door at a time.

"If you try to lock me in, I'll report your infidelity to the Elders."

With tears spilling down my face, I offered him one last smile.

"I will actually do it. You need to trust me on that."

~~~

I stepped out of the cottage.

Just as I expected, his Alpha pride kept him from following me.

Every drop of my strength had been completely drained.

I shoved my luggage into a cab and left behind the place that used to be my sanctuary—now poisoned by nothing but betrayal.

I peeled the bloody tissue off my finger and tossed it into the cab's trash bag.

The wound had stopped bleeding.

Mia asked softly, "Are you really that set on leaving him?"

"I don't play around when it comes to love, Mia."

I pulled out my phone and dialed the number.

"Linda, I'm coming to your place."