10

The night was already late, but Adrian couldn’t sleep. His mind was a chaotic mess, replaying the moment he’d rejected Ashley over and over—the sting of his hand as it connected with her face, the betrayal in her eyes as she turned and ran. Katrina was still there, hovering nearby, her voice soft and coaxing as she tried to come up with another excuse to keep him from leaving. “Adrian, you need to stay,” she said, her tone almost pleading. “You’re upset. Let me help you.”

But he couldn’t stand to hear it. Her words felt like chains, trying to tether him to a mistake he couldn’t undo. Without responding, he walked out of the pack house, the door swinging shut behind him. His wolf, usually a constant presence in his mind, had gone silent, retreating so far that Adrian felt hollow. It terrified him. An alpha without a wolf? “Damn stupid,” he muttered under his breath, his voice thick with self-loathing. “What was I thinking?” He’d let Alessandro’s lies and Katrina’s manipulations cloud his judgment, and now he was paying the price. He quickened his pace, his boots crunching against the ground as he moved without a clear destination, driven only by the need to escape his own thoughts.

His wolf’s silence was deafening. Without that connection, he couldn’t sense Ashley, couldn’t track her in his human form. That was a wolf’s ability, and his had completely shut him out, punishing him for what he’d done. He stopped at the treeline, his chest tight, and let out a shaky sigh. The weight of his actions pressed down on him, heavy and unrelenting. Footsteps approached from behind, and he turned to see Lucas, his beta, standing there, his expression cautious but concerned.

“Adrian,” Lucas said, his voice low. “It’s late. You’ve got that meeting with Alessandro tomorrow before he leaves. It’s already scheduled. You need to rest.”

Adrian’s jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists. Rest? How could he rest when his entire world felt like it was falling apart? He wanted to snap at Lucas, to grab him and demand if he hadn’t seen what happened—if he didn’t realize what rejecting Ashley could cost him, cost the pack. Did no one understand the gravity of this? But instead, he turned and started walking back to the pack house, his steps heavy with resignation.

Katrina was waiting at the door, her face lighting up when she saw him. “Adrian!” she called, running toward him, her arms outstretched like she thought she could fix everything with a hug. But he brushed past her, not even sparing her a glance, and headed straight upstairs. Her footsteps followed, quick and persistent, but he reached his room and slammed the door shut, locking it before she could say another word. He didn’t want to hear her voice, her excuses, her lies—not tonight.

The next morning, Adrian dragged himself out of bed, his body aching from a restless night. His mind was still a storm of regret and anger, but he had to face the day. He made his way to his office for the meeting with Alessandro, the man whose lies had helped spark this disaster. Lucas was already there, and soon Alessandro arrived with his beta, their presence filling the room with tension. They all sat, but the air was heavy, like everyone was waiting for something to break.

Alessandro didn’t wait long before speaking, his voice dripping with false sympathy. “Rough night, huh, Adrian? You look like you’re carrying the weight of the world. Care to share what’s got you so messed up?”

Adrian’s jaw clenched, his hands gripping the arms of his chair. “We’re here for something else,” he said, his voice tight as he fought to keep his temper in check. He wasn’t about to let Alessandro bait him into losing control—not yet.

“Oh, right, business,” Alessandro said, leaning back with a smug grin. “But stuff like this? It’s for real men to handle. Makes me wish your father was still around. He’d know how to deal with things properly.” His words were laced with mockery, each one a deliberate jab meant to dig under Adrian’s skin.

Adrian’s hands shook, his anger rising like a tidal wave. He gripped the chair harder, trying to anchor himself, but Alessandro kept going. “I was really looking forward to this alliance, kid,” he said, his tone condescending. “But if you can’t even handle your own mess—your own pack—how do you expect to work with me? You’re just a boy playing at being alpha.”

That was the last straw. Adrian shot to his feet, his chair scraping back as his eyes blazed with fury. “You shameless scumbag,” he roared, grabbing Alessandro by the collar and yanking him close. “What are your intentions? What were you doing with my mate?”

Alessandro didn’t even flinch. He let out a low, dark chuckle, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Your mate? You mean the one you rejected? Oh, come on, Adrian. I’m not about to get my hands dirty with a mateless little alpha like you.” He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper, his breath hot against Adrian’s face. “But you’d better watch out, boy.” With a quick jerk, he pulled free from Adrian’s grip, turning to leave with his beta trailing behind him like a loyal dog.

Adrian’s chest heaved, his anger boiling over into something uncontrollable. Without thinking, he grabbed the nearest chair and hurled it across the room. It smashed into the wall with a loud crash, splintering into pieces. Lucas stood frozen, his eyes wide with shock, but before he could say anything, the door burst open. Katrina rushed in, her face pale, her voice frantic. “Adrian!” she cried, reaching for him like she could calm the storm raging inside him.

But his wolf, silent since last night, chose that moment to surge to the surface. A deep, guttural snarl tore from his throat, directed straight at Katrina. She froze, her hands dropping as she took a step back, her eyes wide with fear. Lucas moved forward, his voice sharp. “Adrian!”

Adrian whirled on him, his eyes glowing with the raw power of his wolf. “I am your alpha,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous, each word heavy with authority. “From this day, you do not call me Adrian.” He released his alpha aura, the weight of it pressing down on the room like a physical force. Lucas and Katrina went silent, their heads bowing as they bared their necks in submission, unable to resist the command of their alpha.

Adrian’s gaze shifted to Katrina, his breath heavy as he stepped closer. She shrank under his stare, her usual confidence crumbling under the weight of his anger. For the first time, he saw her differently—not as the loyal friend he’d always trusted, but as something else. Something manipulative, something dangerous. His wolf growled in agreement, urging him to see the truth he’d been blind to for too long.

Without another word, he turned and moved toward the window. In one swift motion, he leaped, shifting mid-air into his wolf form. His paws hit the ground, and he took off, running through the woods without direction, letting his wolf carry him wherever it wanted to go.