Part 11: Crossed Line

Eugene’s Point of View

I wasn’t supposed to feel this way.

Not anymore.

Not after everything he had done.

And yet…

the moment I saw Eugene with her,

Something inside me still broke.

Arnold’s arm wrapped around my waist, firm and possessive.

Not subtle.

Not gentle.

It felt deliberate.

Like he was showing me off to the entire room.

And maybe he was.

He was the center of attention tonight, after all.

So of course, the woman beside him had to be seen too.

“Do you think he’s going to kill me?” Arnold asked casually.

I blinked, confused.

“What?”

He nodded toward Eugene, clearly amused. “That look on your face… I’m starting to think I should be worried.”

My stomach tightened.

I followed his gaze.

Eugene.

And Ruby.

Together.

Not just standing side by side.

They arrived as a couple.

Like they weren’t even trying to hide it.

I let out a quiet breath.

Of course they did.

What was I expecting?

Ruby was carrying his child.

His first child.

The future alpha’s bloodline.

That alone made her untouchable.

Important.

Chosen.

And me?

I was just the mate he betrayed.

“What’s with that long face?” Arnold scoffed. “She’s not even as pretty as you. His loss.”

I grimaced slightly.

I couldn’t tell if he was trying to comfort me… or just enjoying the situation.

Either way, it didn’t help.

Because no matter what he said,

The mate bond was still there.

And it wasn’t something you could just ignore.

“You haven’t rejected him yet, have you?” Arnold asked.

I frowned.

The way he said it made it sound so easy.

So simple.

“You wouldn’t understand,” I said quietly. “You’re a lycan.”

He raised a brow.

“As a lycan, you don’t have a mate bond. So don’t talk about it like it’s nothing.”

Because it wasn’t nothing.

It was everything.

The one thing every werewolf waited for.

That moment when you finally found your other half.

Your certainty.

Your home.

Lycans didn’t have that.

They chose who they wanted.

No bond.

No pull.

No fate.

“Mate bond is bullshit,” Arnold said flatly. “You people just make it sound special. What’s the point?”

I stiffened.

“So you can find your soulmate,” I replied, a little sharper this time.

He let out a short laugh.

“Your soulmate is a cheater.”

The words hit harder than I expected.

I opened my mouth,

Then closed it.

Because I had no answer.

“I want a drink,” I muttered, trying to move away.

But Arnold didn’t let me.

His hand pressed against my hip, firm and steady.

Holding me in place.

I shot him a glare.

“Are you serious? I just want a drink.”

“After we greet everyone,” he said calmly.

“I don’t want to greet anyone.”

“Too bad.”

I scoffed. “Why should I even stay?”

He leaned slightly closer, his voice lowering.

“Because you’re my woman tonight.”

I froze.

Then he smirked.

“Well… it doesn’t have to be just tonight. I wouldn’t mind.”

“You’re crazy,” I hissed.

But I kept my face neutral.

From where Eugene stood, it probably just looked like we were talking.

Close.

Comfortable.

Normal.

The music was loud enough to hide everything else.

Arnold chuckled.

“Do you know any other insults? You’ve been repeating that one.”

I glared at him again.

He didn’t care.

If anything, he looked entertained.

“Stop making that face,” he added. “You don’t want him to see that.”

My chest tightened.

“See what?”

“How miserable you are.”

The words were blunt.

Too blunt.

“Show him you don’t care,” Arnold continued. “Let him see what he lost.”

I pressed my lips together.

I didn’t want to admit it.

But he was right.

I couldn’t let Eugene see me like this.

Broken.

Affected.

Still hurting.

I wouldn’t give him that.

Slowly, I lifted my chin.

Straightened my shoulders.

Forced my expression to settle.

Calm.

Unaffected.

Even if it was a lie.

“Trash like that doesn’t deserve your tears, Irene,” Arnold said lightly, like insulting the alpha’s son meant nothing to him.

I shouldn’t have laughed.

But I did.

A soft, unexpected laugh slipped out of me.

And for a second…

it felt good.

Too good.

Like something heavy inside my chest had loosened, even just a little.

No one in this pack would ever dare speak about Eugene like that.

No one.

But Arnold did.

Without hesitation.

Without fear.

And somehow… that made me feel less alone.

“See?” Arnold murmured, his tone softer now. “Your smile is beautiful.”

Before I could react, his fingers brushed lightly against my hair, tucking a loose strand behind my ear.

The touch was simple.

But it felt… too intimate.

Too noticeable.

And I knew it the second it happened,

Eugene saw it.

Across the room, his entire body had gone stiff.

His eyes locked on us.

Sharp.

Unblinking.

“Are you okay?” Ruby asked, her voice careful as she noticed the change in him.

But Eugene didn’t answer her.

Didn’t even look at her.

“Mother,” he called instead, turning his back on Ruby completely.

Like she wasn’t even there.

“I think you need to warn Irene not to go too far.”

My breath caught slightly.

“I know she’s upset,” he continued, his voice tight, controlled. “But going to Alpha Arnold and acting like that in public isn’t appropriate.”

His jaw clenched.

“We may have a peace treaty, but the lycans have been our enemies for the past year. There’s still tension. She shouldn’t forget that.”

Luna Lorraine exchanged a glance with the alpha before nodding slowly.

“I understand,” she said with a small, composed smile. “I’ll talk to her later.”

Then her tone softened, just slightly.

“Calm down, Eugene. Irene is only reacting because she’s hurt. Don’t lose your temper again… especially when you’re the one at fault.”

Her words were gentle.

But they carried weight.

Then her gaze shifted.

Sharp.

Cold.

Straight to Ruby.

It was enough.

Ruby lowered her head instantly.

Silent.

Submissive.

Because no matter what,

Luna Lorraine did not approve of her.

Not of what she had done.

Not of what she represented.

But none of that changed the truth.

The child inside Ruby’s womb…

Was Eugene’s.

And that alone,

Made everything complicated.

Across the room, I could still feel his eyes on me.

Heavy.

Burning.

Like he was trying to understand something… or maybe take something back.

But this time,

I didn’t look away.

Because for the first time since everything fell apart…

I realized something that scared me more than his betrayal,

He still cared.

I told myself I would talk to Irene.

Just not now.

Not like this.

Because if I did…

I wasn’t sure I could control what I would say.

Or what I would do.

I kept my smile in place.

Forced.

Tight.

But inside, everything burned.

My eyes kept drifting back to her,

To Irene.

And to the man beside her.

Arnold.

I didn’t like the way he stood so close to her.

Didn’t like the way his hand rested on her waist.

Didn’t like how natural it looked.

Like she belonged there.

With him.

“Control your expression.”

My father’s voice cut through my thoughts.

Low.

Firm.

I didn’t look at him.

Didn’t need to.

I already knew what he saw.

The anger.

The frustration.

The part of me that was barely holding on.

Across the room, Arnold was walking with Irene, heading toward the alphas and lunas.

And the way he carried himself,

Like he was presenting her.

Showing her off.

Like she was his.

My jaw tightened.

Her dress didn’t help.

It was unmistakable.

Lycan style.

Dark.

Fitted.

Different from anything in our pack.

I saw my mother frown.

She had given Irene a dress for tonight.

So why wasn’t she wearing it?

Was she doing this on purpose?

To provoke me?

The thought hit hard.

And I hated how much it affected me.

How was I supposed to stay calm?

When every part of me wanted to tear that lycan apart?

He touched my mate.

Held her like she belonged to him.

And Irene… she didn’t pull away.

“If you can’t control yourself, you can leave.”

My father’s voice again.

Colder this time.

Final.

“This meeting matters. The treaty matters. Don’t ruin it.”

I clenched my fists.

He was right.

I knew he was right.

But that didn’t make it easier.

“Leave, Eugene.”

I exhaled slowly.

Forced myself to step back.

Because staying there…

would only make things worse.

Before I turned away, I looked at her one last time.

At Irene.

My eyes lingered longer than they should have.

And I knew she felt it.

God…

She looked beautiful.

Too beautiful.

That dress,

The way it hugged her body…

It made something inside me twist.

Hard.

All I wanted,

Was to pull her into my arms.

Press her against me.

Bury my face in her neck and breathe her in like I used to.

The thought hit so suddenly it almost made me lose control.

“What are you doing?”

My voice snapped sharp as I turned,

And saw Ruby following me.

She stopped immediately.

Like she knew she shouldn’t have.

Her dress was simple.

Plain blue.

Something my mother must have given her at the last minute.

It didn’t suit her.

Nothing about her did.

“I don’t know you,” I said coldly. “And I don’t want to talk to you.”

Her eyes widened.

Fear flickering in them.

Good.

Let her be afraid.

“I’m guessing my mother told you to come. That doesn’t mean I want you here.”

She looked like she wanted to say something.

But I didn’t care.

I hadn’t cared for a long time.

The only reason I even acknowledged her,

Was the child she carried.

My child.

My heir.

I didn’t stay with her.

When I did see her, I only asked about the baby.

Nothing else.

Not her.

Not how she felt.

Not whether she was adjusting.

It didn’t matter.

She didn’t matter.

The others didn’t mistreat her.

But they kept their distance.

Like she was invisible.

Like she didn’t belong.

I couldn’t stand being near her.

“Stay away from me, Ruby,” I said, my voice low and dangerous. “I’m already in a bad mood. Don’t make it worse.”

She flinched.

But didn’t move.

That irritated me more.

Because no matter how much I wanted to ignore her,

I couldn’t.

Not completely.

She was carrying my heir.

Which meant, whether I liked it or not,

She would become Luna one day.

The thought made something dark rise in my chest.

Because every time I looked at her,

All I could think about was one thing.

She touched what was mine.

She stood where Irene should have been.

And I hated her for it.

Ruby’s hands moved to her stomach.

Protective.

Careful.

Tears filled her eyes.

“Please… don’t do this,” she whispered.

Something inside me snapped.

“Get out of here, Ruby!” I barked. “I don’t want to see you!”

The music from the party faded into the background.

Distant.

Muffled.

Like it didn’t belong to me anymore.

All I could focus on… was Ruby.

Standing there.

Alone.

Out of place.

Like she didn’t belong to the celebration at all.

“Why are you treating me like this, Eugene?” she asked, her voice shaking. “You’re hurting me… and our baby.”

I said nothing.

“I need you,” she continued softly. “Please… don’t hurt our child too by ignoring me.”

Her words should have reached me.

They should have mattered.

But they didn’t.

Not the way they should.

I didn’t understand why she wouldn’t just leave me alone.

Yes, she was carrying my child.

I knew I was supposed to care.

Protect her.

Stay by her side.

But ever since we came back to the pack house,

Something inside me refused.

Like if I got too close…

I would lose something else.

Everything else.

“Just go,” I muttered.

But she didn’t.

She stayed.

Still looking at me like I owed her something.

And that was enough to push me over the edge.

“It would be a blessing if that baby died.”

The words came out before I could stop them.

Sharp.

Ugly.

Final.

Silence followed.

Heavy.

Unforgiving.

Ruby’s face drained of color.

Her eyes widened,

Then filled with pain.

Real pain.

The kind you couldn’t fake.

My stomach dropped.

I knew instantly.

I went too far.

Way too far.

But I didn’t take it back.

Because deep down…

It wasn’t a lie.

If she wasn’t here,

If the baby wasn’t here,

Things would be easier.

I could fix things.

I could get Irene back.

Ruby’s shoulders shook as she cried.

“Eugene… how can you be this heartless?” she whispered.

I didn’t answer.

Couldn’t.

So I turned away.

And walked off.

Leaving her there.

Alone.

The moment I stepped away, regret hit me.

Cold.

Sharp.

Unavoidable.

I knew what I did was wrong.

I knew Irene was already hurting because of me,

But this…

This was worse.

I had just said something unforgivable.

To my own child.

The party roared on behind me.

Loud.

Alive.

But to me,

Everything felt dark.

Cold.

Empty.

Somewhere behind me, Ruby was still crying.

And I didn’t go back.

Because I had my own mess to deal with.

Arnold.

Irene.

And the way he stood beside her like he had every right.

“I’m grateful Irene agreed to come with me tonight,” Arnold’s voice rang out, loud enough for everyone to hear. “She’s been helping me understand your traditions.”

My jaw tightened.

Traditions?

The only thing they talked about was the mate bond.

And I knew damn well,

The places they had been together.

The alley.

The mansion.

None of them were places she should have been with him.

My hands clenched at my sides.

Because no matter how I tried to deny it,

I couldn’t ignore one thing anymore.

She was supposed to be mine…

So why did it feel like I was the one losing her?