Chapter three

Edward's POV

‎I don’t even know what to do about any of this.

‎Elsie being my mate makes everything so much harder. She’s not just my mate but she’s also my childhood friend. The girl who grew up beside me, who trusted me more than anyone else. But at the same time… I can’t ignore the child growing in Sara’s womb.

‎After years of being involved with Sara, I can’t pretend there aren’t feelings there. Maybe not the kind that shake my soul the way the mate bond with Elsie does, but something real. Something that refuses to disappear.

‎Watching Elsie stand there in my father’s office, hearing everything… it broke something inside me. I felt it clearly, my wolf slowly retreating, growing quiet and distant as I forced myself to choose a path that meant abandoning our mate.

‎But I’m not just any man wolf,

‎I’m the Alpha’s son, the Future Alpha of Bloom Pack.

‎I was raised my entire life to put the pack first. Before myself. Before my heart. Before everything.

‎And that’s what I’m doing now.

‎Even if it means losing my mate.

‎Even if it means living with the look Elsie had in her eyes today.

‎At least I won’t lose everything. Sara will still be here… the woman carrying my child. A woman I’m still drawn to in ways I can’t deny.

‎So this sacrifice,

‎It’s for the pack.

‎That’s what I keep telling myself.

‎Still… I can’t stop thinking about Elsie’s face.

‎The shock.

‎The hurt.

‎The way her entire world seemed to collapse right there in front of us.

‎I feel sorry for her. I really do.

‎But there’s nothing I can do about it anymore.

‎That’s what I kept repeating to myself.

‎Over and over.

‎Until the moment she suddenly ran out of the office.

‎My body reacted before my mind did. I almost went after her without thinking. If Sara hadn’t grabbed my arm and held me back, I swear I would have chased after Elsie.

‎D*mn this mate bond.

‎It makes no sense.

‎It makes me want things I’ve already decided to give up on.

‎I stood there, frozen, watching her disappear from the office

‎And for the first time since making this decision…

‎I felt like I was the one losing control.

‎Like I'm going to loose something I'd gravely regret.

‎....................

‎

‎Elsie was locked up in her room for three days straight. No contact with food talk of family. She was lifeless and her mother, father and sister were worried. Her sister, came to apologize to her everyday; morning, afternoon and evening but she heard nothing

‎Lilian her mother, on the other hand came to speak at her door every hour urging her to open the door and find something to eat but what met her for two days was silence....

‎On the third day, she decided to break the door but then the door slowly opened.

‎

‎The door finally opened and Lilian was excited. For three days the house had remained silent, the corridor outside Elsie’s room untouched except for the trays of food left behind and taken away untouched. No one had heard a sound from inside. No crying. No shouting. Nothing.

‎That silence had frightened them more than anything.

‎Now she saw hope but what met her was a different person.

‎

‎After three days, I suddenly snapped back to reality, for three days, I felt like I was in a different world, I felt different; mental, emotionally and physically as if nothing in this world mattered anymore

‎i was in my own space licking my wounds and feeling pity for myself

‎The immediate snap back into reality made me realize how broken I looked and how hungry I was.

‎

‎When I opened the door, every head in the house turned.

‎I stepped out slowly.

‎My hair was tied back neatly, my clothes simple but carefully arranged, as if I had taken the time to make myself presentable before facing the world again and yeah I took enough time to make myself presentable.

‎Gone was the warmth that usually lived in my eyes. Gone was the quiet excitement I carried whenever I walked through the house.

‎My face was calm.

‎Too calm.

‎I walked past them without a word.Lilian came rushing to me first “Elsie—”

‎I didn’t stop.

‎I continued walking toward the dining table like I hadn’t heard anything at all. Chairs scraped the floor as the others shifted uneasily, watching me sit down.

‎For three days I hadn’t eaten and d*mn I was hungry.

‎I picked up a fork and began eating slowly.

‎Mechanically.

‎Not a single expression crossed my face.

‎Well there was nothing to show anyways

‎No one spoke.

‎

‎

‎Edward stood by the window, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. His eyes followed her every movement, but she never once looked at him.

‎Not even by accident.

‎The silence stretched painfully until she finished the last bite of food. She placed the fork down carefully, wiped her hands with a napkin, and finally looked up.

‎Her gaze moved across the room.

‎It didn’t linger on anyone.

‎Then she stood.

‎Her voice, when she spoke, was steady.

‎“Beta.”

‎The man she had always called father stiffened slightly.

‎She used to say it softly, affectionately.

‎Today it sounded like a title.

‎“I would like a meeting with the family.”

‎The Beta nodded slowly, studying her face as if searching for something that was no longer there.

‎“Now,” she added.

‎No one argued.

‎Minutes later they were all gathered in the sitting room. The air felt heavy, like a storm had passed but left the sky darker than before.

‎Elsie stood in the center of the room.

‎Her hands were clasped behind her back.

‎Straight.

‎Composed.

‎A stranger wearing her face.

‎Her mother took a small step toward her. “Elsie, honey—”

‎Elsie’s eyes moved to her.

‎Cold.

‎“Mrs. Whitmore,” she said calmly.

‎The woman froze.

‎It felt like someone had slapped her.

‎Elsie continued as if nothing had happened.

‎“Mr. Whitmore” She looked at her father “Future Alpha. Sara.”

‎Each name landed in the room like a stone.

‎She had never spoken to them like this before.

‎Not once.

‎They weren’t family in her voice anymore.

‎They were just people.

‎Edward’s jaw tightened.

‎“Why are you speaking like that?” Sara whispered.

‎Elsie ignored the question.

‎“I have come to accept the decision that has been made,” she said.

‎Her gaze drifted briefly toward Edward.

‎It was empty.

‎“If the rejection must happen,” she continued, “then it will happen after the wedding as you have already suggested"

‎A sharp breath escaped Helena.

‎“No......”

‎Elsie raised her hand slightly.

‎Not aggressive.

‎Just final.

‎“I understand the arrangement,” she said calmly. “The alliance must stand before anything else.”

‎Edward finally spoke.

‎“Elsie, we are.....”

‎Her eyes snapped to him.

‎For the first time, there was emotion there.

‎Not love.

‎Authority.

‎“You will address me properly,” she said quietly.

‎The room went completely still.

‎Edward frowned. “What?”

‎Elsie’s voice did not rise.

‎But it carried power.

‎“I said,” she repeated slowly, “you will address me properly.”

‎Her gaze didn’t waver.

‎For years she had called him Edward with admiration and devotion.

‎Now she waited.

‎Like she expected something from him.

‎Edward looked at her for a long moment before exhaling through his nose.

‎“....Miss Whitmore.”

‎It was reluctant.

‎Forced.

‎But it was said.

‎Something flickered in Elsie’s eyes for half a second.

‎Then it vanished.

‎“The rejection,” she continued, “will happen after the ceremony. And I want nothing to do with this family anymore. Nothing in this Park also concerns me anymore”

‎No one spoke.

‎Her eyes moved across them again.

‎No affection.

‎No warmth.

‎Just calculation.

‎“Those are my terms.”

‎Lilian stepped forward again, tears forming in her eyes.

‎“Elsie… sweetheart… please don’t talk like we’re strangers.”

‎Elsie looked at her.

‎Completely blank.

‎“We are,” she said.

‎The words fell softly.

‎But they shattered the room.

‎She turned away before anyone could respond.

‎Her footsteps echoed as she walked toward the staircase.

‎Not once did she look back.

‎And that was when they all realized the truth.

‎Elsie hadn’t locked herself in that room for three days to cry.

‎She had gone in as their daughter.

‎She came out as something else entirely.