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Eighty five

Author: Luxie
last update Last Updated: 2025-10-11 23:51:00

Marissa

I had never felt so empty. Time dragged, and everything felt pointless.

Doubts about being unlovable gnawed at me as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, too tired to move. I had cried, stayed silent, and felt an exhaustion no amount of sleep could fix.

When Brian and Sydney worried, I hid behind forced smiles and “I’m fine,” deflecting their questions. Deep down, I resented and feared that my love would always come with pain.

I lay back on the bed, staring at the muted TV as the banner screamed: King Alaric Secret Family Exposed.

What the fuck?

I shoved the duvet off my legs and grabbed the remote, cranking up the volume. The female anchor rattled on about palace scandals, names I barely knew.

Worry for Justin and his mother twisted inside me, mixed with guilt for staying away. Who had leaked this?

Instead of turning on my phone, I borrowed Shelby’s laptop. Social media was flooded with the story. I shut it, telling myself I wouldn’t shrink or feel guilty—not until I knew th
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  • The Alpha's Broken Pet   Eighty-Seven

    Sunlight sliced through the balcony glass and landed across my face.I winced at the brightness. My stomach twisted, a sour taste already crawling up the back of my throat. Every sound in the room seemed louder than it should have been; the hum of the AC might as well have been a loud engine. My shoulders ached, my lower back too, as if I had slept on a rock.The other side of the bed was empty, but the dent in the mattress was still warm. A half-finished glass of water sat on the nightstand beside some pills. I rolled over and groaned. Maybe it was stress. Maybe breakfast would fix it. I moved slowly, as if any sudden motion would flip my stomach.The bath didn’t help. Brushing my teeth didn’t help. My body was still fighting me, and I was determined not to lose. I threw on a robe, lay back down, and stared at the ceiling. Anxiety sat heavy in my chest, but I tried to swallow it.The door opened an hour later. Justin walked in. He stopped moving and whistled. I had forgotten my robe

  • The Alpha's Broken Pet   Eighty-Six

    Justin Later that evening, we went for a casual stroll in the garden. Moonlight shimmered like shards of silver on the water trickling from the fountain. We walked slowly, her arm hooked through mine.“So,” she said, her voice a low ripple, “what’s next? My ears are filled with three versions of your father’s mess. What’s your plan?”“It’s all out already.” I stared at the fountain. “I’m tired of hiding. I’m going to tell the council everything.”Her brow arched. “Everything? Including your wolf? Including our bond?”I nodded. “I can’t claim the throne without a mate. I’m not hiding you.”“That’s a bold move. I’m not ready for that kind of spectacle.” She glanced away. “I just want this madness to end so we can breathe.”I squeezed her hand. “Then I’ll take the hit. I’ll stand there and do it.”---The council chamber was full. The elders sat stiffly on tall chairs, portraits of past rulers watching from the walls. My pulse thudded, but I stood anyway.I anticipated backlash, but fea

  • The Alpha's Broken Pet   Eighty five

    MarissaI had never felt so empty. Time dragged, and everything felt pointless.Doubts about being unlovable gnawed at me as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, too tired to move. I had cried, stayed silent, and felt an exhaustion no amount of sleep could fix.When Brian and Sydney worried, I hid behind forced smiles and “I’m fine,” deflecting their questions. Deep down, I resented and feared that my love would always come with pain.I lay back on the bed, staring at the muted TV as the banner screamed: King Alaric Secret Family Exposed.What the fuck?I shoved the duvet off my legs and grabbed the remote, cranking up the volume. The female anchor rattled on about palace scandals, names I barely knew.Worry for Justin and his mother twisted inside me, mixed with guilt for staying away. Who had leaked this?Instead of turning on my phone, I borrowed Shelby’s laptop. Social media was flooded with the story. I shut it, telling myself I wouldn’t shrink or feel guilty—not until I knew th

  • The Alpha's Broken Pet   Eighty-Four

    NormaThe click of the door kept ringing in my skull long after I shut it. My hands would not keep still. I paced like an animal in a cage. Justin's voice played on repeat in my head until the edges of every word frayed and bled together."What are we going to do, Mother?" I let the question tear out of me. The sound surprised me with how small it felt. "You heard him, did you not? He has found his soulmate."My mother did not look up from the teacup in her lap."It's all your fault," she said as she lifted the cup, took a sip, and set it down. "You have always moved slowly."I stopped dead and turned toward her. Her hands were folded as if she were waiting to measure my failure. I snorted. "That is your answer? Blame me as if everything is a dress that fits poorly.""Why would I not? I begged you to do what needed doing. I told you to make certain Alaric handed the bloodline to Sean before that cursed thing found out the solution."My throat tightened. "What exactly was I supposed to

  • The Alpha's Broken Pet   Eighty-Three

    JustinI was pacing. Scratch that, it was a full-scale orbital pattern across the living room as energy was bleeding from my limbs because if I stopped, even for a second, I’d combust.Anger, betrayal, panic all mingled in my head and I didn't know how to neutralize it.I’d thought I had it figured out. I’d thought I’d gotten smarter. Better. Immune to manipulation. But apparently my father and Wendy had both been playing me like I was some fucking lab rat.“Fuck!” My voice bounced off the walls, like even the air in this room was mocking me.My mom's lavender scent reached me before her hand landed on my shoulder. It wasn’t comforting. It made my skin crawl.“Sweetheart, please—”“I said leave me alone,” I cut her off, my voice strangled, almost hoarse, like someone had wrapped a wire around my throat.She pulled her hand back but stayed close. “You’re scaring me. Calm down.”I shrugged her off and kept pacing.Marissa was gone. The thought caused me so much pain. I needed her more t

  • The Alpha's Broken Pet   Eighty-Two

    MarissaI hesitated outside the lodge lobby, my fingers tightening around the strap of my bag. The glass doors reflected my drawn face back at me. For a moment, I thought about turning around and walking away, maybe disappearing into the night where no one could find me. But my legs moved on their own, carrying me over the threshold.It was just past eight, and the lobby was mostly quiet. A few of my colleagues had already gone to their rooms. The handful who were still around looked up curiously when they saw me. It was obvious my relationship with Justin had become a topic of gossip, further worsening my mood.I dropped my gaze to the marble floor and kept moving, forcing my face into something that resembled a faint smile. My throat was too tight to speak.Hector and Linda emerged from the hallway, dressed in identical sweatshirts. Their conversation died when they spotted me.“Marissa,” Hector said, his eyes widening before a slow grin spread across his face. “Oh-ho! Look at you,

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