Lahat ng Kabanata ng Marked for Ruin: The Alphas’ Rejected Mate: Kabanata 61 - Kabanata 70

ELLAHe said it with a calm demeanor and a friendly smile. I knew there was more to that threat than the flowers-and-rainbows angle he was trying to give it with his expression.I glanced around the room one last time, hoping someone would notice how clearly uncomfortable I was with this setup and come to my aid.I shook my head at how silly that hope was—thinking people cared about anyone but themselves.They were probably too busy with whatever they’d come here to do to involve themselves in a stranger’s business.Or maybe they’d seen the exchange between us and concluded we were lovers or something similar, and so kept their noses out of it.I considered causing a scene. That would get attention, at least, and I could damn the consequences of being remembered as the girl who raised her voice in the pub. We’d be gone in a few hours anyway.“Whatever you’re thinking, don’t do it,” Kade said, studying my expression.I turned my gaze back to him and stared with as much disgust as I cou

ELLA“I came all the way here because this new ability is peculiar. I couldn’t go to the pack’s seer on my own—I’m not the one who has the power to see through the eyes of others—and if I mentioned it, your absence would become a major issue. The council wouldn’t sit back and ignore the fact that a pack member was missing, especially at a time like this when we already have cause for paranoia. It had nothing to do with how you’re faring and more to do with my curiosity.”He finished talking, exhaled, and shook his head slowly. He seemed like he was deep in thought and still had more to say, so I didn’t say anything for a moment. I expected him to start pacing any minute now. Through this new ability, I had learned that he paced when he had a lot on his mind.“Now that you’ve sated your curiosity and learned that I know nothing about how this ability works, can you leave now? I left the pack to get away from you and your brother. I don’t want to be reminded of a life I ran away from.”

ELLAI watched him finally leave and exhaled a relieved sigh. He was finally out of here, and the repulsive feeling that had been growing inside me with every minute we spent together was slowly dissipating with each step he took, pushing him further away from me.Now that he had gone, I could finally gather my thoughts and feel all the emotions rushing through me, instead of just anger and irritation. I hadn’t fully processed how I felt when I first realized it was him sitting next to me, but now I understood it was a mix of excitement and anxiety.I wasn’t expecting him to be here, and even if I had considered the slim chance that he might come looking for me, I didn’t think it would happen so soon. That showed me it was important to him—more significant than he was willing to admit.Afterward, I felt helpless. When the bartender couldn’t tell I was trying to communicate a distress signal, and I didn’t find anyone in the crowd who seemed interested enough to come to my aid, I knew I

ELLAWith that, I walked toward the closet, picked up my clothes, and headed for the bathroom. At this point, I didn’t want to think or speak anymore. I simply wanted to feel the calming effect of being in the tub and stay there until I was relaxed.Hopefully, Quincy would be asleep by the time I got out. This was the first time we were having a misunderstanding, and I wasn’t sure I could even call it an argument.I hadn’t given it room to fester or turn into something that would set off a heated exchange. I genuinely wasn’t interested in exchanging words with anyone else—I had done enough of that during that unwelcome visitation—and I preferred to enjoy some silence instead.I got into the tub and closed my eyes as the water touched my skin. For the first time that evening, I finally had peace and quiet. I sighed in relief and tried not to think about the conversation Kade and I had, but there was only so much I could do to stop my mind from wandering in that direction.I still felt

ELLAIt had gone from where they stood to widening across to where I stood, wrapping around the trees as well.That was the point I couldn’t walk past. I began to wonder what it meant, but more cracks formed in the ice, and I decided to leave any serious thinking for later.First, I had to get out of here, and fast, or I’d fall into the river when the ice thinned. The wind picked up, and I started to feel the cold even beneath my fur. If I needed a cue to leave as soon as possible, this was it. But first, I had to find a way.“Wake up, Ella, open your eyes for goodness’ sake!” I groaned in frustration, but the only thing that changed was my form.I had shifted from werewolf to human, which I considered a good thing. My weight on the thin ice was significantly reduced, but I was still stuck in the past, and I was still under the trees.I looked around and chuckled to myself. It was hilarious that the people who could’ve possibly helped me had left without a word.To think I’d assumed t