Semua Bab Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow: Bab 11 - Bab 20

RandyThe meeting was gruelling, stretching from morning well into the night. It was another tedious discussion about the northern conquest, a strategy I had no real interest in.My Alphas were keen on expanding our territory, arguing that with the East and South already secured under strong leadership, we needed to amass more land to match their strength.But I wasn’t interested.I had fought enough battles to last a lifetime, and this was one I had no desire to join. My attempts to excuse myself and return home were met with resistance, leaving me restless and frustrated.My mind wasn’t on the meeting. It was back at home, where I’d left things unresolved with Adasha.The look in her eyes when I’d last seen her lingered in my thoughts. Fear. Defiance. Disgust. She saw me as a monster, and perhaps I was. But what choice did I have? How else was I supposed to keep her in line, knowing what women like her were capable of?When the Olsens sold their daughter to me, they assured me she w

AdashaI didn’t realize when the tears finally began to fall. Alone in that unfamiliar room, in a place that wasn’t my home, the weight of everything hit me all at once.For the first time in what felt like years, I had the space to think, to breathe, without Randy’s suffocating presence looming over me. And in that stillness, the questions came.How did it come to this?Why wasn’t I enough?Why couldn’t he change?When I met Randy, he seemed perfect—charming, attentive, the kind of man I thought I could spend forever with. What we had was almost beautiful, until his insecurities and cruelty began to seep through the cracks.It was easy to say I hated him now. I’d crossed that line long ago, but my heart still bled for the love and time I had wasted on him, waiting for him to change.I waited.I waited so long, clinging to the hope that he would see me, truly see me, and become the man I needed him to be. But that hope had been a lie, one I told myself over and over until it shattered

AdashaWe strolled quietly, the sound of our footsteps echoing faintly through the hall. Once we were a comfortable distance from the dining room, he finally spoke.“You know I saved a chair for you, Adasha,” he said, his voice calm yet tinged with something I couldn’t place.I didn’t know how to respond, so I kept my gaze forward, hoping my silence wouldn’t offend him.He stopped abruptly and turned to face me, his piercing green eyes locking onto mine.“Are you afraid I’ll charm the truth out of you?” he asked, his voice low, almost teasing.There was something in his gaze—intense, knowing—that left me momentarily tongue-tied. I didn’t know if it was his words or his proximity, but I couldn’t find my voice.Kai chuckled softly, a sound that carried both amusement and confidence, as though he had anticipated my reaction. Without waiting for a response, he resumed walking, and I hurried to keep pace.He showed me around the packhouse, pointing out its various features as we went. I nod

AdashaMay escorted me to the dining room, and to my disappointment, Alpha Kai and the other man from last night weren’t there. Instead, I found Gamma Gabe, Kai’s aunt, and Laura already seated.I resisted the urge to ask where Alpha Kai was—it would only make me seem nosy or entitled. Judging by the tense exchange at dinner the night before, I knew better than to draw attention to myself unnecessarily.Taking the same seat I had occupied last night, next to Gamma Gabe, I decided it was best to maintain politeness and keep my head down.“Good morning, Madam,” I greeted Kai’s aunt with a respectful nod. “Good morning, Gamma,” I said to Gabe, and then, “Good morning, Miss,” addressing Laura.It felt stiff, but I wasn’t on a first-name basis with any of them. Remaining cautious and formal seemed the safest approach.“Good morning, Miss Adasha. How was your night?” Gabe replied, his tone warm and accompanied by a surprisingly kind smile.I was taken aback by his friendliness but quickly m

Adasha“Do you mind having breakfast with me? Just the two of us—no third parties. I know you haven’t eaten,” Kai finally said, his voice calm but inviting.Relief washed over me at his offer, and I nodded in response, grateful for the chance to finally eat without the added tension of an audience.“Meanwhile, let’s get you into dry clothes,” he added.I reached for the dress I had taken off, intending to handle it myself, but to my surprise, he scooped me up into his arms.“You don’t even weigh much,” he teased, his tone light.Despite myself, I giggled softly, caught off guard by the infectious warmth of his smile.“Gabe said you gave it to her,” he teased again, referring to the incident with his aunt, as he carried me effortlessly through the hallway.“She pushed me,” I replied, my tone half-defensive, half-amused.He laughed, the sound rich and unrestrained. “Good. You should learn to express yourself more.”His words took me aback. I was used to being silenced, my emotions dismi