All Chapters of Bonded to the Bastard: My Rejection, His Obsession: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Alanza’s POV“You okay, honey? You don’t look so good.”My smile felt like a grimace. I hated that the cashier noticed me. My body was on fire, but the store air chilled me to the bone. I forced the words out. “Just a little under the weather. I’ll be fine.”She was a shifter. I recognized the slight tension around her shoulders, the way she tracked movement in the aisle behind me. I had not seen her working here before.I paid in cash. Tapping the card felt too risky, too traceable. That was a habit I needed to keep.“Take care of yourself.” The cashier’s blue eyes were sharp. She still looked doubtful.I nodded and pulled the plastic bag handle tight. Outside, the midday sun felt like a spotlight on my feverish skin. The walk home was worse than the trip here. My legs ached. Every single grocery item felt like a lead weight in the bag.I had to stop on the corner, leaning against a rough brick wall. The heat rose off the street, making my vision swim. I put the bag down. My lungs bu

Alanza’s POV“It’s not real. Just a nightmare.”The dream clung to me. My heart hammered hard against my ribs. I rolled onto my side, fighting the shivers that ran through my body. The fleece blanket was useless. Too hot, then too cold. If I threw it off, I felt naked and freezing, like I had been dumped in a snowbank. If I kept it on, I felt like I was drowning in sweat. Either way, it was awful.The feeling from the dream stayed in my head. I could still sense the crunch of leaves and the gritty dirt on my bare feet. Unease crawled under my skin. My anxiety flared up, trying to take over. I pressed my eyes shut. Ignore it. I needed to sleep. If I could just drift off, I would wake up feeling better. Renewed.My body refused. I couldn’t get comfortable. The sofa, which had felt so cozy hours ago, was now lumpy and hard. Minutes crawled by, then more minutes. I was still wide awake.A groan of defeat escaped me. I pushed myself up. The room swam for a second. I grabbed the sofa arm to

Alanza’s POV“Sorry, she isn’t normally like this,” I mumbled, pulling Sombra back from the man.“Such a pretty dog,” he said. He was squinting at me from under a wide-brimmed hat.Something about him made my paranoia radar spike, but I didn’t catch any weird scents. He looked dirty. His brown pants were stained. His shoes had seen better days.Maybe he was homeless.I felt uneasy. I shifted to the side, tugging Sombra away as she kept up a low growl. “Sorry,” I apologized again, wondering why he didn’t just leave.He turned his head and looked me over. “Pretty girl, too,” he said. He smiled, showing yellow, gapped teeth. His breath was thick. I swear it could have knocked out a wolf shifter from a distance.My stomach rolled. I fought the nausea building up. “Thanks,” I muttered. I didn’t know how to respond. He was blocking the dog food aisle. I definitely didn’t want to get closer. Sombra seemed ready to tear his face off, anyway.“Come on, girl, let’s go this way.” This way led to

Luciano's POV"I want eyes on Jimena Verity the second she steps foot in this city."I slammed my palm down, the heavy desk taking the impact without a sound. Karlos, my Beta, did not even blink. He knew the drill. Weeks had passed since the Lunar Gala. It felt like months. The Crystal Lake Pack's moves were still a mystery, and it was driving my wolf crazy. Spring was almost done. The warm air of early summer did nothing to calm my nerves.My focus had narrowed to a sharp point: Alanza.I pushed off the desk, pacing across the office rug. Karlos watched me, his expression neutral. He was waiting for the full order."Crystal Lake sent a notice," I said. My voice was tight. "His Beta's daughter, Jimena Verity, is coming to Granite City for university. No formal request. Nothing."Karlos’s jaw tightened. "Bold. Or stupid.""A courtesy they ignored." I stopped near the window. My pack territory was spread out below, peaceful and unaware. "She's an insult. A deliberate poke. I need to kno

Alanza’s POV“Crystal Lake is a power-hungry bastard, that’s what he is.”The bell over the door chimed. I barely glanced up. The sound meant another customer, but my focus stayed on the pastry case. It needed to look perfect. Four months here at The Novel Grind had turned this small cafe into my routine, my safe place. The smell of old books and brewing coffee felt like home now.I set a blueberry scone next to a stack of lemon muffins. My hands worked steady and slow. This job, this quiet town, it was all I had. A real life, finally, without the noise from back home.Tonight, I was going to Facundo and Esme’s house for dinner. The thought made me smile. Good food, easy talk. It was a million miles from the tight, silent dinners I used to have. A quick jab of guilt hit me, but I pushed it away. The past was done. It couldn’t follow me here.“Here you go, dear.” Mrs. Elkins put a steaming coffee mug on the counter beside me. “Don’t forget that literature class this afternoon.”I took