บททั้งหมดของ THE ALPHA’S DEBT: บทที่ 81 - บทที่ 90

"Fine," Maren said, her voice dropping into a low, jagged purr. "As soon as you sever that bond and finalize the split with Andrew, you’re dead to the Hawthorne pack. I’m not some cruel elder. You grew up under our protection, and if you ever find yourself starving in a ditch, I might throw you a scrap for the sake of Damon’s memory."I didn’t plan on ever being desperate enough to crawl back to her. I gave her a thin, hollow smile and shoved open the heavy steel door of the stairwell.I barely cleared the threshold before I nearly collided with a wall of muscle and expensive wool. Andrew was stepping out of the nearby elevator, his presence hitting me like a physical blow.His silver eyes swept over me, stalling on my pale skin and the tell-tale redness around my eyes. I froze, my breath hitching, before I instinctively dropped my gaze to the floor."Andrew?" Maren called out, emerging from the stairwell behind me.Andrew’s eyes flickered between us, his pupils slitting into sharp ve

"Andrew, don't."His voice was barely a rasp, but it hit me like a sucker-punch to the solar plexus, churning up a storm of sour, swelling agony in my chest. I just stared at him, my vision blurring uncontrollably as the heat rose in my eyes. I wanted to wrench my face away, to hide the wreckage of my pride, but Andrew wouldn’t let me.The hand that had been gripping my chin softened, his palm sliding up to cradle my cheek, anchoring me to the moment. I couldn't dodge him. One by one, tears broke free and tracked down my face, splashing onto his knuckles and sinking into his skin."Hey, look at me. Don't do that. I’m sorry, Lanka. It’s my fault. All of it."The tears were warm on my skin, but they seemed to scald Andrew. He flinched as if each drop was searing straight through to his heart.I didn't know he was thinking about the footage Lydiasa had sent to his encrypted link on the drive over. The video from the Grand Meridian Hall gala. He’d watched the playback of that chaotic nigh

"I’m giving Lydiasa a ring. I’ve got things to handle this afternoon, and I’m sure you’ve got a pack to run."I didn’t wait for an answer. I pivoted toward the door, where my phone sat on a low stone console by the entryway—exactly where Andrew had left it. I kept my eyes fixed forward, refusing to look back at him. My heart was a tangled mess; a pathetic part of me was screaming for him to reach out, to say something—anything—that would make staying feel like an option.But the fear was sharper. I was terrified that if he actually tried to hold me, I wouldn't have the strength to let go.Turns out, I didn't need to worry. I made the call, and Andrew didn't utter a single word. He just stood there, a cold statue in the middle of the room. I guess all that "caring" in the bathroom was just smoke and mirrors after all.Once the line went dead, Judith was sent by Lydiasa to unlock the heavy oak doors."The Matriarch is waiting for you both in the garden," Judith said, her eyes unreadable

Andrew’s pupils blew wide, his beast pacing just behind his ribs as he stared Julian down. One gaze was dark and infinite, hiding a blade so sharp it could carve through bone. The other was sparked with a mocking, jagged smirk—an open challenge from a wolf who didn’t fear the Alpha’s shadow.Between the silent clash of their scents, they both looked ready to tear out each other's throats.Andrew’s mouth thinned into a dangerous curve. "Lanka is my mate. If you truly value your skin, Julian, you’ll learn where the boundaries are."Julian just chuckled, a low sound that vibrated with defiance. "The moon changes every night, Andrew. Today’s status doesn't dictate where he'll be tomorrow."The meaning hit like a physical blow: today Lanka might bear the Wolfe name, but the future was up for grabs.Andrew’s jaw ticked. Vanessa, sensing the shift in the air, felt the sting of it instantly. She lunged forward, clawing at Julian’s arm."Julian! Do you really want that stray? How can you look

I sighed, the sound escaping my lips like a final exhale of a dying beast. Andrew’s command felt like a reprieve, but my eyes betrayed me, the tears flowing again despite my best efforts.The driver sat like a statue, terrified to even breathe in the suffocating silence of the cabin.In the confined space of the sedan, my stifled sniffles were loud enough to fill every corner. I didn't want to make a sound, but my body wasn't listening. Andrew’s patience finally snapped. He turned his head toward me, his face a landscape of jagged ice."Lanka, if you don't stop that noise this second, I’m turning this car around. I might just change my mind about the whole thing!"I looked at him, startled. If he refused the split, I’d be trapped in a cage of his making. If he agreed, I was losing the only world I knew. There was no winning.Andrew’s mouth thinned into a line of pure frustration. I could see the muscles in his jaw working. Was he actually annoyed because he thought these were tears of