Lahat ng Kabanata ng Three Lives, One Alpha, No Bride: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 9

After my father died, my mother took over our house.She was strict, but she loved my sister and me fiercely. When both of us refused Rowan’s claim, she did not force us. She only pushed the bond papers back across the table and said, as gently as she could, “My daughters have minds of their own. I can’t make this choice for them.”Then, trying to soften the insult, she added, “Perhaps you should look elsewhere.”That was when Rowan finally lost his temper.“No.”He planted his hand on the table and looked from me to Ivy.“The mate I take will come from this house.”Then he shoved the papers back toward us and turned for the door. At the threshold, he stopped and said, “You have three days. Decide which one of you it will be. If you don’t, I’ll take the claim to the Council.”Then he left.The front door had barely shut before my mother rounded on us.“If Rowan files this formally, we may lose the right to refuse,” she said. “He’s the Alpha of Silver Ridge Pack, and we are an old blood

Ivy went still.“You’re not planning to hand me over, are you?” she asked. “We fight, yes, but I never tried to destroy you. If that’s what this is, I swear I’ll turn on you for real.”I rolled my eyes.“In my last life, I stepped aside because I thought Rowan wanted you,” I said. “Now I know what happened to you. Why would I send you back to him?”Some of the panic left her face.“Then what?” she asked. “If it’s not you and not me, who does he want?”I looked at my mother.“Not you,” I said quickly, when she took a step back. “I need your help.”That earned me a sharp look.“Good,” she said. “Because I was about to throw something at you.”Despite everything, I almost smiled.Then I told her what I had finally understood.Rowan had slipped twice. First with the herbs. Then with the honey rolls. I had never liked them. There was only one woman in our house who did. Only one whose cycle matched the calendar on his desk. Only one female he would prepare those blends for.By the time I fi

“Clara.”Rowan’s voice cut through the room.“Stop this. Don’t lie.”For a moment his parents only looked between us in confusion. Then his mother forced a smile.“So that’s all this is,” she said lightly. “An argument after the claiming night.” She reached for her mate’s arm. “We’ll leave you two to settle it.”I stopped her.“This isn’t an argument,” I said. “And I’m not lying.”All three of them turned back.“Last night, Alpha Blackthorne and his mate were at my house. I was with them the entire evening. If you don’t believe me, ask them.”That brought the room to a halt.His mother frowned. “That can’t be right. The servants said your chambers were occupied all night.” Her gaze flicked toward the bed behind Rowan. “If that wasn’t you, then who was it?”I looked at Rowan.“You should tell them now,” I said. “If I make Alpha Blackthorne repeat it here, this gets worse.”Rowan’s face darkened.For a long second he said nothing, as if sheer force of will might still hold the room toget

In the end, Rowan and his father chose the worst possible path.When they returned, both looked relieved, or tried to.“We spoke to Alpha Blackthorne,” Rowan said. “He won’t interfere. Silver Ridge is to handle its own affairs.”I knew at once that something in that was false, but I said nothing.His mother finally relaxed.“Good. Then only Clara’s mother remains.” She turned to Rowan at once. “Tonight you finish what should have happened last night. Once the bond is real, the Harts will have no choice but to accept it.”For the first time that day, fear cut cleanly through me.I had expected threats. I had expected violence. I had not expected this.Rowan crossed the room and shoved me back onto the bed. The scent still clinging to it made my stomach turn. He pinned my wrists with one hand.“You did this to yourself,” he said. “If you had come to me yesterday, none of this would be happening.”Then the door flew open.“Let her go.”Ivy stood there with a sword in both hands. Her grip