All Chapters of Alpha, Let's End This Bond!: Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

ARIAThe lounge area of the Grand Pavillion was all velvet, gold leaf, with the low, dangerous hum of men discussing money. It felt like a stage, and unfortunately, I was sitting dead center.Brandon Nobregas sat directly across from me. Every time I looked up, his eyes were there—searching, worried, and full of a million questions he couldn't ask in a room full of Storm Ridge’s elite. It made my chest ache with a nostalgia that felt like a bruise.Luca, however, was in full "Apex Predator" mode. He leaned back in his chair, swirling a glass of neat bourbon, his gaze fixed on Brandon with the intensity of a laser."So, Nobregas," Luca started, his voice a smooth, low velvet that didn't hide the underlying threat. "Nova-Tech is making quite a splash. What’s the play? You’re focusing on rural infrastructure, I hear. That’s a lot of dirt and old pipes for a guy coming from an elite company."Brandon didn't flinch, I’ll give him that. He adjusted his cufflink, meeting Luca’s stare. "It’s

ARIAMy head hit the desk with a soft thump. The laminated wood was cool against my forehead, a small mercy compared to the fog currently occupying my brain."Aria? You’re still with us, or should I call an ambulance?"I peeled my face off the desk to see Tasha standing there, clutching a stack of papers and looking at me with equal parts pity and amusement."I’m alive," I croaked, rubbing my eyes. "Just. My kids decided sleep was optional last night."That was a lie. Well, a half-lie.The twins had been fussy, but the real reason I felt like I’d been hit by a freight train was Luca. His "antics" after the gala had been relentless—a mix of possessive arguments and even more possessive... other things.By the time he’d finally let me sleep, the sun was practically peeking through the curtains."Working mom life is a beast," Tasha said, sliding a coffee onto my desk. "Drink up. Chimp Serge is on a warpath today. He’s looking for marketing proposals.""Crap." I fumbled for my mouse. My s

ARIAI groaned, burying my face in the pillow as another wave of cramps rolled through my lower abdomen like a slow-motion wrecking ball.Being a werewolf's mate didn't magically delete my human cycle; if anything, the heightened senses made the dull ache feel like a precision-guided strike.The bed shifted."Stop twisting," Luca’s voice rumbled in the dark. It wasn't mean, just... tired. "You’re like a fish out of water. Just go to sleep.""I would if my uterus wasn't trying to stage a coup," I snapped into my pillow. I curled into a tighter ball, clutching my stomach. "Go back to sleep, Luca. My 'girl stuff' isn't your problem."I heard him sit up. The rustle of the high-thread-count sheets sounded like thunder in the quiet room. "You’re huffing and puffing. It’s making the whole room smell like stress and iron. It’s annoying.""Well, excuse me for having biology," I muttered.He didn't reply. I heard him get out of bed, his heavy footsteps retreating toward the door. I figured he w

ARIAThe vibration of the tires on the asphalt was a low hum, but the tension inside the car was much louder. Brandon kept glancing at me, his wolf’s gaze searching my face for cracks. He’d heard the phone call. He’d felt the literal shockwave of Luca’s voice through the speakers."Aria," he said, his voice dropping into that serious, "brotherly" scowl that always used to get under my skin. "That wasn't a conversation. That was a demand. Does he always talk to you like you’re a rogue he’s about to exile?"I stared out at the passing pines, the scent of damp earth and needles getting stronger as we neared the Oakhaven pack boundaries. "He’s an Alpha, Brandon. Subtlety isn't exactly in the job description.""Being an Alpha isn't an excuse for treating your mate like a prisoner," Brandon countered, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "I’ve been overseas, but I still know how things work. A marriage without a bond, built on contracts and power plays... it’s a slow death. You should

ARIAThe new blankets Brandon bought were thick, woolly, and smelled like a factory. They should have been enough, but I was freezing.I tossed onto my left side, the old floorboards groaning in protest. The house was too quiet. But mostly, the space behind my back felt like an icy void.I was used to a furnace. I was used to a heavy, possessive arm draped over my waist and a heartbeat that thrummed like a war drum against my spine. Without Luca’s heat, my own wolf felt sluggish, curled up in a corner of my mind and shivering."Go to sleep, Aria," I whispered to the dark ceiling.I clutched Luca’s charcoal suit jacket—the one I’d been wearing like a shield all day—closer to my chin.I buried my nose in the lapel, inhaling the fading scent of cedar and expensive spice. It was pathetic. I’d run away for a breath of freedom, and here I was, chasing the scent of my captor just to close my eyes.Eventually, the exhaustion won. I drifted into a shallow, restless sleep filled with the sound