Chapter 19
ADELINK
Desperation leads to bad decisions, and I knew I had made one the moment I ended that call with my father. I didn’t know what else to do, but I knew one thing–1 couldn’t live like this anymor
Unfortunately, that call turned out to be a colossal mistake, both figuratively and literally, because the moment my father arrived, Nicholas threw lum like he was nothing.
A scream tore from my throat before I could stop it.
“Fatbord”
I ran toward him, but before I could reach him, a vice–like grip yanked me backward. My body jerked to a halt, and when I turned, I found myself face–to–face with Nicholas. His cold, predatory eyes bored into me as a low growl escaped his lips.
“Go back to your room,” he ordered, his voice as sharp as a whip. “Til deal with you later.”
My wolf bristled at his tone, and a surge of defiance rose within me. I yanked my hand away with all my strength and shoved him as hard as I could But even with my werewolf strength, Nicholas didn’t budge.
Still, it was enough to break free.
I turned and bolted toward my father, falling to my knees beside him. He was groaning, clutching his side where Nicholas had thrown him. His face was pale, and I could see the pain etched into his features
“Father, are you okay! My voice broke as I reached out to him. Tears spilled freely down my face. “I’m so sorry, I’m so, so sorry” My hands trembled as I tried to help him sit up.
“Adeline.” he crooked, his voice weak but steady. It’s not your fault.”
But his reassurance only fueled the fire in my chest. Anger surged through me, burning away my fear. I stood abruptly, my heart pounding as I turned to Nicholas, who was watching the scene unfold with a blank expression, as if he hadn’t just assaulted my father.
I shoved him hard in the chest, my palms stinging from the impact.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I screamed, my voice shaking with fury. Tears streamed down my face, but I didn’t care. 1 shoved him again, and again. “This is too much, Nicholas You’ve gone too far I can’t do this anymore!”
He stood there, motionless, like a marble statue, his face unreadable as I kept pushing him. My voice cracked, but I didn’t stop. “I hate you for this. Do you hear me? I hate you!”
Finally, he moved. Slowly, deliberately, his eyes locked onto mine with a coldness that froze me in place.
“Watch your words, Adeline,” he said, his voice low and venomous
He turned away from me and addressed the men who had been silently observing the entire scene, their expressions tense and uncertain
“Escort this trespasser out of my house, Nicholas commanded, his sone cold and emotionless. “From this homent forward, he is banned from my
mansion
The men hesitated, their eyes flickering between Nicholas and my father.
Nicholas’s lips curled into a sneer. Do I need to repeat myself?”
“Nu, your Highness,” one of them stammered before moving toward my father.
Panic swelled in my chest as turned back to my Ether, who was trying to get to his feet. His gaze locked onto mine, and I felt his mind brush against mine, his voice entering my thoughts.
“I love you, Adeline. 111 find a way to fix this. Stay strong ”
my vision
as they led him away.
Iak my trembling lip and nodded slightly, tears blurring my
“Adeline.”
Nicholas’s voice cut through my thoughts like a blade, I turned to find him staring at me, his expression devoid of warmth.
“Unless you want me to finish traching that trespasser a lesson neither of you ever forget,” he said, his tone dripping with malice. “you’d better get yourself to my study. Now
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Chapter 19
y sides. Without a word, I turned and walked toward his
The wright of his words sank in, and I swallowed hard, my hands curling into lists at my study, iny legs trembling with each siejs
The heavy door slammed shan behind me the sound echoing in the quiet room. I stood in the renter of the urly, my heart pounding as I waited. for Nicholas to speak
He entered moments later, his presente filling the room like a storm cloud. He closed the door behind him with a chilling Emality, then strode par inc, his movements deliberate and controlled. He stopped at his desk, leaning against it as he crossed his arms over his chest
You think you can dely me, Adeline?” he said, his voice calus, yet brimming with menace.
My jaw tightened, and I forced myself to meet his gaze. “You h
hurt my father, I said, my voice trembling. “He’s my family-
Emily?” he interrupted with a bitter laugh. “You think you still have a family? You stopped belonging to him the moment you became my Luma. You belong to me now, Adeline.
“I belong to no one,” I shot back, my anger flaring
His expression darkened, and for a moment, I thought he would strike me. But instead, he straightened, his icy gaze pinning me in place
“You’re mistaken,” he whispered softly, which somehow made it worse. “You belong to me, and you will obey me. If you think I’ll tolerate your defiance-
across a room is tolerable! You’re a monger, Nicholas. You’re cruel and beardless
“Tolerate?” I spat, cutting him off. “You think throwing my father across and I don’t care if you’re the king of Lycans. You don’t own me.”
He tilted his head, studying me as if I were a puzzle he couldn’t quite solve: “Careful, Adeline,” he said, “You’re t treading on dangerous ground.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, refusing to back down. “What are you going to do, Nicholas Hurt me? Kal met Go ahead.”
He didn’t say anything for a while and the silence between us felt like a weight pressing down on my chest, suffocating and relentless. Nicholas remained still watching me with an expression that was equal parts amusement and warning, as if daring me to say another word. Finally, be pushed off the desk with a slow, deliberate movement, closing the space between us
“You don’t have to like me, Adeline,” he began, his voice deceptively calm, a quiet storm brewing beneath the surface. “But you will respect me. And if you ever challenge me like that in front of my men again. I will make sure you regret it.”
I clenched my fists, my heart racing, but I refused to let him see my fear, I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. “I already regret everything,” I whispered, my voice shaking despite my best efforts.
For a moment, something flickered in his eyes-a shadow of something human, something real–but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. The cold mask of indifference returned, colder and sharper than before.
“This is the first and last time you will involve anyone else in my business: You are lucky you didn’t tell him anything about the contract. I’ve soderated your insolence longer than I should have, but this is where it ends. Whether in public or private. I will no longer indulge your defance”
A bitter laugh escaped me, one I hadn’t meant to let out. The absurdity of it all was too much. Tolerate?” I shot back, shaking my head. “You don’t tolerate anything, Nicholas. You dominate, manipulate, and destroy everything you touch, Do you even know what respect is?”
His
is eyes narrowed d
I dangerously, but I wasn’t done.
“Luber asked me if this was fake,” I continued, my voice trembling with anger. “And you know what I made a mistake by lying to him. So, maybe I’ll go find him now and tell him the truth”
His entire body went still, as if the air had been sucked out of the room. I had barely enough time to process the sudden shift in his demeanor before his next words cut through the silence like a blaile.
“Then I’ll make it real”
Everything happented in a blur.
One second, I was standing defiant, refusing to back down. The next, his hand were on me
His grip was firm but not painful, une arm wrapping around my waist and pulling me flush against him. His other hand tangled in my hair, tilning my head to the side with an case that sent slivers down my spine
“Nicholas, what are
are you
I didn’t have time to finish the sentence before I felt the sharp sting of his teeth sinking into the delicate skin at the base of my
A burning heat erupted from the point of contact, spreading through my body like wildfire. The pain was sharp and overwhelming, but there was kutisething else, sumeihing darker and more primal that made my heart race and my wolf stir uncasily within me.
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Chapter 19
I screamed, whether from pain, anger, or something I couldn’t name, I didn’t know. My fists pounded against his chest, but he didn’t flinch, didn’t even acknowledge my struggle. He held me firmly in place, his teeth buried in my skin as if he were claiming something that had always been his
When he finally pulled back. I staggered, my legs barely holding me up. My hand flew to my neck, touching the still–burning mark that now bound
me to him
“What the hell have you done?” I hissed, my voice trembling with rage and fear.
