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Chapter 31
I noticed some Omegas without uniforms carrying supplies in and out of the palace. It seemed like there were staff members specifically assigned to handle deliveries.
Clenching my teeth, I said, “We’re new here to deliver supplies. We got excited when we Arrived and ended up getting lost.”
The Gammas scrutinized us with suspicion, their eyes sharp. I felt cold sweat trickling down my back.
“Catch them,” the lead Gamma barked. I glanced at Kai in panic. The Gamma sneered, “We
only recruit Betas here.”
1
Before we could react, they tied us up effortlessly. The process was so smooth, it felt like we had walked straight into a trap.
“At least we’re inside,” I whispered to Kai, trying to stay optimistic. “We’ll figure something- out.” I regretted not linking our minds earlier, but something about the forest’s strange aura
seemed to block certain werewolf abilities.
A Gamma caught us whispering and shoved me roughly. “Separate them and lock them up,
he commanded coldly.
Thrown into an icy basement, I nearly passed out. The cold was unbearable, even for an Omega. Time felt endless before someone finally came to release me.
“Someone’s here to pick you up,” the guard said curtly. “Leave now and don’t trespass-
again.”
Ethan. Heat surged through my frozen body the moment his scent hit me. Strangely, I hadn’t been able to smell anything until now–only him.
My legs were so numb they could barely support me. Ethan’s massive black wolf pulled me into his warm embrace. As I lay in his arms, my body slowly thawed.
te Second Chance at Love
The memory of a landlade prears ago flashed in any anind. If he had held me like this back then, maybe our relationap woulart here turned so cold and distant
Later, Ethan brought me to a quiet restaurant. The unexpected elegance of the place unsettled me. Everything felt too perfect, as if this investigation had deeper layers we hadn’t uncovered yet
A
Outside, rain pounded the earth, turning the ground into a muddy swamp. In the distance, faint silhouettes of hills rose against the dark horizon.
A strange unease crept into my chest, much like the feeling I had when Zoe and I stumbled across the Shadow Sand mine.
“Ethan,” I said instinctively, my voice carrying a mix of surprise and suspicion.
He wore a brown silk V–neck shirt, the thin fabric clinging to his muscular frame.
Feeling self–conscious, I averted my gaze and asked, “Did you plan for me to get detained just to humiliate me?”
Our eyes locked in silence. His gaze was playful, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
“No,” he said, his voice quieter now. “I can feel it. My wolf will always feel you.”
He took my hand and pressed it to his chest. I felt the steady thrum of his heartbeat quicken, matching my own. A faint red glow wrapped around my wrist, stretching toward him like a lifeline. My wolf howled in recognition, screaming one word over and over
*Mate!*
Rain thundered outside as Ethan leaned in and kissed me. I couldn’t resist the pull and los myself in the moment. By the time I regained my senses, I was already on his lap.
Alone in the private room, he pressed me against the wall as the music’s rhythm mirrored the pounding of my heart.
The scent of cedar and orange lingered in the air, entwined with the heat of his touch.
Chapter 31
When it was over, he gently lifted my shirt to wipe my face and neck, pressing the fabric to his nose. “You smell so good,” he murmured, his voice thick with longing.
I stared at him, trying to steady my racing heart. Though my body felt whole again, my heart remained hollow, like a piece was missing.
Running my fingers through his hair, I spoke softly but firmly. “You know the peace between us only exists because of the Moon Goddess’s bond. That’s all it can ever be. We’ll
ever be mates again–over.”
The warmth between us froze instantly. Ethan put my shirt down and turned to stare out the window. He said nothing, but I could feel his wolf grieving, its sorrow echoing through
the silence.
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