Chapter 123 Belong to Me (1)
Aelira’s POV
“Have you finished?” I ask Alarion, my voice serene, my heart unexpectedly steady in the wake of his frantic confession.
My wolf has gone silent within me, no longer stirred by the Alpha pheromones that saturate the small space.
It’s as if, in a single instant, everything has been irrevocably altered.
If he had uttered these words just a month ago, I would have been overwhelmed with happiness. For twelve years, I loved him, longing only to thaw the ice around his heart.
But now, after finally freeing myself from that poisonous cycle, Alarion suddenly claims he has finally awakened.
There is nothing more absurd than the timing of this revelation.
My lack of response causes Alarion’s expression to darken at once. His amber eyes reflect agony, inner turmoil, and a kind of frantic desperation.
His Alpha scent surges again, so potent it seems almost unendurable in the limited space.
“Is this because of Daelor Briarhallow?” Alarion grits out, barely able to form the words.
Every syllable, every breath, is laced with the possessiveness of his wolf.
His accusation almost makes me laugh.
“Alarion, whatever exists between us is nobody else’s business,” I answer calmly. “If anyone understands that, it should be you.”
Without thinking, Alarion moves closer, his eyes ablaze with a desperate longing.
Unconsciously, I retreat a step, my expression guarded. The instincts of a pregnant wolf surge through me, warning me to keep my distance.
“Aelira, can I ask for your forgiveness?” His voice trembles with raw emotion. “Would you grant me mercy one final time?”
I slowly shake my head, weighing my response.
“I won’t pretend, Alarion. I do harbor some bitterness toward you,” I say. “Yet I never placed the blame for my mother’s death at your feet.”
A faint glimmer of hope flashes in his gaze.
“You had no way of knowing what Cyrinne was planning. There was never any ill intention from you then.”
Relief floods Alarion’s features, the beginnings of a sincere smile spreading across his face.
“But I add, watching as the smile vanishes in an instant.
“I no longer have feelings for you.”
The sentence lingers in the air, heavy and final.
Alarion instantly rejects this, shaking his head in disbelief.
“That’s not truel” he insists. “I can’t accept that!”
A soft laugh escapes me at his refusal, and I meet his eyes, which are filled with desperation.
–
“Alarion, maybe you don’t even realize how thrilled I was when I found out my wolf could identify you as my mate.”
My tone softens as I recall the memory.
“I was so ecstatic I nearly lost consciousness. I truly felt like the luckiest she–wolf alive.”
Guilt and regret flicker over his face. He seems about to speak, but I gently lift my hand to stop him.
“Please, let me finish,” I say.
61.024
Chapter 123 Belong to Me (1)
Drawing in a steadying breath, I organize my thoughts.
“You probably aren’t aware of how attractive you are to the other she wolves. Your striking appearance, your Alpha rank, your distinguished lineage.”
As I go on, discomfort settles on Alarion’s face.
“When I was young and naive, I saw becoming your mate as the greatest achievement I could ever dream of. It felt like unimaginable luck for someone of my low status.”
Tears prick my eyes as I reflect on those innocent days.
“I thought fortune had truly smiled upon me. That the Moon Goddess herself had favored me.”
“Aelira…” he murmurs, his voice burdened with sorrow.
“So tell me,” I say, holding his gaze steadily, “if any part of me still cared for you the way I once did, after everything you’ve admitted, do you really think I could turn you down?”
It is a truth he cannot dispute.
“I did love you, truly,” I state quietly. “And now, just as truly, I no longer do.”
Alarion’s fists clench and unclench repeatedly, the knuckles turning pale before he forces himself to relax, only to squeeze them again.
|
“Regardless of what you say, I won’t change my stance,” he asserts, his voice filled with a fierce conviction.
His amber eyes blaze with obsessive resolve.
“Aelira Sunmere, you belong to me. You are mine forever, and I will never let you go.
His possessive words send a shiver down me
A sense of total powerlessness sweeps over me. I have laid everything bare before him, appealing to both his heart and his logic.
But he remains impossibly obstinate.
I never thought Alarion could refuse to yield like this!
“Think what you want, I answer, my voice weary and defeated.
I have no desire to waste any further breath on him. Trying to talk to him is as futile as speaking to a stone.
Without hesitation, I stride over to the apartment entrance and fling the door wide open.
“You should go, I announce with a steely tone. “You’re not wanted here, and if you come back, I’ll call the authorities!”
