Chapter 55: Desperate Play
Chapter 55: Desperate Play
(Scarlett’s POV)
Alexander’s words still rang in my ears: “She was my mate–to–be.”
My stomach twisted painfully, my wolf trembling with a mixture of fear and anger. This wasn’t just about Celeste anymore; it was what her presence always did.
No matter what I did, no matter how perfect I pretended to be, she always managed to pull
him back to her. To stir something in him. Something that never surfaced when he looked at
- me.
I tried to block the ache pressing against my chest. This wasn’t the time to give in to
emotions. There were eyes everywhere, watching closely, whispering behind cupped hands. I
couldn’t look weak now. Not after everything I’d worked so hard for.
The cold air of the Silver Moon Market bit against my skin, but I hardly noticed. My
movements stilled for a moment, and I curled an arm tighter around myself, my wolf
whimpering softly at the exposed vulnerability we didn’t intend to show.
“Here.”
My head jerked up at the sound of Alexander’s voice. Before I could respond, he pulled off his jacket, holding it out toward me.
His ice–blue eyes didn’t quite meet mine, but he was close enough that I could feel his wolf’s steady presence pressing into the air between us.
For a second, my chest constricted with something bittersweet. He noticed. He noticed I was
cold.
My wolf leapt at the chance, sending waves of grateful submission crashing through our
invisible bond. I clutched the jacket tightly, the strong scent of his pack clinging to the fabric
and enveloping me like warmth against the bitter cold.
“Thank you, Alex,” I whispered softly, making sure to let my voice wobble just slightly.
He merely nodded, his gaze distant, like his mind was a hundred miles from here. He didn’t
stay to see my reaction. He just turned away and started walking, his strides purposeful as if nothing had happened.
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“Alex, wait!” I called out, my fear clawing at the edges of my carefully crafted demeanor.
My voice sounded desperate, even to me. But he kept walking, cutting through the slow–moving crowd like it wasn’t there. My hand tightened around the soft, worn jacket, the disappointment in my chest burning like a flame I couldn’t extinguish.
Why did he always leave me chasing after him?
I hurried after him, my heels clicking faintly against the worn cobblestones of the street as I dodged the crowd. Wolves turned their heads briefly toward me, some recognizing me, others offering curious glances. I did my best to keep my composure, forcing my expression into something serene, something unbothered.
But inside, I was anything but serene.
The market’s vibrant buzz surrounded us as I struggled to keep up with Alexander’s long
strides. The sounds of bartering wolves and the faint hum of moon energy filled the air.
Wolves seemed to part naturally for him, their instinctive respect for his dominance clear even
here, far from the formalities of the pack house.
I knew I couldn’t let what happened earlier overshadow this moment. I needed to salvage the
evening somehow. Maybe a soft smile, a carefully chosen gift… something to remind him of
what we were building. What we were supposed to have.
As I scanned the bright, bustling market stalls, a glimmer of silver caught my eye.
The faint glow of intricate pendants displayed on shimmering velvet stopped me in my tracks. My breath hitched as my gaze locked on one in particular.
It was beautiful–crafted with painstaking detail, the warrior markings etched into the delicate
surface wrapping around the moonstone symbol in the center. It was hauntingly familiar.
A perfect representation of Alexander himself.
“This,” I whispered almost involuntarily, stepping closer to the stall and reaching out to pick it up. My fingers brushed against the cool surface, tracing the engraving thoughtfully.
I sensed Alexander turn back toward me, his presence immediately grounding as he crossed the short distance between us. His ice–blue eyes flicked down to the pendant in my hand before glancing at me.
“What is it?”
My voice wavered for just a moment before I steadied myself. “It’s stunning, isn’t it?” I asked softly, holding up the pendant for him to see. My wolf pressed forward delicately, hoping to
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Chapter 55: Desperate Play
bridge the emotional gap lingering between us.
Alexander didn’t respond right away. Instead, his gaze lingered on the pendant in a way that
made my chest tighten uncomfortably.
Was this it? Was I beginning to reach him?
But then something shifted in his expression. Subtle, almost indiscernible, but it was enough
to make my stomach twist with unease.
His fingers brushed against the pendant as he reached for it, but his eyes didn’t soften. Didn’t
fixate on me. There was something far–away in that cold, unreadable gaze. Something that
had nothing to do with us.
It hit me suddenly, like ice crashing down my back. Celeste.
He wasn’t looking at the pendant because of me.
Panic clawed at the edges of my control. Before he could fully spiral into whatever memory he
was unlocking, I quickly turned my attention to the other items on display.
“Wait,” I said quickly, my voice tinged with false excitement as I reached for a second pendant displayed beside the first.
This one was simpler, softer–the feminine counterpart to the warrior pendant. Matching
designs intertwined between the two, forming a clear pair meant for mates.
I held it up beside the one Alexander was studying, forcing a small, timid smile.
“They’re perfect for the marking ceremony,” I said lightly. My fingers itched with tension as I fought to steady my voice.
Alexander’s icy eyes shifted between the two pendants, his face giving nothing away.
“They’re a pair, aren’t they?” I added, my wolf whining softly in submission beneath my calm
exterior. “They complement each other. Just like… just like us.”
The merchant, already sensing an opportunity, leaned in eagerly. “Oh, yes,” he chimed. “A traditional mated set! Many couples choose these pieces for their bonding ceremonies. They
are said to carry blessings of endurance and connection.”
I glanced at Alexander carefully, hoping–praying, even–that the words carried some weight. Hoping this served as a bridge between the widening chasm Celeste had once again managed to create between us.
Alexander studied the pendants for a long moment, his long fingers carefully brushing the
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Chapter 55: Desperate Play
glimmering pair.
My heart raced in the silence, each beat pounding in my ears. This meant something. It had to. The way he held those pendants–the way his fingers lingered–surely it meant something.
But as the silence dragged on, the tight knot in my chest grew heavier.
His white wolf stirred–not toward me, but toward something I couldn’t see. Something I wasn’t a part of.
I forced myself to look at him, to keep smiling. Even as everything twisted and churned inside
me, I held the expression steady..
Was I always going to have to settle for moments like these? Moments that didn’t belong to me completely? Moments that felt like distant fragments of something I wasn’t fully included
in?
I couldn’t allow myself to spiral, not now.
Just as Alexander exhaled softly and turned back to the stall, his attention flickered briefly past me and toward something else. Someone else.
Inside the Silver Creek tavern’s upper floor, Nina’s sharp whisper cut through the quiet
conversation at Celeste’s side as they watched the market below.
“My Lady,” she called, her voice low but taut with subtle urgency. “Alexander and Scarlett are
outside. They’re at the vendor stalls.”
For several moments, Celeste didn’t answer–and that silence, even from this distance, felt
almost accusatory.
I could sense the weight of her judgment pressing tightly over the atmosphere as if she, too, had something to say about the jagged emotions running quietly between me and Alexander’s icy disposition dragging us apart entirely.
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