Chapter 155: A Wolf’s Bitter Distance
Chapter 155: A Wolf’s Bitter Distance
(Celeste’s POV)
The thick air of Regina’s chambers clung to me like chains as I left, her venomous words echoing in my ears. Each step felt heavier than the last as I walked down the long, silent corridor of the royal estate. My cheek still burned with the memory of her earlier slap.
The heat of indignation simmered beneath my composed exterior, but I kept my shoulders squared and my head high. This was not the time to show weakness.
Behind me, the sound of boots against polished wood reminded me I wasn’t alone. Alexander and Lucas followed closely, their footsteps steady and deliberate.
Neither of them said a word. Their ominous silence aged every passing second, and my
silver–scarred wolf snarled at the thought of their presence.
As we neared the estate’s front entrance, one of the beta guards stationed near the door avoided my gaze. Smart. With the humiliation Regina had just dealt me and the storm brewing behind my expression, even a higher–ranked wolf might have flinched under ire.
my
I didn’t stop until we reached the parking area, the looming cars parked in rigid lines like
lifeless sentinels under the dim moonlight.
My driver stood waiting by the car, bowing slightly when he saw me. Without hesitation, I opened the car door, ready to put as much distance as possible between me and the oppressive weight of the royal palace.
“Wait.” Alexander’s deep voice cut through the cold night like a knife.
I froze, my hands on the doorframe. The sharpness in his tone struck something inside me, and, despite every fiber of my being screaming to ignore him, I glanced over my shoulder.
Alexander’s tall frame loomed in the shadows, his blue eyes catching the faint light of the
moon. His gaze was steady, calculating.
“I’ll accompany you,” he said, stepping closer, his hands casually tucked into his pockets as if to seem less intrusive. “Disguised as another pack member. For your protection.”
His words sliced through the quiet parking lot, deliberate and unapologetic.
I turned slowly to face him, my brows arched high. Somehow, his declaration managed to
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Chapter 155: A Wolf’s Bitter Dist…
amuse and enrage me at the same time. I laughed bitterly, a sharp bark of sound that made
Alexander blink.
“Protection?” The word rolled off my lips like poison, heavy with sarcasm. My violet eyes locked onto his, refusing to look away. “Are you protecting me, Alexander? Or should we be
honest here?”
His stoic mask faltered for a brief moment, his white wolf stirring behind his icy gaze.
The corners of my lips curled into a smirk, though there was no humor in it. “Let me rephrase. The pack’s strongest warrior, protector of the Alpha King’s interests, has chosen this night to come and escort me. Not Marcus’s mate, of course. You’re only here for Marcus, aren’t you?”
Alexander took a step back, his hands clenching slightly. He didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. The weight of the truth hung heavy in the space between us.
My smirk faded, replaced with the cold, unyielding mask I’d worn since my release from
prison. “Let me save you the speech, Alexander. We both know where your loyalties lie. If it
comes down to choosing between my life and Marcus’s…”
I stepped closer to him, my voice lowering as I met his gaze head–on. “You’ll always choose
him. That’s the truth, isn’t it?”
For a moment, his wolf flickered in those ice–blue eyes. His lips parted, perhaps to deny my
accusation. But no words came. Just silence.
“Exactly what I thought,” I finished, satisfied with his lack of response. I turned back to the car,
placing one foot inside.
I didn’t miss Lucas approaching from my peripheral vision. He made his way toward the other
side of the vehicle, his expression filled with that familiar mix of irritation and smug
confidence.
“My duty’s clear too,” Lucas began, his voice as infuriatingly measured as always. “I’m coming
with you, Celeste. Don’t-”
In a single, fluid motion, my foot lashed out. Lucas stumbled backward, his chest taking the
full brunt of my force. He staggered several steps before regaining his balance, his golden eyes widening in disbelief.
“Celeste!” he exclaimed, his voice laced with shock and anger. “What the hell are you doing?”
I leaned against the open door, my head tilted slightly as an icy smile played on my lips. ” What am I doing?” I repeated, feigning innocence. I looked up at him through half–lidded eyes,
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letting him see just how little I cared for his outrage.
“A male and female wolf alone in the same car?” I asked calmly, my voice frigid enough to
freeze the spring air around us. “Consider the rumors, Lucas.”
Confusion briefly crossed his face before realization dawned. He opened his mouth to argue,
but I wasn’t finished.
“Or have you forgotten what kind of rumors destroyed me the first time?” My words hit their
mark, the venom in my tone leaving him visibly shaken. “It didn’t matter that I was innocent
then, and it won’t matter now.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Lucas growled, his golden eyes flashing. “I’m your br-”
“Brother?” I interrupted sharply, stepping out of the car just enough to pierce him with my gaze. The biting sarcasm in my expression silenced him instantly. “What kind of brother drugs
his sister with wolfsbane–laced wine and delivers her to another wolf?”
The words should have filled me with satisfaction, but instead, they left a bitter taste in my
mouth.
Lucas swallowed hard, his shoulders slumping slightly under the weight of my truth. His wolf
tried to reestablish dominance, but for once, he couldn’t meet my gaze.
“We’re not blood–related,” I reminded him coldly. “And sharing this car with me would only
invite gossip. Isn’t that what you’re worried about, Lucas? Protecting family reputation?”
For the first time since I’d departed Regina’s chambers, true silence fell over us.
Without waiting for a response, I turned back to the car and climbed inside. “Drive,” I ordered the chauffeur. The engine hummed to life, and the vehicle began to glide away.
I didn’t bother looking back. I couldn’t stomach seeing them anymore.
The trembling in my hands started as soon as the estate disappeared from view. I clenched
my fists tightly in my lap, willing the shaking to stop.
Tonight, I would face the rogue wolves. I would be traded like a piece of property. Alexander and Lucas might think their plans were clever, but I would prove otherwise. I wouldn’t submit-
not to them, nor to anything waiting for me beyond the forest’s edge.
(Alexander’s POV)
As Celeste’s car disappeared into the distance, I stood frozen in the parking lot. The moonlight cast a pale glow over everything, but it failed to illuminate the knot of emotions twisting in my
chest.
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Chapter 155: A Wolf’s Bitter Dist…
Beside me, Lucas was testing his ankle, frowning as he shifted his weight. She’d gotten him good with that kick. Small victories, I supposed.
“You’ve got to admire her spirit,” I muttered, breaking the tension with a chuckle.
Lucas shot me a glare, but I wasn’t fazed. “Her wolf’s spirit hasn’t changed,” I added, more to myself than him. “Not even after Moon Shadow Prison.”
Lucas released an exasperated sigh, shaking his head. “Isn’t her stubbornness something you
encouraged?”
He wasn’t wrong. Celeste had always been fiery. Her defiance, her sharp tongue, her
unwillingness to bow to anyone except her own principles–that fire had always drawn me to
her.
And whenever someone tried to smother that flame, it was me who reignited it.
memories washed over me as I stared at the empty road where her car had vanished.
Despite my controlled demeanor, seeing Celeste’s tear–stained face would always make my white wolf surge with protective rage.
We’d faced down rival pack alphas‘ sons, rogue wolves, anyone who dared hurt her. Some
vengeance took weeks or even months of planning.
But we always succeeded in the end. My wolf had carefully nurtured that vengeful spark in her, helping it grow into an inferno.
Now that same spirit burned me. The irony wasn’t lost on me.
Indeed, Celeste’s vengeful nature was something my wolf had carefully cultivated. I just never
imagined I would one day be on the receiving end of it.
