Chapter 192: A Wolf’s Bitter Memories (Celeste’s POV)
Chapter 192: A Wolf’s Bitter Memories (Celeste’s POV)
The sleek black SUV bearing the Winter Pack insignia pulled up to the Moon Silver Restaurant.
I stared through the tinted window at the elegant building, its silver–trimmed entrance illuminated by soft lighting despite the afternoon sun.
“We’ve arrived, Miss Celeste,” the driver announced, his tone formal.
I adjusted my simple dress – deliberately not the one Scarlett had selected – and stepped out. The restaurant stood imposing before me, one of the most prestigious establishments in pack territory. Its silvered windows reflected the afternoon light, making the entire structure
shimmer.
A beta wolf server hurried forward as soon as I emerged from the vehicle.
“Miss Winters,” he greeted with a respectful bow. “Welcome to Moon Silver Restaurant.”
I didn’t bother correcting his use of the Winter Pack name. Soon enough, it wouldn’t matter.
“This way, please.” He gestured toward the entrance. “The private room has been prepared as requested by Alpha Heir Lucas.”
I followed silently, noting how other wolves paused their conversations to watch me pass. Their whispers weren’t subtle enough to escape my enhanced hearing.
“Isn’t that the Winter girl who was in Moon Shadow Prison?”
“The one who was claimed by Marcus Blackwood before his death…”
“I heard she tried to drown her sister recently…”
My silver–scarred wolf bristled beneath my skin, but I kept my expression neutral. Let them gossip. Their words couldn’t hurt me anymore.
The server led me up a curved staircase to the second floor, stopping before an ornate door carved with moon phases – the largest private dining room, reserved for pack elites.
“The Winter Pack’s private room,” he announced proudly. “Alpha Heir Lucas and Alpha Steele
often conduct business here.”
Of course they did. This was their territory, not mine.
The server pushed open the door with a flourish. “Your private room, Miss Winters.”
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I stepped inside, then froze.
The room wasn’t empty as I had expected. Alexander Steele sat alone at the large table, several empty bottles of moon–blessed wine scattered before him. The powerful scent of alcohol hung heavy in the air.
My first instinct was to retreat, to claim a mistake and leave before he noticed me. But his ice–blue eyes had already found mine, holding me in place.
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“Celeste,” he acknowledged, his voice steadier than the number of empty bottles suggested it should be. “You came.”
I hesitated in the doorway. “I was told to arrive at this time. I didn’t realize…”
The server had already disappeared, closing the door behind him.
Alexander gestured to the chair across from him. “Sit. The others will be here soon enough.”
I remained where I stood, unwilling to be trapped alone with him. “Perhaps I should wait downstairs.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he said, brow furrowing. “We’re adults, aren’t we? Sit.”
There was no actual command in his voice, no Alpha compulsion, yet I found myself moving forward anyway. Old habits, I supposed. I’d spent years jumping at his every word.
I took the seat farthest from him, maintaining as much distance as the table allowed.
“You’ve been drinking,” I observed unnecessarily.
Alexander shrugged, his powerful shoulders moving beneath his tailored shirt. “Just passing
the time.”
“At three in the afternoon?”
His lips quirked into something almost resembling a smile. “I was promised exceptional food. The kitchen is preparing it now.”
I didn’t believe him. Alexander had never been one to drink heavily, especially not alone in the
middle of the day. Something had driven him to this state, but it wasn’t my place to pry.
Silence fell between us, heavy and awkward. I kept my gaze fixed on the table, avoiding his eyes, but found myself drawn to the room itself.
Every corner held memories.
There was a gouge in the wall where he’d thrown me during a combat training session years
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Chapter 192: A Wolf’s Bitter Me…
ago. I’d landed with more grace than he’d expected, leaving the mark as the only evidence of his momentary loss of control.
My eyes drifted to a faint stain on the floor where I’d once thrown a bowl of spicy broth at him during an argument. He’d deflected it effortlessly, proving again how much stronger he was.
How many times had I been in this room with him? Dozens? Hundreds? Each visit cataloged carefully in my heart, each moment with him treasured.
What a fool I’d been.
I’d mistaken his tolerance of my presence for affection. I’d interpreted his protection as devotion when it had simply been duty – the obligation to safeguard Lucas’s sister.
The memory of my final humiliation before Moon Shadow Prison rose unbidden. My desperate
plea for him to uphold our mate claim when rumors of Scarlett’s return first circulated. His
dismissal had been so casual, so absolute.
“You’re being impulsive,” he’d said, as if my feelings were nothing more than a childish
tantrum. “This isn’t the time for such discussions.”
There had never been a right time, I realized now. Because he had never truly wanted me.
The silence stretched uncomfortably. I shifted in my seat, searching for an excuse to leave
this room filled with bitter memories.
“So,” Alexander said suddenly, startling me. “Is there someone you like?”
I stared at him, caught off guard by the abrupt question. “What?”
His ice–blue eyes studied me with unnerving intensity. “Matthew Sterling. What do you think of
him?”
My heart sank. Of course. Matthew must have spoken to his Alpha about my rejection. Now
Alexander was here to intervene, to smooth things over like the dutiful pack leader he was.
“You should discuss this with Lucas,” I said flatly. “My brother seems to have strong opinions
about who I should associate with.”
“I’m asking you,” Alexander persisted, leaning forward. “Do you like him?”
The directness of his question made me uncomfortable. His white wolf’s aura pulsed around him, stronger than usual, perhaps enhanced by the alcohol.
“Matthew has been kind to me,” I answered carefully. “That’s rare enough these days.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
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I shifted under his intense scrutiny. “What does it matter what I think? Lucas has made his position clear. He doesn’t approve.”
Alexander’s jaw tightened. “Lucas doesn’t control your heart.”
“Doesn’t he?” I laughed bitterly. “He seems to think he controls everything else about my life.”
Alexander’s expression didn’t change, but something in his eyes intensified. “You didn’t answer my question. Do you have feelings for Matthew?”
I remained silent, unwilling to discuss my personal feelings with him of all people. What right
did he have to question me about this?
When I didn’t respond, Alexander rose from his chair, moving around the table toward me with
predatory grace despite the alcohol in his system. His white wolf’s aura swelled, filling the private room with his dominant presence.
“What qualities do you admire in him?” he asked, his voice dropping lower. “His strength? His
loyalty?”
My silver–scarred wolf flattened her ears defensively as he approached. I stood abruptly,
intending to put distance between us.
“I should go. This is inappropriate.”
Before I could step away, Alexander caught my wrist in a firm grip, pulling me back down into
my seat. The familiar touch of his fingers against my skin sent an unwelcome jolt through my
body.
“Answer me, Little Moon,” he murmured.
The old nickname hit me like a physical blow. He hadn’t called me that since before my
imprisonment.
His face was close now, too close. I could smell the sweet, potent aroma of moon–blessed wine on his breath. His ice–blue eyes searched mine with an intensity that made my heart race
traitorously.
“Didn’t you like me before?” he asked, his voice a mixture of disbelief and accusation. “Have
you moved on so quickly?”
I strained away from him, desperate to escape both his proximity and the memories his words evoked. I wasn’t that girl anymore – the foolish young wolf who had loved him blindly, who had
believed in the possibility of a future together.
That girl had died in Moon Shadow Prison, her hopes burned away by silver chains.
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Chapter 192: A Wolf’s Bitter Me…
“Let go of me,” I demanded, my voice steadier than I felt.
Alexander didn’t release me. Instead, his grip tightened slightly, his white wolf’s aura enveloping us both like a physical presence.
“You haven’t answered my question,” he persisted, his voice a low murmur that sent unwanted
shivers down my spine. “Do you like him more, or do you like me more?”
He leaned closer, his face mere inches from mine. For one terrifying, exhilarating moment, I
thought he might kiss me. His eyes dropped to my lips, and despite everything – despite the
years of hurt, the betrayal, the abandonment – my traitorous body responded to his nearness.
Then a voice shattered the moment, high and alarmed.
“Alex!”
