Elle’s POV
I couldn’t stop staring at the fresh bandage wrapped around Brad’s forearm as he sat on the edge of my bed. The sight of it made my chest tight with guilt and something else I didn’t want to name.
For the first time since I’d been staying at the Rayne estate, I let he followed me into my room. How could I? He’d literally taken a knife for me. The least I could do was let him sit down without a fight.
“Let me check it,” I said softly, reaching for his injured arm.
Brad went very still as my fingers reached for the bandage, but before I could touch it, he gently caught my
wrist with his good hand.
“Don’t,” he said softly, pulling my hand away. “It’s still tender.”
I looked at him suspiciously. Knowing werewolf healing abilities, I had a sneaking suspicion that his “injury” might already be mostly healed.
Is he really milking this for sympathy again? I thought, noting how quickly he’d moved to stop me from examining the wound. But seeing the genuine concern in his amber eyes as he watched my reaction, I decided to let him have his little performance.
“Does it hurt?” I asked, playing along.
His eyes went soft. “Not when you’re touching it.”
I rolled my eyes despite myself. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Elle.” His voice was gentle but serious. “Don’t do that anymore, okay? Don’t put yourself in danger like
that.”
“Me?” I looked up at him incredulously. “You’re the one who jumped in front of a knife! What were you
thinking?”
“I was thinking that if anything happened to you or our baby, I’d lose my fucking mind.” His jaw clenched. “And I was right to worry. Ivy used you as a human shield.”
The reminder made me wince. “I should have seen it coming. I was so stupid-”
“You weren’t stupid. You were kind. There’s a difference Brad’s uninjured hand came up to cup my cheek.
“But Elle, please. Promise me you won’t do something like that again. My wolf can’t handle seeing you in
danger.”
“But you know what?” He continued, his lips twitching with barely suppressed amusement. “Saving my mate was worth every bit of pain. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
The words sent a jolt through me that I tried to ignore. You’re being ridiculous again.”
“Maybe. But I’m your ridiculous Alpha.” Brad’s expression grew serious as he gently pulled me closer, positioning me so I was sitting directly in front of him. Elle, can we talk? Really talk, this time? No running away, no interruptions, no Mira dramatics?”
The mention of Mira’s name made something cold settle in my stomach, but I nodded. After everything that had happened tonight, maybe it was time. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Everything. My past, my family, what happened with Mira…” He paused, his thumb tracing along my
cheekbone. “What you mean to me.”
I felt my breath catch. “Okay.”
Brad seemed surprised by my easy agreement. “Just like that?”
“You got stabbed for me tonight,” I said quietly. “I think that earns you the right to a conversation.”
Something warm and grateful flickered across his features. “Thank you.”
He was quiet for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts, then he began.
“I need you to understand something about how I grew up, Elle. Being the heir to a Alpha family… it’s not like being born into wealth. It’s more like being born into a cage made of expectations and
responsibilities.”
I settled more comfortably on the bed, recognizing this was going to be a long story.
“I was an arrogant little shit when I was younger,” Brad continued with a rueful smile. “Alpha genetics made me bigger, stronger, faster than most werewolves my age. I thought I was invincible. Untouchable.”
“What changed?” I asked softly.
His expression darkened. “Life. Reality. The fact that being an Alpha means everyone you care about
becomes a target.”
Brad ran his good hand through his dark hair, and I noticed the slight tremor in his fingers. Whatever he was about to tell me wasn’t easy for him.
“When I was twenty, I started dating Mira Collins. She was sixteen, from the Frostclaw Pack in Canada. Our
families had been allies for generations, and everyone expected us to eventually become mates to
strengthen the alliance.”
My heart clenched painfully, but I forced myself to stay quiet. He’d promised to explain everything, and I
needed to let him.
“It wasn’t political at first,” Brad continued, his voice carefully neutral. “I genuinely cared about her. She was my first real girlfriend, my first… everything. We were together for two years, and I thought we’d be
together forever.”
“You know what happened next. And while I was busy chasing ghosts, my family fell apart.”
The raw pain in his voice made me reach out instinctively, covering his uninjured hand with both of mine.
“What do you mean?”
“There was an attack on our territory during a full moon gathering. A rival pack had been planning it for months, waiting for when our guard was down.” Brad’s eyes went distant, like he was seeing it all over again. “My father… he went missing that night. We never found his body. My mother tried to save me when the fighting reached our location, and she took a hit that damaged her spine in wolf form. She can’t shift
properly anymore.”
“Oh, Brad…” I breathed, squeezing his hand tighter.
“The only reason I survived unscathed was because of my pure Alpha bloodline. I was stronger, healed faster. But watching my parents…” He shook his head. That’s when I realized that being an Alpha isn’t about power. It’s about protecting the people who depend on you, even when it costs you everything.”
I was starting to understand why Brad had changed so much from the arrogant young man he’d described.
“How old were you?”
“Twenty–two. Old enough to take over pack leadership, but young enough to make a lot of fucking mistakes while I figured it out.” Brad’s mouth twisted into a bitter smile. “My grandmother Elizabeth stepped in to help, but the other pack members weren’t exactly thrilled about having such a young Alpha. I had to prove myself by being harder, stronger, more ruthless than any of them.”
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
