Chapter 60
ACE’S POV
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I took Charlotte home in her car. I wasn’t going to let her drive, not in the state she was in. When we got to the house, she didn’t say a word to me. She stepped out and headed straight for the door like I wasn’t even there. I followed her quickly and caught her before she could reach it, pulling her into my arms. Her body crashed into mine and a soft gasp left her lips. I wrapped a protective arm around the small of her waist, holding her firmly. I hooked a finger under her chin and lifted her face so she had no choice but to look into my eyes. She looked small compared to my height, and I loved how warm her body felt against mine.
“What was your response to his proposal?” I asked quietly. She hadn’t told me what she said to Gavin, and not knowing was eating me alive.
“I didn’t reply,” she said. “It was too sudden. I barely know him and he’s already talking about marriage.” She shook her head, like the whole thing still didn’t make sense to her.
Her answer didn’t ease anything inside me. I wanted to hear that she shut him down completely. I wanted certainty.
“And if he asks again,” I said, my voice tight, my wolf stirring violently, “would you accept?”
“It’s none of your business what I tell him or whether I accept to marry him. I don’t see why you’re pushing it,” she said through clenched teeth. She tried to break free from my hold but I tightened my arms around her waist.
Call me selfish, I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to let Gavin force his way into her life or give her space to even consider it. Somewhere along the way, I had fallen too deep. Charlotte wasn’t just someone I wanted anymore, she had become my life. Her and Liam. Having them around me made everything feel right, and the thought of losing them scared me more than I wanted to admit.
“I’m not perfect, Charlotte. I’ve done a lot of wrong things. I’ve made mistakes I can’t erase, mistakes I’m still paying for. The man you saw in that arena that night… that’s the part of me I’ve been trying to keep away from you.” My voice lowered. “I’m still fighting that side of me. Every day. And I need you to know that I’m trying.”
I cupped her beautiful face, my thumb brushing her cheek in a slow, careful touch. My eyes dropped to her soft inviting lips and I wanted to kiss it again so bad. “When you told me to stay away, I tried. I kept my distance, held myself back, even when it felt like it was tearing me apart.” I looked back into her eyes. “But I couldn’t do it. I don’t know how to stay away from you. I don’t know how to stop needing you.” I was vulnerable, letting her see everything sitting in my eyes, the fear, the regret, the want. “I’m trying, Charlotte, I don’t know how to be better overnight, but I’m trying.”
“I know I’m selfish but please don’t push me away. I know I can be fixed, I’m not totally lost or damaged. You’re my redemption, the reason I still breathe. When everything feels dark, you’re the only thing that keeps me standing. Please give me a chance to prove that I can be better, not with words but with my actions. I promise this is all there is to me.”
“Ace…” tears slipped from her eyes and I wiped them off. They kept coming, and I kissed them away slowly.
“Please let me show you that I can be better,” I said again, my voice almost breaking.
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Chapter 60
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Charlotte didn’t say anything for a few minutes, just staring at me like she was fighting something inside her. Then she pulled my head down‘ and smashed her lips to mine in a hungry kiss. My wolf danced in my head. I wasn’t expecting her to initiate the kiss, she never does.
She pulled away from me and said, “Okay.”
A huge smile stretched across my lips. “Okay… okay?” I asked, my head already bouncing with happiness. She finally gave me a chance to prove myself. I would show her every single day how much she means to me.
Earlier, I had called Roman to send one of his men to pick up my car from the gym. My new driver was already waiting to take me back to the pack.
When I got to the pack house, Damien met me at the entrance and told me that Elder Gaius was waiting for me in the living room. He would have told me through the mind link but he didn’t. The pack house was always busy, but today felt extra. It was more crowded than usual. I noticed unfamiliar faces moving around.
“What’s going on here?” I asked Damien, who had been walking quietly behind me. He had been unusually silent ever since he played that voice recording in my office.
“They’re Gavin’s people,” Elder Gaius said before Damien could reply, drawing my attention to him. “Gavin moved into the Alpha villa today. I’m sorry for coming without prior notice.”
I frowned. “Why is he suddenly moving in? Doesn’t he have a clan or something?”
“He does,” Elder Gaius replied, “but he says he wants to live here for now. He is also of the Alpha’s blood and has every right to stay in this pack.” He took a few steps closer to me. “He lost the fight, so he intends to keep his word. He will help flush out the Rougarous and destroy them as planned.”
“Is that all?” I asked sharply. I was already tired of hearing Gavin’s name.
“There are a few more things,” he continued calmly. “The two elders are asking for mercy. They want you to show clemency and give them another chance. If you banish them, they won’t survive.”
“Elder Gaius,” I said coldly, “those men questioned my strength and authority. They dared me. They will receive their full punishment. I just haven’t made time for them yet.”
He nodded, understanding. “The Moon Ascension festival is approaching faster than expected. You must do what is required of you as Alpha. You will mark and mate your Luna that day. And the pack is also expecting that you will get her pregnant that same night.”
“Excuse you?” I snapped, my tone turning cold.
“I apologize for being direct,” Elder Gaius said, not backing down, “but there has never been an Alpha in our history who refused to mark his Luna or give her a pup. You cannot make that choice simply because you want to. It threatens your position as Alpha.” He paused before adding, “There is an old law meant for rare situations like this. An Alpha who refuses to mate and mark his Luna will lose his position as the Alpha.” He looked at me carefully. “It is worse now because Gavin is here, and he is ready.”
“We’re back to talking about Gavin again,” I said flatly.
“This isn’t about preference,” he replied. “You’re the only Alpha we’ve known for years. You never had real competition for the Alpha King’s throne because Gavin showed no interest. Now he’s back, and he wants it
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Chapter 60
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all.” He exhaled slowly. “He is of royal blood, just like you. We don’t know how the Moon Goddess will decide this time, but the bloodline has always mattered. So has proving that you are worthy of the throne.”
“If I’m following this right, then it also means that Gavin needs a mate and a pup too if he’s to fit in.”
“You’re right,” Elder Gaius replied. “Gavin lost his mate years ago. But he has declared that he’s in love with another woman now, and we have every reason to believe she’s his second–chance mate. She’s a skilled medical doctor, I think.”
Gavin. That bastard. He was doing everything possible to take Charlotte from me, from every angle. I won’t let that happen.
Elder Gaius excused himself and left. The room suddenly felt too quiet. Damien turned and started walking away too, but I called him back.
He stopped and faced me, his expression cold. “Did I do something wrong? Why haven’t you been talking to me or replying to anything I’ve said?”
“Do you really not know?” I wasn’t sure earlier but I am now. He was pissed over what he heard on that phone. I could see the disappointment in his eyes.
“You look disappointed in me,” I stated calmly.
I am.” He replied not wanting to talk to me further.
“Before I was your Alpha, we were best friends, tell me what you feel.”
“Do you really want to hear it? Because I’m not going to hold anything back.” I nodded as he started.
“Everyone still believes that Moon is your fated mate. That’s why the elders keep pushing you to mark her. In the beginning, we all believed it too, until we found out she wasn’t. I’ve heard stories of Alphas rejecting their true mates for stupid reasons, but I never imagined you would become one of them. Who rejects his mate, takes her innocence, and then gets engaged to her half sister the next day?”
He paused, his jaw tight. “You knew how her family treated her, yet you stood there and watched. Yes, you bought her gifts sometimes. You sent me to drop them off. You defended her when things got too bad. But she never saw any of that. You had no idea what she truly went through. It wasn’t just boys bullying her in school while you fought them off. It was much deeper than that. Kathryn was the only one who truly stayed by her side.”
He took a deep breath, like the next part hurt him to say.
“There was a time when it all became too much for her. She tried to run away from the pack. She didn’t even make it far before her father caught her. He locked her in the dark basement, whipped her, starved her, denied her food and water. The same thing you later did to her for a crime she might not have even committed. Moon would go down there, whip her with silver chains, then come running back to you, acting like she couldn’t hurt a fly. I tried to tell you about it, but the moment I mentioned Charlotte’s name, you shut me down. You didn’t care back then.” He looked straight at me. “Now you care. It’s obvious you’re madly in love with her. But tell me, Ace… do you truly believe you deserve her?”
His words sliced into my heart like a dagger. Everything I had pushed aside came crashing back at once. I felt sick knowing that I was the one who broke her and walked away like it meant nothing.
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A110
Chapter 60
“You don’t think I deserve her?” I asked, my voice strained, barely holding together.
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“You already know the answer to that,” he replied. “You didn’t believe she deserved your love in the beginning. She was never your first choice.”
A tear slipped from my eye before I could stop it. Hearing the truth spoken out loud hurt more than any wound I had ever taken. Forever wouldn’t be enough to repay the pain I caused her. And the worst part was knowing that if it wasn’t for the curse, I might never have gone looking for her at all.
“I can’t leave her, Damien,” I said quietly. “You know that.”
“Then, at least tell her the truth,” Damien said. “What happens if she gets her memories back? What if she remembers everything, that you’ve been lying to her all this time, you caused her so much pain, you’re the father of the child she’s been searching the world for? She would never forgive you, Ace.”
He paused, letting the words sink in. “And with Gavin pressing so hard, she might get her memories back faster than we thought. You need to be ready for that.”
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.
