Chapter 76
ACE’S POV
#55 vouchers
“I’ve been meaning to ask,” she said. “What’s your relationship with Gavin? He wanted me there that night at the arena because he wanted me to see you two fight. How do you know each other?” I sucked in a deep breath, my chest constricting. Tell her the truth or lie, either way, Gavin would tell her everything someday.
“Gavin and I are cousins,” I said, fighting with myself. “We grew up together in the pack. He left after his father died.”
She nodded slowly at first, and then it looked like something clicked in her mind and she sharply turned her head to face me. She stood up so fast the bench scraped softly beneath her. “Wait,” she said, turning fully to face me. “Let me get this straight. You and Gavin are cousins. You lived in the same pack. And he knew me when I was younger.”
Her eyes flashed with hope while mine was beating loudly with fear, she was piecing things together and it wasn’t good. She can’t find out the truth. “My dad also said he found me at the bottom of the cliff, close to the borders of your pack,” she went on, her voice trembling just a little. “Was I a member of the Brown League pack?”
“No!” I almost screamed. Her brows lifted. “No… I mean…” I dragged a hand through my hair and looked away for a second, buying myself time. My jaw tightened before I forced it to relax. I let out a slow breath through my nose and faced her again, keeping my expression neutral. “Gavin left Brown League pack a long time ago,” I was calmer now. “He’s moved through different packs. Different territories. He’s been to a lot of places.” I slipped my hands into my pockets so she wouldn’t notice how stiff they’d gone. “If he knew you, it could’ve been from anywhere he stayed.”
“You’ve become such a good liar,” Arix muttered in my head. I pushed him down before he could say more.
“And about Alpha Marcus finding you close to our borders, down the cliff…” My throat clogged around those words. I shrugged lightly. “Anything could have happened. People pass through borders all the time.” I hated how easy the lies came. And I hated even more that she was listening.
A familiar heat crawled up my neck. It always happened when I lied. My jaw locked, teeth pressing together until it hurt. My fingers curled slowly, my nails biting into my palm, until a sharp sting grounded me. I welcomed it. The harsh pain was easier than the truth sitting on my tongue.
How do I tell the woman I’m madly in love with that I broke her and was the cause of her accident? That I rejected her, banished her, and pushed her out of the pack like she meant nothing? I punished her in the worst way possible. And in doing that, I gave a psychopath the chance to get to her, to throw her down that cliff and leave her close to death. My fingers dug deeper into my palm.
She spoke again. “Sorry I asked, there’s a lot going on in my head. I just needed clarity.” Her hands rested on her lap, her fingers fidgeting. “It hasn’t been easy living without my memories for six years. The dreams are horrible. I keep wondering. didn’t I have parents? Siblings? Why was I always physically and mentally abused?”
I swallowed, my throat felt dry. I couldn’t look at her for a second, so I focused on the ground, on my bloodied palm, then wiped it against my jeans before lifting my head.
“I have no idea,” I said, biting my lip to control the emotions surging within me.
“Did my mate bully me too?” Her voice dropped. “Did he also call me Ugly Duckling?” She paused, breathing unevenly. “That voice recording… he was calling me names but…” She shook her head hard, like she could force the thoughts out. “Was he aware I was pregnant when he rejected me?”
Her hand flew to her head. She winced, fingers pressing into her temple as if something sharp had split open inside her skull. Her knees wobbled. My arms wrapped around her before she could fall, pulling her against my chest. One hand cradled the back of her head, the other steady on her waist, holding her still “Easy,” I murmured, keeping her close until her breathing started to settle.
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and thers who to Walay n**
don tract in the city W pirkt tam up homme par with the friends and bardaligie dinner at a rearrand Histban duns Thantly read the boat my bobet prompting For when the rare in my life er heroe Fm m willing to low for again Hallym ter bow the loud an ameday Ben before that happens. I want to give us something at Meme tam billet with pam It won’t erase who I did to her in the past, but this is the only thing! have bekly unly shot at redemption
Bestempation and lies don’t belong in the same category Arte grunded
“You know what will happen if I tell her the muth” I replied in my head “She’ll walk away And you’ll lose your mate un
pojma
“You’re cheap he enapped felt him moving reales inside me He always parent when he was unsculed “Trying in drag me in your mess when you re
For now! Arte replied “Tinnil it brknes
He went quiet after then, leaving me alone to fare my reality
Before leaving the restaurant, I made me thenlone understood one thing, that she is the only woman for me 1 les dur in the way I looked at her, in the way I touched her hand as the table. I’m going to keep saying it, proving I’ve fallen
deeply for her to pretend otherwise. The festival preparations were onging in a few days, it would all be over
I dove straight to my penthouse. The moment I stepped inside, 1 loosened my tie and poured myself a drink, bus 1 dider get the chance take a sip before the door opened again
Damien walked in a few seconds later, his brows drawn together, confusion written all over his face
You sent the Luna divorce papers?” he asked in bewilderment, staring at me like I’d lost my mind “What were you
I wed off my wristwatch and dropped it on the table before answering him “It’s long overdue: I took a sip of my drink “She knew this was coming
“Yes, but you said after the festival, Damien shot back. “You just caused chaos. The elders want a meeting Your dad is furious They’ve all been looking for you”
I had already made up my mind I had my lawyer draft the divorce papers and send them to Moon I made sure the gut a large sentement. More than she deserved. Money she never worked for and had no real right to After everything. I will made sure she would walk away comfortably
1 just didn’t expect the elders and my father to walk in with the most ridiculous condition. One where Hose everything if t don’t withdraw the divorce papers and pretend none of this happened
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