Elle’s POV
I woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a truck, but at least my five month belly wasn’t actively trying to kill me for once. The morning light streaming through the cabin window caught the curves of my obviously pregnant silhouette, and I couldn’t help but run my hand over the bump. Five months. Sometimes it still felt surreal.
When I opened the cabin door, I found Sophia and Abigail standing in the hallway, both looking refreshed and ready for the day. Sophia wore linen–colored pants and a black T–shirt, her silver–gray hair flowing like moonlight over her shoulders. Abigail had chosen a white gauze dress with a denim jacket, looking effortlessly elegant as always.
“How are you both feeling?” I asked, automatically checking the area where Sophia’s wrists had been scratched last night. “Those marks healing okay?”
Sophia flexed her hands with a slight smile. “Completely healed.”
“That’s so unfair,” Abigail said with a mock pout. “If someone had tied me up in a closet, I’d be sporting bruises for weeks.”
I studied both their faces, noting something different in the dynamic between them. The sharp tension that had always existed was… softer somehow. Not
gone entirely, but definitely reduced. Like they’d found some common ground in their shared frustration with manipulative Alphas.
“I’m glad you two seem more comfortable with each other,” I said carefully. “It makes things easier for all of us.
Sophia’s expression grew thoughtful. “We discovered we have more in common than we initially thought
“Mutual trauma bonding,” Abigail added dryly. “Nothing brings people together like comparing notes on Alpha stupidity.”
I laughed, feeling lighter than I had in days. “Well, whatever works. Ready to go see some fish?”
The ship’s Ocean Center, a viewing chamber was absolutely breathtaking. We descended into a massive room with 270–degree transparent walls and even transparent flooring. Schools of fish swam beneath our feet while larger marine life glided past the curved glass walls around us.
The chamber was already filled with other visitors–a mix of humans and werewolves, all equally mesmerized by the aquatic display. Kids pressed their faces against the glass, pointing excitedly at colorful tropical fish, while their parents snapped photos.
“This is incredible,‘ I breathed, watching a sea turtle slowly paddle past. ‘I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“The engineering alone must have cost millions,‘ Abigail said, ever practical.
Sophia was standing near one of the main viewing panels, completely absorbed in watching a school of silver fish swirl in complicated patterns. She looked peaceful for the first time since I’d known her, the stress lines around her eyes softened by wonder.
Suddenly, a massive shark appeared from the murky depths and slammed against the glass directly in front of her. Sophia jumped back with a small shriek, stumbling into Abigail.
‘Holy shit! Sophia gasped, her hand pressed to her chest.
Abigail and I burst into laughter. “The mighty Beta werewolf, terrified of a fish, I teased.
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“That wasn’t a fish, that was a sea monster! Sophia protested, but she was laughing too. And it came out of nowheret
I’m definitely getting that on video next time,” Abigail said, still giggling.
Our laughter was interrupted by a familiar voice cutting through the peaceful atmosphere of the viewing chamber.
“How dare you!
Everyone in the chamber immediately tensed. I turned to see Lester Harrison striding toward us, his face dark with fury, Alpha pressure radiating from him
in waves that made even the human visitors uncomfortable.
He grabbed Sophia’s shoulder, his fingers digging in as his amber eyes blazed with authority. The casual, relaxed Sophia from moments before vanished,
replaced by the wary Beta I’d become accustomed to seeing around other Alphas.
“You two should go look at the other exhibits,” Sophia said quietly, not taking her eyes off Lester. “I need to have a conversation with him.”
“Sophia-” I started, concerned.
“It’s fine, Elle. This won’t take long. Her voice was steady, but I could see the tension in her shoulders.
Abigail tugged on my arm gently. “Come on. Let’s give them space, but we’ll stay close.”
Reluctantly, I allowed Abigail to lead me toward another section of the viewing chamber, but we didn’t go far. Close enough to intervene if things got out of hand, but far enough to give them the illusion of privacy.
Sophia’s POV
“How dare you renounce the pack!” Lester snarled, his grip tightening on my shoulder. “You think you can just walk away from your responsibilities?”
I carefully removed his hand from my shoulder, noting how his touch no longer sent the familiar flutter through my chest. When had that stopped? When had I stopped responding to him like a lovesick puppy?
‘I don’t think an Alpha who’s betrayed me and kidnapped me for his beloved still deserves my service, I said calmly.
His face flushed with anger. “That wasn’t intentional! You know I never meant for things to go that far!”
“Oh, but it was intentional,” I replied, surprised by how steady my voice sounded. “Every choice you made was deliberate. You chose Mira over me.”
‘Sophia, you’re being unreasonable-‘
“Am I?” I cut him off, feeling years of suppressed frustration finally breaking free. “Tell me, Lester, when you decided to help Mira, did you think about what it would do to me? Did you consider that maybe, just maybe, your Beta deserved better than being treated like that?”
He opened his mouth to respond, but I wasn’t finished.
‘From today forward, Lester Harrison and I have no pack relationship.” The words came out clear and final, echoing off the glass walls around us.
The Alpha rage that erupted from him was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. The temperature in the chamber seemed to drop, and I could see other visitors backing away, their faces pale with instinctive fear.
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‘Sophia, you will not get my approval to leave!” His voice carried the full weight of Alpha command. As long as you’re alive, you can’t leave met
But instead of submitting, I felt something crack open inside my chest. Not breaking–opening. Like I’d been holding my breath for years and could finally
exhale.
“I’m sorry, but I refuse,” I said, and the words felt like freedom.
His eyes widened in shock. I don’t think anyone had ever directly refused his Alpha command before.
That’s when I caught sight of her–Mira, lurking near the entrance, watching our confrontation with barely concealed satisfaction. Of course. Of course she was here, probably enjoying every moment of my humiliation.
Alpha Lester takes his beloved everywhere he goes,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Such deep affection!”
I turned to walk away, but his roar of rage followed me.
“You think you can just walk away?”
I paused, looking back at him over my shoulder. For a moment, I saw not the powerful Alpha who had dominated my world, but a man who was genuinely panicked at the thought of losing control.
“I’d rather be alone than be with someone who sees me as disposable,” I said quietly.
“Sophia!” He called after me, but I didn’t stop.
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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.
