Chapter 144: Chapter 144 

~ NYSSA

For what felt like hours, I just stood in the center of the room, staring at Rowan like he had grown a third head.

He did not rush me, didn’t ask any questions either, he just waited patiently for me to regain my composure and speak.

I was unsure of how to move forward. I could count on one hand the number of times someone had apologized to me when they were wrong or attempted to start over. Henry never did that; not even during the best days of our relationship.

“I don’t…” I trailed off with a sigh. “I want to go back.”

“I know that, and I would honestly prefer if you didn’t. That place holds a lot of bad memories and I would like it if we kept that locked away and hidden forever.” I opened my mouth to speak but he cut me off. “However, Aria has explained why, and even though I don’t agree with it, I understand.”

I blinked slowly. “What does that mean?”

“It means you can go.”

I scoffed, hands crossing over my chest. “Are you granting me permission now?”

He shook his head. “You don’t need my permission to do shit.”

“So that means I could walk out of this pack today and you would let me?”

His eyes flashed with anger and his jaw tightened. His hands balled into fists at his side and I watched his chest as he exhaled heavily. “You could try.”

To a normal person, that would have been a fucking red flag, but all it did was send a shockwave of arousal between my thighs. My mouth dried instantly and I forced my eyes away from him as my cheeks warmed.

“We’re getting off topic,” I murmured. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the corner of his lips quirk, just a little. “I want to go… today.”

“No.”

I threw my hands up in defeat. “I thought we just came to an agreement!”

“We did, but there are pack politics in place. We can’t just storm into the pack like we own it, especially not after I killed the last Alpha. They’re struggling to rebuild and it might look like a threat. I’m already in enough shit as is.”

My brows furrowed at his words.

He murmured the last sentence so softly that I was almost sure he never intended for me to hear it.

“What trouble?”

His spine went straight, his lips pursing into a thin line. “Don’t worry about it. You should have your breakfast, I’m sure there’s a lot of work for you to do at the office.”

He rose to his feet and headed straight for the door. He moved so fast that it wasn’t until he got to the door that I managed to get my legs to move. I rushed over, stepping between him and the door, my hand pressed up against his chest.

He glanced down at my hand, then back at my face.

“As much as I love your hands on me,” he began, voice low and scratchy enough that my cheeks warmed. “I have to return to work.”

He tried to gently move me to the side but I did not budge.

“What trouble?” I asked. “You can’t just say shit like that and act like nothing.”

“Honestly, Nyssa, don’t fucking worry—”

“If being mated to you is going to be like this, then I want no part of it.”

He fell silent at my words.

It was a low blow, I was well aware, but if it was the only way to get him to speak then so be it. I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life trying to force words out of another person. It was one sure way to get me to lose my fucking mind.

He sighed, shoulders sagging with resignation. “I got a letter from the council.”

“What council?”

“It’s a body of lycans and wolves that oversee everything happening with the kingdom. They are the only people I answer to. For the most part, they stay out of everyone’s business unless they see injustice. Then, they send a warning.”

“What injustice did they see? Did they send you a warning?”

“Not in so many words, no, they just wanted to let me know that they were watching.”

He shrugged as he spoke, attempting to display ease, but I saw right through his façade. It was clear that the letter unnerved him but I knew I wouldn’t be getting any more answers from him. I’d pushed enough as it was.

“Are you satisfied with my answers?” he asked, hands crossed over his chest.

I nodded slowly. “Yes, I… I’m sorry, all of that happened because of me.”

His eyes flashed. “Don’t blame yourself for shit. The bastard had it coming. He committed the one unforgivable thing… he took another male’s mate. Even the fucking council can’t overlook that.”

He seemed sure, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to it, more than he was letting on. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the full picture, so all I could do was nod tightly and agree.

“You should eat,” he said finally, gently guiding me out of the way. “I have to get ready for work.”

He pulled the door open and managed to take one step out before I stopped him.

He paused immediately, glancing over his shoulders to look at me. “Yes, Nyssa?”

“If something goes wrong, would you tell me?” He hesitated for a moment. “Don’t lie, I want the truth. If it were something about me… would you say it?”

“I would never lie to you.”

It was not the answer to my question, but it was an answer nonetheless, and it told me everything I needed to know.

I nodded. “Thank you for your honesty.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it at the last moment. With one final tip of his head in my direction, he walked out, shutting the door quietly behind him.

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