Calvin’s POV
I barely had time to brace myself before Orion reached me.
The Alpha of the Blue Bell Pack stood tall, his presence radiating the quiet confidence of a man who knew his power and never needed to flaunt it. His piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, sharp as a blade, dissecting me before I could even open my mouth.
Then, he leaned in, his voice a low whisper, yet carrying the unmistakable weight of a command.
“Follow me.”
Fenrir bristled instantly, hackles raised, a snarl building in the back of my mind.
“He dares to command us?” Fenrir growled, his rage pulsing through me. “Who does he think he is?”
I clenched my jaw. An Alpha who has every advantage in this territory, I reminded him. This isn’t our land, Fenrir. This isn’t our fight.
“We should challenge him!”
“And accomplish what? Getting thrown in a cell?” I snapped back. We came here for an alliance. Not a fight.
Fenrir let out a guttural snarl but grudgingly retreated into the depths of my mind.
Without a word, I followed Orion.
***
His office was spacious but minimalistic-designed more for efficiency than grandeur. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with ledgers and documents, not a single item out of place. A single window let in the moonlight, casting shadows against the wooden floors.
Orion strode behind his desk, settling into his chair with a regal ease. I didn’t wait for an invitation. I sat down across from him, meeting his gaze head-on.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then, Orion exhaled slowly, tilting his head slightly. “You’ve got some nerve coming here, Calvin.”
I expected hostility, but his tone wasn’t angry. It was worse. It was disappointed.
“Did you think you could walk into my Pack, act like you belong here, and no one would call you out for what you are?” Orion leaned forward, his hands clasped together on the desk. “Do you take me for a fool?”
I exhaled, already exhausted from this conversation before it had even truly begun. “I didn’t come here for trouble.”
“No, you didn’t,” he agreed, his gaze darkening. “You came here for trade. For resources. And yet, the moment you saw Kamrynn, all of that was forgotten, wasn’t it?”
My hands curled into fists. “She-”
“She what?” Orion interrupted. “Refused to forgive you? Denied you access to her children? And somehow, you are the victim here?”
I inhaled sharply, my temper flaring before I forced it down. “That’s not what I’m saying.”
“Then what are you saying?” Orion’s voice was quiet, yet filled with steel. “Because from where I’m sitting, all I see is an Alpha who committed unspeakable acts against an innocent woman and now expects the world to hand him redemption on a silver platter.”
I flinched at his words, but before I could respond, he continued.
“I have no tolerance for abusers, Calvin,” Orion stated. “Especially those who use their strength against the people they should be protecting. You had a responsibility to Kamrynn. And you failed.”
I inhaled sharply, the sting of his words hitting exactly where I had spent months trying to ignore. “I know,” I admitted. “I know I failed her.”
Orion narrowed his eyes. “Do you?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I was blinded by my grief. By my anger. When Sherelle died-”
“You didn’t think,” Orion finished coldly. “You didn’t investigate. You took the easy path.”
I clenched my fists. “I know that now.”
He scoffed. “Do you? Because if you truly loved your deceased mate as much as you claim, you would have done everything in your power to find out the truth. You would have searched, dug deeper, questioned every lead. Instead, you chose a scapegoat.”
The words burned, but I didn’t deny them. “I regret it,” I said quietly. “More than anything.”
Orion leaned back in his chair, studying me like I was something to be examined. “Regret is easy,” he said finally. “Guilt is easy. It’s change that’s difficult. Tell me, Calvin-have you truly changed?”
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “I don’t know if I can ever undo the damage I’ve caused,” I admitted. “But I do know that I would give anything-anything-to take it all back. To make things right.”
Orion tilted his head slightly. “And yet, Kamrynn doesn’t want that.”
His words cut deeper than I expected.
I knew it was true. I had known it from the moment she looked me in the eyes with nothing but hatred. But hearing it spoken out loud, so plainly, so final-
It felt like the last nail in my coffin.
I exhaled shakily. “I know.”
Orion nodded slowly. “Then keep your silly apology to yourself, because I don’t want to hear it. And quite frankly, neither does she.”
I flinched at the sharpness in his voice.
But he wasn’t done.
“If you weren’t an Alpha,” Orion continued, his voice dark, “you would be rotting in my dungeons right now. Because if it were up to me, Calvin, I’d ensure you received the punishment you deserve for what you did to her.”
I forced myself to stay still, to keep my breathing steady. I had no right to fight back. Not against this.
Not when he was right.
Not when I deserved it.
Finally, Orion let out a slow breath, leaning back in his chair. “You’re going to leave,” he said. “Immediately. And you will never return.”
My entire body tensed.
“Orion-”
His eyes flashed dangerously. “No.” His voice was absolute. “This is not a negotiation. If you do not leave, I will be forced to drop all courtesy and treat you like the criminal you are.”
I sucked in a sharp breath.
For a long moment, there was only silence between us.
Then, finally, I nodded.
Because it seemed like there was nothing left to say.
Orion had made himself clear.
And Kamrynn had already made her decision.
I had lost her.
But I’m not about to make the same mistake twice. I can’t let her go, not this time.