Zander’s POV.
I stepped closer, my eyes narrowing as I leaned in so her father couldn’t overhear the venom in my words. “You don’t have a choice in this, Aria. If you refuse to come back with me, I will make sure your perfect little world burns to the ground. I’ll tell your father everything, your pack, and the entire kingdom. They’ll all know the truth, the truth you’ve tried so hard to bury. I’ll tell them how you betrayed my brother Kael before his death, how you ran off with other men while pretending to mourn, how you’ve never been the pure, untouchable woman they think you are. I’ll make them believe you’re nothing but a liar, a disgrace, not even worthy of their loyalty.” My voice was low, deliberate, and dripping with malice, each word meant to hit her where it hurt the most.
Her eyes widened, her body stiffening as the weight of my threat hit her. For just a moment, her mask slipped, and I saw the shock, the pain, the disbelief flashing across her face. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a burning anger that turned her expression fierce. She leaned forward, her voice a sharp hiss. “You wouldn’t dare,” she spat, but the slight tremor in her words betrayed her uncertainty. I had struck a nerve, and she knew I was capable of following through.
“Try me,” I said, my tone colder than ice, my gaze unyielding. “You think your father’s pack will still look up to you, still respect you as their future Alpha, if they even suspect what I’ll tell them? You think your reputation could survive that kind of scandal? You don’t want that fight, Aria. You don’t want to drag both our packs into chaos over this. I don’t want a war either, but if you push me, if you make me, I will destroy your life to get what I want. You will come with me. You will be my wife, and you will play the role of the loving, respectful mate that everyone expects you to be. Do you understand me?” My voice didn’t waver, and I let the silence that followed weigh heavily between us.
Her hands trembled at her sides, her fingers curling into tight fists. I could see the storm raging inside her, the anger, the defiance, the flicker of doubt as she measured my words. For a moment, I wondered if she would fight back, if she would call my bluff and force my hand. But then her eyes shifted, glancing past me, locking on her father who stood watching from a distance. The fire in her gaze dimmed, the fight in her posture crumbled, and I saw resignation take its place. She looked back at me, her shoulders sagging ever so slightly, her voice so quiet I almost missed it. “Fine,” she said, the word cutting through the tension like a blade. “I’ll go with you.”
I nodded, stepping closer, my hand reaching out to take the suitcase she clutched so tightly. I didn’t give her a chance to change her mind. “Good,” I said firmly, my tone leaving no room for argument. “We’re leaving now.”
—
The flight to Thailand was suffocatingly silent, the kind of silence filled with unspoken words that pressed down on you like a weight. I sat across from her in the private jet, my eyes fixed on her while hers stayed locked on the window. She refused to meet my gaze, her posture stiff, her arms folded tightly across her chest as if to shield herself from me. The soft hum of the plane’s engines was the only sound between us, and even that felt too loud against the tension that lingered in the air.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. The tropical honeymoon I had planned, the luxurious resort, the picture-perfect beaches-it was all meant to be a facade. A show for the world, for our packs, to prove that we were strong, united, and happy. But looking at her now, her jaw clenched with anger and her eyes reflecting nothing but pain, I couldn’t help but feel the sting of failure creeping into my chest. I had won the battle to bring her back, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was losing the war for her heart.
She didn’t speak, didn’t so much as glance in my direction. Her silence was deafening, louder than any argument she could have thrown my way. I could feel the walls she had built between us, thick and unyielding, and I knew they wouldn’t be easy to tear down. But still, I wouldn’t let her go. I couldn’t let her go. She was mine, bound to me by a bond I refused to break, no matter how much she hated me for it.
I leaned back in my seat, my eyes never leaving her, even as she continued to ignore me. The tension between us was a storm waiting to break, and I knew it was only a matter of time before the walls came crashing down. But until then, I would wait. I had already gone this far, and I wasn’t about to back down now. She may hate me, she may fight me every step of the way, but she would be mine. She had no other choice.