Claire P. O. V
I pushed Ethan away from me, and it felt like I was trying to move a massive tree-heavy and totally zapping my energy.
“Can you just back off a bit?”
“Why should I?”
“Because you’re giving off way too many pheromones. It’s like drowning in a bucket of perfume I’m not a fan of.” I explained.
I even took a few steps back to keep his scent from mixing with Lucy’s. I don’t hate his pheromones since he’s my mate, but how they blend with She-Wolf’s scent is just not cool for us.
The mixed scent hit me hard, and I had to swallow. It was really uncomfortable to keep breathing it in. I even turned my face away from Ethan, secretly hoping he’d get mad and just walk away.
“Are you with Lucy? Why are you still here? Go meet her.” I spun around, trying to shake off this guy who was way too hard to resist.
No way. I could say no. I’d probably do it when I realized there was no reason for me to stick around with him, even if the moon goddess had other plans for us. The strength of our bond didn’t really matter.
Just as I turned back, Ethan grabbed my hand and pulled me around, leaving barely any space between us.
Being so close, I could smell his breath, which reeked of alcohol-warm but not pleasant, mixed with the scent of another She-Wolf. I tried to push Ethan away again, but he held on so tightly that I couldn’t break free this time.
“What do you really want?”
“You’re so stubborn. You should have a better idea of where you stand. Just listen and stop resisting.”
“Are you saying that by pushing back, you think you don’t want me and would rather have Lucy as your Luna without having to reject me and mess up your Alpha role?”
Ethan shook his head, dismissing my words as pointless. Then he pulled me closer by my arm.
“Lucy is part of my life. It doesn’t matter if you’re my destined mate or not.”
“If that’s the case, then why did you come to me when I was with Chen Lien?”
I shook my head, pushing back against Ethan’s command. “I don’t have a home, family, or cash, but I refuse to let you control me just because we’re fated mates.”
“You’re really stubborn, you know that?” Ethan was clearly frustrated. He released my hand and gave me a slight shove, making me stumble before I caught myself and bumped into the side of the bed.
“I’m not letting you out of this room until you see things my way. Use this time to think about where you went wrong,” he said as he locked the door behind him.
I shouldn’t have come here with him, I whispered to myself.
I took in my surroundings with a heavy sigh, realizing I was stuck in this place. On the second floor, I knew plenty of Wolf guards and Warriors lurking around the mansion, keeping watch without being seen.
“If I had never crossed paths with Ethan, maybe things would be different.”
I was huddled up on the edge of the bed, the room still carrying Ethan’s scent. His lingering pheromones made it hard to breathe.
I had no clue how long Ethan had kept me locked away in this room. The sun was nearly set, and all I got was some food, just enough to keep me alive, while I felt like a prisoner being tortured into confessing something. But what Ethan didn’t realize is that I was no stranger to this kind of treat.
Whenever Sister Alberta and the others headed out of town for mass, I was left behind, and that’s when Jane and Agatha would make my life miserable. They’d shove me into the back shed of the dorn, leaving me there for days without food or water. They’d only let me out briefly to clean the church, and then it was right back to the shed with just a stale biscuit to keep me company.
Did I cry during those times? Probably, but I made a point to keep it to myself. When Sister Alberta and the others returned to the dorm, they only saw me acting normal-no tears or complaints.
With nothing to do in that big, empty room, I’d just sit there, staring at the gardener working.
I thought about running away a few times. Jumping from that height wouldn’t have been hard, but I didn’t want to risk making Ethan even angrier. So, I just stayed put, gazing out the window all day, until I suddenly heard a knock.
I was caught off guard, and when I turned to see where the noise was coming from, Chen Lien was standing outside my window, looking a bit lost but smiling and waving at me.
I quickly jumped up, went over to him, and opened the window so he could enter.
“W-what are you doing here?” I blurted out, surprised by his unexpected visit.
“I’ve been searching for you all day! I thought you actually went to the forest again, but here you are,” he replied.
Wait, he’s been looking for me? Seriously?
“Did Ethan say something because you left with me yesterday?” Chen Lien asked, perching on the windowsill instead of stepping into the room.
I just smiled and nodded, saying, “Yeah.” Chen Lien sighed and shook his head, leaning against the window before speaking up.
“That’s pretty childish,” he said quietly.
“Isn’t that how all Alpha Packs are? They just do whatever it takes to get what they want.”
“What’s your take on all this?”
I shook my head. “I was just thinking that maybe Ethan isn’t so different from the Alpha in my old Pack. Self-centered and not really concerned about us.”
Chen Lien chuckled at my complaints, his dimples making him look more attractive. His long hair swayed with every little movement he made.
“You’re right. All Alphas tend to be selfish, stubborn, and full of themselves.”
“Isn’t this Alpha Pack is your buddy? You should watch what you say. He could get really mad.”
“Do I look like I care?” Chen Lien chuckled at the end. “Ethan isn’t my only business partner. Everyone’s after me because they see dollar signs, so losing Ethan won’t matter. There are tons of folks just like him waiting to earn my trust. But what about you?” He suddenly switched gears.
He flashed a cheerful grin, his eyes sparkling, and I felt like a happy puppy who just got a new toy.
“What’s that got to do with me?”
“Are you interested in joining the line behind people like Ethan to get in touch with me?” he asked.
This is rough. The closer I got to Chen Lien, the more I felt emotions I couldn’t quite understand. The way he talks, says my name, and smiles with his adorable dimples drives me a little wild.
“Hahaha… don’t mind the silly stuff I’m saying. I wanted to take you with me, but I figured Ethan had been in a bad mood since yesterday, so it’d be better to leave you here. Is that cool with you?”
“I-I’m not sure,” I said, my voice shaky. I looked down, trying to hide the craziness that bubbled inside me.
“Really? You might want to play it more submissive tonight, or else Ethan might keep you here longer than you’d like.
I raised my head and caught his smile. “Is he showing up tonight?”
“Yeah, I didn’t get to chat with him much today. We were out, and I saw him take out many people yesterday afternoon. I just want you to be safe and-”
Chen Lien stopped mid-sentence when we heard the door creak open from outside. He quickly shushed me and jumped down, urging me to lock the door and keep my distance from the window as we figured out who had arrived and opened our room door.