Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Reuben

“How dare you call my children bas tar ds?!” I struck Bix with so much force and violence, it was as if he were one of my sworn enemies.

Bix had always possessed an eccentric personality, a foul mouth, and a penchant for bold actions, but labeling my children ba st ards had crossed every line. In that moment, my wolf took control, overriding the knowledge that Bix was one of my closest friends.

Amidst Ella’s fearful scream, Willow shot me a startled look as Wyatt and Lori rushed back to her. Willow instinctively pulled them close, covering both of their ears. When our eyes met, I noticed her eyes were slightly red. The word ‘bas ta rd’ seemed to affect her more profoundly than it did me. It became apparent that she had faced similar situations before, where people derogatorily referred to Wyatt and Lori as ba st ards.

I clenched my fists at my sides as I stared into Willow’s slightly watery eyes. Anger welled up inside me, directed not only at Bix but at myself as well for not being there for Willow during those challenging times. Our emotions intertwined through the mate bond and I felt every emotion she harbored in her heart. I noticed her eyes change. when she sensed my hatred for myself.

She began to turn away from me, prepared to usher Wyatt and Lori to safety, when Oran, who had been absent until then, arrived in a flash.

“What’s going on here?” His wide eyes first fell on Bix, whose face bore evident injuries and bleeding. Bix’s mind had gone blank with my attack and he was struggling to comprehend the scene around him. From there Oran shifted his focus to my office broken wall and my bleeding fist, locking eyes with my wolf’s dark expression.

Without needing an explanation, he pieced together the situation. “Bix, what the heck did you do?” His voice was a growl.

Bix coughed a few times, struggling to find his voice. “Oran… did they are Reuben and Willow’s children?”

you… did you know

Oran’s eyes widened in realization, understanding the root of this violent altercation.

“F ucking shut your mouth if you don’t want to die!” Oran forcefully silenced Bix with. his words, gripping his collar, and dragging him away. “Ella, you’re coming with me,” Oran firmly commanded, addressing the woman whose wide brown eyes were fixed on Wyatt and Lori as if she’d seen a ghost.

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Chapter 19

“Willow… how…” Ella’s pale face held questions about Willow’s pregnancy from six years ago. The curiosity was evident, but Willow pressed her hands against her children’s ears, shielding them from Ella’s impending inquiries.

Dex growled in my mind at the look Ella had been giving my children and my mate, “They’re mine, that’s all outsiders need to know,” I interrupted firmly, cutting off Ella’s line of questioning.

“Outsiders…” She gazed at me in disbelief, incredulous but I couldn’t care less.

Disregarding her, I turned to Oran. “Oran, mind-link the omegas incharge of the kitchen and get food ready. Wyatt and Lori need to eat.”

“Okay,” Oran nodded. I moved closer to Willow and lifted Wyatt and Lori into my arms. and then grabbed her hand.

“Let’s go,” I whispered. She looked from my hand then back to me. Her eyes held a mix of emotions as I held her hand and ushered her and our children out, ignoring the others in the room. She followed me down the stairs without any protest or trying to get free from my grip on her hand.

I felt Wyatt and Lori’s gaze on my face all the way. I looked at them and smiled.

“Did daddy scare you two?” I softly asked, realizing that I had unintentionally frightened their innocent minds.

“No, daddy! You’re really cool when you half-shift!” Wyatt’s childish voice brimmed. with excitement, his green eyes sparkling with surprise and admiration as he finally broke his silence. So they were not actually scared back there? My children knew when and where to speak, showing their sensible nature.

“Yeah, daddy, you were like a prince charming fighting for your princess!” Lori giggled.

I couldn’t help but laugh at Lori’s comparison of me to a prince charming for Willow. “My children have better sense than some people,” I remarked, glancing at the she-wolf walking beside me.

Willow caught the meaning behind my words and pulled her hand back right away, “Yes, that’s what they call an innocent mind. They can’t see the devil hidden behind the mask of prince charming,” she commented, heading to the dining table ahead of us.

Wyatt and Lori hopped down from my arms and settled onto the chairs that the Omega had just pulled out for them after serving the food. I turned to respond to Willow, admitting. “True, I’m a devil behind a prince charming mask.” Placing my hand.

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on the back of her chair, I continued, “I’m the worst, and I don’t regret it. It’s just that some people don’t understand me.”

Willow looked up at my eyes that were full of sincerity but suddenly as if she recalled something her eyes grew emotionless as she stated, “Even your fiance doesn’t understand you?” My eyes instantly went blank when I heard her using the word fiance. “You used my children and the Wade Moon Pack to drag me back here in order to complete a rejection. A rejection that you can’t marry her without. So how is it that your fiance doesn’t understand you?” Her words were laced with venom meant just for me.

I knew that once this particular bit of information was known to Willow, she would hate me more than ever. That was why I had hidden it in the first place. I wanted to reveal it to her myself once everything had been started going well between us but Bix and Ella showed up out of blue f ucking with my plan.

Being paired with another she-wolf by Willow caused Dex to growl in my mind. “Willow, let me clear something up for you,” I dug my nails into the chair, leaned down. towards her face, and whispered, “There is nothing between Ella and I. We are engaged. only on paper,

There was a sudden change in Willow’s eyes after hearing that statement. “On paper? How?”

My heart tingled when she was finally ready to listen to me, “Yes, it is just on paper. Years ago, I faced a situation where I had to sign those papers, but it meant nothing to me or Ella. I don’t love Ella,” I raised my hand to touch her soft cheek. “She is just a friend just like she was years ago. She knows about it as well and she does not like or love me either. I am not marrying her…” I revealed the whole truth. Willow’s hearbate intensified as she silently stared at me. Dex got excited in my mind as I felt her emotions being soothed, there was no more hatred in her eyes for me. “I only want you…

“Reuben,” Oran arrived in the dining room, interrupting me. Willow saw Oran and quickly pushed my hand away from her cheek and sat up straight in the chair.

I was close to make Willow believe me if Oran had not come. I gritted my teeth at him, “What?”

“There’s an urgent matter,” his expression was serious.

I took a deep breath to control my emotions and responded, “I’m coming,” Oran nodded and left the packhouse. I turned back to Willow. At this point, I had no idea if she believed me even a bit or not. She had started eating like I had said nothing, “I’ll be back late tonight.”

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Chapter 19

She paused and glanced at me, “Why are you telling me?” She looked confused.

“So that you don’t wait for me, I clarified.

It took her a couple of minutes to comprehend. “I’m not staying in your room, Reuben,” she firmly declared.

I frowned and leaned closer, placing a hand on either arm of her chair, and meeting her intense eyes, “Impossible.”

She also looked at me firmly and said, “then I’ll stay in the guest room,” she countered.

“No,” I firmly disagreed..

Then on the first floor,” she argued.

“That’s not happening.” I shook my head.

She gritted her teeth, glaring at me. “Then I’ll be staying next to Wyatt and Lori’s room, and that’s final!” she firmly announced.

“Done,” I smiled.

She was taken aback by my sudden agreement. After a moment’s thought, she realized the room she had chosen was actually the room that was between the childrens room and mine. We’d be separated by just a wall. “You…” She caught on to my trickery, opening her mouth to protest, but I ruffled her hair and walked away. “I will be late. Don’t wait for me…

“Who’s waiting for you?!” she growled at my retreating figure. I chuckled and left the packhouse to meet Oran, who had been waiting for me in the garden.

“Reuben, don’t sever ties with Bix…” Oran approached me in a panic, momentarily forgetting the urgent matter that he wanted to discuss. He had witnessed how effortlessly and ruthlessly I could cut people out of my life. Once I made that decision, there was no turning back. “That guy doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut,” Oran added when I didn’t respond.

I lit a cigarette, observing him. Oran and Bix were the sons of my pack’s former Beta and Gam ma. We had grown up together, but Oran never appreciated mediating our conflicts. He’d always step in to resolve things, but this time, he understood the gravity of the situation. He had to step back, and it frustrated him. Judging by his appearance, he had likely sent Bix to the pack hospital before coming to see me.

“Reuben… you know why Bix acted out like that, don’t you? These last six years have

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been tough on all of us, watching you change like this… So he lost it in the moment and

said some nonsense…

“Just tell him not to come near me anytime soon, I interrupted, taking a long drag from my cigarette.

Oran breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, “Okay.”

“What was the urgent matter you wanted to tell me?” I exhaled a puff of smoke.

Oran’s expression turned grave as he remembered the original reason for this conversation. “The Silver Moon Pack has been wiped out,” he informed me.

“Wiped out?” The hand holding the cigarette stopped abruptly. The Silver Moon Pack was among the top five packs, they had not an enemy but our ally for decades. We had numerous treaties and a strong friendship. No other pack dared to even make a noise in their presence, let alone declare war. How could the Silver Moon Pack have been wiped out? “How did that happen? Who dared to attack them?” I asked, my brow furrowing.

“I don’t know. Actually, nob*dy knows. Word has it, the entire pack was celebrating the Alpha’s birthday last night, but by morning the pack was found engulfed in flames,” Oran explained.

“In flames?” I raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“Yes, what’s more, when the neighboring pack arrived to assist in extinguishing the fire, they discovered no bodies or remains of a single member of the Silver Moon Pack!” Oran exclaimed, surprised by the shocking nature of the information.

“How in the world is that possible?” I questioned incredulously. “An entire pack burns and there’s no trace of the bodies? Did the corpses or bones just walk away or bury themselves?”

Oran remained silent, giving me a meaningful look. “Reuben, all the packs are terrified after this mysterious incident. If a powerful pack like the Silver Moon Pack can be wiped out in such a manner, then anyone can. There’s something else at play here that we’re not able to see,” he concluded.

“Indeed, I agreed, turning to stare at the first floor of the packhouse, where Willow’s room was located. “This isn’t a normal incident,” I remarked, observing Willow as she arranged a plant on the windowsill in her room.

“So what do you think?” Oran asked curiously.

“I believe this is just the beginning…” I paused when Willow spotted me too.

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Chapter 19

Oran followed my line of sight. As Willow’s and my eyes locked, she looked at me for a couple of seconds then closed the curtains. Shocked by her boldness, Oran looked at my reaction. I crushed the cigarette in my palm. So… she did not believe what I had said earlier, “You have finally made Willow stay by your side, Reuben. Though the sword of rejection seems to have gotten sharp at your n*eck after revealing your impending marriage with Ella.”

My muscles tightened as I looked down at

how much she hates me at this moment, rushed cigarette in my hand. “No matter

regain her love over the next three months,” I dropped the cigarette on the ground and looked at the window again, “Three months…”

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