: Chapter 52

Azriel smiled at me and caressed my thick coat ‘ You’re beautiful and it was an absolute privilege to be able to see you shift,’ he said.

What colors am I mixed with? I wanted to ask but a growl is what left me.

‘You’re an all-black wolf,’ he said as if he understood me. ‘ You’re taller than most Alphas too,’

I was in shock, how could two betas birth an Alpha child? All this was confusing for me.

‘Hey, go for a run and enjoy the woods. No one will trouble you here and when you come back, you’ll find me right here,’

I nodded and turned on my paws, running through the vast forest.

I kept running, hoping and wishing that what happened during the party was a lie, that my mate didn’t mark another as his Luna. I prayed to the goddess that it was a fucking lie but the pain in my chest told me otherwise.

Did that woman mean Wyatt wanted this too? I only ran faster, Kira howling at the full blue moon now.

‘He lied to us,’ I told her. Kira didn’t answer me but she held grave sadness as well. I ran for hours and no guard approached me, Azriel must have told them to back off. I was exhausted and stopped, the sun was now rising and it was a beautiful shade of pink. I took in a deep breath. I turned around when I heard a rustle near me and I was relieved to see it was Wolf. He was looking up at me in awe. I just realized how tall I was when I was looking at Wolf like this.

He growled at me lowly, it was menacing and he ran away, I followed suit and he took me back to where I shifted from. I stopped staring at Azriel, he was still waiting for me.

‘How do I shift back?’ I asked Kira, she was exhausted from all the events that happened.

‘I’ve never shifted before,’ she said nonchalantly.

‘Are you kidding me, you’re a wolf, you must know,’ I spat.

‘And you’re human, shouldn’t you know how to get back in your form,’ she retorted.

‘You little-‘ I felt hands in my fur. Azriel was touching me, he was still in awe of my form and height.

‘Just take a deep breath and close your eyes, concentrate on being human and you will be,’ he instructed. I closed my eyes and pictured my human features, soon, I heard the breaking of bones and I was standing naked in my human form. Azriel didn’t turn away, his gaze was on my face, and slowly he went further down. I gasped at his shamelessness.

‘Azriel!’ I hissed, he looked at my face again.

‘What?’

‘Can’t you pretend to not do that?’ I said, embarrassed.

‘Was I supposed to?’ he shrugged. My legs felt wobbly and he fell to the ground.

‘Adira, are you alright?’ he asked worriedly. I felt exhausted and hungry now. My body was shaking.

‘No, I feel weak,’ I said as I tried to sit up.

‘Here, wear this. We have to go now, Wyatt is going crazy looking for you,’ Just like that the pain was back. He lied to me, he has a Queen and Luna. He was just using me for his pleasure. Wyatt McMillian was a fucking liar.

‘Did you know about her?’ I asked, looking at him in the eyes. He held my gaze

‘It was not my place to tell,’ he said and I scoffed. I grabbed the dress from his hands and wore it. I tried standing up but my legs felt like jelly and I fell to the ground again.

‘You need rest,’

‘So, you just watched as I made a fool of myself, loving and caring for him when he had a woman,’ I croaked.

‘I owe you no allegiance, Adira,’ he said coldly and my heart shattered. He was right, he was loyal to his brother and king. I shouldn’t have expected anything from him.

‘You are right, you owe me nothing, now leave me alone,’ I said, crawling to the nearest tree and leaning my back against it.

‘I can’t leave you here,’

‘You owe me nothing, remember?’ I reminded and he scowled.

‘I’m a gentleman,’

‘A gentleman would not stand for what your brother did,’ I growled.

‘I didn’t stand for it, I warned him several times to either dispose of her or you but Wyatt doesn’t care much for my advice,’ he gritted his teeth.

‘Dispose of me?’ I repeated quietly.

‘She has the Luna’s mark, the parliament’s approval. Wyatt is Rachel’s by oath,’ he said and I finally looked at him. Oath? Usually, alliances made by oath can’t be broken without consequences and if he marked her, he can’t mark another without risking her. Tears welled in my eyes but I looked away, not wanting Azriel to see me cry. I buried my face between my legs, trying to muffle the sobs that threatened to escape my lips but I couldn’t.

‘You’re all things good, and don’t deserve this, ‘Azriel whispered. His hand that gently caressed my skin made a pleasant burn. I stared up to look at him, trying to chase him away from me but no words escaped my trembling lips.

‘It’s alright,’ he said ever so gently. ‘Don’t talk,’

‘He’s a liar,’ I croaked. ‘ I loved him and he lied to me!’ Thinking about what that woman said at the ball made me sick to my stomach. I’ll never be truly his for as long as that woman wore his mark. The sadness, hurt, and disappointment plagued my heart and soul. It fucking hurt.

Azriel stayed with me, watching me bawl until I couldn’t anymore. He suddenly lifted me in his arms and walked with me to god knows where.

‘I don’t want to see him,’ I croaked. ‘ Please,’

‘I won’t take you to him until you are ready,’ We were on a tarmac road behind the woods, and I spotted his car not far from us. Azriel opened the door and gently placed me on the seat. He buckled my seat belt for me before going to the driver’s seat and driving away.