Chapter 14
757words
Three days later.
Against the furious objections of my elders, I went to the Silver Moon pack to find Sandra.
"Alpha, you can't go!" my Beta said anxiously. "Your power is still unstable, and the Silver Moon pack is hostile toward us—"
"I have to go," I cut him off. "I have to explain everything to Sandra in person."
"But—"
"Enough!" I roared. "That's an order!"
My Beta looked at my determined expression and could only nod in defeat.
"Then at least take some guards—"
"No need." I walked to the door. "This is something I have to face alone."
The border town of the Silver Moon pack.
The moment I got out of my car, I felt countless wary eyes on me.
The werewolves on the street looked at me with disgust and anger.
Clearly, the video of Sandra had spread throughout the entire werewolf world.
Now, in everyone's eyes, I was the villain.
I ignored the wild surges of my failing power, forcing one foot in front of the other, deeper into Silver Moon territory.
But I didn't get far before a tall figure blocked my path.
"Byron."
I looked up and saw a face I didn't want to see.
The Alpha of the Ridge Pack, Elias.
"Elias," I said through gritted teeth. "Get out of my way."
"What are you doing here?" he asked coldly, his solid Alpha presence pressing in on me.
"I'm looking for Sandra," I said, not backing down. "I need to talk to her."
"Talk?" Elias sneered. "Talk about what? How you tortured her? Or how you killed her child?"
"I didn't do those things!" I roared. "I never hurt Sandra!"
"Didn't you?" The rage in Elias’s eyes was glacial. "You were her mate. Her Alpha. And you let her be abused right under your nose?"
"I..."
"And," Elias's voice grew colder, "who was it that sealed away her wolf? Who was it that made her weaker than a human?"
I couldn't answer.
Because that, I had done.
"Byron," Elias looked at my silence and shook his head. "You forfeited the right to protect her long ago. Now, get out."
"I'm not leaving!" I roared. "Sandra is my mate! I have a right to see her!"
"Ex-mate," Elias’s voice was sharp as broken glass. "Don't forget, your bond was officially severed."
"That was just a piece of paper!"
"It was a sacred contract witnessed by the Moon Goddess." Elias's aura intensified. "Byron, don't make me do this. Like this? You're no match for me."
I felt the immense power rolling off him, and a wave of despair washed over me.
He was right.
Right now, I was no match for him.
The broken bond had decimated my strength. I couldn't even use half of my power.
But I couldn't give up.
I couldn't just leave.
"Then let's do it!" I forced what was left of my Alpha power to the surface. "I won't back down!"
Elias looked at my desperate defiance and sighed.
"If you insist." He walked slowly toward me. "Then I'll force you to."
The next second, he vanished.
Before I could react, a massive force slammed into my chest.
"Argh!"
The force threw me a dozen yards back, and my body slammed into a tree.
Blood gushed from my mouth. A sharp pain shot through my ribs.
"Is this all you have left?" Elias looked down on me. "Byron, you can't even take one hit."
I struggled to get up, but my body wouldn't obey.
My power was fading faster than I'd imagined.
"You sealed her power yourself," Elias said coldly. "And now you come back for what? Sandra doesn't need a mate who hurts her."
He turned to leave.
"What she needs is a true protector."
I watched his back, the despair in my heart reaching its peak.
I knew what he was implying.
I knew what he wanted to say.
Sandra needed a new mate.
An Alpha who wouldn't hurt her.
A true protector.
And that person wasn't me.
"Sandra!" I roared with all my strength at the empty air, at the distant manor, at her. "Sandra! I know you can hear me!"
Elias stopped.
"I only sealed your power because Ariana told me you were cursed!" I yelled, kneeling on the ground. "She said if I didn't, your own wolf would consume you and kill you! I did it to save you!"
My voice echoed through the entire town.
"I never wanted to hurt you! I love you! I've always loved you!"
