Chapter 371: Anything except...
Maria.
No matter how desperately my wolf yearned for him, I was still in control of my own mind.
Every instinct inside me screamed at me to surrender, to melt into his embrace and to answer the call of the bond.
But I wasn’t just a wolf.
I was Maria.
And my mind was functioning perfectly.
In fact, the more Adrein spoke, the more irritated I became.
Every word that left his mouth fueled the anger burning inside me and instead of weakening my resolve, it strengthened it.
Every heartbeat reminded me of the choice I had already made and every second made my determination even firmer.
"Just say it!" Adrein declared once again.
And that was it, the last straw.
Something inside me finally snapped.
Without thinking twice, I planted both hands firmly against his chest and shoved him away with every ounce of strength I had.
The force caught him completely off guard.
He stumbled backward several steps, momentarily losing his balance before finally managing to steady himself.
The sudden distance between us felt like the first proper breath I had taken since entering the room.
I inhaled deeply, trying to steady the storm raging inside me, and then I lifted my head and glared at him from across the room.
My eyes burned with anger, eith disappointment and with frustration.
"Now listen to me, Adrein," I said loudly, making sure every single word reached him. "I will never need someone like you in my life!"
As soon as the words left my mouth, I immediately lifted the back of my hand and wiped my lips repeatedly, as though trying to erase every trace of the kiss we had just shared.
His expression visibly changed.
"Maria, I..." Adrein called out, as he tried to explain and tried to speak.
But I wasn’t interested in hearing another word.
I cut him off immediately.
"I already made it clear before," I said slowly, emphasizing every word. "I don’t want you or your brothers."
There was no hesitation in my voice, only absolute conviction.
"The fact that the wedding rites weren’t completed doesn’t suddenly mean you have another chance in my life." I added.
Silence hung heavily between us.
Adrein drew in a slow breath, and without saying anything, he began walking toward me—one step and then another.
My entire body stiffened.
"Don’t come any closer!" I yelled sharply, as my voice echoed through the room.
But he didn’t stop.
It was as though he hadn’t even heard me.
His eyes remained fixed on mine as he continued closing the distance between us.
"Noah, in my heart, is already my husband!" I shouted, hoping the words would finally make him stop.
Instead, they only hardened his expression.
"He isn’t, Maria," Adrein answered firmly.
Before I could move away, he crossed the remaining distance between us. His hands settled around my waist once again, preventing me from stepping back.
"I am your rightful husband," he added, his voice low but unwavering, refusing to let go of the claim he believed was his.
"You are insane!" I yelled, struggling against his hold with all the strength I could gather.
I twisted my body, trying to free myself from his grasp, but it was useless.
Instead of releasing me, Adrein only tightened his grip around my waist, pulling me even closer until barely any space remained between us.
The action only fueled my anger.
"Remember the oath!" I added sharply, glaring straight into his eyes.
For a brief moment, he simply stared at me.
Then, to my disbelief, he chuckled.
A low, amused sound escaped his lips, as though my warning meant absolutely nothing to him.
"That oath," he said calmly, "was simply to make sure I didn’t destroy the wedding."
He paused deliberately before lifting one hand to my face. His fingers gently brushed against my temple as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
The tenderness of the gesture contrasted so sharply with the possessiveness in his eyes that it unsettled me.
"Look here, Maria," he continued softly, never taking his eyes off mine. "You won’t be able to get rid of me anymore."
I swallowed hard.
His unwavering confidence made my stomach tighten.
"You see..." he murmured, the corners of his lips lifting into a smug smile. "Fate is clearly on my side. Why else did your wedding with Noah not pull through?"
Before I could respond, he leaned forward and gently pressed a kiss against my forehead.
The gesture made my entire body stiffen.
"That’s because you two were never meant to be," he finished confidently.
"You are insane," I repeated, shaking my head in disbelief.
His smile only widened.
"Yes, Maria," he replied without hesitation. "I am insane for you." He added, as his voice softened. "I am so hopelessly, ridiculously in love with you that all I want is to stay close to you." He muttered, as his gaze searched mine intensely. "I want to make you mine." He paused briefly before adding with obvious frustration, "And the thought of my brothers having equal rights to you... it drives me crazy."
I was completely stunned.
For a few seconds, I couldn’t even find the words to respond.
What exactly was going on inside his head?
How could he say something like that so openly?
"I’m ready to give up everything for you, Maria," he whispered, leaning close enough for his breath to brush against my ear. "Even my own life."
A shiver ran down my spine.
"Anything..." he continued quietly. "Anything except letting you marry Noah."
I slowly lifted my gaze to meet his striking purple eyes.
Without breaking eye contact, I reached up and grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him slightly closer.
"And what if that’s exactly what I need you to do?" I asked.
I watched him carefully.
I wanted his answer before he had the chance to think it through.
His expression never changed.
"Then I’d give you that..." he said after a brief pause. "But only after you kill me... or after I’m already dead."
I froze.
My fingers loosened slightly around his collar.
Kill him?
No...that wasn’t what I wanted.
I didn’t want Adrein to die.
Besides...there would be no satisfaction in that.
I wanted every single one of them alive.
I wanted all of them to stand there and watch as I married Noah with their own eyes.
Comments