Chapter 34: Chapter 34
Kyra’s POV
I knew my words were rude and cruel, but I couldn’t think of anything else to make him stop. He needed to stop because he was already getting married, and I had promised his mother that I wouldn’t get involved with him anymore. I knew I had hurt his mother before when I told them I wanted to dissolve the mate bond with Nathan, and I didn’t want to disappoint her again, even though I suspected she never truly saw me as her daughter despite what she’d said.
Nathan was stuck and confused at my words. "Good. Let him feel the sting of rejection for once," Sylvia growled as I walked away from Nathan without looking back. The fading mate bond between us pulsed like an open wound, but I refused to let it weaken my resolve.
I’d barely made it to the sidewalk when a sleek black SUV pulled up beside me, its tinted window rolling down to reveal Kieran’s ice-blue eyes gleaming in the dim streetlight. The scent of cedar and musk—his wolf Ronan’s signature—flooded my senses before he even spoke.
"Get in." His voice was a low command, the Alpha undertones making the words vibrate through my bones.
Sylvia bristled immediately. "He’s been tracking us like prey," she snarled.
My forehead creased. Annoyance filled me as I realized he’d followed me all the way here. I’d clearly told him I wanted to go out alone—wasn’t even gone for a day—and yet he’d come anyway.
He must’ve sensed that I wanted to just ignore him.
Kieran’s gaze flicked past me to where Nathan still stood frozen on the sidewalk. "Play along, little wolf," he murmured, his voice dripping with false sweetness that didn’t match the dangerous glint in his eyes. "Unless you want your former mate to know you lied to his mother about us?"
Left with no choice, I slipped into the passenger seat. The moment the door clicked shut, Ronan’s possessive energy filled the car—his wolf practically marking the territory around me.
I swallowed hard after putting on my seatbelt and rolling the window up. From the corner of my eye, I could still see Nathan standing where I’d left him, but I had no intention of going back or even looking back.
Kieran peeled away from the curb with unnecessary speed, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. "So this is where you sneaked off to?" His voice was deceptively calm, but I could hear the storm brewing beneath the surface. "Running back to the Alpha who discarded you?"
My eyebrows furrowed as I slowly turned to him. His face was dark with irritation and his eyes were sharply focused on the road. I felt like he could lash out at me at any moment if I said the wrong thing. However, I wasn’t scared of him anymore.
"I’m not responsible for your thoughts. Think whatever you want to think."
I jumped in shock when he slammed the steering wheel. "Bullshit, Kyra!"
I looked at him in disbelief. "I won’t explain anything to you, Kieran! I already told you I want to live my life—"
"And then what?"
I balled my fists. "You’re impossible!"
"It’s you who’s impossible, Kyra! Didn’t you tell his mother that you already have someone? Why are you with him?"
My lips parted in shock. "You’ve been stalking me?"
He pulled the car over and looked at me while taking his seatbelt off. I held my breath and pressed myself against the window as he leaned toward me with a blank face and sharp gaze.
I jumped in my seat when he slammed his fists on the headrest of the passenger seat. "I will give you everything you want, Kyra. Even your freedom. But if you’re going to go running back to him after you get your freedom back, then I might as well cage you in my hellish paradise."
"What the hell are you talking about, Kieran?"
The corner of his lips rose. "You are the only blooming flower in my paradise, and I would do everything to keep you that way. You should cooperate with me, Kyra. I’m just protecting you."
Panicking, I pushed him with all my might and took out my phone. I searched for my father’s number and looked Kieran in the eyes. "I will call my father and tell him you’re harassing me, Kieran. You know how important I am to him. He won’t think twice to kick you out once I tell him what you have been doing."
He slowly grabbed my hand and pressed the call button himself. I was shocked by what he did. He seemed so confident that I wouldn’t be able to convince my father to kick him out, and it pissed me off even more. My eyes reflected my hatred, and I knew he saw it clearly because he clenched his jaw and his expression changed.
I lifted my chin, gaining some courage from his reaction. "You will be kicked out, Kieran. I will make sure of that."
He stared into my eyes intensely. His gaze paralyzed me, and my heart started racing as I gasped for air.
The call was picked up, interrupting us. I swallowed hard as I looked at the screen, about to speak when a woman’s voice came from the other line.
[Hello?]
A woman... Pain clenched my heart as I was reminded of one fact about my dad. He couldn’t live without a woman. Of course, he’d found himself another mate. After my mom and Kieran’s mom, he got a replacement. Just like Nathan had replaced me with Sophia. The cycle never ended.
[Who’s this? Alpha Darian is in the shower at the moment. You can leave your message. I’ll relay it to him.]
Gritting my teeth, I quickly ended the call and pushed the car door open. I marched out of the car and slammed the door.
What could I expect from my father? He never failed to disappoint me. He was always like that.
"I hate you so much!" I said through gritted teeth as I walked toward the house.
I wanted to get away—from Nathan who hurt me, from Kieran who manipulated me, and from my father who constantly disappointed me. Oh God! Why was everybody doing this to me?
Kieran’s gammas guarding the door opened it for me. I was about to go upstairs and lock myself in my room when I saw someone sitting on the couch.
A new scent hit me: jasmine and something distinctly lupine. A woman wearing a very revealing red dress. She was beautiful and had an hourglass body. Her lips were so red, as if inviting every man to kiss her. Her legs were crossed, almost revealing her panties.
Who is she?
