The Alpha's Silent Bride: Seventh Time's The Charm

Chapter 81: 081: Lies

~ RONAN ~

Spending two days without her is hell, but through the pendant connecting us, all I can feel is how close she is. May the Moon Goddess bless the Seer for coming up with that. It’s almost as if I can feel her heartbeat every second, and that’s enough to keep me somewhat relieved.

I’d already made my decision because it was getting frustrating listening to old men debate and argue all day. I had already started putting things in place and resolving issues, and by the next day, which happens to be today—I was going to leave.

However, I was expecting to hold Nikolai accountable for his words when he claimed he had everything under control... until I felt her heartbeat racing and pain throbbing through her.

Fucking hell. The moment I demanded answers from Nikolai, he replied almost immediately.

"Mara challenged Roselle to a spar, and she accepted."

The world went red. She what?

I immediately severed the connection because if I didn’t, I was going to lose it. I was going to let Kael take over. I was going to shift right there in the middle of the fucking Council chamber and run all the way home, leaving a trail of destruction in my wake.

I was trying not to fucking lose it and order Mara locked up until I had the full story, but that didn’t mean Kael wasn’t itching to rip Nikolai’s head off for failing, yet again, to protect her.

She’s been through enough trauma. Enough pain. Enough trouble these past few days... and I want nothing more than for it all to stop.

By evening, I was already preparing to set out, leaving everything in Derek’s care. He was one of the trusted pack members I’d brought with me when my phone buzzed with a text from Maxine, the hacker I’d hired.

"Alpha, I’ve been able to recover the footage. I’m sending it now..."

My pulse quickens. That footage is either going to make me... or break me.

But there’s no backing out now. I have to face this. If it turns out Mara and I really did have an affair, then I’ll have to let Roselle go. Maybe the only thing I’ll be allowed to do is watch over her from afar, with no one to blame but myself for the rest of my life.

But one thing is certain. I’m never going to marry Mara. My phone pings again, and there it is—the recovered footage.

I exhale slowly, leaning against the car as I stare at the screen. My thumb hovers over it for a second before I finally type:

Thank you. I hit ’Download,’ then press ’Play.’

The video begins to play. The recovered footage begins the moment Mara walks into the room. She tosses her robe onto the bed before attempting to make advances on me.

My teeth grind together so hard my jaw aches as I watch the scene unfold.

I watch myself exercise every ounce of restraint as she struggles to touch me, successfully pulling my boxers and trying to touch my dick while I shove her away. The moment her hand reaches for me again, my fingers wrap around her throat, as I force her out of the room before slamming the door in her face.

My heartbeat slowly returns to normal. It didn’t happen. It didn’t fucking happen. She’s a pathetic, lying bitch.

Relief crashes over me so hard I almost laugh.

This... this is the best news I could have ever received.

I hit the road, and by the time I get back to the pack, I’m informed that she’s at the library.

For someone who supposedly has an injured wrist, according to Nikolai, she should be resting.

When I reach the library, I’m not surprised to find Ethan with Roselle. What does surprise me is how close he’s standing to her.

It takes every ounce of self-control I have not to lose it and punch him square in the face. And it has nothing to do with trust. I trust Roselle—a fucking hundred percent.

It’s him I don’t trust.

"Hey, brother..." Ethan grins, his gaze sweeping over me before narrowing back to Roselle.

Even though he’s trying to hide his emotions behind that taunting smile, I can see right through him.

My cousin wants Roselle. Kael snarls at the very thought.

"Step away from her..." I ordered... and he shrugs.

"This isn’t exactly how I expected you to thank me, though..."

He walks away, which is unlike him. Normally, he’d milk a situation like this for everything it was worth, and somehow that only infuriates me more.

As he brushes past me, he leans in just enough to murmur,

"Don’t worry. She’s quite feisty. Nothing happened."

He gives my shoulder a light tap before continuing. My blood boils, rage pounding beneath my skin as every instinct screams at me to drive my fist straight into his face.

The moment he leaves, my eyes rake over her, taking in every inch of her as though I need to reassure myself she’s really standing there.

She looks exhausted, like she hasn’t had a proper night’s sleep. Maybe she’s been worrying about me.

"Hey..." she says softly, her hazel eyes locking onto my gray ones.

It’s taking everything in me not to close the distance between us, pull her into my arms, and rest her head against my chest. To breathe her in. Just to let her familiar scent soothe the chaos raging inside me.

My mouth parts, but the words lodge in my throat. Instead, I close the distance between us, doing what I’ve wanted to do since the moment I got back.

I pull her into my arms, filling my starved lungs with her scent, breathing her in like I’ve been deprived of air for days.

She melts against me, her body softening as I wrap my arms tightly around her. My heart pounds heavily against my ribs, and I hold her just a little closer, needing the reassurance that she’s here.

A shaky breath leaves my lips. "I’ve missed you..."

By the Goddess... This feels like home. Home.

Her in my arms, her head against my chest, the rest of the world fading into nothing.

She’s my home. A soft whimper escapes her, and I know these past two days have been hell for her too. All I can think about is whether she cried... whether she broke down... whether she still believes something happened between Mara and me.

"I have something to tell you..." we both say at the exact same time.

A small chuckle almost escapes me at the perfect timing.

"You first," I murmur.

"No... you first. Mine can wait."

I nod, pulling her even closer until my chin rests atop her fiery red hair. It’s gathered into a messy bun, and whatever shampoo she’s been using smells so fresh it’s almost addictive.

"Remember when I told you I was going to get answers?"

Her head lifts, her misty hazel eyes searching mine with so much hope and fear that my chest tightens. It’s as if I’ve just reminded her of the one thing standing between us.

"I didn’t touch her," I whisper. "I didn’t. She lied."

The relief that instantly floods her eyes steals the air from my lungs.

I want to freeze this moment. To burn it into my memory forever. I swear, right then and there, that I’ll never hurt her again. Never.

"The footage had been deleted by the time we searched. I should have told you then that I suspected foul play, but I needed proof—real proof. So I hired someone to recover it... and they did."

I cup her face gently, my thumb brushing over her cheek.

"I hope you’ll trust me on this... because I’ve decided Mara will be punished. Whether it’s exile or the dungeons, she won’t get away with what she did."

My jaw tightens. "I won’t let anyone destroy what we have. I won’t let anyone come between us again."

She rises onto her tiptoes, her hands slipping around my neck as her lips crash against mine, catching me completely off guard.