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

Chapter 93: 093: Twisted Interpretation

~ ROSELLE ~

"Lycan," she repeats.

Terror seizes through me the moment the word leaves Irina’s lips. I recall every single thing Ronan told me about Lycans — how his pack hunts them, how they’re known for killing them without mercy, how they’re considered monsters, brutal and dangerous. And suddenly I’m a Lycan? It’s fucking impossible to believe.

Dad was a full-blooded Alpha of Westbrook — a royal werewolf through and through. That can’t be... I can’t be some sort of beast or some sort of monster she’s tagging me as.

"Did you make your test properly?" I ask, my voice trembling. "There could be a mistake... some sort of... You see, it’s impossible for me to be a Lycan."

Irina looks around the room again, her light blue eyes darting to the door before she leans closer toward me.

"I need you to take your time and absorb this... but the one thing you should not do is tell Ronan. He might be the Alpha, and all... but once he knows about your true nature... then definitely... he’s going to kill you. He is..."

My mind darts back to when the warriors circled the Lycan beast and clamped chains on it. I’m suddenly putting myself in that position. Is that what would happen to me too? Would I... would I be chained and dragged away like a monster?

And why is she protecting me? Isn’t she working for Ronan? I thought her first instinct would be to tell him about it. In as much as I refuse to believe what she just tagged me as... my eyes narrow into her light blue ones.

Irina holds my gaze steadily. "You don’t have to worry. Your secret is safe with me."

And then it dawns on me. She’s possibly a Lycan too. It’s only a Lycan that would want to protect a Lycan...

"You... you’re a Lycan?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

She nods slowly.

I raise my head from the examination table, looking at her in disbelief, breathing in disbelief. Of course... she’s a fucking Lycan. That was why I could feel this strange connection with her... was that why she fucking has red hair too?

I feel fucking bullshitted.

Irina places a gentle hand on my arm. "I know you have a lot of questions, and I’ll try to convince Ronan to give us more time alone from time to time... so I can tell you the things you have to know. But for now... Ronan is already getting worried and paranoid. He’s one second away from bursting through that door."

She stands to her feet, smoothing her lab coat. "Rest now. We’ll talk more soon."

Irina walks out of the examination room, leaving me alone with my racing thoughts. The door barely closes before it opens again.

Ronan enters.

He walks straight to me, his grey eyes filled with concern as he searches my face. "Are you fine?" he asks, cupping my cheek gently.

I nod, forcing a small smile even though my mind is reeling. "I’m fine."

He studies me for a long moment, brows furrowed. "I doubt if you’re fine. You look as though you’ve seen a ghost."

I swallow hard, my heart pounding. "I’m just being overwhelmed by the heat..."

Ronan leans in and kisses me softly, his lips lingering on mine for a moment longer than necessary. "Irina says I can take you back now."

I nod, letting him help me off the table. My mind is nagging at me the entire time, Tell him. Remember you both promised not to hide things again. Tell him that you’re a Lycan.

But the words stick in my throat. The fear of how he might react, the way his pack hunts Lycans, the way they chain them like monsters, keeps me silent.

Ronan leads me back to our room, his arm wrapped protectively around my waist the entire way. Every step feels heavier than the last, my legs still shaky from the injection Irina gave me and the overwhelming heat that refuses to fully leave my body. The moment we step inside, he guides me gently toward the bed, his touch careful as if I might break at any second.

He lays me down on the soft mattress with the same tenderness he always shows me, pulling the covers up to my chest before sitting on the edge of the bed. His grey eyes search my face, filled with worry and love that makes my chest ache.

"Are you fine?" he asks softly, brushing a strand of hair from my forehead.

I nod, forcing a small smile even though my mind is still reeling from Irina’s revelation. "I’m fine."

He studies me for a long moment, brows furrowed with doubt. "I need to call Nikolai and cancel my plans for the day," he says, already reaching for his phone. "I’m not leaving you like this."

I watch him as he stands and walks a few steps away, dialing the number. His broad back is tense, shoulders rigid with the weight of everything happening. I can hear the low murmur of his voice as he speaks to Nikolai, canceling whatever important meeting or duty he had planned. The fact that he’s putting me first, again, makes my heart swell with love even as guilt twists in my stomach.

Tell him. Remember you both promised not to hide things again. Tell him that you’re a Lycan.

The words echo in my head, but they stick in my throat like thorns. The fear of how he might react, the way his pack hunts Lycans, the way they chain them like monsters — keeps me silent. I can’t lose him, mostly not after everything we’ve fought through.

An intense feeling of discomfort overwhelms me the moment he turns his back. My skin feels too tight, too hot, like it’s crawling with invisible fire ants. Sweat beads across my forehead and between my breasts, soaking my shirt. I shift restlessly on the bed, my thighs pressing together as the throbbing ache between my legs returns with a vengeance. The heat is back, not as bad as before, but still there, making me feel slick and empty and desperate.

I don’t know what this reaction is. Is it from the fear of holding such a major secret? Or is it my wolf — if Irina is right — pushing harder against the suppressant? My hands move unconsciously, one pressing against my core as I try to soothe the pulsing need, the other scratching lightly at my arm where the skin feels unbearably itchy.

Ronan finishes the call and turns back to me, his expression softening when he sees me. "Do you need anything? I could prepare an icy bath for you if you want... or—"

All I can hear in my head is a twisted version of his voice: Hey, Roselle, I know your secret... and I know that you’re a Lycan and I’m going to drag you down to the dungeon.

I shake my head quickly. "No. I’m fine."

He pushes gently, sitting on the edge of the bed again. "You’re not fine. You’re sweating, and you’ve been itching yourself. Plus..." His eyes drop to where my hand is still pressed between my thighs. "Your body is clearly reacting to the heat."

He takes a slow breath, his voice dropping to that gentle, loving tone that always makes me melt. "I know how overwhelming it can be. Let me help you. You should trust me."

I shake my head again, even as my body screams for him. "No... I’m going to be fine."

Ronan’s face twists with frustration and pain. "It’s killing me to see you like this... and I can’t do a thing about it."

I reach for his hand, squeezing it tightly. The contact sends another spark through me, but I hold on, trying to ground myself in him. "Just stay with me. That’s all I need right now."

He nods, lying down beside me and pulling me into his arms. His body is warm and solid against mine, his hand stroking my back in slow, soothing circles. I bury my face in his chest, breathing him in, letting his scent calm the storm inside me.