Chapter 103: Breaking Free
Rosalie:
The voice hit me like a bolt of lightning.
Every sound inside the bakery disappeared. The warm scent of fresh bread, the soft music playing overhead, the chatter of the staff - everything faded into the background as I slowly turned around.
Because standing just inside the entrance... was Alastor.
His usually immaculate black suit looked slightly creased as though he had been working all day. His hair was as perfectly styled as ever, but the composure that normally surrounded him had completely shattered. His icy blue eyes were fixed on me with unmistakable disbelief, widening more with every passing second as though he couldn’t decide whether he was looking at a ghost or a hallucination.
My own heart stopped.
Out of every place... out of every city... out of every person...
Why him?
For one suspended moment, neither of us moved. We simply stared at each other across the bakery, equally stunned by the impossible coincidence. Then instinct took over and I ran straight past him.
The bakery door slammed behind me as I hurried onto the busy sidewalk, my shopping bags swinging wildly against my legs. My heartbeat thundered inside my ears as I wove through pedestrians without daring to look back. One thought repeated itself over and over inside my head.
Get away. Just get away.
I had only managed to pass a handful of shops when someone suddenly caught my wrist. My body jerked violently. And before I could even scream, I was pulled sideways through another doorway.
The shopping bags slipped from my hands one after another, scattering across the pavement outside as the wrapped purchases tumbled onto the ground.
"Wait!" I struggled immediately. "Let go of me!"
The grip around my arm didn’t loosen. Instead, I found myself being hurried through a dimly lit building that looked like a private club. The reception area was deserted, the music muted during the daytime, and there wasn’t a single customer in sight. My shoes echoed against the polished floor as he led me down a hallway toward a heavy wooden door.
The door opened and I was pulled inside. Only then did he finally release my arm. The moment I regained my balance, I headed straight for the exit.
Click.
The lock turned, freezing me mid-step.
Alastor remained standing in front of the door, one hand still resting on the handle while his broad frame blocked the only way out. His expression had changed completely. The initial shock had vanished, replaced by the cold authority I knew far too well. His blue eyes bore into mine as he ordered - "Explain."
My brows knitted together. "What?"
"Where have you been these past four months?" His voice was calm. Too calm. "Are you living among humans now?" He took one slow step forward. "Is this your way of making us regret our decision?"
For several seconds, I simply looked at him. Then, something inside me settled. I had expected anger. I had expected accusations. I had even expected him to demand I return. But somehow, hearing that question no longer hurt.
It only disappointed me.
After everything that had happened, after all these months, he still believed my life revolved around him and his brothers.
I let out a quiet breath as I spoke, "I don’t owe you an explanation."
His jaw tightened.
"We have nothing to do with each other anymore, Alpha Vale." I deliberately emphasized his title instead of his name. "So whatever I do is none of your concern."
I met his gaze steadily, and without waiting for his response, I walked toward the door.
"I’ll be leaving now."
I reached for the handle, but his hand caught my wrist again. This time I immediately pulled back. "Let go."
"No."
I looked directly at him, my voice turning icy just like his gaze. "I said let go."
His grip only tightened. "It’s time you stop this act, Rosalie."
I laughed. Not because anything was funny. But because I genuinely couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
"Act?"
"You have proved your point." His voice carried obvious frustration now. "You disappeared. You scared everyone. You came back. And now you are hiding among humans." He shook his head. "Enough. You have punished us long enough."
My smile disappeared.
Punished... be truly believed this was punishment. Not survival. Not moving on. Not rebuilding my life. But punishment.
I slowly tried pulling my arm free again.
"Move."
"No."
"I don’t want to repeat myself."
"Then don’t."
The next second happened so quickly neither of us anticipated it. His free hand reached toward my shoulder as though intending to stop me from walking away. Instinct took over and everything I had practiced with Eiden over the past months surfaced before I consciously thought about it.
Twist.
Step.
Rotate.
I turned sharply into the movement instead of away from it, driving my shoulder against his arm exactly as Eiden had shown me dozens of times before while simultaneously breaking the angle of Alastor’s grip. His fingers slipped, and my arm came free. Using the momentum, I shoved firmly against his chest. Not hard enough to injure him, but enough to create distance.
Alastor actually stumbled backward two full steps before catching himself.
Silence filled the room as neither of us moved or spoke. Shock flashed across his face. And mine probably looked much the same.
I had... broken free.
From an Alpha.
He looked down at his own hand as though unable to understand what had just happened. Then his gaze slowly returned to me and something unreadable flickered across his features.
I straightened my shoulders, and for once I didn’t feel afraid.
"I told you." My voice remained steady. "I don’t need you." I took another step backward. "And I don’t need Darien and Kaiser either." The names felt strangely distant now. "I have learned to stand on my own."
His expression tightened.
"And one more thing." I held his gaze without wavering. "Think twice before touching me again."
For several long seconds, neither of us moved. Then I reached behind me, unlocked the door, and stepped into the hallway.
I didn’t run, but simply walked - calmly and steadily. Each step carried me farther away from the room... and farther away from the woman I used to be. I had almost reached the club’s entrance when hurried footsteps echoed behind me.
Before I could react-
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