Chapter 221
ZADE’S POV
Due to how sad I felt, I went to a bar.
Even with the music playing, all I could hear was Sophia’s voice.
“You and I have nothing to do with each other p>
The words kept replaying inside my head over and over again.
I grabbed another bottle immediately and I kept drinking. I had already drank enough tonight to make a normal man unconscious.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t a normal man.
My Alpha healing slowed the effects just enough to keep me trapped in this miserable state between numbness and pain.
What if everything from that night meant nothing to her? What if I had imagined every moment between us?
The thought made me angry all over again.
I slammed the bottle down so hard against the counter that the glass split in my hand. A broken piece sliced directly across my palm instantly. Blood dripped down my fingers p>
The bartender cursed under his breath. “Sir p>
“Leave it.” I snapped.
The man wisely stepped away.
I stared blankly at the blood sliding slowly across my hand while my wolf growled bitterly inside me. Normally, pain barely registered for me anymore. Years of violence and power had made physical injuries meaningless.
But tonight…tonight somehow hurt differently. Maybe because no physical wound had ever reached this deep before.
Sophia had, and now she was pretending I meant nothing to her.
The thought nearly made me destroy the entire bar.
“Zade p>
I didn’t bother looking up immediately. I already recognized Ken’s voice.
A second later, he slid into the seat beside me while sighing heavily. Noelle followed behind him.
Unlike Ken’s usual playful energy, Noelle had always been more direct. She crossed her arms immediately after seeing the blood dripping from my hand.
“Oh great,” she muttered. “He’s doing the self-destructive Alpha thing again p>
Ken looked at the broken glass. “That looks painful p>
“It isn’t.” I muttered.
Noelle snorted loudly. “Right. Because apparently emotional damage is the only thing hurting you tonight p>
I finally looked toward them.
Ken immediately looked uncomfortable after seeing my expression properly.
Yeah. I probably looked insane right now.
Good. Because that was exactly how I felt.
Ken sighed. “You’ve been here for hours p>
“So p>
“So this is pathetic p>
“Pathetic?” I laughed. “She told me I meant nothing p>
Ken’s expression softened slightly. “She was angry p>
“She said last night didn’t count p>
My wolf snarled violently inside me again at the memory.
That night had meant everything to us. Every second beside her hospital bed, every touch, every word, every moment she softened in my arms…it meant everything. I’d felt her wolf responding to me too strongly for it all to be fake.
So why the hell was she pretending otherwise now?
Noelle leaned against the counter beside me “Did you actually explain the Tiffany situation properly p>
“Yes p>
“And p>
“And she didn’t believe me. Instead, she mentioned Damien on purpose p>
Ken winced. “Yeah. That part was…bad p>
I shook my head “She wanted to hurt me p>
Noelle became quieter after hearing that, because she knew me. Both of them did.
They knew how rarely I genuinely let people matter to me emotionally. Most people feared me too much to get close enough. Others only wanted power, favors, status, or protection.
Sophia was different. Sophia saw through me too easily. And somehow…she still managed to hurt me more deeply than anyone ever had.
“She’s confused,” Ken said. “she isn’t feeling too well”
“She told me I’m nothing to her p>
“That’s not true p>
“How do you know p>
Ken hesitated.
Then finally, he sighed. “Because I saw her crying after you left p>
My wolf immediately stilled. My grip around the bottle tightened.
“What?” I asked.
Ken nodded “Bianca took her outside afterward. Sophia broke down completely p>
I felt pain spread through my chest again, because now I could picture it too clearly.
I imagined her crying. And somehow that hurt even worse than my own pain.
“She cried because she’s overwhelmed,” Ken continued quietly. “Not because she hates you p>
I looked down at my bleeding hand again.
“She still pushed me away p>
Noelle grabbed several napkins from the counter before throwing them directly at me. “At least stop bleeding everywhere dramatically p>
I ignored the napkins completely.
My wolf was becoming more unstable now.
“Go to her” he growled “Go now p>
I couldn’t take it anymore. I suddenly stood up from the chair.
Ken frowned. “Where are you going p>
I grabbed my things. “To the hospital p>
Noelle looked horrified “Absolutely not p>
I looked at her “She needs to answer me properly p>
“You’re drunk,” Ken pointed out.
“I don’t care p>
My wolf was already pushing aggressively toward Sophia. Every instinct inside me screamed for her. The alcohol only weakened my control further.
Noelle stepped in front of me before I could move further. “Zade, listen carefully. Barging into Sophia’s hospital room drunk at midnight is a terrible idea p>
“I’m going p>
Ken stood up too now. “Brother, maybe wait until tomorrow p>
“No p>
“Think properly first p>
“I have been thinking properly,” I snapped harshly.
The entire bar went quieter nearby after hearing my tone.
My wolf growled dangerously inside me, because none of them understood.
Noelle stared at me carefully for seconds before speaking again.
“You love her.” she said.
Ken went silent. So, did I.
“I don’t know what this is,” I admitted roughly. “But it’s killing me p>
I grabbed my coat roughly from the chair nearby.
Ken sighed “You’re really going p>
“Yes p>
Noelle pinched the bridge of her nose. “Wonderful. We’re all going to jail tonight p>
I ignored both of them completely before walking toward the exit.