Chapter 431
Chapter 431:
Kain was standing by the kitchen island, his massive frame rigid. On the coffee table, a Michelin-star dinner sat completely untouched and stone cold. His dark eyes locked onto mine, and I could see the golden ring of his Lycan bleeding into his irises. He could smell the stress and hostility clinging to my clothes.
“Who did it?” Kain’s voice was a lethal, vibrating rumble that shook the floorboards. “Give me a name, Adelina. I will have them ruined before the sun comes up p>
His Lycan was pacing just beneath his skin, desperate to eliminate whatever was threatening his Mate. But his words, meant to be a comfort, felt like a chain tightening around my neck.
“I don’t need you to ruin anyone, Kain,” I said, dropping my bag onto the velvet sofa. “It’s a business dispute. I am handling it p>
Kain crossed the room in two long strides, his towering presence eclipsing the dim light. “You are exhausted. Your scent is sour with anxiety. Let me do what I am meant to do. Let me protect what is mine p>
“By fighting my battles for me?” I snapped, the frustration of the entire day finally boiling over. I tilted my chin up, refusing to submit to his Alpha aura. “If I let you fix this with a snap of your fingers, what does that make me? Just a wolfless girl hiding behind the Lycan King’s wealth. I am a Luna, Kain. This is my Pack’s legacy, and I have to prove I can defend it p>
Kain flinched as if I had physically struck him. The rejection of his protection was a direct blow to his deepest, most primal instincts.
𝖱𝘦сo𝘮me𝗇𝘥 𝗴𝘢lnо𝘷е𝗹s.с𝘰𝗆 𝘵о 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝘳 𝗳𝗋i𝗲𝘯𝘥𝘀
“You think my protection makes you weak?” he growled, his voice dropping to a dangerous, wounded whisper. “You are my Mate. My equal. But if you refuse to let me stand between you and your enemies, you are denying the very bond we share p>
“I am asking for your respect, not your rescue!” I yelled, my chest heaving.
Silence crashed down on the penthouse. The air between us turned to absolute ice. Kain stared at me for a long, agonizing moment, the warmth draining completely from his eyes.
“Fine,” Kain said, his tone devoid of all emotion. His ancient cedar scent withdrew, turning distant and freezing. “Fight your own war, Adelina p>
He turned his back on me and walked toward the master suite. The heavy oak door clicked shut, severing the space between us.
My heart shattered against my ribs, but my pride refused to let me follow him. I gathered my financial folders from the island, my own scent of wild roses and storm turning sharp with unshed tears. I walked down the opposite hallway and pushed open the door to the guest room.
I dropped my files onto the pristine, untouched bed. Tomorrow morning, I would face Richard Davenport alone.
Adelina Wolfe POV
The guest bed was freezing. When I woke up, the heavy, comforting scent of Kain’s ancient cedar was entirely absent, replaced by the sterile smell of freshly laundered cotton. My chest ached at the memory of his wounded, freezing eyes the night before, but I forced the guilt down. I couldn’t afford to be distracted. Today, I had to prove I was a Luna who could defend her own Pack.