Chapter 24

A Heart That Betrayed Me

Olivia’s POV

“Mine.”

Lucy’s voice rang sharply in my mind, urgent and insistent, almost drowning out everything else.

My breath caught, and my heart skipped a beat, racing in a way that made my chest ache.

And then, the moment Alpha Kingsley’s dark eyes lifted to meet mine…

Goosebumps ran across my skin. A spark of electricity shot through me. A strange pul settled in my chest.

I knew, without a doubt, that everything was about to change. 1

Inside, I felt afraid. Timid and small like I didn’t belong. Like I would never meafaire up.

Yet, at the same time, something deep inside me pushed back.

A strange strength, subtle but unwavering, rose quietly. Ancient and powerful, it whispered that I didn’t have to shrink, didn’t have to cower. I didn’t have to let my past or my body size define me.

I wasn’t going to let fear steal my chance at happiness. Not anymore.

If Alpha Kingsley was my fated mate, so be it. If the Moon Goddess had woven our destinies together, who was ! to fight it?

And my heart… my traitorous heart was already beating for him.

I didn’t know when it started. Perhaps it was his scent, dark, intoxicating, impossible to forget. Perhaps it was the way he moved, dominant, unshakable, yet there was a strange calm in it, almost soothing. Or the way he looked at me. Possessively and claiming.

Maybe it was the first time he kissed me. Raw, dark and hungry. His hands tracing over me as if measuring, marking and

claiming.

I didn’t know when my fear of him turned into something else–longing, desire, needing his touch. I didn’t care anymore how

or why.

All I knew was that my heart had betrayed me. And it had betrayed me to him.

Alpha Kingsley. The ruthless Alpha King. The cold, heartless Lycan.

Yet… when he looked at me, sometimes there was something behind his eyes. Something fleeting, soft, Almost vulnerable

Was he struggling? Fighting some inner war I couldn’t see?

Did he feel the same pull I felt? Did he feel the weight of the mate bond tugging at him as strongly as it tugged at me

I didn’t understand any of it. My thoughts raced, questions spinning endlessly.

Does he love me? If he does, why hide it? Why fight it? Why resist what we were made for?

Since the Mating Ceremony, I hadn’t recognized myself. My dreams, my daydreams, my destres they all revolved around hims Every thought, every heartbeat, every little ache inside me carried his name

The moment I was bound to him by that golden cord, the call of destiny had begun And I could feel it. The wind of Late blowing, carrying me toward something I couldn’t escape

“Are you just going to stand there all day and stare at me?”

His voice cut through my thoughts like fire Commanding Powerful Unmistakable

+15 Bonus

I snapped hack to reality and smiled, almost without thinking.

“Well,” I said, a small, shy laugh escaping me, I guess i can’t help but admire ray mate.”

“Mate.” I said it deliberately. I felt him tense slightly, a low growl vibrating in the air around us not anger, but something deeper, something I couldn’t name yet.

I stepped toward him, boldly, my eyes locked on his. I could feel the pull stronger now, magnetic.

“Don’t you think it’s rude of you to keep the Alpha waiting

The voice was sharp, dripping with malice. I turned my head and saw her Kate. Her glare cut through me like knives.

Heavy makeup, overdone dress, a posture full of venom. Behind her stood Sophia, a few pack members I didn’t know, and some guards who seemed ready for travel.

Lignored her. Completely.

There was a saying I’d once learned: The best answer to a fool is silence. 1

Kate’s face flushed red. Her hands clenched tightly, veins standing out as if she might physically strike. She opened her mouth to speak again, but I kept moving.

Alpha Kingsley’s eyes never left me, steady and unflinching.

“Can we depart now?” I asked softly, my voice calm, gentle, yet carrying confidence I hadn’t known I possessed.

I didn’t apologize for being late. I didn’t explain myself. I didn’t give her the satisfaction.

He remained silent a moment, then gave a single, deliberate gesture, motioning me toward the carriage. He stepped closer, helping me up.

His hands brushed me briefly and lightly but electricity ran through me. Heat pooled low in my stomach. My body stiffened, every nerve alive.

I caught a glimpse of Kate again. Her face was bright red, fury making her stomp her feet. I couldn’t help but smile quietly, almost amused.

I slid into the carriage. The leather smelled rich and warm. A hint of his scent was all over the carriage. Alpha Kingsley’s fingers lingered on the edge of the carriage door a moment too long. The wood even creaked slightly under his grip, a subtle remainder of his strength.

Everything had changed. I could feel it. From this moment, nothing would ever be the same.

Deportes

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Departure

Alpha Kingsley’s POV

I stood beside the chariot, eyes scanning the courtyard, irritation gnawing at me.

Where was Olivia?

The question repeated itself in my mind. I hated waiting. I hated being kept waiting. More than anything, I hated it when someone dared disrupt the order I commanded. Usually, the pack moved before I even arrived — fear, respect, or both drove them. That was the way things were. That was my reputation.

Authority.

Power.

Things not meant to be questioned.

And yet… here I was, waiting.

Olivia was breaking an unspoken rule, and I should have been angry. But I wasn’t. Not fully.

The last person who dared keep me waiting had ended up in the death dungeon, their fate sealed long before regret could reach

them.

A faint smirk tugged at my lips as I remembered.

Fear had always been the thread holding the pack together. Discipline had always been the line drawn in blood. And yet… I

waited.

For her.

“But Linda should have had her ready,” I muttered quietly.

Or had something happened?

I frowned. But what could possibly threaten her here? This place was the safest corner of my territory. No one foolish enough to act recklessly would survive long enough to regret it.

Still… the thought lingered.

Argon shifted inside me. Restless. Taut. A low rumble vibrating in my chest. He had been pacing since morning, silent, dangerous, impatient. My wolf did not like being ignored.

Mine.

I clenched my jaw. “Calm down,” I muttered silently.

Then, suddenly, the courtyard stilled. 1

The murmurs, the shuffling of feet, even the faint rustle of guards’ armor-all vanished. It was as it someone had stolen the `air

itself.

All eyes turned to the entrance.

I lifted my head, still lost in thought.

And there she was.

Regal.

Beautiful and calm.

Depart

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She walked with quiet certainty, her feet barely brushing the ground, each step measured, effortless.

Like a fairy descending.

My breath caught for a moment, and then I forced it back under control.

That smile, carefree, unshakable-stirred something inside me I wasn’t meant to feel.

Innocent, yet… layered with something deeper. A calm, distant serenity like she wasn’t part of this world.

It made my wolf restless.

Mine.

“Shut up,” I growled silently.

The wolf only laughed darkly inside me.

Kate’s voice cut across the courtyard, sharp, venomous, directed at Olivia.

Argon growled, deep and furious.

I wanted to step forward, to silence her myself, but I stayed rooted.

“Let her handle it,” I muttered.

And she did.

Olivia faced Kate without anger, without shouting, without argument. She simply ignored her.

A small sense of pride stirred in me. Sometimes, the best way to silence a barking dog was with silence itself.

She greeted a few passing acquaintances, polite nods, brief smiles, yet her eyes never strayed from where she was going. From

Finally, her gaze met mine.

For a heartbeat, the world froze.

She was breathtaking. Majestic.

That quiet confidence, that serene aura-powerful, magnetic, unsettling.

Damn it.

It was too cool.

Her eyes didn’t waver. Curiosity lingered there. Something deeper. Something that made Argon restless.

Mine.

I ignored him.

The closer she came, the stronger her scent. Sweet. Warm. Dangerous. It wrapped around me like a chain, invisible but binding.

For a second, I wanted to close the distance. Pull her to me. Breathe her in.

My fingers twitched. I clenched my fists. Control. Always control. I had mastered it long ago.

She stopped a few steps away, eyes locked on mine, unafraid. Unshaken.

I raised an eyebrow.

“Are you just going to stand there all day and stare at me?” I asked.

Her smile carne immediately

“Well… I guess I can’t help but admire my mate,” she said casually.

Mate.

The word hit harder than I expected.

Argon roared excited.

Mine.

A growl rose from my chest, deep and dangerous. I forced it down.

It wasn’t anger. No. It was something more potent. Something I refused to name

Olivia walked closer. Bold. Confident. Unflinching. She wasn’t the timid girl I remembered. Not anymore.

Something inside her had shifted. Awakened.

The space between us thickened with each step.

Argon vibrated with hunger and anticipation.

“Don’t you think it’s rude to keep the Alpha waiting?” Kate’s voice tried again.

My patience almost snapped.

Olivia ignored her completely. Unbothered. Unshaken.

I almost laughed. Kate’s face turned red with fury. Olivia moved on.

Finally, she stopped in front of me. Her voice was gentle, calm yet playful.

“Can we leave now?”

I stared. My body wanted to move, to claim her, to pull her close.

I took a step forward, then stopped.

Control. My face returned to its usual cold calm.

But inside… something had already begun to change.

I don’t think I can hold back anymore. 1