Chapter 24
Dante’s POV
Father sent a sharp glare my way, clearing his throat in an obvious signal for me to reel it in. But I couldn’t care less. My eyes. remained fixed on Valencia,
Her hands trembled visibly, and she bit her lower lip as though dying to anchor herself. Fear radiated off her, and it made something primal stir within me. Now, it all made sense–why adn’t been able to find her these past weeks. She’d been in the last place I would’ve thought to look.
But it wasn’t just that.
I understood now why she’d chosen to give herself to me that night. She’d been desperate, trying to escape the invisible chains binding her to such a toxic Alpha like Jaxon.
Roman, his irritation poorly veiled, sighed loudly. His voice cared the barely restrained anger of someone desperate to maintain control. “I assure you, Alpha Steele, Celeste would be far more to your liking and of better utility. Valencia would not be able to provide what you need.”
1 clenched my jaw, the acidic way they spoke about their Omega igniting something dangerous inside me.
-oh? “Oh? But surely the burden of ‘providing lies on the Alpha, doesn’t it?” I said through gritted teeth. My gaze flicked to Valencia, who now kept her head lowered as though trying to make herself invisible.
Her hands continued to tremble, her delicate frame almost vibrating from the tension in the room. And the voices in my head grew louder.
Rumag.
The word repeated over and over, sharp and insistent. I didn’t understand it fully, b
alongside it-
She’s yours. Claim her before someone else steals her again.
another instinctual voice whispered
My
ly wolf remained silent, but I could feel its agitation, pacing at the edges of my mind like a predator ready to pounce.
Jaxon’s voice cut through the haze. “She’s infertile. She can’t give you any heirs
I raised a brow, amusement curling my lips into a smirk. So that’s the excuse little red had used to get away. Clever. But this fool still clung to her like a leech.
“That’s fine,” I said casually. “I don’t mind not having an heir.”
And I really didn’t mind.
Father sighed beside me, clearly displeased with the chaos I was stirring. Despite his traditional upbringing, he had never fully subscribed to the idea of Omegas being mere tools for breeding. He might’ve been a hardened warrior, but he had loved my mother deeply, and her loss had shaped his views more than he would ever admit.
“That won’t do-” Drogo began, but his words were cut short by Caius, who finally stepped forward.
My younger brother’s presence was subtle but commanding, his aura rivaling my own. Despite his youth, he had a way of manipulating a room with his sharp intelligence and well–timed words.
“How about this?” Caius said smoothly, his smile as polished as ever. “Let’s take a little time to consider this matter. Perhaps a week to think things through. We can reconvene at your estate and discuss the terms then. Clearly, Miss Celeste is hesitant,
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Chapter 21
and my brother seems equally uninterested, Surely, with some tience, we can reach a catidfactory resolution for everyone,
He turned his gaze to Celeste, his eyes gleaming with veiled mise def, and I watched the girl’s cheeks flush pink.
Even though he politely phrased it in such a way. We all knew the only people doing the reconsideration was them. As the people most affected and desperate for the alliance were them.
Roman, who had already settled into a velvet armchair, after a long while, nodded in agreement. “That seems reasonable. Let’s do that.”
Jaxon immediately protested. “Valencia will-
Roman silenced him with a glare. “We will discuss this matter in private,” he said curtly.
I scanned the room, searching for Valencia, but my heart stuttered when I realized she was gone.
Again.
Damn it.
She had a knack for vanishing when I least expected it. My eyes darted to the two doors that had been left ajar. My instincts screamed at me to follow her, to find her before she disappeared entirely.
Find her. Claim her.
The incessant voices clawed at my mind, growing louder with each passing second. It was maddening.
I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay put. Chasing after her now would only draw more attention to her, and I couldn’t risk that. Not with how precarious her position was in this pack
But the thought of leaving her here, unprotected and vulnerable, made my blood boil.
Maybe… maybe I should just kidnap her. Wouldn’t that be easier? She wouldn’t have to endure this wretched pack any longer, and I could finally-
No.
I took a deep breath, reigning in the wild impulses threatening to take over. I needed to be strategic. Roman hadn’t outright refused the idea of me claiming her. In fact, he would probably be ready to hand her over like some unwanted burden.
The thought made my blood burn with equal parts fury and satisfaction.
As the meeting dissolved, the room emptied one by one. Father, Caius, and 1 lingered for a moment longer, the weight of the discussion still heavy in the air.
Father settled into a chair, rubbing his temples as though dealing with me was the most exhausting task of his life. “Why must you cause trouble everywhere you go?” he grumbled.
Caius chuckled, his ever–present grin firmly in place. “You have to admit, this is more exciting than I expected. But really, brother was she the one you were searching for all this time?”
1 glared at him. “Yes. And what of it?”
Caius raised his hands in mock surrender, his grin widening. “No wonder you were so desperate and still couldn’t find her. But… is it true? Is she infertile?”
My growl was low and warning. “Even if she was, so what? It’s not like I need her just to give me kids. We have you for that don’t we? You seemed quite taken with Celeste earlier–maybe you should be the one to marry her”
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Chapter 24
Caius rolled his eyes. “Please, She’s not my type. Too bland for tay tastes.”
Father sighed, cutting off our bickering. “So, she doesn’t recognize you?”
Of course Caius has spilled everything to him even after I threatened him not to.
1 hesitated. “I think–No, I know she does. But you know how it here. Oinegas are treated like tools–less than people. If they find out what she did, they won’t just punish her. They’ll destroy her.”
Father nodded solemnly. “Then we tread carefully.”
The rest of the banquei was a blur. I didn’t see Valencia again, and by the time we climbed into our car to leave, I felt restless, my knee bouncing uncontrollably.
Caius leaned back with a laugh. “You look like a dog who lost its owner.”
“Shut up,” I snapped, glaring at
Father watched me with a frown. “What’s troubling you now?”
“I’m worried, I admitted, my voice low. “Should we have left like this? What if they hurt her?”
Father’s expression darkened. “They might. But there’s nothing we can do about it. She’s still part of their pack
“Damn it. Why do we have to wait one whole week?” I ran a hand through my hair, frustration mounting with every second. Then maybe we should just kidnap her.”
The car fell silent, but the though lingered, taking root in my mind like a dangerous seed,
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