Chapter 76
Valencia’s POV
C
I narrowed my eyes at him, his towering frame looming over me radiating an irritating mixture of condescension and frustration.
“You’re the one who said to call if I changed my mind,” I snapped.
My voice carried a sharp edge, though it cracked faintly under the weight of everything I was holding back.
“What happened? Too afraid now?”
He said nothing, but the corner of his mouth twitched, and I caught a flicker of emotion in his usually cold silver eyes.
I scoffed, crossing my arms to hide how much they were trembling. “I can’t believe I thought you’d changed,” I continued bitterly, shaking my head. The words slipped out before I could stop them, but I didn’t regret them.
“I thought… I thought maybe you finally saw me as someone worth protecting. A sister. Family.”
The lump in my throat grew heavier. Memories of my past life clawed their way to the surface, unbidden and suffocating. Stupid. I was so stupid to forget the kind of person Aiden was back then. The kind that accused me of a crime I didn’t commit without even proper proof.
“That’s not it,” Aiden muttered suddenly, cutting through my spiral of thoughts. His voice was lower now, almost too low to
hear.
“Then what is it?” I shot back, my tone icy.
His lips pressed into a thin line. “I won’t just leave you stranded here,” he admitted grudgingly. “But you’re forgetting something important.”
I raised an eyebrow, my expression unimpressed. “Oh? And what’s that?”
“Your marriage to Dante,” he said flatly, his words hitting like a slap. “It wasn’t just for your protection. It was an alliance between the Steele and Wolfe packs to keep the peace.”
My heart sank as his words registered. Right. Of course.
My lips trembled, and I opened my mouth to argue, but no words came out. He was right.
I had completely forgotten.
The marriage wasn’t just about protecting me or Castor–it was about the innocent wolves of the pack, the ones who would be caught in the crossfire if the alliance fell apart. It was for preventing a war that neither side could afford to fight.
My gaze sweeped the room, landing on the cupboard once again where I had kept Castor
Unfortunately, Aiden watched my reaction carefully, and his sharp eyes didn’t miss it when my gaze flickered to the cupboard.
“Why,” he began slowly, his tone suspicious, “do you keep looking over there?”
My stomach twisted as he turned toward the cupboard, his long strides carrying him close in an instant.
“Stop!” I yelped, darting forward to block his path. My heart leap into my throat, and panic surged through me. “Don’t!”
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Chapter 76
But it was too late.
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Aiden shoved me aside–not roughly, but firmly enough to send a clear message–and swung the cupboard door open. His silver eyes widened as he took in the sight of Castor’s egg plain in sight. Since the cupboard was empty there was nothing to distract from the egg.
The world seemed to slow as I watched his expression shift, his brows furrowing in confusion before something darker settled over his features.
“You….” He turned to me, his voice low and sharp. “Did you steal this from them?“.
I froze, my mind blank as the question hung in the air. Of course, that’s what he would assume. No normal person would ever think that the egg contained a living, breathing child that I had carried inside me.
I opened my mouth to explain, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, I nodded dumbly, then shook my head.
“What the hell does that mean?” Aiden snapped, his voice rising. His silver eyes burned with anger now, and I felt a tremor run through ma
He took a step toward me, his hand gesturing toward the egg. “So not only did you run away, but you stole something precious to them and ran off?!”
I flinched as his words hit me like blows, my heart racing as his expression darkened further.
“And he continued, his tone dripping with disbelief, “is this why Dante hasn’t said anything about your escape? Is this what he’s trying to keep quiet?”
I had no idea what ridiculous narrative he was conjuring in his mind, but it was so far removed from the truth that I couldn’t even begin to unravel it. So, I just nodded along, hoping he would let it go.
“It’s… important to Dante,” I mumbled, my voice shaky. “It can’t land in the wrong hands–DON’T TOUCH IT!”
My panic spilled over as Aiden reached for Castor’s egg, and I lunged forward, snatching it away before his hand could make contact. I clutched it to my chest protectively, glaring up at him.
“What’s inside?” he asked, his tone suspicious but also curious.
“I–I don’t know,” I lied, my voice barely above a whisper. “Just… stay away from it, okay?”
Aiden let out a heavy sigh, his frustration evident as he ran a hand through his blonde hair. He dropped onto the bed, the mattress creaking under his weight. “Then what’s your plan?” he asked, his voice laced with irritation. “What are you going to do next? Do you want to come back to the Wolfe pack?”
“Absolutely not!” I snapped, the words flying out of my mouth before I could think them through.
Aiden raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable.
“I’m not crazy,” I muttered, my hands tightening around Castor The mere thought of returning to the pack–of facing Jaxon -made my stomach churn. “Why the hell would I go from the frying pan straight into the fire?”
Aiden’s gaze softened slightly, but he didn’t say anything.
“Can’t I just stay here?” I asked, my voice quieter now.
Alone?!” Aiden’s tone sharpened again. “Valencia, a woman–especially an omega–living alone is dangerous!”
“Why not?” I countered, my brows furrowing. “Humans don’t know I’m a wolf. And plenty of women live alone these days. It’s not that out of the ordinary.”
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Chapter 76
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“And who’s going to pay for your living expenses?” he shot back, his voice laced with skepticism.
I rolled my eyes, annoyed. “Don’t worry. I won’t ask you to pay. I’ll just get a job.”
Aiden’s frown deepened, his sharp eyes raking over me as though trying to gauge my sanity.
Maybe he thought I was being naïve. Maybe the Valencia from six years ago would’ve been too scared, too inexperienced to handle herself. But I wasn’t that girl anymore.
I was a wolf among humans. I could overpower a human man if I had to. Compared to the threats I’d faced in my pack, this was nothing.
Aiden’s hands curled into fists, his knuckles whitening as he clenched his jaw. “Why won’t you ask me?”
“For what?” I asked, genuinely confused.
“To pay for your expenses,” he said tightly.
Is he stupid? Or does he think I am stupid?
I scoffed, shaking my head. “No, thank you. I already owe you enough.”
