Page 29 of Brutal Alpha's Forced Mate

She’s been through enough. I won’t let myself be another person who takes more than she’s ready to give.

With a deep breath, I follow her down the trail, keeping a deliberate distance between us. For now, that’s where I need to stay.

When we reach the house, I hold the door open for her, and she steps inside without a word.

“Jaslyn,” I say softly, and her eyes snap to mine.

She arches a brow. “What?”

I hesitate and run a hand through my hair as I try to find the right words. “I need to say something. And I need you to listen, even if it’s not what you want to hear.”

She leans against the edge of the couch, crossing her arms again. “Sounds ominous.”

“It’s not,” I say. “It’s just… important.”

She doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t leave, either. I take that as permission to continue.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about everything,” I begin. “About what you said, about what I’ve done. And you were right. I made choices that hurt you. Choices I thought were best at the time, but they weren’t. I know that now. And I know that no apology can fix the years you lost because of me.”

Her lips press into a thin line, and I can see the walls going up again. I step closer, not letting her retreat into herself.

“But I’m not going to stop trying to make it right,” I continue. “Starting now.”

She tilts her head, watching me with both curiosity and suspicion. “What do you mean?”

Instead of answering, I cross the room and rummage through a drawer in one of the end tables to pull out the small charm I’ve been carrying since the day I brought her back. A token of ownership, tied to the magical contract Malcolm used to bind her. She sees it and goes rigid. “Why do you have that?”

“It’s what Malcolm used to control you, right?” I hold it up for her to see. “When I bought you, this became mine. It’s how he ensured you couldn’t leave, how he forced you to obey. And as long as I have it, you’re still technically bound to me.”

Her fists clench at her sides, and I can feel the anger radiating off her in waves. “Why are you showing me this now? To remind me that I’m still just someone else’s property?”

“No,” I say quickly, shaking my head. “I’m showing you because I’m letting you go.”

Her breath catches, and for a moment, she just stares at me like I’ve grown a second head. “What?”

I step closer, holding the charm between us. “You’re free, Jaslyn. Completely free. No ties, no contracts, no strings. This—” I nod toward the charm—“This doesn’t control you anymore. It’s over.”

Then, with a flick of my wrist, I shatter the charm against the edge of the coffee table. The magic in it fizzles and dies, leaving nothing but a faint wisp of smoke.

“Why now?” she asks after a long pause. “Why would you do this? We made a deal. I said I would help you if—”

“Because it’s the right thing to do,” I say simply. “Because you deserve to make your own choices. And because I can’t ask you to stay here—to help us, to help me—if it’s not your choice.”

She swallows hard, and her gaze drops to the floor. “And what if I decide to leave?”

I force myself to keep my tone even, though the thought of her walking away twists something deep in my chest. “Then that’s your decision. I won’t stop you.”

She looks up at me, seeming to search my face for some sign of deceit. “You mean that?”

“I do.”

For a long moment, neither of us says anything, and I can’t tell if the silence between us is a good thing or not. Finally, Jaslyn blows out a long breath through pursed lips and straightens.

“I made a promise,” she says. “I told you I’d stay until the demon situation is dealt with, and I meant it. That hasn’t changed.”

Relief floods through me with such force that I almost stumble under the weight of it. But I keep my expression neutral and nod once. “Good. We need you.”

“You do,” she agrees. “And to be clear, I’m staying for them, not for you. There are a lot of innocent pups in this pack, and they don’t deserve to live in fear.”

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