Page 63 of Brutal Alpha's Forced Mate

Her smile widens, and the sight warms me, chasing away the chill of the air on my sweat-slicked skin. “I’m sure you do.”

I steal another kiss, slow and lingering, before easing her back down onto her feet.

When we return to the pack house and make our way to our room, Jaslyn barely glances at me before flopping onto the bed with an exhausted sigh. She sprawls across the covers, completely at ease. For a moment, I let myself just look at her. She’s perfect like this—relaxed, alive, and safe.

I sink into the chair across from her, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees. She hums softly, a tune I don’t recognize, and stretches like a cat before rolling onto her side to face me.

“You okay, Alpha?” she teases.

I force a small smile. “Always.”

She smirks, but it’s a sleepy one, and within minutes, her breathing evens out. She doesn’t even bother getting under the blankets.

I should lie down, too. God knows I’m exhausted. But the moment I see her like this, something holds me back. Something sharp and painful that I’ve been avoiding all night.

I promised her freedom.

When I first saw her—filthy, bruised, and beaten down—I swore I’d give her a chance at something better. I paid for her life in blood money, and it was never supposed to be more than that. Get her free, make her safe, deal with the demons, and let her go.

And yet, here we are.

She’s become the center of everything. The one thing my wolf and I agree on without question. She belongs here. She belongs with me.

But that’s just it, isn’t it? She belongs to herself.

And I’m not sure I’m strong enough to let her have that.

She shifts in her sleep with her face half-buried in the crook of her arm, and something in my chest clenches painfully. The demon threat is over. The pack is safe. She doesn’t have to stay here anymore. And if I were half the man I claim to be, I’d tell her that. I’d let her go without question, without hesitation, and I’d make sure she knew she was free to choose whatever life she wants.

But what if she doesn’t choose me?

The thought guts me more than I care to admit. I’ve built my life around strength, around the belief that I can protect what’s mine. But Jaslyn isn’t something to be protected, she’ssomeone to be trusted. She’s a force of nature, unique and wild and everything I never knew I needed. And holding onto her feels less like safety and more like selfishness.

My promise hangs heavy in the back of my mind. I swore to set her free when this was over. And even though every instinct in me is howling to keep her close, I know I have to follow through. She deserves the world. Deserves to make her own choices, to figure out who she is without anyone holding her back.

Even if it breaks me to give her that.

Chapter 22 - Jaslyn

The restaurant Gray picks isn’t what I expected. When he said he had “somewhere special” in mind, I thought he meant a private, romantic spot in the woods or maybe one of the quieter pack-gathering areas. But this place? This place is packed.

The tables are filled with shifters. The smell of sizzling meat and fresh bread fills the air, and there’s music playing from a corner where a few pack members are plucking away on guitars. It’s charming, but far from intimate.

A group of kids races past, their laughter ringing out as they duck under tables, and I raise a brow at him.

He smirks, holding the door open for me. “What, you don’t like it?”

“I didn’t say that,” I reply, stepping inside. “I just thought… I don’t know. Something quieter.”

“Quieter would’ve felt too expected,” he teases, leading me toward a table near the back. “This place feels more like us.”

I don’t argue. He’s right, in a way. It’s relaxed, unpretentious, and a little chaotic. Kind of like my life lately.

The waitress, a cheerful she-wolf with a wild mane of curls, greets Gray by name. Of course she does. The alpha walks in, and everyone knows who he is.

“Alpha Gray,” she says, smiling warmly. Her eyes flick to me, and something curious passes over her face before she schools her expression. “And you must be Jaslyn. I’ve heard about you.”

“All good things, I hope.”

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