Page 35 of Rejected By My Shadow Alpha
"Don't," I said, my voice low but firm. "Don't you dare call that protection."
I took a shaky breath, pointing at him, the anger bubbling just beneath my skin. "You think disappearing was what broke me? It wasn't. It was the moment you looked me in the eye and rejected me like being fated-mates didn't matter."
His face tightened. He looked like he wanted to speak, but I wasn't done.
"You didn't just reject me, Drew. You used me, not because of who I was, but because of who my father was. I wasn't a person to you. I was a weapon you turned on him, and when you were done, you tossed me aside."
"That's not…" he started, his voice raw.
"No." I held up a hand, blinking back tears. "Don't tell me it wasn't personal. You marked me. You knew what that meant, and then you acted like I was nothing. Do you have any idea what that did to me?"
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I never stopped thinking about you, Ruby."
"Stop," I said, my voice catching. "Whatever this was, whatever it could have been, you ended it. You chose revenge over us. Over me."
He opened his mouth again, but I backed away toward the door, each step carved from fury and pain.
"Now please," I said, barely above a whisper. "Leave."
This time, it wasn't just my voice that was trembling. It was everything: my soul, my bond, my heart. I felt them shattering, even as I told him to go.
"I'm not here for that," he said quietly. "I'm here for the child. For Liora."
A lump formed in my throat. I looked past him to the woman who had followed him in. She stood with quiet strength, her posture composed, her eyes watchful but kind.
"My name is Lena. We know what your daughter's facing. Your message made it to the right ears. Drew is the alpha of the Lunaris pack now. He is the only one who can help your child."
I said nothing, torn between listening to her placating tone and asking them all to leave.
"Drew told me what happened," Lena continued. "Ruby, Liora needs an alpha to survive this. Drew is her only chance. Please."
There was something about her, something steady and comforting that pulled at me. Her presence reminded me of Nia. I could understand the rationale behind her plea. Liora needed help, and being hurt by Drew and rejecting his help would not save my child.
I closed my eyes, my heart pounding. My wolf paced inside me, torn between fury and instinct. She remembered him. She still ached for him, but I couldn't go there. Not again. Not now. The ache inside me sharpened. I looked toward the hallway and the bedroom where my daughter lay, suffering. Liora. This wasn't about me anymore. This was about her.
I turned to Drew, my voice hollow. "Fine. Heal her. Do what you came to do, but once she's better, you leave. No goodbyes, no explanations. You walk out and never look back."
Drew flinched. "Ruby…"
"No," I said sharply, eyes hard. "This isn't some big reunion, Drew. My daughter's in danger, and right now, I need results, not feelings. You're here because she needs you. That's it."
He nodded, slowly, pain etched into every line of his face. Finally, he gave a solemn nod. "Okay."
"Good," I said tightly, folding my arms.
His eyes lingered on me for a moment too long. I turned away, refusing to let him see the tears forming again.
Lena stepped closer, placing a hand on Drew's shoulder. "We'll leave you two now. Focus on healing the girl."
Alex lingered, glancing between us with something like sympathy in his eyes. "Thank you," he whispered, "for what you did for me. I hope this pays it back."
"Thank you, Alex," I said, managing a faint smile. "Really."
He nodded once, respectfully, and followed Lena out. The door clicked shut behind them, and just like that, it was me, Drew, and Liora. We had stayed apart in this war, and now, somehow, fate had drawn us back into the same storm.
Nia's words echoed in my mind like a warning bell. Liora's ailment was a blood curse. It must have come from Drew's pack. My throat tightened. I glanced toward the hallway where Liora lay asleep, fragile and defenseless. The curse that nearly killed her still lingered like smoke in the air, and now Drew, her father, was standing here, breathing the same air. Unaware.
I didn't know what terrified me more: the possibility that his return might place her in greater danger or the truth I was keeping from him. My wolf stirred, pacing with unease. Was it just a coincidence that someone in his pack had attacked my child, and he was unaware? Drew might be unaware, alright, but someone in his pack was intent on destroying me or my child, probably to avenge my father's crimes against them.
