Page 61 of Chased By My Grumpy Alpha
He stares at the coins like they’re poison, making no move to take them. “Astra—”
“Take it,” I repeat, my voice cracking despite my efforts to stay strong. “Consider this the end of our contract. You don’t have to worry about being annoyed by me anymore since we’ll never see each other again.”
I turn away from him before he can respond, before I completely break down in front of him. My legs feel shaky, but I force myself to walk toward the town, toward Andrew, toward the safe and quiet life that suddenly feels like a prison sentence.
Luna appears at my side, padding silently beside me, and I realize she has chosen to follow me rather than stay with him. Even my cat knows where she belongs. The thought makes fresh tears spill down my cheeks.
“Come on, Luna,” I whisper, scooping her up and holding her close to my chest. “Let’s go.”
But as I walk away, the silence behind me is deafening. He doesn’t call after me, doesn’t try to stop me, doesn’t even say goodbye. The lack of any response is somehow worse than his punishing words, a final confirmation that I never mattered to him at all.
The tears come in earnest now, silent sobs that shake my entire body. I press my face against Luna’s fur, trying to muffle the sound, but I can’t stop the flood of emotion that crashes over me like a tide.
I’d thought—foolishly, naively—that maybe Lucian was different. That maybe he saw something in me worth protecting, worth caring about. I’d let myself believe that his gruff demeanor hid something softer underneath, that his reluctant smiles and gentle touches meant I’d finally found someone who could accept me as I am.
But I was wrong. He’s just like everyone else; he thinks I’m annoying and worthless and is glad I’m gone. At least my pack members never pretended otherwise; they were cruel but honest about their hatred. Lucian made me hope, made me think that maybe someone could actually want me around, only to reveal that he finds me just as unbearable as the rest of them do.
The worst part isn’t even the cruel things he said. It’s the realization that, for the first time in my life, I’d felt truly seen by someone. When he looked at me, I thought he saw Astra the person, not Astra the burden. I thought his protection meant something more than just professional obligation.
I thought I’d finally found someone who liked me.
But I was just as desperate and pathetic as he said—so starved for acceptance that I mistook basic human decency for something deeper. So naive that I confused a mercenary doing his job with genuine care.
Luna purrs against my chest, and I hold her tighter, grateful for her unwavering loyalty even as my heart breaks into pieces. At least I have her. At least Andrew is waiting for me in Turnville, ready to offer me the safe, quiet life I’ve always claimed I want.
Sadly, these thoughts don’t cheer me up the way they should.
Chapter Eleven
Astra
The streets of Turnville are busier than I expected, filled with humans going about their daily lives. I clutch Luna closer against my chest as I navigate the unfamiliar roads, my heart hammering with nervous excitement.
I’m here. I actually made it.
I refuse to let Lucian’s cruel words get to me. I force the image of his face out of my head. I won’t think about him. I won’t. My heart tightens as I look around, desperate to find Andrew and leave everything else behind. Lucian included.
The town is larger than I imagined from Andrew’s descriptions, with winding, cobblestone streets and buildings that seem to lean against each other for support. I realize I have no idea where to find him—in all our brief meetings at the forest edge, I never thought to ask for his exact address.
“Excuse me,” I call out to a woman sweeping her front steps. “Do you know where I can find Andrew Crew?”
She pauses, broom in hand, and gives me a curious look. “Andrew? You might try Murphy’s Tavern this time of day. He’s usually there after work.”
I thank her and follow her directions through the maze of streets. My stomach flutters with nervous anticipation. After all these years, I’m about to see Andrew in his own world, his own life. Soon we’ll be married, and this will be my world, too.
Murphy’s Tavern is dim and smoky, filled with the sound of clinking glasses and low conversation. I hover in the doorway for a moment, feeling out of place among the rough-looking patrons, before I spot a familiar figure hunched over a mug at the far end of the bar.
“Andrew?”
He turns at the sound of my voice, and his face goes completely pale for a moment, like he’s seeing a ghost. Then shock crashes over his features, followed by a look of fear before he forces his expression into a smile.
“Astra?” He slides off his barstool so quickly he nearly knocks over his drink, his hand shaking as he steadies it. “What—How did you—I mean, what are you doing here?”
His voice cracks slightly on the last word, and I notice how much he’s blinking. The astonishment in his voice is so complete, so overwhelming, that for a moment I wonder if I made a mistake coming to Turnville.
“I came to find you,” I say, suddenly feeling uncertain. “I had to leave the pack. You said—You said if I ever needed to leave, I could come to you.”
“I—” He runs a hand through his hair, his eyes darting around the tavern like he’s looking for an escape route. “Yes, of course I said that. I just—I wasn’t expecting…”
