Chapter 5
I didn’t want to intrude on their conversation, so I retreated to the bedroom, the weight of the day pressing heavily on my shoulders. The scent of Arthur’s cologne lingered in the air, a mix of sandalwood and something uniquely him—something that still made my wolf stir faintly, even now.
Almost immediately, there was a knock at the door. I turned to see Arthur standing there, his broad frame filling the doorway, his phone clutched in his hand. His dark eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of hesitation. But it was gone just as quickly.
“Livia sent a message,” he said, his voice steady but laced with something I couldn’t quite place. “We’ve been invited to dinner at my parents’ house tomorrow.”
Of course, it was Livia. She was Maxwell’s protégé, a Delta warrior who had somehow managed to worm her way into the family’s inner circle. No one questioned her role as the messenger, even though she wasn’t technically part of the pack’s leadership. Her closeness to Arthur’s family had always been a sore spot for me, though I’d tried to ignore it.
Before I could respond, Arthur continued, “She said she couldn’t reach you on your phone. Got concerned and came to find me. Do you want to talk to her?”
I hesitated, my wolf growling faintly in the back of my mind. I didn’t want to deal with Livia’s smug tone or her veiled jabs. But Arthur was already holding the phone out to me, his expression unreadable.
I took the phone and pressed it to my ear. Livia’s voice came through, sweet and syrupy, but with an edge that made my skin crawl. “I’ll be there at the family dinner tomorrow,” she said, her tone dripping with false cheer.
I didn’t have the patience for her games. “I’m rejecting Arthur soon,” I said bluntly, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “I, Makenzie, Gamma of the Blue Pack, reject you, Arthur, Beta of the Blue Pack, as my mate.” The formal vow felt heavy, the bond between us twisting painfully in my chest. I hung up before she could respond, the silence in the room deafening.
Arthur’s face fell, his usual calm demeanor cracking for the first time. His jaw tightened, and his grip on the doorframe tightened as if he needed the support. For a moment, I thought he might say something, but he simply turned and left, his footsteps echoing down the hall.
When the door clicked shut, I sank onto the edge of the bed, my hands trembling. My wolf whimpered softly, the pain of the broken bond echoing through both of us. I reached for my phone, realizing it had died. Once I plugged it in and turned it on, the screen lit up with a flood of missed calls and messages from Livia.
I didn’t bother reading them. Whatever she had to say, I wasn’t interested. The weight of the rejection vow still lingered, the bond between Arthur and me fraying with every passing moment. But deep down, I knew this was the right choice—for me, for my wolf, and for the pack.
The night stretched on, the silence of the room pressing in on me. I could feel my wolf’s restlessness, her pain mirroring my own. But I pushed it aside, focusing on the task ahead. Tomorrow’s dinner would be a test, not just for me, but for Arthur as well. And I wasn’t sure either of us was ready for what it might bring.
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