Chapter 70: Possession

Kaelen's POV

I caught her wrist just as she stepped through the door.

Her whole body jerked. Tried to pull away.

Not a fucking chance.

My fingers tightened. Hard enough to bruise. Hard enough to make sure she understood exactly how serious this was.

"Going somewhere?"

My voice came out low. Dangerous.

She twisted in my grip. "Let go—"

I yanked her back inside. Kicked the door shut behind us with enough force to make the frame shake.

The bond was screaming. Had been screaming since I watched her press herself against that fucking man. Since I heard those breathy little sounds she made. Watched her lean into his touch like she belonged there.

Mine. She's mine and she was letting another male—

I dragged her down the corridor. She stumbled in those ridiculous heels but I didn't slow down.

"Kaelen, stop—"

"Shut up."

My wolf was clawing at my control. Demanding blood. Demanding I rip that man apart for touching what was ours.

I spotted a side door. Led to the old storage area behind the Pack House. Nobody used it anymore.

Perfect.

I hauled her through it. Into the shadows behind the building.

The moonlight barely reached here. Just enough to see her face. See those wide eyes trying to look defiant even though I could smell her fear.

Good. She should be afraid right now.

I shoved her back against the wall. Hard.

She gasped. Tried to push against my chest.

I didn't move.

My hands came up on either side of her head. Caging her in. Trapping her between the wall and my body.

The air grew heavy. Oppressive. Her knees buckled slightly before she caught herself.

Through the bond I felt her wolf whimpering. Submitting to the dominance pouring off me.

But she kept her chin up. Still trying to look strong.

Stubborn little—

"Clever disguise," I said.

My hand shot up. Grabbed the dark brown wig.

I ripped it off.

Her auburn hair tumbled down around her shoulders. The fake dark brown strands fell to the ground between us.

She flinched but didn't look away.

"Did you really think I wouldn't know?"

I leaned closer. Close enough that she had nowhere to look except directly at me.

"Did you think some cheap fucking wig would fool me?"

The scent hit me then. That godawful perfume she'd doused herself in. Heavy. Floral. So strong it made my eyes water.

But underneath it—buried beneath the chemical stench—I could still smell her.

Wildflowers. That scent that had been driving me insane since the moment I found her.

The bond wouldn't let me miss it. Wouldn't let anything hide what was mine.

My vision flashed gold at the edges.

"Let go of me!" She tried to shove me again.

I didn't budge.

"I have every right to be here," she said. Her voice shook but stayed firm. "This is a public festival."

"Every right?"

I laughed. Cold and sharp.

"To lie to Cordelia? To sneak out of the house wearing that?"

I gestured at the dress. That fucking dress that showed too much skin. That clung to every curve.

"To disguise yourself and parade around—"

"I wasn't parading—"

"IN FRONT OF ANOTHER MALE?"

The words came out as a snarl.

My hands were shaking. I gripped the wall harder on either side of her head.

Control. I needed control.

But the image kept replaying. Her body pressed against his. Her head tilted back. Those sounds she made.

"To let him touch you?" My voice dropped lower. More dangerous. "To make those sounds for him?"

Her face flushed red.

"You have no right—"

"What about you?" she shot back. Her eyes blazed. "You can stand there with Vespera all night—"

"That's different—"

"Let her hang all over you, whisper in your ear—"

"Sera—"

"But I can't even be seen? Can't even exist?"

Tears were pooling in her eyes. She blinked them back furiously.

"I'm not your dirty secret, Kaelen!"

Something twisted in my chest.

But the rage was stronger.

"That's different," I said again. "Vespera is..."

I stopped.

What was Vespera exactly?

Isolde's face flashed through my mind. Brown hair. Blue eyes. That smile that used to make everything feel lighter.

Before the whispers started. Before the rumors spread like poison through the pack. Before everyone started looking at her with suspicion instead of respect.

"I heard she was seen talking to outsiders."

"Someone said she's been meeting with wolves from rival packs."

"Why would she do that unless—"

The gossip had been relentless. Cruel. And I'd tried to defend her. Tried to shut it down.

But it kept growing. Spreading. Until even my closest advisors were pulling me aside with "concerns."

"Alpha, the pack is losing faith."

"Alpha, you need to address this."

"Alpha, if you don't do something, they'll think you're weak."

Isolde had tried to tell me something. Tried to explain. But the words wouldn't come. She'd just stood there, eyes wide and desperate, saying "Please, you have to believe me."

But I'd been drowning in pressure. In doubt. In the constant weight of everyone's expectations.

So I'd made a choice.

The wrong fucking choice.

I banished her. Sent her away with nothing. Told her if she ever came back I'd kill her myself.

She'd looked at me with those blue eyes. Crying. Broken.

"I never betrayed you, Kaelen. I love you."

A month later, patrol found her body at the border. Torn apart. Left to rot.

The guilt had nearly destroyed me.

Three months after her funeral, those fucking elders started their campaign again.

"Alpha, you need stability."

"The pack needs to see strength."

"We have someone in mind. Vespera. She's from a good family. Strong bloodline."

I'd told them to fuck off.

But they'd kept pushing. Week after week. Wearing me down.

"The neighboring packs are watching."

"They see weakness."

"An unmated Alpha is vulnerable."

So I'd gone through the motions. Let Vespera play her role.

But she wasn't Isolde.

She'd never be Isolde.

Until I found this girl fighting with a lynx in the forest. And the bond snapped into place before I could stop it.

"Vespera is what?" Sera demanded, yanking me back. "Your girlfriend? Your lover? What?"

"She's none of your business."

"But I'm your business? I'm your mate—"

"Exactly."

I leaned in closer. My face inches from hers.

"You're mine. That mark means you belong to me."

Her eyes went wide.

"No other male gets to touch you," I continued. "Look at you."

My gaze dragged down her body deliberately. The low-cut dress. The exposed skin.

"Breathe near you."

"Belong to you?"

She laughed. Sharp and broken.

"Like property?"

"So it's fine for you to be seen with whoever you want—"

"Yes."

"But I have to stay locked up? Hidden away?"

She shoved at my chest again. Harder this time.

It didn't move me even an inch.

"You're a hypocrite!" Her voice cracked. "A selfish, controlling hypocrite!"

Something snapped.

I grabbed her shoulders. Pushed her harder against the wall.

My hands came back to either side of her head. Completely caging her in.

I leaned down until we were almost nose to nose.

"I'm not sleeping with anyone else," I growled.

Her breath hitched.

"But even if I were—"

I saw her eyes flash with hurt.

"—you still don't have the right to let another man touch you."

"Why?" she whispered. "Because of some mark?"

"Because you're marked."

My voice was barely controlled now.

"You're mated."

The bond was thrashing. Screaming. Demanding I claim her properly. Make her understand exactly what she was.

"YOU'RE MINE."