32

I felt guilty for bursting Alex's bubble of delusion, but I knew I couldn't keep him in the dark about my true situation. Even if it meant sacrificing my chance of escaping, I was determined to do the right thing.

Alex looked at me with disbelief, struggling to understand my words. His eyes widened as the truth sank in.

"What?" Alex quickly got off of me.

"I'm married, Alex. Is that so surprising?" I said casually, getting up from the bed and straightening my clothes. "This is why I can't stay here. I can't risk anything happening to the father of my child. It's time to stop playing games with our emotions."

I paused, noticing tears falling down Alex's face. He collapsed onto the bed, drained. I walked over to him.

"Alex, I know that my leaving the pack caused chaos. Maybe I misinterpreted your feelings for me. But that's all in the past now. I've reached a point of no return, and as embarrassing as it is to admit, I need your help," I said, holding Alex's face and locking eyes with him.

"Help?" Alex repeated as if he hadn't heard anything else I said. "Yes, I can help."

Hope sparked in my eyes as Alex rose from the bed, causing me to instinctively retreat a few steps. He seized my wrists, bringing my hands to cup his face, and then slowly rubbed his cheek against my forearm, a gesture driven by a deeply primal, male territorial instinct.

I gasped, taken aback by the unwavering intensity in his gaze. The abrupt shift in Alex's demeanor didn't escape my notice. His eyes swept from my face down to my abdomen.

"I don't care whether you're pregnant or not. I want every part of you to be mine," Alex declared softly, his touch tender as he caressed my stomach. "And that includes the child within you."

Speechless, I stood frozen, realizing that Alex had completely lost himself. "What on earth are you talking about?" I countered, attempting to extricate my wrist from his grasp, only to find his hold tightening, pulling me closer against his sturdy chest.

"I don't care whose child it is. Accept me as your mate, Ella. Let's complete our bond," Alex said, holding my face and locking eyes with me.

The tension in the air was palpable. Despite the awkwardness, the desperation in Alex's eyes made it clear that he was serious. With his growing obsession, I saw my chance of escape slipping away.

I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, contemplating the power of obsession. Could a man like Alex, who was desired by both men and women, with a charm that surpassed even the most captivating women and eyes that never showed interest in anyone, exuded arrogance and indifference, truly be serious about marking me?

It felt like an unbelievable fairytale with no happy ending. I gently pushed Alex's hand away and inquired, "If you truly want to accept all of me, shouldn't you also accept my desires?"

Alex seemed caught off guard by my question, confusion evident in his eyes.

"We can't be together, Alex," I stated firmly, maintaining a composed expression. I couldn't continue to indulge his fantasies. "Even without your help, I will save Edward at any cost. My true desire is to be with him."

A wry smile appeared on Alex's face as he looked defeated. "So, you want me to support your desire and assist you in escaping with your human?" he mused to himself.

I offered a slight nod, feeling an unexpected pang of guilt churning in my stomach. Witnessing the pain etched on Alex's face, I couldn't ignore the tightening sensation in my chest. Had I misjudged him? Was I now regretting causing him this hurt?

Had my actions, driven by ego, ultimately shattered this man's heart? I mused inwardly. Nevertheless, dwelling on the past served no purpose; Alex needed to move forward as well. A charming wolf like him didn't deserve to be entangled in this turmoil.

Alex remained silent, but he made no further attempts to hinder me as I made my way back to the arena. There, I saw Claire holding down the brunette girl's wolf, attempting to tear off its jaw. The brunette had numerous cuts on her body, blood seeping from them.

The brunette's wolf appeared drained, its efforts focused on shielding its head from being torn apart rather than retaliating. Gasping for air, the brunette girl struggled as Claire continued her dominance.

The atmosphere in the arena was tense, with Claire's intense aggression freezing the spectators in place. Everyone knew the consequences of the alpha princess dying, despite her pack's insistence on the fight.

Gasping for air, the brunette was close to losing consciousness. Unexpectedly, Claire released the wolf and shifted back to her human form. As Claire healed her minor wounds, the brunette shifted as well, glaring at Claire.

A collective sigh of relief swept through the audience, assuming Claire had chosen to spare the brunette. With the victor already determined, there seemed to be no further need for combat. Perhaps Claire had opted for mercy. Slowly, the brunette attempted to rise.

"That was quite the fight," she managed, struggling to catch her breath, her wounds proving more severe and slower to heal. "You are the rightful Luna and worthy of being Alpha Zen's mate, Claire. Thank—" Her words were abruptly cut short.

Horror rippled through the crowd, mirrored in the brunette's widened eyes and parted lips, which now spurted blood.

Claire's left hand had transformed into a wolf's claw, slicing through the veins in the brunette's neck. Shock immobilized the spectators as the lifeless body of the brunette collapsed to the ground.

Claire reverted her claw to her hand, casually licking the blood from the locket she had retrieved from the brunette's neck.

"Win or win. A loser doesn't deserve to live," Claire murmured with a devilish smirk, casting her gaze upon the corpse of the brunette girl.