Chapter 56
Rhianna sat on the couch, her hands still shaking after what happened at the door. Hardin had walked into the bedroom to cool off, and Tia sat beside her, rubbing her back gently.
“You okay?” Tia whispered.
“I don’t know,” Rhianna breathed. “My chest hurts… everything hurts.”
Before Tia could answer, footsteps sounded outside.
Rhianna froze.
Tia’s head snapped toward the door. “No… no way he came back.”
But he did.
Another knock—sharp, fast, almost desperate.
“Rhianna, open the door!”
Tia cursed under her breath. “I’ll handle him.”
She stood, ready to block the door, but Rhianna shook her head weakly. “No… I’ll talk to him. If I don’t, he’ll just keep coming.”
Tia hesitated but stepped back.
Rhianna walked to the door slowly, her legs still weak. She opened it just a little—and Sebastian pushed it wider with his hand, stepping inside before she could stop him.
Tia immediately placed herself between them. “Watch how you walk into this house.”
Sebastian ignored her eyes and looked straight at Rhianna. He looked frustrated, angry, and… scared. His chest was rising and falling fast.
“Rhianna,” he said, breath unsteady. “You can’t stay here. You have to come home.”
Rhianna blinked slowly, almost confused. “Home?”
“Yes,” he said quickly. “Our pack house. You belong there.”
A small, humorless laugh escaped her—painful, broken. “Home? That place stopped being home the moment you replaced me.”
Sebastian flinched. “It wasn’t my choice—”
“Yes, it was,” she cut sharply, voice trembling. “Don’t lie. Don’t stand here and pretend you were forced.”
“It was the council,” Sebastian insisted, stepping closer. “They said my alpha title was on the line—”
“And you agreed,” she whispered. “Just like that.”
He shut his eyes, jaw tightening. “I had to protect the pack.”
Rhianna shook her head. “No, you were protecting your title. Your pride. Your position.”
Sebastian’s eyes snapped open, hurt flashing across them. “It wasn’t like that—”
“It was EXACTLY like that!” Rhianna snapped, tears spilling again. “I wasn’t even dead yet, Sebastian. I was still fighting, still breathing—barely—but alive. And you were already standing beside another woman saying vows.”
Sebastian swallowed hard. “I didn’t want to—”
“Yes, you did,” she whispered. “You didn’t even visit me. Not once. Not even to check if I survived.”
Tia folded her arms, glaring at Sebastian like he was trash on the floor. “You didn’t even check her pulse, Alpha.”
Sebastian inhaled shakily. “Rhianna… please. You don’t understand the pressure—”
Rhianna stepped back from him. “Stop using that excuse. Stop hiding behind the council. You were supposed to be there for me.”
“I WAS THERE FOR YOU!” he yelled suddenly. “Until you became weak, and if I didn’t do what they said, I would’ve lost everything!”
Rhianna’s face drained of color.
Tia gasped softly. “Oh… you really said that.”
Sebastian’s eyes widened, realizing what he’d just admitted.
Rhianna stared at him, voice fragile. “So that’s it? Your title was more important than me?”
He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Rhianna let out a shaking breath. “You should go, Sebastian.”
“No,” he said immediately, stepping forward. “You’re coming with me. You’re my mate. You don’t belong here with Hardin—”
“Don’t bring Hardin into this,” Rhianna whispered. “He didn’t break me.”
Sebastian stiffened.
She continued, voice trembling but clear, “You did.”
He shook his head again and grabbed her wrist gently. “Rhianna, please—”
She pulled her hand away like his touch burned. “Because of you, I can’t walk in the pack without people staring at me. Talking behind my back. Calling me weak. Saying the Alpha replaced me like a broken doll.”
Sebastian looked tortured. “Rhianna, I didn’t want them to talk—”
“But they ARE talking!” she shouted. “And you’re the reason. You let it happen. You allowed them to treat me like something disposable.”
Tia nodded sharply. “Exactly.”
Sebastian’s chest rose and fell. “Rhianna… my title—”
“Fuck your title,” she whispered.
Sebastian froze.
Rhianna’s voice cracked. “I said what I said. Fuck. Your. Title. If it meant throwing me away that easily, then it isn’t worth anything. And neither are you.”
Tia covered her mouth, eyes wide.
Rhianna continued, her voice faint but shaking with real anger now, “Go home, Sebastian. Because if Hardin comes out of that room and sees you here… it’s going to be brutal.”
Sebastian swallowed hard. He knew she was right.
He took one more breath and said quietly, “You won’t like what comes next.”
Rhianna wiped her tears. “Neither will you.”
Sebastian hesitated—then finally left, shutting the door behind him.
Rhianna leaned against it, breathing hard. Tia rushed to her side. “You okay? Rhianna—look at me.”
Rhianna whispered, “I’m shaking.”
“You stood up to him,” Tia said softly. “He needed to hear every word.”
Rhianna closed her eyes, fighting more tears.
Inside the bedroom, Hardin’s footsteps moved.
He heard everything.