Chapter 33 The Price of Protection
Chase's POV
I was halfway across the courtyard when the Bond flared with a sharp, suffocating sensation.
Confinement. Isolation. The feeling of walls closing in, air growing thin.
Wynter.
She was being held somewhere—locked away like a criminal, waiting for their judgment. Through the Bond, I felt her fear coiling tighter with every passing minute, the oppressive weight of stone walls and iron doors pressing down on her.
My boots pounded against stone as I headed toward the administrative building. I was going to tear that door down if I had to. I was going to drag every Council member out by their throats and demand they release her.
Two Council guards blocked the entrance, expressions blank and immovable.
"Alpha Sterling," one said, respectful but firm. "The Council chamber is in private session."
"I need to speak with them," I snarled. "Now."
"The session is closed. By order of Lord Aldric Sterling."
The world tilted.
My father.
The phone in my pocket vibrated. Once. Twice.
I pulled it out with shaking hands.
Lord Aldric Sterling.
I swiped to answer. "Father."
"Chase." His voice was smooth, deep, the voice of a man who commanded armies. "Step away from the building. This conversation requires privacy."
"You had no right to lock her up like—"
"I said, step away." The command in his voice made my wolf whimper instinctively, an Alpha order that went bone-deep. "Unless you want the guards to hear you begging for a Beta girl's life?"
I turned and strode toward the edge of the courtyard, jaw clenched so tight it ached. When I was far enough away, I stopped under the shadow of an oak tree.
Through the Bond, I still felt Wynter's anguish—trapped, helpless, the minutes stretching into an eternity as she waited for a verdict that could destroy her future.
"I warned you, didn't I?" His voice turned razor-sharp. "That night I called, I gave you a choice. You refused. So I made it for you."
"You framed her," I said, voice shaking with barely controlled rage. "You planted evidence on an innocent student."
"I ensured the integrity of the academy. The evidence was compelling. Stolen exam papers found in her possession. The Council had no choice but to act."
"She didn't—"
"It doesn't matter!" His voice rose, sharp as a whip crack. Then, chillingly, it dropped back to ice. "What matters is what the record shows. A cheat and a liar. A disgrace to Emerald Valley and an embarrassment to you."
I slammed my fist against the tree trunk. Bark splintered under my knuckles. "You have no right—"
"I have every right. I am your Alpha. I am your father. And I will not stand by while you destroy everything I've built for a girl who will never be worthy of the Sterling name."
"She has a name," I snarled. "Wynter Vaughn. And she's my Mate."
"A crippled Mate with a damaged Mark. Do you have any idea how weak that makes us look?"
"She was damaged because I couldn't protect her—"
"Because she is weak!" His roar made me flinch. "Strong wolves survive, Chase. Weak ones break. If she cannot withstand academy politics, how will she lead as Luna when enemies circle? When war comes?"
My chest heaved. Through the Bond, I felt Wynter's fear spike—she was still locked in that room, still waiting, and I was standing here powerless.
"What do you want?" I asked, voice raw.
"I want you to remember who you are." For a moment, his tone softened—almost fatherly. "You are Chase Sterling. Heir to the most powerful territory on the continent. Bred for greatness. Every decision I have made has been to prepare you for the throne."
"I never asked for—"
"No one asks for destiny, son. But you cannot run from it." The softness vanished. "I cannot force you to reject her. The Bond is a biological nuisance I cannot remove. And I cannot force you to marry Anne Kaine if you are determined to be obstinate."
A flicker of hope sparked in my chest. "Then let it go."
"I can't do that." His voice was flat, final. "The Sterling legacy is bigger than your life. If I cannot control you... I must control the environment around you."
The hope died. "What does that mean?"
"It means that if you will not remove the distraction, I will remove the elements that keep it present." He paused, letting the words sink in like poison. "She has attachments. Friends. That Beta girl... Sinclair? Sweet child. It would be a shame if she were suddenly implicated in the cheating scandal as well."
My blood turned to ice. "You wouldn't."
"And the Rogue. The one they call Jax. I've been reading his file. Quite the violent history. The Council is already questioning whether the Rehabilitation Program is effective. One more incident—say, an unprovoked attack—and the decision would be easy."
I could barely breathe. "He hasn't done anything—"
"He will, when the situation is engineered correctly. And when a Rogue fails the program, Chase, you know what happens. They're put down. For public safety."
The world spun. I saw it vividly—Rosalie dragged from her dorm in tears, her future shattered. Jax on his knees in the woods, silver collar sparking, a Council executioner raising a blade.
"You're bluffing," I whispered.
"Am I?" His voice was soft, deadly. "Test me, son. Keep protecting that girl. Keep defying me. And I will systematically dismantle every single thing she cares about until there is nothing left."
"Father, please—"
"I don't want to do this, Chase. I don't want to be the villain in your story. But I will be, if that's what it takes to save you from yourself. Make your choice. You have until the end of the day."
"Wait—"
The line went dead.
I stood there, staring at the phone. Through the Bond, I felt Wynter's despair deepening—she was still trapped, still waiting, unaware that the real threat wasn't the Council. It was my own father.
Kill him, my wolf snarled, thrashing against the cage of my ribs. Challenge him.
I can't. He controls everything. If I challenge him now, they all die.
I turned and walked away, legs heavy as lead.
---
The Alpha Tower was silent when I returned.
I stood at the window, staring out at gathering storm clouds. I hadn't slept in forty-eight hours. The incomplete Bond was a constant, gnawing hunger that made my wolf pace relentlessly.
Through the Bond, I felt Wynter's confinement—the suffocating sense of being caged, the slow erosion of hope as minutes turned into hours.
She's stronger than he thinks.
But strength wouldn't save her. Not from him.
My hand shook as I dialed the number back.
He answered on the first ring. "Have you decided?"
"Release her. Clear her name. Ensure she stays in the academy. Leave her friends alone."
"And in return?"
I took a breath that felt like inhaling broken glass. "I will distance myself from Wynter Vaughn. I won't be seen with her. I won't protect her publicly."
"That is a start. But not enough."
I squeezed my eyes shut. "And I will honor the arrangement with the Kaine family."
"And the engagement?"
The words tasted like ash. "We can discuss the reinstatement of the engagement. If you leave them alone."
There was a long silence. I could hear him breathing, could almost see the satisfied smile spreading across his face.
"I knew you would make the right choice, son. Logic always prevails over sentiment."
"Release her. Now."
"It's already done. The charges have been dropped. She will be released within the hour. And your friends—Sinclair and the Rogue—will remain untouched. As long as you keep your end of the bargain."
The call ended.
I threw the phone. It smashed against the stone wall, shattering into pieces.
I sank into the leather chair, burying my face in my hands. I felt like I was bleeding out, like something vital had been carved from my chest.
I had just promised to walk away from my Mate. I had promised to stand by the woman who had tortured her.
Suddenly, the Bond hummed.
It wasn't pain this time. It was a wave of relief—pure, overwhelming relief washing over me from Wynter's end. The suffocating walls had opened. She was free. She was safe.
She had no idea what it had cost.
I sat there in the darkening room, feeling her light shine through the Bond, knowing that very soon, I would have to be the one to snuff it out.