Chapter 38 Chapter 38

Chapter 38 Chapter 38
Chapter 38: Breaking Bonds

Stan’s

I sat on the couch, my leg bouncing restlessly, my eyes glued intently to the clock. It was pushing midnight, and Dean still wasn’t back home. He had told me to leave the school earlier, claiming he had “business” to handle, and now here I was, waiting around like some pathetic, obedient dog.

My blood boiled with frustration, my hands clenching into fists. Where the hell was he? The low sound of a car engine rumbled outside, and I stiffened immediately but didn’t move. I decided to let him come to me for once.

The door creaked open, and Dean walked in, that damn smile on his face—the one that used to make my heart skip a beat, but now it just instantly pissed me off. “Hey,” he said, his voice light and casual, as if he hadn’t left me hanging alone for hours. “Not asleep yet?”

I didn’t answer him, my jaw tight with fury, as he walked over and sat down right next to me. I stood up, turning to leave the room, but he grabbed my hand, his grip firm and insistent. “Hold on a second,” he said, his voice softer now. “Are you angry, Stan? What’s going on with you?”

I chuckled, the sound cold and sharp, and yanked my hand quickly free from his grasp. “Angry?” I said, turning sharply to face him, my voice low and controlled. “You’re gone all day, Dean. You come home at midnight with that stupid smile, and you truly think I’m just going to sit here like everything’s perfectly fine between us?”

He frowned, standing up from the couch, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. “What is your actual problem?” he said. “I had things I absolutely needed to take care of for the pack. You know exactly how this life is. Why are you acting so dramatically like this?”

I laughed, my hands shaking with suppressed emotion, my anger finally spilling over. “My problem?” I said, stepping aggressively closer to him. “You’re out there chasing your brother and his weak mate, Dean! You’re so completely obsessed with becoming Alpha that you don’t even see me anymore. I’m just supposed to sit here obediently, be your good little submissive wolf, right?”

His face hardened instantly, his eyes flashing a warning green. “What is that supposed to mean, exactly?” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “Are you saying I’m neglecting you in our relationship? Do you truly think I don’t care about you?”

“I’m saying you’re constantly gone!” I snapped, my voice rising with frustration. “You’re always gone, Dean! Running around plotting with Eric, scheming against Enzo, obsessing endlessly over Noah. What is so incredibly special about that human, huh? Why do you care so deeply if he’s a Vengas or not?”

Dean’s eyes widened in surprise at the name, his jaw tightening immediately. “Who told you I am obsessed about the Vengas?” he said, stepping aggressively closer to me, his voice sharp and cold. “You’ve been overacting again, Stan, haven't you?”

I laughed bitterly and loudly at his accusation. “I don’t need to overact anything,” I said. “I’m not blind to your actions. You come back right after meeting Eric, all worked up, muttering out loud about Noah potentially being a Vengas. What does that possibly have to do with us? If he’s Eric’s problem, then let Eric deal with him! Why are you actively working with a rogue to take down your own blood brother?”

Dean grabbed my arm fiercely, pulling me close to his chest, his eyes burning with intense anger. “You don’t get to question my decisions,” he growled, his voice low and menacing, his grip painfully tight. “What I do, who I choose to work with, that is simply not your business to discuss, Stan. You’re my mate, yes, but you are absolutely not my advisor or my equal.”

“Your mate?” I said, yanking my arm free from his painful grasp, my voice shaking with heartbreak. “Is that truly what I am to you? Because it currently feels like I’m nothing at all! You’re so completely caught up in your greedy power grab, you don’t even notice my presence anymore. You think I’m just going to sit here quietly, play the submissive role, while you chase after Noah and risk everything we have together?”

Dean’s face twisted with a mix of anger and frustration, his voice rising sharply. “You truly think I’m doing all of this for fun?” he said, shouting now. “Enzo has the pack, the Alpha power, everything I should have had! I’m his brother, Stan, and yet I’m perpetually stuck in his shadow. Do you actually want me to just accept that reality? Do you want me to willingly let him win everything?”

“I want you to finally see me!” I shouted back, my hands clenching tightly in desperation. “I’m your mate, Dean! Not some disposable pawn in your political game. You’re willingly working with Eric, a damn rogue, to forcefully take down both Enzo and Noah. What the hell happens to me if this dangerous plan goes completely wrong? Did you ever once think about that consequence?”

He laughed, cold and sharp, stepping aggressively closer to me. “You are being overly dramatic right now,” he said dismissively. “This situation is much bigger than your feelings, Stan. Noah is a Vengas—or he might be one. You know perfectly well what that means for us? He could easily drain all of our wolf power, destroying the entire pack. Do you truly want that kind of massive threat walking around freely?”

I stared at him, my heart pounding hard against my ribs. “A Vengas?” I said, my voice low and shaky with disbelief. “Do you truly believe that claim? Your father supposedly killed them all years ago. You told me that story yourself. How can Noah possibly be one of them?”

Dean’s eyes flickered with uncertainty, his voice dropping slightly. “Eric sensed it on him,” he said defensively. “He claims Noah’s got Vengas blood flowing through him. I don’t definitively know if it’s true yet, but if it is, he is extremely dangerous to us. He immediately needs to be dealt with.”

“Dealt with?” I said, my voice shaking violently. “You mean killed, Dean. You’re actually planning to kill Enzo’s mate because of some rogue’s suspicious hunch? What in the world is truly wrong with you?”

He growled loudly, instantly grabbing my neck again. His eyes were glowing a fierce, warning green, and his face was inches from mine, menacing and cold. “You do not get to talk to me with that disrespectful tone,” he said, his voice low and extremely dangerous. “I’m doing exactly what I have to do for my future, Stan. You are my mate, but you are completely worthless if you dare to interfere with my plans. Stay in your designated place and permanently keep your mouth shut about this.”

He shoved me backward forcefully onto the bed. My body hit the soft mattress hard, and hot, painful tears burned the back of my eyes. “Do not cross me ever again,” he said, his voice cold and devoid of emotion. “Stay completely out of all of my future plans.” With that final, cold warning, he turned and walked out of the room, the door slamming shut loudly behind him.

I sat there alone, my chest heaving with silent sobs, tears spilling rapidly down my face. My anger boiled up, hotter and more focused than ever before, my hands shaking as I stared furiously at the closed door.

Ever since Noah came into the pack’s picture, everything we had was hell. Dean’s complete obsession, Eric’s destructive schemes, the insane Vengas talk—it was all because of that single human boy.

I growled, my inner wolf stirring aggressively, the only thought in my mind clear as day: I had
to make absolutely sure Noah was gone for good.