Chapter 55
Rhianna woke slowly, like her body didn’t fully want to return to the world. Her eyes fluttered open, and for a moment she didn’t recognize the room. The ceiling wasn’t Alden’s. The blankets were softer, warmer. The air smelled like… food?
Her heart jumped in confusion before she remembered—
Hardin.
He brought her here.
He carried her away from the ceremony.
She sat up slowly, wincing a little at the stiffness in her chest. Then she heard noise from the kitchen—soft clattering, a pan moving, someone humming quietly.
Hardin.
She pushed the blanket off and walked toward the kitchen door, her steps small and slow. When she peeked in, Hardin was standing by the stove, trying to flip something in a pan. He looked strangely focused, like this was the most serious mission of his life.
Then the pancake folded itself wrong and landed halfway off the pan.
Hardin sighed. “I swear this thing hates me.”
Rhianna let out a tiny laugh before she could stop herself.
Hardin turned instantly, his eyes softening. “You’re awake.”
“Yeah,” she whispered.
“You hungry? I was… trying to make you breakfast.” He looked at the ruined pancake and muttered, “Trying.”
Rhianna leaned on the doorway. “It smells good.”
He perked up. “Really?”
“No,” she said honestly, then smiled a little. “But I appreciate the effort.”
His mouth dropped open. “Wow. And here I am trying to save your life.”
She laughed again—soft, shaky, but real. She didn’t even remember the last time she laughed.
Hardin noticed. His shoulders relaxed a little, like he had been waiting to see that.
“You want to sit?” he asked.
She nodded, moving to the table while he scraped off the dying pancake and tried again. He kept talking while he cooked, on purpose, like he wanted to keep her mind away from yesterday.
“You know, I’m actually good at fighting, protecting, lifting heavy things… but apparently, I can’t flip a pancake to save my life.”
“You’re really bad,” Rhianna said, hiding a smile.
He looked over his shoulder. “Wow. You wake up and immediately bully me. I see how it is.”
Rhianna shrugged softly. “You make it easy.”
Hardin smirked. “Glad something about me is helpful.”
Another laugh slipped out of her, but then the memory of the ceremony flashed in her chest—Brittany standing there, Sebastian holding her hand, the vows, the pack cheering. Her breath stumbled.
Hardin turned toward her immediately. “Hey… hey, look at me.”
She did.
“You’re here,” he said gently. “You’re safe. And you’re not dealing with any of that alone.”
Her eyes softened. “Thank you… for yesterday.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” he said. “I wasn’t going to let you collapse in front of them.”
Before she could answer, a sudden loud knock hit the front door.
Hardin froze.
Rhianna stiffened.
The knock came again—harder.
Hardin’s jaw clenched. “Stay here.”
Rhianna’s pulse picked up, but she nodded.
Hardin walked out of the kitchen, his steps sharp and heavy. He opened the door—
And Sebastian stood there.
Rhianna felt the air leave her lungs.
Sebastian’s eyes went directly to her, over Hardin’s shoulder. The look on his face wasn’t soft. It wasn’t sad. It was angry—no, furious.
He pushed forward, but Hardin blocked him instantly. “What do you want?”
Sebastian’s eyes were cold. “Move.”
“No,” Hardin said simply.
Sebastian glared. “I’m here for her. She shouldn’t be in your house.”
Rhianna felt every muscle in her body tighten. She stepped forward slightly. “Sebastian… why are you here?”
His eyes snapped to her. “To get you away from him.”
Hardin stepped forward again. “She doesn’t need to be ‘gotten’ anywhere.”
Sebastian scoffed. “You think I don’t see what you’re doing? You’re using her to get to me.”
Rhianna blinked. “What?”
“You’re not special to him, Rhianna,” Sebastian said sharply. “Hardin’s just taking advantage of you being vulnerable.”
Hardin’s jaw flexed. “Watch your mouth.”
Sebastian didn’t stop. He looked straight at Rhianna, eyes hard like steel. “He’s using you. And you’re stupid to fall for it.”
Something inside Rhianna snapped.
She stepped in front of Hardin before he could explode. “You think I’m stupid?” she said, her voice shaking with anger she didn’t even know she still had. “You think I’m vulnerable because of you?”
Sebastian laughed bitterly. “Rhianna, you don’t see anything clearly right now. You’re hurt. You’re confused. And Hardin—”
Hardin cut in, voice low and dangerous. “Say it.”
Sebastian didn’t hesitate. “Hardin is taking advantage of my mate.”
Rhianna stared at him, stunned. “Your mate?”
Sebastian’s throat tightened. “You will always be mine, Rhianna. No matter what. And going to my brother—”
“Stop,” she said sharply, her voice breaking. “Just stop.”
Sebastian shook his head. “Fucking my brother is—”
The slap cracked through the whole house.
Sebastian’s head snapped to the side.
Rhianna’s chest heaved. “Don’t talk to me like that. Don’t you ever talk about me like that.”
The room froze.
Hardin stepped beside her, eyes burning. “Rhianna isn’t your property. You lost the right to claim anything the second you replaced her.”
Sebastian looked back at Rhianna, his cheek bright red, his eyes filled with something dark and wounded. “Even if you hate me…” he whispered, “you’re still my mate.”
Rhianna shook her head, tears spilling over. “You didn’t act like it.”
Hardin placed a hand on her back, steadying her. “You need to leave,” he told Sebastian quietly.
Sebastian looked at the hand on her back—then at her face—then at Hardin.
His jaw clenched.
“This isn’t over,” he said.
Then he turned and walked away, the door slamming behind him.
Rhianna let out a trembling breath she had been holding the entire time. Her whole body felt unsteady.
Hardin turned her gently toward him. “You okay?”
She nodded weakly. “Yeah… I think so.”
“No,” he said softly, brushing a tear off her cheek with his thumb. “But you will be.”