Chapter 274 THE WEIGHT OF JEALOUSY
Edeline
What did I feel?
When he said he could finally get that relief, comfort from a woman he hadn’t had, it hit me hard. He respected me enough to hold back, hoping we’d grow into something more. The thought of him with someone else made me feel... well, I didn’t know.
Afraid?
I switched off the main light, leaving my bedside lamp as the only source of illumination, turning the walls from deep purple to soft periwinkle. Sliding into bed, I curled up under the champagne-colored blanket, pulling my phone from my pocket.
Just the idea of him with someone else made me sick.
What I meant was, if I didn’t have a partner, I would be with him in a heartbeat. I’d give him a chance if I wasn’t marked and mated. The way we were together felt almost like we were already a couple, without crossing any physical boundaries like kissing. I enjoyed how he touched me; I felt so small around him. But he wasn’t my partner.
If he started seeing someone else...
I was sure I would be envious. Someone would take him away from me. What would I think if I saw him kiss another girl?
It didn’t seem that bad. But he had always been there for me, and I didn’t want to share him. I didn’t want to lose him.
This was a thought I’d never entertained before. I usually didn’t dwell on things that hit close to home.
Then there was Percival.
If he was with someone else, it would really bother me. But I knew he wouldn’t wait too long; he’d have to find someone eventually.
It should be easy, right? Why did I have to be so ignorant in this one area?
That other person would know if I slept with someone else. And if he slept with someone else... I would feel it.
A tear slipped down my cheek, and I realized my eyes were wet. My wolf howled at the thought of Percival with someone else. I might appear tough on the outside, but inside, I still cared about him.
I no longer know how to feel about him. Tomorrow is going to be a painful day—a day when I won’t have to feel anything at all.
…
One week later
Percival
The light filtering through the window scattered behind my closed eyelids. Patterns danced in the darkness, refusing to let me sleep any longer. My eyes fluttered open, and with a groggy sigh, I reached up, yanking the curtain shut. The thin fabric whispered as it slid across the rod, but it did little to block the stubborn morning sun. A wave of grumpiness settled over me, heavy and familiar.
I had been crashing in the Alpha’s suite at the pack house. I had to be here, where duty demanded me. Our family’s place was taken—occupied for now, anyway. It was not like I had much of a choice, though being here was... complicated.
Every morning since last week, that same dream crept into my thoughts, uninvited. I could not shake it. Edeline. Always Edeline. Except, the version of her in the dream was not quite the Edeline I remembered. She was... more.
She stood out—no doubt about that.
And not in some regular, hey-that-is-nice kind of way. No. She was something else. Something that stuck with me.
With a sigh, I forced the excitement bubbling under my skin back down. There was no use indulging in it, no matter how much my body hummed at the thought of her. I swung my legs out of bed, planting my feet on the cold hardwood floor, and stretched, arms reaching overhead. Muscles pulled and ached in satisfying ways as I wandered toward the mirror mounted on the door.
I had come a long way in the past few months. I was not that naive little pup anymore. I was an Alpha now. A real one—by blood, by name, by every wild instinct locked inside me. My reflection stared back with a hard-edged intensity I barely recognized some days. My blue eyes, unusually sharp this morning, drifted down the length of my torso. The muscles lining my chest and stomach stood out, defined by months of training and change.
Then there were the scars.
They told stories—stories that shaped me, that sharpened me. My gaze dropped lower, lingering a moment too long on the bulge pressing against the fabric of my boxer briefs. A familiar ache twisted in my chest. It was not just about needing someone. It was about needing her.
My buddy.
I dragged a hand through my hair, eyes falling shut for a second longer than they should. The wolf inside me stirred, restless and frustrated. Without Edeline around, something was off. Wrong. My thoughts wandered in places they had no business going—recalling the way she felt, the way her body fit against mine. The memories clung stubbornly, no matter how hard I tried to shove them aside.
The shift in my title, becoming Alpha, brought a whole new flood of testosterone to the mix. My body was growing, adjusting to the power coursing through me. Everything felt... bigger. Stronger. And that came with a whole lot of complications.
The single females in the pack noticed.
Their looks were not subtle, either. They made it clear—smiling, lingering too long, practically inviting me with their eyes. A few of them had dropped more than enough hints that they would be more than happy to spend the night together.
But I did not want them.
I wanted my mate. Only her.
I clenched my fists, jaw tight. If I went after another woman, Edeline would sense it. I knew she would. And that was not the kind of message I wanted to send. No matter how wild my wolf got, no matter how much the tension built, I would not be the first to break. She had not been with anyone else. Not yet.
I had to show her the same respect.
Still, the thought nagged at me, fear curling like smoke in the back of my mind. What if she did? What if she gave herself to someone else? The idea sat like a stone in my gut, heavy with doubt and jealousy.
God, I did not want to feel that.
I was not sure what I would do if it happened.
Or how far the wolf inside me would take things.
Blowing out a breath, I turned away from the mirror and headed toward the ensuite bathroom. Steam quickly filled the small space as I twisted the shower knob, letting the hot water pound against the tile. Another morning. Another routine to get through. The only way to take the edge off—for now—was by my own hand.
...
After the shower, I slipped into dark denim, a black thermal, and my worn-out motorcycle boots. The familiar weight of the clothes grounded me as I made my way down to the dining hall. Breakfast with the crew was a daily ritual now—something I had to maintain as the new Alpha. Not like my father, who kept his distance from everyone. I knew better. If you wanted to run a pack right, you needed to be with them.
Even though the wolf inside me was still wild—restless in ways that made my skin crawl—my human side was beginning to catch up. I was learning to keep the wolf in check, to push down those sharp, instinctive urges before they boiled over.
Gaspar helped. Every day. He showed me how to manage it—how to steady myself when the instincts got too loud. It was not easy. Some days, the wolf wanted to snap the neck of anyone who dared look at me sideways. But I was getting better.
People respected me now. And they feared me, too.
"Morning, Alpha."
The voice was soft, teasing. A girl sauntered past, flashing a lingering smile. Her rosy lips curved just enough to be suggestive, and her eyes sparkled as she looked me over.
I felt it stir—low in my chest—a growl vibrating through me before I could stop it. My eyes narrowed instinctively, locking onto her.
She froze. Her expression twisted, shocked, as she quickly hurried away, head down and shoulders tense. I exhaled, forcing the wolf back down, and slid into my seat at the head of the table. The wooden legs scraped against the floor, loud and grating in the quiet hall.
This was the new normal.
I just had to make it through another day.
Everyone was watching me, and I had to keep the beast inside from growling. I wasn’t a fan of all the staring—it made my skin prickle, and a knot twisted low in my gut. I could feel every glance like a sharp tap on the shoulder. Each wolf who caught my eye quickly looked down, their gazes dropping in submission, but that didn’t stop the discomfort gnawing at me.
The wooden chair beneath me groaned under my weight, the legs creaking slightly as I shifted. I’d packed on more muscle lately—probably from the hormones running wild inside me—and it showed in the way the chair struggled to keep up.
To my left, Jack sat in his usual spot. Still my buddy, thank the moon. I told him he could stick around and keep his job for as long as he wanted before retiring, and he’d jumped at it. Good thing too. At least now I wouldn’t have to deal with working beside my dad anymore. But, I’d probably need to start scouting for a new Beta soon. A few years, tops.
And to my right—where Edeline should’ve been sitting—was Alpha Maxim. His presence there made my stomach churn a little. Normally, Edeline’s spot was hers alone, but when an Alpha visits, tradition lets them take the guest seat at the head of the table. I couldn’t help wondering what Edeline would think, seeing someone else in her place now that she’s officially my Luna.
Jack broke the silence first, his voice a familiar, low rumble. "Morning, Alpha," he said as I reached for the serving platter, stacking my plate high with sausage links, crispy bacon, and eggs cooked just the way I liked them.
I glanced at him. Jack looked his usual self this morning—serious, calm, and just a touch grim. Not surprising. That’s always been his vibe, especially at breakfast.
"Morning, Beta Jack. Morning, Alpha Maxim," I greeted, tossing a quick look toward Maxim.
Maxim, mouth full of bacon, barely acknowledged me with a lift of his brow. Instead, his gaze slid slyly down the table to Mirabelle, who was sitting near the end. His crystal-blue eyes sparkled with mischief as they lingered on her. She met his gaze with an exaggerated eye-roll, but the small, playful smile on her lips gave her away. She was already halfway through breakfast, eating with the kind of hunger that only comes from growing a little Alpha inside you.
"Morning, Alpha X," Maxim finally said between bites, still not looking at me directly.
I blinked, confused. "Alpha X?"
Maxim grinned, leaning back with a satisfied smirk. His broad frame dwarfed the small plate in front of him, making it look like it belonged to a kid.
"Yeah. Alpha X," he said, wiping his hands before continuing, voice low and smooth like he’d thought long and hard about this one. "I was thinking about it…" He cleared his throat, his expression shifting from playful to serious as those sharp, glacier-blue eyes locked onto mine. "Alpha Percival sounds just as silly as Alpha William. No offense, but it doesn’t fit you anymore."
He paused for effect, suppressing a chuckle. "You’ve changed a lot, man. And your name should reflect that. It’s gotta fit this version of you. X has a nice edge—kinda sounds like a Z sometimes. Mysterious. Intimidating. And let’s face it… it’s pretty cool." He winked. "You’re welcome. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure people know you’re not just some cocky jerk with a weird name." He chuckled to himself, clearly entertained by his own genius.
I shook my head, biting back a grin. "Idiot," I muttered under my breath.
Jack, who’d been fixing his coffee beside me, let out a dry snort. "He’s full of it this morning," Jack grumbled, stirring sugar into his mug.
Maxim shot him a sharp look, all traces of humor gone. "What was that, Beta?" His voice dipped low, a warning laced in his words. "Someone salty because their kid isn’t the Alpha? Oh wait… he’s William’s kid too."
The smirk tugged back onto Maxim’s lips, sly and dangerous, as Jack’s head snapped up. The harsh glare in Jack’s eyes could’ve cut glass.