Chapter b48 /b

Skye’s POV

“It’s simply a formalization of what you’ve already agreed to, Nadia replied defensively. If you truly have no interest in Adrian, signing this should be no problem.”

bI /bshook my head, crumpling the paper slightly as my grip tightened.

“No. Absolutely not. I refuse to sign this ridiculous agreement!

Nadia’s eyes widened with genuine surprise. She clearly hadn’t expected outright refusal.

“So you do have feelings for him,” she used, her voice hardening.

“This has nothing to do with my feelings orck thereof for Adrian,” I countered. “This is about respect and autonomy. I won’t be controlled like this, Nadia. Not by you, not by anyone. I handed the crumpled paper back to her. “If you don’t trust my word, that’s your problem, not mine.

Nadia stared at the rejected agreement in her hand, her expression unreadable. For a moment, I thought she might argue further, but instead, she carefully refolded the paper and tucked it away.

“You’ve changed,” she said quietly.

“Yes, I agreed, surprised by my own confidenceb. /b“I have.b” /b

When she finally spoke again, her voice carried a brittle edge.

“You don’t understand what’s bat /bstake hereb,/bb” /bshe said. “bYou’ve /bbeen in our pack for what–three bweeks/bb? /bbI’ve /bstood beside Adrian for byears/bb. /bI’ve bwatched /bhim build this pack from nothing, sacrifice everything for it.” Her dark eyes shed with something raw and painfulb. /bb“/bAnd bnow /byou just waltz inb, /bband /bsuddenlyb… /b

Her words trailed off, but her meaning bwas /bpainfully clear.

“Nadia,” I said gently, “if you truly love Adrian, why don’t you tell himb? /bYou should be talking to him about byour /bbfeelings/b, not trying to bcontrol /bmy interactions with him.”

She recoiled as if I’d struck herb, /bcolor flooding her cheeksb. /b“How dare you-*

“It’s obvious,” I continued calmly. “You’ve loved him for years, bhaven’t /byou?”

For a moment, I thought she might deny it or storm out. Instead, she sank onto the edge bof /bbmy /bsofa, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

“Does it matter?b” /bshe asked bitterly. “He doesn’t see me that way. bHe /bnever hasb./b”

I moved to sit beside her, careful to maintain enough distance that she wouldn’t feel crowded. ‘Have you ever told him bhow /byou bfeel/bb?/b”

Sheughed, a hollow sound devoid of humor. “And risk everything bwe’ve /bbuilt? The pack needs me as his Beta, not as some rejected, lovesick fool. She shook her head. “Maybe that’s the difference between you and me. I’m not selfish enough to risk the stability of our pack for my own desires.”

The usation hit me like a physical blow. “Selfish?”

“bYes/b, selfish,” she repeated, rising to her feet with brenewed /bfire. “You think I bhaven’t /bnoticed how you look at him? How he looks at you? But bwhat /bhappens when he finds his actual mate? Where does that leave youb–/bor more importantly, where does that leave our pack when you fall apart?” She moved toward th door, pausing with her hand on the knobb. /bb‘/bbAt /bleast I know my bce/bb./bb” /b

With that final barb, she bwas /bgone, the door mming behind her with enough force to rattle bthe /bpictures on my bwall/b.

I stood frozen in ce, her words reverberating in my mind. Selfish. It wasn’t the first time I’d heard that usation. bLeon /bbhad /bbsaid /bbthe /bbsame /bbthing /bbjust /b

before I left Frostshadow Pack.

Had anything really changed? Here bI /bwas, bthree /bbyears /bbter/bb, /bin a different pack with different wolvesb, /bbyet /bsomehow still bfacing /bthe bsame /bbcriticism/b.

bChapter /bb48 /b

bThe /brest of bmy /bSaturday passed in a haze of self doubt, Nadia’s wounded expression and bitter words breying /bin bmy /bbmind /bbno /bmatter how I btrie /bmyself. I cleaned my small apartment thoroughly, reorganized my meager possessions, and even attempted to readb, /bbut nothing bcould /bsilence t question: Was bI /btruly selfish?

Evening brought no relief from my troubled thoughts. When my phone rang, I almost didn’t answer, fearing it might be Nadia with more recrimination Instead, Adrian’s name shed across the screen, sending an unexpected flutter through my chest.

“Hello? 1 answered, trying to sound normal despite the day’s emotional turmoil.

“Skye, his deep voice came through the line, warm and assured. ‘I’ve been thinking about something you mentionedst night–about wanting to see the canyon under the stars.”

My pulse quickened. “Oh?”

“Next month, after youplete yourbat training assessment, I’d like to take you thereb. /bbAs /ba reward, if you pass.” There was a hint of challenge in his tone, as if daring me to refuse.

For a moment, I was tempted to ept without hesitation. The bprospect /bbof /bexploring the desert night with Adrian was undeniably appealing. But Nadia’s usations echoed in my mind, dampening my enthusiasm.

“That sounds wonderful,” bI /bsaid carefully, “but didn’t Ryder mention wanting to bgo /btoo? We should bring bhim /balong.”

There bwas /ba long silence on the other end of the line–bso /bprolonged that I wondered if bthe /bbconnection /bhad been lost.

“Adrian? Hello? Are you still there?”

The only response was a soft click, followed by the dial tone.

bI /bstared at my phone in disbelief. Had he just… hung up on me? Over the bsuggestion /bof including Ryder? The reaction seemed disproportionateb, /bbalmost /bchildishing from someone bas /bposed as Adrian typically was.

Later that night, as Iy in bed staring at the ceiling, my wolf stirred brestlessly /bin my mindb, /bher bpresence /bbmore /bdistinct than usual.fnb9dd Follow current nov?ls on Find_Novel(./fnb9dd

Why did you push him away? she seemed to ask, her frustration bleeding into my bconsciousness/b. You don’t actually have feelings for the young bone/bb. /b

Ryder’s like an annoying little brother,” I murmured aloud to the empty room. “Of bcourse /bbI /bdon’t have feelings for him.”

Then why sabotage a night alone with Adrian?

I had no good answer. Was I trying to respect Nadia’s feelings? bOr /bwas I simply afraid of acknowledging my own growing attraction to Adrian–an attraction that couldn’t lead anywhere productive, given that neither bof /bbus /bwas the other’s mateb? /b

My wolf said, “No matter who your Second Chance mate might be, they won’t be better than Adrianb, /bshe insisted with surprising vehemence. Perhaps if you let him mark you, there would be no need for a Second Chance mate at allb./b”

“Stop,” I whispered, pressing my palms against my beyes/bb. /bThat’s not how it works. bWe’re /bnot meant to be together that wayb./b”

My wolf subsided with a disgruntled rumble.

I shook my head, forcing my thoughts in a more productive direction. What mattered now was passing bnext /bmonth’sbat bassessment/b. After Nadia’s confrontation today, I had no doubt she would scrutinize my performance with bmerciless /battention to detail.

I needed to be prepared–more than prepared. I needed to be perfect.

Rolling onto my side, I made a silent promise to bmyself/bb: /btomorrow’s training would begin at dawn, with or without Nadia’s bsupervision/b.

wouldn’t give her any reason to call me selfish again.

bI /bwould earn my ce in this pack through dedication and hard work, proving once and for all that I belonged here that I deserved to be foe