bNyssa /bbpov /b

“H–how-” I beganb, /bwanting to ask how he knew. But then again, bhe /bhad probably scented me or maybe Zayn had told him bI’d /bsnuck back home, drenched. He must’ve put two and two together and realized I was the white wolf.

Howeverb, /bwhat truly held my attention were his words.

“And it seems that because of that, our ill fate cannot end here.”

What did he mean by that?

Before I could ask, the sound of footsteps drew his attention. His bgaze /bflickered past me, narrowing as irritation shed in his beyes/bb. /b

I bwas /bjust about to turn and see what had caused that reaction when a desperate voice behind me broke the silence.

“King! King! Dammit, why did he run so fast? Look, Drake, I don’t think I can go on, I can barely breathe!”

“Stop falling behind, Beta. The king is right there, I can see him behind that tree!”

“Really? Oh my goddess, I see him too. King! King!”

Darius’s eyes darkened, and he released my neck, reaching instead for my cor.

Knowing exactly what he was about to do–haul me over his shoulder and start the damn chase again–I reacted faster, ducking low before he could grab me.

Without thinking, I cursed under my breath and sprinted toward Cassian and Drake. Their eyes widened in confusion as I reached them, grabbed their arms, and quickly hid behind both of them, using their bodies to put as much distance between Darius and me as possible.

The move stunned everyone, even Darius, whose brows furrowed as he stared at me like I’d lost my mind.

“Goddess, there you two are, we’ve been looking for—” Cassian began, but before he could finish, Darius took a step forward.

bI /bscreamed.

Cassian jumped, clutching his chest in horror. “My goddess,” he muttered under his breath.

“Don’te any closer,” I hissed, trying to sound panicked. I didn’t know why I thought this distraction would help me bescape /bDariusb, /bbut I was going to try.

Before anyone could react, I started shaking my head, muttering, “Don’te closer,” and then-

I turned and bolted, arms iling in the air as I ran.

“Stay away! Stay away!” I shouted, sprinting as fast as my legs would carry me. I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, wide with shock, but I didn’t stop and thankfully, this time, Darius didn’t follow.

“Shit,” I cursed under my breath, picking up the pace instead of slowing down bas /bI dashed toward the packhouse.

That was close. Too closeb. /b

030

bChapter /bb56 /b

bI /bbdidn’t /bbknow /bbwhat /bthe bhell /bwas bgoing /bbon/bb, /bbut I bknew /bbone /bthing for bsure/bb, /bthis wasn’t going to bend /bwell. bHe /bhad bfigured /bbout /bbI /bwas the white bwolf /band bhad /bstarted saying all sorts bof /bthings bI /bcouldn’t fully understand.

bWhatever /bit was, I was bcertain /bof one thing: bI /bwas in trouble.

And I bneeded /bto bget /bfar, far away from him.

bAs /bI drew near bthe /bpackhouseb, /bbI /bspotted my father with both Calen and Benjamin at his sides, talking as they stood in front bof /bthe building.

bA /bbreath of relief escaped me bas /bbI /bsaw them from behind, and I smiled, rushing toward bthem/bb, /babout to bcall /bout.

But the words that spilled from my father’s mouth froze me in ce.

b“/bbYes/bb, /bsince the king said he wasn’t going to reject her anymore, bI /bassume he’ll be taking Nyssa to his pack. Even if bhe /bdoesn’t, I’m just happy my daughter bis /bsafe.”

“We’re happy too, Alpha,” Calen replied with a frown, “but don’t you think it’s a little weird? The king was adamant about rejecting Nyssa, and now he suddenly doesn’t want to? Something feels off.”

“I agreeb,/bb” /bBenjamin added. “We shouldn’t make hasty decisions. We need to be careful—”

“What do you mean by that?” my father cut in. b“/bIsn’t it obvious he doesn’t want to reject her anymore because my daughter is beautiful and special? He’s realized she’s one of a kind and doesn’t want to lose her. That has to be the reason.”

I blinked at his words, unsure of how to react but then Benjamin said something that made so much bsense/b.

“Eh, I don’t think that’s the reason… The cold Lycan King doesn’t seem like the type to fall in love, and judging by how Nyssa’s been acting, I doubt that-”

Calen jabbed his elbow into Benjamin’s side, cutting him off. And before my father, who looked ready to snap, could say a word, I stepped in from behind and hissed out,

“Uncle Benjamin and Calen are absolutely right,” I said, and everyone flinched, turning to look at me in surprise.

“Nyssab,/b” Father eximed.

“This seems fishy. Why would a man who wanted nothing more than to reject me suddenly change his mind? Especially when that man bis /bthe cursed Lycan King, who we all know is both cruel and heartless. So don’t call him generous.”

I rolled my beyes /band folded my arms. So this was what he meant by that statement. I wasn’t dumb, I realized now that the breason /bhe didn’t want to reject me anymore was because I was a white wolf.

But honestly, I bstill /bdidn’t get it. Was being a white wolf really that special?

“bNyssa/bb!/bb” /bmy bfather /bsnapped, ncing around before pulling me toward him. His voice lowered to a whisperb. /b“You should bwatch /byournguage. What if he’s around here and hears you? The king decided not to reject you, you should be grateful.”

I scoffed at his words and muttered under my breath,

“Grateful to the same man who wanted me to drink poison?b” /b

“What?b” /bbFather /basked, confused.

bI /bshook my bhead /band pulled my hand from his grip, exhaling a tired sigh.

“Honestly, Father, I don’t bcare /bif bhe /bbrejects /bme or not anymore. But one thing I’ll never do is follow him to his bpack/b. I won’t do that.” bI /bsaid, resolute bbefore /bhuffing and turning around to walk inside the packhouse, ignoring the bcalls /bbof /bmy father, Calen and Benjamin.

bI /bbhad /bno idea what n that man was brewing but there was no way I bwas /bgoing to dance to his tune. Absolutely no way.