CHAPTER 16: RETURNING THE FAVOR (III)

Ellie’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing at Eberhard. "No," he said firmly, his voice carrying an edge that cut through Nikki’s murmurs. "I’m not leaving him like this. I’m his Beta. I should be the one to watch over him. That is my duty."

Eberhard’s brows snapped together, his lips curling into a snarl. "Ellie..."

"I know what you’re trying to do, Eberhard." Ellie cut him off. His gaze stayed fixed on Ares, who twisted and grunted in pain, sweat dripping down his temples. "But he’s not yours to hand over. He needs me here, and I’m not leaving his side. I’ll guard him until he wakes up."

Nikki’s head jerked up, her eyes flashing, but then she forced herself to exhale, voice smoothing over with false calm. "This is not the time to argue, Ellie. The Alpha doesn’t need that now... he needs me." She clutched Ares’ arm tighter as if to prove her point, her fingers digging into his skin.

"What he needs is a good rest. He’ll be just fine," Ellie said, tone sharp.

Eberhard’s growl rumbled low in his chest. "Why do you like making things hard? Hasn’t the Alpha and his mate rejected each other already? Why do you keep blocking what’s good for him?"

Ellie’s eyes cut to him, unwavering, like steel locking onto steel. "So your desperate daughter is what’s good for the Alpha?"

Nikki gasped, her face flushing scarlet. "How dare you call me desperate! I love him! Unlike that witch, I’ll never reject him. I’ll stay by his side no matter what."

Ellie did not even spare her a glance. His gaze remained locked on Eberhard as he spoke, cold and decisive. "Take your daughter and leave the Alpha’s suite immediately."

Eberhard’s eyes blazed. "How dare you order me around?"

"It seems you keep forgetting who the Beta of this pack really is," Ellie said, voice steady and ringing with authority. "If anything happens to the Alpha, I will be the one in charge of this pack. I’ve overlooked your behavior and your daughter’s antics because the Alpha was here to manage you, but now that he is not well, it falls on me to decide what to do with those who refuse my command. If you don’t comply, you’ll answer to me."

Nikki recoiled, her mouth falling open in disbelief. "You’ll regret this! When the Alpha recovers, he’ll deal with you for this insolence!"

"Till then," Ellie said coolly, his eyes unwavering. "Now leave the Alpha’s suite."

Eberhard stared at him for a long moment, measuring the steel in Ellie’s tone and the unyielding set of his shoulders. His jaw ticked. "You don’t want to cross me, boy," he said at last, voice dark with warning.

Ellie’s smile came slow, sharp, and humorless. It didn’t touch his eyes. "I already have."

For a heartbeat, silence pressed down heavy, broken only by Ares’ ragged breaths. Finally, Eberhard turned to Nikki. "We’re leaving."

"But Father—" Nikki whined, eyes wide with protest.

"Let’s go. Now." His voice cracked like a whip, and she flinched before nodding, lips pressed tight as she reluctantly followed him toward the door.

Ellie stood rooted until the sound of their footsteps faded, and the door clicked shut behind them. Only then did he release a long, quiet breath. He dragged a hand across his face, then crossed the room and dropped into the sleek black leather couch, his eyes fixed on the Alpha writhing on the bed.

Pain ripped through Ares like claws tearing straight through flesh and bone. His chest convulsed as though invisible talons were shredding his heart into strips, only for it to be stitched back together in jagged threads, then ripped apart again. Every throb of his pulse sent another shockwave crashing through his ribs, sharp and merciless, as if each breath carved him open from the inside.

A guttural sound tore from his throat, half-growl, half-cry, his body jerking against the black sheets. Sweat soaked his temples and trickled down his neck, his fingers clawing at the mattress as though anchoring himself could keep his soul from splitting in two.

So this is what it feels like, he thought bitterly between gasps. Mate rejection. The one agony no werewolf strength could numb.

When he had rejected the omega, he hadn’t felt this kind of devastation. He had tossed aside their bond as if it were nothing, while she endured the pain in silence, carrying the torment he now found unbearable. He had never imagined she would turn that blade back on him. He had never believed she would reject him, because deep down, he had always assumed her life hinged on him — his will, his choice.

And now the truth ripped him open: she had returned the favor.

His muscles tightened, his back arching as another wave of torment slammed into him, making his vision explode white. The pain wasn’t just in his chest. It was everywhere, wracking through marrow, through nerve, through blood that felt like molten fire running through his veins. He gasped, teeth grinding, a broken grunt falling from his lips. His wolf howled inside him, thrashing against the cage of his body, mourning the severed bond that was once its anchor.

Ellie’s form blurred in the corner of his vision. All he could hear was the pounding of his heart, tearing itself raw.

Then, as if the bond had finally snapped clean through, the pain crescendoed, slicing one last time through every nerve before draining him empty. His chest heaved, body trembling, his vision darkening at the edges. Ares grunted one final, strangled sound before his strength gave way.

His body slackened against the sheets, and the Alpha of the Grimhowl Pack blacked out, swallowed whole by merciful oblivion.

Ellie’s head jerked up the moment Ares’ body went slack, for a heartbeat, his chest tightened with dread. He pushed off the couch in a rush and crossed to the bed.

Leaning over the Alpha, Ellie pressed a hand against his shoulder and then lowered his ear close, straining for the faint rise and fall of breath. Relief hit him when he caught it, shallow but steady. His chest loosened, and he exhaled a long breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

"Still breathing," he muttered to himself, rubbing the back of his neck. His gaze lingered on Ares’ face, pale and damp with sweat, twisted from the remnants of pain even in unconsciousness.

Ellie shook his head and straightened, "hopefully, this makes you think twice, Ares. Maybe now you’ll understand... what it felt like for her."

He sank back onto the couch, running a hand over his jaw. His eyes stayed fixed on the Alpha’s trembling chest. "Now you’ve had a taste of what she endured with no wolf to carry it for her," he murmured, his voice low, "maybe now you’ll finally show her some empathy."