Chapter 96

Chapter 96

My hands were trembling uncontrollably as the sun began to set, swirling in a crimson and orange haze. I felt the fear seeping farther and deeper inside of me as the tiny vials that contained the terror of my destiny nestled heavily in my pockets.

Everything came to an end with this. It was the end of the love I experienced while I was with alpha Derrick, along with any joy and security he had offered me.

It was inevitable given our identities as an alpha king and a witch blood wolf coupled in an unworkable relationship. The moon must have been aware of my hardships and suffering, yet she nonetheless meted out my punishment by giving me a mate and refusing to give him to me.

This is my fate and I have to accept it

There wouldn't be anything more I could do if I carried this out. Our connection to the stars and our blood would be broken, and the mate bond would vanish. He wouldn't be mine, and I wouldn't be his, and the possibility of ever experiencing love would vanish from my life as a realistic possibility. It was the price I had to pay for everything I had done, and I would be alone once more—unloved and uncared for.

I knew that hurting him again would never be possible; therefore, this was the only way to put things right.

When I returned to the bakery, I had hardly spoken to Vera at all, using work as a diversion, but I knew she could sense something wasn't right. I was on the verge of running away from the car when it arrived to return us to the pack home, but I realized that escaping would no longer be the solution to my issues.

That was it. My little pretend game had come to an end; my time had run out.

Derrick was entitled to the truth, and I was entitled to tell it to him.

He was waiting for me when the car pulled up outside the pack house. As he made his way to the moving automobile, my gaze was fixed on his massive frame. The dark fabric of his shirt, which he had been wearing earlier in the day, crumpled on his muscles. He was gorgeous—more gorgeous than any man I had ever laid eyes on—and holy crap, he was built like a mountain. His sleeves were pushed up to his elbows, and the first two buttons of his shirt were undone, exposing the strands of hair on his chest.

The car stopped, and I hardly noticed, but then my door opened, and he helped me out, holding my hand. When he shut the door behind me, I was following his touch, but before I could follow him, he shoved me into the side of the vehicle.

Our bodies were in close proximity to one another, with little sparks flickering over my skin wherever he made contact. With his hands around my waist, he inhaled deeply, his aroma blending with mine. With a satisfied sigh, I allowed him to bury his face in the nape of my neck while I held myself in place with my hands pressed on his.

His eyes swept over the contours of my body with tenderness, then he lowered his face to mine.

I could have felt ecstatically needed just by his presence, but he said something to me that no one had ever uttered before.

"I missed you." His words were gentle, and the passion they contained broke my heart.

He was missing me.

He didn't even realize it yet, but I was precisely what he abhorred; therefore, it begs the question: How could he possibly miss me?

I let out a nonsensical cry as I struggled to control the sob that was attempting to escape my throat. The world was so weighty, and this man was so pure. Perhaps we could have had the life we desired—possibly even if I had informed him that I had missed him too—had my mother not planned to kill my partner and seize his crown for herself.

"I wasn't gone for that long," I remarked quietly as I observed his eyes getting darker.

"It felt like an eternity." Without much of a warning, he put his lips to mine after saying something firm.

I sank into him, falling to my knees and inhaling every breath he took.

In front of his pack house, Derrick Anderson, the last royal and king of all wolves, was publicly claiming me, and I was luxuriating in it.

I didn't realize I needed a home until his hands were on me. I wanted to sink into his kiss and lose myself in him because it felt like divinity was oozing from his lips. I wanted to be comfortable with his touch, but something inside of me was screaming that I wasn't deserving of it.

It was only a matter of time until he discovered how dirty and polluted I was.

As he withdrew from me, a strong surge of wind compressed between our bodies, causing me to gasp for air. I couldn't complain; he laughed and used it as an opportunity to nudge me in his direction. Knowing what was going to transpire between us, how could I possibly complain? Being reminded of my last meal, I intended to pilfer any scraps that he offered me. Until I told him the truth, everything would be mine—every touch, every kiss, every sweet phrase.

Once more, he took my hand in his and brought it back to his lips before starting to pull me inside. I felt like a sheet of ice when he moved away from me, and my longing to be close to him made my heart falter.

We had hardly gone a few steps when I completely stopped moving.

"Derrick." The sound of his name turned him to face me. "My feet hurt." I pretended to pout a little bit, knowing full well that he would see right through it.