Chapter 232

Words : 1179 Updated : Jun 24th, 2025

The conference room was silent, the kind of silence that amplifies every thought, every heartbeat. Everyone had dispersed- Raven with the elders, Mica, and Jason to rally the warriors. That left Sadi and me alone, the air between us thick with unspoken words and unresolved tension. I stood by the window, pretending to be engrossed in the view, but my mind was a whirlwind. The bond between us pulsed, a constant reminder of what I yearned for but couldn't claim. It coiled inside my chest, tightening with every breath I took. The approaching full moon intensified everything, making my senses sharper, my desires more insistent. I could feel it under my skin, stirring heat in my blood, making it harder to think. Harder to control myself. The pull between us thrummed like a live wire, sharp and electric. I felt her presence behind me, her gaze burning into my back. She hadn't said anything since the others left, and neither had I. But the silence between us wasn't empty. It was thick with everything unspoken. The bond tugged at me, urging turn, to close the distance, to take what I so desperately wanted. But I couldn't. Not yet. Knox growled low, restless, and needy. He wanted her-wanted to claim her, mark her, bind her to us. But I hadn't earned that yet. Not after everything I did. Not after the way I failed her. When I turned around, she was leaning against the edge of the table, her arms folded across her chest, eyes unreadable. The soft glow of the midday sun slipping through the window highlighted the tension in her posture and conflict in her eyes. It also painted her skin. Beautiful. Dangerous. Mine. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft but steady. Her eyes locked onto mine. "No," I admitted, the word escaping before I could censor it. "Not even close." The air between us pulsed. I took a step toward her, then stopped. I couldn't trust myself right now. She watched me, then stepped away, her movements deliberate, controlled. I saw the flicker in her eyes, the slight tremble in her fingers. She was fighting the battle I was. "I can feel it too," she said, voice quiet. "The full moon... the bond... It's louder. It's overwhelming." My jaw clenched. I nodded, swallowing hard. "It's like a constant pull, a need that won't be silenced. It's driving crazy." Too." We stared at each other, the air humming with tension. I took another step, and this time, she didn't move away. She watched like she was daring to get closer-like she wanted it just as much. I stopped just a breath away. My fingers twitched at my sides. "I want you, Sadie," I said, my voice rough. "I want to touch you, kiss you, mark you so badly it hurts. But I can't. Not yet." Her breath caught, but she didn't look away. "But I can't because I haven't earned the right. I haven't proven myself. I need you to wantback-not just because of the bond, not just because of this damn moon, but because you choose me." She met my eyes then, and the intensity of her gaze nearlybroughto my knees. I reached out, my hand hovering over her cheek, the urge to touch her almost unbearable. "I regret everything I did to hurt you, Sadie. Every word, every action. If I could take it all back..." The room was charged, the bond between us a living thing, pulsing with desire, regret, hope. I wanted to close the distance, to claim her, to mark her as mine. But I held back, the weight of my past mistakes anchoring me. "We can't change the past..." she whispered and then stopped as if she couldn't find any words to complete her sentence. I could hear the unsaid word. 'But we can change the future." I wanted to believe those words. I wanted to believe that's what she wanted to say, but I didn't want to get my hopes up. The tension continued to simmer between us, thick and burning, but the fire slowly cooled to something steadier. Calmer. Something like understanding. I pulled away gently, swallowing hard and pushing away the ache in my heart. "Con. Let's go talk to Brian." She nodded, her expression unreadable as we made our way back to the dungeons. The air grew colder as we descended the stone steps. The scent of blood, iron, and earth filled the space. "Brian," I said, stepping into the room. "We need to talk." He looked at us, his expression guarded, his jaw tight. "I'm listening." "Why haven't you tried to escape? You're healed. You could've broken out of those chains by now," Sadie said. He looked at us for a long moment, then shrugged one shoulder. "Where would I go? Where would a hybrid be accepted? I wanted to comment and say Sadie's pack, but I stopped myself. Sadie tilted her head. "You don't strike as someone who wants to die in a cage." "I don't," he said. "But I don't want to be hunted either. I'm not like the others. I don't want innocent blood on my hands, and from what I've heard, that's exactly what would have happened if I stayed with Xena." Sadie stepped closer. "So, what do you want?" "To live," he answered. "To be free." I studied him, sensing the truth in his words. I glanced at Sadie, and we shared a silent understanding. I turned back to Brian. "We have a proposal for you." He raised a brow. "I'm listening." "Our warriors have never fought hybrids before," I explained. "We need to prepare them. Help us train them. Help us prepare them for what is sure to come." He raised an eyebrow. "And in return?" "We'll grant you more freedom," Sadie said. "You'll train our warriors and in return, we'll fairly. Are you sure you're being treated fairly? You'll have restrictions, but you won't be caged, and when all this is over, you can join my pack." We expected resistance-maybe sarcasm or refusal. But to our amazement, Brian nodded slowly. He is Brian, didn't even take a moment to think about it before answering. "Alright. I'll do it." "Why?" I asked. "Because I want to make a difference. To prove that I'm not a monster, I extended my hand. "So, do we have a deal?" "Yes." He shook it. I turned away. "I'll send my Beta to release you. He'll bring you to the training grounds in the morning." As we walked away, I felt calmer, even as the bond between Sadie and me pulsated. I felt hope for our pack. They had a better chance now. Maybe with Brian's help, we won't lose them in the upcoming war.

Chapter 232

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