His Thoughts Loved Me, His Cruelty Destroyed Me Chapter 09

His Thoughts Loved Me, His Cruelty Destroyed Me Chapter 09

Shortly after, Lachlan’s parents sent an invitation.

1 figured they could no longer bear watching their son spiral into ruin.

Although my relationship with Lachlan was completely shattered, his parents had always treated me well. In

fact, they were warmer to me than my biological father ever was.

I felt I owed them an explanation and a proper goodbye.

But when I pushed open the private room door, they weren’t there.

Only Lachlan sat at the table. My father, stepmother, and Tamsin were standing off to the side.

Lachlan’s eyes locked onto me.

His familiar, anxious thoughts echoed in my head again:

[“This is the last resort. Please, let it work. Even if it means backing her into a corner… at least keep her by

my side first.”]

[“Just let her stay with me…”]

My phone vibrated in my pocket.

A text from his parents: “We’re sorry, Rowan. We just couldn’t bear to see our son suffer like this anymore.

We knew we couldn’t persuade you, so we had to ask your family for help.”

Attached was a $50,000 transfer-an apology fee.

Staring at the screen, I let out a long sigh.

“I never thought you could be so petty!”

My father flew into a rage the second he saw me: “You’re throwing a tantrum and severing your mate bond

over something so trivial?!”

My stepmother cut in, voice dripping with fake sweet concern:

“You know your sister is delicate and gets severe cramps. It’s perfectly normal for her brother-in-law to give

her a lift. Are you really throwing such a fuss just because she sat in the passenger seat?”

“A fuss?” I scoffed. “Being forced to strip naked and dumped on the side of the interstate-you call that

trivial?”

Her fake smile froze. “You can’t blame Lachlan for that. He was just teasing you. You took it too seriously.”

“What a joke.” A bitter laugh burst from my throat. “Right. Just like back then, when you kissed my dad before he and my mom broke their mate bond, and called that a joke too?”

All color drained from her face.

My father slammed the table violently. “Watch your tongue! Your mother and I forbid you from breaking the

mate bond!”

Lachlan looked over involuntarily.

My father continued in rage: “Rowan, you might not care about ruining your own reputation, but the Vance

family’s standing in the pack matters! We already agreed to this pack merger. There’s no turning back.”

“And if I say no?”

“Who else would want you?!” he roared viciously. “You think any Alpha would want damaged goods that lost

her pup?!”

My stepmother and Tamsin lowered their heads, smug sneers touching their lips.

The other pack relatives around the table shifted, exchanging loaded looks.

My gaze turned to Lachlan.

He met my eyes, yet stayed silent.

…”]

[“Babe, I’m sorry. I know this is a dirty trick, but it’s the only way I can keep you…

Desperate, bitter sorrow echoed in his thoughts.

I raised my head again, eyes turning instantly ice-cold:

“If I’m damaged goods nobody wants, then what about the stepmother who got pregnant with Tamsin before you two even hooked up? You treat second-hand goods like a noble she-wolf, so what right do you have to look down on your ex-wife’s daughter? Or… is it possible Tamsin isn’t even your blood?”

My stepmother’s face went instantly pale as death.

“You ungrateful bitch!” My father stood up in a blind rage, rattling the glasses on the table.

His thick fingers clamped tight onto my arm, dragging me forward violently, his other hand raised high and swinging down toward my face with heavy force!

I struggled wildly to break free, but his grip was like an iron vise.

A dark shadow suddenly blurred past me.

Thwack!

The heavy blow didn’t hit my cheek-it slammed squarely into Lachlan’s jaw.

The impact jerked his head violently to the side, a bright red trail of blood bursting from the corner of his lip.

My father froze, his rage instantly replaced by sheer panic: “L-Lachlan…”

“No.”

Lachlan’s voice was hollow and feeble, completely stripped of his usual Alpha authority, trembling slightly:

“I agree to dissolve the mate bond.”

My father gasped.

Lachlan turned to look at me, his wolf eyes filled with loneliness and despair:

“I’m sorry… Is it… too late for me to protect you now?”

I lowered my eyes, offering no reply.

A silent confirmation.

He let out a bitter laugh.

The dinner ended in utter embarrassment and discomfort. My father, stepmother, and relatives rushed out to chase after Lachlan, but he didn’t even spare them a glance.

He escorted me all the way out the door.

Gideon’s car was already idling at the curb.

Sloan leaned out the window, waving wildly: “Rowan! Over here!”

Lachlan watched her, then shifted his gaze to the man in the driver’s seat.

Red rings flickered around his eyes.

“I used to think making you jealous was a way to prove you still loved me… even if it meant standing idly by when you needed me.”

He looked at me, voice raspy:

“Turns out… I was dead wrong.”

A month later, my phone blew up continuously.

Countless texts from Tamsin-initially a string of vicious curses, which then degraded into pathetic, desperate begging.

The truth surfaced quickly.

Unable to accept losing the massive fortune tied to the Sterling family, my father tried to force Tamsin on Lachlan.

Lachlan refused repeatedly.

Desperate, Tamsin spiked Lachlan’s drink with a wolf aphrodisiac, nearly succeeding until Lachlan caught her red-handed.

Lachlan slapped her hard.

“Did you ever wonder why I gave you the time of day?!” he barked furiously. “You were nothing more than a prop to provoke Rowan. Who gave you the nerve to pull a trick like this?!”