No Longer the Alpha’s Guardian Chapter 15

No Longer the Alpha’s Guardian Chapter 15

I raised my hand.

Soldiers flooded in from every direction.

They bowed their heads, waiting.

“Drag him out. Now.”

“Yes, Alpha Audrey.”

Two soldiers grabbed Elijah’s arms.

“Alpha Elijah. Alpha Audrey said you’re not welcome. Let’s go.”

Elijah wouldn’t get up. He looked at me, his voice breaking.

“Audrey. Can’t you give me one more chance? I know I messed up. Tell me what to do to fix it. I’ll do anything.”

“Take him.”

I didn’t look at him. I just nodded at the soldiers.

I was too tired for this. Too tired of him.

They hauled him to his feet. He fought them, begged.

“Audrey, please—don’t do this—I’ll change—I swear—seven years—how can you just throw that away—Audrey—I won’t accept this—I won’t—”

His voice faded.

I turned back to my father’s portrait.

“Dad. I’ll be smarter from now on. I’ll never fall for a man like him again.”

“Audrey. Come sit down. We need to talk.”

I followed the elders to the living room.

“We just found out today that you and Elijah broke the bond. Since it’s done, there’s something you should know.”

Elder Smith spoke first. “All these years, your father never stopped watching out for you. Every resource Elijah’s company ever got—your father arranged it behind the scenes.”

“What?”

I didn’t know any of this.

“Now that you’ve severed the bond, it’s your choice whether to keep giving him those resources.”

“Elijah and I are nothing to each other anymore. I gave him five years. I gave him everything. The first thing he did when he made it was cheat. I owe him nothing. Don’t spare my feelings. Whatever happens to him now, I don’t care.”

“Then it’s settled. Starting tomorrow, no pack allied with Moon Shadow will work with the Midnight Pack again. Audrey, your father’s friends will take care of you now. You won’t suffer anymore.”

“Thank you.”

The guests left one by one. The pack house emptied.

My mother was upstairs, too broken by my father’s death to get out of bed.

I sat alone in the big empty living room.

Exhaustion hit me like a wave.

I just wanted to rest.

A servant came in. “Alpha Audrey, the Alpha is still outside.”

“Ignore him.”

“It looks like rain.”

Thunder cracked. Lightning flashed.

The sky opened up.

I sat on the carpet, drinking hot tea, my chest cold as ice.

“Alpha Audrey, the healer will be here soon to change your bandages.”

“Okay.”

I stared at nothing.

The front door opened.

A tall figure walked in, bringing the smell of rain and cold.

I thought it was the healer. I didn’t look up.

“The little girl has grown up.”

That voice.

I raised my head.

“Noah?”

Noah. Current Alpha of the Blackwood Pack.

He was a childhood friend. One I had always been afraid of. Too cold. Too quiet. Never smiled.

I never liked playing with him. Not as a kid, not as an adult.

It had been ten years.

Noah was handsome. He had always been handsome. With that untouchable, distant air, she-wolves lined up for him.

I was the only one who never cared.

But damn. He’d gotten even better looking.

“Good. You remember me.”

He walked over and looked down at me. Saw me barefoot on the carpet. His eyebrows pulled together.

“No shoes? You’ll get sick. I heard you just took over—you can’t afford to be sick.”

Ten years. Still bossing me around.

“None of your business.” I looked away. “What do you want?”

Noah looked at me, speaking slowly. “I heard your father passed. I came to see if there’s anything I can do.”

“You’re late. The funeral’s over.”

I told a servant to bring him tea.

“Nothing you can do. Drink your tea and go.”

I yawned and stood up. I needed to sleep.

“The man outside. Want me to handle him?”

“Fine. Get rid of him, and I’ll buy you dinner.”

I went upstairs.