Chapter 5
Marissa clutched the phone, her fingers. tightening around it as the call abruptly disconnected. Her mother’s voice had always held a calming warmth, a reminder of family and belonging. But now, that reminder only underscored the starkness of her reality here.
Forcing her emotions down, she looked up to find Hunter and Caleb watching her, their gazes filled with a mix of skepticism and impatience.
“My friend is getting married,” Marissa said casually, raising an eyebrow at their
sudden interest. “What‘ s with the looks? Want to come along?”
There was a beat of silence. Neither man bothered to hide their disinterest. Of course, she hadn‘ t mentioned the full truth–that the Mateship Ceremony in question was her own, arranged by her family to stabilize her erratic lycan blood.
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She was meant to be bonded to a powerful Alpha. Once the bond was formalized,
she’d be leaving this place, with no reason to ever look back. Her decision not to disclose the truth now felt right; she could sense Hunter and Caleb‘ s distance had only grown colder.
“No, you go alone if you want. We’ve got more important things to focus on,” Hunter muttered dismissively, his gaze shifting away from her.
Caleb wasn’t any warmer. “Actually, maybe it would do you some good to take time away.” His tone was sharper than usual. “But first, don‘ t you think you owe Ivy an apology? She’s still recovering from the injuries you caused yesterday.” His eyes bore into Marissa‘ s, clearly expecting compliance.
Marissa stilled, her jaw clenched.
“Apology? For what? Ivy clung to my reward as if it were hers. I tried to take it back, and it’s somehow my fault she got
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hurt?” Her wolf growled beneath her skin, indignant.
But Caleb had already turned, ignoring her protests as he headed toward his room. without a word.
Left standing in the quiet, Marissa felt her throat tighten as frustration surged through her. She could still feel the stinging humiliation from yesterday‘ s incident, and now this–their disregard, their impatience, their loyalty shifting toward Ivy, who continued to wrap them around her finger with feigned vulnerability.
Determined to get on with her day, Marissa rose early the next morning, pushing her feelings aside to focus on her usual routines. As she entered the pack house‘ s common room, however, she paused in confusion. More than a dozen vases were scattered across the room, each one bursting with flowers in vibrant shades, filling the air with a thick floral fragrance.
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Her expression faltered. The scent filled her nose, making her throat itch as she struggled to catch her breath. Panic rose as she realized what was happening. The pollen–laden air was taking its toll; her wolf recoiled as her throat constricted. She stumbled, clutching at her chest.
“Medicine…” she wheezed, staggering toward the cabinet where she kept her inhaler. Her hands trembled as she rummaged through the drawers, knocking over a vase in her frantic search.
The sound of shattering glass echoed through the room, and Hunter and Caleb came rushing in, both stopping short at the sight of Marissa and the scattered flowers.
“What’s going on here?” Hunter demanded, his eyes darkening as he took in the mess. Neither of them noticed her struggle to breathe, their attention locked on the broken vase and the scattered flowers.
Caleb‘ s face contorted in frustration as he
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walked over to the flowers, carefully picking up the fallen blooms and muttering under his breath. “Seriously, Marissa, what’s wrong with you?” “His voice was cold, laced with irritation as he knelt, carefully gathering the flowers.
Marissa struggled to get a word out, clutching the inhaler in her hand as she backed away, desperate to find air away from the stifling scent. Her body felt weak, her legs trembling as she leaned against the wall, drawing in shallow breaths with the help of the inhaler.
As the medication began to work, her breathing gradually slowed, and the tightness in her chest eased. But her moment of relief was short–lived. She glanced down to see blood trickling from a cut on her leg, the result of her earlier stumble. Her unstable Lycan blood was already making her suffer, and now–this.
Ignoring her injury, she looked over at Caleb and Hunter, who continued to fuss
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over the flowers, oblivious to her struggle. Resentment bubbled up inside her.
She bit back a retort, her fingers curling into fists. The wound on her leg continued. to throb, but it was nothing compared to the ache in her chest–the sting of their indifference, their complete lack of understanding or even basic sympathy.
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