Alpha, I’m sorry.
Still nothing.
Each time I reached out through the bond, it was like shouting into an endless void. His presence was there, but cold, shut off completely.
The mark on my neck ached. The bond that once connected our souls now burned like fire, suffocating me.
Zera’s POV
I lost track of time inside that dark room.
Days, or maybe weeks, passed, and I stopped counting somewhere between the hunger and the silence. The moonlight that used to comfort me no longer reached through the barred window. My wolf had grown quiet too, curling in on herself, her once-vibrant growls now replaced by faint whimpers echoing in my chest.
When the door finally opened, the sound of the hinges screeching felt like thunder. I squinted against the sudden flood of light and saw him—Alpha Jeremiah—standing there with his usual cold authority.
He didn’t look at me like I was his mate. He looked at me like I was something that stained his floor.
“You should thank Hannah,” he said flatly, crossing his arms over his chest. “If it weren’t for her, you’d still be rotting here.”
His words stabbed deeper than the hunger pangs. My throat was raw, my voice hoarse when I whispered, “How generous of her.”
His expression hardened, but I caught the flicker of discomfort before it disappeared. “She pleaded for your release,” he continued. “For the sake of your friendship.”
I almost laughed, but the sound that came out was dry and bitter. “Friendship,” I echoed, forcing a smile that hurt my cracked lips. “Truly noble of her.”
He didn’t reply. He just stared at me as if waiting for gratitude. I pushed myself up from the cold floor, my body trembling under the strain. My knees nearly gave out, but he didn’t reach for me. Not even when I stumbled. His hands stayed buried in his pockets, his eyes cold.
“Make sure you clear out everything from the master bedroom,” he said, turning his back on me. “Hannah will be moving there.”
He left before I could say anything. The door clicked shut behind him, and my wolf whimpered again, quieter this time. I stayed there for a long while, my heart pounding dully in my chest. When I finally forced myself to move, every step felt like dragging broken bones.
Hours later, the door opened again. This time, it was Hannah.