Watching him wipe them away so gently was a cruel reminder of what we had lost. I could still recall the younger version of him—the boy who had been kind to me, who had helped me up when I fell, who had wiped away my tears with the same gentleness he now reserved for Adeline. The realization that those moments were nothing but distant memories now, replaced by this twisted spectacle, was almost unbearable.
“Anastasia,” Ronan’s voice rang out, devoid of the warmth it once held. “Apologize to your sister.”
Lifting my chin, I straightened my posture, my resolve unshaken. “No.” My voice was firm, defiant. The sheer audacity of my refusal seemed to catch him off guard. For a brief moment, he looked as if he couldn’t quite recognize me—as if the girl who had once loved him so openly was a stranger now.
The irony didn’t escape me. When I had loved him, I had always been so careful—so measured in my actions, so desperate for his approval. I had offered him my heart, hoping that if I gave enough of myself, he would finally see me. But no matter what I did, it was never enough. I could never compare to Adeline in his eyes.
Ronan’s momentary surprise hardened into determination. He leaned back on the couch, Adeline nestled in his arms, his gaze locking onto me with unsettling ease. “Anastasia, don’t test my patience,” he warned.
His wolf guards, who had been silent observers until now, stepped forward. Without a word, they moved to block my path, their presence a clear command. They ushered me back in front of Ronan and Adeline, their movements sharp and authoritative.
Ronan remained at ease, his posture deceptively relaxed. But the air around him was suffocating, charged with unspoken threats. Crossing one leg over the other, he regarded me with an unnerving calm. “Apologize,” he repeated, his voice carrying the weight of an order.
Adeline, ever the performer, flashed me a smirk before turning to Ronan with feigned sweetness. “It’s okay, Alpha. Anastasia didn’t mean it.”
Ronan’s gaze softened, filled with what could only be pity and affection. “Adeline, you’re too kind. You treat her like a sister, but she’s never seen you that way.”
Then, his attention snapped back to me, and any trace of gentleness disappeared. His expression turned to ice, his words sharp as a blade. “Anyone who harms Adeline will pay the price—double.”