The alpha's bride

Chapter 14

The air in the pack house felt heavier than usual, like every wall carried the weight of secrets no one wanted to speak aloud. Tessa kept her hands clenched at her sides as she walked through the common room. The steady hum of voices quieted the second she entered, and the silence pressed against her chest. They weren’t even trying to hide it anymore—every pair of eyes followed her.

She lifted her chin higher. If she was going to be their outsider, then she’d play the part with dignity. But inside? Her wolf bristled, restless, pacing along her veins like it couldn’t stand being judged for one more second.

Dastien was already waiting near the back door, his lean frame a shadow against the wide window. His eyes found hers instantly, like he’d been tracking her heartbeat before she even stepped into the room. Relief flooded her chest, but she kept her expression calm. If the pack wanted a show, she wouldn’t give them one.

“Ready?” he asked, his voice low, meant only for her.

She nodded. “Always.”

They slipped out into the night, the moon hanging low and swollen above the trees. The woods beyond the house were alive with the scent of pine and earth, the rustle of animals in the underbrush. Tessa breathed deep, letting the quiet of the forest cut through the tension still clinging to her skin.

Dastien reached for her hand without hesitation, and she didn’t resist. The bond flared hot at the contact, tugging at her, wrapping around her ribs and heart in a way she couldn’t fight even if she wanted to. It wasn’t just attraction anymore. It was survival.

“You shouldn’t let them get to you,” he said as they started down the narrow path toward the clearing. “They don’t know you. They’re afraid.”

“Afraid of me?” Her laugh came out sharp, bitter. “That’s comforting.”

He stopped walking and pulled her closer, so close the warmth of his chest seeped into her skin. “Not afraid of you. Afraid of change. Afraid of what you might mean for the rest of us. Wolves don’t do well with…uncertainty.”

Her throat tightened. She knew he was right, but that didn’t make the whispers sting less. “I didn’t ask for any of this. I didn’t ask to see things I don’t want to see. I didn’t ask to be turned. I didn’t ask for—”

“For me?” His voice was quiet, but the words slammed into her like a blow.

She froze. His eyes gleamed in the moonlight, silver swirling in them like a storm. He wasn’t teasing. He wasn’t playing. He needed the answer.

Her heart raced so hard it hurt. “I didn’t mean—”

He shook his head. “Don’t do that. Don’t take it back. Just tell me. Do you wish you’d never met me?”

The bond throbbed painfully, like it was tearing itself apart. The thought of not having him near, of not knowing his voice, his touch, the steady calm he brought her wolf—it was unbearable. She hated him for asking, and she hated herself for the truth.

“No,” she whispered. Her voice cracked, but she didn’t look away. “Never.”

Relief flashed across his face before he closed the distance, his lips crushing against hers. The kiss was fierce, desperate, the kind that stole air and reason all at once. Her fingers twisted into his shirt, pulling him closer, because the space between them was intolerable.

The bond roared, wild and electric, searing heat through every nerve. For one terrifying, perfect second, Tessa thought she might lose herself in it completely. The forest vanished, the whispers, the doubts—there was only Dastien, only the way he tasted like heat and danger and everything she craved.

Then he broke the kiss, forehead pressing to hers, his breath ragged. “We can’t. Not yet.”

Her chest ached with the sudden loss, but she nodded. He was right. The pack was already on edge. If they claimed each other fully now, it would be chaos.

They walked again, slower this time, their hands still linked but the air between them heavy with everything unsaid.

When they reached the clearing, it was alive with movement. Wolves sparred in the moonlight, their growls sharp, teeth flashing as they tested each other’s strength. The pack was restless, training harder than usual. Something was coming—they all felt it.

Alpha Michael stood at the center, his voice carrying as he barked instructions. Rosalyn lingered near him, her smile sharp and sweet, her eyes locking on Tessa with a look that could curdle blood.

“Lovely of you to join us,” Rosalyn drawled. “Don’t trip over your own paws.”

Tessa ignored her, but her wolf snapped inside, ready to shred the smug look off Rosalyn’s face. Dastien’s hand tightened around hers in warning, and she forced herself to breathe. Not tonight.

Michael’s gaze flicked between them, unreadable, before he nodded. “Good. We’ll need every fighter ready. Tessa, Dastien—pair up. Let’s see how well you handle each other.”

The words sparked laughter from Rosalyn, but Tessa stepped forward, jaw tight. If the Alpha wanted to test her, she’d show him exactly what she was made of.

They circled each other, the rest of the pack watching with sharp curiosity. Tessa let her wolf rise, her senses sharpening, muscles coiling with power. Dastien’s eyes glowed as he shifted into stance, fast, controlled, dangerous.

“Don’t hold back,” he murmured.

She didn’t.

They clashed in a blur of motion, her fists striking, his blocking, their bodies colliding with a rhythm that felt both violent and intimate. Every move was a test, every strike a question: Do you trust me? Do you believe in me? Do you want me?

The bond answered for them both.

When he finally pinned her against the ground, his weight holding her down, her breath came in sharp bursts. His face hovered above hers, lips parted, sweat glistening on his skin. For a second, the world stilled.

Then Rosalyn’s laugh cut through the clearing. “Cute. Maybe he’ll even house-train you someday.”

Tessa’s wolf lunged, but Dastien helped her up, his grip steady, grounding. She swallowed her rage, refusing to give Rosalyn the satisfaction of seeing her lose control.

Michael nodded once, his expression unreadable. “Good enough. Dismissed.”

The pack broke apart, some whispering, some staring. Tessa felt their judgment burn across her skin, but she held her head high as she and Dastien walked back toward the trees.

“Don’t listen to her,” he said.

“She won’t stop until I’m gone.”

“Then we’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”

The promise in his voice settled something deep inside her. For the first time since her vision, she believed it—believed they could stand against whatever was coming.

As the night stretched on, Tessa lay awake in her room, the memory of Dastien’s kiss burning on her lips. For once, her visions stayed quiet. No terror, no blood, no warning. Just silence.

And somehow, that silence was the scariest thing of all.