Chapter 15
1225 Words
Alpha Sean had never wanted our bond, and the Jovia pack had always looked down on me.
I'd spent ong years by his side, unnamed and unrecognized.
Charles had dismissed me, a servant's daughter, just as he'd dismissed Claire, a she-wolf from a humble pack.
But I knew Claire's plan all too well.
Eleanor had never liked me, and with her in an uncertain state, no one knew if or when she'd wake.
Alpha Sean loved Claire, and all she needed was Charles's approval to form a sacred bond with the Jovia pack. And he thought I entered the competition for the same shallow reason.
"I need the million," I said, struggling against his iron grip, my voice as cold as ice.
I was after the prize, not him. I was done with this toxic relationship.
He scoffed, the sound dripping with condescension.
"You're short on cash?"
My fists clenched so tightly my nails dug into my palms.
My eyes burned with unshed tears as I snapped,
"Yes, I'm short! Unlike you, Alpha Sean, swimming in wealth as the alpha of the Jovia pack. You call it pocket change, but do you know what that 'change' means? It's Ellie's resting place!"
His expression darkened, his aura turning frigid.
"What do you mean?"
I was pushed to the edge, my voice breaking as I screamed,
"That million is for Ellie's grave!"
For my daughter, I'd fight tooth and nail, but he, this so-called father, had crushed my hopes to clear the way for his precious mate.
"Olivia!" he roared, his face contorted with anger.
"To weasel your way into the Jovia pack, you'd stoop to any lie, wouldn't you? You're not fit to be a mother!"
"Me, unfit? You're the one who doesn't deserve to be Ellie's father! She's gone! My Ellie… she's really gone!" Sobs wracked my body as the memory of her tragic death sliced through my heart, fresh as ever despite a month passing.
His anger flared even more.
"Olivia, enough! If you dare—"
But his words died in his throat as he took in my tear-streaked face, the raw despair in my eyes.
A moment of panic flashed across his features, and he instinctively denied it. "Impossible!"
I laughed bitterly, a sound filled with desolation. He still refused to believe me. Wiping my tears roughly, I grabbed his arm.
"You don't believe me? Fine, I'll show you!"
I dragged him out, ignoring my own disheveled appearance.
As we stepped outside, we almost collided with Claire.
I didn't spare her a glance, but she stepped forward, feigning concern.
"Alpha Sean, Olivia, what's wrong?"
"Get lost!"
I shoved her aside.
She stumbled, letting out a pained groan, but Alpha Sean followed me without a backward look.
At Maple Grove Haven, I led him inside.
My eyes were swollen from crying, but my resolve had hardened. Stopping at the side room's door, I turned to him.
"Go in. Ellie's urn and death certificate are inside."
Just as I reached for the doorknob, his phone rang.
The familiar ringtone made my blood run cold.
It was Claire.
He answered right in front of me, and her frantic voice carried clearly.
"Alpha Sean, I saw Ellie!"
The words hit me like a physical blow.
My hand slipped from the knob, and for a split second, hope flared in my chest.
But then I stopped myself. How could Claire have seen her? My pup was gone.
I watched as his panic faded, replaced by a cold glare as he registered my momentary hope.
"Keep eyes on Ellie. I'm coming now."
He hung up and turned to leave, his final words a dagger to my heart.
"Olivia, being your pup was Ellie's greatest misfortune."
I stood there, frozen, as his words echoed in my head.
He was right. I'd failed my daughter.
Unloved and unwanted myself, I'd condemned her to the same cruel fate. As I watched him speed away to meet Claire, a numbness settled over me, a void where my heart used to be.
Claire's eyes brimmed with tears, her face etched with guilt.
Alpha Sean's expression was grim.
Too focused to comfort her, he demanded, "Did you see who was with Ellie?"
He feared it was a trafficker.
Pup-snatching was rampant these days.
"A middle-aged she-wolf, looked like a nanny. Ellie seemed to trust her," Claire said, her tone uncertain.
"Which way?" Alpha Sean pressed.
Claire pointed without hesitation. "That way."
Alpha Sean took off, his long strides eating up the ground.
The park wasn't crowded—if he hurried, he might catch them.
"Ouch!"
A stifled cry of pain from Claire stopped him cold.
He turned to see her struggling to stand, her skirt hitched up, revealing a bloodied knee, the wound gruesome.
Alpha Sean strode back, helping her up.
As soon as Claire steadied herself, she pushed him, urgency in her voice. "Alpha Sean, it's just a scratch. I'm fine. Go after them! You're fast—they haven't been gone long. You can catch up."
Ignoring her own pain, she limped forward, determined to keep chasing.
Before she could take another step, Alpha Sean scooped her up in his arms.
But instead of pursuing, he headed toward his parked car.
Claire clutched his collar, frantic. "Alpha Sean, I'm really okay. Finding Ellie is what matters. You haven't seen her in so long."
His face darkened further at her words.
"If she wants to hide, let her. I'd like to see how long Olivia can keep her tucked away," he said, his voice icy.
Claire opened her mouth to argue but saw his stormy expression and swallowed her words, burying her face in his chest.
Inside the car.
"Alpha Sean, let's skip the hospital and head back to the venue. It's just a small cut—I'm fine," Claire said, tugging his arm, refusing treatment.
"You know how much I've poured into winning this fashion competition—how many sleepless nights."
Her eyes reddened as she spoke.
"You know what? At lunch, the head judge let slip I'm taking first. I was over the moon."
"It's not just that my hard work paid off. Winning this means a job at Carlisle fashion. It's the first step toward our future."
She gazed at Alpha Sean, her eyes soft and longing. "I'm so excited for tonight. You'll present me the award, and I'll get to stand by your side, even if it's just for a few minutes."
Her look was a hook, pulling at him, waiting for a passionate response.
"Hm," Alpha Sean muttered, starting the car and heading back to the venue.
His mood stayed dark the whole way.
Claire, ever perceptive, softened her tone.
"Alpha Sean, don't be mad. Olivia probably pulled that stunt about Ellie to keep you from standing with me on stage."
"That's no excuse for cursing Ellie," Alpha Sean snapped, his voice colder.
Claire's words dragged him back to the break room, where he'd nearly bought Olivia's lies.
"She didn't have any other way to get to you," Claire said cautiously.
"I'm done listening to her nonsense. Don't bring her up again," Alpha Sean said, his face like a storm cloud.
"Alright, alright, I won't. Don't be upset," Claire soothed, her tone resigned.
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