The Alpha's Secret Mate

chapter 10

---

“Alpha, are you certain—”

“That’s enough.” Kyle didn’t raise his voice this time, yet the command in it was absolute. His Beta fell silent instantly as Kyle lifted a single hand, dismissing any further argument.

“I meant every word,” he continued, his tone unyielding. “I will not change my decision. Facing the Council is far preferable to standing beside an ally like Smith.”

A heavy silence followed.

Dad’s expression darkened, his jaw tightening until the muscles ticked. “You will regret this, Kyle,” he said through clenched teeth. “I only hope you come to your senses before it’s too late. My invitation will not remain open forever.”

Kyle didn’t even look at him.

Instead, his gaze shifted—to me.

For a fleeting moment, the storm in his steel-gray eyes softened, the harsh edges easing into something quieter… something almost reassuring.

“Let’s go, wife.”

---

Some time later, I stood outside the packhouse, a small bag resting at my feet. I hadn’t taken much—only what I needed. There hadn’t been anything worth lingering over.

Maria had helped me pack in silence.

Now, as I waited, my eyes drifted back to the estate—the towering trees, the familiar paths, the life I was leaving behind. It all felt strangely distant already, like something slipping through my fingers.

I still couldn’t believe it.

Alpha Kyle had broken an alliance… because of me.

The thought sat uneasily in my chest.

He was cold. Unyielding. At times, even ruthless. But he wasn’t like Carter—there was a line he wouldn’t cross. Still, defying the Alpha Code wasn’t something that went unpunished.

The Council would come.

They always did.

A faint, humorless smile curved my lips.

Trouble had a way of finding me—no matter where I went.

Footsteps approached softly from behind.

I turned to find Maria, her presence as gentle as ever. She offered me a small, reassuring smile before taking my hand and placing a white bottle in my palm.

“These will help with panic attacks,” she said quietly. “I don’t know how things will be for you in the North… but at least you’ll have this.”

Her fingers lingered for a brief second before pulling away.

And somehow, that small gesture felt heavier than everything I was leaving behind.

---

“…but I will pray to the Goddess to keep you safe.”

Her palms cradled my face with a tenderness that made my chest ache. Before I could find the right words, she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead—warm, lingering, and impossibly gentle.

My vision blurred as tears gathered, clinging stubbornly to my lashes. The reality of leaving her behind settled heavily within me. I was going to miss her more than I could put into words… and the uncertainty of whether I would ever see her again made it almost unbearable.

I stepped into her, wrapping my arms around her as if I could anchor myself there. She held me just as tightly, her hand moving in slow, soothing strokes along my back.

“Stay safe,” she murmured to me.

“Come with me,” I said, the plea escaping before I could think it through.

She pulled back slightly, a quiet, almost bittersweet laugh leaving her lips. “I can’t. I belong here… to this pack.”

A knot formed in my throat. “But what if they hurt you after I’m gone?”

Her gaze softened, but there was something resolute in it. “You have enough to worry about,” she replied gently. “You’re stepping into unfamiliar territory. Focus on that. I’ll be fine.”

She winked, trying to lift the weight of the moment, but it barely worked. My shoulders slumped despite myself. I wanted to believe her—I really did—but the doubt lingered, heavy and unrelenting.

If I survived the North…

The thought echoed in my mind like a quiet vow.

I would come back for her. I would take Maria far away from all of this—to somewhere safe.

Together.

We walked toward the line of SUVs waiting to escort the Alpha and his men. The engines idled, low and steady, like a warning of everything that lay ahead.

Just before stepping inside, I glanced back.

A figure stood behind the window of the packhouse, still and watchful.

Michelle

Even from this distance, I could feel it—her gaze, sharp and unwelcoming. Whatever expression she wore, it wasn’t one of sorrow.

Then her voice pierced through my mind without warning, carried along the link like a blade.

“I won’t let you get away with this, bitch.”

The words slithered through me, cold and venomous.

A shiver raced down my spine, and for a moment, it felt like the air itself had turned to ice.

I looked back through the window, but she was already gone. The empty space she left behind filled me with relief. I prayed it would be the last time our paths ever crossed.

Kyle helped me into the back seat, and the moment everyone settled in, the car rolled forward. I caught one final glimpse of Maria’s hand waving in the distance before it disappeared behind the long line of trees rushing past the dusty driveway.

A soft sigh escaped me. Though the inside of the car was warm and inviting, my body felt trapped in winter. Cold seeped through my skin, settling deep into my bones.

He was beside me.

My husband.

Sitting close enough for me to feel the heat of him, yet far enough to seem like a stranger. A man who could kill me in a heartbeat, and no one would question it.

His eyes turned to me, sharp and unreadable, and the weight of his stare pressed against my skin like a thousand tiny needles. My hands shook uncontrollably in my lap. I rubbed them together, but my palms were damp with sweat.

I didn’t know what to make of him.

The man who had stepped in to save me stood in complete opposition to the monster painted by whispers and rumors. It didn’t make sense.

Maybe it was all for show.

Maybe once we were alone, once he truly saw what I was, the disgust would come. The hatred.

Yes... that felt far more believable.

I couldn’t imagine a man like him wanting someone like me, no matter how convincing his act had seemed before the others. Why would he?

"There is nothing special about you."

Carter’s voice slithered through my thoughts like poison.

I wanted to reject those words, but how could I? He had once marked me, once claimed me, only to cast me aside before everyone as though I meant nothing at all.

The memory clawed at my chest.

Maybe they were all right about me. Maybe I truly was someone impossible to love.

No one ever had.

Kyle would be no different.

“Is there something making you uncomfortable?”

His deep voice shattered the silence, and I jumped so violently I nearly scrambled out of my seat.

“Eeei!”

I whipped my head toward him, terror surging through me. “I-I’m sorry! I won’t do it again!”

He said nothing. One dark brow lifted slowly.

Then understanding struck me like a slap. He hadn’t been scolding me. He had only asked a question.

Heat flooded my cheeks and burned the tips of my ears. I shook my head quickly.

“N-No... I mean, I’m fine. Totally fine,” I blurted, words tumbling over themselves in my haste. “I’m really grateful for what you did, Alpha.”

My voice came out louder and shakier than I intended.

Another humiliating reminder of how badly fear had broken me.