My Alpha Begged Me Back

Chapter 6: Pack Bonds and Broken Trust

Chapter 6: Pack Bonds and Broken Trust

(Scarlett’s POV)

The ride to the feast hall was suffocating, even though the car’s spacious interior provided ample room. I kept my eyes firmly on the bundle of healing records I’d brought with me. Steven’s towering presence beside me was hard to ignore, but I refused to show how much his nearness affected me.

Instead, I flipped through the pages, pretending that the neat rows of patient reports contained the most engrossing material in the world. My heart was still racing from the earlier humiliation. The image of him standing in my healing den, watching me prance around in my wolf form like some overgrown pup, had burned itself into my mind.

Through the mate bond, I felt the faint flicker of his amusement before he suppressed it.

My gaze snapped to him briefly, and sure enough, a tiny smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he studied a cluster of territory expansion papers. He wasn’t even looking at me, but that didn’t stop the knowing heat of embarrassment from crawling up my neck.

“You’re doing it again,” I muttered under my breath, flicking through another page to busy my hands.

His ice-blue eyes shifted to me for only a second, his tone maddeningly composed as he said, “Doing what?”

“You know what,” I mumbled, clutching the records a bit tighter.

“I don’t,” he replied. Though his voice was calm, I could feel the ghost of his laughter through our bond, making my frustration climb even higher.

I snapped the file shut with more force than I meant to. “Would you stop thinking about it? It wasn’t that funny.”

His smirk widened, and I swore his eyes glinted with mischief. “I didn’t say anything, Scarlett,” he said smoothly, turning his attention back to his documents.

I clenched my jaw to keep from saying something sharp. My wolf, still mortified from earlier, whimpered low in my mind, but she stayed put, too humiliated to show much fight.

By the time the car rolled up to the grand feast hall, my nerves were thoroughly frayed. But as soon as we exited, we automatically fell into our roles: the perfect Alpha pair.

Steven’s hand rested lightly on my lower back as we walked. It wasn’t meant to be intimate. It was all for show, part of the seamless performance we’d mastered in public. But his touch burned, and I hated that my body noticed every small detail of his closeness.

The feast hall was beautifully adorned, the long wooden tables laden with steaming platters of food. Wolves from every rank were already mingling, their lively chatter filling the room. Heads turned as we entered together, and the air seemed to shift, the pack’s collective focus sharp and expectant.

“Scarlett, my dear!” Elder Margaret’s warm voice carried across the room before I saw her. She hobbled toward me with a bright smile, her aged hands outstretched.

I stepped forward, meeting her halfway. “Elder Margaret,” I greeted with a smile, reaching to hold her hands.

Her hands were cold, her usually bright aura dimmed. I frowned slightly, squeezing her hands gently. “You’ve been overworking yourself again,” I said softly. “Have you been resting at all?”

“Oh, don’t fuss over me,” she said with a kind laugh, shaking her head. “I’m an old wolf, Scarlett. We don’t glow like you healers.”

That didn’t reassure me. But before I could press her further, she added, “I made sure your favorite would be prepared—moon-blessed venison. It’s been curing for days.”

Her pride and excitement melted away some of my worry. “You spoil me,” I said, squeezing her hand again. “Thank you, truly.”

Steven stayed silent beside me, his usually commanding presence tempered in the face of the elder’s warmth. Instead, he simply inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment as she greeted him graciously.

We took our seats at the head of the main table, with Elder Margaret seated nearby. I poured myself a modest glass of moon-blessed wine, letting its fruity aroma calm my jittery thoughts.

The feast progressed smoothly at first, the aroma of roasted meats and savory herbs filling the hall. Wolves chatted amicably, their voices blending like a soothing hum.

But just as I allowed myself to relax, a loud crash shattered the peace.

Every head turned toward the source of the noise. Emma, Steven’s young cousin, stood frozen with wide, terrified eyes. A ceremonial cup lay on its side beside her, spilling its contents across the polished floor.

“I’m so sorry!” she stammered, her cheeks burning red. Her wolf crouched low, trembling under the reactions of the other wolves. Conversations hushed almost immediately, the tension palpable.

My gaze flicked to Steven, wondering how he would handle this. But even though his Alpha aura was strong enough to make most wolves flinch, his expression remained calm.

“It’s alright,” Steven said, his voice steady and soothing. He selected a few choice cuts of meat from his plate and held them out to Emma. “Here. Try these. They’re particularly tender tonight.”

Emma looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Her hands barely moved as she stammered nervously, “N-no thank you, Alpha.”

Steven set the meat back on his plate without comment, his demeanor utterly unbothered. Gradually, the tension eased, and the hum of conversation resumed.

It was then that Beta Victoria, seated across from us, decided to turn the conversation toward me. “Scarlett’s healing abilities would be a tremendous asset during the northern territory expansion,” she said brightly.

I froze, my fork halfway to my mouth.

Rather than letting my hesitation show, I quickly set my fork down and smiled tightly. “I prefer focusing on my private healing den,” I said. “It’s more manageable that way.”

With great effort, I avoided glancing at Steven. I could feel his gaze on me, cold and assessing.

Victoria paid no heed to the obvious undercurrent between us. Instead, she kept going. “Your mate bond managed to stay so strong, despite Steven’s absence,” she remarked. Her curious expression practically glowed with admiration. “Even recently, your bond seemed particularly synchronized. Do you have some sort of secret?”

My hand slipped, and I nearly knocked over my wine glass. I coughed to cover my shock, but my heart was pounding.

Energy-masking crystals. Evelyn’s crystals had been our secret salvation during Steven’s absence. Without them, the entire pack would have known how weakened our mate bond had become.

Steven leaned forward, his movements so smooth and precise it almost masked the tension flickering lightly through his aura. He placed a steady hand on my back, pretending to tend to me. To an outsider, it would seem protective and reassuring.

I couldn’t meet his eyes. Instead, I kept my focus on the intricate embroidery of the table runner, willing Victoria to move on.

“You must share the secret with others,” she said, oblivious to the heavy silence that had descended across our side of the table. “It could help other mated pairs—especially those dealing with long separations.”

“The moon-blessed venison is exceptional tonight,” Steven interrupted smoothly, steering the conversation away. “Elder Margaret has outdone herself, as always.”

I exhaled softly, relieved that he’d managed to redirect Beta Victoria’s enthusiasm before she pushed further.

When Steven was called away for a council meeting, I stayed behind with the elders, hoping to finish the evening without further complications.

Beta Victoria, however, seemed determined to keep the conversation lively. “Do you remember that full moon ceremony a few years ago?” she asked, her sharp eyes glinting with mischief.

The faint warning bells in my mind started ringing.

Victoria smiled widely. “Scarlett accidentally released healing energy while standing too close to the injured wolves. Before we knew it, they were all howling uncontrollably!”

A few chuckles rippled through the group, but I found no humor in her recounting the memory.

“And thank the Moon Goddess,” Victoria continued, “Lucian was there to step in. He calmed everyone down so quickly. Such a commanding presence, that one.”

My stomach twisted unpleasantly. The mention of Lucian—Steven’s exiled brother—was a mistake. A dangerous one.

As if summoned by the weight of the moment, Steven returned to the hall. His steps were measured, his shoulders broad and unyielding as his icy gaze swept across the room. His Alpha aura radiated authority, and the temperature in the hall seemed to drop a few degrees.

Beta Victoria’s laughter faltered, and her wolf visibly shrank. Her eyes darted toward Steven, who fixed her with a pointed look before resuming his seat.

By the time the feast ended, I was more than ready to leave. My unease had taken root deep in my chest, lingering long after we exited the hall.

The tension between Steven and me now felt more tangible than ever. Every glance he gave me carried an unreadable weight. Every stride we took in step echoed with the unspoken truths hanging between us.

The moonlight poured down from above as we walked, casting silver shadows across Steven’s face. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, but he must’ve sensed it because our eyes met.

Through the mate bond, our wolves stirred sleepily—restless but unwilling to meet halfway. The connection was faint but undeniable, like an unfinished thought lingering in the air.