The Alpha Who Broke Me

Chapter 4

The banquet hall engulfs me in its opulence, a tapestry of luxury that weighs on my chest like a shroud. Warm light pours from heavy crystal chandeliers, illuminating the golden walls and casting shadows that twist and dance with anticipation. But amidst the shimmering silk and velvet, I feel impossibly small—a mere whisper among the confident laughter and the rich aromas of meat and spices that swirl like the unkind fates pulling me into their grasp.

I stand at the edge, clutching the folds of my dress as if it might shield me from the sharp gazes flitting about the room. My heart pounds, too fast, each thud echoing the frantic rhythm of my insecurities. Damp palms betray my unease, and I draw a shaky breath, tasting the sweetness of the wine that clings to the air, a stark contrast to the cold emptiness curling in my stomach.

Kael stands at the center of it all, an alpha among his own, commanding attention without effort. The way he moves is a dance of power, a predator amongst prey—broad shoulders squared, head held high, a presence so magnetic that the space itself seems to shift and mold around him. I feel him before I see him, my body responding with a rush of familiarity—a remembering of hands that ignited fires within me, the warmth of his breath against my skin, the low growls that danced through our nights.

Yet, today, there’s an unsettling chill that nips at the edges of those memories. I am torn, an internal conflict twisting me in knots; I want him—yes, I want him so fiercely it frightens me—but I also fear him, the distance he’s created between us burning deeper than my own feelings.

Selena glides into the room, and I can’t help but feel the world shift under her presence. She moves with a confidence that is palpable, chin slightly raised, the embodiment of entitlement in a gown that clings to her curves like a second skin. The attention she commands is electric, a wave of approval that rolls through the guests who greet her with a fervor that makes my heart clench.

Her gaze sweeps over me, and I stand frozen, stripped bare beneath the weight of her appraisal. Each passing moment feels like a lifetime as she draws nearer, her scent—expensive oils and confidence—invades my senses, suffocating me with its sweetness. “Elara,” she purrs, her voice dripping with honeyed poison, “is that last year’s dress?”

Heat floods my cheeks, and I clench my fingers against the fabric, desperately suppressing the urge to retort. It’s not the question that pierces me, but the way she looks down at me, evaluating—an item to be scrutinized, something that holds less value than the prize she believes she’s destined for. “It looks... charming on you,” she continues, the words coated in a layer of cruelty, eliciting a murmur of laughter from onlookers who find entertainment in my discomfort.

As if orchestrated, Selena tilts her glass, and the rich red wine cascades down my chest, soaking into the delicate fabric, chilling me to my core. The world freezes; gasps punctuate the air, and laughter rings out—a cacophony of delight at my expense. I stand like a statue, unable to process the humiliation flooding my senses, my dress clinging to me as if it’s conspiring against my dignity.

“Oops,” she simpers, feigning shock that fools no one. The victory in her eyes gleams like polished metal, sharp and cruel, and in that moment, every ounce of shame surges within me. I can feel the gazes sharpen, the atmosphere shifting as laughter mingles with whispers. She throws in a line about how Kael was always meant for her, and those words cut deeper than any spill of wine. The assertion hammers home the reality I dread—the agreement that shadows our relationship, leaving me out in the cold.

I turn my head slowly to him, heart racing, desperately seeking warmth in his gaze. But his jaw is tense, eyes dark, and he lets out a low growl that echoes softly among the closest onlookers, a sound heavy with disdain—but he doesn’t move. He doesn’t come between us. He doesn’t reach for me. The silence stretches, taut and unyielding, stretching the space between us into a chasm I cannot leap.

And in that moment, clarity breaks over me like a winter dawn. There is no place for me here. I am an afterthought, an unwelcome remnant of a history that Kael would rather forget. The decision unfurls in my mind like a sudden storm; I will not wait until I am finally finished off by their laughter, by Selena’s poison. I do not belong in this hall, nor in this hierarchy that devalues my very existence.

With renewed strength, I turn on my heel and walk away, straightening my shoulders, refusing to bow or apologize. Behind me, the sounds of laughter and music fade, but their weight presses against my back, echoing through the very corridors of my heart. The chill of the corridor greets me like a lover waiting for an embrace, but instead, I find clarity swelling in my chest—the conviction that today will mark the beginning of my escape.

I step into the cool darkness, leaving the glittering facade behind, and with each determined stride, I understand one undeniable truth: Kael does not yet know he is losing me forever. The realization is liberating, the chains of my past loosening, and I embrace the promise of my future—a future that I will forge on my own terms, free from the suffocating weight of expectations.