Chapter 53
“Was it worth it?” I asked softly, my voice trembling as I lowered my head. My eyelids fluttered, and my fingers curled into fists on my lap, betraying the storm brewing inside
- me.
It felt as though the downpour from that day had spilled into the car, drenching me in a cold, heavy shiver that clung to my skin.
This was the wound he’d inflicted on himself when he pulled me from the cage all those years ago—a wound that had never been able to fully heal. But could I really use that as proof he ever truly loved me?
The dim glow of the dashboard lights painted his face in shadows. Ethan’s brow furrowed slightly as he studied me, his sharp jaw tightening.
“So, now you know I’m married and ‘dead‘… how does that make you feel?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper, eyes red but steady, wondering what these revelations meant to
him.
Ethan gave me a bitter smile, though his eyes held a sadness that cut deeper than his
words.
“Honestly? Back then, I hated you,” he said, his voice raw. “I hated that you could abandon me so easily, without leaving a single trace behind. But then… it turned into despair. Every time I thought about it–about the fact that my mate would never be by my side again—it felt like I was better off dead.”
He paused, the weight of his confession hanging in the silence between us. The quiet hum of the car engine was the only sound.
His gaze softened as he continued. “I knew you and Peter wouldn’t last, but…” He hesitated, his tone shifting to something almost teasing. “Can you tell me why you’re alone now?”
I tilted my head, answering calmly, “Peter and I disagreed on too much, especially medically. We argued constantly and eventually drifted apart.”
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Chapter 53
It struck me then that, despite having been married to Peter, I could barely remember what he looked like anymore.
Ethan’s lips curved into a smug grin, his eyes gleaming in the dim light.
“I knew it,” he said, leaning back in his seat with an air of triumph. “Werewolves are meant to be with their mates. And he was just a Beta… I really have to wonder what went wrong with your taste back then.”
His jab was blunt, and so was my response. I shot him a sharp look, and he raised his hands in mock surrender. Satisfied, I let a small smile slip through.
“There’s a new restaurant nearby,” Ethan said, breaking the tension. “Let me take you there. Can we call this our first official date?”
“Suit yourself,” I answered, my tone remaining indifferent.
Ethan blinked at me, his playful eyes widening slightly in surprise. Then, as though recovering from a shock, he chuckled and shrugged. “Let’s go.”
The drive was quiet, rain tapping gently on the windows, filling the air with the scent of damp earth as we passed forests and winding roads. Ethan, however, couldn’t keep his curiosity in check for long.
“So,” he began casually, keeping one hand on the wheel while the other rested on the console between us. “Tell me about the trouble you got into at Shadow Sand.”
For a moment, I hesitated, wondering if he’d mock me like he used to. But the warmth in his gaze encouraged me.
I told him about meeting Zoe, about how I’d cleverly diffused the crisis there, and how I’d managed to save several endangered werewolf species. The memories brought a spark to my eyes and a quickness to my voice, but the lingering fear of his judgment never quite disappeared.
When I finally finished, I glanced at him, bracing myself for a smirk or a sarcastic
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Chapter 53
comment. Instead, Ethan smiled. His eyes sparkled as he looked at me, and something inside me stirred–something I thought I’d buried long ago.
As we passed a quiet valley bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight, I suddenly called out, “Stop the car.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled. “What for?” he asked lazily, his tone tinged with amusement as he glanced my way.
Haughed nervously. “I… I had plans with Keith,” I admitted, avoiding his gaze. “We were supposed to talk about Carl.”
In half a second, his expression darkened. The affectionate gaze turned cold, his jaw tightened, and the playful ease vanished.
“If he’s hungry, I can have my assistant send him some food,” Ethan said, his voice sharper than usual. “Why does he need to come with us?” The temperature inside the car seemed to drop as he spoke.
I sighed, trying to keep my tone even. “I made plans with Keith before I left,” I said carefully. “And we need to discuss Carl’s situation… Besides, it’s the middle of the night. This doesn’t really feel like a date, does it? We’ll just meet up next time.”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed, his frustration evident. “So you think I’m interrupting you two?” he asked, turning his gaze toward the window. His voice was heavy with displeasure, and the Alpha authority in his tone sent a chill down my spine.
I clenched my fists, refusing to let him intimidate me. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I shot back, my tone sharp.
Ethan hesitated. When he finally spoke, his voice was softer, almost vulnerable.
“I… I just want to be alone with you…” His words came out like a confession, and he shifted awkwardly in his seat. For a moment, all his Alpha bravado seemed to melt away, leaving behind a man who looked almost… shy.
3
The sight of him like that caught me off guard, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. But the laugh bubbled up anyway, escaping before I could stop it.
Ethan’s face darkened further, and he let out a frustrated grunt. “…Why is he taking so
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comment. Instead, Ethan smiled. His eyes sparkled as he looked at me, and something inside me stirred–something I thought I’d buried long ago.
As we passed a quiet valley bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight, I suddenly called out, “Stop the car.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled. “What for?” he asked lazily, his tone tinged with amusement as he glanced my way.
Haughed nervously. “I… I had plans with Keith,” I admitted, avoiding his gaze. “We were supposed to talk about Carl.”
In half a second, his expression darkened. The affectionate gaze turned cold, his jaw tightened, and the playful ease vanished.
“If he’s hungry, I can have my assistant send him some food,” Ethan said, his voice sharper than usual. “Why does he need to come with us?” The temperature inside the car seemed to drop as he spoke.
I sighed, trying to keep my tone even. “I made plans with Keith before I left,” I said carefully. “And we need to discuss Carl’s situation… Besides, it’s the middle of the night. This doesn’t really feel like a date, does it? We’ll just meet up next time.”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed, his frustration evident. “So you think I’m interrupting you two?” he asked, turning his gaze toward the window. His voice was heavy with displeasure, and the Alpha authority in his tone sent a chill down my spine.
I clenched my fists, refusing to let him intimidate me. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I shot back, my tone sharp.
Ethan hesitated. When he finally spoke, his voice was softer, almost vulnerable.
“I… I just want to be alone with you…” His words came out like a confession, and he shifted awkwardly in his seat. For a moment, all his Alpha bravado seemed to melt away, leaving behind a man who looked almost… shy.
The sight of him like that caught me off guard, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. But the laugh bubbled up anyway, escaping before I could stop it.
Ethan’s face darkened further, and he let out a frustrated grunt. “…Why is he taking so
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long?” he muttered, his tone a mix of annoyance and embarrassment.
I couldn’t stop laughing, and eventually, Ethan gave up his act and joined me. Our laughter filled the small car, breaking through the tension and replacing it with something lighter,”
something… warmer.
When the laughter faded, we stared at each other, cheeks flushed. A quiet tension filled the air. Ethan’s handsome face was imposing yet gentle, his gaze soft and harmless.
Unable to resist teasing him, I leaned in and bit his lip lightly before pulling away, feeling proud of my little “attack.” But before I could revel in my victory, Ethan yanked me back, his hands firm but tender. In less than a second, his lips were on mine, and we were kissing passionately.
Ethan’s hands slid to my waist, and he pulled me onto his lap as if I weighed nothing. My knees instinctively wrapped around his strong frame, and I could feel the steady beat of his heart against mine. His kisses grew deeper, hungrier, and I matched his rhythm, my movements bold and unrestrained.
A sudden knock on the car window shattered the moment, and I froze, my breath catching in my throat. Mortified, I buried my face in Ethan’s neck as warmth flooded my cheeks.
Outside, Keith’s flat voice cut through the awkward silence. “Did you invite me here to watch a porno?”
Ethan and I exchanged a look, our eyes wide with a mix of shock and amusement. Then, as if on cue, we both burst into laughter, the sound echoing in the quiet valley.
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