Chapter 96
I took a breath, lifting my hands to press against his chest, gently but firmly pushing him back.
My fingers splayed over the fabric of his jumper, feeling the steady, erratic thump of his heart.
Those hands–hands that had once been used for graceful movements, for creating beauty in music, for delicate, meaningful touches–were once shattered, broken in my last life. All because of him.
A flash of bitterness surged through me as I looked up at him.
Do you get sad, Ryan? Here?” I placed my hand over his heart, my fingers pressing just lightly against the beating beneath.
He swallowed, his eyes filling with something close to remorse. “Of course I do.”
His voice was barely a whisper, and for a brief moment, he looked vulnerable, stripped of the confidence he wore so easily.
My gaze turned cold as I studied him, taking in the face of the man I had once loved so deeply, so recklessly. “I used to hurt here too, you know. Over and over, a thousand times, maybe ten thousand
imes more than you could ever understand.
I gave everything for you, and you-” My voice faltered, breaking as the pain of old memories surged up from within. “You crushed that love under your feet, Ryan. You’ll never understand what that felt
like.”
THE
Tears stung at the corners of my eyes, slipping down my cheeks and tracing icy trails along my skin.
I wiped them away quickly, hoping to mask my vulnerability, but Ryan’s expression told me he’d already seen enough. His eyes clouded with regret, his lips parted as if he wanted to speak, to defend himself, but no words came.
The silence stretched, thick with unspoken words and lingering hurt.
Suddenly, a familiar presence caught my attention.
Aglanced over Ryan’s shoulder to see Lirian standing at the school entrance, watching us with an unreadable expression.
Seeing us, Lirian paused at a distance, his expression unreadable as he observed the scene.
The Alpha’s Subes
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Ryan’s grip on my wrist was still firm, his desperation palpable, but I felt nothing but a cold resentment. I pulled my hand away, glaring at him.
“Ryan, it’s over,” I said firmly, keeping my voice steady despite the bitterness in my chest. “I’m done running after you, begging for your attention. Stop pestering me.”
Without waiting for his reaction, I turned and headed toward Lirian, each step pulling me farther from a past I wished to leave behind.
Lirian stood near the car, his eyes softening as he noticed the dampness of my cheeks.
Without a word, he reached out, gently brushing away the traces of my tears, his touch calm yet warm. He then opened the car door, motioning for me to step in.
Just as I was about to settle into the seat, a sharp tug on my hand stopped me mid–motion.
I turned back, startled, only to see Ryan standing there, his face etched with panic.
“Sophia, please… don’t go with him!” His voice cracked slightly, desperate as he clung to my hand. “T know I messed up. I’ll never make you feel like that again! Just stay. I’ll do right by you this time, I
swear.”
Lirian’s eyes narrowed at the sight of Ryan’s hand on mine. His patience had clearly reached its breaking point. “Let go of her,” he commanded in a low, unwavering voice, his eyes fixed on Ryan with a warning that was impossible to ignore.
Ryan’s gaze flicked to Lirian, his face twisting with annoyance. “I’m talking to Sophia. What does this have to do with you?” he snapped, his tone laced with bitterness.
Lirian took a step forward, his gaze unwavering. “Let. Her. Go.” His words held a quiet menace, arf edge sharp enough to cut through Ryan’s bravado.
Ryan scoffed, his grip tightening as he met Lirian’s challenge head–on.
“And what if I don’t? You think you can scare me? Do you really think she wants to be with you? She’s just trying to make me jealous. This whole act is nothing but-”
Before he could finish, Lirian moved, swift as a shadow. In one clean, decisive motion, he drove his foot into Ryan’s side, sending him sprawling onto the ground.
Ryan landed hard, gasping as he clutched his ribs, a grimace of pain contorting his face.
“It was clear from his stunned expression that he had never anticipated such a blow.
The Alpha’s Substitute Luna. A Heart Claimed, A Soul Reborn,
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As he struggled to sit up, Ryan glared at Lirian, anger flaring in his eyes.
You think this changes anything?” he sneered, forcing himself to his feet. “She’ll come back to me. She’s only with you for the benefits. I mean, let’s not forget how much she used to love me.” He turned to me with a smirk, hoping to spark doubt. “She’d never truly choose someone like you.”
The Alpha’s Substitute Lun
