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Chapter 182
~Aira’s POV~
The word struck like a dagger to my chest and my breath hitched. My world tilted. The past suddenly ca crashing down on .
I took a shaky step back, my voice barely audible. "You..."
His grin widened, his presence suffocating. "Miss ?"
The night closed in, and all I could do was stand frozen as he moved closer, his gaze never leaving mine.
"S-stay back,
The word mate struck like a dagger to my chest, stealing the air from my lungs. My breath hitched, my pulse hamring in my ears as my world tilted.
Every mory of him—his cruelty, his dominance, the pain—ca crashing down in vivid, suffocating waves.
I stumbled back, my voice barely audible. "You..."
His grin widened, his presence suffocating as he stalked closer, his broad fra blocking out everything else around . "Miss ?"
The night seed to darken, the air around us crackling with an oppressive energy that made my wolf, Sumr, retreat deep within .
"S-stay back, Kane," I stamred, my voice shaky despite my attempt to sound firm.
He chuckled darkly, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. "Still the scared little Aira, I see. Haven’t changed a bit, have you?"
His steps were slow and deliberate, each one making the space between us smaller and smaller until his scent—dark woods and danger—filled my senses.
"You’re my mate," he growled, his voice dripping with possessive venom. "And here you are, flinging yourself at another man, huh? Ignoring my call just to focus on him."
Kane tutted, his sharp gaze raking over as though I were his possession to reclaim. "You’re mine, Aira. You do not get to move on. You do not get to see other n. You and our son are mine."
His words struck sharply, the weight of his assertion encircling my chest like shackles.
I tried to summon Sumr, desperate for her strength to push him back, but his wolf’s aura pressed down on , silencing her completely.
Fear flickered in my chest as my instincts scread in protest, crushing like a mountain.
Kane’s hand shot out, gripping my chin and forcing my gaze upward. His touch was firm but cold, and his eyes bore into mine with unrelenting intensity.
"You don’t get to defy , Aira," he snarled. "You belong to . Your body, your mind, your heart—they’re all mine. No one else gets to have you, and I’ll rip apart anyone who tries."
My breath ca in ragged gasps as his hold tightened, his dominance suffocating.
"You think you can hide from ?" he continued, his tone mocking as his lips curled into a cruel smile. "You think you can play house with so other man? I’ll kill him, Aira. I’ll kill anyone who gets between us. Don’t test ."
I trembled, the fight draining from as his words brought back every mont of terror, every ounce of control he’d stolen from in the past.
And how I had foolishly believed his ruthless, tornting self was love. I believed he was what Autumn and I needed. But I was wrong.
Even though I had only been with Zade briefly, I could already tell the difference in his treatnt of .
Tempest was right. He was a scum, a bastard but I had let him in and allowed him to prey on for too long.
Flashes of whip sounds echoed in my mind and I winced. My knees buckled, but his grip held in place.
Just as I felt myself slipping further into his web of fear, a distant roar broke through the tension.
The sound of a car speeding toward us shattered the mont like glass. Kane’s head snapped to the side, his grip loosening slightly. I gasped for air, and for the first ti, dared to peek past him.
A sleek black car screeched to a stop nearby, its headlights blazing as the driver’s door slamd open. My heart lurched when I saw who it was.
Zade.
He moved with killing intent, every step deliberate, his blue eyes darkened with fury as they locked onto Kane.
The power rolling off him was unmistakable, and for the first ti in minutes, I felt the weight of Kane’s dominance falter.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Zade demanded sharply.
Kane straightened, his lips curling into a sneer as he dropped his hand from my chin. "Ah, the competition. I was wondering when you’d show up."
Zade didn’t respond. In a swift motion, he reached for , pushing Kane from my side with one hand and pulled gently to his side.
His touch was a stark contrast to Kane’s—warm, protective, steady.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly as his hand hovered near my face.
I nodded, my words caught in my throat. The change in his deanour was startling; the anger in his eyes softened the mont he looked at , his focus entirely on my well-being.
From the corner of the fence, Kane’s growl broke through the mont. He straightened fully, his broad chest puffed out as his green eyes began to glow. "Hands off her," he snarled.
Zade didn’t flinch. Instead, he turned his head slightly, his expression hardening as he glared at Kane. "She’s not yours," Zade said simply but coldly.
Kane stepped forward, his voice rising as his eyes shone red. "She’s my mate. She belongs to ."
Before I could react, Zade’s aura flared, the raw power of his wolf slamming into Kane like a tidal wave. His eyes flashed a deep red, and his voice bood with authority.
"Hands. Off. My. Mate."
Kane staggered slightly, his face contorting with rage as he steadied himself. His own aura surged in response, but it was clear Zade’s power outmatched his.
The tension between them skyrocketed, their wolves battling for dominance without ever shifting.
Kane’s lips curled into a snarl, but Zade didn’t give him the chance to act. His voice dropped, low and dangerous. "Walk away, Kane. Now."
Kane’s gaze flicked to , his frustration and anger evident. For a mont, I thought he’d lash out. But then he stepped back, his eyes narrowing.
"This isn’t over," he spat.
Zade didn’t respond as Kane retreated into the shadows. Zade’s tension eased only when Kane disappeared, his hand moving to my shoulder as he turned to face fully.
"Aira," he said softly, his voice steady. "You’re safe now."
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