Kael’s POV
I finally looked up from my phone.
My expression was probably the definition of bored. Like I’d been scrolling through nothing. Like the whole scene that just unfolded hadn’t registered at all.
But it had.
Every single second of it.
The crack of Rebecca’s palm against Aria’s cheek. The way Aria’s head snapped to the side. The tears streaming down her face. The way she’d looked at with those silver eyes—searching for sothing. Anything.
And I’d given her nothing.
Because that’s who I was. That’s who I had to be.
"What was the point of that?" I asked. My voice ca out flat. Emotionless. Dead.
Rebecca whipped around to face . Her mouth fell open in genuine shock.
"What?"
I gestured lazily toward the direction Aria had fled. Toward the back door she’d disappeared through. Toward the broken girl I’d just watched shatter into a thousand pieces.
"That," I said. "Why did you have to humiliate her like that?"
Rebecca stared at like I’d grown a second head.
"She needed to know her place," she snapped. Her arms crossed over her chest. Defensive. "That little Oga thought she could play in our world? She needed a reality check."
"Know her place?" I raised an eyebrow. "We’re the ones who screwed her over, Rebecca."
The words hung in the air between us.
Rebecca’s perfectly sculpted face twisted with confusion. Then disbelief. Then sothing that looked dangerously close to suspicion.
"When did you start caring about people like her?"
People like her.
Shadow Moon trash.
Oga garbage.
All the labels I’d thrown at Aria since the mont I t her. All the walls I’d built to keep her out. All the lies I’d told myself to pretend she didn’t matter.
"I don’t care," I said. My voice remained completely cold. "It’s just pointless. That’s all."
Rebecca tilted her head. Studied with those calculating green eyes. I could practically see the gears turning in her head.
"Pointless?" She let out a sharp laugh. "I thought it was quite satisfying, actually. Did you see her face? The look in her eyes when I—"
"I saw it."
The words ca out harder than I intended.
Rebecca paused. Her smile faltered for just a second.
"You saw it," she repeated slowly. "And?"
"And nothing." I shrugged. Forced myself to look bored. Disinterested. Like we were discussing the weather instead of a woman whose heart I’d personally ripped out of her chest.
"I just think the whole thing was aningless. She got the ssage this morning. Tonight was overkill."
Rebecca’s eyes narrowed. "The ssage?"
"That it was a ga. That she ant nothing." I t her gaze steadily. "She understood. Making her co to our table, forcing her to sit there while you gloated—that was unnecessary."
"Unnecessary?" Rebecca’s voice rose. Her composure cracked around the edges. "She looked at you, Kael. Did you see that? She looked at you like you were supposed to save her. Like you actually ant sothing to her."
My jaw tightened.
Yeah. I’d seen it.
That look in Aria’s eyes. That desperate, pathetic hope. Like maybe I’d stand up. Like maybe I’d defend her. Like maybe—just maybe—so part of what we’d shared had been real.
And I’d crushed it.
Deliberately.
Completely.
"So what?" I said. "She’s delusional. That’s not my problem."
Rebecca leaned back in her seat. Her arms were still crossed. Her expression was still suspicious. But sothing else flickered there too.
Insecurity.
"I’m the only one celebrating tonight," she said. Her voice had an edge to it. Sharp. Accusing. "You’ve been boring all evening."
I said nothing.
"Seriously, Kael." She gestured around the VIP section. At the expensive champagne. At the empty seat across from us where Aria had been forced to sit. "This was supposed to be fun. We won. The ga is over. Why aren’t you happy?"
Happy.
What a stupid word.
"I’m fine," I said flatly.
"You don’t look fine." Rebecca’s pout deepened. "You look like soone just ran over your dog. Which is ridiculous, because nothing happened. We did exactly what we planned."
I exhaled slowly. Let the air leave my lungs in a controlled stream.
She was right. Everything had gone according to plan. The dates. The ceremony. The dramatic reveal. Aria finding out it was all fake. Rebecca getting her entertainnt. getting... what exactly?
What had I gotten out of any of this?
A headache.
A restless wolf.
And the mory of silver eyes filled with tears.
I stood up.
The movent was abrupt. Sudden. Rebecca startled in her seat.
"Where are you going?" Her voice pitched higher. Confused. Annoyed.
"To fight."
I grabbed my jacket from the back of the booth. Shrugged it on. Started walking toward the exit.
"What?" Rebecca scrambled to her feet. Her heels clicked against the floor as she hurried after . "You don’t have a fight scheduled tonight!"
"I do now."
"Kael!" She grabbed my arm. Tried to spin around. I let her. Let her see my face. My completely blank, emotionless face.
"You only go to The Pit when you’re upset," she said. Her green eyes searched mine. Looking for cracks. Looking for weakness. "What’s wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?"
I stopped.
My jaw tightened so hard I felt my teeth grind together.
She was right.
Of course she was right.
The Pit was my escape. My release valve. The one place where I could let Fenrir loose without consequences. The one place where violence made sense.
I went there when I was angry.
When I was frustrated.
When I couldn’t control the storm inside .
And right now? That storm was a fucking hurricane.
But I’d die before I admitted that to Rebecca.
"Nothing’s wrong," I said. My voice was ice. "I just feel like hitting sothing."
"You can hit sothing here." She stepped closer. Pressed her body against mine. Her hand trailed up my chest. "We could go back to my place. I can think of plenty of ways to help you release tension."
Her aning was obvious. Her invitation clear.
A week ago, I would have taken her up on it. Hell, a day ago I probably would have.
But now?
The thought of touching Rebecca made my skin crawl.
"Not tonight."
Rebecca pulled back like I’d slapped her. Hurt flashed across her face before she masked it with anger.
"Not tonight?" she repeated. Her voice dripped with disbelief. "We haven’t been together in weeks, Kael. Weeks. And you’re telling ’not tonight’?"
"That’s what I said."
"Because you’re too busy moping over so Shadow Moon trash?"
The words hit like a punch.
I forced myself not to react. Not to flinch. Not to show any sign that her accusation had struck a nerve.
"I’m not moping over anyone."
"Then what is this?" Rebecca threw her hands in the air. "You’ve been distant all evening. You barely looked at during dinner. You didn’t even smile when I put that Oga in her place. What’s going on, Kael?"
I stared at her.
At this woman I’d known my entire life. This woman everyone expected to mate. This woman who was beautiful and powerful and everything an Alpha heir should want.
And I felt nothing.
Less than nothing.
"See you tomorrow, Rebecca."
"Tomorrow?" Her voice cracked. "That’s it? You’re just leaving?"
"That’s it."
I turned away. Started walking again.
"Kael!"
Her voice followed . Desperate now. Almost pleading.
I pulled out my keys. Found my car. Got behind the wheel.
My hands gripped the steering wheel. Tight. Knuckles white.
What the fuck was wrong with ?
Fenrir was restless in my mind.
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