Into the Alpha’s Keep Chapter 48: 47

POV Savannah Bowen

The tears blurred my vision. I blinked, pushing them away just as I noticed the smile Fenrir gave her. To Marilyn, and not to me, his bonded mate.

I couldn’t take it anymore, I didn’t want to see anything else.

If I were close enough to them, I would scratch them both until there was nothing left of either of them. I would make them feel the same pain I felt. If I couldn’t do it emotionally, then let it be physical.

I mourned for my wolf, suffering with her pain, making it mine.

I turned my back and started walking as far away as possible, as quickly as I could. Alexandra followed closely behind me.

“Savannah, I don’t even know what to say to you,” she sighed. “Fenrir shouldn’t... what you’re feeling is because of the mating bond, it’s normal.”

I stopped walking and turned my head toward her. She widened her eyes when she saw my beast on the surface, the emerald green covering my irises.

“He’s a damn, worthless piece of shit,” I snarled, my voice heavy, thick.

She nodded, agreeing.

“Yes, he is.”

But that still didn’t make it hurt less. It didn’t make me feel any less stupid.

“I need... I need to be alone,” I whispered, running far away from them all.

I just wanted it to stop hurting so much.

I just wanted to not care so much.

***

I kicked some small stones, hitting the still water of the lake and making it ripple.

I opened and closed my hands into fists, pacing back and forth, trying to keep control. If I gave in to my wolf’s instincts, I would shift and run to Marilyn and Fenrir, then I would kill the omega.

My wolf wanted her blood. The hatred was so tangible that I was breathing heavily, with the hairs on my body standing on end.

“That damn liar, that piece of shit,” I growled, pushing my hair over my shoulder.

And on top of that, there was the damn mating bond and the emotional sharing. It would be another long, exhausting night.

I let out a sharp snarl and kicked more stones.

If I could go back to my past, I never would have entered that damn forest, nor followed the sound of the water. That heat was a nightmare, putting me in this mess. I should’ve gone into heat again, but Fenrir gave me more inhibitors days ago.

I placed my hands on my hips and stared at the orange sky of the late afternoon. A soft breeze hit my face, blowing my hair.

I sighed.

It would be so much easier if Sel were here with me. She’d probably take care of Fenrir and Marilyn after calling me every kind of idiot for caring. She did that every time I defended Hunter and acted like a fool in love.

But this situation was much worse now.

I wasn’t in love with Fenrir, I didn’t even like him, but it felt like he truly betrayed me.

I turned my back and walked the path I had memorized, back to that bastard’s house.

I would finish off his whiskey stock, light the fireplace with the booze, and use his clothes to keep the fire high, drink another part, and pour the rest down the sink. I couldn’t care less about how much they cost or how he would get them again. If he pissed me off too much, making me feel that disgusting heat from his sex with Marilyn, I’d set the whole house on fire.

I didn’t think he would care about the clothes, but it was something Selena would do, so it didn’t sound like a good idea, which was perfect. As for the house... maybe he’d be a little angry.

The privacy of the lake was my favorite part. Besides Alexandra, me, Mihaela, and sometimes Fenrir, no one else went there. I could suffer in peace, without anyone seeing how stupid I was or disturbing me.

When I got home, I inhaled the smell of it. The cinnamon and rose scent tickled my nose. The cleaning products Nicoleta used. In the background, I could smell fresh pine and damp earth. It was recent, but not vivid. He’d been home but had already left for his damn filthy sex party.

I clenched my teeth.

I ran up the stairs, stomping heavily, ignoring the loud noise against the wood.

If I wanted to enter discreetly, I was doing a terrible job. If Fenrir had close neighbors, they’d definitely hear the loud thud of my footsteps.

I opened the bedroom door with the same delicacy as my steps, slamming it against the frame as I closed it with my back.

I looked around the room, trying to find something to occupy my mind, but I found nothing. I had memorized even the phrases of my only book; it wouldn’t be enough to distract me, not when I knew every damn detail of what was going to happen.

I huffed, rolling my eyes and walking to the window.

I stopped halfway, automatically turning toward the bed.

I narrowed my eyes at the object on it. A gray box with a pink ribbon around it.

Oh no!

The last time a mysterious box appeared in my room, things didn’t end well. I ended up wearing a dead woman’s dress, being ignored by the entire pack, and having it ripped off my body as soon as possible, thrown into the laundry basket for Nicoleta. I never wanted to see that dress in front of me again.

I took a deep breath and bit my cheeks, hesitating between giving in to my curiosity and seeing what the hell was inside it or completely ignoring its existence. If it was something from Marilyn, I’d set the box and the house on fire.

And no one, not even Fenrir, could judge me for it.

I was at my limit, controlling my animal side because he was a liar, a bastard.

I stomped my foot on the floor constantly, not taking my eyes off the box.

I wanted, at the same time as I didn’t want, to know what was inside it.

I lasted five seconds before running to the bed and throwing myself on the object. I pulled the ribbon with my trembling, stiff fingers, undoing it. I pushed the lid to the side, revealing the contents.

For a moment, I was confused, staring at the small bundle of herbs, not sure what to do with it. At the back, a folded paper with uneven edges, as if it had been torn from some old notebook. It smelled like mold. I grabbed it, unfolding it.

It was a note. A handwritten note in cursive.

“Castle of the Elders, at the peak of the moon.

Your presence will be a valuable addition to the night.”

Just like that, with no identification or anything.

I took the bundle in my hand and smelled it, feeling the scent of herbs I couldn’t identify. It was the same as the ones I had seen the wolves carrying, the same one Marilyn had shown me.

I chewed my cheeks, shaking the bundle between my fingers, undecided about what to do.

Well... I knew the way to the Castle of the Elders. If I wasn’t a guest, I’d be kicked out. And that definitely wouldn’t be the most embarrassing situation I’d face since arriving in the village. The dead woman’s dress and the salty cakes would still be at the top of the list.

I blinked, replaying the scene of Marilyn grinding on that damn alpha’s lap. If he could go around having sex with anyone, then why couldn’t I do the same?

I stood up abruptly, still holding the bundle. My sense of self-preservation seemed to have disappeared because all I felt was the need to go to that damn party, wearing the most revealing and indecent outfit I had in my wardrobe, and have fun with no strings attached.

Just to be sure, I was single.

I clicked my tongue, my heart racing, speeding up as adrenaline consumed me.

“Fuck it, I’m going to that party,” I murmured, talking to myself.

I wouldn’t spend another night feeling the uncomfortable heat of Fenrir’s sex with that damn bitch. If he was going to have fun, then fine, I would too.

With a lunatic smile on my face, I ran to the bathroom, more than willing to entertain myself, but mainly to get my revenge.