Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 13

**TITLE: Healing Slowly But Surely By R. Joseph**
**Capítulo 13: Perfection.**

Leilani.

The moment he entered the room, an electric tension coursed through my body, rendering me immobile. My heart raced as I watched Jarek rise from his seat, a look of regret etched across his features. He offered me a brief, apologetic smile before he exited, leaving me alone with the very embodiment of my nightmares.

With this enabler.

This beast settled into a chair with an air of nonchalance, his feet resting casually on a nearby stool. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his gaze bore into me, unyielding and predatory.

“You don’t want to see me because you’re angry right now,” he drawled, his voice smooth yet laced with menace. “But you can’t avoid me forever, Leilani. You cannot escape the consequences of the crimes you’ve committed.”

As he spoke, I pressed my lips tightly together, determined to block out his words and the irritation that bubbled within me. His strikingly handsome face and the alluring timbre of his voice were distractions I desperately tried to ignore. Even the way his intense gaze seemed to ignite a warmth in my core was impossible to dismiss.

I shot back, “What do you want from me now? My life?”

“To be quite frank, your father desires that,” he replied with a casualness that made my skin crawl, as if he were merely commenting on the weather. “Your brother is nearly on board with that too… but I simply want you back in the pack, where you rightfully belong.”

“As your slave,” I interrupted, my voice dripping with disdain. The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them. His expression darkened, and a snarl twisted his lips. He leaned in closer, the heat radiating from him making my skin prickle.

I could feel his presence like a palpable force, his warmth brushing against my exposed leg, a featherlight touch that sent shivers down my spine.

“You’re an ungrateful wench, you know that?” he hissed, his tone low and threatening. “I try to overlook some of your transgressions, but you make it exceedingly difficult. You are spoiled, vile, and utterly ungrateful.”

“And you and your brothers should just reject me and let me go. Brand me a rogue, and we can all move on with our lives,” I retorted defiantly, though a flicker of fear danced in my chest.

His reaction was instantaneous; he recoiled slightly, his wide eyes boring into me as they traced my form.

“And if we did that, where would you go?” he seethed, his fingers moving to encircle my neck with a grip that was firm yet not crushing.

Terror coursed through me, causing my body to tremble. In one swift motion, he leaned in, capturing my bottom lip between his teeth, teasingly nibbling before pulling away, leaving me breathless and bewildered.

My eyes widened in shock.

“Do you plan to run back to that boy… that nobody who…” His gaze fell upon the tray of food before me, his lip curling in disgust. “…has nothing to offer you but scraps of someone else’s meal?”

The contempt in his voice sent a chill racing down my spine. I scoffed, “That’s none of your concern!”

To my surprise, instead of erupting in anger as I expected, he merely tightened his grip around my neck and smiled, a predatory gleam in his eyes as he took in my frightened demeanor.

“Our wedding with Chalice is in a month. We will reject you and grant you your freedom by then. Until that day, you will remain with us. At the pack. I don’t care if you decide to run back to your ‘loverboy’ afterward.”

His words struck me like a thunderclap. I hadn’t anticipated such compliance from him, nor had I expected to feel the weight of his declaration settle heavily in the air between us. I inhaled sharply, feeling as though my heart had sunk, my eyes suddenly filled with unshed tears.

Why did it hurt so much to hear that I might be free? Why did this promise of liberation feel like a double-edged sword, cutting deeper than I could bear?

“Will you accept that, or do you prefer we treat you as a prisoner?” he asked, jolting me from my thoughts. I blinked away the tears threatening to spill, meeting his gaze with a reluctant resolve.

“Fine,” I replied, my voice sharp and unyielding. “I’ll come with you.”

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