Chapter 13

SYDNEY'S POV The feeling that coursed through me was heavenly. And for the first time since I announced to Alexander that I didn’t want to stay mated to him anymore, I felt free. After my announcement, the courtyard was shrouded in pin-drop silence. Their eyes alternated between Alexander and me, then between Dad and Mum. I could see some young she-wolves immediately shooting their shots. The already deep necklines of their dresses became even deeper, their ample blossoms half on display as they cast flirtatious glances at Alexander. I didn’t blame them. In truth, Alexander was like a diamond among the many Alphas in the territory. Who wouldn’t be excited to grab such a man if there ever was a whisper that he was back on the market? Bella looked pissed, her hold still on Alexander’s arm. I wished I could capture the look on Dad and Mum’s face right now and frame it. Their eyes bulged as they turned to me; I couldn’t tell if it was out of panic or anger at me. Throughout the years I had been with the family, I had learned that the Shadowmoon Pack’s influence was sinking. I had later learned, in the last three years I stayed been the Luna to Alexander, the reason why they were hell-bent on ensuring Alexander mated into the family. They had barely been able to struggle out of bankruptcy and get their pack’s finances back on its feet because of their alliance with him. If they should lose Alexander, then they’ve lost their pack’s stability. Dad turned to Alexander and gulped. "She is out of her mind, Alexander. I’m sure she took something before coming here. She’s been acting really out of character since she arrived. I was even worried that she didn’t come with yo—" Alexander turned to me, ignoring Dad, his eyes blazing with untamed anger. "Are you insane?!" I could feel eyes on us. "I’m very well in my right mind, Alexander. You should instead be askin—" I let out a shocked gasp when he suddenly lifted me off my feet and balanced me on his shoulder. I didn’t even bother to struggle; I tried to get comfortable on his shoulder. It was as though I was high on something as I laughed, my chin slightly hitting his back as he stormed off the scene. I turned to the gaping crowd. There was a girl beside Bella, her palm patted Bella’s rigid shoulders, her face was pinched, and her fists clenched. I wondered if she was going to storm after us and throw me off Alexander’s shoulder.?How mad is she right now??I thought, amused. My eyes settled on Dad. I grinned and waved at him, "Happy birthday, Dad!" My voice rang out, mocking. "I hope you like my birthday gift." I roared with laughter again. "Will you shut the fuck up!" Alexander’s grip on my thigh tightened, and I let out a yelp. "Ouch!" I pinched his back. "That hurt." I could hear as he gritted his teeth, and I felt his grip slightly loosen. As Alexander made his way to his car, I heard Dad’s calm voice—at least he tried to sound calm. One look at him, and you could tell that he was a jittery mess. He forced on a smile. "Alexander and my daughter just had a little misunderstanding," a nervous laugh, "No one is breaking the mating bond, I assure you," then he attempted a joke, "the eligible Alpha Alexander Torres is off the market, ladies, find a suitor somewhere else." The crowd roared with laughter, dissipating the tense atmosphere. I was sure Dad didn’t even want to imagine how his pack’s standing would look if the news should reach the other packs that Alexander Torres, Alpha of the Nightscar Pack, was breaking the bond with his daughter. I could imagine the alliances that would instantly dissolve, the air would carry the news, and he and his mate and conniving daughter would be doomed. I doubt if the pack’ company would even last a month before crumbling. I wondered if there was a chronicler among the guests. If I were that chronicler, I wouldn’t hesitate to air what happened here. I’m sure any pack would pay a lot to get this news… I smirked as my thoughts trailed off. Or the news about Bella’s whereabouts on her mating ceremony day. A room was reserved for Alexander and Bella when they were dating, for cases whenever Alexander stayed over. The room was on the second floor, and that was exactly where Alexander was heading. His shoulder started to dig into my tummy as he climbed the stairs; it felt very uncomfortable. "Will you slow down?" I groaned, "My tummy hurts. You’re digging your shoulders into it." "I don’t care where you hurt," there was a pause, then, "I stopped caring when you made that stupid announcement." "Like you ever cared," I rolled my eyes. He kicked the door open with his foot, strode in, and dumped me—no, he flung me on the large bed. I bounced on the bed for a few seconds before I stayed in place. "What the hell! I could have bounced down the floor and hit my head and died." "Maybe that would be better," his voice sent the hair on my skin upright, and I resisted the urge to cower at the glare on his face; the look of contempt in his eyes. The veins on the back of his hand bulged, and his jaw was tight as he lashed out. "I asked you to come to the house and wait for me." I sat comfortably on the bed and took my time to respond so I wouldn’t splutter. "I didn’t want to. You can’t just order me around. Besides, if I had come, I would have ridden with you and Bella, sitting in the back seat like a third wheel, right?" He scoffed. "You just hate the poor girl, so much, don’t you? She’s your sister!" I put my palm up. "You don’t have to scream it in my ears; I know she’s my sister." Unfortunately, "But did you just refer to her as a 'poor girl'? Poor girl!" I threw my head back and laughed. I wondered if he would still think she was a 'poor girl' if he knew. "Why are you so bent on breaking the bond?"he demanded, his voice rising. "Do you have any idea what this will do to my standing in the Alpha Council? The election is coming, and you’re out here making a spectacle of yourself, announcing this nonsense in front of the entire pack! Do you think the other Alphas will take me seriously if my own mate is publicly rejecting me?" ?"That’s not my problem, Alexander,"I pouted," you’re an asshole, and I want nothing to do with you." "What do you want to not mention that irritating word again?" "What word?" I fluttered my lashes, "Breaking the bond?" He gritted his teeth, and his hands that were perched on his hips tightened. "What do you want for things to go back to the way they were?" I furrowed my brows and put a finger on my chin. "The way things were? How is that? You, cheating on me with my sister while ignoring me? Our fake pose as a happy couple?" "Not like you ever bothered to put in the effort," he snarled. "You always acted like you were being mistreated at the slightest opportunity you got." I raised my brows, "Wasn’t I?" Our gaze locked. "Answer me, wasn’t I mistreated?" "You were not!" Then he repeated his earlier words, "What do you want for things to go back to the way they were?" He looked like he was losing his patience, but I couldn’t care less. "Why do you want things to go back to the way they were?" I let my lips curve into a sly smile. "Why, Alexander? What’s wrong?" I wiggled my brows, "Have you fallen in love with me and can’t bear to see me leave?" He blinked, and his lips parted. And for a while, we just held each other’s gaze; my gaze was teasing, his was filled with a mixture of confusion, anger, and irritation. "Stop talking nonsense, Sydney. State your conditions!" He retorted loudly. Too loudly. "No conditions, Alexander," I shrugged, sobering up, "I just want to break the bond." The crease in his brows deepened, and he started to pace the room, his fingers combing his hair in frustration. "Is this like some joke to you? A game? Because I don’t get this; I don’t get you." He stopped in front of the bed, "Are you joking with me, Sydney?" That look I glimpsed in his eyes before it morphed back into anger, the slight fall in his tone and volume, almost made me pity him. It made me want to pull him to me, massage his scalp, and promise him that I would never leave him. I shook my head and swallowed. "It’s no fun for me either. I seriously just want to break the bond. To be more clear, I don’t want to stay mated to you." He observed me for a while, then he spoke up, his voice sounded harsh, grating, and his jaw tightened. He lifted his chin, "Fine then. If I am going to agree to break the bond, then I have a condition." My brows heightened, and I dreaded what his condition would be. The corners of his lips lifted in a smirk, and his eyes glinted with mischievousness, "If you want to break the bond, you would have to give me 5 million dollars in compensation."