Chapter 15

SYDNEY'S POV My words had barely left my mouth when Bella's trembling voice reverberated in the space.? "Alexander!"?Her voice quivered with raw emotion, and her eyes glinted with unshed tears as she gazed at him.?"Stay,"?she whispered.?"My friends are all waiting for you. If you leave, they'll mock me endlessly." I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her dramatics. It was her fault if her friends mocked her. Ever since she returned from her elopement, she had made me look like the villain before her friends and anyone who cared to listen. She would always tell them that she and Alexander were the real deal and I, who had always envied her, had taken the opportunity to force myself on Alexander when she went abroad for her medical treatment. The bitterness of her accusations still lingered till this day. I had felt betrayed when I had heard it. When I had thought I was saving her name, painting me bad was all I got in return. I rolled my eyes some more when I saw Alexander's expression soften. Even in my grasp, I felt him lightly lean forward. Before he could utter a word, my hold on his arm tightened. I was surprised at the possessiveness in my grip. "Sorry, love. No can do,"?I cooed, my voice dripping with saccharine sweetness.?"But my Alpha, my mate "?I placed my other hand on his chest,?"is very busy. He has to take me home, and unlike some people, he has commitments and responsibilities, so he has tons of work to get to." Anger flared in her eyes, her gaze shooting daggers at my palm on his chest.?"You two-faced bitch!"?She scowled, and her face reddened. I flinched back and raised my brows at the hatred in her eyes.?"Didn't you just announce that you were going to break the bond? Now you've changed your mind, clinging to him like he's your lifeline." I rolled my eyes.?"Look, mates have issues like this more often…"?I trailed off and flicked my wrist in the air.?"You don't have a chosen mate, so you won't understand. This is just a little fun between my mate and me. Haven't you noticed that our relationship has improved since we left the courtyard? We're good now."?I turned to Alexander, fluttering my lashes.?"Isn't that right, darling?" Alexander's jaw tightened, the muscles in his face tensed as he gritted his teeth.?"You're right."?He sounded like the words were forced out of him as he muttered through clenched teeth. All the while, his gaze remained fixed on Bella, showing his longing. I bet he was practically itching to run to her. I lifted my chin, the corner of my lips lifting in a subtle smirk. I rested my head on his shoulder, his warmth seeping into my skin.?"See?"?I murmured softly with fake affection.?"We're good. Now run along, tell everyone we'll be out soon." Ignoring my presence with a deliberate disregard that almost stung, she turned her attention solely to Alexander, her words accompanied by desperation and forced vulnerability. She placed a trembling hand over her chest.?"My chest feels tight, Alexander." Her brows creased, and her lips turned down as she tried to make her nonexistent distress evident.?"It feels like there's a weight crushing my chest, Alexander. It hurts,"?she murmured, her voice strained as she slowly rubbed her chest area.?"Please, can you stay with me? Just for a little while,"?she implored, her voice trembling with a mix of pain and longing, as if hoping it would prompt him to bow to her. I marveled as I watched her display. She could as well be an actress. It was no wonder Alexander was deeply fooled by her lies. I let out an exasperated breath and snorted. She was good, but I still wondered how Alexander could still be oblivious to her manipulative tactics. It was almost as if he were under some kind of spell, unable to see through her facade. With her ample figure and glowing face, she looked nothing like a sick person, let alone someone suffering from a disease. Just because Dad had publicly announced that she had a werewolf gene defect disease after she had fled on her mating ceremony day, she made sure to always capitalize on her 'unhealed body' every now and then, especially whenever Alexander was around. The frustration bubbled up inside me as I thought deeper about the situation. Alexander and the others were really fools, to be honest. Their unquestioning acceptance of her supposed illness didn't make sense. How could they be so naive, so easily manipulated by her deceitful facade? With each of their pretenses that I witnessed and lies that I heard, my patience wore thin. My gaze lingered on her as I silently prayed for the moment when Alexander's blind trust would crumble and the hidden truth beneath the carefully crafted lies would be out for everyone to see. The hallway was bathed in silence, the only sound the faint echo of our breaths as I waited to see what Alexander would do. I rolled my eyes, not surprised when he untangled himself from me.?"She needs me,"?he said as he took a tentative step toward her.?"Bella…" A stifled yawn threatened to escape my lips as I moved away from him, fed up with the utter boredom of the situation. So pathetic and blind. I watched as Bella sighed heavily and rested her head on his chest. His arms instinctively wrapped around her, drawing her close, as if to shield her from me. I casually swung my bag over my shoulder, the act adding a confident swagger to my steps as I walked past her down the stairs. I could feel each of their eyes trailing me as I descended the stairs. Suddenly, as I reached halfway down the stairs, an idea lit up in my mind, and my steps halted. I stopped walking and, with a sweet smile in place, turned to Alexander.?"Oh, Alexander darling, I forgot to tell you."?His brows drew down as he listened.?"Remember the man from the bar? You know, the handsome hunk who interfered that night? The one who said he owned the bar. He's Italian. I know this because he gave me his card." The clench of his fists and tightness in his jaw widened my smile and egged me on.?"So, in case you come home late tonight and I get bored of waiting, I'll go to the bar by myself. You will find me there."?I shrugged.?"That's if you bother to find me." He instantly and roughly let go of Bella, and in a few strides, he was before me, trapping me against the stairs' handrail. He grabbed my arm, and his vice-like grip bit into the skin there. His voice thundered through the stairway, filled with rage at my insinuation.?"You dare to even think about cheating on me, and I'll make sure you regret it, Sydney,"?he growled, his eyes blazing with… Was that jealousy I saw? I couldn't help the hearty laughter that bubbled up my throat.?"Why not?"?I smirked, my amused gaze meeting his raging one with defiance.?"The Italian guy is quite to my taste, to be honest,"?I taunted, my voice coated with mockery. His fist clenched and unclenched at his sides. I could see the sinews of his forearm tense under the transparent material of his shirt as his grip on my arm tightened, his knuckles whitening with the force of his anger.?"Sydney…"?his voice carried a warning, a low guttural rumble. I could see Bella, in my peripheral vision, her eyes wide with disbelief at the scene unfolding before her. Her gaze flickered between Alexander and me as if she was trying to decipher if she was in a dream. Even I, amidst the tension-filled air, couldn't help but feel quite amused and surprised at the sight of Alexander's jealousy boiling over. Who would have believed that he could get this jealous? Yet, I thought with contempt, he cheats on me without a second thought. He roughly pulled at my arm, his grip firm as we descended the stairs together. He was so enraged that he seemed to have forgotten all about her, not even sparing a glance or a goodbye. It felt good, I thought as a rush of satisfaction washed over me. It felt good to possess this power to push him to such extremes and make him blind with anger. I wondered in annoyance why I chose to live the past three years like some pathetic puppet. As we reached the foot of the stairs, I couldn't resist the itch to turn back. Bella still stood there, gaping, her eyes widening with each step Alexander took. With a full-blown smirk spreading across my lips, I raised my middle finger triumphantly and mouthed,?"Bitch!"?The thrill of my small victory coursed through me, a surge of adrenaline fueling my defiance. It was a fleeting moment of satisfaction as her brows drew down and her face suddenly turned red in anger.