Chapter 37

Osborne The moment Aina walked out, I released a long, heavy sigh. Truth was, the instant I heard Bella had shown up at our pack, I knew I couldn’t waste another second, I had to return home immediately. Still, before rushing back, I’d called Aina and told her not to interact with Bella but to get into our bedroom and wait for me. I even sent a quick text to my mother, who reassured me that she would handle things and I shouldn’t worry. But how could I not? Knowing Bella, trouble was bound to follow. By the time I got to my room, my mind was already made up. My goal was clear, mark Aina and bind her to me completely. That way, when she had to face someone like Bella, she wouldn’t be standing there feeling powerless. She would have every right, every leverage, to stand her ground as my mate and future Luna. I’m not blind; I know Aina struggles with self-esteem, but lately, she’s been changing right before my eyes. She’s growing bolder, stronger. In fact, she’s gone far beyond what I expected of her. I still remember the way she stood her ground while speaking with my father that day, it left me more than impressed. That moment, I realized something else. I wasn’t just proud of her; I was falling in love with her all over again. And in that certainty, I knew I hadn’t chosen wrong. Not in the slightest. Aina was mine, and I’d fight to keep it that way. I hadn’t eaten all day, so after settling down, I called the kitchen. Within minutes, my food was brought in. Knowing my mother was with her gave me peace, she’d never allow anything foul to happen to Aina. And Bella… Bella knows better than to harm what’s mine. Halfway through the meal, my ears picked up footsteps. Then a scent hit me—familiar, sharp and suffocating. One I used to like years ago, but now, it only irritated me. The door swung open without so much as a knock. Bella stood there, lingering in the doorway like she expected me to acknowledge her. I didn’t. I kept eating, ignoring her completely. “What did you do, Osborne?” she demanded, her voice cutting through the silence like venom. I lifted my head, feigning ignorance. “What do you mean?” Her eyes blazed as she stepped into the room. “You marked someone else. And not me.” I set down my fork and leaned back in my chair, staring at her calmly. “I marked my mate, Bella. That shouldn’t concern you.” Her composure shattered. She slammed her hands down on the table with enough force to split it in two, food scattering across the floor. That was Bella in her truest form, dressed like a queen, but violent and unpredictable underneath. I’d sparred with her before. I knew her strength. “First, you barge into my room without knocking. Then, you smash my table and ruin my meal. Didn’t your father raise you better?” My tone was sharp and cold. Her face twisted with rage. She raised her hand to strike me. But before she could, I caught her wrist midair. Slowly, I rose from the chair, gripping her firmly as I looked down at her. For a second, her expression softened, almost as if she wanted me to see the version of her she thought I’d fall for. I know Bella loves me or thinks she does. And I’ll admit, there was a time when I returned the feeling. But that ended the day I saw her true face. That day is carved into my memory. Maurice, her little brother, lying in a pool of his own blood. Her friends circled him, laughing. And Bella, smiling. That twisted smile, cold and cruel, as if hurting her own brother brought her joy. He was barely alive. Barely breathing. And she didn’t care. “Bella!” I shouted, my voice breaking through the haze. She turned toward me, and just like that, the cruel grin vanished. In its place, she wore that mask of sweetness she always hid behind. “Oh, it’s not what you think,” she had said, her tone trembling with a fake cry. “That bastard stole something that belonged to my mother and was trying to give it to his. He deserved it.” But I’d already stepped back as she approached me, unable to hide my disgust. She noticed. Her eyes widened, realizing I no longer saw her the same. I didn’t stay. I rushed to Maurice, lifted his small, broken body into my arms, and carried him to the doctor. He was unconscious for three days after that. The only thing Alpha Hamilton had said afterward chilled me: “Don’t do that again, Bella. I can’t see myself being with another woman just to have an heir.” That was the day I knew for certain, I would never tie myself to that monstrous family. I released her wrist, stepping back immediately. I didn’t want her scent clinging to me, it felt wrong, almost tainted. My voice came out low but firm. “Whatever feelings you think you have for me, burn them, Bella. I already have someone I love and cherish. Go find that for yourself too.” She scoffed, tilting her head back with a bitter laugh. “You must be joking, Osborne. Did you forget? Because of you I rejected my mate! I threw him away for us, so we could be together. And this is how you repay me? By marking another woman who isn’t me?” I chuckled softly, the sound dry, humorless. “I never asked you to reject him, did I? That was your choice. You’re the one who sneered at the goddess’s decision. ‘How could she pair me with something beneath me?’ Those were your words, not mine. Or did you conveniently forget?” The memory burned fresh in my mind. I couldn’t recall the poor man’s name now, but I remembered his face well—the desperation in his eyes, the way he begged her again and again to take him back. He would have worshiped her. But Bella only spat on his devotion, hurling insult after insult, stripping away his dignity until he broke. And now she wanted to put that blame on me? Her eyes glistened with rage as she hissed, “But it was because of you! Because I loved you! How dare you do this to me, Osborne?” She shoved at my chest, but I didn’t flinch, just watched her coldly. “If this hurts you, Bella, then I’m sorry,” I said evenly. “But I love someone else. I’ve marked her. I told you years ago I could never wed you. Did you really think I was joking?” Her expression faltered, just for a breath. Then she stepped back, her lips curling cruelly. “Oh, I see. That’s it. That’s why you settled for less. Her? Really, Osborne? That fat thing that waddles around like a pig?” Her words sliced through me, not because they were true, but because they were aimed at Aina. Insults thrown at me, I could endure. But not her. Not my mate. I felt my body stiffen, and she noticed. A wicked glint lit up her eyes as if she’d found the crack she was looking for. She laughed harshly, pressing on the wound. “Let’s face it, Osborne. That girl is nothing but a fat, disgusting, low-life hippo—” That was it. The last straw. In a flash, I had her by the throat, lifting her clean off the ground with one hand. Fury burned through me, tightening every muscle. Her feet kicked against empty air, and still her lips curled into that mocking smile, like she’d won something by driving me to anger, her hands held mine. But her words fell flat against the fire in my chest. My grip tightened, and my voice was a growl, vibrating with fury. “At least that ‘pig’ has something you’ll never have, Bella”