Abandoned While Pregnant, Claimed by the Alpha novel Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Hebert’s POV

The air in the hallway felt like it had frozen solid

My eyes locked onto the pale skin of Ashley’s neck, the faint trace of Brian’s scent lingering there That damn smell-his smell-felt like a corrosive poison, silently eating away at my sanity

The wolf inside me was going wild, clawing and tearing at my insides like a caged beast it was

screaming.

Every instinct screamed at me to pin her to the wall, to sink my teeth into her skin and drown out that vile, disgusting mark with my own scent, my own claim.

My hands clenched into fists, nails digging so deep into my palms that sharp pain bloomed, the only thing anchoring me, keeping me from losing control.

I couldn’t lose it here.

I couldn’t scare her.

Tugging at the knot of my tie, I spun on my heels and stormed out. My strides were long, purposeful, almost frantic, as I fled to the dark expanse beyond the estate.

I needed the forest, the cliffs, the raw, biting wind to scrape away the madness burning through my head.

The freezing air filled my lungs, but it wasn’t enough to douse the fire.

Bones snapped and twisted with a sharp, cracking sound, muscles contorting in ways no human body ever should. Mid-run, my form shifted entirely.

A massive black wolf, its fur darker than the depths of midnight, dove headfirst into the forest shadows.

Sharp claws tore through the thick carpet of dead leaves, the wind howling past my ears. The rough tree branches scraped at my tough hide, but they couldn’t leave a single mark.

I let the savage instinct take over, letting it drive my body completely.

A few dead trees stood in my path-I slammed into them with my shoulder, shattering them into splinters. Woodchips flew everywhere.

My claws raked across the solid rock beneath me, leaving five deep, white grooves, venting the searing jealousy that threatened to tear me apart.

I raced forward, speeding up until I reached the highest cliff of the Bloodmoon Pack’s territory.

The cold moon hung high in the sky, its silver light pouring over my fur, coating it with a metallic sheen.

I finally stopped, staring down from the cliff at the boundless land below.

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The forest, the rivers, the faint outline of the village in the distance-this was all mine Every inch of it. ! had won back with blood and violence, wrestled from the rotting hands of the last Alpha

I used to be nothing-at the edge of the pack, ignored and rejected.

Now, I was Alpha, commanding it all.

Not because I begged for mercy. Not because I gave in.

But because I fought for it, tooth and claw.

Tilting my head back, I let loose a howl under the sacred moonlight that had witnessed so many battles- so many victories.

The long, primal sound thundered through the valley, scaring flocks of birds into panicked flight among the trees.

And even then, Brian’s words rang in my head: “She’s my mate.”

Every word felt like an insult, like a slap to my face.

Not a chance.

This is my territory, my mate. I won’t give it up to anyone.

The wind roared across the mountain peak as I slowly shifted back into human form, standing bare- chested against the biting cold. Every pore on my skin tightened in response, but the raging fire of anger had burned itself out, replaced by a cold, cutting calm.

I couldn’t waste time. I needed to be near her, over and over again. My presence, my scent-she had to feel them constantly, had to let them sink into her until every trace of that loser in her life faded away completely.

Barefoot, I turned, stepping onto the icy gravel. My eyes cut through the darkness, fixed firmly on the mansion in the distance.

About an hour later, I was back at the estate.

The halls were silent, every step I took echoing faintly like a ghost in its kingdom. The staff had long gone to rest, leaving the place so quiet that I could pick out the soft creaking of the wood settling behind the walls.

I thought she’d be asleep too.

I planned to head straight to my room, let the icy stream from the shower finish cooling off the madness still clinging to my thoughts.

But as I passed the kitchen, a sliver of light slipped out from the crack in the door.

And then her scent hit me-Ashley.

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