Addicted To Her The Alpha'S Irresistible Contract Mate novel Chapter 41

41 Chapter 41 The pain is too much to handle

Tables groaned under the weight of roasted venison, fresh–baked bread, and bowls of wild berries. Pack elders and guests mingled, their laughter echoing through the night, saturated with alpha dominance that pressed down like a heavy fog, mingling with the subtle, floral submissiveness of omegas like me. (1)

It suffocated me, every breath laced with the hierarchy that made my instincts scream to submit, to fade into the background. I wanted nothing more than to bolt into the woods, shed this maid’s apron, and run until the bond snapped.

But I couldn’t. Elias’s warning from this morning echoed in my head: don’t meddle, or suffer the consequences. So I served discreetly, weaving through the crowd with a tray of glasses filled with spiced wine.

The family clustered around the head table, where Ronan and his sister Jessy sat like honored guests. Ronan was the picture of charisma with that sun–kissed hair and easy smile fielding questions with elegant poise.

Uncle Thorne leaned forward. “So, tell us about those border skirmishes. Rogues giving you trouble?”

Ronan nodded, his blue eyes steady. “Indeed, Elder Thorne. They’ve been probing our eastern flanks and small raids, testing for weakness. But Silverfang holds strong. We’ve been reinforced with new patrols, and alliances like this one,” he gestured toward Lucy, who sat rigidly beside him, “will only bolster us further.”

Jessy, his sister, chimed in talkatively, her elegant gown shimmering in the firelight. “It’s true. Ronan’s been leading the charges himself. Last month, he single–handedly drove back a dozen intruders. Our pack’s defenses are ironclad, but unity with Kingsley will make us unbreakable.”

The table murmured approvals, Aunt Mira smiling warmly. “Impressive! And you, Jessy? Lucy’s parents here were just asking about your studies. You’re quite the scholar, I hear.”

Jessy blushed modestly but launched in with enthusiasm. “Oh, yes! I studied pack lore and herbalism at the Lunar Academy and graduated top of my class. Now I’m pursuing advanced diplomacy, negotiating treaties with neutral territories. It’s fascinating how ancient rituals can inform modern alliances.”

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41 Chapter 41 The pain is too much to handle

But for me, serving discreetly at the edges, a sharp pang lanced through my chest, hot and visceral. The omega bond flared like a brand, possessive hurt twisting in my gut despite everything despite hating Elias’s control, his cruelty, the way he reduced me to

a secret.

Why did it hurt so much? I despised him, the alpha who’d claimed me with rough hands and mocking words, who kept me caged like a pet.

Yet the idea of him with her, blushing demurely, her eyes lingering on him with shy admiration repulsed me. Marrying another would sever our complicated tie, free me from this cursed bond. I should want that. But the thought made my vision blur with unexpected tears, jealousy coiling like a serpent in my belly.

Was it the bond forcing this? Or something deeper, a twisted attachment I’d denied? Gods, why did my heart ache like this?

Elias remained silent, his face a mask of stoicism, eyes unreadable as he stared into his goblet. No protest, not even a flicker of refusal from him.

I snarled internally, rage bubbling up. So he’s not even going to fight it? Let Grandpa auction him off like livestock? The hypocrisy burned- he railed against our bond, hid me like a shameful secret, but accepted this without a word?

My hands trembled on the tray, wine sloshing dangerously. If he married her, our tie might break, but the repulsion hit harder, a confusing storm of pain.

Did I… want him? No, I hated him. Yet the bond whispered otherwise, possessive and

raw.

Ronan beamed, his eagerness palpable, eyes lighting with visions of business

opportunities and fortified alliances. “Grandpa Kingsley, what an honor! Jessy would be thrilled. Silverfang gains much from this union.”

He turned to his sister, grinning. “Right, sis?”

Jessy blushed deeper, her gaze flicking to Elias with that shy admiration, lashes lowering demurely. “If… if Elias agrees, I would be honored. Your strength is legendary; together, we could build something unbreakable.”

The table erupted in toasts, goblets clinking like bells. “To new bonds!” Uncle Thorne roared. “Moon goddess blesses them!”

My world blurred, the sounds muffling as jealousy surged inside me. Why her? Why

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41 Chapter 41 The pain is too much to handle

not fight for… for what? Us?

The thought was madness; I despised him, his control, the way he’d mocked me as his enemy’s daughter. Yet the bond possessive hurt making my chest tighten until it hurt to breathe. Tears blurred my vision, hot and unwelcome.

I looked up, and through the haze, my eyes met Elias’s across the table. His golden gaze held mine. But he said nothing, did nothing.

I couldn’t bear it. Setting the tray down with a clatter that drew a few glances, I slipped away quietly, weaving through the crowd toward the lodge’s edge.

The bond, forcing feelings I didn’t want; the pain of rejection, even if I hated the source; the layers of angst piling up like storm clouds. He was my captor, my enemy, yet the idea of him with another twisted like a knife.

Tears spilled over as I leaned against a tree, hidden in the shadows. What was wrong with me? Happiness was a myth in this life, but this pain… It is just too much to handle.

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