Addicted To Her The Alpha'S Irresistible Contract Mate novel Chapter 48

48 Chapter 48 Until he finds her mate

Relief washed over me in waves, seeing Lucy safe, her vanilla essence grounding me after the chaos of the day. But the bond thrummed restlessly, pulling my gaze to Elias. He stood a few feet away, his massive frame casting a long shadow in the firelight, golden eyes locked on mine with an intensity that made my pulse stutter.

His expression had softened moments ago, that subtle admiration flickering through the bond like sunlight on water, but now it shifted, a silent command laced with desire. He didn’t speak at first, just tilted his head slightly toward the hallway leading to the bedrooms, his lips curving in a subtle, knowing smirk.

“Naomi,” he murmured, voice low and rough, the single word carrying the weight of an invitation–or an order. “Join me in my room. We have… things to discuss.”

My cheeks flushed hot, a blush spreading like wildfire across my face. I understood the implication immediately–the heated gaze, the way his eyes raked over me, lingering on the curve of my neck where his marks from previous nights had faded but not forgotten.

My body betrayed me instantly, a familiar ache blooming low in my belly, slick heat pooling despite the protests screaming in my mind. How could I respond like this? After the accusations in the car, him calling me a runner, a betrayer–treating me like a flight risk one moment, then pulling me close the next.

The bond was a cruel master, igniting my omega instincts, making my thighs clench involuntarily. I wanted to refuse, to snap that we weren’t doing this tonight, not after the emotional whirlwind. But my feet itched to follow, drawn by that magnetic pull, the promise of his touch erasing the day’s humiliations, even if just for a moment.

Before I could respond–or obey–Lucy noticed. Her sharp eyes darted between us, catching the charged air, the way Elias’s hand brushed my arm possessively as he stepped closer. She arched a brow, her bubbly energy returning with a glint.

“Hold on, cousin,” she said lightly, looping her arm through mine and tugging me gently aside, away from Elias’s orbit. “I need to borrow Naomi for a sec. Girl talk, you understand.”

Elias frowned, his heated gaze cooling to mild irritation, but he nodded curtly, muttering, “Don’t be long,” before striding off toward his room, his broad shoulders

tense.

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48 Chapter 48 Until he finds her mate

Lucy led me to a quiet corner of the living room, near the bay window overlooking the moonlit gardens. The fire crackled softly in the hearth, casting dancing shadows on the walls lined with family portraits–stern alphas from generations past, their eyes seeming to judge us. She released my arm but stayed close, her expression turning

serious.

“I know you’re more than just a maid here. The way Elias looks at you, it’s not how he looks at anyone else. Protective, and almost… possessive. Please, take care of him. He needs someone like you.”

I blinked, caught off guard, my blush deepening as I fidgeted with the hem of my sundress. “Lucy, I… I’m not sure what you mean.”

She sighed, glancing toward the hallway where Elias had disappeared, her voice dropping to a whisper laced with sadness. “Elias… he’s been through hell, more than most know. After his parents were murdered brutally, in their own home by traitors who slit their throats while they slept, he was just a pup, barely twelve. The elders swooped in like vultures, declaring him the heir, but they didn’t protect him. No, they broke him down to rebuild him in their image.”

My heart clenched, a knot forming in my throat as she spoke. I knew the broad strokes, my father’s role in that betrayal, the sin that haunted me but Lucy’s words painted a twisted, sad picture I’d never imagined.

“What do you mean?” I asked softly, my voice trembling.

Lucy leaned in closer, her eyes distant as if reliving the memories. “The bullying started right away. Grandpa and our older cousins saw him as weak, a boy without his father’s strength. They’d mock him during training sessions, calling him ‘orphan pup‘ or ‘blood–soaked heir, forcing him to run laps until his feet bled, all while laughing that he needed to ‘earn his alpha blood.’ One time, they locked him in the old cellar for days, saying it would ‘toughen his spirit‘ like his father’s had been. He was starving, clawing at the door, but he never cried out. Never fought back. He knew there were no saviors, no one to pull him out of that hell. Even I was too young to help; I’d hear his muffled sobs through the walls and feel helpless.”

Twisted images flooded my mind, a young Elias, golden eyes wide with fear, enduring torments that no child should face. The sadness of it twisted my gut, guilt blooming like poison ivy. My family had set this chain in motion, robbing him of his parents and leaving him to the mercy of a pack that turned mercy into cruelty.

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48 Chapter 48 Until he finds her mate

“That’s horrible,” I whispered, tears pricking my eyes. “Why didn’t he rebel?”

“He couldn’t,” Lucy continued, her voice cracking. “They piled on grueling studies, pack lore until midnight, combat training at dawn, forcing him to master skills his father had taken years to learn. One elder, Uncle Thorne’s father, would whip him for every mistake in sparring, saying, ‘Fill the void your dead parents left, or you’re worthless.‘ Elias never complained, never struck back. He just worked relentlessly, day after day, pushing himself to exhaustion to escape that hell. By sixteen, he’d surpassed them all, became stronger and smarter but the scars… they’re deep. He built walls so high, no one gets in. That’s why he pushes people away and controls everything from him. He’s afraid of losing more.”

Her words landed like blows, each one deepening my remorse. I thought of Elias’s possessiveness, his accusations in the car–calling me a runner, fearing I’d slip away like everything else in his life. It made twisted sense now: the bullying had taught him that vulnerability meant pain, that saviors didn’t exist. He’d clawed his way out alone, and now the bond with me–an enemy’s daughter–must feel like another trap.

Guilt surged, hot and unrelenting; my father’s betrayal hadn’t just killed his parents, it had condemned Elias to a childhood of sadistic “toughening,” turning a boy into a guarded alpha. Yet, alongside the remorse, my love for him deepened, a quiet ache in my chest. I saw him differently now, not just the cage–keeper, but the survivor, deserving of healing.

Lucy placed a hand on my arm, her eyes pleading. “He needs his mate, Naomi. Someone to heal those wounds, show him love isn’t a weakness. I hope he finds her soon,” She gave me a knowing look, hinting at what she suspected between us. “Promise you’ll care for him until he finds her? Be the savior he never had.”

I nodded, swallowing hard, the weight of her words pressing on me. “I… I will. Thank you for telling me, Lucy.”

But inside, the bond pulled me toward his room even as remorse whispered I didn’t deserve to heal him, not after what my bloodline had done.

As Lucy hugged me goodnight and headed to her room, I lingered by the window, staring at the gardens bathed in moonlight. The invitations from Elias burned in my mind, his heated gaze a siren call. My body still hummed with unwanted desire, but now it was layered with this new depth, wanting to go to him not just for passion, but to offer solace, to chip away at those walls.

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48 Chapter 48 Until he finds her mate

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