After One Night with the Alpha (Brad and Elle) novel Chapter 17

**The Billionaire Who Claimed My Heart and Who Broke Fate for Me**
**Chapter 17**

**Elle’s POV**

I felt as though the air had been sucked from my lungs, my heart pounding furiously against my ribs, desperate to escape the impending disaster unfolding before me. Jason’s eyes sparkled with an unsettling greed, fixated on the briefcase overflowing with cash, and I could sense the weight of dread settling into my bones.

Brad stood a mere few feet away, his demeanor calm and collected, like a predator observing its prey, fully aware that Jason was already ensnared in a trap of his own making.

“Jason,” I implored, gripping his arm tightly, my voice trembling as I fought against the rising tide of panic. “We need to leave! We don’t need his money. We can walk away together, right now.”

Tears blurred my vision, distorting the world around me into a hazy swirl of colors. The extravagant gown I wore—this absurd, opulent creation meant for a celebration I had never desired—felt like a heavy shroud, suffocating me as I clung to him.

“We can start anew,” I managed to choke out, desperation twisting my words into a thin whisper. “Just like before. Do you remember how we made it work when we had nothing?”

The jewels adorning my dress caught the sunlight, casting a kaleidoscope of colors that danced across Jason’s face. For a fleeting moment, I thought I glimpsed the man I had once loved, the man who had seen beauty in my eyes.

But just as quickly, that flicker vanished.

“Get off me!” Jason’s voice was sharp, and he shoved me away with a force that sent me stumbling backward. My knees collided with something solid—Brad’s leg—as he stepped forward, his hand steadying me for the briefest moment, his touch cool and impersonal.

Jason’s expression morphed into something unrecognizable—something ravenous and cruel. “Do you have any idea what I could do with this kind of money?” He gestured wildly toward the briefcase, his voice rising with fervor. “Everything!”

Each word felt like a physical blow, striking me deep within. I jerked away from Brad’s steadying hand, my heart racing as I lunged toward Jason again, gripping his collar with a fierce determination, forcing him to meet my gaze.

“Look into my eyes!” I demanded, tears streaming down my cheeks, blurring my vision further. I stared into his, the very eyes he once called beautiful. “Tell him you won’t throw away two years for money! Tell him!”

“Jesus, Elle, you’re being so fucking dramatic.” Jason pried my fingers from his collar, shoving me away yet again. “You’re such a pain in the ass. With this kind of cash, I can have any woman I want. Why the hell would I stick with you?”

His words struck me like icy daggers, leaving me feeling suddenly cold, as if my blood had turned to ice. I staggered backward, distancing myself from him, from the stranger wearing Jason’s face.

Brad’s voice sliced through the fog of my shock, low and dangerous. “Last chance, Mr. Miller. The girl or the money?”

Around us, Brad’s security team stood like stone statues, their expressions impassive, betraying no emotion as the scene unfolded. I stood there, my wedding dress drenched in tears, my makeup ruined, feeling more exposed and vulnerable than I had ever felt in my life.

Jason caressed the edge of the briefcase with a tenderness that made my stomach churn. “The money, obviously.” He turned to Brad with a sycophantic grin. “She’s all yours, Alpha, sir.”

I was so fucking stupid. The realization struck me with crystal clarity as the numbness spread through my body. I had genuinely believed what we had was special. I had defended our relationship to everyone around me. Looking at those discarded bills, I felt an icy clarity envelop me. Thank you for this lesson, Jason.

If money is what you truly desire, then go ahead and live your life with it.

The numbness was a welcome anesthetic against the pain. I turned away, walking back toward the church entrance, past Brad, past his security team, past everything that had just shattered my world into irreparable fragments.

Inside, the makeup artist and hairstylist rushed to repair the havoc my tears had wreaked. Their hands worked with a swift efficiency, as if I were a doll needing mending. I sat perfectly still, staring at my reflection, yet somehow not seeing it.

Elizabeth Rayne stood there, scrutinizing me with calculating eyes. When she noticed that I had stopped crying, that my face had settled into a mask of indifference, she nodded once—whether in approval or acknowledgment, I couldn’t tell.

The marking ceremony proceeded as rehearsed, each step mechanical, each movement automatic. I walked down the aisle, one foot in front of the other, while the gathered werewolf elite watched with curious eyes, their gazes barely registering in my mind. I repeated the traditional words when prompted, my voice so soft that even I could barely hear it.

When Brad’s teeth grazed my neck for the marking bite, I felt nothing. No fear, no pain, not even the strange electric current that usually sparked between us. Just… nothing.

The applause that followed sounded distant, muffled as if filtered through thick glass. I shook hands, nodded at congratulations, smiled when it seemed appropriate.

Yet inside, I was hollow, an empty shell of the person I once was.