Alpha's STOLEN Mate (by Abigail Hayes) novel Chapter 173

Chapter 173

Frost

“Yeah?” Her voice was small. Tentative.

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I had so much I wanted to say. Explanations. Apologies. Reasons why I’d rejected the bond, why I’d hurt her, why I couldn’t be what she

needed.

But explanations would just drag this out. Would give her false hope. Would make everything worse.

I needed to be clear. Definitive. Cruel, if that’s what it took to free her.

“Don’t come back here.” My voice came out harder than I intended. “Don’t visit me again.”

Scarlett’s face went through several expressions at once-confusion, hurt, disbelief. “What? You mean don’t come to the cave? Or—*

‘I mean ever.” I forced myself to meet her eyes, to let her see the finality in mine. “Scarlett. I don’t love you.

I watched her face start to crumble. Watched her try desperately to hold it together, her expression twisting as she fought between crying

and forcing a smile.

The smile won, barely. It was horrible to witness.

“God!” She laughed, but it sounded broken. “We already broke the bond, Frost! Why are you even talking about love? That’s-we’re past

that. We moved on from that.” Another terrible laugh. “I was just bored. Just curious. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Good,” I said, hating myself. “Then we’re clear. This is where it ends.”

Scarlett took a deep breath, visible even from where I sat. Steadying herself. Pulling herself together through sheer force of will.

“Yeah,” she said quietly. “This is where it ends, Frost.”

Then she was gone.

I sat there in the oppressive silence, staring at the empty cave entrance. The peace I’d felt just minutes ago had evaporated completely,

replaced by a hollow ache that settled deep in my chest.

I hurt her. Again. I keep hurting everyone I-

“Well!” Lysandra’s voice came from directly behind me, making me jump. She’d materialized out of nowhere, as she always did. “Your

timing with emotional cruelty is impeccable, I must say.”

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Chapter 173

I turned to glare at her. ‘You walked away at a very convenient moment.”

“Oh, I didn’t miss a thing. Her smile was knowing, almost amused. “I heard every word. Quite the performance.”

Before I could respond, she produced something from the folds of her robe-a slender cigarette that gave off a faint, herbal scent.

“I think you need this,’ she said, holding it out.

I eyed it skeptically. “What is it?”

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A cigarette. Obviously. She rolled her eyes. “But not the kind humans smoke. This is specially formulated for werewolves-matches your metabolism, your enhanced physiology. The effects are… stronger. More satisfying.” She paused. “And it will help with that crushing guilt

you’re drowning in.”

I hesitated, then took it. What the hell. Can’t feel much worse than I already do.

She conjured a small flame at her fingertip, and I leaned forward to light it. The first drag hit me immediately-smooth but powerful, filling my lungs with something that tasted like pine and winter night and freedom. Almost instantly, I felt the tension in my shoulders

ease.

God. That’s… actually incredible.

“You know, Frost, Lysandra said, settling onto the bench Scarlett had just vacated, “maybe you should allow yourself these little releases more often. Bottling everything up is exhausting. Unhealthy, even for someone with your constitution.”

I took another drag, feeling my thoughts slow and soften. “What are you suggesting?”

“I’m suggesting,’ she said carefully, “that if you love Elowen so much, you should tell her. Confession is often better than concealment. For

your sake, if not for hers.”

The smoke curled around us as I shook my head. “Even if I’ve accepted how I feel about her-and that took long enough-I’m not going to ruin what she has with Kaius. They’re mates. True mates. They’ve been through hell together. I exhaled slowly. “I won’t be the one to

come between them.”

Lysandra’s expression was unreadable. “And that’s precisely why I’ve kept you here. You’re constitutionally incapable of making selfish decisions. You’ll sacrifice yourself over and over until there’s nothing left.”

She leaned forward, her pale eyes intense. “But if you can’t bring yourself to stay away from them-if you keep getting drawn back into their orbit-then you’re being unfair. To yourself, yes. But more importantly, to that girl who just left. Scarlett deserves better than to watch you pine for someone else.”

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Alpha’s STOLEN Mate