Escaping the Alpha, Claimed in the End novel Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Amelia’s POV

Jasper didn’t.

“This your new keeper?” he asked, squeezing my shoulder until I bit roy lip. “Cute”

Dane stepped in, crowding the space. “Last warning”

Jasper’s gaze flicked to Dane’s hands, to his stance, and something in his smirk thinned. He shifted his grip to my upper arm, almost like he wanted to prove a point before leaving. A sharp sting burned up my arm.

“Stop,” I said, louder.

Heads turned at nearby tables. A woman stood. The barista inside glanced over the counter. Jasper bared his teeth at them and then back at us.

Dane moved first. His hand clamped on Jasper’s wrist, twisting until the bone popped loud enough to make Jasper hiss. He wrenched me free, pushing me gently behind him.

“You always needed someone to hide behind,” Jasper spat, shaking his arm loose. “Guess nothing’s changed.”

Dane’s fist answered for me. The crack of knuckles against jaw echoed sharp, and Jasper staggered back into a chair, sending it skidding across the floor. Gasps rippled through the café.

I froze, heart racing, while Dane kept his body between us. “You’re done,” Dane said, his voice flat, dangerous. “Touch her again, and you won’t walk away.”

Jasper wiped blood from his mouth, eyes flicking around at the people staring, then back at Dane. Jasper’s laugh was low and twisted. His gaze dragged over me in a way that made my skin crawl. “Next time, sweetheart, there won’t be a prince charming to step in. Just you… and me.”

He shoved against a nearby table, rattling glasses as he stormed toward the door. The bell above it gave a harsh jingle as it slammed shut behind him, the sound lingering like a warning.

For a moment, no one moved. Chairs had scraped, whispers buzzed at the edges, but the whole cafe held its breath.

The barista leaned over the counter, eyes sharp. “You two okay?”

Dane didn’t look away from the door until it swung shut behind Jasper. Then he turned to me, his hands gentle as they closed around mine. “You’re hurt.”

I blinked. “It’s nothing.”

But his eyes-so intent, so unyielding-pulled me down into the chair he’d just freed. He crouched, taking my arm carefully in his hands.

The skin where Jasper had gripped was already bruising, faint purple blooming under the surface. Dane’s jaw flexed. He reached for the napkins on the table, dampening one with water before pressing it lightly to my arm.

“I should’ve gotten here faster,” he muttered.

“You did,” I said softly.

He looked up then, his eyes catching mine. For a heartbeat, something in them wasn’t just protective. It was warmer. Deeper

173

It

9:05 am Pppp.

Chapter 35

You don’t always have to stand on your own, you know. Let me carry some of it with you”

Heat crept up my neck. I looked away, focusing on the napkin against my arm. “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” he said. His tone was quiet, but the weight behind it made my chest twist

Because I couldn’t stop the picture that flashed in my head-Ryder’s face when I told him I didn’t love him. The way he eyes had gone sharp and raw at the same time, ke I’d cut out something vital. My heart squeezed so hard it hurt.

I missed him. I missed him so much it was a constant acke under my ribs.

Dane was handsome, no one could deny that. He was kind in a way Ryder never bothered to be. Softer too. But even with all of that, Ryder lived in me. He had already carved himself into my heart-fierce, dangerous, yet the only place I’d ever felt truly safe. And Jasper’s sudden appearance had only made that ache sharper, pulling Ryder’s memory closer, reminding me of everything I’d lost.

When Dane finally stood, the tension in his shoulders eased just enough to let his usual smile slip back. “Pie’s ruined,” he said, nodding to the cups he’d left behind. “But I’ll get you something better next time.”

I forced a smile.

Later that evening, I sat cross-legged across from Sloane, a bowl of water balanced on my knees. Training was quiet tonight, no coven sisters around-just her, watching me closely.

“There,” she murmured as the surface stayed calm. “You’re finally letting it move with you instead of against you.”

I exhaled slowly. “I’m trying.”

Her mouth tugged in the faintest smile. “It shows. You’ve come farther than I expected this quickly.”

A flicker of pride warmed me, though it tangled instantly with guilt. I wanted Ryder to hear those words. I wanted him to see me strong, not broken.

Sloane tilted her head. “Still, don’t mistake progress for invincibility. Push too hard, and you’ll snap before you’re ready.”

“I know,” I murmured.

“Do you?” Her eyes narrowed slightly, sharp in the candlelight. “I’ve seen that look before. Wolves who want to prove themselves so badly, they bleed themselves out to do it.”

I looked down, ashamed.

Her voice softened. “Rest matters too. Strength without balance is just another kind of weakness.”

I nodded, though the words twisted inside me.

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