From Betrayed Luna to Wolf Queen (Lillian) novel Chapter 45

Chapter 45 A Promise Broken in an Hour

Lillian’s POV:

+10 Free Coins

Watching Julian sit there so utterly convinced that something was going on between me and Finn, I just let out a frustrated laugh. I didn’t bother explaining. Not one single word.

Instead, I gave him a sarcastic smile. “Twenty–four hours, huh? You sure about that?”

Julian frowned. “What?”

“I guarantee you’ll be gone in less than an hour.”

His jaw tightened. “You–that mouth of yours-”

I already knew arguing with Julian was about as useful as trying to reason with a stubborn Alpha hell–bent on misunderstanding you. Pointless. So I just shut my mouth and walked over to the couch, dropping onto it.

After that, neither of us spoke.

I was absolutely certain he’d leave for Iris in under an hour. No need to waste any more breath on him.

The office was completely silent, the only sound the occasional drag Julian took from his cigarette..

He cracked first. He looked over at me, probably about to say something, but then his gaze dropped to my wrist. I’d been rubbing it without thinking.

His eyes narrowed.

There it was–a ring of bruising against my pale skin. Clearly from where he’d grabbed me earlier.

Julian paused for a second, then got up. He found the first–aid kit in one of the cabinets, walked back over, and knelt in front of me.

“Look at you.” His voice was gruff. “I’m your mate. Why do you have to fight me so hard? You’re the one who ends up hurt.”

He opened the kit and pulled out a bottle of ointment.

I let out a cold little laugh. “In the past, maybe I was the only one who got hurt. But now…”

I let the sentence trail off, a sneer curling my lips. My cold fingers reached up and brushed lightly against his temple–the one that was already swollen from where I’d headbutted him.

Julian sucked in a sharp breath, jerking back instinctively. He landed flat on his ass on the floor, staring up at me with pure fury in his eyes.

He saw the satisfied smile spreading across my face. “Now? You don’t get off easy either. Especially today. See? It’s all swollen…”

Julian just stared at me.

That headbutt had done some real damage.

Fuming, he grabbed my wrist again and started applying the ointment–but his movements were rough, nowhere near gentle

1/3

10:42 am P p p p

Chapter 45 A Promise Broken in an Hour

The sting made me yank my hand back, and in the process, the back of my hand smacked straight across his face.

“Smack.”

That was it. That was the moment Julian’s temper finally snapped.

He’d been raised his whole life with the pack treating him like he walked on water. Praised. Coddled. Respected.

+10 Free Coins

In his mind, he’d already lowered himself enough for me. In the past, if there was an issue, he’d throw me a little sweetness, and I’d take the olive branch every time.

Now? His patience was gone.

He stood up, staring down at me with cold, deep eyes. “Lillian. Don’t you-”

“Don’t I know what’s good for me? Is that what you were about to say?”

I cut him off, finishing the sentence for him.

That phrase “know what’s good for you“-I’d heard it more times than I could count over the years in Graves Pack territory.

And Julian had said it to me before. Only once, but still.

I could see it in his eyes now. He was about to say it a second time.

I met his gaze, mockery written all over my face. “My dignity, Julian. Do I need you to hand it to me? Have you ever once respected it?”

For the past six months, my dignity had been ground into the dirt by Julian and Iris. Stomped on until I couldn’t move.

And now he had the nerve to stand there and say I didn’t know what was good for me?

Hah.

Third–Person POV:

Julian’s breathing was ragged as they stared each other down.

He saw the cold, lifeless mockery in Lillian’s eyes and forced down the fire building in his chest.

He knelt beside her again.

This time, he pulled out a fresh cotton swab, dipped it in the ointment, and applied it to her wrist with noticeably more care.

But his voice, when he finally spoke, held clearly restrained anger. “You and Finn… Did you know each other before?”

He couldn’t hold it in anymore. From last night until now, his mind had been spinning with guesses about the two of them.

The more he thought, the messier it got.

By the end, he’d practically convinced himself that Finn had come back to Gilneas City… for her.

Even though things between him and Lillian had only really fallen apart in the last six months because of Iris.

2/3

Chapter 45 A Promise Broken in an Hour

+10 Free Coins

But if he was honest with himself, something had shifted between them after she lost the pup two years ago. Subtle at first, but there.

When he brought up Finn, Lillian didn’t even acknowledge him.

Seeing her silence, Julian kept going, talking mostly to himself now. “He’s not a good guy, you know.”

Lillian stayed quiet. Didn’t say a word.

So nothing was even confirmed yet, and he was already bad–mouthing Finn’s character?

Right then, Julian’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out–Eleanor was calling.

Lillian caught sight of the caller ID and let out a derisive laugh. “You. Time to go.”

When she lifted her eyes to look at him, the message was clear. “See? I told you. I won.”

The bet that he’d leave because of Iris in under an hour. Eleanor calling now? There was no other reason.

Just seeing that name on his screen annoyed the hell out of Julian.

He walked over to the floor–to–ceiling window to answer. “Eleanor. Are the bodyguards not enough? Just tell me how many more you need to keep Iris from pulling her usual stunts?”

His opening line cut off whatever Eleanor had been about to say.

Last night before leaving, Julian had sent nearly twenty bodyguards to the hospital. Not just outside the room–he’d even assigned female guards inside.

All to shut down any of Iris‘ typical attention–seeking dramas before they could start.

On the other end of the line, Eleanor’s breath caught. “You… you’re really going to be that cruel to your own brother’s mate?

“Julian, do you even have a heart? She just clawed her way back from death’s door because of your brother!”

Faced with Julian’s coldness, Eleanor was furious.

Julian’s voice was flat. “I hired an entire team of people to wait on her hand and foot. That’s more than most people would do.

“If you still think that’s cruel, then you’re all just plain ungrateful.”

His arrogant tone was laced with a chilling calm. No heat. Just indifference.