The Alpha Who Never Loved Me (Serena and Kieran) novel Chapter 77

< The Alpha Who Never Loved Me

Chapter 77

Kieran

Serena wriggled free from my hand and stepped away; the distance between us grew by two feet and she wore it as

armor.

“What is your problem?” Her voice was low but the bite in it was sharp. “You have a woman you love and care for. Why are you troubling me? Why do you keep doing this?”

“I don’t love Sophie,” I said.

“You make it very hard to believe that.” She folded her arms across her chest. “If you don’t love her, then I wonder how you treat people you do love.”

“We are married,” I said. “We should not be behaving this

way.”

“I can act however I want.” Her chin lifted. “You acted however you wanted for months and I swallowed it. You spent time with another woman playing house and I did not say a word.” Her eyes locked onto mine. “Your turn passed, Kieran. It’s mine now. And the way I swlowed:09

the mistreatment and did what you asked it’s the com

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way you will do the same for me.”

“No way in hell.” I stepped toward her. “You are not leaving me. And not just that, we will reignite our bond tonight. You will come to the Alpha house or my family will be here.”

She looked between her parents and me; her lips pressed into a thin line and the room held its breath.

“Okay,” she said. “When it’s time, I’ll meet you there.”

Her sudden agreement made it hard to believe her. Seconds ago she had been arguing and suddenly, she just agreed to come with me? Was she after something? Was she trying to get something out of this?

Frederick rose from his chair. “There isn’t anything you’re doing here anymore. You need to leave.” He glanced at the gifts on the table. “And take those with you.”

I looked at the bouquets and the bags and the boxes, then I walked toward the door without them.

“I got them for you,” I said. “I wish you all a good

festival.”

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I stepped outside and the door closed behind me.

I went to work and buried myself in documents and calls. and meetings, but the flatness in her voice when she said okay sat in my skull and would not leave.

When the evening came, I drove to her parents’ house to pick her up myself. I knew that leaving it to her to show up on her own was stupid, she was not going to an perhaps that is why she agreed because she was not going

to come anyway.

I parked at the curb and sent her a message. Meet me

outside.

Thirty minutes passed. I checked my phone, then the door, then the windows. My fingers drummed against the steering wheel and Cora paced inside me, restless and impatient.

The front door opened.

Serena stepped out and the air left my lungs.

She wore a fitted red dress that stopped above her knees; her hair was pulled into a high ponytail with loose

strands that framed her face. Her makeup was barely

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there, just enough to deepen the color of her lips and darken her lashes. She was fire in fabric and she did not spare me a glance as she walked to the car.

She got in and shut the door and turned her face toward the window; she did not say hello and she did not look at

The car pulled out of the street. I watched her from the corner of my eye; her hand moved to her bare arm and she rubbed the skin back and forth and goosebumps spread under her fingers.

“Are you cold?” I asked.

She did not answer.

I took off my jacket and draped it over her shoulders. The fabric settled against her skin for half a second before she peeled it off and dropped it on the floor.

I picked it up, dusted it off, and draped it on her again.

Her hands came up but I was faster; I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her against my chest. She struggled; her elbows dug into my ribs and her body twisted against mine, but I held on.

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“Why do we have to act like strangers?” I asked; my mouth was near her hair and the scent of her filled my head, grass and peaches, faint but there.

“If not strangers,” she said through her teeth, “then what should we act as?”

“We are married. We should act married.”

She laughed; the sound was dark and hollow and it scraped against something inside me.

“Those things aren’t my problems anymore.” She pulled against my arms. “I don’t want to be married to you and you can’t force me or deny me the divorce.”

I let her go.

She shifted back to the far side of the seat and pressed herself against the door and did not look at me for the

rest of the drive.

The Alpha house was bright with lanterns when we pulled in; candles lined the pathway and silver garlands hung from the entrance and the scent of roasted meat and fresh bread drifted through the open windows. 5/8

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We walked in together and I spotted my family in the main room. I nodded to them.

Mother moved towards her. She crossed the room and took Serena’s hands in hers; her face broke open with joy.

“I didn’t know you would come,” she said; her thumbs rubbed circles on Serena’s knuckles. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

Serena smiled at her. “I’m here.”

“The kitchen prepared your favorite,” Mother said. “You have to eat. Promise me.”

Jenna appeared and looped her arm through Serena’s free one. The three of them moved toward the dining room together; they talked and laughed and exchanged

stories and Serena’s smile was real when she looked at

them.

My chest loosened; warmth spread behind my ribs and Cora settled, quiet and attentive.

When the food came, everyone sat. Serena sat between Mother and Jenna, Father and Grandfather and for the:10

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