The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 206

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 206: Father’s Arrest**

**Judy’s POV**

A heavy weight settled in my stomach, twisting and churning like a storm. “What?!” I exclaimed, my voice barely above a whisper, yet filled with disbelief.

Our home, a spacious and comfortable dwelling, had always felt like a fortress of security. My adoptive father, a prosperous businessman and a respected Delta of the Redmoon pack, had provided us with a life of relative ease and comfort. Yet, the world I had known was crumbling before my very eyes.

“He was arrested,” she said, her voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of sorrow. “He made a disastrous investment for the company, one that cost him everything. Now, he’s lost it all—his fortune, his reputation, and he owes the pack a staggering amount. Until he can settle his debts, they’ve thrown him in jail.”

“That’s outrageous!” I shot back, rising to my feet, my emotions bubbling to the surface like a boiling pot. “They can’t just take him away like this! Without any warning? It’s completely unjust!”

“They can, Judy,” she replied, a hint of resignation in her tone. “The Beta operates under the authority of the Lycans, and this was his call. Loan sharks are merciless; they don’t care about the collateral damage. It’s simpler for them to eliminate the problem, and right now… your father is that problem.”

Just as I was about to voice my frustration again, my phone buzzed insistently in my bag, pulling my attention away. I fished it out and frowned at the name flashing on the screen.

“I heard about your father,” Ethan’s voice was soft, almost gentle, and a treacherous flutter ignited in my chest. I loathed how my body still reacted to him, all thanks to this infuriating mate bond. Even after his rejection, which I had accepted, our connection remained unbroken—until he chose to mark someone else. “I might have a suggestion, but I’d prefer to discuss it in person. Come outside.”

I hurriedly made my way out of the house, my heart racing for reasons I couldn’t fully understand. Ethan leaned against his car, arms crossed, exuding an effortless charm that made my insides twist.

Goddess, how I despised how handsome he looked.

For over two years, I had harbored feelings for him—he was my friend, my confidant, and my fated mate. When he rejected me, it shattered the dreams I had built around our future together.

Wrapping my arms around myself, I fought to keep my composure.

“Why are you here?” I finally asked, breaking the silence that stretched between us like a taut string.

“I wanted to talk,” he replied, his gaze unwavering.

“Talk about what?”

A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, and I felt my resolve waver under his penetrating stare. I quickly averted my gaze, focusing intently on the ground beneath my feet.

“Because I can help you,” he said, his tone turning serious. “Your father’s funding chain is shattered, and he’s in deep financial trouble. I know he doesn’t have the means to pay off his debts, especially now that his business has collapsed. But I do.”

I lifted my eyes to meet his, a flicker of hope igniting within me. “Are you suggesting that you’d pay off my father’s debt?”

He nodded, his expression earnest. “Yes.”

“And what’s the catch?” I asked, a knot forming in my stomach.

His smirk widened, sending a chill down my spine. “There is a condition,” he confessed, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. I held my breath, my heart racing as I awaited the terms. “Once I’m married, I want you to drop out of school and become my mistress.”

I was stunned into silence, my jaw nearly hitting the ground. “Excuse me?” I finally managed to stammer. “You want me to what?”

“Drop out of school and become my mistress. I have a luxurious home ready for you, where you’d never want for anything. I’ll pay off your father’s debt and give you more money than you could ever dream of.”

“How… how could you even ask me to do something like that?” My voice came out as a choked whisper, tears threatening to spill, but I willed myself to hold them back, not wanting him to witness my vulnerability.

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