Chapter 4
“Enough!”
The deep, commanding voice cut through the chaos like a blade.
Barry stepped out from the edge of the crowd, every stride carrying the lethal aura of a man who had killed on the battlefield since he was nineteen. Blood and fire clung to him like a second skin, and in an instant, the pack fell silent.
His eyes found me. Heat rushed to my cheeks, shame and humiliation twisting my insides. My clothes were disheveled, my face pale, my entire posture stripped of dignity—yet he saw me like this.
For a flicker of a moment, there was pain in his gaze, something that looked almost like regret. But just as quickly, it was buried beneath his cold indifference.
“The contract stone,” Barry said evenly, “was given to Emily by my own hand. It was my choice. Since there are doubts, I will handle it myself.”
He stepped closer, reaching out as though to steady me.
“I’m sorry, Emily, I—”
I jerked my hand away, refusing his touch without hesitation. The rejection startled him, his eyes freezing, as if he hadn’t expected me to resist him at all.
Evelyn immediately rushed into his arms, her tears falling like rain.
“Barry, don’t blame Emily. It’s my fault—I shouldn’t have spoken so recklessly. But you know… if the contract stone remains in her hands, the entire pack could suffer…”
Barry held her gently, brushing away her tears before lifting his gaze back to me.
“Emily, yes, I gave you the stone. But if I asked for it back—would you return it to me?”
The last fragile thread inside me snapped. My hands trembled as I forced the words through the lump in my throat.
“I’ll send everything back to you tomorrow.”
The murmurs of the pack rose around us, their eyes heavy with suspicion and scorn.
Barry froze, then his voice hardened with urgency.
“That’s not what I meant! I wasn’t asking you to return it. I only wanted you to understand—you can’t keep being so unreasonable. You can’t think you can do whatever you like just because I love you!”
“Cora. We’re leaving.”
My voice cut sharp through the air, silencing him. Without another glance, I turned on my heel and walked away.
Behind me, his voice followed, low and resigned.
“Forget it. When you come to your senses, you’ll bring the contract stone back to the Coyote Pack yourself.”
He spoke with certainty, as though convinced that no matter how far I strayed, I would always crawl back. After all, hadn’t I been his since childhood? Hadn’t I clung to him, refusing to let anyone else come close? Surely, every act I made was only for him.
I lifted my head high, blinking back the tears. Not one more step would I give him.
In four days, I would bond with another. After that, Barry and I would share no ties.
When Father and Mother returned and learned of the day’s humiliation, Father was furious, nearly storming to Barry’s house to demand justice.
But I stopped him.
“Daddy, Mommy—the contract stone is already found. Tomorrow, I’ll have it returned.”
Father’s fists clenched until his knuckles turned white, his face dark with anger.
“He humiliated you like this, and we’re simply letting it go?”
I shook my head, my tone calm, almost detached.
“Today’s scandal is likely to spread across the pack. Yes, our family’s name is stained—but Barry’s reputation has also been dragged through the mud. He won’t escape unscathed. I only want to complete this marriage alliance quietly. I won’t waste more strength on meaningless battles.”
The next day, Father sent the Alpha’s contract stone back to Barry’s estate, untouched. Crowds lingered outside his gates. His face was dark as thunder, but in the end, he accepted it.
