Page 34 of Alpha’s Fake Marriage

But it was not over yet.

Ring, ring…

Not by a long shot, as I was just about to realize.

Ring, ring…

“Yes?” I gasped into the phone.

My heart skipped a beat as Carolyn’s urgent voice echoed through the phone, delivering news that sent a chill down my spine. My grip tightened around the device as I absorbed the gravity of the situation.

“Piotr Sokolov is at the cabin,” Carolyn’s voice crackled with tension, her words cutting through the silence like a knife. “He has someone with him and they are trying to break in. You need to get there now.”

A surge of adrenaline coursed through my veins, banishing any trace of weariness as I sprang into action. With a sense of urgency driving me forward, I jumped up, ready to go again.

As I raced towards the cabin, my heart pounded in my chest, each beat a relentless reminder of the danger that lurked ahead. My whole body tensed with anticipation, ready to face whatever awaited me at the cabin.

My feet pounded against the forest floor, each step a punishing reminder of my own folly. With every stride, my heart weighed heavy with regret, the echo of my mistake resounding through the depths of my being.

“Irina,” the name escaped my lips in a breathless whisper, laden with anguish and self-reproach. How could I have been so careless, so blind to the danger that lurked just beyond the horizon? The thought of leaving her alone, vulnerable and unprotected, gnawed at my soul like a festering wound, filling me with a sense of profound remorse.

Yes, I got rid of Damien, but at what cost?

The memory of our last parting hung heavy in my mind, a poignant reminder of the rift that now separated us. I could still see the hurt in her eyes, the panic etched into her features as I left her side, a wound that cut deeper than any physical injury ever could.

“Irina, forgive me,” the words lingered on my lips, a silent plea for absolution that I knew could never be granted. I had failed her, failed to protect her when she needed me most, and now I was paying the price for my own foolishness. For in the depths of my heart, I knew that I would never forgive myselfif I lost her, that the pain of her absence would haunt me for eternity, far worse than anything a silver bullet could do.

SEVENTEEN

IRINA

From our hiding spot in the cabin, my mother and I watched with bated breath as the tension outside escalated into a full blown confrontation. Through the small window, I could see the chaos unfolding, the fierce clash of wills as the World Walkers faced off against the menacing figures of Piotr and someone beaten so badly, I couldn’t tell who it was. Yet somehow, he still had the strength to attack.

“Is that Yuri?” Mom whispered in worry. “I think it might be, you know.”

My heart hammered in my chest like a jack hammer, each beat echoing the pulse of fear that coursed through my veins. I clung to the shadows, praying that we would remain unseen, unnoticed amidst the turmoil that raged just beyond our fragile sanctuary.

But even as I sought refuge in the darkness, my eyes were inexorably drawn to the unfolding spectacle outside. I watched in horror as the people I’d come to care about got themselves injured. All because of me. Yes, Ratty said that this was all Brian’s fault, but I harbored the blame none the less.

Who is that?

I sat up a little straighter to see who was coming over the hill this time.

Was it friend or foe?

Octavio!

Relief washed over me as Octavio appeared, his presence a reassuring beacon amidst the chaos. But even as he joined the fray without hesitation, my concern only deepened. He was already injured, and yet he fought on, his every movement a testament to his unwavering resolve.

With bated breath, I watched Octavio face off against my father and his men, his strength coiled with tension as he prepared to defend us and his pack. Despite the danger that surrounded him, there was a fierce determination in his eyes, a fire that burned bright even in the darkest of moments.

Then, amidst the chaos, my father’s voice rang out like a thunder clap, demanding our return with a chilling intensity that sent shivers down my spine. I felt my mother stiffen beside me, her grip tightening on my hand as if to anchor herself in the face of the storm that threatened to engulf us.

“Irina, Anna, you must stop this fight. There is no need for any of this violence. Why not just do the right thing and come home to me? That is all I need. For us to be a family once again.”

But Octavio, brave and defiant, stood his ground against my father’s menacing demands. His voice, steady and unwavering, cut through the turmoil like a beacon of defiance, his words a stark reminder of the strength and resolve that lay within him.

“Go to hell,” he spat, his words a challenge flung like a gauntlet at my father’s feet. “No one is going anywhere with you. Have you not worked that out already? With this man wolves willing to fight to keep you away… and you might want to know that Damien is already dead, so there is no debt to pay any longer. As you can see by the state of Yuri, he will not be around for much longer either.”

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