[ADRIAN'S POV]
Three days.
Elena had been gone for three days, and I was losing my goddamn mind.
"Alpha, the Sterling pack representatives are here," my beta, Marcus, said carefully from the doorway of my office.
I didn't look up from the contract I'd been staring at for the past hour without reading a single word. "Tell them I'm busy."
"Sir, this is the third time we've rescheduled—"
"I said I'm busy!" The papers on my desk flew everywhere as my control slipped. Marcus's eyes flashed gold as his wolf responded to the Alpha command, but he held his ground.
"With all due respect, you're not busy. You're obsessing." He stepped inside and closed the door. "You need to fix this or move on. The pack is starting to worry."
Move on? My wolf snarled at the suggestion, clawing at my insides. We hadn't slept properly since Elena left. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face at the altar—calm, composed, utterly done with me.
"I know where she is," I said quietly.
Marcus sighed. "Adrian—"
"London. Cornwall specifically. She's staying with some college friend's pack." I'd had my trackers working overtime. It had cost me three favors and $50,000, but I'd found her.
"And what exactly are you going to do with that information? Drag her back? That worked so well the first time."
I finally looked up at him. Marcus had been my best friend since we were kids. He was one of the few wolves who could talk to me like this.
"I made a mistake," I admitted. The words felt like pulling teeth.
"You think?"
The floating messages appeared again, glowing in my peripheral vision:
*[The Alpha is spiraling!]*
*[He hasn't eaten in three days]*
*[Someone needs to tell him the female lead is actually happy in England…]*
Female lead? These messages were getting weirder. Ever since that meteor shower last month, I'd been seeing them. At first, I thought I was going crazy. Then I started to realize they were… predictions? Commentaries? I still didn't understand it.
But they'd been right about one thing—I'd pushed Elena too far.
"What about Sophia?" Marcus asked.
I growled. Sophia had been calling non-stop, convinced we were actually engaged now. "I never wanted Sophia. It was supposed to be a test—"
"A test Elena didn't know about and didn't agree to take." Marcus crossed his arms. "You treated your mate like a game, and you lost. Accept it."
"She's MY mate!" The windows rattled with the force of my Alpha voice. "The bond—"
"What bond? You never completed the mating ceremony. You never even told her you felt the mate pull, did you?"
I looked away. The answer was no. I'd felt the bond snap into place six months ago, the moment Elena had walked into the alliance negotiation meeting wearing that green dress that matched her eyes. It had nearly knocked me on my ass.
But I hadn't told her. I'd thought… I'd thought if she didn't know about the bond, I could make her choose me anyway. Make her fall for me on her own. Prove she wanted me, not just the mate bond.
Stupid. So fucking stupid.
"The pack merger is falling apart," Marcus continued. "Elena's father is furious. Your father is threatening to step back in as Alpha if you can't handle this. And Sophia is telling everyone who'll listen that she's going to be the next Luna."
"Over my dead body."
"Then do something about it." Marcus headed for the door. "But maybe this time, try actually talking to Elena instead of playing mind games."
After he left, I pulled up Elena's contact on my phone. The last message I'd sent—*You're going to regret this*—glared back at me.
I deleted it and typed something new:
*I'm sorry. I was wrong. Please come home so we can talk.*
I stared at it for a long moment, then deleted that too.
Words wouldn't fix this. I'd spent months using words to manipulate, to test, to push. Elena wouldn't believe anything I said now.
I needed to show her.
I opened my laptop and booked a flight to London.
-----
## Chapter 5
**[ELENA'S POV]**
"Another scone?" Pippa offered, her British accent making even carbs sound elegant.
"If I eat another scone, I'm going to turn into one," I laughed, but took it anyway. We were having afternoon tea in her family's manor house—an actual manor house with turrets and everything—and I was living my best Jane Austen fantasy.
Pippa Sterling-Ashford had been my roommate at Harvard. We'd stayed close over the years, but I'd never visited her pack territory before. Now I understood why she'd always seemed so unimpressed by American wealth. This place made my family's estate look like a starter home.
"You seem better today," Pippa observed, pouring more tea. "Less likely to murder someone."
"I wasn't going to murder anyone."
"Elena. You arrived at three AM in a wedding dress, drank half my father's whiskey collection, and then spent two hours rage-pacing in the garden. Murder was on the table."
Fair point.
It had been almost a week since the wedding disaster. Every day, I felt a little less like my world was ending and a little more like maybe I'd dodged a massive bullet.
The floating messages had kept appearing, though:
*[She's actually healing! Character growth!]*
*[Wait until the Alpha shows up…]*
*[I give it three more days before the big confrontation]*
I'd stopped trying to figure out what they meant. Clearly, I was having some kind of stress-induced hallucination. I'd see a therapist when I got back to the States. If I got back to the States.
"Have you thought about what you're going to do?" Pippa asked gently. "You can stay here as long as you want, obviously. But eventually…"
"Eventually I have to face the music. I know." I sighed. "My parents have stopped calling, which is somehow worse than when they were blowing up my phone."
"What about Adrian?"
Just hearing his name made my wolf whimper. I shoved the feeling down. "What about him?"
"Has he reached out?"
"Constantly. For the first few days." I pulled out my phone and scrolled through the message history. After his initial threats and demands, his messages had shifted:
*Adrian: Can we please talk?*
*Adrian: I know I messed up.*
*Adrian: Elena, I'm sorry.*
The apologies had surprised me. Adrian Blackwood didn't apologize. But they'd also arrived way too late and with way too little explanation.
"I haven't responded," I told Pippa.
"Do you want to?"
Did I? Part of me—the part that had spent five years in love with Adrian—wanted to call him back, hear him grovel, maybe work things out. But the stronger part, the part that had felt nothing but relief when I walked away, knew better.
"I don't think so," I said finally. "What we had… it wasn't healthy. He spent months playing games with my emotions, and I let him because I thought that's what love looked like. It's not."
Pippa reached over and squeezed my hand. "Good for you. Honestly, I never liked him."
"You never met him."
"I didn't need to. Any man who puts you through that isn't worth your time." She paused. "Although, my cousin might be…"
"No," I said firmly. "No setups. I'm off men for the foreseeable future."
"I wasn't suggesting you date him. But he's visiting this weekend, and he's a solicitor. Could help with the legal aspects of breaking the pack alliance."
That was actually practical. The Sterling-Blackwood alliance wasn't just a personal relationship—there were actual contracts involved, territory agreements, trade deals.
"Okay," I agreed. "I could use legal advice."
Pippa's phone buzzed. She glanced at it and her expression shifted. "Speaking of visitors… Elena, did you tell anyone you were coming here?"
"Just you. Why?"
She turned her phone to show me a message from her head of security:
*Unknown Alpha detected at property boundary. American. Demanding to see Elena Sterling.*
My stomach dropped.
No. He wouldn't. He couldn't have found me this fast.
But the floating messages were going crazy:
*[HE'S HERE!]*
*[The Alpha tracked her across an ocean!]*
*[This is going to be GOOD]*
"It's him, isn't it?" Pippa asked.
I stood up, my hands shaking with anger rather than fear. "That absolute bastard."
"Do you want me to have security turn him away?"
I thought about it. I could hide. Make him leave. Extend this reprieve a little longer.
Or I could face him now, on my terms, and end this once and for all.
"No," I said, setting down my teacup with a definitive clink. "Let him in. It's time Adrian Blackwood learned that I'm not some prize to be won back with a grand gesture."
Pippa grinned. "That's my girl. Want me to stay for moral support? Or to punch him if needed?"
"Moral support. I'll handle the punching myself if necessary."
Twenty minutes later, I stood in the manor's formal sitting room, watching through the window as a black town car pulled up the drive. My heart was pounding, but my resolve was steel.
Adrian Blackwood had crossed an ocean to find me.
He was about to learn it was a wasted trip.
-----
## Chapter 6
**[ADRIAN'S POV]**
She looked beautiful.
That was my first thought when Elena walked into the sitting room where I'd been told to wait. She wore jeans and a simple sweater, her dark hair pulled back in a messy bun. No makeup. No fancy dress. Just… Elena.
And she looked better than she had in months.
"What are you doing here?" Her voice was ice.
I stood up, suddenly aware of how I must look. I'd barely slept on the flight, hadn't bothered to change from the clothes I'd been wearing for 18 hours. "I needed to see you."
"You needed to," she repeated slowly. "So you tracked me down, flew across the Atlantic, and showed up uninvited. Because you needed something."
The way she said it made me realize how it sounded. How everything I'd done sounded, when you actually thought about it from her perspective.
"Elena, I—"
"No." She held up a hand. "You don't get to talk yet. I have questions, and you're going to answer them honestly. Can you do that?"
I nodded, my wolf settling slightly at her willingness to even speak to me.
"Did you ever actually want to marry me?" she asked. "Or was I just a convenient alliance?"
"I wanted—" I stopped, made myself really think about the answer. "At first, it was just the alliance. But then I got to know you, and I started to want more. I wanted you to want me back."
"So the games. The tests. Making me watch you flirt with other women. Giving my engagement ring to Sophia." Her voice didn't waver. "That was all to make me want you?"
"I thought if I could make you jealous, make you fight for me, it would mean you really cared. That it wasn't just about the alliance for you either."
"And did you ever consider just asking me how I felt?"
The question hung in the air. The floating messages appeared:
*[Ooh, she's got him there]*
*[Alpha has no answer for that one]*
*[This is painful to watch]*
"No," I admitted. "I didn't."
"Why not?"
I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated. "Because I'm an Alpha. We don't—we're not supposed to show weakness. My father always said that if you show vulnerability, people will use it against you."
"I'm not people, Adrian. I was supposed to be your partner." She moved closer, and I caught her scent—wildflowers and rain. My wolf whined. "Do you know what the worst part was? Not the games. Not even the humiliation at the altar."
"What?" I asked quietly.
"It was realizing you never trusted me. You never trusted that I could care about you without being manipulated into it. You never trusted me with the truth of how you felt." Her green eyes glistened. "That's not love, Adrian. That's control."
The words hit like a physical blow. "I do love you."
"Do you? Or do you love the idea of me? The perfect Luna who'll make you look good and never challenge you?" She shook her head. "Because the real me—the me who has opinions and boundaries and won't play your games—you spent five years trying to break her down."
"That's not—" But the protest died in my throat. Because it was true. I'd wanted Elena to be softer, more pliable. I'd wanted her to need me so badly she'd overlook anything.
"I felt the bond," I blurted out. "Six months ago. The mate bond. I felt it snap into place."
Elena froze. "What?"
"You're my true mate. I've known for six months."
"And you didn't tell me?" Her voice rose. "You knew we were fated mates and you still—" She laughed, but there was no humor in it. "That actually makes it worse. You knew we were meant to be together and you still treated me like that?"
"I wanted you to choose me without knowing about the bond. I wanted it to be real."
"It would have been real! The bond doesn't force feelings, Adrian. It just confirms what's already there." She stepped back. "I was falling for you. For months, I was falling for you. And you were so busy testing me that you never noticed."
Was. Past tense.
"Elena—"
"You need to leave." Her voice was firm. "I came here to figure out my life without you in it. I'm not going back to Boston. I'm not going back to that alliance. And I'm definitely not going back to you."
"I won't accept that." The words came out more aggressive than I meant them to.
Her eyes narrowed. "You don't have a choice."
"You're my mate—"
"A fact you hid from me while you played psychological games! You don't get to use the bond as leverage now." She walked to the door and opened it. Two large men—clearly pack enforcers—stood outside. "Adrian, leave. If you show up here again, I'll have you escorted off the property and file harassment charges."
"Just give me a chance to make this right." I hated the desperation in my voice, but I couldn't help it. "Please."
For a moment, something flickered in her expression. But then it hardened again.
"You had chances. Years of chances. I'm done giving them to you." She gestured to the enforcers. "Gentlemen, please escort Mr. Blackwood off the property."
They moved forward, and even though I could take them both easily, I knew I'd lost.
Elena had made her choice.
And for the first time in my life, I understood what it felt like to have someone walk away from you because you didn't deserve them.
-----
## Chapter 7
**[ELENA'S POV]**
I held it together until the door closed behind Adrian.
Then I collapsed onto the nearest couch, my whole body shaking.
"Well," Pippa said from where she'd been lurking in the hallway, "that was intense."
"He knew," I whispered. "He knew we were mates and he still—"
"I know. I heard." She sat beside me and pulled me into a hug. "What an absolute wanker."
Despite everything, I laughed wetly. "Wanker. I love British insults."
"We have the best ones. And we use them on people who deserve it, like your ex-almost-husband." She pulled back to look at me. "Are you okay?"
Was I? I'd just sent away my fated mate. The wolf side of me was howling in protest, wanting to run after him. But the human side—the side that had spent five years being emotionally manipulated—was relieved.
"I will be," I said finally. "It's going to hurt for a while. The bond makes it worse. But I made the right choice."
"You absolutely did." Pippa squeezed my hand. "Now, I think we need ice cream and terrible reality TV. Come on."
We spent the rest of the evening demolishing a pint of Ben & Jerry's and watching British people yell at each other about home renovations. It should have been perfect distraction.
But I kept thinking about Adrian's face when I told him to leave. The devastation in his eyes. The way his hands had shaken.
My phone buzzed. Against my better judgment, I checked it.
*Adrian: I'm staying in London. I'm not giving up on us.*
I showed Pippa, who rolled her eyes. "He really doesn't take a hint, does he?"
Another message came through:
*Adrian: I know I don't deserve another chance. But I'm going to prove that I can be the mate you deserve. However long it takes.*
"Block him," Pippa advised.
I probably should. But something stopped me. Maybe it was the bond. Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was the tiny, stupid part of me that still wanted to believe he could change.
I typed back:
*Stay if you want. But I'm not changing my mind. I need time to figure out who I am without you in my life.*
His response came immediately:
*I'll give you time. All the time you need. I'll be here when you're ready.*
I did block him then. Not because I didn't believe him, but because I knew myself. If he kept messaging, I'd keep responding. And I needed clean break to heal.
The floating messages appeared:
*[Separation arc! Classic romance trope!]*
*[The Alpha is going to grovel SO HARD]*
*[Meanwhile, watch for the mysterious British wolf who's about to enter the picture…]*
I frowned at that last one. What mysterious British wolf?
As if summoned by my thoughts, there was a knock at the door. Pippa went to answer it, then returned with a man who could only be her cousin.
"Elena, this is James. James, Elena."
James Ashford was… well, he was gorgeous. Tall, with dark hair and warm brown eyes, a jawline that could cut glass, and a smile that was probably illegal in some countries.
"Pleasure to meet you," he said, his accent crisp and proper. "Pippa tells me you might need legal assistance?"
I blinked, trying to make my brain work. "Uh, yes. I'm trying to break a pack alliance contract."
"Nasty business, those." He sat down across from us, pulling out a leather portfolio. "But doable, especially if one party acted in bad faith. Tell me what happened."
Over the next hour, I explained the situation—leaving out the mate bond, because that was private, but detailing the contract terms and Adrian's behavior at the wedding.
James took notes, asked clarifying questions, and slowly started to smile.
"This is going to be easier than I thought," he said finally. "Your ex-fiancé violated at least three major provisions of the contract. Public humiliation of the alliance partner, introduction of a third party without consent, and breach of good faith negotiations."
"So I can get out of it?"
"You can get out of it and probably sue for damages if you want to." He met my eyes. "Though I'd recommend a clean break rather than prolonging the connection through litigation."
"Clean break sounds perfect."
"Right then. I'll draw up the paperwork. We should have you free within a week." He stood to leave, then paused. "Pippa's throwing a party this weekend. You should come. Good way to meet the local pack, get your mind off things."
"I don't know—"
"She's coming," Pippa interjected. "She needs to stop hiding in the manor eating scones."
"Hey, there are worse coping mechanisms."
James laughed. "Fair point. Well, I hope to see you there. And Elena?" He smiled warmly. "I know it probably doesn't feel like it right now, but you're going to be fine. Better than fine."
After he left, Pippa gave me a knowing look.
"What?" I asked.
"He's single. Successful. Kind. And clearly interested."
"I literally just ended an engagement a week ago."
"I'm not saying date him tomorrow. I'm just saying… options exist. You don't have to pine after someone who treated you poorly when there are good men in the world." She stretched. "But speaking of which, I'm exhausted. Sleep well, love."
I stayed up for another hour, staring at my blocked messages from Adrian and thinking about mate bonds and choices and what it meant to love someone who couldn't love you right.
Somewhere in London, Adrian was probably doing the same.
The difference was, I was starting to feel like maybe I'd be okay without him.
I wasn't sure he could say the same.
-----
## Chapter 8
**[ADRIAN'S POV]**
Day three in London, and I was losing my mind in a different way than before.
I'd rented a flat in Kensington, hired a local assistant, and started trying to figure out how the hell to prove to Elena that I'd changed. The problem was, I wasn't sure I had changed. I just knew I needed her back.
My wolf was a constant presence now, pacing and snarling. The mate bond ached like a physical wound. Every instinct screamed at me to find Elena, claim her, make her understand that we belonged together.
But I'd tried the demanding approach. It hadn't worked.
"Alpha Blackwood?" My temporary assistant, a young wolf named Thomas, poked his head into my office. "The investigator is here."
I'd hired someone to keep tabs on Elena. Not stalking—just making sure she was safe and happy. That's what I told myself, anyway.
The floating messages disagreed:
*[That's totally stalking, dude]*
*[The Alpha has control issues, exhibit A]*
*[This isn't going to end well…]*
The investigator, a woman named Sarah, came in and dropped a folder on my desk. "Your mate has been busy."
I flipped it open. Photos of Elena—having tea with Pippa, walking through some gardens, shopping in town. She looked… happy.
"She met with a solicitor named James Ashford," Sarah continued. "Son of the Ashford pack's Beta. He's helping her with the legal side of breaking your alliance contract."
My wolf snarled. Another male helping my mate.
"Anything else?"
"There's a pack party this weekend. She's been invited. Ashford will be there." Sarah's expression was carefully neutral. "He's known as quite the eligible bachelor around here."
I closed the folder, fighting the urge to shift and run to Elena right now. "Thank you. That'll be all."
After Sarah left, I sat staring at Elena's photo. In it, she was laughing at something Pippa said, her whole face lit up with genuine joy.
When was the last time I'd made her laugh like that?
I couldn't remember.
My phone rang—Marcus.
"How's the groveling going?" he asked without preamble.
"She won't see me."
"Shocking. It's almost like she meant it when she said leave her alone."
"There's a party this weekend," I said. "She'll be there."
"Adrian, no. Don't crash a party to corner her. That's the exact controlling behavior that drove her away in the first place."
"I'm not going to corner her. I just want to see her. Talk to her in a casual setting." Even as I said it, I knew how it sounded.
Marcus sighed. "You're not going to listen to me, are you?"
"Probably not."
"Then at least try not to make things worse. No grand gestures. No public declarations. Just… be normal. Be the man she fell in love with, not the Alpha trying to win a prize."
After we hung up, I thought about his words. The man she fell in love with. Had there ever been that version of me? Or had I always been playing games?
I pulled out my journal—something my therapist back home had suggested I start. I'd been seeing her for two months, trying to work through some of my control issues. Lot of good it had done.
*Dear Elena*, I wrote. *I'm writing this knowing you'll probably never read it, but my therapist says it's good to externalize thoughts.*
*I've been thinking about when we first met. You were arguing with my father about territory disputes, and you wouldn't back down even though he's one of the most intimidating Alphas on the East Coast. I fell for you right then, I think. But I was too scared to admit it.*
*My father raised me to believe that showing emotion is weakness. That an Alpha should command, not ask. That if you want something, you take it.*
*But you can't take love. I'm finally understanding that.*
*I don't know how to be different. But I want to try. For you, and honestly, for me too. Because the man I've been isn't someone I'm proud of.*
*I love you. I know you don't believe me. I'm not sure I even know what love really means. But I want to learn.*
*Even if it's too late for us, I want to be better.*
I stared at the words, then closed the journal. Empty promises on paper didn't mean anything. Actions did.
The floating messages appeared:
*[Character development! Finally!]*
*[Too bad he's still planning to crash that party…]*
*[This is either going to be really romantic or a complete disaster]*
I looked at the party invitation I'd managed to acquire through some questionable means.
Maybe Marcus was right. Maybe I should stay away, give Elena space.
But the thought of her at a party, with that British lawyer, laughing and moving on with her life while I fell apart…
I couldn't do it.
I had to see her. Had to try one more time.
And if she rejected me again?
Then maybe I'd finally accept that I'd destroyed the best thing that ever happened to me.
-----
## Chapter 9
**[ELENA'S POV]**
The party was in full swing by the time Pippa and I arrived.
The Ashford estate made Pippa's family manor look modest. Rolling grounds, a ballroom that probably fit 300 people, and enough champagne to sink a ship. British wolves knew how to throw a party.
"You look stunning," Pippa said, eyeing my dress—a deep emerald silk that matched my eyes. "James is going to swallow his tongue."
"I'm not here for James."
"Of course not. You're here to have fun and prove to yourself that life goes on." She grabbed two champagne flutes from a passing waiter. "But if you happen to flirt with a handsome solicitor in the process, no harm done."
I had to admit, she had a point. I'd spent too many years putting my life on hold for Adrian. Maybe it was time to remember that other men existed.
The floating messages agreed:
*[Yes! Love interest #2!]*
*[The Alpha is going to FREAK when he sees this]*
*[Wait, he's not supposed to be here… is he crashing?]*
That last message made me freeze. He wouldn't. Not after I explicitly told him to leave me alone.
But then I caught a familiar scent—pine and leather and something uniquely Adrian.
"Oh no," I breathed.
"What?" Pippa followed my gaze to the entrance, where Adrian Blackwood stood in a perfectly tailored suit, scanning the crowd. "Oh, bloody hell. How did he even get an invitation?"
"Because he's an Alpha who's used to getting what he wants."
Our eyes met across the room. Even from here, I could see the desperate hope in his expression. It made my chest ache.
"Do you want me to have him thrown out?" Pippa asked. "Say the word."
I should. I should absolutely have him kicked out. But part of me—the traitorous part that still remembered loving him—wanted to hear what he had to say.
"No," I said quietly. "But stay close, okay?"
"Always."
I downed my champagne, set the glass aside, and walked toward Adrian. Might as well get this over with.
He met me halfway, and up close I could see he looked terrible. Dark circles under his eyes, like he hadn't slept in days. His suit was immaculate but his hair was messier than usual, like he'd been running his hands through it.
"You look beautiful," he said quietly.
"What are you doing here, Adrian?"
"I needed to see you. To talk to you." He glanced around at the curious pack members watching us. "Could we go somewhere private?"
"No." I crossed my arms. "Anything you have to say, you can say here."
His jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Fair enough."
He took a deep breath, and I realized his hands were shaking slightly. Adrian Blackwood, the unshakeable Alpha, was nervous.
"I've been seeing a therapist," he said. "Started two months ago, actually. Before the wedding."
That surprised me. "Why?"
"Because I knew something was wrong. With how I was treating you, how I was acting. I just didn't know how to fix it." He ran a hand through his hair. "She's been helping me understand why I have such issues with control and vulnerability. It's not an excuse. But it's a start."
I wanted to believe him. God, I wanted to. But words were easy.
"That's good," I said neutrally. "I'm glad you're getting help."
"I wrote you a letter. Several, actually." He pulled an envelope from his jacket. "I know you probably don't want to read them. But they're here if you change your mind."
I took the envelope, if only to get it out of his hands.
"I know I don't deserve another chance," he continued. "I know I destroyed your trust, hurt you in ways I'm still understanding. But Elena, I—"
"Adrian." I cut him off gently. "I appreciate that you're working on yourself. I really do. But that doesn't change what happened. It doesn't change that I need to figure out who I am without you."
"I know. I just…" He looked down. "I just wanted you to know that I'm trying. That I love you. That I'll wait, however long it takes."
Before I could respond, James appeared at my elbow.
"Elena, there you are. I've been looking for—" He stopped, taking in Adrian. "Mr. Blackwood. I wasn't aware you were invited."
Adrian's expression went cold, his Alpha presence flaring. "And you are?"
"James Ashford. Elena's solicitor." James offered his hand, which Adrian ignored.
The tension was thick enough to cut. Other wolves were definitely watching now, sensing the potential for conflict.
"James," I said quickly, "could you give us a moment?"
"Are you sure? I'm happy to stay if you need—"
"I'm sure."
He left reluctantly, but not before shooting Adrian a warning look.
Adrian watched him go, his jaw clenched. "The solicitor. Of course."
"Don't," I warned. "You don't get to be jealous. You lost that right."
"Did I?" He stepped closer, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him. "Because last I checked, you're still my mate. That doesn't just go away."
"No, it doesn't. But neither does everything you put me through." I held my ground. "The bond doesn't obligate me to forgive you, Adrian."
"I know that. But it means we're connected, whether you like it or not. You can pretend to move on with British lawyers and parties, but you'll always feel me. Just like I feel you."
It was true. Even now, standing this close to him, the bond hummed between us. My wolf wanted to lean in, to accept his apologies, to give in.
But I'd spent too long giving in.
"You're right," I said quietly. "I'll always feel the bond. But that doesn't mean I have to act on it. I'd rather spend my life fighting against a bond with someone who hurt me than give in just because it's easier."
The words hit him like a physical blow. I watched something break in his expression.
"I understand," he said finally, his voice hollow. "I'll leave. But Elena?" He met my eyes one last time. "When you're ready—if you're ever ready—I'll be here. That's not a threat or manipulation. It's just the truth."
He turned and walked away, and I watched him go with tears burning in my eyes.
Pippa was at my side immediately. "Are you okay?"
"No," I admitted. "But I will be."
James reappeared with fresh champagne. "Sorry if I made that worse."
"You didn't. He made his own choices." I took the glass gratefully. "Now, I believe you promised me dancing?"
His face lit up. "I did indeed."
As James led me to the dance floor, I caught one last glimpse of Adrian leaving through the main entrance. His shoulders were slumped, his confident stride gone.
Part of me wanted to run after him.
But the stronger part—the part that was learning to put myself first—let him go.
-----
## Chapter 10
**[ADRIAN'S POV]**
I made it to my car before I fell apart.
Seeing Elena in that dress, laughing with another man, looking happy without me—it was worse than anything I'd imagined.
And the worst part? She was right. About all of it.
I pulled out my phone and called the one person I knew would understand.
"It's midnight here," Marcus answered groggily. "This better be good."
"She doesn't want me," I said, my voice breaking. "She really, truly doesn't want me anymore."
I heard rustling as he sat up. "What happened?"
I told him about the party, the conversation, Elena's final rejection. By the end, I was gripping the steering wheel so hard it creaked.
"Good," Marcus said when I finished.
"What?"
"Good. She stood her ground. She chose herself over you." He sighed. "Adrian, I love you like a brother, but you needed to hear that. You needed to understand that you can't just decide you want someone and expect them to fall in line."
"I know that now."
"Do you?