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A soft knock at the door breaks through my melancholic haze. "Jenna? It's me, can I come in?"
Ryan's voice sends a tremor through me. I squeeze my eyes shut, steeling myself before turning to face him. "What do you want, Ryan?"
His brow furrows as he takes in the half-packed bag on the bed. "What's going on? Are you... are you leaving?"
My heart hammers in my chest as I meet his gaze, the pain in his eyes mirroring my own. "Yes, Ryan," I reply, my voice trembling with the effort to keep my emotions in check. "I am leaving."
His expression hardens, a flicker of confusion passing over his features. "Why, Jenna? What happened?"
The tears I've been fighting back start to blur my vision, but I blink them away, needing him to see the pain in my eyes. "I heard you, Ryan," I choke out, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. "I heard you talking to Hannah. I heard you say that you can't take a human mate."
The color drains from his face. "Jenna, I... I can explain--"
But I shake my head, cutting him off. "No, Ryan. I don't want to hear any more lies. I'm tired of feeling like a secret, like something you're ashamed of." The words pour out of me, fueled by a pain so deep it threatens to consume me.
My voice breaks as I continue, my heartache laid bare. "I loved you, Ryan. I was willing to fight for us, to face whatever challenges came our way. But it turns out my biggest fear was right. I'm losing you, just like I was afraid I would."
His eyes fill with a desperate regret. "Jenna—"
But it's too late. The damage is done. The man I love, the man I thought loved me, doesn't believe we can be together because of what I am, because I'm human. And that's a pain that no apology can heal.
"Jenna, please... let me explain..."
But I can't bear to hear another word. Shouldering my bag, I brush past him, my steps fueled by a desperate need to flee this suffocating place.
"Where are you going?" His voice echoes behind me, laced with a hint of the alpha command that once made me shiver.
"Away from here. Away from you." The words taste like ash on my tongue, but I refuse to falter. I won't be rendered weak by the memory of what we once shared.
Taking a deep breath, I stride away from him, my heart pounding in my chest as I quickly go down the stairs and out the front door. However, before I can make it more than a few steps, I feel a strong pair of arms scooping me up off the ground in a swift, effortless motion.
My bag drops to the ground as I'm swept up into Ryan's arms, his determined grip holding me against his hard chest. Stunned, I struggle against him, my heart pounding in my chest as I realize he's carrying me back toward the pack building.
"Ryan, put me down!" I demand, my voice echoing in the cold night air. But he doesn't stop, doesn't even hesitate as he continues his purposeful strides toward the building.
His silence is deafening, the only sound being our harsh breaths and the crunch of gravel under his boots. I feel a cold dread settling in my gut, knowing that whatever comes next is bound to change everything.
Chapter 10
Ryan
Jenna trembles in my arms, her fear and confusion a palpable force in the tense air between us. I tighten my grip instinctively, my wolf snarling at the thought of her fleeing from me yet again. But I know I must tread carefully, must find the words to make her understand before I lose her forever.
With a sharp kick, I shove open the heavy oak door, and we're instantly swallowed by the raucous laughter and jovial chatter of the pack. Dozens of faces turn toward us, their expressions shifting from surprise to bewilderment as they take in the scene before them - their brooding alpha dragging a human woman against her will. I see my sister and grandfather amongst them.
Hannah is the first to react, her green eyes widening with alarm as she rises from her seat. "What's going on?"
The words catch in my throat, a growl of frustration rumbling low in my chest. Enough of this charade. I am alpha, master of my own fate, and I will not allow fear to rule me any longer.
Drawing a deep, steadying breath, I lift Jenna effortlessly into my arms, cradling her against my chest. She lets out a startled gasp, her delicate fingers clutching at the fabric of my shirt as I step onto one of the long dining tables, my booted feet thudding against the weathered wood.
"Ryan Thorne, what in the name of the moon are you doing?" Elder Thorne's bellow cuts through the stunned silence, his face mottled with outrage.
I meet his furious gaze, holding it without flinching as the truth burns like wildfire in my veins. "What I should have done from the moment I first laid eyes on her," I growl, my voice ringing with conviction. "Claiming what is mine."
A collective gasp ripples through the crowd, but I pay it no heed, my focus entirely consumed by the woman in my arms. Jenna's eyes are wide, brimming with a swirl of emotions - fear, uncertainty, and a glimmer of desperate longing that ignites a firestorm of possessiveness within me.
"I must confess something to you, Jenna," I say, my voice soft yet firm. "You heard only part of my conversation with Hannah. You misunderstood what was said." My gaze holds hers, showing my sincerity. "Even though you're human, it makes no difference to me. It never has, and it never will."
