Chapter 21

Harper’s POV

Everything felt like a dream as I wandered into my room, shedding clothes meant for wedding festivities. Not that I wanted to participate after everything that’d happened in the last week alone.

I was glad that Mason wasn’t there, but that only meant that I had to worry about what happened when he got back.

At least I’d been able to secure a meeting with Alpha Genn. That was the only hope I had left anymore. I couldn’t rely on Levi, I had been his burden long enough. Nothing would be able to change my mind about that. He was ready to move on and start a new life with Avery.

My heart hurt as I thought about how perfectly they’d complimented each other earlier today. A relationship with someone like that would be much better than a taboo mess with his foster daughter anyway.

I knew I only had so long before Vera and Mason saw the wedding…and the blood oath, to completion. I just had to trust that everything would work with Alpha Glenn and I would be able to make my final escape and free myself from Mason forever.

Leaving Levi behind would be a lot harder, but it had to be done for all of us to have a good life. I just needed to convince myself.

Terrified that Mason could show up at any moment, I took a hurried shower before slipping into bed. I kept the light on. I didn’t think I would be able to sleep either way.

All I could do was lie there and wait for Mason’s eventual return. I knew he would come for me no matter what. Knowing him, he would double down on how repressive he’s been, making sure that he’s able to keep me under his thumb.

I was too scared to scroll on social media. Everyone would be talking about it, and I’m sure a million people had recorded the moment to share with the world. I also didn’t want to see the messages pouring in from friends and acquaintances.

All I could do was think about how Mason would react to everything. He was already getting more violent with me, and I believed every single accusation from his ex. Judging by the situation, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more out there that had been scared into silence.

The pack house was eerily quiet for hours as I tossed and turned with anxiety. Eventually it was broken by the sound of footsteps echoing down the hallway. They didn’t sound rushed and heavy like I expected — they were so soft, I almost couldn’t hear them over the sound of my thundering heart.

The closer they got to my door, the more I panicked. The tanktop I wore clung to the sweat on my skin. I wasn’t ready to come face to face with the man I thought I loved and now was terrified of.

I held my breath as the door creaked open, a small sliver of light illuminated Mason’s tall, broad form that I was recognize anywhere. Cowering in the bed, trying to make myself as small as possible, I waited for him to lash out at me. To yell at me, hurt me, anything like he’d been doing since that day in his office, but it never came.

“Harps?” The soft way he used his nickname for me tugged at my heartstrings.

I knew he wasn’t the good guy that he had tried to appear as. I was in danger as long as I was with him, but there was still a part of me that held all of the memories. It wasn't that long ago that I thought he was my fated mate.

Since I had never shifted, I had never confirmed the idea for myself. But when he told me that we were meant for each other, I was so ready to believe him. Now, I wasn’t sure if he’d been telling the truth. If we were really fated mates, I don’t think he’d be so comfortable with hurting me.

He shifted closer to the bed. I held my breath so I could force myself to slow down. If he heard how erratic my heartbeat and scent were, the situation could quickly take a turn for the worse. His lips touched my shoulder, making it harder to keep myself under control.

“Harper,” he murmured against my ear.

“Hmm?” I tried to make it sound like I was just waking up.

“Wake up,” he said, “I want to talk to you.”

Maybe I could pretend to be asleep and he wouldn’t notice and would just leave me alone. I didn’t want to hear anything he had to say. If he wasn’t angry, he’d probably try to manipulate me.

My dream was shattered a moment later when he shook me to wake me up again. It didn’t seem like he would let it go, which meant that I didn’t have a choice.

I rolled over and looked at him, keeping my gaze soft. “What is it?”

A brief light, probably from a car being taken back to the massive garage behind the pack house, shone through the window, illuminating his face so I could see it clearly. He looked…insecure. His eyes were lidded and downcast while his mouth formed a pout. A couple of weeks ago, if I saw him like this, I would’ve rushed to his side and tried to make all of his problems go away so that he would be happy again. Now, I could barely stand the sight of him.

“You don’t believe all of those crazy accusations that my ex made today, right?” he asked, peering up at me.

Yes. I knew I believed every word, and there was a part of me that wanted to come out and say it too, but I knew that wouldn’t work out well for me in the end. I had to play Mason’s game until I was finally able to escape.

I smiled at him even though my stomach churned. “Of course not. I never believed you would do any of those things.”

“And you still want to marry me?”

“Yes, Mason.”

Even in the dark room, I could see his eyes narrow and assess me, looking for any holes that in my facade he could punch through. I felt his body relax slightly as he accepted my answer. “Good,” he said as he pulled me closer into him, trapping me.

Levi’s POV

Days go by after the fiasco at the wedding, all without a word from Harper.

I was worried about her, in fact she was the only thing on my mind, but I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries. Things between us had been really tense over the past few years and now, she didn’t seem like she really needed me to be her father figure anymore.

If I was being honest with myself, maybe I could admit I’d never really been the father figure she needed and deserved after losing her parents.

Leaning on the balcony railing, I take out another cigarette and light it. As I exhale, clearing out my lungs, I can hear Harper’s voice in the back of my mind telling me I should really quit. Was she angry with me for interrupting her wedding with all of the evidence from Mason’s ex? I thought that would be the only way to call him out publicly enough to actually make a difference. It also seemed like Harper would need to see it all for herself to actually get away from him. I wasn’t too sure that he wasn’t already hurting her from what I’d seen, despite Harper telling me it was fine or making excuses.

Maybe it was all for nothing and she’d already run back into Mason’s arms and hating me for trying to break them apart.

All I wanted was the best for Harper. If anyone deserved a happy ending in life, it was her. But no matter what I did to make that happen. I always felt like I was just in her way.

I could hear someone knocking on the door to my office since I’d left the balcony doors open.

Crushing the cigarette into the tray, I called out, “Come in!”

The only people who’d dared bother me since Harper’s wedding were my beta and Avery, so I wasn’t worried that it would be someone else now. Noah walked into the office with a grim expression.

I scowled back at him. “What is it this time?”

“It’s more wolves from the Ridgeway pack Alpha. They’ve been consistently attacking Sharon, supposedly to make sure that she won’t give them any more trouble.”

I cursed under my breath. No matter how I wanted to look at it, I knew that Harper was in trouble. I just didn’t know how to help her anymore.