Chapter 19

~Grace~

Oh my goddess, Liam was going to tear Alex apart!

I clasped my hands over my mouth in horror as Liam lunged at Alex, teeth bared and saliva dripping. Alex, rushing forward, caught Liam midair and threw him to the ground.

Liam yelped, but quickly got back on his feet, going for Alex’s legs, who swiftly stepped aside. Liam made a couple of more passes as Alex, so incredibly quick it was difficult for me to keep track of what was happening.

There was no way Alex could get out of this unscathed. I watched as Alex, who had been able to fend off Liam so far, staggered from the impact of wrestling Liam.

There was no doubt that Liam was powerful, especially in his wolf form. His bite was so strong, no one could pry his jaw open once he latched onto something.

I moved closer to Enzo, glancing at him to see if he was just as worried as I was. However, Enzo looked relaxed. Excited, even.

Was he just as crazy as Alex? Have either of them actually fought an Alpha in wolf form before?

Enzo must have felt me looking at him, because he glanced at me, a fiery grin on his face.

“Exhilarating, isn’t it?” He asked, eyes bright.

“No!” I cried. How could he be so nonchalant about his Alpha getting into a fight he’d most definitely lose?

Enzo shook his head, and pointed out back to the fight. “Just watch. He won’t let you down.”

I looked back at Alex, clenching my hand in anxiety, but as I looked closer, I realized there wasn’t any blood. They had been fighting for a couple of minutes, and Liam still hadn’t managed to land a single bite on Alex!

Loosening my fist, I relaxed slightly. Maybe there was something Alex and Enzo knew that I didn’t. Maybe he could beat Liam, after all.

The two men fought ferociously, and I made sure I was far out of their reach. Although no one was getting seriously hurt, I could feel their raw power from here, and I didn’t want to experience it firsthand.

Finally, Liam quivered on the ground, panting hard, drool dripping onto the ground. He was exhausted. I watched with anticipation. Was it finally over?

Alex stood over him, breathing hard, but ultimately unharmed.

After a long moment of silence, Alex finally turned his back on Liam, who attempted to come after him, but collapsed. He could only glare at Alex as he walked away from him.

I looked Alex up and down. His button-up had torn open, exposing his muscular chest, and he ran his fingers through his hair, brushing his black hair out of his eyes. His face was slightly flushed from the exertion, and beads of sweat ran over his skin.

But, no cuts. No blood anywhere.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. I was so scared…

Alex stood protectively in front of me, shielding me from Liam.

“Congratulations,” he taunted, “you’re about to become the first Alpha in history to be abandoned by his Luna.”

Liam growled, but otherwise stayed still.

Alex bent over and opened my door, motioning me inside. I quickly got inside, wanting to get out of here as soon as possible. I knew Liam was incapacitated for now, but I didn’t want to take the chance that he’d recover.

Liam had shifted back, Sophia leaning over him to help him up. He promptly shoved her away, shakily standing up by himself.

He glared at the car, frustrated. I stared at him nervously. I knew he didn’t have the energy to shift again, but would he do something else to try to stop me?

He gruffly reached for a cookie that was left on the plate, shoving it into his mouth. It was one of Sophia’s cookies, and he immediately spit it out, clearly not expecting the disgusting taste. The crumbs flew all over Sophia’s face.

She gasped in horror, wiping spit and pieces of cookie away from her eyes and mouth.

Alex and I laughed, locking eyes with each other. He looked so handsome. My heart soared, I hadn't felt this happy in a while.

Wait, what was I thinking?

I quickly looked away, feeling awkward, and Alex promptly started the car.

At the Black Lycan castle, I was overwhelmed with how luxurious everything looked. Although I had been here before, I never really got the chance to explore.

Everything looked old, but very well taken care of. It must have been inherited from Alex’s royal Lycan lineage. Being the last pureblood Lycan of royal descent, it made sense to end up with him.

Alex gave me a brief tour of the castle, and I decided to pick a room on the other side of the castle to stay in, not wanting to be too close to Alex.

After all, I was still married, and our relationship was strictly contractual. Besides, he still made me nervous. I still didn’t know what to think of him.

We had some… intimate moments, but I couldn’t forget the call he made to me, and that woman’s voice on the other end…

I shuddered just thinking about it. No, I definitely wanted to keep my distance.

“I’ll take this room,” I told Alex.

“No!” Leo, who had been happily following us during the tour, cried out, face contorting as if he were about to cry.

Taken aback, I looked down at him. Was there something wrong with this room?

I looked at Alex, and he only shrugged, clearly as clueless as I was.

Bending down, I spoke with a gentle voice. “Where would you like me to stay, then, Leo?”

He immediately perked up and grabbed my hand, leading me through the hallways. I had to lean over to keep a hold of his hand, but I followed him until we ended up right across from Alex’s room.

“Here!” He pointed to the room across from Alex’s.

I began to shake my head, but I could see the tears forming in Leo’s eyes.

“Alex can protect you! Stay here, and you’ll always be safe!” He insisted with a pout.

I sighed. There was no reasoning with him.

“Alright, Leo. I’ll stay here.”

I spent the rest of the day exploring the Black Lycan clan grounds. It was beautiful beyond words, and I was actually a little excited to be staying here.

Tired from my exploration, I decided to head back to my room to rest. Entering the room, I gasped, taking a step backward. My back hit the wall.

Alex was in here, but he-!

My eyes trailed down his exposed, muscular back, down to the towel that draped around his waist, hanging precariously.

He must have just gotten out of the shower, and his wet hair formed black waves on his head. Water dripped over his skin, accentuating each curve in his toned muscles.

He really did look better than Liam, by far. I felt something stir within me, and I eyed the towel around his waist.

He turned around, smirking.

“Are you mesmerized by me?” He asked, voice husky.

I must have been beet red, but my face turned redder once he caught me looking at him.

“No,” I replied sharply. “I’m adding a new rule to our contract: No walking around in towels.”

“Then I’ll just take it off,” he teased. Although, I wasn’t sure he was just teasing.

My eyes widened with this realization and I picked up a blanket from the bed and threw it at his face. He swatted it away with ease, laughing.

“Out!” I commanded, and Alex thankfully obliged.

I sat on the bed, huffing. That man…

I looked around the room, amazed. Alex really did have everything prepared for me. There were a variety of clothes, hair and makeup products, towels, bedding, even some books and a notepad. And of course, the wolf plushie the pup gave me before I left sat on the pillows, welcoming me.

I smiled. Alex really was sweet in his own way, when he wasn’t being an ass.

I checked the drawers, searching for some pajamas to change into, but no matter how much I searched, I could only find lingerie.

He really was an ass.