Chapter 32

~Grace~

“What do you mean? We’re divorced, the papers are right here!” I cried, slapping my signed divorce documents on the desk.

My lawyer sat across from me, crossing his legs as he sat in his chair. He was a graying, brunette man with glasses, in a brown suit. He sighed. Alex stood behind me, crossing his arms, as stoic as ever.

I thought I had crossed the biggest hurdle yet, to get permission to divorce Liam through the Council, but apparently not! I had never been through a divorce before or known anyone who had, so how would I know that there were more hoops to jump through than signing a paper?

I sighed, placing my head in my hands, slumping forward. I thought the fight was over.

“Liam hasn’t severed the mate bond between you two,” my lawyer began cautiously, as if afraid to give me the bad news. “Yes, you’re divorced on paper, but unless Liam severs your bond, you’re still bound together.”

I instinctively touch the mark on my neck that Liam gave to me years ago. I hated it. It was an ugly mark, one that chosen mates had. It was nothing compared to the beautiful mark of a fated mate.

I despised Liam. I wished I had never let him mark me.

For a moment my mind wanders off to the pale-haired man I rescued in the forest who tried to mark me. What a strange encounter… if he had marked me, would we be bonded, too, despite Liam’s mark?

Just then, I felt my phone go off. I pulled it out, looking numbly at it. A text from Liam, of course. He must have heard the news from someone in the Council.

“You will never be free from me,” the message read.

I groaned, putting it away. Of course not. There was no possible way I could simply ask Liam to allow our bond to be broken, he’d never agree.

Then, what options did I have?

I guess I’d have to just confront him and force him to reject me. I don’t know if it’ll work, but I’ve come so far already, I can’t just give up now. Is there some way I could make him hate me…?

I would have thought I’d done that by now, I ruined his life. But, maybe now he’s just holding on out of spite? Because he doesn’t want me to win?

My lawyer spoke up again. “Of course, if you can’t get your ex-husband to sever your bond, then you could try finding someone who’s stronger than him to mark you. That would override his mark and get rid of it for good.”

I sat very still as I thought about this prospect. Who could be stronger than the Alpha King? He’s become the Alpha King because of his strength, and no other Alphas could even hope to stand up to him.

Besides, that would require me to seek out another man and become bonded to him just to get rid of Liam’s mark. But then, I’d have to get rid of that mark, too.

Behind me, Alex cleared his throat. I turned around, and locked eyes with him.

Oh.

Alex…, he had beaten Liam without even shifting. That proved his power right there. But…

I blushed and turned away from him, hiding my face. No, I couldn’t ask him to mark me, that was far too personal. And what would he think?!

I felt Alex’s eyes on the back of my head, watching me intently. What was he thinking about?

Why wasn’t he saying anything?

But… he could. Alex was definitely stronger than Liam. Plus, I knew him better than a random stranger, and we had worked well together in the past… I mean, I lived in his house!

My mind wandered as I thought about this possibility. If I asked him, would it be a temporary thing?

Or what if we… I blushed at the thought. What if we stayed together?

Had he ever marked anyone? Would I be his first? Would he even want to mark me?

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. No, what was I even thinking? Of course he wouldn’t. I was being silly.

“It’s better to try to get Liam to reject me,” I tell my lawyer, who nods in understanding.

I hear a scoff behind me. Turning around, I see Alex, rolling his eyes. What was he on about?

I felt a pang of annoyance. Did he really think I was that incapable? Yes, pretty much everything that we were able to pin on Liam came about because of his help, but I wasn’t a damsel in distress! I could do things on my own when I had to.

“Do you think I’m weaker than Liam?” Alex asked, looking down at me with an irritated look on his face.

What? Who did he think he was, asking me a question like that? As if I were considering letting him mark me-

I was! But I hadn’t told him that, and he didn’t need to know.

My face already red with embarrassment, I scoffed back at him. “I’m still not officially divorced from Liam, yet, until he removes his mark from me. Therefore, our contract is still intact.”

Alex raised an eyebrow at me, as if questioning my line of logic.

“And you have to help me until Liam has completely rejected me, so you will help me seek out Liam tomorrow morning.”

Alex nodded slowly, in mock understanding. “Oh?”

I sighed in annoyance. I knew he was playing with me!

“Yes. And part of the contract is keeping our relationship strictly business-related. So having you mark me would break that contract.”

Alex smiled at me.

What was so funny about what I said? I stared at him in surprise. Had I said something I didn’t realize?

“Of course, my lady,” Alex says, bowing his head as if he were a butler. His face got close to mine, and he kept his eyes up, staring into mine.

I blushed harder, his amused gaze sent shivers down my spine. My mind whirled, and I couldn't think for a moment.

“Y-you-!” I began, angry that he could affect me so much.

“Thank you for the information, you’ve been very helpful,” Alex said to the lawyer, and scooped

the divorce papers from off the desk. With his other hand, he grabbed my arm and pulled me out the door.

I wrenched my arm out of his grasp, offended that he thought he could pull me around like that.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I ask, breathless from our close encounter.

“Well, you have everything planned out, it seems,” Alex said, handing me the papers. I take them, holding them close to my chest. I didn’t want to lose them.

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

Alex shrugged, as if I’m asking a question I already know the answer to. “You said it yourself.

Tomorrow, we’ll confront Liam and force him to reject you. I am still under contract, after all.”

I stared at him in amazement, surprised that he’d actually still go along with my plan. I was only being confident to make it seem like I wasn’t absolutely flustered by him whenever we stood in the same room.

“Yes… yes, let’s do that,” I replied, a little bit softer.

Tomorrow, it would finally be over. I’d be free of Liam once and for all.