Chapter 0077

“You’re releasing him.” Beta Sebastian’s voice cut through the tension. I noticed the faint pink flush on his fair skin.

“It’s your decision,” Alpha Alexander murmured to me. “If you choose to, there will be conditions he must follow.”

“Anything!” Caleb beamed, his eyes bright with desperation. “I’ll do absolutely anything. I need to feel the sun on my skin.”

Doubt clawed at me. What if this was a mistake? What if everything he said was a lie? What if the moment he’s free, he leads Dominic straight to us? I’ve never been good with choices.

Stepping into the snow, Alpha Alexander took my hand. Just then, Caleb muttered about how glorious the sunlight felt.

“I am never going back into a cell,” Caleb declared, his hand catching mine. “Thank you. I swear I’ll be the brother you’ve always deserved.” He straightened up and faced Alpha Alexander, clearing his throat to sound more serious.

“Alpha Alexander, don’t mess with my sister.”

I saw the slight twitch at the corner of Alexander’s lips. He wasn’t a man who took orders. He made his own rules.

“Oh come on,” Caleb grinned. “I had to do the brotherly thing.”

“I’ll allow it this once,” Alexander replied coolly. “But remember—although Athena released you, I can easily put you back. And next time, there will be no privileges.”

“Sure, sure,” Caleb puffed out his cheeks and turned. “Someone’s on a mission.”

I followed his gaze and saw Genevieve storming toward us. Could I just have one day without her drama?

“Alexander, I’ve been looking for you,” she said, though her eyes were locked on Caleb.

“Not now, Genevieve.”

“I’ve been talking to some of the others,” she continued, ignoring him.

“Of course you have.”

“They’re worried about her shifting.” She pointed directly at me.

Caleb snorted.

“I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met,” Genevieve said with a fake smile, using her arms to push her chest up. She pretended to trip, bumping into me. Caleb caught her.

“You can call me Caleb.”

As she stood, I thought I saw something glint in her hand. But no one reacted. Maybe I imagined it.

“Are you a guest here?” She twirled her hair like a schoolgirl.

“You could say that.”

She giggled. Could she not see we looked alike? Or was this some twisted revenge because Alexander rejected her? Was she trying to make him jealous?

Her grey eyes flicked to me. A sinister smile touched her lips before she turned back to Caleb.

“How about you and I get something to eat?” She batted her eyelashes.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t give me what I want.”

Her mouth fell open. “You don’t even know me.”

“It’s obvious who you are. The bitter ex, right? You saw a chance to annoy Athena, and it failed.”

“You have no idea what you’re missing!” Genevieve snapped, fists clenched.

“Oh, I do. And it’s not worth it.”

“BASTARD!”

“Genevieve.” Alpha Alexander stepped between them. “You said you spoke to others.”

Her eyes narrowed at me. “We want to know when she’s going to shift. We want to know if you’re putting us all in danger!”

“Who is ‘we’?”

“You mean just you, Genevieve.”

Alexander sighed. He pulled me against him, his arm draped over my shoulders. “Genevieve, you may have saved my life once, but you’re running out of favors.”

“I’m only asking a question!” she spluttered.

His voice dropped to a commanding tone. “You are questioning my authority.”

“No!” She was furious, not getting her way. It made me wonder how much she’d been allowed to get away with all these years.

For a second, I wished she could live the life I had. Maybe then she wouldn’t be such a bitch.