Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Willow

He was in… rut.

After six long years, I had once again come face to face with Reuben in rut. Having lived humans for the last six years, I had never encountered another wolf in rut. That amongst being said neither had I forgotten how wildly intense Reuben’s was. He would lose all self- control; his wolf and lust would take over him, and he would no longer be himself. Instead, his only aim would be to quench his thirst, that was all. It was a dark part of a werewolf’s life, especially a male wolf.

My heart drummed in my chest as sparks assaulted my entire b*dy at his sharp scent. It was just as intoxicating as it had been in the past, instantly awakening my wolf to the point where I couldn’t tear my eyes from him. No one other than me could know how dangerous Reuben’s rut was for me, yet my legs automatically began the journey towards him instead of turning and running away. I walked into the wolf’s den as if drawn by a magnet.

My entire being and Ceri seemed to be chained by the sharpness of his aura and scent. Kneeling in front of him, my eyes swept over his flushed cheeks that were even ruddier than earlier. Now everything finally made sense, why he had been avoiding physical contact, k*ssing, or hugging me.

“Why did you come back?” He questioned, his voice shook with the pain that was slowly rising in his b*dy. “Leave quickly before it is too late,” his breathing was uneven and heavy.

My l*ps parted slightly to speak as I gazed at his sweaty forehead. He had been holding himself back with all his might, “Did you know that you were about to go into rut?” My voice was barely above a whisper as I locked eyes with him, “Is this why you suddenly let me go?”

His eyes changed slightly into a dark green, which was not a good sign at all. “Yes, but it has just started. Now quickly go and don’t return,” he looked away from me, trying to avoid inhaling my scent.

As he did so, my heart grew restless and I raised my hand to touch him, but I stopped myself in mid–air and yanked my hand back. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Would it have changed anything if I had?” He slowly lifted his gaze to look at me again. “Would you have agreed to help me with it if I had told you?” he asked, leaving the speechless.

I stared at him in surprise, his question stabbing at my heart. Would I really have agreed to help Reuben with this when I had hidden my heat from him, all to avoid having s*x with

him?

He glanced at my slightly red eyes and shaking hands. “Just go,” he said, smiling in a way that pained me to see.

“Then what about you?” I couldn’t help but ask.

“I’ll manage,” he murmured.

His answer stunned me. “How?”

There was no way a rut could be overcome without s*x, unless the wolf endured three to four days of physical pain that would render them bedridden.

“I have my ways,” he simply replied, but my eyes landed on the phone in his other hand, where I could still see messages popping up.

Ella’s earlier message asking if she could come to meet him crossed my mind, ripping my heart into an infinite number of pieces.

“So it’s like that. The way you’re talking is Ella, right?” I secretly clenched my fist as his brows furrowed.

“Ella?”

“Am I wrong?” I darkly chuckled as my heart burned, turning to ash at the thought of the two of them together, “She’s on her way to take care of you. That’s why you were rushing to get me out! You should have been honest with me, Reuben. I would have gladly left to give you and your fiancée privacy,” I snapped, rising from the ground to leave.

What the hell was I thinking coming back to check on him? I supposed that was my mistake. I shouldn’t have returned. That way, I wouldn’t have had to face such an ugly truth.

“WHAT THE F**K ARE YOU SAYING?!” he roared, grabbing my hand so that we stood face to face. “How many times do I have to tell you that there’s nothing between ELLA AND I! You are the only one that love. Why do you always have to bring another woman between us, Willow?” he demanded, his wolf attempting to break out as he momentarily overcame his rut and pain.

“Really? Am I really the one who brought another woman between us?!” I shrieked, shoving his hand away, “YOU ARE THE ONE WHO BROUGHT ANOTHER WOMAN BETWEEN US. REUBEN! THE SECOND YOU BROUGHT THAT ALPHA’S DAUGHTER BETWEEN

US SIX YEARS AGO!”

My words echoed throughout the house. I had finally spoken what I had kept hidden in my heart for years, suffering under its weight in silence. Everything fell silent between us as we stared into each other’s eyes.

“What Alpha’s daughter?” His voice was low, filled with confusion and a hidden anger, “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Don’t pretend to be innocent, Reuben. I know everything,” I chuckled manically, holding back my tears. “That day six years ago, when you brought an Alpha’s daughter back to the pack as your fiancée. I remember it clearly. She was so beautiful that you fell for her at first sight. You didn’t even consider telling me about your new interest in that woman, I had to hear it from others in the pack. It was that day, and then just like today, you will always choose your Alpha position over me. You betrayed me, used me to assuage your wolf and your desires, then discarded me when I had been knocked up by you…”

“Enough!” he growled, grabbing both of my arms tightly and pulling me closer to his chest. “I never f**king used you to keep my wolf happy! I never chose my Alpha position over you, and I sure as f**k never f**king had an Alpha’s daughter as a fiancée six years ago!” he yelled.

My eyes widened. He was still laying it on a bit thick. Did he take me for that much of a fool? I had enough.

“You are lying to me. I’m not falling for your bullshit again. You used to lie to me then disappear for weeks and months, just so that you could spend time with the Alpha’s daughter that you fell in love with at first sight. You were only furious over my pregnancy because of her. You betrayed me, Reuben…”

He stared at me in silence, his aura sharpening like the honed edge of blades, and his eyes

burning with anger. “I used to disappear for the sake of our future!” he stated, his voice

heavy and deep.

“For our future?”