Alpha Alec's Redemption by Kathy M

Chapter 232

Alec

The conference room was silent, the kind of silence that amplifies every thought, every heartbeat. Everyone had dispersed-Raven with the elders, Micah and Jason to rally the warriors. That left Sadie and me alone, the air between us thick with unspoken words and unresolved tension.

I stood by the window, pretending to be engrossed in the view, but my mind was a whirlwind. The bond between us pulsed, a constant reminder of what I yearned for but couldn't claim.

It coiled inside my chest, tightening with every breath I took. The approaching full moon intensified everything, making my senses sharper, my desires more insistent. I could feel it under my skin, stirring heat in my blood, making it harder to think. Harder to control myself. The pull between us thrummed like a live wire, sharp and electric.

I felt her presence behind me, her gaze burning into my back. She hadn't said anything since the others left, and neither had I. But the silence between us wasn't empty. It was thick with everything unspoken

The bond tugged at me, urging me to turn, to close the distance, to take what I so desperately wanted. But I couldn't. Not yet.

Knox growled low, restless, and needy. He wanted her-wanted to claim her, mark her, bind her to us. But I hadn't earned that yet. Not after everything I did. Not after the ways I failed her.

When I turned around, she was leaning against the edge of the table, her arms folded across her chest, eyes unreadable. The soft glow of the midday sun slipping through the window highlighted the tension in her posture and conflict in her eyes. It also painted her skin. Beautiful. Dangerous. Mine.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft but steady. Her eyes locking onto mine.

"No," I admitted, the word escaping before I could censor it. "Not even close."

The air between us pulsed. I took a step toward her then stopped. I couldn't trust myself right now.

She watched me, then stepped away, her movements deliberate, controlled. I saw the flicker in her eyes, the slight tremble in her fingers. She was fighting the same battle I was.

"I can feel it too," she said, voice quiet. "The full moon... the bond... it's louder. It's overwhelming."

My jaw clenched. I nodded, swallowing hard. “It's like a constant pull, a need that won't be silenced. It's driving me crazy."

"Me too."

and this time, she didn't move away. She watched

away. My fingers

I said, my voice rough. "I want to touch you, kiss

caught, but she didn't

I can't because I haven't earned the right. I haven't

the bond, not just because of this damn moon,

intensity of her gaze nearly brought me to

touch her almost unbearable. "I regret everything I did

living thing, pulsing with desire, regret, hope. I wanted to close the

back, the weight of my past

then stopped as

word. 'But we can change the

wanted to believe that's what she wanted to say, but

and burning, but the fire slowly cooled to something

away the ache in my heart. "Come on. Let's go

as we made our way back to the

colder as we descended the stone steps. The

said, stepping into the room. "We need

us, his expression guarded, his jaw tight. "I'm

escape? You're healed. You

chains by

for a long moment, then shrugged one shoulder. "Where would I go?

to comment and say Sadie's pack, but I

her head. "You don't strike me as someone who wants

"But I don't want

I'm not like the others. I don't want innocent blood on my hands and from what I've heard that's exactly what would have happened if I