Chapter 13

13

Rylan sat in the large wooden chair, surrounded by the elders of his pack. The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from the crackling fire in the stone hearth. Rylan could feel the tension in the room, the unspoken expectations that pressed down on him like a physical weight.

The elders were a mix of graying men and women. All had the weight of decades in their eyes. They watched him with expressions ranging from approval to concern.

"Alpha, we're glad you've found your fated mate. It's a blessing for the pack," one of the elder women began.

Her mate took up where she left off. "And it's good that the Sequoia wolves have agreed to release you from the arranged marriage and still keep the alliance intact."

There were murmurs of agreement around the room, nods and small smiles of approval. But Rylan knew what was coming next. The unspoken issue that had been weighing on him since he'd agreed to let Celine stay on as the interior designer for the new development.

"But"—another elder, a man with deep lines etched into his face, spoke up—"we must consider the pack's needs above all else. The Sequoia wolves are a strong ally, and Celine's role in the project helps solidify that bond. It would be unwise to press too hard to have her removed."

Rylan bristled at the implication. He understood the importance of the pack, of the alliance, but this was about more than politics. This was about Liza, his mate, the woman he had vowed to protect and support.

"Your mate will understand. She'll learn that in her new role, she must prioritize the pack's needs over her own, just as you have done your whole life."

The words struck a chord of unease within Rylan. Liza had already suffered through so much. Asking her to step aside in her own work for the sake of the pack felt wrong. But the elders were right—Rylan's role as Alpha came with responsibilities that couldn't be ignored. The tension within him coiled tighter, a knot of conflicting loyalties that he couldn't figure out how to untangle.

He was about to speak, to try and find a compromise, when the door to the room burst open with a force that startled everyone inside. Liza stomped in, her eyes blazing with anger, her cheeks flushed. The sudden disruption sent a ripple of shock through the elders, their murmured discussions falling silent as they turned to face the intruder.

"Rylan, I need to speak with you."

This was not the way Rylan had wanted her to confront the situation, especially not in front of the elders. He could already feel the disapproval emanating from the older wolves, their gazes shifting between him and Liza with a mixture of surprise and judgment.

"Is this her? Is this your mate?" asked the eldest woman of the pack, her gaze scrutinizing Liza with an unreadable expression. Well, unreadable for most. Rylan had known her all his life. That unreadable expression was clear to him: she was not impressed.

"Now is not a good time, Liza. We'll talk in private when we get home."

"I'm not so sure I have a home here, especially if I don't have a job anymore. Not since you gave it to the woman you were going to marry before you met me."

Gray and silver heads swung back and forth between the two. Rylan stood, his own emotions a storm of guilt, frustration, and concern. He could see the pain in Liza's eyes, the hurt that cut deeper than any wound, and it made his chest ache with a hollow, gnawing sensation.

"Liza," he began, his voice low, trying to keep calm in the face of her anger, "I was going to talk to you about this."

"Talk to me?" she echoed, her voice rising with incredulity. "You were going to talk to me after you'd already made the decision? After you'd already given away my job?"

The elders exchanged glances, their expressions mostly broadcasting disapproval. This wasn't just a private argument anymore; it was a spectacle, and Liza had just made a poor impression in front of the very people whose support she would need to lead beside him.

Rylan took a step toward her, his heart pounding with the need to make her understand, to explain himself in a way that wouldn't cause more damage. "Liza, this is about more than just us. The pack?—"

"The pack? Is that what this is about? Sacrificing everything for the pack, even me?"

Her words cut through him, sharp and cold. He had tried to balance his responsibilities as Alpha with his love for her. But now it seemed like everything was slipping through his fingers.

And then there were the elders. Their gazes hardened with each passing moment. He knew what they were thinking—that Liza was being unreasonable, that she didn't understand the weight of his responsibilities. But he also knew that this wasn't just about the pack's needs; it was about her feeling betrayed, feeling like she wasn't his priority.

He took another step toward her, reaching out to take her hand, but she pulled away, her eyes filled with a pain that made his heart twist. "I'm trying to do what's best for everyone."

Liza shook her head, tears glistening in her eyes. "What about what's best for your mate? Or do I not matter?"

The question hung in the air, heavy and damning, and for a moment, Rylan didn't know how to respond. He felt the eyes of the elders on him, waiting for him to say the right thing, to fix this mess he had created. But the words wouldn't come.

He was just tired. Tired of balancing everyone's expectations. Tired of sacrificing his own needs for the pack. And now, tired of feeling like he was failing the one person who was supposed to understand him. The one person who was supposed to be on his side.

"I knew it. I knew I wasn't truly your mate. I'm just an obligation to you, something you have to deal with."

The frustration, the exhaustion, the constant pressure—all of it boiled over. He couldn't hold it back any longer. "You're behaving like a child. Like a brat who thinks the world revolves around her."

Liza flinched at his tone, the hurt in her eyes deepening. Rylan felt a pang of regret, but the anger was still there, bubbling just beneath the surface.

"Everything can't revolve around you. I've been putting everyone's needs before my own for as long as I can remember. The pack, the alliance, and now you. Do you think this is easy for me?"

He stopped as the last words caught in his throat. He was just so worn down, so tired of fighting battles on every front. He wanted to reach out to her, to pull her close and tell her he was sorry. The exhaustion held him back, the anger still simmering in his chest.

Liza's eyes flickered with a mix of hurt and anger, and for a moment, he thought she might say something, might reach back out to him. But then she shook her head, her expression hardening, and took a step back.

"I guess I'll have to find a way to grow up then." Her voice was flat. The spark in her eyes dimmed as she turned away from him.

"Liza," Rylan called after her, but she didn't stop, didn't even look back as she stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind her with a finality that echoed in the silence.