5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Bane

I drive aimlessly, my hands gripping the wheel so tight my knuckles ache. The mate bond is gone, but it feels like it’s taking my chest with it, like something vital has been torn from me, leaving nothing but a gaping wound.

I can’t go back to the mansion. Not yet. The walls will feel like they’re closing in, suffocating me with her scent still lingering in the air. Instead, I keep driving until I find myself at the edge of the lake, the one hidden by the forest where no one ever comes.

I kill the engine, but I don’t get out of the car immediately. I just sit there, staring at the water, my chest heaving like I’ve run miles. I should feel relief, shouldn’t I? I did the right thing. She’s safer this way. I keep telling myself that.

But it doesn’t stop the ache.

After what feels like an eternity, I get out of the car and walk to the edge of the lake. The stillness of the water mocks me. I sit on a rock and press my hand to my chest, trying to steady the storm inside me.

I shouldn’t feel this way.

I can’t feel this way.

“Vittorio,” I whisper his name, bitterness coating my tongue. My jaw clenches as the memories surface, memories I’ve tried to bury but never could.

Vittorio. The man who destroyed my family. The man who killed my sister.

I close my eyes, the image of Alessia’s face flashing in my mind—her smile, her laughter, the light in her eyes before it was snuffed out. Vittorio had been her mate, but he rejected her like she was nothing. Like their bond meant nothing.

And Alessia… she couldn’t take it.

She had been too soft, too fragile for the cruelty of a man like him. She ended her life because of him. And now, every time I look at Aria, I see the same vulnerability, the same pain waiting to be unleashed.

I couldn’t let history repeat itself.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, dragging me from the spiral of my thoughts. I pull it out and see Rook’s name flashing on the screen. With a deep breath, I answer.

“Did you take her back?” My voice is hoarse, strained.

“Yes,” Rook replies, his tone cautious. “She’s at the hotel. Safe.”

I exhale, the tightness in my chest easing just a fraction. “Good. Make sure she doesn’t have any trouble checking out. I don’t want anyone from our side near her again.”

“You really think this is going to solve anything?” Rook asks, his voice sharp. “You think cutting her off like this is going to make her forget? She’s human, Bane. You rejected her bond. Do you have any idea how much pain that causes someone like her?”

“I know,” I snap, the guilt curling around my words like a noose. “You think I don’t know what this does to her? You think I don’t feel it too?”

Rook is silent for a moment, and then his tone softens. “Then why do it? Why push her away?”

“Because I don’t have a choice,” I say, my voice breaking. “She’s better off hating me. If Vittorio finds out about her, he’ll use her against me. The way he used Alessia.”

“Alessia’s gone, Bane,” Rook says quietly. “This isn’t the same.”

“It’s exactly the same!” I stand, my voice echoing over the lake. “Do you know what it’s like to watch someone you love fall apart? To watch them destroy themselves because of a bond that someone else didn’t want. I can’t—I won’t let that happen again.”

Rook doesn’t respond immediately, and I run a hand through my hair, trying to calm the rage boiling inside me.

“She’s stronger than you think,” Rook says finally. “And she deserves the truth, not this bullshit martyr act you’re pulling.”

I close my eyes, the weight of his words sinking in. “It’s done, Rook. Just… make sure she stays safe.”

“Fine,” Rook says, his tone clipped. “But don’t think for a second this is over. Bonds don’t just disappear, Bane. You can’t run from this forever.”

“I’m not running,” I say, my voice hollow. “I’m protecting her.”

Rook sighs, but he doesn’t argue. “I’ll keep an eye on her, make sure she’s okay.”

“Thanks,” I say, and then I hang up, not waiting for a response.

I stare at the water for a long time as Rook’s words replay in my head, but I shove them aside.

I made my choice.

And even if it breaks me, I’ll live with it.

The drive back to the park house does little to calm me. My wolf is pacing inside me, restless, agitated, and snarling at the edge of my control. By the time I storm through the doors, the tension in my chest feels like it’s about to explode.

The guards in the foyer snap to attention as I pass, but I don’t acknowledge them. My eyes catch a younger guard leaning against the wall, his weapon slung casually over his shoulder as he chats with another.

“Do you think this is a goddamn vacation?” I bark, my voice slicing through the air like a whip.

The guard stiffens, scrambling to stand at attention. “N-no, Alpha! I was just—”

“You were just slacking off while the rest of us actually do our jobs!” I growl, taking a step toward him. “Do you understand what’s at stake here? What happens if someone gets in because you’re too busy running your mouth?”

“I’m sorry, Alpha!” He stammers, his face pale.

“Sorry doesn’t fix a bullet in someone’s chest,” I snap, shoving past him.

I stride into the main hall, my eyes scanning the space for any sign of something—anything—that isn’t perfect. My patience is nonexistent. A guard moves too slowly to open the door for me, and I glare at him.

“Do I need to teach you how to use a damn handle, or can you manage that much on your own?” I snarl.

The room falls silent, the air thick with tension as everyone scrambles to stay out of my way.

But it’s not enough.

The boiling rage inside me doesn’t subside.

A commotion at the gate catches my attention, and I storm outside to find a guard fumbling with his weapon, his movements panicked and clumsy.

“What the hell is going on?” I demand.

“Alpha, I—I thought I saw something, but it was just—”

“You thought you saw something?” I interrupt, my voice rising. “And instead of calling for backup or following protocol, you almost shot one of your own!”

The guard swallows hard, his hands trembling.

“That’s it,” I growl. My fist connects with his jaw before I can stop myself, sending him sprawling to the ground. “If you can’t handle the responsibility of this job, you shouldn’t be here!”

“Bane!” Rook’s voice cuts through the chaos as he steps between me and the guard, his hand on my chest. “That’s enough.”

“Move,” I snap, glaring at him.

“No,” Rook says firmly, his eyes locking with mine. “You’ve made your point. Let him go.”

My chest heaves, my wolf snarling to assert dominance. “Are you seriously defending him, Rook?”

“I’m not defending anyone,” Rook replies, his voice calm but unwavering. “But this? This isn’t you, Bane. You’re not thinking straight.”

I step closer to him, my fists clenched at my sides. “I’m the Alpha. You don’t tell me what to do.”

“And I’m your Beta,” Rook says, his tone firm. “It’s my job to make sure you don’t tear down everything you’ve built because you’re too blinded by anger to see straight.”

My eyes narrow. “You think you’re in charge now? That you can lecture me?”

“No,” Rook says, his voice steady. “I’m reminding you who you are. You’re the Alpha, Bane. Start acting like it.”

The words hit like a punch to the gut, and before I can stop myself, I throw a punch at him.

Rook catches my fist with ease, his grip like iron. “You want to fight me, Bane? Fine. Let’s get it out of your system.”

I pull back and swing again, but Rook ducks, his movements controlled and deliberate. He doesn’t strike back, but he doesn’t back down either.

The fight is messy, raw, and fueled by everything I’ve been bottling up. Rook takes every blow I throw at him, deflecting and countering just enough to keep me on edge without escalating.

“Come on, Bane,” Rook says, dodging another punch. “Is this all you’ve got? Let it out!”

I growl, my movements becoming more erratic as the anger boils over. But Rook is unshakable, meeting me head-on with the same calm that’s always made him my closest ally.

Finally, I swing wide, and he steps in, grabbing my arm and twisting it behind my back.

“Enough,” Rook says, his voice low but commanding.

I breathe heavily, the fight draining out of me as I sag against his hold.

“Are you done?” Rook asks, his grip loosening.

I nod, my head hanging low.

Rook releases me and steps back, his eyes searching mine. “Feel better now? Got the tension out of your system?”

I don’t answer, my chest still heaving as I struggle to find my footing.