hapter 78: The Alpha’s Demand

Chapter 78: The Alpha’s Demand

(Elena’s POV)

“Elena, who is it?” Patricia called from the kitchen.

I froze at the sound of my mother’s voice. Thest thing I needed was for her to see Marcus standing at our door. After Richard’s death, Patricia still harbored deep resentment toward the ckwood family.

If she saw Marcus now, her emotions bwould /bdefinitely spiral out of control.

“It’s a delivery, Mom. Till go out bfor /ba bit,” I called back, bmaking /bup an excuse as I grabbed Marcus’s arm and

pulled him away from the entrance.

bMarcus /ballowed me to drag him along without resistance. Hispliance surprised me, but I didn’t have time

to analyze his motives.

Once we were outside the ckthorne Family Courtyard, I released his hand and stepped ba

air felt cold against my heated skin.

“Marcus, what exactly do you want?” I demanded, my tone sharp with frustration.

e evening

Marcus remained unfazed by my hostility. His golden eyes studied my face with unsettling intensity.

“How long has it been since you returned to Moonhaven Estate?” he asked calmly.

I took a deep breath, trying to control my rising anger. “I want to stay with my mother.”

*Patricia could move in with us,” Marcus suggested, using the word ‘us‘ deliberately.

This was unusual for him. In six years of mating, he had never acknowledged any deep connection between ollius. The word ‘us‘ sounded foreigning from his lips. /li/ol

I stared at him in bewilderment. “Marcus, is your brain damaged?b” /b

A bitterugh escaped my throat. “You seem like a different person. Not the Alpha I know.”

Marcus stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “We’re still mates, Elena.”

“I’m going to sever our mate bond,” I retorted, backing away from his advancing form.

Marcus seized my wrist, his grip firm but not painful. “I won’t sign the separation papers if you’re eager to be

with Nathan.”

My blood turned to ice. The threat in his voice was unmistakable.

Marcus caressed the tear mole at the corner of my eye with his free hand. His touch was gentle, but his

words were anything but.

“Are you happy about the flowers I sent you?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

A chill ran down my spine. “Marcus, what do you mean?”

Instead of answering, hemanded, “Move back to Moonhaven Estate.”

“I’m not going back,” I said firmly.

Chapter 78 The Alpha’s D

Marcus’s expression darkened. The Elder ckthorne Couple have always wanted this houseb.” /b

The implication hit me like a physical blow. He was threatening to use Richard’s greedy rtives against us.

I struggled against his hold. “You’re trying to cut us offpletely!”

Marcus remained unmoved by my usation. “Move back, Elena.”

When I avoided his gaze, refusing to answer, Marcus tucked my hair behind my ear. The gesture revealed my facepletely to his scrutiny.

“I’ll hire a nanny and bodyguards for your mother,” he offered. “To protect her from the Elder ckthorne

Couple.”

Just as I was about to respond, Patricia’s voice drifted from binside /bthe house. “Elena? Where did you go?”

Panic shot through me. I instinctively pulled Marcus further from the courtyard, hiding him behind the stone wall that bordered our property.

Marcus stared intently at my face, captivated by my flustered appearance. His golden eyes darkened with

something I couldn’t identify

He tilted my chin up and kissed me deeply. The kiss was possessive, iming.

I trembled against him, resisting his advance. The fear that Patricia might hear or see us made my heart race

with terror.

Marcus sensed my suddenpliance born of desperation. He bended /bthe kiss, his breath warm against my

lips.

“Want me to sign the separation papers?” he murmured. “Move back”

I frowned, trying to see through his motives. His behavior tonight made no sense. Why was he suddenly

demanding my return?

He narrowed his eyes. “Are you unwilling?”

I brushed off his hand, my mind racing. “You better do as you say.”

Marcus nodded. “bYou /bshould return with me now.”

I pursed my lips, considering my options. Fighting him in court would be nearly impossible given the ckwood family’s influence throughout the Northern Territory.

1

I can go back, I conceded, turning away from his intense stare. “But I’ll stay with my mother first.”

When he frowned, I quickly added, “I’ll go back tonight.”

Marcus stared at me for a long moment before relenting “Okay. I want to see you before nine o’clock.”

I returned to the house, where Patricia had just finished preparing dinner. The familiar scents of home cooking filled the air.

“Where were you?” she asked, looking around. “I went outside but didn’t see you.”

avolded her gaze, guilt twisting in my stomach. “I was on a phone call. Almost walked into the wrong house

At the dinner table, I had no appetite. The food tasted like ash in my mouth.

“Mom, I might need to return to settle things with Marcus, bI /bsaid carefully. “We’re not separated yet

Charder 78 The Aplus D

INTERI

Patricia sensed my difort. Her weathered hand covered mineb. /b

“TIL be fine,” she assured me. “My only motivation is waiting for David to wake up.

I grasped her hand tightly. “I’ll wait with you.”

We smiled at each other, but the gesture felt hollow. Both of us knew I was lying

After eight bo’clock/b, I finally returned to Moonhaven Estate. The house felt even colder than before, like a

mausoleum

Under the amber glow of the crystal chandelier, Marcus sat on the leather sofa. He wore a ck silk robe, his

arm draped over the back, legs crossed elegantly.

He seemed to have been waiting for me for a long time.

Marcus nced at the antique clock on the wall. “You’re punctual.”

I stood there in silence, unsure what he expected from me.

Looking at my aloof eyes, as if I held ba /bdeep grudge against him, Marcus smiled. “Are you so willing to move back?”

I was confused, unable to understand his motives. “You didn’t seem eager to have me undese same roof

beforeb.” /b

Marcus’s smile faded. “Do you care about the past?”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I asked, “When will you sign the separation papers now that I’ve agreed to move back?”

He leaned back on the sofa, covering his face with his hand. “Depends on my mood.”

Frustration boiled over. As I turned to go to the Shadow Wing Guest Suite, intending to close the door behind me, Marcus blocked it with his body.

I recoiled in shock. “Marcus, what are you doing?”

“What do you think?” Marcus wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me effortlessly.

He carried me to the bed and kissed me with desperate hunger, I was terrified, pushing against his chest, trying to avoid his demanding lips.

“Marcus, I don’t want to! I don’t want to!” I cried out.

But remembering the painful experience when he was under the influence of Isabe’s aphrodisiac, I was surprised when he actually considered my feelings this time.

His voice was heavy with restraint. Seeing the fear in my tearful eyes, he kissed me more gently.

“I won’t hurt you,” he murmured against my skin.

Aware of the bpower /bimbnce between us, I knew I couldn’t escape. I bit my lip, enduring the gentle storm of his touch.

I even forgot the earlier events, forgot he was tainted by his rtionship with Sophia. In this extreme intimacy, he gave me the most passionate feeling, like ashes after being burned.

Marcus took me twice, not wanting to stop until I cried out from exhaustion. Only then did he restrain

Chante 7d The Alpha’s D.

himself.

He carried me to the bathroom to clean me, but I was dazed, without the strength to move a finger. Marcus carried me back to bed, standing beside it for a long while before leaving

He poured himself a ss of red wine, sitting at the bar in contemtive silence.

(Marcus ckwood’s POV)

Without the influence of alcohol or aphrodisiacs, I had taken her consciously I wondered why I had lost control sopletely.

Especially after learning that Nathan had publicly given her flowers, I had an extreme and terrible thought: to lock her up, to keep her away from everyone who might take her from me.

(Elena’s POV)

The next day, when I woke up, Marcus was gone. The madness of the night before seemed like a dream to ollime. But I knew it wasn’t. /li/ol

I suddenly remembered whether Marcus had used protectionst night. There were no con home, and it would probably be toote to buy them now.

ve pills at

I frowned, thinking that Marcus wouldn’t want me to get pregnant, so he probably used protection. But I still had to go to a healer to check, in case he had contracted any diseases while being with Sophia.

“Luna, are you up?” Catherine Hayes’s voice came from outside the Master Suite door.

I opened the door, and Catherine, wearing her usual apron, smiled when she saw the red marks on my neck.

“Alpha said you’re back. It seems like you and Alpha are reconciling.”

What reconciling? Last night, I only felt like I had been bitten by a dog.

I forced a smile. I’m back for a while.”

“Breakfast is ready,” Catherine said cheerfully.

“Thank byou/b.”

After finishing breakfast, I received a message from Adrian Whitmore. I readily epted his invitation.

A

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