Bernhard spat at Enzo, with a look of disgust in his eyes. I suddenly recalled what Bernhard had said
back at the execution platform.
That he was initially in love with my mother, but Alpha Michael got in the way because Bernhard was a
commoner and even broke his legs and kicked him out of the Pack.
No wonder Bernhard hated Enzo so much, as Enzo was also an Alpha.
Bernhard suddenly dashed towards me, dragging the shackles behind him. His eyes were bloodshot,
with many wounds on his body. “Andrea, he doesn’t really love you! You’re just a marriage partner to
him, a tool! Now that he knows you’re a Rogue’s daughter, do you think he’ll still want you?”
I trembled, and my legs went weak at that.
“Soon, he and his people will abandon you!” Bernhard said as he pointed at Enzo. “Just like how your
mother abandoned me!” It felt like someone had taken a hammer and slammed it into my heart. “My
mother abandoned you?” I couldn’t believe it. I thought they had separated because of Alpha Michael?
“Hmph! Your mother was a slut! She says she likes me, but instead of facing Alpha Michael together
with me, she left! She let them break my legs and expelled me from the Pack!
“Our blood runs in your veins. You and your mother are like dirt to these people, and I’m the same. He
is out of your league. Only a true Alpha’s daughter deserves to stand by his side.
“If you are smart enough to know your place, you’d be good and leave with me and give the Luna to
Alpha Michael’s daughter.” “Are you really her father?” Enzo said sternly. “Trash like you doesn’t
deserve to be Andrea’s father!”
Enzo paused for a beat, then continued, “If you’re truly her father, why are you speaking for Melissa?”
Bernhard’s eyes flickered for a moment, and he whispered, “I simply want her to be realistic.” “I think
you’re the one who needs to be realistic. Your life is in our hands. If you want to live on, you should
know not to go against me.” At that, Bernhard suddenly exploded, “Then kill me! Go ahead and kill
me!”
Enzo grabbed my shoulders, pulling me back a few steps so I wouldn’t get hurt by Bernhard’s outburst.
“Kill me! Go ahead and kill me in front of Andrea! Weakling! Do it! Coward! Do it! Trash!” Bernhard
furiously roared as though he had lost control of himself. Enzo frowned deeply. He was clearly
infuriated by Bernhard’s madness and was thinking about killing him.
I was terrified that with the way Bernhard was provoking Enzo, Enzo might really take his life right at
this moment.
Unexpectedly, after an intense wave of Alpha aura sweeping over me, Enzo grabbed my hand and led
me out of the dungeon.
He only released me till we couldn’t hear Bernhard’s voice anymore.
Enzo pinched the middle of his brow, pacing back and forth in front of me. After a few minutes, he
stopped and took a deep breath.
“Are… Are you okay?” I asked.
Enzo looked at me. Even though he collected himself well enough, I could see the glow of suppressed
menace in his eyes.
No one should challenge an Alpha’s authority, but Enzo had endured Bernhard’s insults for my sake.
Enzo gritted his teeth, his cheeks twitching. When he opened his eyes, all emtions had returned to his
usual gentleness.
“Andrea.” Enzo reached out and pressed down on my shoulder. “Do you believe I’m only with you
because it benefits me?”
“No. I trust you.” I said, then paused and continued whispering, “We’re mates, after all…”
Sensing the trace of disappointment in my words, Enzo blinked.
“You… don’t seem to wish that we’re mates.”
“T-that’s not… I… I just…”
I just didn’t want him to choose me because I was his mate. The body’s desire controlled the mate
bond, while the brain controlled “love”.
I wanted to with someone who wants me both physically and spiritually, not someone who’s purely
driven by the mate bond.
“Just what?” Enzo asked, unrelenting.
“Just…” I sighed heavily. The words were already on the tip of my tongue, yet I didn’t dare to say it.
“Don’t hide anything from me,” Enzo said, lifting his hand to curl around my neck. He gazed into my
eyes from above. “I think we need to be honest with each other.”
He wasn’t putting much pressure on my neck, but his eyes were seductive and captivating. It felt like
his voice had hooked on my very soul. I felt myself in a daze as I let the words pass my lips.
“If I wasn’t your mate, would you still love me?” Enzo was stunned. “You asked me the exact same
question before.”
I bit my lip and returned to my senses. “Yes, and you told me that hypothesis wasn’t valid. But -” I
stopped abruptly and clenched my fist. “That’s not the answer I wanted to hear.” Enzo released me,
then brought his hands up to rub at his temples.
My heart skipped a beat, and a sour taste filled the back of my throat. I wrinkled my nose trying to hold
back my tears and asked, “Is that really a hard question?”
1
If it troubled him so much, it just proved that he had chosen me only because I was his mate. He didn’t
really love me.
“…I know your answer. You don’t have to say anything else.”
The tears slipped out despite my best efforts, and my voice shook when I spoke. “What do you know?”
Enzo put down his hands. He shrugged, a defeated look on his face as he sighed and said, “So, that’s
why you’ve been holding a grudge against me?”
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