Chapter 9 Leaving the Blackthorn pack

XIMENA

"No!"

The word escaped before I could stop it. Panic seized my chest so violently that I forgot who I was speaking to. "I... I can't go with you. I—"

The Supreme Alpha looked at me without a hint of emotion. "You seem to be under the impression," he interrupted, his voice calm enough to send a chill down my spine, "that this is a negotiation."

The words died in my throat. “Please…”

He turned his back to me, and just like that, as though the conversation had never happened, he walked toward the door with the same steady stride he'd always had.

Every step echoed through the room. I remained exactly where I was. Maybe… Maybe if I stayed here—

He stopped. Without turning around, he spoke. "If I have to tell you twice..." His voice was dangerously quiet.

He didn’t complete his words; he didn’t need to. Every ounce of hope I'd been clinging to disappeared. Slowly, I forced my legs to move. He opened the door and stepped into the hallway. I trailed several feet behind, careful not to get too close.

The silence between us was unbearable. Neither of us spoke as we descended the staircase and walked through the guest residence. The moment we stepped outside, I froze.

Three black SUVs waited in the courtyard.

Their glossy paint reflected the morning sun while several men dressed in black stood nearby, alert and expressionless. They weren't ordinary guards. Even I could tell that. The air around them carried the same quiet confidence as the man walking beside me.

The courtyard had filled with people. Servants stood near the main building pretending to work while stealing glances toward me. Warriors lingered nearby, openly watching. However, unlike before, they didn’t dare whisper anything. 

My stomach twisted. This was really happening. A familiar voice interrupted my thoughts. "Everything has been prepared, Supreme Alpha." I looked toward the speaker.

Father. He stood several feet away with Mother beside him. The Supreme Alpha gave a single nod. Nothing more.

Safe travels, Supreme Alpha." Father stepped back immediately. Not another word was spoken. I looked at him. Surely...

Surely he would say something. Anything. He couldn’t let this man take me away. It was as though I wasn't even standing there. The ache that settled inside my chest felt strangely familiar. Beside him, Mother refused to acknowledge my existence altogether.

The Supreme Alpha climbed into the waiting SUV without so much as glancing back. The door remained open. Everyone waited, their gazes turned to me. 

There were two other cars; why did I have to go in the same car as him?

My legs felt strangely numb as I walked toward the vehicle. I hesitated beside the open door. Inside, the Supreme Alpha sat by the window. One arm rested casually against the leather seat while his gaze remained fixed outside, as though I wasn't worth acknowledging.

He didn't even look at me. "Get in." The order was quiet yet firm. My trembling fingers tightened around the edge of the door. Then, with no other choice...

I climbed into the SUV. The door shut behind me with a heavy click, and I winced. A second later, the remaining doors closed almost in perfect unison. The convoy began to move. I stared through the tinted window as the Blackthorn Pack slowly disappeared behind us.

I kept waiting—waiting for Father to change his mind. Waiting for someone… anyone… to stop us. No one did.

I had spent years dreaming of escaping the Blackthorn Pack. I never imagined I'd miss it the moment I left.