Chapter 56

The crisp autumn air carried the scent of fallen leaves as Lillian stepped onto the campus quad. Her fingers tightened around the strap of her backpack, the weight of her textbooks grounding her. She had barely slept last night, her mind replaying the confrontation with Donovan in the library. The way his new mate, Evelyn, had smirked at her still burned in her memory.

Beatrice caught up with her, breathless. "You look like you've been wrestling with a ghost," she teased, nudging Lillian's shoulder.

Lillian forced a smile. "Just tired."

Beatrice's expression softened. "Don't let them get to you. Donovan's an idiot, and Evelyn's just—"

"Pathetic?" Lillian supplied dryly.

"Exactly." Beatrice grinned. "Besides, you have bigger things to worry about. Like Professor Sinclair's pop quiz today."

Lillian groaned. "I completely forgot."

As they hurried toward the lecture hall, Lillian's phone buzzed. A message from Sebastian Blackwood lit up the screen:

"Meet me at the pack house after your last class. We need to talk."

Her pulse quickened. Sebastian had been distant since the incident at the gala, his usual warmth replaced with clipped words and guarded glances. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

The pack house loomed ahead, its grand facade bathed in the golden light of sunset. Lillian hesitated at the gate, her stomach twisting into knots. She hadn't seen Oliver since he'd stormed out of the dining room last week, furious over her refusal to attend his school play.

Theodore Whitmore greeted her at the door, his usual composed demeanor tinged with unease. "Miss Lillian," he said quietly. "Alpha Blackwood is waiting for you in his study."

She nodded, her throat tight. The house felt eerily silent, the usual hum of activity absent. Even Giselle, the head maid, was nowhere in sight.

Sebastian stood by the window when she entered, his broad shoulders tense. He turned, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. "Sit down."

Lillian obeyed, her fingers curling into the arms of the chair. "What's going on?"

He exhaled sharply. "There's been a development with the Winslows."

Her breath hitched. The Winslows—Donovan's family—had been silent since their failed attempt to pressure her into breaking the mate bond.

Sebastian continued, his voice low. "Reginald Winslow has been making moves against my business interests. And Donovan..." He paused, jaw tightening. "He's been spreading rumors about you."

Lillian's nails dug into the leather. "What kind of rumors?"

"That you're unstable. That you manipulated the mate bond to trap me." His eyes darkened. "He's trying to discredit you before the council."

The room spun. If the council believed Donovan, they could dissolve her bond with Sebastian—or worse, declare her a rogue.

Sebastian stepped closer, his hand brushing hers. "I won't let that happen."

She wanted to believe him. But the doubt in his eyes told her even he wasn't sure they could win this fight.

That night, Lillian lay awake, staring at the ceiling. The Winslows had power, connections. And she was just a college student with a fractured past.

Her phone buzzed again. An unknown number.

"Meet me tomorrow. Midnight. The old oak near the eastern border. Come alone."

Her heart pounded. Who—?

Then, a second message:

"I know what really happened the night your mother disappeared."

The screen blurred as tears welled in her eyes.

This wasn't just about the bond anymore.

Someone was playing a dangerous game.

And she was the pawn.

"Return the favor?" My voice trembled as my stomach twisted into knots. "What do you mean?"

Donovan straightened, his posture rigid, the warmth from earlier vanishing like smoke. His icy glare sent shivers through me. Instinctively, I stepped back, putting distance between us.

"You know exactly what I mean, Lillian," he said, his brows knitting together. "I want you as my mistress. Do this for me, and I’ll ensure your mother’s safety and have your father back by dawn."

My heart shattered. This was the man I had once loved more than life itself. The man I would have done anything for. Now, staring into his cold, unfamiliar eyes, I saw only a stranger. His lips pressed into a thin, cruel line.

No matter how many times he said it, I couldn’t believe it. He wanted me—his fated mate—to be his dirty little secret while he married another woman. A woman who didn’t deserve this. Victoria was kind, gentle, and clearly adored Donovan. The thought of her loving my mate twisted my insides, but I understood. The heart wants what it wants. And hers wanted him.

"How can you ask this of me?" My whisper barely carried. "Did those two years mean nothing to you?"

For a fleeting second, his expression softened.

"Of course they did," he murmured, closing the gap between us. "That’s why I can’t let you go. You’re mine, Lillian. My mate. And I’ll have you—one way or another. Wouldn’t you rather be with me in secret than not at all?" His voice dropped. "Think of your wolf. Do you want to end up like your mother?"

My wolf had been eerily silent this entire time, but I felt her pain, her conflict. She didn’t want to be his mistress—but she also couldn’t bear to let him go.

"And your wolf is fine with this?" I challenged, narrowing my eyes. "Making his mate a mistress?"

Donovan shrugged, unfazed.

"He understands what must be done. That’s what makes an Alpha."

"You’re not an Alpha yet," I muttered.

"I have the blood. The instincts. And soon, thanks to Victoria, I’ll have the title."

I scoffed. "You disgust me."

A smirk curled his lips as he took another step, nearly pressing against me. Exhaustion weighed me down, his words like chains dragging me into the dirt.

The only thing left was the bitter taste of betrayal.

All I could do was stand frozen in place, my gaze locked onto his towering figure as I fought back the tears threatening to spill.

"We've always been perfect together, Lillian. Don't ruin us just because you're too stubborn to see what must be done," Donovan murmured, his voice dangerously low as he lifted a hand to brush his fingers against my cheek.

The moment his skin grazed mine, it felt like acid searing through my flesh. I jerked away from him, my eyes blazing with fury. How dare he put me in this position? Using my mother's suffering as leverage to manipulate me—it was despicable. I would never forgive him for what he'd done to me and my family.

My fists clenched at my sides as I took a deliberate step back, putting distance between us.

"Don't you dare touch me," I hissed through gritted teeth. "You lost that right the moment you betrayed me!"

"You belong to me, Lillian!" he snarled, lunging forward to seize my wrist, but I twisted away before he could make contact.

"Correction—I used to belong to you," I spat. "You forfeited every claim the second you chose another woman. The second you got down on one knee and proposed to her right in front of me. You didn’t even have the decency to tell me, Donovan. You let me find out in the worst possible way, and I will never forget that. Not just what you did to me—but to my family. I may not have proof, but I know you had a hand in my father’s business collapsing."

A smug smirk curled his lips as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Exactly—you can’t prove it," he taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance. "It’s your word against mine. And guess who everyone will believe?"

Just then, his phone buzzed insistently in his pocket. It wasn’t the first time tonight—whoever was calling clearly wasn’t giving up.

With an irritated sigh, he yanked the phone out, scowling at the screen. I half-expected him to finally answer, given how persistent the caller was.

But he didn’t.

And that silence between us felt heavier than ever.