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Chapter 14: The Vanishing Mark
Chapter 14: The Vanishing Mark
Melissa’s POV
After two weeks in the North, I felt increasingly at case with life.
Sebastian never asked anything unreasonable of me; he was not as tyrannical as the rumors suggested.
When I was by his side, we communicated little. His achievements in governance and public affairs impressed me greatly.
Whenever he was too preoccupied to consider my situation, he would arrange for his subordinates to bring me many books.
To our surprise, Kala and Martell had fallen in love, becoming the couple we all envied.
I secretly learned about those captured individuals from our pack; although they were subjected to forced labor, none faced harsh punishment or abuse.
This was entirely different from what we had learned about the lives of serfs in the North.
I even realized that if the Meadow could implement a similar system, it would yield positive results.
As I gazed out at the full moon, I suddenly realized I had not thought of Elliott at all.
For Courteney, my disappearance must have felt like a gift from fate, and the two of them should be eagerly awaiting the arrival of their little wolf cub in a few months.
Yet, despite that thought, a twinge of sadness lingered in my heart.
After all, the home I had longed for was something Courteney could easily attain.
Meanwhile, I found myself trapped among the dark Alphas, completely unable to decipher Sebastian’s thoughts.
As I lost myself in thought, Phoebe bounced into my room.
After she came to the north, she became much more lively.
“Hey, Melissa! I can’t sleep. Want to go for a stroll in the Glass Garden?”
Upon seeing my agreement, she quickly dashed off to find Kala.
I glanced at the rack of sexy dresses with a sense of resignation; wearing those clothes felt utterly boring. It seemed they were designed solely to please Sebastian. I picked a silk camisole dress at random and slipped on some flip–flops as I made my way to the garden.
This was our intended destination, and Phoebe would likely bring Kala along.
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Chapter 14: The Vanishing Mark
To my surprise, I encountered Sebastian and that dark–haired woman there.
Kala had mentioned her name was Lydia. She was Sebastian’s favorite woman, with whom he spent the most time sleeping with in his “harem.”
The unexpected intimacy between them seemed to confirm this fact.
The moment our eyes met, Lydia’s expression froze.
“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”
I attempted to case her wariness and disdain with a sincere explanation.
I immediately turned to leave, but Sebastian grasped my wrist, scrutinizing my appearance.
“Go back.”
He tilted his chin, signaling Lydia to exit the scene.
“Is this how you usually stroll around town?”
disheveled
His brow furrowed as he stared at me with a strange look in his eyes, as if pondering a perplexing riddle.
The faint scent of sandalwood wafting from him somehow provided me with a strange sense of comfort.
“I was just out for a walk with my sister because we couldn’t sleep.”
I replied calmly.
“Luna, I hope you pay attention to your attire and behavior; there are more than just women here.”
As I met his deep gaze, my heart raced unexpectedly, uncertain if it was from nervousness or shyness, a rosy flush creeping across my fair, delicate face.
“My name is Melissa Helberg; I hope you’ll call me that.”
“If it were any other woman, I might find her fierce and captivating, but with you acting so aggressive, are you hoping to spark my interest?” Sebastian remarked, excitement flickering in his eyes.
He pulled me into his embrace and then revealed his wolf fang, sinking it into the mark on my neck.
A broken, soft moan slipped from my lips.
“Your husband is incredibly stubborn; he even wrote me a letter. But those words seem foolish and laughable to me,” he whispered, releasing my neck.
Could Elliott do such a thing? Would an Alpha truly drag his own pack into danger? I
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Chapter 14: The Vanishing Mark
could hardly believe it.
“Listen, day or night, you are not to dress like this. Your only duty is to please me, to satisfy my gaze; you don’t need to provide for anyone else.”
His tone was serious, devoid of any hint o
hint of jest.
He draped his cloak over my shoulders, wrapping me tightly.
I couldn’t help but smile faintly, feeling both amused and resigned.
“What are you laughing at?” he asked, eyes narrowing.
“All those women are waiting for your attention; there’s no need to concern yourself with
- me.
I reached out to take off the cloak, but Sebastian stopped me.
“That’s none of your business.”
He tossed the words over his shoulder as he walked away, leaving me in a daze.
As we strolled, my mind was elsewhere, while Phoebe and Kala didn’t know what had happened.
After a few laps, we returned to the resting area.
Not far from my room, Lydia and her sisters glared at me with hostility.
The women of the harem didn’t seem particularly friendly, and I certainly shouldn’t compete with Lydia for his favor.
The girl standing beside her foolishly believed Lydia would help them attract the Alpha’s attention, which was why she chose to side with her.
“Melissa, you actually wore the Alpha’s cloak,” Lydia said, her tone tinged with reluctance.
“Sebastian just didn’t want me dressed so lightly, so he lent me this,” I explained.
Hearing my call and seeing me in these clothes, the women’s expressions darkened further.
Kala pulled Phoebe and me back to our room, seemingly determined to share something important.
“What? Elliott really did that? Courteney didn’t stop him?”
I couldn’t imagine him writing those words; it was nothing less than a blatant provocation!
“I didn’t expect it either. When Martell told me, he mocked you as a crazy couple. Courteney has been sent back to her–territory. It seems he’s serious about you.”
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Chapter 14: The Vanishing Mark “Could Elliott really be that domineering?”
fell on my mark as she hugged me tightly, offering comfort.
Phoebe’s gaze fell on my
Within days, I had developed a fever, lying in bed feeling utterly weak.
“Sebastian has been at the meadow for two days; I don’t know what’s happening, Kala said, noticing how quickly I had lost weight.
What was going on?
I felt as if I could sense the anguished cries of my pack.
Alongside that, I experienced a pain that tore through my body.
This agonizing suffering made me feel as though I was dying.
I had never felt so weak in my life.
Curled up
“Melissa!”
In my
in bed, I lost consciousness from the pain, only to be jolted awake again.
daze, Phoebe touched my neck.
“Your mark has disappeared.”
I struggled to sit up, looking at the mirror she handed me.
So this is what it felt like to be abandoned by an Alpha?
Staring at my smooth neck, I felt myself weaken and collapse to the floor.
From this moment on, I belonged nowhere, severed from the meadow entirely.
How I once longed for freedom, yet now my former lover had truly released me…
Memories of our tender moments flashed through my mind like a carousel, but I didn’t blame fate for any of it.
I hoped Sebastian wouldn’t hurt Elliott or Aaron; that was my only wish now.
“Please be safe,” I whispered, not knowing to whom my words were directed.
