Alpha Alec's Redemption - Chapter 141: Chapter 141

Sadie.
Everything ached.
My limbs, my head, my heart.
Even with the quiet of the night, the silence wasn’t comforting—it was heavy. Like the world was holding its breath and waiting for something terrible to happen. And somehow, I was the only one who could feel it.
I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until I exhaled sharply. made my way to the bathroom. I padded toward the bathroom, stripping off my clothes along the way and letting them fall to the floor. I turned towards the mirror and it reflected a version of myself that barely felt like me—dark circles beneath my eyes, tension etched into my brow, my mouth a thin, tired line.
I turned away from my reflection and walked into the shower. The moment I turned on the shower and stepped beneath the stream of hot water, a sigh escaped me. I leaned against the tiled wall, eyes closing as the water rolled down my back, trying to wash away the weight of everything we had uncovered and ease the tension from my shoulders.
My thoughts tangled as I stood there, motionless.
What if we were wrong?
What if we weren’t wrong?
And if we weren’t… what kind of war were we actually about to face?
Thoughts of Xena and Kaden consumed me. Who would have known that coming to help Alec’s pack with the curse would reveal such a deep-rooted conspiracy? Nothing had prepared us for dealing with all these, yet we had no option. We can’t let Xena succeed in freeing Kaden. Something told me that if that happened, there would be nothing but chaos.
My mind then drifted to Nyx. My sweet, tough wolf. Nyx’s hatred and pain still lingered in my chest like a burn. That kind of rage doesn’t come from nowhere. It comes from betrayal. From loss. I wanted to help her. To be there for her. To be a pillar when she faces her past and those that betrayed her. Most importantly, I want to avenge her. To get justice for her.
I stayed in the shower until the water began to cool, and my fingers were pruney. I stayed until the heat sank into my bones and the weight in my chest didn’t feel too heavy. When I finally stepped out, I dried off, ran my fingers through my damp hair, and made my way into the closet. My fingers hovered over my clothes before settling on a soft pair of navy-blue pajamas. Comfortable, simple, familiar.
Exactly what I needed.
Aspen was already curled into a ball on my bed, her small chest rising and falling in the steady rhythm of sleep. I slipped in beside her, careful not to jostle her too much, and pulled her into my arms. She murmured something unintelligible in her sleep and pressed her head against my chest.
I leaned down and kissed her forehead. She was the one piece of peace I had left in this world.
A soft knock on the door made me lift my head.
It was then that I smelled him. Alec.
“Come in,” I said quietly, not wanting to wake Aspen.
The door creaked open, and Alec stepped in. His eyes flicked from me to Aspen, and the sheepish look on his face made my heart flutter in a way I absolutely did not want to acknowledge. His look changed for a moment to… uncertainty. Like he didn’t belong in the softness of my space, like something about this room made him hesitate.
I stared at him, not really sure what to say. There is just something about seeing one of the most feared alphas uncertain.
“I just wanted to say goodnight to Aspen,” he said, his voice low. “But I can see she’s already asleep.”
I nodded. “She had a long day.”
“So did you.”
There was a beat of silence. That silence always said more than either of us ever dared to.
“Mind if I kiss her goodnight?”
His voice was low, hesitant.
I nodded, unsure why my throat suddenly felt dry.
He walked over to the bed, his movements careful, and bent to press a gentle kiss to Aspen’s forehead. But when he straightened, he didn’t move away.
I should’ve looked away.
I didn’t.
The air between us shifted. Thinned
The scent of him hit me first—woodsy, warm, familiar. It curled around me like a memory I hadn’t asked for. It was everywhere. Rich and warm and unmistakably him. My heart beat a little too fast, my breath catching as the bond between us sparked awake. The pull was stronger now, more insistent. With my heat almost starting, there came a hunger that lived in my very bones. A craving I couldn’t fight, no matter how hard I tried.
It was worse at night. Worse under the soft glow of the moonlight. Worse when everything was quiet and the mask I wore all day finally cracked.
Alec’s eyes dropped to my lips for the briefest second and then back up to meet mine. I knew he felt it too. His jaw was clenched, his shoulders tight. The restraint was there, barely contained.
I didn’t move.
Neither did he.
He looked at me like he wanted something. No—needed something. And the truth I didn’t want to face was this: I wanted it too.
But it wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.
I could smell it on him—his desire. Knox clawed just beneath the surface, restless and wild. Then something shifted in his expression, and I knew—he could smell mine too.
I felt his restraint like a second heartbeat in the room. The way his fists clenched at his sides. The way his chest rose and fell a little too quickly
His nostrils flared, and his eyes darkened as he took a step back. “I’ll see you in the morning,” he said abruptly, voice rough. Then he turned and left the room with a low growl, shutting the door.
I exhaled sharply and stared at the door.
It was just lust, I told myself. Nothing more. The bond, the full moon, the stress—we were bound to be overwhelmed. It didn’t mean anything. I didn’t feel anything.
Except I did.
I groaned and buried my face in Aspen’s hair, desperate for the grounding comfort of her presence. My body was still buzzing, nerves alight and skin tingling. It was infuriating to have this pull towards someone who had shattered me more than once.
I turned over and stared at the ceiling, willing my body to relax, willing my mind to shut off.
Then, finally—finally—a familiar presence stirred inside me.
Nyx.
“You’re back,” I said softly through the bond.
“I am,” she replied. Her voice was quiet, tired. Almost fragile.
Where were you? I was tempted to ask, but I didn’t. I wasn’t going to nag her when it was clear she needed time to deal with her demons.
Instead, I asked, “Are you okay?”
“I will be,” she answered after a pause. “But it’s not easy, Sadie. I-I just need time.”
I nodded slowly. Like I said, I wasn’t going to push her—not tonight. She was raw. I could still feel her pain and heartache and it broke my heart knowing that she has carried all this pain alone. It destroys me knowing that she pushed her pain aside to help me deal with mine.
She was hurting, yet she was there for me every step of the way while I dealt with my own heartbreak. I simply can’t get over her selflessness.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not now,” she murmured. Again, I don’t push her.
“I didn’t know what you were going through back then when you were helping me with my own pain, but I do now and I swear to be there for her like she was for me.”
“Thank you, Sadie.” she gave me her signature wolfish smile and it hit me straight in the heart.
“I love you, Nyx.”
“Love you too, Sadie.”
“Tomorrow, we resume training. We have to be ready.” She told me after a beat of silence.
“Agreed.” This time I was going to take my training seriously, now that I know exactly what we are up against.
There was silence again. A soft, understanding silence. Then I found myself asking the one question that had been gnawing at me all day.
“Are they mates?” I asked, “Kaden and Xena?”
She didn’t answer right away. I could feel her pause. Feel her searching for the right words.
“Yes,” she said finally. “They are mated.”
I closed my eyes, letting the weight of that answer settle over me. There was something… hollow about it. Something that didn’t quite fit.
Before I could say anything, she added
“They are mated,” she said. “But they aren’t fated mates.”
The words struck like a blade. Somehow, that made it worse. Made it wrong.
Because being mated without being true mates is unheard of
A bond not forged by the goddess is unnatural.
My chest felt too tight. My thoughts spun. We cannot mark someone who isn’t our fated mate, so if they weren’t true mates, how are they mated?