Submission Is Not My Style - Chapter 89: Chapter 89

My gaze drifts from the window, drawn by something or someone. Fury.
He’s too quiet. His broad shoulders are tense, arms crossed, brows furrowed as if wrestling with thoughts only he can hear. His body is here… but his mind? It’s clearly somewhere else.
“Fury?” I ask gently, stepping out of Jack’s embrace. “Are you alright?”
Jack’s arm drops from around my waist, but not before I feel the subtle shift in his body—the quiet tension he thinks no one notices.
Fury finally turns, his eyes flicking to Jack before settling on me. “Luna,” he says, his voice steady but slightly off. “Can I talk to you for a moment? Outside. We won’t go far.”
It isn’t a question—it’s something he’s been holding in for too long, and now it needs to be said.
Jack scoffs, the sound low and warning. I can practically hear the territorial edge in it. Still, he shrugs and says, “Yeah, you’re both free to go. Kali’s the danger here—so I’m not worried.”
I laugh softly, reaching back to slap his chest playfully. “Easy, Alpha. I’ll be right back.”
He catches my wrist, pressing a kiss to my knuckles before releasing me. I follow Fury out the door.
The air outside is crisp and cool as we walk just a few steps away from the house. Even now, I can feel Jack’s presence like a shadow clinging to my back.
“You seem… off,” I begin, breaking the silence. I tilt my head, carefully choosing my words.“A lot has happened… and even if you’re trying to hide it— is it because of her? Lady Celestia?”
His nostrils flare slightly as he stares into the trees, lips pressed into a firm line.
“I mean,” I continue gently, “you can still smell her, right? Even after she rejected you… even though the bond’s broken. Is she still affecting you?”
He lets out a sharp scoff, turning to look me in the eye. “I swear on my life, Kali—I don’t and never gave a fuck about her. Not for a moment.”
And I believe him.
“So then… what is it?” I narrow my eyes at him, watching the tension that still coils in his shoulders. “Wait. Fury… are you still intimidated by my wolf?”
His brows lift slightly.
“I knew it!” I laugh softly. “That shocked look on your face before I disappeared into thin air? Right before all hell broke loose? Yeah, this is the first time we’re talking since then. I bet you’ve got a lot to say.”
“Well,” he exhales, a crooked smile pulling at the corner of his mouth, “you’re not far from the truth."
I raise a brow. “Do tell.”
Fury pauses, running a hand through his dark hair, the moonlight catching in the sharp angles of his face.
“It makes sense now,” he says slowly. “The fact that you’re the Alpha King’s daughter. It all makes sense.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, genuinely curious.
He hesitates, then looks at me fully. “Ever since I met you… I’ve been having these weird dreams. Dreams of a palace. A huge one, with golden banners and marble halls. And there’s this little girl—playing with me in the sand.”
My eyes widen in disbelief. He’s been having the same dreams as me?
He keeps going, his voice lowering, thick with memory. “They kept happening. For weeks. Months. The same dreams, over and over. And then today… I woke up and remembered everything. Like someone took the fog off my brain.”
I stare at him, breath caught in my throat.
"Do you remember a boy named Tom?”
My hand flies to my mouth. “Don’t—don’t tell me…” My voice breaks.
He nods once, slowly. “Yeah. I’m Tom.”
Tears sting my eyes before I can stop them. “M… that’s what you used to call me…” I whisper.
He steps closer, and I throw my arms around him, crushing him to me.
“I can’t believe it,” I sob against his shoulder. “I can’t believe you’re Tom. It makes so much sense now… why I always felt safe around you. Why I could tell you anything. Why it felt like I’d known you forever.”
“I know.” His voice is thick, his hand gently rubbing my back. “It was weird at first. Feeling so connected to you when you were Jack’s mate. But now? Now it all makes sense. Fate brought us back together. Not the way we expected… but still."
We stay like that for a while, wrapped in the warmth of a shared past, until—
Grrrrr.
A low, territorial growl vibrates from somewhere behind us.
I sigh and roll my eyes. “Really, Jack?”
Fury chuckles. “Someone’s jealous.”
“He probably has his ear pressed against a tree,” I mutter, laughing.
We finally pull back, and I swipe the tears from my cheeks. I take a good look at him now—his height, his broad shoulders, the way his hair falls into his eyes.
“Damn,” I say with a soft laugh. “You’ve changed. I never would’ve recognized you. You’re… huge.”
He grins. “You too. Except, you know, your glow-up is mildly terrifying.”
“Remember when we chased that rabbit near the west garden and you fell face-first into the mud?” I tease.
Fury groans. “Gods, don’t remind me.”
“Oh, I’m going to bring it up every chance I get, little warrior.”
We’re still laughing when his expression suddenly falters, and silence settles between us.
“I’m sorry,” he says softly.
My smile fades. “For what?”
“For not protecting you back then. For breaking that promise. And now too…”
“Hey,” I whisper, gripping his arm. “You were a kid. We both were. And now? Now you’re here. You’ve protected me in more ways than I can count. That’s more than enough, Tom.”
His jaw ticks, and something burns behind his eyes. I try to lighten the mood, nudging his side playfully.
“So… should I start calling you Tom again? Or stick with Fury?”
But he doesn’t smile as he shakes his head slowly. “I was born to protect you, Kali. Little or not. That was always my purpose. That’s why I ended up a warrior. It wasn’t a coincidence—it was fate. The moment I saw you again, even without the memories, something in me knew you were mine to guard. And I still failed—past and present. But this time…”
His voice breaks a little, and he swallows hard before continuing.
“This time, I won’t. Even if it costs me my life.”
“No,” I breathe, but he lifts a hand, stopping me.
“Promise me,” he says firmly. “If a moment comes where I have to protect you, and it costs me everything… promise me you won’t cry much. Or stop me.”
I blink, fighting the sting behind my eyes. “That’s a cruel promise, Fury.” I whisper. “And I can’t promise I won’t cry.”
His expression softens at last, and he exhales quietly.
“You really did grow into the great warrior,” I say gently. “Didn’t you?”
“Yes,” he murmurs. “And just like the promise we made as kids, I’ll protect you forever.”
I sigh. “It’s kind of sad, though… you would’ve made the perfect Alpha of the Blood Fang Pack. Especially now that Jack has stepped down.”
Fury chuckles under his breath. “I don’t see myself as an Alpha. That was never my dream. All I’ve ever wanted is to be your sword and shield. Your personal warrior. That’s who I was born to be.”
I smile, placing my hand over his heart. “Never say never, Fury.”
He shrugs, a ghost of a smile on his lips. “You’ve always been the dreamer, M.”
We turn and head back toward the house. Inside, Jasmine is curled up on the couch, fast asleep. Her chest rises and falls softly, her face finally peaceful.
“She looks so light,” I murmur. “So fragile.”
“She is,” Fury says gently, stepping over. “She’s human now… there’s not enough energy in her body to sustain much.”
He bends and lifts her easily into his arms, cradling her like she weighs nothing.
Jack walks over and claps Fury on the back. “Thank you. For looking after her.”
Fury nods. “Always.”
He heads out the door, Jasmine nestled in his arms—probably taking her to her treehouse, where she always feels most at peace.
As soon as the door clicks shut, I turn to Jack. “So… Fury is Tom.”
Jack’s head jerks toward me. “Tom?”
I grin. “My childhood best friend. He was supposed to be my personal bodyguard.”
His brow furrows. “Well… that’s an unexpected twist.”
“Yes,” I say quickly, grinning wider. “I still can’t believe fate brought us back together.”
Jack groans, stalking toward me like a storm. “Alright, that’s enough talk about another man.”
He yanks me toward him, capturing my mouth in a hard, possessive kiss. I laugh against his lips, letting him claim me, his hands fisting in my hair.
But just as things heat up—
Knock. Knock.
Jack groans. “You have got to be kidding me.”
I giggle, biting my lip.
He pulls away, irritated. “Who the fuck is it this time? Can I not catch a breath with my mate without being cockblocked by fate?”
I follow him to the door, heart still racing from the kiss.
There’s no one on the porch. Just a single envelope lying neatly on the step, sealed in red wax with the unmistakable royal crest.
Jack bends, picks it up, and glares at it like it personally offended him.
“What the hell now?” he mutters.
I step beside him, and he rips it open.
The heading reads: A Royal Invitation from the Alpha King and Queen.
Jack growls low in his throat. “No. Absolutely not. I’m not stepping foot in that cursed palace this soon. I don’t care if they’re summoning demons—I’m not going.”
I fold my arms, watching him.
“We’ll go,” I say firmly.
Jack’s eyes snap to mine. “What?”
“Accept it,” I repeat. “We’re going.”
He stares at me like I’ve grown a second head. “Kali…”
“I’ve run long enough,” I say quietly. “It’s time to stop. Time to face the people who gave me life and then left me to die.”
“You’re ready to see your father? And mother?” he asks, his voice softer now, more careful.
I nod. “I have to be. No more running. No more hiding. If they want to meet their daughter…”
My jaw hardens.
“…they’re going to meet the woman I’ve become.”
Jack reaches out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Then I’ll walk beside you,” he whispers. “All the way to the throne.”