Chapter 0210

Valeria confirmed everything Sebastian said was true. He genuinely wants to fix things. He doesn’t kill without reason. And she’s right—he’s an Alpha. The weight he’s carried for years isn’t something I can just dismiss. I’ve seen firsthand how brutal our world can be, how ruthless the supernatural factions are. I want the vampires gone just as much as he does. After years of fear, I deserve safety too. So why am I holding him to a standard I wouldn’t even follow myself?

"And we’re his Guardian."

"What does that even mean, Valeria?"

"A Guardian is bound to protect an Alpha. The cycle of power shifts with the Guardian’s life. Sebastian and Dorian being our mates ties us to them. We can’t walk away. It’s our fate."

"So even if I hate it, I’m stuck with him?"

"You don’t have to accept the bond, but yes, we’re linked to them for life."

Fantastic. Looks like I need to figure out how to coexist with him.

After my shower, I dress and head to his room, knocking lightly. The door swings open instantly, and his gaze locks onto me.

"Ready?" he asks. I nod.

Downstairs, the pack members keep their distance, unlike before when they’d swarm him.

"Why is everyone avoiding you?" I ask as we walk to the car.

He lifts me into the passenger seat effortlessly. "I told them to back off. Right now, you’re my priority. They can wait."

I frown as he slides into the driver’s seat. "But they’re your pack. They need you."

He turns, intensity burning in his eyes. "And I need you. More than you realize. More than I’m willing to admit." The engine roars to life. "Nathaniel’s handling anything urgent." His fingers twitch against the wheel. "Shopping first, or are you hungry?"

"Shopping’s fine."

Music fills the car as we pull out. The melody isn’t angry like before—it’s lighter, almost like absolution. Strange.

"I wasn’t going to jump," I say suddenly.

His grip tightens on the wheel. "You were at the edge. You said you’d rather die than be with a monster."

"I was looking for a way down. I thought I could make it to Blackthorn before your wolves caught me. But Dorian’s fast."

"Adrenaline," he mutters.

"I just didn’t want you thinking I’d hurt Valeria like that. I just got her back."

He changes the subject abruptly. "How was training with Gregory?"

I notice his restless hand and exhale. Fine. I’ll give him this. I place my palm up on his thigh.

His reaction is instant. His fingers intertwine with mine, and the tension in his jaw eases.

"He really does care," Valeria murmurs in my mind.

She’s right. Today has shaken him more than I realized.