Chapter 6 When Submission Replaces Pride

Drake remained there, motionless. His wolf shifted uneasily beneath his skin, moving back and forth, disturbed. He gazed at Elena’s innocent little face, Words fluttered behind her lips, unheard and unseen. His throat burned with tightening fear. His wolf snarled softly, prompting him to halt her, to speak up, whatever it might be. However, ultimately, he uttered nothing.

“Goodbye.” Elena’s voice trembled, but she forced herself to meet his golden eyes. She turned, her spine straight, but her steps heavy as stones.

Goodbye to her youth.

Farewell, Drake.

Her fragrance remained in the atmosphere. It gripped Drake’s awareness like a test he couldn’t ignore.

A slow constriction bound his chest, thick with unease. He faltered, steadying himself with a firm hand to his side, as if touch could chase the pain.

Ezra remained several steps away, his wolf calmed.

He watched his Beta crumble silently. “Never did I believe you two would carry it this far.” He spoke under his breath, the breeze scattering his voice like ash.

Drake said nothing. He kept his eyes locked on Elena’s retreating figure, watching until it slipped beyond view.

She sat frozen, the hard bus seat offering no comfort beneath her, emotion drained from her face, her stare pinned to the divorce papers fluttering between unsteady fingers. The movement of the bus and the hum of conversation slipped past her unnoticed.

Her wolf whined deep inside, lost and confused.

How did it come to this?

She could still hear Drake’s voice from years ago. Drake's birthday wishes whispered in the dark of their den.

First wish: let’s get our marriage certificate.

Second: pups by the time I’m 26.

Third: grow old together.

The first wish… had been fulfilled. Right there, on his 22nd birthday, he’d dragged her, while laughing into the registry office. He was so eager. So certain.

Then, he’d torn the certificate apart before her startled eyes. In our world, there’s grieving for a lost mate, not divorce, he’d said. His smile had been pure, confident.

Now, that memory burned.

Blinking fast, she swallowed the ache rising in her throat, the bus carrying her forward. She would not let herself cry.

As the bus hissed to a stop, she stepped off instinctively, her legs betraying their weakness. The cold night air hit her like a slap. She staggered to the bench, slumping onto the cold wood as her gaze settled on the splintered glass of her phone. Her finger moved in restless circles, craving an escape from the cursed streets she called home.

Glendale. Far from here. Far from the Monroe family. Far from Drake.

Her thumb hovered, hesitated.

A car horn’s sharp cry yanked her from her thoughts. Elena’s head lifted abruptly, her heartbeat racing against her ribs. From the dark interior of the sleek car, a chilling gaze pierced her, freezing her in place.

Dolphus.

The force radiating from him was impossible to ignore.

Her wolf recoiled instinctively. Dolphus was no ordinary male. He gradually lowered the window, his ice-blue gaze fixed intently on hers.

She rose shakily to her feet as his voice filled the air.

“What do you want?” she inquired gently, masking her fear even as her wolf paced restlessly in the shadows of her mind.

"Hop into the vehicle." Even in softness, his voice held the weight of command.

Moving quickly, the assistant slid from the car and flung the back door open.

Yet Elena remained steadfast.

She grasped her worn jacket more firmly, wrapping it around herself like a delicate armor. “Mr. Dolphus… let’s act as if we’re strangers from this point forward,” she said calmly, though her throat felt scratchy.

“You’re a public figure. If the Monroe family catches wind that you’re helping me, they’ll come after you.”

Her voice shook subtly on the final words, though she tried to steady it.

What became of her no longer mattered. However, she couldn't involve the Farrington family in this.

Quiet.

Dolphus’s eyes squinted, his stare keen as a knife. "Enter the vehicle."

The dominance in his voice pressed down on her like a weight. Her body lowered in submission before she could stop herself.

Behind her, a bus roared closer, its headlights harsh and unforgiving. The horn blasted again, loud with urgency.

She cast one last look at the bus before meeting his gaze. The answer had already been decided.

With reluctant steps, Elena slid into the leather seat, the door sealing shut behind her.

The car moved immediately.

Dolphus flipped open a smooth black folder, his voice low and steady as he spoke into his earpiece.

Elena’s arms crossed over her chest, claws digging deep into her sleeves, the only defense against the quiver of her fingers. Part of her longed to ask the driver to stop, to let her flee, but disturbing Dolphus mid-command was out of the question.

Quietly, she slipped her phone from her pocket and muted it, as if the silence could steady her.

Notifications were flooding in. Her divorce wasn’t just news. It was a wildfire.

Her fingers moved fast, deleting one message after another. Old packmates. Former friends. Wolves who once swore loyalty. Now, they wanted gossip.

Delete.

She let them all vanish. None of them mattered now.

Dolphus ended his call and, after a pause, cast a sidelong glance at her.

"What caused you to leave the hospital?"

His tone was steady, yet Elena sensed the hint of distrust.

His wolf was watching her.

“I went with Drake to collect our divorce certificate,” she replied flatly, not bothering to meet his gaze. Her fingers continued erasing names from her contact list.

Silence.

Dolphus’s brow twitched. For a second, his impassive mask cracked.

Divorced.

Already.

Even his wolf seemed to hesitate.

This wasn’t the outcome he’d anticipated. He remembered the first time he’d seen Elena trail after Drake like a lovesick pup. She’d been sixteen then. Sloppy ponytail. Oversized jeans. Barely shift-ready. But her eyes… those clear, black eyes… They’d burned with stubbornness.

He’d warned her.

Drake is better as a friend, not a mate.

But she hadn’t listened. She never did.

Dolphus remembered the way she’d glared at him that day, her pride shielding fragile weakness she refused to show.

Now, here she was.

Shattered.

Beside him.

The car drove on in silence.

Elena said nothing more, her gaze fixed out the window, her wolf curled into a silent ball of pain deep within her.

And Dolphus… said nothing too.