THE ALPHA'S FORBIDDEN FLAME.

Talia's POV

"Let her go," I said.

My voice shook, but my eyes didn't leave Ramon's face. Anger burned through me, hot and sharp, cutting away every trace of fear.

"Let her go, Ramon."

For a second, he didn't move.

Then Selene slipped past him like smoke, her shoulder brushing mine as she rushed out of the room. She didn't look back. The door closed softly behind her, leaving only silence.

And him.

I folded my arms around myself, suddenly aware of how close he was. Too close. Everything about him felt like a lie now.

I didn't trust him.

Not anymore.

If he could promise marriage to a woman, leave her pregnant, and pretend nothing happened,what guarantee did I have that every word he'd said to me wasn't just another pretty lie?

"You believe her," he said quietly, folding his arms across his chest.

It wasn't a question.

"Yes," I snapped. "Why shouldn't I?"

His jaw tightened. "Talia..."

"No," I cut in, stepping forward. "Tell me. Give me one very good reason why I shouldn't believe her."

He held my gaze, his eyes dark and unreadable.

"You kidnapped me," I continued, my voice rising. "Dragged me out of my life. Brought me here. Locked me in a den full of wolves. And then you fed me some fucking cock-and-bull story about fate and mates like that was supposed to make everything okay!"

"That's not...."

"You didn't even tell me why those people attacked you!" I shouted cutting him shut. "You let me think they were monsters, when maybe they were just people who wanted justice!"

His face hardened.

"You're a bastard," I said, the word ripping out of my chest. "You're no better than them."

The silence that followed was heavy.

Pain flickered across his face, quick but real.

"I didn't abandon anyone," he said finally.

I laughed. A sharp, broken sound. "Oh, please."

"I'm telling you the truth," he insisted. "I never slept with her."

My chest tightened.

"She told you she was pregnant," he continued. "And I knew she wasn't carrying my child."

I stared at him. "You expect me to believe that?"

"Yes," he said firmly. "Because I know my own actions."

I shook my head. "Convenient."

"I noticed the signs," he went on, his voice controlled but strained. "Her scent. The timing. It didn't align with anything between us,because there was nothing between us."

"Then why did she think she could claim you?" I demanded.

"Because her family wanted power," he said. "They wanted my name. My pack. A union that would make them untouchable."

"That sounds like an excuse."

"I tried to explain," he said sharply. "To her brothers. To her parents. I told them the child wasn't mine."

"And what?" I challenged. "They just didn't like the truth?"

"They chose to believe her instead," he replied. "And when I refused to marry her, they turned against me."

My heart pounded violently.

"Do you know what they did?" he continued. "They attacked my borders. Killed my people. Declared me a liar before I could defend myself."

I shook my head again, tears burning my eyes. "You're twisting this."

"I'm not," he said softly. "I never abandoned her."

"Then why did she die?" I screamed.

He went silent.

That silence was louder than any confession.

"You left her unprotected," I whispered. "Didn't you?"

"I couldn't protect someone who wasn't mine," he said, pain cutting into his voice. "And doing so would've meant lying to my entire pack."

I stepped back like he'd struck me.

"So she was disposable," I said bitterly. "Because she wasn't yours."

"That's not what I said."

"That's exactly what you said!"

Something inside me snapped.

I grabbed the first thing I could reach, a small carved cup, and hurled it at him.

"Get out!" I screamed.

The cup shattered against the wall beside him.

"Talia..."

"Get out!" I shouted again, grabbing another object and throwing it. "I don't want to hear another word from you! I don't want your explanations, your lies, your stupid rules!"

He didn't dodge. He didn't move.

"I don't believe you," I cried. "I don't trust you. And I never will!"

"Talia, listen to me," he said urgently, stepping forward.

I grabbed a pillow and threw it at his chest. Then another.

"Get out of my room!" I screamed, my voice breaking. "You don't get to stand there and rewrite the truth to make yourself feel better!"

His hands clenched at his sides.

"I never touched her," he said again, his voice low and rough. "And I swear on my life, on my pack, on everything I am, I never will touch you unless you choose me."

I froze.

The words hit me harder than anything I'd thrown.

But I couldn't stop now.

"Leave," I whispered.

For a long moment, he just looked at me.

His eyes weren't cold.

They were devastated.

"If you walk away from me now," he said quietly, "you're walking away from the only truth standing between you and something far worse."

"I don't care," I said, tears spilling freely now. "Get out."

He took a step back.

At the door, he paused.

"They didn't attack because of the past," he said without turning. "They attacked because of you."

My heart stuttered.

"What do you mean?" I asked shakily.

But the door closed behind him.

And a second later..

A horn sounded outside.

Long, Low and Violent.

The sound of an alarm.

My blood ran cold.

Then I heard shouting.

Footsteps.

Claws scraping against stone.

And a voice outside my door yelled...

"The rogues are inside the borders!"

I staggered back, my heart slamming wildly in my chest.

And the last thing I realized, before fear swallowed everything,

If Selene was lying...

Or if Ramon was telling the truth...

I might have just pushed away the only person who could keep me alive.