Chapter 208 Kissable
TESSA
:
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Rowan pushed me to the ground before the rogue could get <i>to </i>me. The world tilted for a moment, dirt and grass rushing up against my palms.
My heart mmed against my ribs as I tried to catch my breath. Arden gasped from behind me, her voice breaking as she scrambled to help me up, but Rowan was already locked inbat with them–three rogues, circling around him with sharp and feral movements
I froze for a heartbeat, watching as fists and ws collided, as teeth bared but skin remained human. It should have been impossible.
Alphas didn’t have ordinary strength. Even in their human form, they were born different, carrying the strength of their wolves in every tendon and bone. Ordinary wolves like me had to shift to even attempt half the power Rowan wielded now. But these rogues… these three weren’t shifting either, and yet they met him blow for blow.
If Rowan hadn’t been a True Alpha, I realized with a pit sinking in my stomach, he would have already lost.
Arden’s hand mped over her mouth as Rowan mmed one of them to the ground and ripped out his throat. The sound echoed through the clearing.
The stench of his blood hit me, but it was more bitter than I could ever imagine. I gagged, but Arden went pale, trembling as though the smell alone could make her faint.
Heaving, Rowan straightened. His breaths sounded ragged, but he continued to fight them with precision.
“Arden,” I muttered, my voice shaking as I turned to her.
“I’m fine,” she whispered quickly, but her hand still covered her mouth. Her eyes darted from Rowan’s bloodied form to the remaining two rogues. “We should help.”
I swallowed hard before nodding.
Rowan stumbled but steadied himself, ring at the rogues who nked him like wolves hunting prey.
“Stay back!” he ordered at us.
The remaining two rogues lunged, forcing him to divide his attention, and I knew we couldn’t
8:49 <b>Thu</b>, Sep 4
Chapter 208 Kissable
just stand there.
:
Before I could decide, Arden’s voice cut through the chaos. “Over here!” she shouted, capturing one of the rogues‘ attention.
Rowan’s head snapped toward us, his eyes wide with disbelief. “What? No!” he roared.
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But Arden had already started to shift, the faint crack of bone and the shimmer of fur at her skin slightly showing. The sight pushed me forward. I couldn’t let her do this alone. I forced my body to shift too, calling my wolf forward.
However, it seemed we underestimated them.
I realized it toote–they could move even faster. One of them darted forward, faster than lightspeed, and before either of us had fully transformed, he was already on us.
No–on Arden.
A sh of ws blurred my senses before I saw blood.
Her scream tore the air as his strike shed across her abdomen. My world stopped. Crimson seeped through her clothes in thick rivers, staining her fingers as she clutched herself. My eyes widened, my body locking up as horror surged inside me.
“Arden!” Rowan’s voice cracked. I barely had time to react before he killed again, appearing to be fueled by adrenaline alone. Once the rogue fell, Rowan went to where we were, ripping thest attacker before snapping his neck in half.
It was supposed to <i>be </i>over, but it wasn’t.
Blood pooled around Arden’s shaking body. Rowan’s hands hovered over her, stained red. His chest heaved, his eyes feral and frantic,
“Fuck,” he muttered, trying to calm himself down. He did so quickly, standing to grab his phone.
“I need to call Cade,” he said, dialling his number.
Meanwhile, I continued holding onto Arden’s wound, cing as much pressure as I could.
Arden whimpered, her eyes fluttering. My heart lodged itself in my throat.
The underbrush rustled, and Francis and the others came crashing into the clearing, Relief red for only a second before Rowan shouted at them. “Where is Wilder? Why didn’t he respond right away?”
8:49 Thu, Sep 4
Chapter 208 Kissable
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Francis’s eyes swept over the scene, and I saw his face nch when itnded on Arden’s wound.
“Clinic!” I shouted before he could even answer. “We need to <i>go </i><i>to </i>the clinic now!”
Francis snapped into action. “Move! Secure the perimeter! Get a stretcher, now!” His men sprinted to follow his orders.
I continued to press my hands to Arden’s abdomen, trying <i>to </i>stop the bleeding, my fingers sticky with warmth I wished I could wash away.
Rowan stood a few feet away, phone still to his ear, his body trembling with fury. His eyes glowed, and thennded on me. I could see an apologetic look in his eyes, so I shook my head. He does have a lot of faults, but he didn’t have a fault here.
My focus snapped back to Arden, to the blood soaking through my fingers as I pressed harder.
“Please,” I whispered. “Please, be okay.”
***
I sighed as I waited outside the operating room of the pack clinic.
The pack doctor had told me to wait outside. I didn’t insist on going inside anymore since I knew this was their territory.
I had Winston on the phone, his voice muffled by the static of poor reception.
“Is everything alright?” he asked.
“There was an intrusion,” I said, trying to keep my voice level. “And my friend got injured. I just… need to check on her for a while.”
There was a moment of silence. I could imagine him pinching the bridge of his nose the way he always did when he worried.
“Alright,” Winston said finally, his voice resigned. “Noelle said she’ll take care of the clinic. Don’t worry about that.”
Relief flooded me. “Thanks,” I whispered. “I’ll take the public boat back.”
“Stay safe,” Winston said.
The call ended and I leaned back against the wall, closing my eyes briefly. That was when I felt a new presence in the room.
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Chapter 208 Kissable
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Even without opening my eyes, I knew it was Rowan.
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When I finally opened my eyes, I saw him standing there, his broad frame shadowed in the hallway light. His expression carried that same guilty look I had seen before Arden was transported to the clinic.
“Don’t look like that,” I said, shaking my head.
“Sorry,” Rowan muttered. He didn’t quite meet my eyes. “I should have protected the two of you better. Cade is on the way, and he’s going to kick my ass,” he chuckled weakly.
I clicked my tongue at that, more annoyed than amused. It was only then that I noticed the dark stain spreading on his cor, the sluggish trail of blood seeping from his cheek had already went down. His would was still untreated.
Without a word, I strode forward and grabbed his chin. He stiffened but didn’t resist, and I dragged him toward the nearest cab where the simplest medical supplies were stored.
“Sit,” I muttered.
I ignored his expression and pulled out a small bowl of water, antiseptic, and a bandaid. My hands moved automatically, years of clinic work guiding me as I cleaned the wound with careful motions. The gash wasn’t as deep as I’d feared, but it definitely needed to be cleaned.
“You should have gotten this cleaned earlier,” I said.
Rowan tried <i>to </i>speak. “Tessa-”
I shot him a re, sharp enough to cut him off before he could even finish. His lips pressed together immediately.
I dipped the cloth back into the water, wrung it out, and continued wiping carefully until the skin was pink and clean again. Then I reached for the antiseptic, dabbing it lightly across the wound.
“Don’t be a baby,” I muttered, unraveling the bandaid.
He huffed a quietugh, but it didn’tst. His eyes were on me again, heavier than the silence
between us.
“You’re not at fault here,” I said finally, breaking the quiet. “We wouldn’t have known about the rogues. You’re too hard on yourself for these things.”
I ced the bandaid carefully, my fingers brushing against his skin more than once.
8:49 Thu, Sep 4
Chapter 208 Kissable
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“You’re doing a good job as an Alpha,” I continued. My words surprised even me, but they were true. Despite everything, despite the chaos and the intrusion, I knew Rowan carried more responsibility than anyone else in this pack. And he carried it well, even if he didn’t see it himself.
I felt his gaze intensify. It was scorching against my skin, and before I could stop myself, I looked up.
That was my mistake.
Because Rowan wasn’t just looking at me—he was devouring me with his eyes, his expression clouded and hazy. His eyes dipped lower, trailing down from my face to linger on my lips.
I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. And then, damn it, my eyes betrayed me too. They flickered to his mouth, the curve of his lower lip, the way it parted ever so slightly as though he were holding back words.
Crap. His lips look really kissable right now.