HALFDAN'S POV.
“Get your damn hands off me!”
I kept shouting at the top of my lungs, but my screams seemed to echo without end. Each jolt of pain made me think about my predicament, and the anger just fueled my pain.
Dane's men were dragging me away, and I was struggling against their grip. I couldn't believe it; Dane was just standing there, watching them haul me out of the pack’s mansion.
It felt like he had been waiting for a moment like this, and it drove me crazy to see him in control.
Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice behind me. “Alpha Halfdan,” it called out. It was Beta Drake, my loyal Beta.
He stepped forward, putting himself between me and the guards. His presence was a small relief as he managed to halt their progress, making them release their tight hold on my arm.
“I’ll handle this from here,” Beta Drake said firmly, taking control of the situation. He took me away from them and gently took hold of my hand.
Despite his calm behaviour, I could sense his frustration and disapproval over everything that had happened.
Honestly, I didn’t care about his displeasure. My main focus was on reclaiming Astrid, even though I had used a spell to make her believe she was my true mate in the past.
Drake guided me to a waiting car. I stumbled and swayed, my drunken state making it difficult to walk in a straight line. As he helped me into the vehicle, he spoke up.
“I’ve been searching for you everywhere, Alpha Halfdan,” Drake said. “I couldn’t find you until someone here called me, saying you were attempting to take Astrid back. I didn’t believe it at first.”
I nodded in response, too exhausted and disoriented to speak much. Once inside the car, I slumped into the seat, running my hands through my dishevelled hair and laughing loudly.
The situation was almost too much to handle.
“Where are we headed?” I asked as Drake started the engine.
“We’re going back to the pack’s mansion,” he replied. “You have a rescheduled meeting with the council of elders.”
My frustration bubbled up. I didn’t want to go back to the mansion; I wanted to see Astrid.
The idea of returning home felt like a bad idea to my current goal. “I’m not going back there,” I said, feeling resolute.
“Stop the car right now!” I demanded, my voice tight with desperation.
“You just tried and got humiliated, Alpha Halfdan… do you want that again? I'm sorry but I can't let you.” Drake snorted as he said to me.
“That's none of your business, Drake. I need to talk to Astrid. I have to explain everything to her, give her my reasons. It’s important. If she knows I’m here, she’ll probably want to see me too. We can’t just drive away like this. All we need to do is drive off Dane and create a diversion.”
I begged Beta Drake, but he ignored my pleas. My frustration boiled over. “Damn it, turn the car around!” I shouted, but he remained unmoved by my anger and urgency.
“Please, just let me try. We need to sort this out,” I implored, my teeth clenched as I struggled to control my emotions. But Drake was stubborn, and my pleas fell on deaf ears.
As we continued driving, my frustration mounted. I felt a deep sense of dissatisfaction and regret about how everything had turned out.
The seriousness of my decisions hit me hard, and I couldn't shake the feeling of having made a mistake.
I regretted rejecting Astrid and dismissing her. I had been so focused on securing my position as an Alpha of two packs and ensuring that the pack would be mine that I overlooked what really mattered.
I didn't want what I thought was a weak mate, and now, I loathed myself for letting things get this far.
And then there was Camilla.
Getting involved with her was another grave mistake. I never should have let her into my life or listened to her manipulative ideas.
She had stirred up unnecessary trouble and fed me ideas that only made everything worse. I had never felt so miserable and regretful in my life.
She was pregnant with my child. We were expecting a baby together, and I couldn’t just ignore her situation.
My ability to weigh every concern and play it safe had led me to this regretful point. Now, the consequences of my decisions were hitting me hard.
If I had acted differently and used my head, I might have been in Dane's position, standing proudly beside Astrid.
Instead, my greed and miscalculations had left me nowhere, and it sickened me to see how poorly things had turned out. But I was going to reclaim it all.
“Just a matter of time…” I mumbled with a harsh tone.
Throughout the drive, Beta Drake occasionally cast curious glances in my direction but said nothing. The silence in the car was heavy and oppressive, with neither of us willing to break it.
I seethed internally, but I had to accept that some things were beyond my control. I was determined to get Astrid back, no matter what it took; even if it meant getting rid of Camilla.
My back was sore from being roughly thrown to the floor earlier, and a throbbing headache began to set in as the effects of the alcohol took hold. Each jolt of pain reminded me of how far I’d fallen.
As the car pulled up to the entrance of my mansion, my senses sharpened. I staggered out of the vehicle, feeling the weight of my return to this place I now despised.
The front door creaked open, and Camilla emerged, her face etched with worry.
She approached us, her expression a mix of concern and confusion, clearly anxious about what had happened.
Truth was, I didn't know if she was being sincere.
“Where have you been? What happened to you?” Camilla asked urgently, her eyes scanning my battered skin.
She reached out to inspect my injuries, but I yanked my body away, unable to tolerate her touch.
“I don’t want to talk about that!” I snapped, shoving her aside.
“I just want my Astrid back!” My voice was filled with frustration and desperation.