Chapter 75 She Chose Him
Sebastian’s POV
"So, when is Emilia coming back?" My mother sighed, loud enough for the whole dining room to hear. "The food doesn’t taste right without her."
I stabbed my steak. Didn’t answer.
Tiffany jumped in, grinning. "Mom, don’t get your hopes up. She might not come back for the rest of her life."
"Nonsense," my mother shot back. "She’s your brother’s wife. Where else would she go?"
"The world’s a big place," Tiffany shrugged. "Honestly, she’s put up with enough. If I were her, I’d have left ages ago."
They went back and forth. They knew I was listening. They wanted to piss me off.
Ryder stirred inside me. "Go bring her home."
"She clearly doesn’t want to come home. She might leave just like the other wives."
"She’s different. She’s my mate. One and only."
I didn’t want to argue with Ryder. He was just like my family — caring too much about Emilia, obsessed with her for no reason.
I dropped my fork. It clattered against the plate. "I’m full."
I got up and walked out. Upstairs. Door slammed behind me.
Why the hell did she have to make everything so hard? I tried, didn’t I? I went to her place. I told her I was worried.
Late that night, after everyone was asleep, my grandmother took the car keys and walked out of the house under the silver moonlight.
I drove to her friend’s place. Parked in the shadows down the street. I picked up my phone to call her, but my thumb stopped over her name.
"Just say it. Say you’re sorry. Is it that hard?" Ryder urged.
"Yeah. It was."
Before I could decide, headlights cut through the dark. A silver Mercedes pulled up. Stopped fifty meters ahead.
I narrowed my eyes.
Scott got out of the driver’s seat. Then Emilia stepped out of the passenger side.
My blood went cold.
Scott stood close to her. He was smiling. Clearly a bit drunk.
I could hear their voices. The wind carried them straight to my wolf’s ears.
"Time always flies when I’m with you," Scott said reluctantly, his eyes soft and gentle. "I wish it could stop right now."
Emilia laughed. "You make it sound like we’re saying goodbye forever."
"Only because you never let me take you out alone. I treasure every second."
"You know what they say." Her tone was light. Teasing. "The things you can’t get are always the best. If I said yes every time, you’d get bored."
Scott stepped closer. The two of them were already way past a safe distance. His eyes were hungry. "So... you’re playing hard to get? You don’t actually hate spending time with me?"
Emilia touched her forehead and sighed. She looked tired. "Of course not."
He twisted her words. "Not what? You don’t hate it?"
I gripped the steering wheel. My knuckles went white.
Then Scott’s face changed. Playful turned serious. "Hey, don’t move. There’s something on your head."
She froze. He lifted her chin. And he kissed her forehead.
Not a quick peck. Slow. Deliberate.
Emilia was shocked by his sudden kiss. She stood frozen, too scared to move.
"If you don’t slap me, I’ll leave now."
Scott’s lips curled into a smile. He looked more energetic than before.
Seeing this, I was burning with rage.
"MATE." Ryder roared inside me. "ANOTHER MALE TOUCHING OUR MATE."
I was out of the car before I knew I’d moved.
"Sebastian?!"
Emilia’s voice. Surprised. But I wasn’t looking at her. I was looking at him. At his smug face. At his lips that had just touched what was mine.
My fist connected with his jaw.
Scott went down. He hit the ground and rolled.
"Are you crazy?!" Emilia screamed. She grabbed my arm. "What the hell is wrong with you? Why did you start a fight in the middle of the night?!"
I turned to her. My voice was ice. "So you know it’s midnight? Then what the hell is he doing to you at this hour? Kissing you?"
Scott got up. Wiped the blood from his mouth. Then his fist came at me.
I didn’t dodge fast enough. Pain exploded across my cheek.
Then we were on each other. Fists flying. Grunts and curses filling the quiet street.
Ryder was pushing to get out. "Let me tear him apart."
My wolf was howling. Every punch I landed was for the betrayal. For Abigail. For Damien. For the way Scott looked at my mate like he had a right to her.
Emilia was shouting. "Stop it! Both of you!"
I didn’t stop. Scott didn’t stop. We were evenly matched. I had the rage. He had the technique.
Then she moved.
She stepped in front of Scott. Right in my path.
I pulled my fist back. Barely. It hovered in the air, an inch from her face.
"That’s enough!" Her eyes were fire. "Who do you think you are, hitting him here? You think about what you’ve done to me first! Before you question what he did to me, look in the mirror!"
She was protecting him. Choosing him.
Then she turned around. Pulled a handkerchief from her pocket. And gently, carefully, wiped the blood off Scott’s mouth.
I stood there. Frozen.
My chest felt like someone had ripped it open.
All I wanted was one word from her. One look. One sign that she still cared. Instead, she gave it to him.
I laughed. Bitter. Hollow.
Three years. Three years since I let a woman get under my skin like this.
I spent the whole drive thinking about how to apologize to this woman. But I never expected to see the one thing I least wanted to see.
The defeat hit me harder than any punch Scott had thrown.
Ryder whimpered. "Mate. Our mate is hurting us."
"I know, Ryder. I fucking know."