A Dangerous Obsession
Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Chapter 19

ALPHA ELAXDOR DOWNHILL

The carriage’s wheels creaked and groaned, the rhythmic thud echoing through the air as we rode through the rolling countryside. I shifted slightly in my seat, adjusting my grip on the worn leather cane resting beside me.

As the lush emerald fields and golden sunlight blurred outside the window, my thoughts remained shrouded in darkness. I relaxed my head against the carriage’s velvet cushion, letting out a low sigh.

My mind wandered back to Adara, my late second mate. Her pure wolf lineage from the Lupus Verus Park had promised a formidable alliance and a worthy heir. But fate had other plans.

"But what did I get?" I muttered, recoiling at the sound of my gritting teeth. My eyes narrowed, recalling the disappointment that gripped me when Adara died, leaving me with a half-shifter daughter instead of a strong, pure-blooded son.

My gaze fell upon my fists, clenched in frustration. My nails dug into my palms, the pain a reminder of my shame. Layla, that treacherous child, had brought me nothing but dishonor.

My thoughts turned to the mana stone, a treasured family heirloom passed down through her family for generations. When Adara died, I searched tirelessly for it, only to discover that Layla had secretly possessed it all along.

My hand clenched into a fist, the carriage’s darkness closing in around me. "Deceitful child," I whispered, my breath misting the window.

The carriage rattled on, its creaky wheels echoing my racing thoughts. I plotted my next move, determined to reclaim what was rightfully mine.

No matter the cost.

I settled deeper into my carriage seat, the plush cushions enveloping me. Outside, birds chirped in the nearby trees, their gentle tunes at odds with the storm inside me.

My gaze drifted across the carriage, my eyes fixing on the opposite seat where my remaining child sat, clutching her hands nervously. Her knuckles were white, her fingers intertwined like fragile twigs. The carriage’s gentle sway caused her to sway slightly, her delicate form trembling.

A delicate, porcelain doll, but worthless to me.

My mind wandered to my lost son. My true heir, killed by the Lycan king’s treachery. Layla, my half-shifter daughter, claimed by that same monarch. The memory ignited a spark within me. I let out a disdainful tsk, my tongue clicking against the roof of my mouth.

As the carriage hit a bump, I shifted uncomfortably, my seat creaking beneath me. I tightened my grip on my cane, the worn leather familiar beneath my fingers.

"This fragile, female creature before me is all I have left," I muttered, frustration etched on my face. My jaw clenched, and I felt my face warm with anger.

The carriage, once my refuge on long journeys, now felt suffocating. Trapped with this...female.

I groaned inwardly, the sound of the horses’ hooves pounding the earth outside mirroring my growing discontent.

"What am I to do with you?" I asked aloud, my voice barely audible over the carriage’s rumble.

My daughter’s eyes flickered up, meeting mine. For an instant, I saw a glimmer of fear, but it was quickly replaced by a timid smile.

I turned away, dismissing her. The carriage’s shadows seemed to deepen, darkening the space between us.

"No," I whispered to myself, "this child will never be enough."

The carriage continued on its journey, the wheels creaking in rhythm with my churning thoughts.

"Father," she whispered nervously, finally breaking the silence. Her trembling voice was like a leaf in an autumn breeze. Her wide eyes held a hint of fear as they locked onto mine; she leaned forward, her slender form swaying with the carriage’s gentle rock.

The horse’s hooves pounded the earth outside, their rhythmic beat echoing through the carriage. I shifted slightly in my seat, adjusting my grip on the worn leather cane resting beside me.

"Must I not come with you?" she asked, her words barely audible over the carriage’s rumble. Her voice cracked, splintering like fragile glass. "It would be pointless to travel this far with you, only to stay in the carriage during the conference."

I raised a hand, silencing her with a sharp gesture. My palm faced her, my fingers splayed. "Do not speak, female!" I barked, my anger boiling over like a cauldron left unattended.

As I spoke, the carriage hit a bump, jolting us both. My daughter’s eyes widened further, her face paling. I held tightly to my cane, its familiar weight a comfort.

"I don’t want to hear your voice," I growled, my irritation simmering.

I glared at her, my eyes burning with irritation. My brow furrowed, and I frowned. Her face paled further, her skin ashen as the moon.

"Tsk," I clicked my tongue, disgust etched on my face. "You dare question my decisions?" I leaned forward, my voice taking on a menacing tone.

Her lips trembled, and she looked away, tears welling up like morning dew. The carriage’s interior seemed to shrink, the shadows deepening around us.

But I would not be swayed. "You will wait in the carriage, and that is final," I declared, my voice unyielding as stone.

As I spoke, the carriage’s wheels creaked, the sound echoing through the silence. My daughter’s slender form shrank into the corner, her shoulders hunched in defeat.

I turned away, dismissing her. The silence that followed was oppressive, heavy with unspoken words. The only sound was the steady beat of the horse’s hooves and the soft creaking of the carriage’s leather.

I relaxed my head against the carriage’s velvet cushion, my eyes fixed on the passing landscape outside."I will only take a son to such meeting, not a breeding mare!"

Her eyes welled up with tears, but she bit her lip, holding them back. Her gaze dropped to her lap, her fingers intertwined together like fragile twigs. It annoyed me that I had to remind her of her place. It’s something I shouldn’t have to tell her; it’s something she’s supposed to know instinctively! "Tsk," I clicked my tongue, irritation etched line’s on my face.