A Dangerous Obsession
Chapter 59 - 58

Chapter 59: Chapter 58

I wasn’t sure if it was the sharp sting of my knuckles or the ache of my bruised cheek that hurt worse as I made my way down the dimly lit hall. Maybe it was neither. Maybe it was the weight in my chest, the crushing shame that refused to let up.

My boots thudded against the polished floor, the sound unnervingly loud in the silence. I should’ve been heading to the infirmary or anywhere I could patch myself up properly, but my feet seemed to have a mind of their own, pulling me closer to the one person I didn’t want to face right now.

My father.

As I rounded the corner, there he was, leaning on his cane with the same effortless authority he always exuded. His posture was stiff, shoulders squared like the weight of the world—and our pack—was nothing to him. The dim light caught the sharp angles of his face, the ever-present disdain etched into his features.

I froze.

My breath hitched, and instinctively, I tilted my head down, my hair falling like a curtain over my face. I knew it wouldn’t be enough to hide the bruise, the cut, the absolute mess I had made of myself.

Goddess, why did I even leave my bedchamber?

For a long moment, he didn’t say anything. He just stood there, staring at me with that piercing gaze that made me feel like I was fifteen again, trembling under his scrutiny after another failed sparring match.

The silence was unbearable. It stretched and stretched until I thought I might snap under the weight of it.

And then he spoke.

"Do you get it now?"

His voice was calm, measured, but each word was a blade, slicing through me with surgical precision.

My fists clenched at my sides, the dull throb in my injured hand flaring up again. I wanted to look away, to run, but my feet stayed rooted in place.

"Do you see the difference," he continued, his tone sharper now, "between a male and a female?"

Shame burned through me like wildfire. It wasn’t just the words; it was the way he said them, like he was stating an irrefutable fact. Like I was nothing more than proof of his long-standing belief that I was weak, that I would always be weak.

I hated him for it.

And yet, I couldn’t find my voice.

Not to argue. Not to defend myself. Not even to apologize.

I felt my wolf stir, her irritation rippling through me. She hated this just as much as I did, but even she stayed silent. Maybe she felt the same suffocating weight I did—the weight of years spent under father’s thumb, being told what I could and couldn’t be.

"I warned you," he said, taking a slow, deliberate step closer. The cane tapped against the floor with every step, a sound that echoed like a death knell.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry as sandpaper.

"And yet," he continued, stopping just a few feet away, "you went in there thinking you could handle it. Thinking you were ready."

He tilted his head, his gaze raking over me like he was cataloging every bruise, every failure.

"Look at you now."

The words hit harder than any punch Alaric had thrown at me.

My nails dug into my palms, and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from crying. Crying would only prove his point, and I couldn’t give him that satisfaction.

I stared at the floor, my vision blurring as my emotions threatened to spill over.

"I don’t have time for weaklings," he said coldly. "If you can’t even stand up to him, what makes you think you’re fit to be a ruler?"

That did it.

The tears I had been holding back spilled over, silent and hot as they streaked down my face. I hated this. Hated him. Hated the way he always made me feel so small, so insignificant.

But more than that, I hated myself for proving him right.

"I—" My voice cracked, and I clamped my mouth shut, ashamed of how pitiful I sounded.

"Spare me your excuses," he snapped, cutting me off. "If you’re going to act like a pup, I’ll treat you like one. Go clean yourself up and stay out of my sight until you’ve figured out how to fix this mess."

The dismissal stung almost as much as his words, but I nodded anyway, my movements stiff and jerky.

Without another word, he turned and walked away, his cane tapping against the floor with every step. The sound faded as he disappeared down the hall, leaving me standing there, broken and humiliated.

I didn’t move for a long time.

I wiped the tears from my cheeks as fast as they fell, desperate to erase any evidence of weakness before someone saw me. Weakness wasn’t an option—not for me. Not here.

I was the Alpha’s daughter. I had to be the Alpha’s daughter, no matter how much I wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.

Sniffling, I squared my shoulders, forcing the trembling in my hands to stop. My legs felt like they could give out at any moment, but I stood tall, clenching my jaw to hold myself together.

The pack didn’t need to know how small I felt inside, how shattered I was. To them, I had to be unbreakable, even if I was barely holding on.

With a deep breath, I turned on my heel, my boots dragging slightly as I limped back toward my bedchamber. Every step sent a jolt of pain through my body, but I refused to slow down. The hallways were rarely empty, and the last thing I needed was a servant or pack member catching me like this.

My gaze darted around as I made my way through the corridors, keeping my head high despite the ache in my body. I passed a few guards stationed along the walls, their eyes flicking to me briefly before returning to their duties. I kept my expression neutral, giving them no reason to ask questions.

By the time I reached my chamber, my hands were shaking again. I pushed the door open with more force than necessary, the wood creaking as it swung shut behind me.

The silence of my bedchamber enveloped me like a shroud. I leaned against the door for a moment, closing my eyes and letting out a shaky breath.

Once again, I was alone.

I hobbled over to the mirror, avoiding the shards of broken glass still scattered on the floor from earlier. My reflection stared back at me, distorted by the jagged edges of the mirror’s remnants.

"Pathetic," I muttered under my breath, the word tasting bitter on my tongue.

I couldn’t stop the tears that welled up again, but this time, I let them fall. Not for long, though—just enough to release the pressure in my chest. Then, with a sharp inhale, I scrubbed my face clean, wiping away every trace of my breakdown.

This was my burden to bear. My fight. No one else needed to see the cracks in my armor.

I limped to the bed and sank onto the edge, letting my shoulders slump for just a moment. My wolf stirred in the back of my mind, her presence a comforting hum even if she was just as frustrated as I was.

"We’ll figure this out," I whispered, running my fingers through my tangled hair. "We have to."