Alpha's Bite Between My Legs
Chapter 516: The Rose

Chapter 516: The Rose

Finally, exhausted, Gastone collapsed by a small stream, the sound of the running water soothing his frayed nerves.

Maxim lay there, panting, the pain in his chest a dull throb now, a constant reminder of what he had lost. He was alone, truly alone for the first time in his life, and its weight was crushing.

The wolf closed its eyes, its body sinking into the chilly, damp earth. It didn’t matter if the night was cold or he was vulnerable there. Nothing mattered anymore. Not without Lucia. Not with the bond shattered and his heart in pieces.

The wolf curled and whimpered in pain for the next two hours until it felt that it had given Gastone enough time to rest.

The wolf rose slowly, its limbs stiff from the coldness and the weight of grief. It took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the forest: damp moss, decaying leaves, and the faint, sharp tang of the nearby stream.

It was a scent that once brought comfort, a reminder of home and safety. Then, the wolf’s body began to crumble and change as its human form took over.

Gastone rose to his feet, his eyes fluttering open. "Thank you..." he muttered to his wolf as it entered his consciousness.

"Ah, this is painful," Gastone’s body ached, each muscle protesting as he pushed himself up from the ground. However, he felt better after being away, even for a few hours.

Gastone’s eyes looked at his surroundings. He was in the deeper part of the forest, and he didn’t know where to go back to the road. He sniffed to smell his wolf’s scent to trace it back, but he was surprised at the amount of running it did.

When Gastone finally managed to locate his wrecked car, a feeling surged within him.

"Ah, I don’t want to go back," Gastone murmured, referring to returning to the city. He looked at the moon with hazy eyes and leaned back on the tree, relaxing for a few seconds.

Immediately, Gastone’s mind recalled what had happened at the party, and the pain went back like a wave splashed over him.

"I can’t do this anymore," Gastone grumbled angrily. He stood up and started running back to his car. It took him thirty minutes to reach his destination, ignoring how his body screamed to rest.

Gastone opened his car and reached for his phone. He messaged the restaurant manager about him leaving for a while with no exact date of return. He trusted him but didn’t care what would happen to his business since he only started it as a front for Lucia.

"It should be around here," Gastone muttered as he searched his car for the rose pendant Rosina had given him. He clutched it in his hand as he started having doubts, but the pain won.

"I’m sure Lucia will be happy if I’m gone," Gastone chuckled at the delusion he had thought. He grasped his hair in frustration. "You’re so stup^d Gastone. Of course, she will be searching for you! You promised Lucia to be by her side!"

Gastone cried out. He sat on the ground and let tears fall from his eyes as the twirl of emotions consumed him. It took him much energy to stand up and dress since he had ripped his previous clothes from shifting.

After Gastone had finished preparing himself and emptied his car of his belongings, he walked back inside the forest while wiping the tears away.

"I think this is fine here," Gastone muttered, stopping in his tracks. He was on the deeper side of the forest to ensure he was alone and that Giselle was not in sight.

Gastone took out the rose pendant and stared at it briefly. "I need to do this. I’m sorry, Lucia," he whispered, licking the rose pendant.

By doing so, the portal was activated, and it immediately consumed Gastone, teleporting him back to the werewolf realm without a trace.

When Gastone opened his eyes, he expected to be back in the forest where he came from in the werewolf realm, but to his surprise, he was in a fancy room.

A vast mirror was plastered on the wall in front of the bed, and Gastone stood before it. "Huh? Where am I?" he asked, dumbfounded.

Gastone looked around, and some items inside made him think he was back in the Palace.

A knock on the door gathered Gastone’s attention, and he became defensive because he didn’t know who it was.

"Gastone, you’re back!" a familiar face greeted Gastone with a smile.

"R-Rosina!" Gastone’s mouth hung open in shock as he didn’t expect her to see him.

Rosina beamed with a grin as she entered the room. "How are you!? I didn’t expect you to come so soon!"

Gastone was still in shock as he didn’t move at his spot for a few seconds. "Y-your Majesty!" he exclaimed and immediately bowed.

"No, Gastone. You don’t have to," Rosina held Gastone’s shoulder, pulling him up. Even though they had a rough past, she didn’t want to hold a grudge since Gastone didn’t cause any trouble in the pack and was surprisingly obedient.

Gastone nodded, composing himself, but that didn’t pass on Rosina’s eyes.

"Come, let’s have some meal. Shall we?" Rosina gestured for Gastone to follow, but he didn’t.

"Rosi— Your Majesty, I don’t want everyone to know I’m here... in the Palace," Gastone whispered, the worry evident on his face.

Rosina turned around, arms wide open. "Feel free to dress up. This is your room anyway. I’ll be at the dining table. Don’t take too long!" she exclaimed and waved at him before going.

"Wait—" Gastone couldn’t continue his words when Rosina closed the door. He looked around, and somehow, it made him happy that he was still being remembered.

Gastone went to the closet and saw some of his old, fancy clothes there. He grimaced in embarrassment, remembering how he had played as a Prince before. He pushed the fancy clothes away and selected the most simple one.