Getting away with the Alpha's Pup

Chapter 217

Giovanni's Perspective

I stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, holding the latest agreement from Elena in my hand. Outside, the city was shrouded in night, its bustle and hustle as tumultuous as the chaos in my mind. Neon lights flashed, but no matter how long I stared, the view couldn't relieve the weight I felt inside.

Elena's image was a nightmare I could barely shake. Her sly, deep eyes always found the most sensitive spots, striking at my fragile defenses. Despite the loathing in my heart, I knew it was only temporary—I couldn't tear off the mask of hypocrisy just yet.

"Are you going to keep dragging this out?" Elena's voice suddenly cut through the silence from behind me, laced with a threat I couldn't ignore.

I turned around to face her, her overbearing presence almost unbearable. The indifference on her face only made it worse. Elena was wearing an elegant, dark-colored dress, her signature overly confident smile in place, as if she had long since accepted her control over everything.

"You know, I don't like it when you talk to me like that," I responded coldly, my tone a clear warning.

Elena laughed softly and moved closer, her slender fingers tapping lightly on the agreement papers on the table. "You don't like me? Yet you still have to stay in this engagement with me. You understand the situation now, don't you? You can't just back out again."

Annoyance surged within me. Whenever I was alone with Elena, all my depression and unease crashed down like a tidal wave, leaving me incapable of calm. I was sick to my core of this marriage, but the pressures of the community kept me from making an easy decision. I knew Elena wasn't just any woman—she was the face of a vast network of power, and any defiance of her would have unforseen consequences.

"You think I want to continue this relationship with you?" I said through gritted teeth, my eyes flashing with anger. "I agreed to this union, not because I like you, but for the good of the pack. Don't think you can change my decision on your own."

A cold smile lifted the corner of Elena's mouth as she stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I don't need to change your decision. I only need you to continue accepting me. This marriage isn't just about your pack, it's about your future. You know the pack needs strong support at every step, and I'm the only support you can count on."

My heart skipped a beat. She was right—I couldn't exclude Elena from the equation, not with the forces standing behind her. If I turned my back on this union, I'd bring disaster to the pack and plunge myself into a political maelstrom I couldn't escape.

"You don't understand," I muttered, sighing as I turned toward the window. "You don't understand the relationship between Fern and me."

Elena gently walked up behind me and leaned in close, exhaling softly. "You're forgetting about Fern, aren't you? She's just a small stone in your life. She can't offer you much or protect you in this power game. But I can give you everything you need."

My fists clenched, my knuckles white. Disgust for Elena surged within me, but it was powerless against the harsh reality of the situation. It was clear—every word she spoke was carefully calculated to keep me bound to her power.

"You don't know what you're talking about," I sneered, my voice low and dangerous. "You and I are nothing more than a transaction. There will never be a relationship between us."

Elena didn't respond, just smiled as if she'd already won. She moved closer, gently stroking my shoulder, and whispered, "Feelings? I don't need you to have feelings for me. I just need you to trust me, and you already trust me deeply. This marriage, it's not just up to you."

My heart sank. I knew Elena's intention was to make me completely dependent on her, but I couldn't escape this predicament. For the sake of the pack's future, I had no choice but to comply with her demands, at least outwardly.

But deep inside, I couldn't forget Fern. Her gentle gaze, her persistence and courage, would surface in my mind from time to time, deepening the pain and conflict within me.

"You don't understand," I whispered again, my voice tinged with pain. "Fern has never been in this for power like you. She's only here for me. She's the only thing that's real to me."

A sharp glint flashed in Elena's eyes as she leaned in closer, her voice cold. "What do you think Fern can do for you? You keep fantasizing that she'll save you, save your pack, but her existence is nothing more than your weakness. You can't afford to lose your mind over her. What you need is a woman who can truly support you, not an emotion that will only make you weak."

I spun around, my gaze as sharp as a blade. I couldn't stand Elena's coldness and selfishness any longer, and with every word she spoke, she seemed determined to destroy the last vestiges of clarity within me.

"You're nothing but a cold-blooded tool," I said through gritted teeth. "You want to control me, but you can never replace Fern in my heart."

Elena's smile remained neutral as she waved her hand dismissively, as if declaring victory. "No matter what you say about me, the truth is what it is. You can be angry, you can resist, but in the end, you'll choose me. You know full well that you can't move on without me."

She turned to leave, and I watched her retreating figure, feeling an emptiness in my chest. I knew Elena had played her hand expertly, and I, for one, still couldn't escape this power game.

I stood in front of the window, my gaze piercing through the glass toward the dark sky. The ominous clouds seemed to reflect the turmoil in my heart. Fern's son—my son—was he really mine? I had no reason to doubt Fern's loyalty, yet the doubt still lingered. That inexplicable pull I felt... more than once, it made me wonder if it was only because of my connection to the child. Was it fatherly love? Or was it something deeper, something tied to blood?

"I have to figure this out."

I murmured, my voice quieter than I'd intended, the emotions swelling within me. Fern had finally told me the true identity of my child that day, and I couldn't deny that the news had shaken me, breaking open some hardened part of my heart. This child... I should've known. I should've asked from the start. But back then, everything was too complicated—too much hurt buried too deep to confront.

Now, though, there was no excuse to run from the truth. Fern's secrecy had only deepened the rift in my heart. Even so, I knew I couldn't change the past. But at least, I could begin to understand this child, understand my growth, and understand Fern's sacrifices for me.