Chapter 23: Protect his fated bond

"Caroline got married to Andrew!" Nina exclaimed as she watched the news on the television in her hotel room.

Late last night, she had left Victor’s house without informing anyone. She had stopped taking his calls and kept her phone switched off.

"I can’t believe it. How could Mom let this happen?" she muttered with a bitter chuckle before finally picking up her phone from the table.

As soon as she switched it on, she saw hundreds of missed calls from Victor. She ignored them and called her brother instead, wanting to know what had happened.

"Hey, Nina! Your phone was off. Are you all right?" Julian asked.

"Yes, I’m fine. I just saw the news. Andrew married that omega. All of you were present there. How did this happen?" Nina asked, lowering the volume of the television.

"Caroline turned out to be Andrew’s fated mate. Mom and Dad were furious. They wanted the marriage to be annulled, but you know Andrew. He doesn’t listen to anyone once he’s made up his mind." Julian paused briefly. "And Caroline didn’t appear to be lying. Ilias believes Victor is the one lying and manipulating you. Andrew is furious with you too, especially after you admitted that you ordered Caroline and her family to be killed."

Nina’s expression hardened as she listened to everything that had happened the previous day.

"Though Dad has given Caroline a month to prove that Victor and you were responsible," Julian added.

Nina frowned, trying to process the turn of events.

"Why are you quiet?" Julian asked from the other end of the call.

"Because I trust Victor. He won’t lie to me. He’s been my friend since school. We studied in the same class, and..." Nina’s voice softened. "He was always there for me."

Yet, even as she said the words, a small part of her heart refused to believe them. The reason Nina had saved Victor from Andrew’s wrath two days ago by falsely claiming that she had ordered the attack was because of her bond with Victor. Despite everything he had done, she couldn’t bring herself to abandon him.

"Nina, but you sound different. You don’t trust him either, do you?" Julian asked softly from the other end of the call. "Andrew is a madman when it comes to the people he loves and anyone who hurts them. He used to transform into his wolf at a very young age just to beat us up, even if we merely joked with him."

Julian sighed before continuing, "Return to the palace. Don’t stay at Victor’s place."

"Yes, I will," Nina replied with determination.

"Shall I send someone to fetch you? Tell me where you are," Julian asked through the receiver.

"No, don’t bother. I have my Beta with me anyway, so it’s fine," Nina replied, her tone clipped.

"Great. Take care."

Julian disconnected the line, and Nina set the device onto the table. Staring down at the ring gleaming on her finger, her eyes burned crimson with rising fury. "Why did you have to do this to me, Victor?" she muttered under her breath. "You got an Omega pregnant."

The phone chimed again, displaying Victor’s name on the screen. She let it ring through the first time, but when it immediately buzzed a second time, she snatched it up and pressed it to her ear.

"Nina, where are you? I’ve been searching for you since last night," Victor blurted out, his heavy panting sounding as if he had just been running. "Look, I haven’t—"

"I am asking you for the last time," Nina interrupted, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the arm of the sofa. "Was Caroline your fated mate?"

"Nina, that... It–it isn’t true," Victor lied, his voice faltering.

"I told you not to lie to me!" Nina snapped. "You claimed to love me, but your heart was with Caroline all along. We are done, Victor. You completely destroyed my trust." Tears spilled over her lashes.

She pulled the phone away, ready to end the call, when Victor’s desperate voice blared through the speaker. "Nina, wait! Please, let’s meet in person. We can’t discuss this over the phone. There is so much you don’t understand. I promise I will do whatever you ask once you hear the truth."

"There is nothing left between us," she spat, her voice trembling. "Andrew wouldn’t risk everything to marry someone unless there was a damn good reason. You’ve been fooling me this entire time. You were two-timing us."

Victor shook his head frantically, his grip tightening around the phone until the glass cracked beneath his fingers. "That isn’t true, Nina. I swear to you, it’s not true."

"Will you stop lying?" Nina demanded, her voice cutting through the speaker.

"I am telling you the truth!" Victor insisted. "I had no idea she was pregnant, Nina. I never intended to marry her, nor did I ever love her. Why can’t you believe me? Her father was buried in debt. I tried to help him, but his drinking destroyed everything. What else was I supposed to do except order their execution? That day, Caroline came to me begging for marriage. I refused, and as Alpha, I took the necessary action for my pack. She is likely manipulating Prince Andrew. I saw the news report—Andrew claimed Caroline is his fated mate, and you know how far a male will go to protect his fated bond."

Nina fell silent, her breath hitching in her throat.

"If you didn’t believe in me, why did you even save my life that day?" Victor pressed with desperation. "You should have just left me to die at Prince Andrew’s hands. Nina, I would rather face death than live a life without you. If you walk away now, you will never see my face or hear my voice again. I can’t live without you."

Nina had stopped crying. "I’m in Moonfall Hotel. You can come and pick me up. I trust you, Victor," she replied and hung up the call.