How To Lose Your Billionaire Alpha Husband In 365 Days (Or Less)!-Chapter 30: Quite the Welcome...

JASMINE’S POV

Elena’s eyes narrowed, scanning the night as the howls grew louder. "Go back inside," she ordered again, sharper this time.

I shook my head. "What’s going on?"

Before she could answer, footsteps pounded down the hall. Aiden appeared, his expression tight, his phone pressed to his ear. "How many?" he snapped. A pause. "Hold them off—I’m coming."

"Aiden?" I stepped toward him.

He cut the call and shoved the phone in his pocket. "Stay inside, Jasmine."

"What’s happening?" My chest squeezed tight.

"Rogues crossed the border," he said grimly. "They ambushed a scout patrol."

Elena stepped forward. "You’ll need backup."

"I know." Aiden turned to her. "Rally the enforcers. I want them armed and ready in two minutes."

"Yes, Alpha."

"Aiden—" I started, but he was already moving, his voice barking orders down the hall. Men shifted mid-stride, their bodies twisting into wolf forms as they ran.

I watched him go, my heart hammering so hard it hurt.

"Come with me," Elena said, grabbing my arm again, but this time I didn’t resist as she pulled me upstairs.

She led me onto a wide balcony overlooking the training yard. From here, I could see them gathering—wolves in human and shifted forms, weapons gleaming under the moonlight.

Aiden stood at the centre, tall and commanding as he gave his orders. Then, with a ripple of movement, he shifted.

It wasn’t like before, when I’d seen him shift out of fear. This time, it was controlled. Powerful. His body stretched, bones snapping and reforming, fur bursting out like a living flame until a massive black wolf stood where he’d been.

I couldn’t look away.

He was beautiful. Terrifying. Strong.

"Impressive, isn’t he?" Elena’s voice cut into my thoughts. She leaned against the railing beside me, her tone smug. "That’s an alpha’s true form."

I swallowed, watching Aiden lead his wolves into formation. "Yeah," I said quietly. "He’s... different like this."

Elena chuckled softly. "Different? He’s a predator, Jasmine. You’re seeing what he really is. Not the nice boy who opens car doors and holds your hand." She tilted her head, her blue eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "Still think you belong here?"

I clenched my jaw. "I’m not going anywhere."

"We’ll see." Her smile widened. "Most humans would’ve run by now."

I ignored her, gripping the stone railing tighter as Aiden led his wolves out of the yard and into the woods beyond.

The night swallowed them up.

Minutes crawled by. Shouts echoed faintly through the trees. A flash of movement. Then another.

Suddenly, the fight spilled into view at the treeline.

A rogue wolf lunged, wild and snarling, only to be slammed to the ground by Aiden’s massive form. He pinned it, snapping his jaws around its throat. Blood splattered the dirt.

More rogues surged from the shadows. Aiden’s enforcers met them head-on, teeth and claws clashing in a brutal blur.

I pressed a hand to my chest, unable to tear my eyes away.

Aiden moved like a force of nature—fast, precise, relentless. Every time a rogue came close, he was there, intercepting, protecting. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

But even he couldn’t be everywhere at once.

One of the rogues slipped past the line, teeth bared. It lunged straight for Aiden’s side.

"Aiden!" I gasped.

He spun too late. The rogue’s jaws clamped down on his flank.

Aiden roared, twisting violently, throwing the rogue off, but blood streaked his dark fur.

I could barely breathe as he stumbled, shook himself, then lunged back into the fray.

Minutes felt like hours. But finally, the rogues broke. What was left of them fled back into the woods, limping, bleeding.

The enforcers gave chase but didn’t follow far. Slowly, the pack regrouped, gathering around Aiden as he shifted back into human form.

He stood there, naked under the moonlight, blood running down his side, talking quietly to Marcus.

Then his eyes lifted—and found me watching from the balcony.

I didn’t wait. I ran.

Down the stairs, through the halls, out the front doors. I sprinted across the yard as he staggered toward the steps.

"Aiden!" I threw my arms around him before I could stop myself.

"I told you to stay inside," he murmured, his breath warm against my hair.

"You’re bleeding," I whispered, pulling back to look at the deep gash across his ribs.

He gave a tired smile. "It looks worse than it is."

Elena appeared beside us, flanked by a pair of healers. "We’ll take him from here."

I shook my head. "I’m staying."

The healers worked quickly, cleaning the wound, pressing herbs against it, murmuring words I didn’t understand. But even before they finished, the skin began to knit itself back together, the bleeding slowing.

I stared, amazed.

Aiden gave me a small, crooked grin. "Told you. We heal fast."

When the healers stepped back, satisfied, Aiden rolled his shoulder and looked down at me with a faint smile. "See? Told you. Good as new."

"Barely." I traced the line of the scar with my eyes.

"Come on." He draped an arm over my shoulders, warm and solid despite everything. "Let’s get inside."

He led me back to his room—a large space with dark wood walls, heavy curtains, and a roaring fireplace. A tray of food waited by the hearth: roast chicken, bread, cheese, and a bottle of wine.

"You don’t have to wait on me," he said, closing the door behind us. "Go ahead, eat."

I hesitated. "Aren’t you going to get cleaned up?"

He gave a tired laugh. "What, and miss sitting down for five minutes?" He tugged off his shirt, tossing it over a chair. My breath caught as I stared at the smooth skin where the wound had been. Nothing but a faint, silvery line remained.

"Wow," I whispered.

"Fast healer, remember?" He walked to the table, grabbing a piece of bread. "Still hungry as hell though."

We settled by the fire, plates in our laps. The warmth felt good, but the tension in my chest hadn’t eased.

"Quite the welcome, don’t you think?" he said dryly, breaking off a piece of chicken.

I frowned at him. "You could’ve died out there."

He met my gaze, quiet for a beat. "Yeah. But I didn’t."

"That doesn’t make it okay," I murmured. "They went for you."

"They always do." His voice was calm, matter-of-fact. "It’s the price of leading."

I pushed food around my plate. "You make it sound normal."

"For us, it is." He leaned back, stretching his legs toward the fire. "You knew it wouldn’t be easy."

"I knew," I said softly. "I just didn’t think I’d be watching you bleed tonight."

He smiled faintly. "It looks worse than it feels." He glanced down at his chest, then back at me. "Want to see? It’s already healed."

I blinked. "You’re showing off now."

"Maybe a little." His grin deepened. "Trying to reassure you."

I sighed, setting my plate down. "Does it... hurt?"

"What?"

"When you shift. Your bones... they break and rearrange, right?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. The first few times, it’s brutal. Feels like every nerve’s on fire. But after a while, your body learns. Doesn’t hurt as bad."

"That sounds awful."

He looked at me quietly for a long moment. "It’s who we are, Jasmine."

I hugged my knees to my chest. "No one should have to get used to pain."

He tilted his head. "Maybe not. But you adapt. Or you don’t make it."

Silence stretched between us, filled only by the crackling of the fire.

After we finished eating, I set my plate on the low table, pushing my hair behind my ear. "I’m going to get some water."

Aiden stirred from where he’d been leaning back, his gaze sharpening. "I’ll get it." He made a move to stand.

I blinked. "It’s okay. I can go."

He frowned. "No, really. I’ll send someone, or I’ll grab it myself."

"Why?" I tilted my head, half amused, half suspicious. "You don’t trust me not to get lost?"

He hesitated, then gave a tired smile. "Maybe a little." His voice softened. "But mostly... I don’t want you stressing over anything tonight."

I folded my arms. "You don’t want me stressing? You’re the one who got attacked tonight."

He let out a low chuckle. "True. But I’m used to it. You’re not." He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "You don’t have to carry everything, Jasmine. Not here."

I looked at him for a long moment. "I’m not made of glass, Aiden."

"I know." His gaze warmed. "Doesn’t mean I don’t want to take care of you."

That quiet sincerity... it hit me harder than I expected and my chest felt tight.

"I’ll be fine," I said gently. "I just want some air. And water."

He watched me carefully, then finally nodded. "Okay. But don’t wander far."

I grinned faintly. "What, worried the walls will eat me?"

"Not the walls." His voice dropped a note, serious beneath the teasing. "Just... be careful."

"I will." I slipped out, closing the door softly behind me.

I stepped into the hallway, letting the door click softly shut. For a moment, I stood still, listening.

The house had changed somehow in the last hour. It wasn’t loud, but it wasn’t still either.

A low fire flickered nearby, casting long shadows across the walls.

I walked slowly, trailing my fingers along the wood panelling. The place felt old. Alive. The air smelled of smoke, pine, and something wild.

I’d meant to find the kitchen, but the halls twisted in an unfamiliar manner. I passed two turns, then another, before pausing at the sound of voices from an open door.

"...he’s still hiding it from her," Elena was saying.

"So, you want to tell her?" another voice replied. "She’s human, and the curse hasn’t even surfaced in years."

"But it’s still there. He’s a Frost after all, and the curse has been in their bloodline," Elena insisted. "And if it breaks—"

"Then the whole pack’s at risk," a deeper voice finished.

My heart pounded in my ears.

A curse? What curse?