The Alpha Prince And His Bride
Book 3 The Alpha’s Substitute Bride – Episode 33

~ISABELLA~

I opened my eyes and without realizing it reached for Hunter’s body. I frowned when he was nowhere around.

I picked myself off the bed and dragged my body over to the bathroom. I couldn’t believe last night actually happened. Hunter had given me everything I needed to get through the needing. He’d filled me up over and over again and covered my body with every part of him. I bit my l*p and ran my hands over my body. I was sore all over but not in a bad way. In fact I didn’t mind being sore like this every day as long as it happened from Hunter.

I blushed as I looked at myself in the mirror. There were love bites all over my skin. None of them happened to be the mark that I really wanted however. I desperately wanted the mark on my neck that would really bind us together once and for all. There were so many times that I felt like Hunter was close to giving it to me but each time he pulled away and sucked on a different part of my body as if to make up for not marking me. It seemed like the only thing that kept him from marking me on that special spot below my ear was to claim a different part of my body instead.

I closed my eyes and thought about the way he’d held onto me. I completely took all of his energy last night and never once did Hunter look like he wanted to leave. He was happy to provide for me and it was that happiness that had completely touched my heart.

I didn’t even know where he got the energy to leave this morning. Or was it in the afternoon? I couldn’t even tell. I’d slept for so long and the curtains were still closed.

I sighed as I climbed into the bathtub. I was nervous for when I saw Hunter again. What would I say? What did people say to one another after such a passionate night?

I blushed again; I couldn’t remember ever being this happy before. My body tingled all over and I wanted to be near him again.

As soon as I was finished in here I would go look for him. Hopefully Hunter’s feelings would match mine . . .

. . . . . . . . .

~MAGGIE~

I held my head and felt like punching the glass mirror. I couldn’t rest peacefully knowing that he was with that woman while feeding her needs! How could he be in there with her having s*x when I was in the same house with him?

I had to push now. I was already losing him. I needed to do whatever I could to ensure that Isabella left here today.

I stormed out of my room and headed in the direction of Hunter’s room. I was surprised to see that he was by himself leaning against the railing right in front of his room door.

He sensed my presence and slowly turned to face me.

There was no remorse on his face for leaving me last night to please Isabella and I had to hide my hatred for him.

“How could you?” I asked him, I was surprised at my own acting. My voice sounded so hurt and like I’d been crying the entire night.

“We’ve been through so much together Hunter. I suffered because of you! Those men only kidnapped me and used me all because of you! They wanted to get back at you and still after knowing all of that I still came back to you. I came back to you thinking that you would be the same man that I was once in love with. But yet look at you!” I screamed. “You’re in there with that woman sleeping with her knowing damn well that it would tear me into pieces! Is this my reward for loving you all of these years?”

I almost smiled with victory at the way his eyes softened. There was this guilt all over his face and it made me feel so happy to look at.

He opened his mouth to speak when the door opened and Isabella walked out. Her eyes went from Hunter to me and I was rewarded by the hurt on her face.

I could use this to my advantage. How would she feel knowing that Hunter was over here feeling all sorry for me after they had just slept together?

I’d made Hunter feel guilty enough, I just hard to play out everything else now.

“I’m honestly having enough of this.” I told him. “I can’t keep feeling this hurt Hunter. If you want me to leave then just say—

“No.” Hunter said immediately as I turned to walk away.

I hid my smile when I saw the way Isabella looked at him. She was definitely distraught to see how much he still cared for me.

This was working a lot better than I expected it to. This was hopefully enough to push Isabella over the edge. She’d definitely leave after this; I had no doubt in my head.

. . . . . . . . . . .

~ISABELLA~

This wasn’t how I wanted my first time to be. I didn’t want to wake up and find the man I loved looking as though he regretted everything we’d done. I watched as he followed Maggie down the stairs like a lost puppy. He was so quick to tell her not to leave and that said more than enough for me. Now I knew where his heart really was. He wanted her and I was just in his way. I needed to let go of him or nothing would ever progress in our lives.

I pushed the door open and grabbed a small bag from the closet. I would only take a few things. I didn’t want to take anything Hunter had given to me but that was all I had over here. I wanted something for memory. I wouldn’t be back here again. This was it for the both of us. I’d made up my mind finally.

I was in the middle of zipping up the bag when Hunter barged into the room. I didn’t look up but I could feel his eyes burning into my skin.

“What are you doing?” He asked. His voice was soft but there was a hint of fear in it.

I picked the bag up and lifted myself off the floor. After finding all of the courage I had left in me, I finally turned to face him.

He searched my face for answers and I didn’t try to hide anything that I was feeling right now. I needed to let everything out or I would never be able to live with myself.

“You can’t choose, can you?” I asked as I felt the first tear roll down my cheek.

Hunter’s breath hitched the moment he saw me begin to cry.

He took a step forward and I took one step back. “Don’t.” I said as I raised my hand.

He paused midway and looked at me brokenly.

“You know what hurts the most. Even before we got married you never wanted me. You’ve always pushed me away and tried to keep us apart. You’ve ignored whatever attraction there was between us. All you were ever concerned about was Maggie. You were always concerned about failing her, about not being there for her when you thought she’d died. I’ve stayed and listened to it all. I’ve felt sorry for you; I felt your pain time and time again and desperately wanted to make the pain go away. But all this time I was secretly hoping for the day that you’d feel for me what I felt for you.”

I closed my eyes and let the tears fall. “I know now that I was crazy for ever wanting something like that. Your heart has always been one place and that’s with Maggie. You asked me to wait for your answer but I can’t do that anymore Hunter. Because if you can’t decide that I’m the one that you want to be with right now then you don’t want me enough and you never did.”

“Isabella.” He croaked. “Please.”

“No.” I snapped. “Don’t make this any harder than it already is for me. I want to go my own separate way. I can’t stand the hurt anymore Hunter. I’ve been in pain while waiting for you to love me back. I can’t feel this pain anymore, I don’t want it. I can’t wait for you, I can’t. I’m making this entire thing easier for you. You clearly can’t choose and you definitely don’t want to lose Maggie after wanting her all of these years. This is what’s best for the both of us.”

I tightened my hands on the bag and pushed past him. I stiffened when he grabbed onto my arm and forced me to stop.

“Isabella,” he whispered. “Please don’t go.”

I closed my eyes and ignored the way my body reacted to his touch. My body like always was quick to betray me just like my wolf. She wanted to stay behind and take care of Hunter.

I wanted to do the same but I wouldn’t put myself through the pain in order to do it. I was done fighting for us, now it was time for someone else to do it.

“Let. Go. Of. Me.”

“Isabella . . .”

“If you care about me at all, let go of me.” I pressed.

I stiffened when his arms wrapped around me and pulled me in a tight hug as though he was afraid to let me go. I could hear his racing heartbeat through his thin black t-shirt and it only made me want to stay more than before.

I felt my heart break when his arms loosened around me and he finally let go.

He was giving me the chance to leave, giving me what I was asking for. I couldn’t let him think that I was having second thoughts or he would never let me go. I turned on my heels and rushed out the door, not looking back even once.

Esma and Maggie were at the bottom of the stairs and I saw the look of triumph on Maggie’s face. I tried not to pay any attention to it. This was no longer my fight. My life would be somewhere else from now on.

Esma took one look at me and rushed to my side. “What’s going on? Why do you have a packed bag with you?”

“Hunter and I are separating. We aren’t married so it makes things so much easier.” I explained to her as quickly as I could.

Esma shook her head at me. “No, you can’t leave. Don’t let that woman get to your head Isabella. Believe me she’s lying about something, I just know it. Don’t let her run you away from the one you really want!”

I turned to Esma with pleading eyes. I needed her to let go of me.

“I’m sorry, I have to go.”

“I don’t understand. Did you and Hunter not spend the night together last night? How did you go from that to this?” She demanded.

I sighed. “None of that matters right now.”

“At least let us take you to wherever you’re going.” She offered.

I looked back for Hunter and was disappointed when I didn’t see him out here begging for me to come back. I should be happy. Even if he’d begged some more I wasn’t about to stay unless he got rid of Maggie and told me that he wanted to be with me. I knew that would never happen and that’s why I was leaving today.

“I already called someone to come get me. I can also just shift into my wolf, which would be even faster. I really don’t need any transport.”

Esma pulled me into her arms and held on almost as tightly as her brother had done. “Please take care of yourself Isabella. You’re like the sister I never had.”

I smiled against her embrace. “You are my sister Esma, you made my life here a lot easier than it was. Goodbye.”

I took one last look at the house I’d once called my home.

This was it.

My story with Hunter was now coming to a close.

Even if Hunter didn’t recognize me as his own, I always would see him as mine even though we couldn’t be together.

Goodbye my mate. I’ll always love you.