Alpha's Rejected becomes the Lycan's Obsession

Chapter 167: You scared me

~Back to the Present Time~

The sound of slow, rhythmic breathing filled the air, mixing with the distant hum of silence that lingered like a gentle lullaby. The room was still, heavy with the perfume of lavender and rosewood, a fragrance that floated like a soft veil, tender and reassuring.

Tessy’s lashes fluttered, her eyes reluctantly parting as consciousness crept in.

At first, her gaze was hazy, like the world she woke to had been dipped in gold and stardust. Her body felt light, as though she had been floating for days, drifting between existence and nothingness. The ceiling above her shimmered slightly as light filtered in through curtains so sheer they looked like spun silk.

She blinked slowly, taking in the vast canopy above the bed, the smooth marbled pillars that framed the space, the soft sheen of the chandeliers hanging delicately from the high ceiling. Her breath caught.

She did not recognize this room.

It was breathtaking, far more exquisite than anything she had ever seen, even in Roman’s luxurious mansion back at Apex Dominica. The bedding beneath her felt like velvet soaked in warmth, cradling her sore body in a gentle embrace. The room was spacious, so grand it nearly felt surreal. The walls were adorned with art and fabrics that looked like they had been handwoven by ancient royalty. Gold trimming lined every corner. A fireplace to the left of the room crackled silently, flames dancing behind a glass screen. It looked like a dream she was not sure she had permission to enter. noveldrama

For one terrifying moment, Tessie wondered if she was somehow still in her past life.

Her throat tightened.

The thought gripped her like icy fingers. Was this one of the royal chambers of Bolarish Pack? Had Stella, the witch, somehow succeeded in bringing her back to life only to toss her back into the very nightmare she had finally escaped? Her pulse quickened. She couldn’t go through that again. She couldn’t face Jorell—not after everything. Not after the shame, the humiliation, the heartache of being mated to a man who had so easily discarded her for a more suitable choice.

She thought she had died. That was what she wanted. That was what she craved. That was what she gave in to. So how the hell did it all go wrong?

Her chest rose and fell quickly, panic threatening to cloud her reasoning.

But then, instinctively, she turned her head toward the side of the room, and everything stopped.

Her breath stilled, as she laid her eyes on the one person she thought was a dream too good to be true. The one reality she thought she was only dreaming of when she was reliving her past life. Roman.

He stood at the far end of the chamber, his tall frame rigid, both arms braced against the wall in front of him. His head was bowed, the thick strands of his brown hair falling slightly over his forehead. He was motionless, save for the rise and fall of his shoulders with every breath he took. From the way he stood, the tension carved into the lines of his back, it was clear he was lost in thought. He had not realized she was awake, not yet.

Tessy’s lips parted, a quiet sigh slipping out. The tight knot of fear in her chest unraveled slowly, replaced with something warm and healing. Relief poured into her like a balm. She was not in Bolarish. She was not back in that gilded prison where love had been a game of status and power.

She was back here.

She was with the one who had never made her feel like she had to beg for affection. The one who had seen her at her most broken and still chosen her without hesitation. The one who, despite all her fears and the difference in their worlds, had never looked down on her.

A slow smile bloomed across her face, soft and real. It wasn’t born of joy alone but of deep, overwhelming peace. She was finally where she was meant to be. And she couldn’t believe she was only realizing it after all this time.

"Your Majesty," she called out gently, her voice still rough from sleep but laced with warmth and fondness.

Roman’s body stiffened instantly, his entire posture freezing where he stood.

For a split second, he did not move.

Then, as if her voice had jolted him out of a trance, he turned around in one swift, fluid motion.

His eyes locked on hers immediately.

Tessy saw it—the disbelief, the hope, the raw fear of losing her—and something in his gaze cracked open. His steps were quick, almost frantic, but controlled by the measured strength that always seemed to hum beneath his skin. He crossed the room in a heartbeat, falling to the chair placed at her bedside, the same one she was certain he had barely left while she lay unconscious.

"My love, you are awake," he said, and his voice trembled with emotion.

He leaned in closer, the back of his hand reaching for her forehead with the tenderness of someone who had thought they might lose the most important part of their soul. His skin was warm, his touch soft as he checked for any signs of fever, for anything out of place.

"How do you feel now?" he asked, his voice low but full of concern as he gazed deeply into her eyes.

Tessie didn’t answer right away.

She simply looked at him.

For a long, slow moment, all she did was stare—drinking in his presence, feeling the truth of it settle into her bones. Roman. The one the world feared and revered. The one who turned her world upside down without giving her a chance to do anything about it. He had stayed. He had waited. He had never once treated her like a burden or reminded her of her place in society.

A part of her remembered how angry she had been when they first met, how she had struggled to understand what he saw in her and why he was being so insistent on marrying her. But now, watching him—watching the storm in his eyes soften at the sight of her—she realized that maybe, just maybe, the universe had grown tired of watching her suffer. Maybe it had finally decided to reward her with something real. Someone true.

Roman began to worry when she remained silent.

Her eyes were wide and bright, almost glowing with unshed emotion, but her lips said nothing. He watched her closely, confusion beginning to form in his gaze. Was she in pain? Did she not remember what had happened? Was she scared?

He parted his lips to ask.

But before he could utter a single word, Tessy’s smile returned—this time wider, more radiant, stretching across her face like sunlight piercing through the clouds after a long, relentless storm.

She nodded slowly.

"I’m alright," she whispered, her voice stronger now, "now that I have seen you."

And just like that, Roman felt his heart thud hard against his ribs.

He let out a shaky breath, and leaned forward. His lips brushed against her forehead in a kiss that lingered longer than necessary, as though grounding himself in the reality of her presence. He was trying to be composed, to stay strong, but her words had melted every bit of the tension he had carried for hours.

"You scared me," he murmured against her skin, the confession soft but thick with truth.

Tessy reached for his hand and squeezed gently. "I’m sorry."

Roman lifted his head slightly, meeting her eyes again. But this time, her expression had changed. The smile faded slowly, replaced with a calm seriousness that caused his brows to pull together.

There was no anger in her gaze, no accusation, just a curiosity that had grown too big to keep inside.

"Roman," she began, her voice even, "how long was I out?"

"Five hours," he answered, not sure why she asked. But from the look in her eyes, he knew that there was another question coming.

"Why haven’t you marked me yet? Is it because I didn’t know who I was yet?"

The next question landed like a stone in still water.

Roman’s body went completely still. His eyes did not leave hers, but something flickered in their depths, an emotion that danced between guilt and restraint.

Tessy watched him closely, already suspecting the answer. But she wanted to hear it from him. She needed to know what held him back. Why, even after knowing she was his mate, and after revealing her true identity to her, he had chosen to wait.

She had asked with no accusation, yet her heart beat a little faster now that the words were out in the open.

Roman finally drew in a breath, his hand reaching for and tightening slightly around hers.

He was not a man who wavered. But now, in front of her, he looked like someone standing at the edge of something vast and uncertain.