Divorced by the Alpha, Claimed by the Rogue Chapter 71; You have lost your mind

Aiden’s POV

How the hell had I been so blind? This had been her plan all along—using the damn party as her stage. But there was no way I was letting her slip away. Not now. Not ever.

I stepped closer to the microphone, my voice low and edged with warning as I locked eyes with her. "I can’t let you go, Alina. You’re staying here. With ."

The words barely left my mouth before she snatched the mic back, her gaze burning into mine. A slow, defiant smile curved her lips as she turned toward the crowd. "Our Alpha is such a selfish man," she said, her voice carrying clearly across the room. "I poured three years of my life into this place, helping him build everything. And what did he do? The mont his old love returned, he tossed aside like I was nothing. Now she’s pregnant with his child... so tell , what more does he want from ?"

Gasps rippled through the guests. Heads turned. Whispers exploded into open murmurs. I felt heat crawl up my neck as several of my own n shifted uncomfortably, their eyes darting between us.

I raised my hands, forcing a tight smile. "Everyone, there’s no need to worry. This is a private matter. I’ll handle it—"

Alina cut off, thrusting the microphone forward. "No. Tell them, right here, in front of everyone. Tell you’ll let go. Tell I can leave with my child. You’re a man of your word, aren’t you, Alpha?"

The crowd stirred. A few voices rose. Then more.

"Alpha, you are a man of your word!"

"She deserves her freedom!"

"Let her go!"

The chants grew louder, pressing in on like a noose. My fists clenched at my sides until my knuckles ached. I could feel their judgnt, their expectation. Trapped.

I swallowed hard, jaw tight. "Fine," I bit out. "She’s done here. I’ll... let her go."

A smirk blood across Alina’s face—sharp and victorious. She pressed the microphone back into my hand, turned on her heel, and walked away without another word, the crowd parting for her like she was the one in control.

Fury boiled through my veins. I left the party imdiately, storming down the corridor to my room. The door slamd behind with a thunderous crack. A roar tore from my throat as I swept my arm across the desk—papers, glass, and bottles crashing to the floor. I grabbed a chair and hurled it against the wall, the wood splintering.

"I can’t just let her go," I snarled to the empty room, chest heaving. "I won’t let her run off and be happy with Lucian."

The door creaked open. Emily stepped inside, her eyes widening at the destruction. Shattered glass crunched under her shoes.

"Aiden... you’ve really lost your mind," she said quietly. "This isn’t normal anymore. Let Alina go. She humiliated you in front of everyone. If you force her to stay, the talk will never stop."

"I don’t fucking care!" I shouted, spinning toward her.

Emily’s voice stayed steady, but her eyes glistened. "You’re doing all this because you don’t want to lose to Lucian."

The words hit like a spark on dry tinder. "I fucking love her!" I roared.

Silence crashed down. Emily’s face crumpled, tears spilling over. She took a shaky breath. "There it is. You’ve finally admitted it. You love Alina. I’ve been crazy for saying it all this ti, but now you’ve said it yourself."

She turned before I could respond, slipping out of the room and shutting the door softly behind her.

I shoved my hair back with both hands, a frustrated yell ripping from my chest. My fists clenched until the nails bit into my palms. Then I moved—storming out and heading straight for her quarters.

The door was ajar. I pushed it open to find Alina folding clothes into a bag, calm and thodical.

"What the hell do you think you’re doing?" I growled.

She barely glanced up. "Packing. Obviously. I’m leaving."

I crossed the room in two strides, snatched the bag from her hands, and hurled it across the room. Clothes spilled out across the floor.

Alina didn’t flinch. She stayed eerily calm, eting my gaze. "I can still leave without taking anything."

She tried to step past . My hand shot out, fingers wrapping around her arm. I yanked her back and pushed her down onto the bed. She landed with a soft bounce, eyes widening as I reached for my belt, the leather sliding free with a sharp hiss.

"What are you doing?" she breathed.

"You’re not leaving," I said, voice dark and final. "I’ll make sure of it."Alina’s eyes widened, her breath catching as she pushed herself up on her elbows, staring at from the bed.

I lood over her, chest still heaving from the rage that had followed here. My blood pounded in my ears, drowning out everything except the sight of her—defiant, calm, like she still thought she could win this.

"You think this ends with you walking away?" I growled, tossing the belt aside and pinning her wrists above her head with one hand. The mattress dipped under my weight as I leaned down, close enough to feel the warmth of her breath against my face. "After everything? After you stood there and tore apart in front of them?"

Alina’s chin lifted, her smirk flickering back into place even as her pulse raced under my grip. "You did this to yourself, Aiden. You kept here like a prisoner while you played house with your pregnant love. Now the whole pack knows."

I tightened my hold, my free hand sliding down to grip her hip, pressing her firmly into the bed. Her body tensed beneath , but she didn’t fight—not yet. That quiet defiance only fueled the fire twisting in my gut. The image of her with Lucian flashed behind my eyes—her leaving, building a life with him, carrying my child while smiling at soone else.

"No," I snarled, voice low and rough. "You’re not going anywhere. Not with my baby. Not to him."

She shifted, trying to twist free, but I shifted my weight, trapping her legs with mine. The room felt smaller, the air thick with the scent of her—familiar, maddening. I could see the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes now, breaking through that calm mask.

"You’re insane," she whispered, but her voice wavered.

"Maybe." My lips brushed her ear as I spoke. "But you’re staying. Right here. Where I can keep you."

Her breathing quickened. For the first ti since the party, real alarm flashed across her face as my hand moved, gripping the edge of her dress. The fabric gave a soft tear under my fingers.

I wasn’t letting her go. Not tonight. Not ever. She’d feel exactly who she belonged to—whether she wanted it or not.