Contract Marriage With Alpha Snow - Chapter 396

Chapter 396: Ares’ Decision
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CHAPTER 396

~Vera’s POV~

The atmosphere in the mansion had shifted.

It wasn’t just the absence of Zara that had everyone uneasy. It was the way the maids and staff looked at me now. Before, they had been careful and polite, but now… now they whispered.

They sensed something was wrong.

And they weren’t wrong when some whispered it was connected to me.

Zara’s departure had complicated everything. My hold on her spirit had weakened significantly since she left the mansion.

Before, it had been easy to summon pieces of her essence, to break down the seal that protected her power gradually. But now? Now, she was out of my reach most of the time.

Most of the time.

Earlier on, I couldn’t attack her during the day as she was always protected by a necklace she wore.

But stupidly at night, she always took it off.

Now that she was away, during the day, if I concentrated hard enough, I could pull at her spirit, a subtle tether that still connected her to this house. But it wasn’t enough.

And my mother knew it.

I pressed my fingertips against the cool surface of my bracelet—the one that allowed me to communicate with her. The silver shimmered, glowing faintly before the air around me shifted. A soft hum filled the room, and then—her voice.

“Vera.”

I swallowed hard, my body tensing involuntarily. “Mother.”

“Why has the process stopped?” Her tone was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.

I exhaled, already knowing she wouldn’t like my answer. “Zara left the mansion.”

Silence. A dangerous kind followed and I exhaled.

“And why did you allow that to happen?”

I clenched my jaw. “Snow and Zara had issues. She left on her own.”

“I don’t care about their petty marital problems, Vera,” my mother snapped. “Your job is to keep her within the mansion until we can break the seal and extract her power. Without her presence, our work is at a standstill.”

I gritted my teeth, my fingers curling into fists.

“Fix this.”

“How?” I demanded before I could stop myself. “I can’t force her to come back! Snow is still obsessed with her, and she hates me. Even if I tried, she wouldn’t—”

“Then make him bring her back,” my mother interrupted smoothly. “You have your ways. Use them.”

I swallowed hard.

“Vera, I have no use for excuses. I do not know what you did to earn her anger, rage, wrath… whatever you did but… Bring her back, or I will have to take matters into my own hands.”

The projection from my bracelet flickered, and with one last ominous hum, the connection severed.

The room fell into an eerie silence as I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms.

Up until now, I hadn’t told my mother about Snow being my mate. That part of my life, my bond, was mine.

For years, I had dreamed of finding my mate, of having someone who belonged to me and me alone. And when I found him—when I found Snow—I had thought it was fate finally giving me something good.

Although that was something I knew Mother would hate, given that she had an alliance with the Thorned Crescent pack and I was already betrothed to Kent.

But now, my mother was threatening to take it all away? I wouldn’t let her.

I needed to get Zara back here. Not just for my mother. Not just for the plan. But because Snow was mine, and I wasn’t going to lose him to her.

Not now.

Not ever.

I will use our matebond to crush her, weakening her further while I break the seal.

“I need to talk to Snow and Zara… play my card right and apologise.”

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~Ella’s POV~

The sound of the city drifted through my apartment window, but I barely noticed it. My mind had been filled with emotions for days now, ever since I had stepped away from everything—Ares, Richard, even Zara’s home—all of it.

I had needed space—to breathe—to decide.

But had I? Had I truly made a choice? Or had I just run away from making one? Especially how each time I tried to recall the other night Ares came to my room in Zara’s house, a piercing headache always followed when I tried to think further.

A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.

I turned, my heartbeat stuttering slightly. I already knew who it was before I even reached for the handle.

I could sense him. Ares.

The moment I opened the door, his piercing gaze locked onto mine.

“Can I come in?” His voice was calm. Too calm.

I swallowed and nodded, stepping aside.

Ares walked in, his presence immediately filling the space, but something felt… different.

Colder.

Like he wasn’t here to fight for me anymore.

I shut the door and turned to him, already feeling uneasy. “Ares—”

“You don’t have to apologise.”

I blinked, taken aback. “What?”

“You were about to apologize,” he said simply, shoving his hands into his pockets. His sharp blue eyes studied me carefully, but there was no warmth in them. No anger either. Just… acceptance. “And I’m telling you now—you don’t need to.”

I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling like I was standing on shaky ground. “Ares, I—”

He sighed, rubbing his jaw before finally meeting my gaze again. “I’ve made my decision, Ella.”

Something in my chest tightened.

“I’m withdrawing.”

The words were like a slap to my face.

“What?” I whispered.

Ares gave me a small, almost sad smile. “I won’t stand in the way anymore. I won’t make this difficult. You like Richard, and he’s your mate. I get it now.”

“No,” I said quickly, shaking my head. “That’s not—”

But he cut me off again in a gentler voice, but I could still feel his resolve. “I’m making the decision for you, Ella.”

My breath hitched.

Ares had always been stubborn, always fought for what he wanted for me. But now, he was just… letting go?

“You don’t have to do this,” I murmured.

He huffed out a small chuckle, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Don’t I?”