Free Web NovelChapter 166: Chapter 166 His Choice
Author’s POV
Caesar’s appearance at the doorway was as silent as it was sudden, his keen ears having caught every word exchanged between the women.
Both Sylvia and Helena whipped their heads around simultaneously, equally shocked. How had the Wolf King returned home without either of them sensing his presence?
Helena recovered first, practically running to Caesar’s side, her expression transforming completely.
"Cae," she pleaded, her voice honey-sweet, "it’s not what you think. I was just joking around with your wife."
Sylvia rose to her feet, crossing her arms with amused disbelief written across her face. "Really? If this was all just jokes, then perhaps I should share some ’jokes’ of my own with my dear sister-in-law."
Helena’s face contorted with embarrassment, her lips twitching nervously. "Sister, what are you talking about? I don’t understand. I was honestly just kidding around. Please don’t take it personally."
Turning back to Caesar, she added desperately, "Really, Cae, you believe me, don’t you? I was just playing around. It meant nothing."
Sylvia fell silent, watching the pathetic display unfold. The contrast between Helena’s earlier threats and current groveling was almost comedic.
Caesar’s expression remained frigid, utterly unreadable. His silver-blue eyes bored into Helena, searching for truth in the tangle of lies she was spinning.
Under his penetrating stare, Helena grew visibly anxious, fidgeting like prey before a predator.
"Cae, say something," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You’re scaring me when you look at me like that."
The normally articulate Helena could barely string together coherent sentences under Caesar’s scrutiny.
From her position behind them, Sylvia couldn’t help but find the situation darkly amusing. Where had all that fierce bravado gone? The woman who had just threatened her was now cowering like a pup caught stealing meat.
Sylvia waited with folded arms, curious to see how Caesar would handle the situation. The facts were laid bare before him; she didn’t need to add anything.
With a swift, decisive movement, Caesar shook off Helena’s clinging hand, the rejection unmistakable in its finality.
"If you can’t respect my mate," he said, his voice low and dangerous, "then you have no place in our home."
Helena’s eyes widened in horror as she shook her head frantically. "No! Cae, I swear I was just joking with her. I promise! I’ll... I’ll apologize to Sylvia tonight..."
She rushed to Sylvia’s side, tears streaming down her face in a picture-perfect display of contrition. "Sylvia—I mean, Luna—please tell Cae I meant no harm. I was just playing around. Please, I’m begging you."
Helena knew perfectly well that only Sylvia held the power to let her stay now. Caesar’s mind was made up; her only hope lay with the woman she’d just threatened.
When she reached out to clutch Sylvia’s sleeve in desperation, Sylvia quickly stepped back, avoiding her touch entirely.
Without hesitation, Sylvia regarded Helena with cold amusement, as though watching a clown’s pitiful performance.
"Now you know what fear feels like?" she asked quietly.
Helena shook her head through her tears. "No, please don’t hold this against me. I truly was just joking. I don’t know anything about what you mentioned. I promise I won’t interfere between you and Cae anymore. Just please let me stay."
Looking at Helena’s tearful, almost pathetic begging, Sylvia found herself somewhat surprised. What desperate need drove this woman to cling so tenaciously to a place where she wasn’t wanted?
Curiosity began to stir in Sylvia’s mind. If allowed to remain, what might Helena do next? Perhaps keeping a potential threat where she could watch her was wiser than releasing her into the shadows.
With that thought, Sylvia relented.
"Fine. You can stay," she said coolly. "But I don’t want to see you anywhere I am. Understood?" freēwēbnovel.com
Relief flooded Helena’s tear-streaked face. "Thank you, Luna. I promise you won’t regret this. I’ll stay in my room whenever you’re around. You won’t even know I exist."
Sylvia responded with a curt nod, then fixed Helena with a pointed stare that clearly asked: "Why are you still here?"
Helena suddenly became remarkably perceptive, backing toward the door immediately. freewebnσvel.cѳm
"Don’t worry, I’ll make myself invisible to you. I swear."
She slipped past Caesar with her head bowed, though she couldn’t help hesitating slightly when passing him.
Finally, pressing her lips together, she disappeared without another word.
When the door slammed shut, Caesar seemed to emerge from his thoughts. He crossed to Sylvia in three quick strides and pulled her into his embrace, cutting off whatever she might have said.
He buried his face in the curve of her neck, nuzzling her gently, breathing in her scent like a drowning man finding air.
Sylvia was momentarily surprised but quickly relaxed into his arms, raising her hand to stroke his back soothingly. "What’s wrong?" she asked softly.
Was he that shocked by Helena’s deception? His little "sister" had hidden her true nature from him all this time. But that wasn’t something he could have controlled, was it? Sylvia wasn’t sure how to comfort him about this.
Caesar shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper against her skin. "No, it’s not that. I just hate that you’ve had to endure so much alone."
Sylvia froze, unprepared for his words. She’d expected him to be upset about Helena’s betrayal, not concerned about her.
She hadn’t planned to be angry with Caesar over this. After all, Helena’s duplicity wasn’t his fault. In his mind, Helena was probably still that innocent girl who had followed him around, calling him "Cae" with childlike adoration.
Sylvia patted his back gently. "This isn’t your fault. It has nothing to do with you."
She’d never been particularly skilled at offering comfort, and faced with Caesar’s unexpected vulnerability, she felt a surge of tenderness toward him.
Truly, she didn’t blame Caesar for Helena’s actions. If she had, she wouldn’t be standing here comforting him, wouldn’t even be speaking to him.
Caesar felt even more ashamed. Here she was, the one who’d been wounded, yet she was consoling him.
"I’m sorry," he said, the words unfamiliar on his tongue.
Sylvia took a moment to process this. In her experience, Caesar had always been proud and self-assured, seemingly in control of every situation. This was the first time she’d seen him so vulnerable, the first time she’d heard him apologize so plainly.
Their positions felt strangely reversed. She’d initially sought comfort from him, yet now she found herself holding him, soothing his guilt.
After accepting the true Caesar beneath his alpha exterior, Sylvia was discovering he had his own vulnerabilities too.
"I’ll have her leave tomorrow," he said abruptly.
The statement caught Sylvia off guard. "Are you sure? I just told her she could stay."
Caesar shook his head dismissively. "It doesn’t matter. I’ll contact her brother and have him take her home."
Sylvia hesitated, aware that changing her mind might seem manipulative. But she had given Helena her word, however reluctantly.
"Maybe we should wait a couple of days," she suggested. "She seems obedient enough now, and she promised to stay out of my sight. Let’s see how she behaves. If it doesn’t work out, you can send her back to her brother with good reason."
Her words were clearly meant to spare Caesar any awkwardness or guilt, considering his long history with Helena’s family.
Caesar recognized her selflessness immediately. He pulled her deeper into his embrace, holding her as if she might disappear if he loosened his grip.
"How did I get so lucky to find you?" he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.
Sylvia felt heat creep up her neck at his words, but she welcomed them, sinking deeper into the safety of his arms.
