Chapter Seven

***

Alpha? It now registered in her mind what the second man said.

Her eyes flicked to the tall. Alpha? No. No. No. That couldn't be him .

But the way the second man's eyes darted to him, the way he tried to defuse the tension. It all made sense in a horrifying way. She had just insulted the Alpha of the Blackthorn Pack.

The stranger's lips lifted slightly, not into a smile but something that said he had noticed the moment she realised who he was.

" You didn't know who i was? " he murmured. " Interesting. "

" I don't care who you are." Heat reached her cheeks, but she refused to be shy.

" Good," he said softly. " Then this will be fun. "

He stepped further into the library, slow and deliberate. Each step felt like a challenge.

" You shouldn't be in here, " he said.

" And you should? " she spat back. " This is my father's library. "

" Your father's ? " His brow rose. " That's what they told you? "

Her heart skipped a beat. " What is that supposed to mean? "

He didn't answer. He walked past her slowly, trailing his fingers lightly over the edge of the desk. Be scanned the opened page of the document she had been reading.

" They let you see this?" he asked in disbelief.

" I found it myself, " she snapped.

He lifted the corners of the burned letter, eyes sharpening. " Of course you did. "

She hated the way he said it like he had known her for a long time, like he had been watching her long before he stepped into this room.

Her hands curled into fists. " I'm not scared of you ."

" You should be ." He stepped closer, close enough that she could she his eyes clearly.

"You don't know what exactly is happening around you," he said softly. " You don't know why you've been hidden here. You don't know why your parents are desperate. His gaze lowered to the documents. " And you have no idea the kind of danger you're in. "

Her chest tightened, but her expression remained cold.

" And why should I believe you? "

He leaned in his voice, dropping to a low whisper in a warning tone.

" Because I'm one of the few people who isn't lying to you. "

She stiffened, " You don't know anything about me."

He almost smiled. Almost, but he didn't.

" I know you're stubborn. " A step closer.

" I know you hate being told what to do." Another step closer.

" And I know you didn't want this alliance, and you still don't. "

Her breath faltered, but she refused to show it.

" Move out of my way." She whispered.

He didn't.

So she shoved past him only for him to catch her wrist gently, not to restrain her but to stop her long enough to say :

" We are not allies yet , and if you keep looking for answers, the people you trust most would be the first to disappear. " He locked eyes with her.

She yanked her hand free, " I don't take warnings from strangers."

He stepped back, but his voice remained low, dangerous, and certain.

" You won't see me as a stranger for long. " He turned and left abruptly as he had entered, the door slamming shut behind him.

Silence flooded the library. Her hands shook not from fear but fury.

She hated him. She hated how handsome he was. She hated how he talked to her. She hated the way he made her skip a beat for a blink of an eye when he looked at her like that. And at least of all, she hated how he knew something she didn't know of.