Chapter eight: Axel

Axel's POV

The sunset glow filtered in through the open windows, revealing the recently polished wooden floorboards. I took a deep breath. Fuck. Her earthly scent had already soaked into the sheets and the room. It made no sense.

Nothing about this rogue made sense, and yet I brought her in here. She should’ve been in the guest wing or, better yet, the servants’ quarters. But no. I let her stay here, where only Alex and I lived—for our use.

And she agreed so readily. Wasn’t that worrisome? But why does her misery… and mystery… excite me? Look at her curled up under the covers like something broken. Her dark hair spilled across my pillow, mouth slightly parted, chest rising and falling with a subtle tremble I didn’t like.

Oh, she had an eye for comfort too. What’s a moss bed compared to a soft fur bed?

Greedy little thing.

I should’ve ended her the moment we found her, or left her with the rest of the displaced pack girls. But when I saw her on that floor, sobbing like the world had betrayed her… I let her in.

Frank was wrong to think I trusted her. Far from it

.

I wanted to watch her. Even now, she was giving me a show she didn’t realize. Her body jerked slightly, and a muffled whimper escaped her lips as she curled tighter around my pillow.

She was having a nightmare, obviously.

I narrowed my eyes as her whole frame tightened like she was shrinking into herself.

My wolf stirred beneath my skin.

Wake her. Help her. Comfort her. He chanted relentlessly. I didn’t because I’m not that kind of man.

“Calm down.” I growled at him.

She wasn’t some harmless, scared girl. I’d been Alpha long enough to know a liar when I saw one. Her eyes were too intelligent beneath all that trembling, and her mouth was careful not to say the wrong things.

She’d been trained to survive and say nothing. Girls like that were either hiding something… or planning something.

Either way, I wasn’t going to be gentle.

Suddenly, the sheets kicked as she bolted upright.

“TRISTAN!” she screamed, eyes wide with terror. She looked around, trying to remember where she was, and then her gaze landed on me.

Hm. I folded my arms across my chest, resting one ankle on the opposite knee as I prepared myself.

“Who is Tristan?”

She froze then turned to me like she hadn’t realized I was in the room. All I could see was her wide eyes, parted mouth, and sweat glistening at her hairline.

My eyes settled on her plump lips for a second.

“When did you come in?” she asked, stupidly.

“Who. Is. Tristan?” I repeated, slower this time.

Her lip trembled, but it wasn’t fear that crossed her face. It was… defiance? She blinked once, twice, then narrowed her eyes just a little.

“That’s none of your business,” she said.

Wrong answer.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees.

“You’re alive because you agreed to mate with the Desori brothers. You sleep in my house. In my bed. And you think what you hide from me isn't my business?”

“I didn’t agree to this just to share secrets,” her voice rose slightly, “I agreed to survive.”

The words were sharp, but they didn’t pierce me. They only amused me. Like I said: Greedy little thing. Scratch that. Let’s add “cute” to greedy, shall we?

Cute Greedy little thing. A smile curled at the edge of my mouth. “Did you even bother to read the contract?” I asked.

Her face flushed instantly, and she dropped her gaze, pressing her mouth into a tight line.

Interesting.

“I thought so,” I murmured. “Distracted, were you? Or just stupid?”

She didn’t need to respond. Her pink cheeks told me everything.

“Listen. I don’t give a fuck who Tristan is, but I do give a fuck about what you’re doing here. So let’s start again.” I stood, slowly.

Her eyes followed the movement like prey watching a predator approach.

“What’s your name?”

She hesitated.

“Mia.”

“Mia… what?”

Her mouth opened, then closed.

I tilted my head. “You don’t know your own last name?”

She swallowed hard. “I do.”

“Say it.”

“…Veyren.”

My eyes narrowed slightly. Her hesitation meant something. I’d dig into it later.

“How long have you been living near my borders?”

“A year.”

“What pack did you belong to?”

She flinched. “None officially. I’ve been…”

“Squatting?” I supplied.

“No,” she snapped. “Surviving.”

“Same difference with the banished part.”

“You know nothing about me.”

I circled the bed slowly, stopping at her side. “And your wolf?” I asked. “What’s wrong with her?”

Mia’s mouth clamped shut.

I leaned closer. “She doesn’t smell right. She doesn’t move like a proper wolf. You flinch when you’re touched, and your… senses are sharper than a regular omega. Tell me, Mia Veyren… what are you?”

“I’m not—” she started, but I cut her off with a slow step back.

“Doesn’t matter.”

Her brows pinched together. “What?”

“You’ll still need to go through the ritual.”

She stiffened. “What ritual?”

I raised an eyebrow. “The mating ritual. You did sign the contract, remember?”

“I—I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she stammered, clutching the sheets.

Oh, she knew what I was talking about. I smiled again. “Didn’t read that part either?” I asked.

“Th-that’s not—” she cut herself off, eyes widening in horror. “Wait… no, that’s not legal. You can’t just—”

“It’s very legal,” I replied smoothly. “The contract is clear. There is no true mate bond, no union of trust, no alliance recognized by the Apostles… unless the mating ritual is fulfilled publicly and traditionally.”

Her mouth dropped open, disbelief washing over her.

“You want me to—” she stammered. “In front of everyone?”

I gave a stiff nod.

“No.” She shook her head hard. “No, that’s not happening. That’s not—”

“You don’t get to negotiate, Mia.”

She lunged off the bed. “You’re sick.”

“Maybe.” I moved toward the door, but paused with my hand on the knob.

“I didn’t ask for this,” she whispered behind me.

I glanced at her from over my shoulder.

“No,” I said flatly. “But now you’re in it. So choose, Mia Veyren. Either you play your part… or I start asking questions your wolf can’t hide from.” With that, I opened the door, stepped into the hallway, and let it slam quietly shut behind me.

Tomorrow, we would talk again.