23

ALINA

I think if Alexander hadn’t said “no pressure,” I wouldn’t have felt pressured at all.

But the moment those words left his mouth, I completely unraveled. Even more than usual.

The second he parked outside the massive stone building, my hands started to shake. My legs felt like jelly. I could barely breathe, let alone move.

He glanced at me with clear amusement before stepping out of the car. He didn’t say anything—just nodded at me to follow.

Standing on my own feet felt harder than it should have. I wobbled immediately, like I’d forgotten how legs were supposed to work. My teeth were chattering. He definitely said that just to mess with me. You could tell from the way he walked, like he was proud of being cruel.

I wasn’t going to let him win, though.

“Don’t make me wait up for you,” he called over his shoulder, his pace already increasing.

Of course he wouldn’t make it easy. Why would he? I didn’t stand a chance of catching up. His legs were twice the length of mine. He wasn’t just tall—he was built like a warrior.

So I did the only thing that made sense. I ran.

It took exactly two steps for me to realize I’d made a critical mistake. My laces were loose. I never retied them after this morning.

My foot caught on something, and suddenly the ground rushed up to meet me.

I screamed, flailing my arms like I could somehow flap my way out of it.

I braced for the worst. I could already imagine my face kissing the concrete, teeth knocked out, knees scraped open. I shut my eyes and waited for impact.

But it never came.

A strong arm circled my waist and yanked me back. My entire body slammed into a hard chest, and heat bloomed across my skin from head to toe.

Alexander.

“I didn’t know walking was such a chore,” he said casually, then let me go.

I didn’t respond. Mostly because I was trying to recover from my near-death experience. Also because my heart was pounding like I’d just run a marathon.

“You’re welcome,” he added before turning and walking away like saving me was the most mundane thing he’d done all day.

I hated that I had to follow him.

But really, what choice did I have? He was unhinged, and I had a feeling the council would side with him no matter what he did. He could kill me on the steps of this building and walk away untouched.

He looked like someone who had never once in his life been held accountable for anything.

That realization made something sharp twist inside me.

I didn’t even realize I was mumbling until he snapped again.

“If you don’t stop buzzing like a fucking bee, I’ll remove all your teeth. That way, buzzing will be the only sound you’re capable of.”

I shut up instantly.

This was punishment. Not the physical kind—yet—but the slow, mental kind. He was being mean just because he could. He liked to pretend he was civilized, but it was just that: an act. He let people lower their guard around him and then struck when it hurt the most.

I used to think Lucien was the only one like that. Now I see it runs in the bloodline.

Even the guards didn’t question him. No ID, no name, no eye contact. They looked at me like I might try to rob the place, but when Alexander glared at them, they stepped back like scared children.

He didn’t even slow down as we approached a set of enormous double doors.

I followed, trying not to trip again.

Before he could knock, the doors opened on their own. He walked inside like he owned the place, and just like that, seven men stood up from their chairs.

A full council.

“No need for a standing ovation,” Alexander said with a smirk. “I already told you I’m cool with you guys.”

My eyebrows shot up.

I’d never been near a council meeting before. I only knew what people whispered: they were ruthless, powerful, and not to be trifled with. But Alexander clearly didn’t fall under their rules. That was obvious in the way they looked at him.

Like they wanted to stop him but knew they couldn’t.

“I’m pretty sure we’ve made it clear you’re not allowed to stomp in here,” one of the older men said, his voice tight.

Alexander stepped closer to the center, where one man sat in a slightly elevated chair. That must’ve been the head of the council.

“I also said that if you annoyed me again with that nonsense, I’d dismantle your entire committee,” Alexander replied, his tone light. “So, which will it be, Arnold?”

Arnold glared at him, but didn’t say a word. Probably a wise decision.

“What brings the mighty Lycan king to our little office today?” another man asked. He looked younger—maybe fifty—but that was mostly because the others looked like they were already halfway buried.

Alexander didn’t even look at him. “Your first mistake is thinking you’re relevant to me.” He held up a finger. “Second, you forgot I have your little sex tape.” He held up another. “Or maybe I should just send it to your wife. I heard she has a thing for women.”

The man lurched to his feet, red-faced, but the others yanked him back before he could do anything.

Alexander sighed like he was bored.

“I heard about the little bounty you placed on my mate,” he said, motioning toward me. “So I figured I’d bring her to you myself.”

I didn’t want to move, but my body did. It was like someone pressed an invisible button and forced me forward. I walked to him, each step slower than the last.

He rested a hand casually on my back.

“Arnold. Jeffery. Jonah. Daniel. Micah. Raymond. Henry,” he said, listing them one by one with a mocking smile. “This is my mate. Alina.”

He looked down at me.

“The pleasure is yours.”