45

ALEXANDER

Knowing Alina was in my bed while I got ready gave me a kind of pleasure I couldn’t even put into words. She’d gone back to sleep when I walked out, ready for the day. It was late for me, but lying next to her had felt too good. I didn’t want to get up.

I stood over her still form, unsure of what exactly I wanted to do, but feeling awkward just leaving like that. I fixed the comforter she’d tucked herself into perfectly, for lack of something better to do.

After staring for a full two minutes like some obsessed fool, I finally turned and left the bedroom.

“Really? Even when she’s sick?”

I spun around sharply, hand flying to the knife at my waistband, before realizing it was just Claude, giving me that judgmental look like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. If anyone had the right to wear that expression, it was me. He nearly gave me a damn heart attack.

“Did you cloak your scent?” I asked, pushing away his question. That was more important.

“Why ask what you already know?” he replied smugly, brow arched, and I had the briefest urge to punch him in the face.

But he’d just returned from an assignment last night, and I needed to know what happened. If he was cloaking his scent, I wasn’t going to assume everything went smoothly.

“Who is it?” I asked tightly. If he was masking for someone specific, I wanted to know. We already had enough problems with the fucking Elders sniffing around.

“No one important.” He waved a hand dismissively. “Now, back to her. Do you even have a heart?”

I squinted, not following. His eyes were locked on my closed bedroom door.

Alina was inside.

My lips twitched into a grin as I remembered. My mate, in my bed, wrapped in my scent.

“What about her?” I asked, genuinely lost.

I started walking, expecting Claude to follow. As much as I wanted to stand there and demand clarity, we had too much to do. The sooner we were done, the faster I could return to Alina.

These days, my thoughts weren’t about conquering new packs or planning tactics. No, now it was all Alina. Just Alina.

Hell, someone had brought a demo for a new weapon yesterday, and while they debated paint colors, all I saw was how the sleek black resembled a leather skirt that would look sinfully good on her.

“Are you even listening to me?” Claude barked.

I turned, catching the contempt in his face and for a second, it felt like our father was standing in front of me. The resemblance hit like a blow to the chest.

“Yes,” I answered, shaking off the moment. The resemblance was disturbing.

“Yeah? What was the last thing I said?” he challenged.

I stared at him blankly. I wasn’t playing that damn game.

He huffed, rolling his eyes.

“Don’t hurt her,” he said after a pause.

It took a second to register, and then I growled, insulted he’d even suggest it.

“I wouldn’t touch her like that even if she were fine. I’m not a fucking monster.”

The world could think what they wanted. Let them fear me. But Claude was my brother. He knew better. He saw the parts of me no one else did.

“You woke up late. You never wake up late, and I’ve known you my whole life,” he said, expression sharp.

“I’m not having this conversation with you,” I muttered, shoving him aside as I reached my office.

I didn’t expect him to follow, but he came in two minutes later, frowning, though I was the one more pissed.

He dropped into his usual chair. I powered up my system and started reading reports. When he was ready to speak, he would.

“I’m sorry,” he said after a moment.

I looked up. He was watching me, running a hand through his hair, sighing.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just… worried about her. She’s like… she’s this innocent thing I want to protect. And I know you won’t hurt her, she’s your mate, but your whole alpha thing might get out of hand.”

“I can control myself around a woman. Mate or not,” I said tightly.

He nodded, hands raised in surrender. “Still. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Well then,” I said flatly. “While you’re at it, maybe you could tell me what actually pissed you off.”

I knew his moods. He never said what bothered him until he was cornered.

“How’s Isiah doing over here?” he asked, his jaw locking. “Has he been acting weird lately?”

“He’s the same as always,” I shrugged. “Arrogant. Growly. Bratty teenager.”

“Nothing strange? Not even sneaking out after curfew?”

“Not that I know of. Reports say he’s been in bed on time.”

“Why are you asking all this?”

Claude wasn’t one to make idle talk. If he was asking, something was wrong.

“When I got there, they already knew our entire plan. I had to… improvise.”

Which meant unplanned deaths.

“Innocent casualties?” I asked, already guessing.

He nodded.

Claude had a conscience. Unlike me, who’d just move on, he took that shit personally. Tried to balance the scales.

Everyone thought I was the cold strategist. But truth? Claude was the one always trying to find a less brutal way forward.

“And you think Isiah told them?” I asked, connecting the dots.

“I know.”

“How?”

“I was told.”

“By who?”

He inhaled and exhaled slowly, her name slipping out like venom.

“Fuck.”

I didn’t even realize I’d growled.

“She was there?”

“I don’t know.”

I understood the casualties now.

“You killed her?”

He gave me a look, and I nodded.

“She made sure you weren’t killed—”

“And now, we owe her,” he finished for me, making my blood run cold. “Also, she says hi.”

“That fucking bitch,” I snarled, slamming my fist on the desk. “Get Isiah here. If he really told her, I’m going to fucking kill him!”