Lies, anger, and arousal.

Vermont’s POV – Chapter 5

My hands roamed down her body, desperate to feel all of her, all at once.

I kissed along her neck until I found the pulse hammering beneath my tongue, begging to be claimed.

My teeth scraped gently, and a burning sensation spread through my chest. I tried to ignore it, grazing her skin again until she let out a bloodcurdling scream and shoved me away with surprising force.

I staggered backward, stunned. She pressed her palm to her neck, now flaming red, before she sank to the ground, shaking and convulsing, refusing to meet my eyes.

I stared at her, confusion knotting in my gut until it finally hit me.

She had a mate.

My jaw locked. I crossed the space in two long strides, hauled her up like a sack of potatoes, and slammed her against the wall. Her head snapped back, and I twisted her neck just enough to expose her skin. Sure enough, there it was, the tiny crescent moon tattoo etched into her flesh. Proof.

My hand tightened around her throat. Her lips pulled into a thin line as I forced her to look at me. “You lied to me.”

Her eyes widened. “I didn’t lie! You never asked me if I had a mate. You never asked!” she rushed out, choking on her words as she clawed at my grip.

“Don’t play games with me!” I snarled, my voice shaking the walls. “Your actions were false. Deceiving. You acted jealous when I was with my half-sister in the pool. You let me kiss you. You wanted me.”

“I...” Her voice broke. “I didn’t know how to tell you. I was scared!”

I slammed her harder against the wall, and she cried out, her nails scraping at my wrists.

“Scared of what?” I demanded, my face inches from hers. “That I’d find out you weren't a damsel in distress and kill you? That you belonged to someone else?”

Tears streamed down her cheeks. “It’s not like that. You don’t understand!”

My grip loosened just slightly, my breathing came out ragged and harsh as I tried to hold in my anger.

“He raped me,” she sobbed, her whole body shaking. “He treated me like a slave. His mistress lived with us, he flaunted her in my face every single fucking day. I didn’t want to live like that anymore. That’s why I tried to escape.”

My fingers slackened, and I finally released her throat. She slid down the wall, collapsing onto the floor in a trembling heap.

I paced the room, fury and confusion colliding in my head, before I stalked back to stand over her. “When I found you, the pack guards were trying to kill you because you were pregnant with the Alpha’s child. Why?” My voice snapped like a whip. “Why were you with him when you were already mated to another man? And why the hell was he so desperate to get rid of the child?”

Her lips quivered. Her eyes darted away, refusing to meet mine. “It was a moment of weakness with the Alpha,” she whispered. “When he found out I was pregnant, he told me to abort it so his Luna wouldn’t discover the truth.”

I let out a harsh laugh, disbelief boiling up. “I don’t buy that. Why would your mate even mark you if he didn’t want you? Why not just reject you outright? None of this adds up.” My voice rose, furious and accusing.

I leaned closer, words spitting like venom. “You want to know what I think? I think you were mated to a decent man, maybe even a loving one. But you couldn’t keep your filthy legs closed. You slept with the Alpha. You got pregnant. You tried to run off with the child. And now you’re standing here feeding me lies.” My teeth clenched. “You’re nothing but a cheap whore.”

Her breath hitched. Tears spilled down her cheeks, but before she could form a reply, a rapid knock rattled the door.

It swung open before either of us could move. It was one of my guards.

"Alpha, we found two Red Creek pack soldiers lurking at our borders. Tried to break in. They’re in the torture room.”

I turned toward Talia. Her face had gone ghost-white, her hands trembling at her sides.

“Those are from your pack,” I told her. “I’ll find out the truth about you.”

Her lips parted, but no words came out. I only gave her a smirk before turning to the guard. “Make sure she doesn’t leave this room. Use whatever force is necessary.”

He bowed his head. “Yes, Alpha.”

I walked out, shutting the door behind me, and moved swiftly down the corridor till I got to the torture chamber.

Inside, two men sat shackled to iron chairs. Their heads were trapped in cage-like helmets fitted with screws. Each twist could drive agony straight through the skull.

I sat across from them, calm, folding one leg over the other as if this were a casual meeting. They both glared at me.

One, thick-necked, scar over his jaw, snarled first. “Just kill us. We’ll never betray our Alpha.” He jerked against his chains, metal clanging.

I chuckled, amused. “You’ll break eventually. They always do. The only question is how many bones it will take.”

The second man flinched at that, his eyes darting nervously between me and his comrade. His fear reeked in the air. That was the one who would crack.

I leaned back in my chair, deliberately bored. “What were you doing at my borders?”

The scarred one spat blood at the floor. “We came for the Alpha’s mate. We know she’s alive. Give her back, and we’ll leave. No war. That’s his offer.”

I tilted my head, studying him like a curiosity. “Your Alpha sends two guards on a suicide mission to deliver terms?” I let out a laugh. “Tell me another fairy tale.”

The nervous one swallowed hard. “It’s true. He… he wants her back. She belongs to him.”

“Oh, Dylan’s delusional. I don’t have his mate,” I said as I rose to my feet, brushing imaginary dust off my jacket. “One of you will have to go back and deliver that message.” I chuckled, already turning toward the door.

“You do,” the scarred one spat. “Black hair. Grey eyes. About five-six. We know you have her. And we know you killed our men to save her.”

I froze mid-step, my hand hovering near the doorframe.

What the fuck was he saying?

Slowly, I turned back, leaning casually against the wall. “Talia?” I asked, letting the disbelief drip from my tone. “The Alpha’s mate? Don’t make me laugh.”

The bold one sneered. “What sob story did she feed you? You poor fool. She’s the Alpha’s mate. And she’s carrying his child.”

The smirk slid right off my face.

“That’s impossible,” I said flatly. “She told me she was mated to some piece of shit who abused her, and that’s why she strayed to your Alpha.” I shook my head, but my certainty wavered for the first time.

The man threw his head back and laughed, the sound harsh and grating. “You really believed her? She’s wolfless. Pathetic. Our Alpha never wanted her, but the bond is real, and you should know one can't get rid of their mate as an alpha. And you...” his eyes glittered with triumph “...you thought she would tell you the truth about...”

I didn’t let him finish.

Steel rasped as I pulled the sword free. My steps were unhurried. He realized too late what was coming. With one clean arc, I took his head off his shoulders. The body slumped, blood spraying across the stone floor.

The weaker guard went chalk-white, his entire body trembling as his comrade’s blood spattered his chest. His eyes flicked to me in terror.

I wiped the blade on the dead man’s shirt and leaned in close to the survivor. “That’s your first lesson. You don’t run your mouth. The second?” I let the tip of the sword rest against his trembling thigh. “You’d better hope your story holds up. Because if I find one lie in it, I’ll carve the truth out of your bones.”

The man whimpered, shaking so violently the chair rattled.

I sheathed the sword, turned on my heel, and left without another word.

By the time I reached Talia’s room, my blood was still hot, and I was ready to slit her throat as soon as I confirmed the story. I shoved the door open.

The sight that greeted me made my blood snap.

My guard lay sprawled across the floor, throat slit, his blood soaking into the rug. A table had been smashed to splinters, chairs overturned, curtains shredded.

On the wall, smeared in crimson, two words stared back at me:

FUCK YOU.

My jaw clenched. Anger roared up through me, but underneath it, a different heat stirred; a pulse of arousal, the thrill of knowing I had to hunt her down.

Talia didn’t know what she’d unleashed. She had just woken the beast I had spent years trying to bury, the ruthless part of every alpha.

I smiled.