CHAPTER FOUR: ALPHA ALEXANDER

My head hurt. It felt like a ceremonial drummer was having his fun in banging aggressively against my skull. I groaned weakly and allowed myself the pleasure of leaning further into the warmth being exuded from his body. It filled me up with solace and unrivaled comfort.

Wait, body?

My eyes shot open instantly and I pulled myself up from being sprawled over his lap, like a freaking chicken or something. Oh, for the love of god! The same addictive scent from the banquet teased my senses and in the next second, I was looking straight into the electrifying eyes of this intimidating man.

Alpha Alexander - not again. 

Naturally, flashes from the moment before now flitted through my mind. Vivid images of him pounding his fists relentlessly into Grayson. The blood. The kick. His words. Involuntarily, I edged away from him, my eyes quickly darting around the black refined vehicle we seemed to be riding in. A blur of forests and beautiful views of the ocean zoomed past the window as the car sped down the stretched out road. 

“Where are you taking me to?” Those were the first words I fired at the Alpha, swiftly turning to face his daunting form, watching my every move through perceptive eyes.

His jaw seemed to tick, a sliver of irritation slitting across his handsome face. “Is that perhaps another way of apologizing for walking out on me at the Unity banquet?”

Realization dawned on, calling back to memory the fact that I’d literally pushed him away and dashed out. On all grounds, that was an offense to a man of his high position. In Whitefang, such actions were punishable by severe whipping. My heart dropped at the sharp glare he still had directed to me. I bit my lip lightly, ducking my head. “I’m sorry. I…I had to leave, it was past my curfew and I wasn’t supposed to have been there anyway.”

“Look at me when you speak.” He growled lowly and as commanded, I was lifting my head, giving my best not to flinch when he brought his fingers up to trace delicately at the bruises Ivy had left on me. I resisted the strong urge of leaning into his touch.

“I’m sorry, Alpha.”

“Who hurt you like this?” His eyes were darkened, probing directly into mine for answers. I avoided them.

“Funny story actually…” I let out a nervous laugh. “I was picking up herbs for my family in the woods when a wild bear attacked. The beast was huge and furious and scary… It nipped me…on the face?”

I dared to look back at Alpha Alexander then. His face remained unfazed, except for the irritation that seemed to intensify. “If a bear attacked you, Red, you wouldn’t be sitting here right now blabbering out illogical lies with just a black eye and a few bruises. You’d be torn to shreds and your remains would be just, perhaps, an eye.” He drew closer, an unpleased scowl fracturing his beautiful face. “Someone did this to you and I demand to know who. Believe me, I’m asking nicely.”

“My name is Venus, not Red,” I muttered, amidst the racing of my heart. On one hand, it was because of the vague chord of fear that this man seemed to strike in me. On the other hand, it was as a result of the inviting proximity between our bodies - the negligible distance between us. With just a small push and I’d be meeting his lips. “And I wouldn’t dare lie to an Alpha now, would I? You’re like the bear, only far more intimidating and mannered. I don’t have a death wish.”

For some reason, my reply seemed to have caught him off-guard and after about a second more of still holding me in place, burning holes straight through my lies, he drawled out a low chuckle, then resigned back into his seat. My brows furrowed in confusion and I adamantly refused to acknowledge the butterflies that unfurled in my belly at the alluring sound. 

“Surely you do to be this stubborn. You’re willing to still stand, even lie to protect those who hurt you?” Alpha Alexander tsked. “There’s no nobility in that, darling, just cowardice and naivety.”

My heart sunk at his dismissive words and I gathered myself to the other edge of the car seat. I wasn’t being naive. How could he even say that when he knew completely nothing about me? I didn’t tell him that Ivy was the sole instigator of the bruises marking my face because…well, she was still family - to some extent. If the rumors about Alpha Alexander Ashford being a man who stuck to his unbending principles for justice and truth were true, then there was no disputing that he’d have Ivy executed. Without mercy. 

Truth be told, there was a lot of rumors that surrounded the mysterious man sitting gloriously beside me. Some called him Silver Dawn’s saviour; the man who’d single handedly rebuilt the great pack after it was demolished by greed and his father’s tyranny. On all grounds, Alpha Alexander was a force to be reckoned across the four packs of West Crescent Valley and although a few egoistic Alphas of the other packs have refused to acknowledge it, deep down, we all knew that Alpha Alexander was the one who called the shots around here, even in matters that was beyond Silver Dawn. He was the Alpha of Alphas, the man of perfect nobility and power. The unrivalled King of West Crescent Valley.

And he was my mate.

The thought of it plunged my heart to it’s depth. I mean, Alpha Alexander was handsome, protective and all, but…I was me - a she-wolf with the inability to turn or in anyway matter to him when it comes to the affairs of running a pack. Who exactly was I kidding? I could never fit-in in a place Silver Dawn, where only the strong ruled and thrived. I would be trampled upon by the hierarchy. On that note, I snapped my attention to the brooding man once more.

Agitated, I questioned again. “Where are you taking me to?”

“Isn’t it obvious enough?”

“Silver Dawn?” My heartbeat skyrocketed. “No, no. I can’t go there yet, we have to go back.”

Sternly, he found my gaze. “And why is that?”

“Because…because I didn’t say bye to my best friend. Yes, I can’t leave without seeing her.”

“I don’t see how that’s my problem.”

“But you have to. She’s my family! I have to say my good byes, please. Tell the driver to turn the car around.”

His expression remained stoic and the cold in his blue eyes could freeze hell over. “You have a lot of audacity making demands, Red.”

However, when it comes to the ones I loved, father had always said that it’d be my own ruin the length I’d go in sticking to them. Brewing with desperation and a different kind of courage, I glared at the Alpha. “You can’t just pluck me out of my life and expect me to be fine with it. What if I don’t even want to be mated to your high Alpha ass? I would have been okay with a regular pack wolf or something.”

Alpha Alexander scowled. Speaking, his voice was low, almost a growl, “Another word from you and I won’t hesitate to have you punished for disrespect.”

“Or I could just reject you.”

“Is that supposed to be a threat?”

“Well, I don’t know how that works but I think I’m only exercising my rights.”

The man chuckled darkly, sending a thrill up my spine at it’s deepness. However, in a blink, Alpha Alexander was enclosing the space between us. His intoxicating scent filled up my lungs and the tiny bits of our skin that brushed ignited a surge of electricity through my bones, of desire and an excitement I’d never felt before.

His attractive lips were close, too close to capturing mine. Yet, he didn’t, much to the irritation of a traitorous part of me. My breath hitched when he trailed them up neck, inhaling deeply, and going on to whisper lusciously into my ear, “I dare you then; reject me.”

Heat spread like a wild fire through my body, burning away whatever dose of confidence that had taken over me. He pinned his piercing blue eyes into mine, posing a challenge and spewing of sheer authority and arrogance. 

"What?" I was flabbergasted.

"You heard me."

I opened my mouth to speak, but words failed me. On the edge of my lips was a moan, almost spilling out the second Alpha Alexander tortuously drew his large hand up my thigh sensually. It sent a delicious shiver down my body. I wanted more of it - of whatever this was.

“I, V-Venus…” I tried, but words evaded me the more he held onto my gaze in that captivating way of his. 

“I can’t seem to hear you, darling. Reject me.” It sounded like an order then, like a smug little taunt. But the seriousness that was a second skin to him confused the hell out of me.

“I…Venus Rynders…” He pushed his hand high, rubbing his thumb provocatively against my inner thigh. Dangerously close to my soaking core. I closed my eyes then, breathing harder. “I, reject Alpha…”

“Say it.” He nibbled sweetly at my neck.

I bit back on my lips from moaning, which was a fight that proved more difficult than I’d imagined. “Alex…”

“Yes?”

“Alexander Ash-”

The car came to a screeching halt, interrupting the words I’d been so eager to say minutes ago. However, Alpha Alexander didn’t stop staring at me or give a single care to whatever reason had made the driver halt mid-journey. His eyes were darkened, arousal evident in them. My heart raced at their intensity.

“Sir, we have a problem.” The driver called out from the front seat and after another second of consuming me with his icy stare, Alpha Alexander pulled away from my body and fixed his attention to the driver. 

I took the opportunity to gather up my wits and drown in the miserable fact that I didn’t stand a single chance against the Alpha, especially not with the mate bond interfering in literally everything! A blush settled on my cheeks at how he’d reduced me to a stuttering mess. Dear goddess, I was so screwed. 

Curious as to why the car stopped, I glanced out the window but the sight that greeted me caused my heart to drop painfully to the ground. Littered all over the road were dead bodies of people both in wolf and human form, brutally killed with the heinous sight of their blood, splayed like red wine all over the road’s tarmac grounds. Bile rose to my throat, heart skyrocketing.

What sort of monster could have done this?