36

Hayden’s POV

“I hate silence,” I muttered, swirling the amber liquid in my glass. 

“Silence means someone in this house is thinking too much, and I don't like it,” I said, expressing my frustrations.

“You are imagining things again, Hayden,” Marcus, my Beta, said carefully. “The guards are doubled, the gates are sealed, and no one is getting in or out without your permission,” he explained.

“Then explain her,” I snapped, pointing at the monitor, thereby making Marcus confused.

“You mean Livia?” he asked after staring at the monitor for a while.

“Yes, Livia,” I said coldly, my voice cracking as I tried controlling my anger.

“The same woman who used to tremble when I entered a room, the same woman who used to look at me like I was the sun she revolved around,” I said sadly, like I am losing a grip on her already.

Marcus leaned closer to the screen a bit. “She’s just in the nursery,” he said quietly.

“She’s whispering,” I replied hastily.

“To the baby,” Marcus said.

“You think I’m stupid?” I hissed angrily. “Look at her face. That isn’t a mother talking to a child, but that’s a woman hiding something.” I expressed.

Marcus sighed. “My Alpha, you are letting Zach get into your head.”

“Zach is already in this house,” I said sharply without blinking.

Marcus frowned. “That’s impossible. How did he get in?” 

“Is it?” I leaned forward, my eyes glued to the screen. “You think a man like him would sit quietly while his precious wife, or should I say ex-mate, lives under my roof?” I asked, looking at Marcus.

“She hasn’t contacted him,” Marcus said firmly. “We have checked every phone, every message, every signal leaving this place.”

“Then how do you explain that look?” I demanded.

“What look?” he asked curiously.

“That one,” I said, tapping the screen. “That distant, hopeful look. The one she never used to have.”

Marcus studied the monitor again. “I see a tired woman holding a baby,” he said and shot him a deadly stare.

“I see a woman planning something,” I said flatly.

“You are paranoid,” he said calmly, not trying to increase my anger.

“I’m careful,” I corrected with a calm voice.

Marcus crossed his arms. “What exactly are you suggesting?” he asked.

“I’m suggesting the alliance was a mistake.” I declared.

“With Zach?” he asked, surprised.

“Yes.” I stated.

“You said the alliance would stabilize everything.” He reminded me.

“And now I’m saying it won’t,” I said coldly as Marcus stared at me.

“So what are you going to do?” he asked, more serious this time.

I finished my drink in one swallow as I held on to the glass like I wanted to squeeze life out of it.

“I’m going to end the problem,” I said, staring angrily at the open space.

“The problem being…?” Marcus asked.

“Hope,” I said quietly.

Marcus blinked. “Hope?” he asked, surprised.

“Yes,” I said. “The moment a prisoner starts hoping, they start fighting.”

“You are talking about Livia like she’s an enemy,” Marcus said.

“She might as well be,” I said it almost like a whisper.

“She’s your partner,” Marcus argued.

“She was,” I corrected.

Marcus rubbed his temples. “Hayden,  you are spiraling,” he said.

“No,” I said calmly. “I’m adapting.”

“By doing what?” Marcus asked.

“By making sure she remembers exactly who she belongs to.” I stated.

Marcus’s voice hardened. “Don’t do something stupid,” he warned.

I laughed softly as I looked at him. “Marcus… when have I ever done something stupid?”

“When you start treating people like objects,” he said.

“They are objects,” I replied bluntly. “Pieces on a board.”

“And Livia?” he asked.

“Especially Livia,” I stated without thinking twice.

Marcus shook his head. “You are going to push her too far.”

“She’s already too far,” I said, standing up.

“And where exactly are you going?” he asked.

“To the nursery,” I replied.

Marcus stepped in front of me. “Hayden… listen to yourself.”

“Move,” I commanded.

“You are angry,” he said.

“Move,” I commanded for the second time, my voice low but firm.

“You are not thinking clearly,” he said, trying to prevent me from moving.

“I said move,” I said, I was losing my mind already.

Marcus held my gaze for a long moment before stepping aside. “You are going to regret this,” he muttered.

“I don’t regret anything,” I replied as I walked toward the door. The halls were quiet as I approached the nursery. I could hear Livia’s soft voice through the door.

“You are safe here,” she whispered, and I froze immediately.

The word sent a cold wave through me as I pushed the door open slowly, and Livia looked up, startled.

“Hayden,” she said softly.

“What were you saying?” I asked.

“Nothing,” she said calmly.

“Don’t lie to me.” I demanded, my voice high.

“I wasn’t lying,” she replied calmly.

I walked closer. “Then repeat it.”

She hesitated for a while. “I was just talking to myself.”

“About what?” I asked 

“About how unsafe I might be here.” I looked at her surprised as my jaw tightened.

“Unsafe,” I repeated slowly.

“Yes,” she replied.

The words hung in the air like a slap, and I smiled slowly.

“That’s new,” I said calmly.

“What is?” she asked.

“Your courage,” I said firmly.

“It’s not courage,” she said calmly.

“Oh?” I exclaimed.

“It’s clarity,” she stated.

I chuckled. “Did you just say clarity?” I asked.

“Yes,” she replied.

“And what exactly have you become so clear about?” I asked, looking at her to see her reaction.

“That fear isn’t love,” she stated, and immediately the room went completely still.

Marcus’s warning echoed in my mind, but I ignored it. “You have been thinking a lot,” I said quietly.

“Yes,” she replied.

“About Zach?” I inquire.

She didn’t answer. “About escaping?”

Still  she was silent without uttering a word.

I leaned closer to her face. “You should answer me.” I demanded.

“And you should stop asking questions you already think you know the answer to,” she replied without fear.

I laughed under my breath. “Careful, Livia,” I said calmly.

“Why?” she asked, looking at me.

“Because you are forgetting something,” I stated.

“And what is that?” she asked, confusion on her face.

“You are still in my house,” I said, my voice low and firm.

Her voice dropped to a whisper. “And you are still afraid,” she said without hesitation.

My smile faded immediately. “Afraid?” I was confused about what she meant.

“Yes,” she replied.

“Of you?” I asked to be sure.

“No,” she said softly. “But of losing control.”

I stared at her for a moment, dumbfounded by her recent fearless attitude towards me.

“You have changed.” I said, looking at her.

“No,” she said gently. “I have woken up.” I reached out and tilted her chin upward.

“Then let me wake you up again,” I said, and her eyes flashed with defiance.

“You can try,” she replied.

“You think someone is coming for you,” I said, staring deeply into her eyes.

“Maybe,” she replied unflinched.

I smiled coldly. “Then let them come,” I replied, my voice heavy with all seriousness.