Chapter 15

Samantha’s Pov

It's been four days of this man ignoring me and acting like I’m non-existent. Why does he ignore me? Doesn’t he feel pain like I do when we are apart?

Why do I care? If the almighty Alpha King has decided to take matters into his own hands and ghost me even after I embarrassed myself with the mindlink, then that’s his business. He didn’t even come to the garden for our training; instead, he sent Tyler.

We hadn’t talked since the night he wanted to take me as his muse, and it was weird looking at him and clearly avoiding his questioning eyes.

“Again,” Tyler said curtly. I stood up from the ground and dusted my already cramped-up knees. He was doing this intentionally—working me out and making me train so hard. I had already mastered my shifting abilities. I wasn’t a wolf shifter, but Aldrina was pretty good at shifting since we were both healed now. I just needed to get stronger in fighting skills and smell.

Tyler was my instructor, and my lesson for today was to defeat him without shifting into my wolf form. I was stronger than before; I could kick a box or a log of wood, and it would shatter without even trying. But Tyler was just being mean, and he didn’t care that he was hurting me in the process.

“Again?! I’m tired, I need to rest.”

“You aren’t resting. The King said this training can take as many hours as possible until you’re able to bring me down to my knees.”

“You’re obviously stronger than me! How do you expect that to happen?!”

I threw another fist at him, and he dodged it, immediately sending a blow to my stomach. I stirred back and coughed, while Tyler just stood there with a disgusting smirk on his face.

“I see what this is—you’re enjoying this. You enjoy torturing me.”

“I do not,” he denied.

“Yes, you do! Is this because of the other night? Is this why you’re being so mean and hitting me so hard?”

His soft eyes glowed darker, and he cleared his throat. “We are training, and I should prepare you for any danger ahead. This has nothing to do with that night.”

“I don’t believe you,” I whispered, still clutching my side where he hit me. It hurts, I won’t lie, and it feels like my bones cracked. What is this guy made of?

“Did I hurt you?” he asked and took a step toward me. I backtracked, and he stopped before taking another.

“Just forget about it. Let’s go again.”

I readied my hands and launched another blow at him, but my hands gave up on me, sending me down to the ground with a loud crack from my ribs.

“Fuck, Sam.” He bent down to where I sat on the ground, my left hand holding the left side of my ribs.

“Don’t,” I warned. I didn’t want him near me right now. He was the reason I’m in pain, and I bet I cracked a rib.

“You’re hurt; we have to stop. You need to see the pack doctor.”

“No.”

“Yes, you do,” he insisted and attempted to carry me up. I pushed him off with my other hand and painfully stood up from the ground.

“Don’t act like you care. I’m sure you’re super happy about me hurting myself. It’s so obvious you wanted to be anywhere but here, so now I can relieve you of having me as a problem to look after!”

“Stop it—just stop this and let me take you to the pack doctor.”

“I'm fine. I don't need to be babysat by Uncle Tyler!” His face reddened with anger at what I’d said. He clenched his fists, clearly fuming. Good, he should be mad.

He took slow strides toward where I stood; his amber eyes had a sharp red haze to them. I had never seen Tyler angry, and honestly, I was loving every bit of Angry Uncle Tyler.

“Do you want to know why I’ve been avoiding that question?! Where should I start, huh? Is it because you didn’t tell me you already knew the King, or how you completely went ghost on me after that night?!”

“I never ignored you. You practically avoided everyone.”

I didn’t know who Tyler really was, but his actions after that night were unexpected. He was the only person who made me feel welcome, and that dance with him felt amazing-friendly, but amazing.

“Why did you lie to me then? Why didn’t you tell me you were the King’s muse?”

Please, no. Any question but that.

“That’s none of your business.”

He grabbed my wrists. “Answer me! You’re not avoiding this right now.”

“I didn’t know Luca was going to make that announcement that way. I just knew people had to know I was his, and that was going to be it.”

“Still… you said nothing when I asked. I asked that in front of him, Sam,” he said painfully. His words were laced with regret and something else I couldn’t place.

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t think it mattered.”

“You didn’t think it mattered?” The look on his face confirmed I was nothing but a fool.

“Sam, the Alpha might be my King, but he is also my friend. If I knew you were his woman, I wouldn’t have asked that in front of him and completely made a fool of myself in front of everyone.”

I didn’t see it that way. I was so angry with him for ignoring me after that night that I never thought about how he felt.

“I’m sorry I hurt you like that. I didn’t mean to, really. I was so blinded by my feelings that I didn’t bother to think it through,” I responded. His eyes softened, and his thumb caressed my skin softly.

It made me feel weird, and it felt so wrong.

“It’s okay,” he grinned. Tyler was good-looking, with short faded brown hair and tattoos that seeped from underneath his arms. He wasn’t broad or big like Luca but had an athletic build and beautiful amber eyes. He could pass as a good-looking guy—quite gorgeous, in fact, but he wouldn’t compare to Luca.

“I’m sorry for hurting you,” he said, looking at where my hand still was. “We need to go see our pack doctor for that.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m a werewolf; I’ll heal.”

“I know,” he said, bringing his fingers to my cheek and caressing it slowly. He was so close that it was disturbing. I should be focused on him. I should fall for this charming man standing in front of me, but somehow my heart goes out to the one who has been ignoring me for days.

I can smell him. I now know his scent, and it turns me on so much that it’s hard to think about anything else.

“Excuse me if I'm interrupting anything,” a voice angrily said behind us.