Chapter Two

Logan

Sitting in the library, I wait for her. I would have let her go off easily if I didn't get to know that she is a royal. I wouldn't let this opportunity slip straight into my hands. Carl and I laid down the rules, after the death of his father but he was careless enough to let his sister get out of his sight. 

I pour some wine into a glass and walk to the window. The perfectly round moon looms over the mansion like a watcher, silently watching everything taking place beneath it. Blue Blood pack is holding an initiation ritual today. They must have been too occupied to notice the princess run away.

"Here she is," a voice announces.

"Leave her here, and go," I say without turning my head to see. I have seen Blue Blood pack's princess on a few occasions, especially when her father was still alive. She was still young by then and I would just see her from afar. She was her father's most precious possession.

I hear a loud swallow followed by nervous fidgeting, a shuffle of cloth, and heavy breathing. Is she scared? If me or the room? Well, why not? She is a captive.

"The moon is so bright tonight, wouldn't you agree?" I say, and then take a long sip from the glass. I turn and lean toward the large window. The sight in front of me nearly throws me off balance. 

She's trying to look composed but I can sense her nerves. She looks me directly in the eyes, disarming me. Very daring, I notice. She looks very fragile under the white cotton dresses and her hair falls loosely on her shoulders. Her skin is pale, almost matching the dress. She looks so... delicate.

"Why are you here, Arya?" I ask the obvious, intending to get words out of her. She keeps silent. I take two steps toward her. She is still stationary where she was left, just in front of the door. She looks terribly scared like I have grown two heads on my neck. A take two more steps and her scent gushes into my nostrils like a hypnotizing smoke. My wolf stirs in its wake well aware of who is before him. I almost pounce on her but I manage to keep my wolf under control. I breathe in her scent one more time and my wolf purrs. 

"You don't want to talk? You are so frightened I am worried you might have a breakdown. You had the audacity to cross a river to come all the way here. Surely a few words wouldn't fail. Am I right, Arya?" 

I place the glass on the table and pocket my hands in my pocket, my eyes never leaving hers. 

"If you want to go home and save the chicken friend of yours, you will have to talk to me," I tell her, getting the reaction I expected. Her eyes get unbelievably wide at the mention of her friend.

"Where is Jex? What did you do to him?" her voice is hasty and undoubtedly full of concern. Now that's a weak spot.

"Nothing that can take his life," I tell her. She gasps and quickly regains her composure.

"If you hurt Jex, I promise I won't forgive you," she threatens. I am amused. No one threatens me.

"There is no need for that. I am sure you are incapable of even harming a hair on my head," I tell her.

"What do you want from me?" she inquires.

Right now, all I want is to get my hands on your skin and feel every inch of it, to sniff her entire body until I am drunk with her scent. I am taken aback by how wayward my thoughts have gone just at the sight of her. My Mate. How long I have waited to know who she is?

"You would want to take a sit if you want to negotiate with me. I am sure you are going to be here for some good hours," I tell her, pulling out a chair for her. She raises an eyebrow questioningly at me.

"Your friend has gone to call for a rescue party. I promised him I won't let you go without having a few words with Carl," I answer her unspoken question.

She refuses to take the sit and folds her hands in front of her small chest. 

"This is a small issue that surely shouldn't be taken this far. You don't have to involve my brother in this. Why can't you negotiate this only with me?" asks Arya.

"You seem to have forgotten who is involved in your so-called 'small issue'. You are the Alpha's sister. You are worth a whole lot of ransom. Besides, you wouldn't want to know what I would settle for if you want to be the only one involved in this negotiation, baby girl," I tell her. 

"Why would you ransom? Am I kidnapped?" she asks.

"Consider yourself so. You can't take this against me. You brought yourself here, Arya. No one forced you to come to Blacktooth Guardians' territory. I know you are well aware of that," I reply.

"We only crossed the river and caught a hare. It's not like we burnt down your woods," she says.

"I am sorry, pretty face but you intruded and that is against the rules that your pack agreed to abide by," I tell her with a shrug.

"You caused this by yourself. Now stay back and watch the results of your stubbornness," I tell her and smirk.

"How much do you want? You are already well off, actually better off than my brother and I. Is it the gold that you want?" she asks. I chuckle, trying to restrain my laughter.

"Is that what you think? That the only thing the Blue Blood pack can give is gold? It's the only thing you have, pretty face. If I took it away from you, your pack would be so broke and its members would start to seek support from me. Do you know what would happen next?" I walk slowly towards her and then behind her, examining her body carefully. She remains silent and listens intently. "Of course, I wouldn't refuse to help them. I maybe am ruthless but I wouldn't want to watch people starve to death and go around naked. They will start to depend on me, and then I would control them." I gaze with hunger at the naked skin exposed by the dress at the shoulders. My wolf stirs more powerfully and without thinking twice, I reach out my hand and brush off the hair on her shoulder to the side, exposing her neck. Her body goes still, and for a moment she stops breathing. I close my eyes and incline my face closer to her neck and sniff her. My thoughts float and whatever I was saying evaporates from my lips. Her sweet seductive scent is tantalizing, I can almost taste it on my tongue. 

Arya takes a deep shaky breath but does not move. Can she feel it too? The attraction, the mate bond? If yes, then she is succeeding at hiding it. I would feel some relief if I could pull her into myself and lick every inch of her skin, hear her heartbeat, and...

Control! I need control! I can't let her see me in this stupor; very weak and needy for her. 

I gather my tattered strength and take a step away from her. My instincts tell me to get her out of her, take her to my bedroom, tie her to it and claim exactly what belongs to me. I try to shake off my lustful thoughts in vain. The strength of the force that hangs in the air between us is too much, it's scary. I have never felt anything like this in my life.

"What if your brother does not agree with my terms, I will happily keep you here and look into what conclusions you and I can come to," I say, my voice coming out hoarse. 

"Why don't we just jump to them now? Why take the long route, Alpha Logan? I am well aware you are a man who does not like to be delayed," she asks. She turns her head to look at me and then gives me a small smile.

"I like that you know that about me. I like that a lot. However, I am calculating. I know what I have decided is better though it will delay. I can be patient sometimes," I tell her. She chuckles, the sound reverberates in my ears, down my spine, and throughout my body. 

"If you think my brother will fall for your trap of penetrating the gold business, then I am afraid you are wrong, Alpha. You should know that better than I do," she says.

"But you are his sister. You are the most precious thing he has. He couldn't afford to lose you," I tell her. " I know he will come here running when he hears of what happened to you. He will plead for me to let you go and I will make him beg."

"Is that what you want? Do you like people begging you, bowing to you? It makes you feel almighty and powerful. Are you that greedy and selfish?" she inquires. 

"I don't have to clarify anything to you, pretty face. You are free to think whatever you wish. I won't justify myself. And just to be clear, I am not interested in taking over your gold. As of now," I tell her.

I walk away from her leaving her puzzled. I take a sit in one of the chairs and pour myself a drink. 

"Come on and drink with me. Keep me company while we both wait for our savior brother to come dashing into my castle in his shining armor," I say and laugh sarcastically. I gulp down the wine and look directly into her brown eyes. Those eyes bewitch me. It's like she can see straight through me. Like they can pierce through the stone wall I have built around myself for all these years. I pour in some more wine and gulp all of it down my throat, hoping to ease off the lustful heat surging inside me. She just stands there in the same spot even when I offer her a sit once again. I should be displeased by her stubbornness but I am quite amused by her equilibrium and confidence.