Test

Test of power

Aidan's pov

I didn't see Aurelia at dinner, and I was bothered, which is confusing and annoying. I despise her, I hate her, I hate that she's alive more and still breathing the same air as me. 

I was the happiest man when the doctor announced her death. I couldn't control my happiness that was evident on my face and I was not even ashamed to show it. I thought I'll get to live my life, the one I've always wanted and dreamed of without a sickle of a mate. 

I was so shocked when I heard she's back from the dead, I mean I've heard tales but I never thought it'll happen to someone close to me, my mate. 

I was shocked when I opened the door to her room and she was standing there, staring at me like she didn't recognize me. My hatred for her doubled after that. 

But then again, she changed totally. She doesn't care like she does before, she doesn't give two fuck about me or what I do. 

The way she tries to get my attention like she used to, try to talk to me, try to prove to the pack that we are in love and all those things she does before. She ignores me now like I no longer exist in her world. 

Everything about her has changed since she came back from the dead, there's no news of her crying herself to sleep or refusing to eat because I didn't join her in the dining room. 

I'm not bothered, I'm just concerned. As a husband should. 

I sighed heavily when I realized I was on my way to get chamber again, this is the third time today. My wolf laughed at my foolishness, he delights joy from my sorrow and pain. 

Kharl has always been a big fan of Aurelia, it's always another round of argument and shutting each other out anytime I am with my mistress or I do something he doesn't like to her. 

If we were normal, he would have taken over but for some reasons, we are not normal so he can't take charge forcefully until I let him and it's a long process letting him. 

I was about to turn to return to my wing when I saw Lucian walking towards her chamber too. 

What is he doing here? 

I ask nobody but myself. I moved closer as he was talking to her maid. He has been acting weird towards her and seeing him coming to her chamber this late just gives me that feeling I hate to admit. 

That something is wrong somewhere, I took slow and silent steps towards them. 

“She's not inside, she hasn't returned to her room. She took a stroll”

A stroll? This late? 

If there's something about Aurelia, she's scared of the dark, she hates staying outside late at night and when it comes to strolling she'd rather sit in her room than walk around. 

I could only toss around all night, I find it strange that her thoughts clouded my mind and kept me up. 

What time did she return to her room? Did she end up meeting with Lucian? Alone?

I hate sleepless nights! I sighed for the umpteenth time since this morning. 

“You want her don't you?” kharl whispered at me. I hate to hear his annoying voice this morning, especially when I'm not in a good mood which means he's happy.

I'm miserable? That equals to kharl happiness

He derives joy in my pain. 

“Who's there?!” I called out loudly, and two guards rushed into my chamber. 

“Good morning Alpha Aidan” they both bow in respect. 

“Call beta Steve alongside Lauren”

“Alright alpha”

I need to release more of this tension that's building up in my body and trying to mess my head up with Aurelia’s thoughts. 

Her smile kept chasing my dream, I couldn't close my eyes for a few seconds. 

“There's no need to call Lauren” Steve matched in, looking all manly with his exposed tattooed arm from his armless top, flexing his muscles like always. He's the most eligible bachelor in the pack, female wolves gush over him aside me. 

They all want to be the beta’s mate. 

“Why?” I half yelled, he chuckled at my reaction when he noticed my mood. 

“She's sparring in the public match” I groan in realisation. There's always a sparring match once every month. 

Where everyone likes to flex their skills, both females and males. It's specifically for recognition and experience. 

Lauren is a good sword fighter and a little experienced in using chains, that's the first thing that caught my attention the first time I saw her. 

I'm always proud of her whenever she's on the field showing off her talents, especially whenever the crowd cheers her up. She carries herself with so much poise and gentleness, one you know she's soft enough to be protected but she can also protect herself. 

She has a way of drawing me in with her smile, except that something about staring too much into her eyes, they are fake, eyes are reflections of someone's life and I have a thing about reading people's eyes. 

I rarely misread them and hers shows me another side of her I've never seen, so I'm keeping her at arm's length. Though, she's my best mistress. 

“She should spare me some minutes, I'll be as quick as I can” I grumbled painfully, as I rolled out of bed. 

I was hard as rock, and my robe exposed me.

“You should keep that away, or should I call your mate?” he teased, I threw a pillow at him playfully. 

“She'll  break even before I hold her” We both laugh, it's not the first time we laugh at Aurelia but somehow it didn't sit right with me. 

“Won't that be to your advantage?” He teased again but I didn't respond, I went straight to the bathroom. Hearing him talk about her like that stirred something in me. 

The field was packed with a lot of people, both males and females, young and old. 

More of the young wolves, they're all here to watch their crush. Since the men get to wear only shorts and the women get to put on a gown that exposes their legs. 

My presence was announced as I stepped into the field, my eyes met with my mate as I got to my sitting area which was placed in the upper part of the field along with the elders.

She looked happy to be here, I've never seen her smile this big. She looked interested in whatever was going to happen here, her smile faded when her eyes met mine and like that it was gone. 

The happy and cheerful Aurelia I met for a few seconds was gone.

 The announcer started the event and we watched both men and women sparring showing off their blade skills. 

I could take my eyes off Aurelia, she looked more interested than she had ever been, the happiness her eyes showed was one I've not seen. Aurelia hates events like this. 

“It's an opportunity to get back at your enemy and brutalize them, you're giving them the chance to destroy themselves”

That's what she said to me the last time she attended the event, she didn't attend the couple ones after that. 

But here she is, cheering them on and even whistling. I'm shocked, she's changed and the more I pay attention the more I see a lot of things changed about her. 

Aurelia that loved to be around me, that did things to please me had died and this one is nothing like my mate. 

And it bothers me. 

“And now! We'll call on our very own female champion, our evergreen most strongest and still fighter of our time……. ” 

The crowd roared in excitement, this is the most interesting part of the event. The most skilled fight will be another fighter to fight with, and Lauren being the most skilled one will go for a weak man. 

She does this all the time to boost her ego I think, and whenever she picks a female, they're mostly my other mistresses. 

She does this for power and recognition within and outside the pack. 

“Drum roll…….…” 

Ladies and gentlemen, I want to hear your loudest scream as we call on Lauren Dambot”

The screams and howls were ear-piercing, Lauren walked majestically into the middle of the field with a big smile on her face.

She bowed a few times to the left and right and the noise died down.

“Now, you know how we do it princess” 

She blushed at the word ‘princess’

Looking at her from where I am seated she looks small but my sharp eyes can see every little move she makes.

Her eyes scanned the crowd looking for her prey, her eyes met mine and she smiled.

Not the sweet smile she gives me all the time but the one that feels like an apology mixed with an evil glint.

She waved her hand and a microphone was placed in her hand.

She waved it and paused.

“I'd like to have the session with___” she went silent for more than a minute, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats.

The crowd started to whisper within themselves 

“I'd like to spar with the Alpha's Mate!!!”