Chapter 006

*LEONIDAS*

Sunlight seeping through the window stab my eyes and I groan, draping an arm over my eyes.

Who the hell left the blinds open?

I try to roll over but I can't.

Something is on top of me.

Warm… soft… and carrying a scent so sweet it coils around my senses.

Wait, what?

My eyes peel open in an instant and the first thing I do is to scan the room.

This tiny, cracked space isn't my room.

Where the hell did Drogo take me to after falling silent last night?

Ah, yes. The weight.

My eyes lower slowly and that's when I see her.

The human girl sleeping peacefully on my chest.

Her scent is now different... mixed with mine.

My eyes widen.

No, Drogo would not.

My stomach twist as I tilt her head, ignoring the tingles crawling down my arm.

No. No. No.

A moon mark is sitting pretty on her neck.

That damn mutt had marked her.

'Drogo.' I growl but the motherfucker is silent.

That traitor went behind me and marked her.

I should have rejected her when I had the chance and killed her. But I stalled and now I'm connected to.... her, body and soul, all thanks to Drogo.

I push her gently to the side, the tiny mattress creaking under me.

Somehow seeing her, still sleeping peacefully send warmth across my chest.

She is human. I remind myself, gritting my teeth.

It doesn't matter how innocent she looks, she's still one of them. Those lowlives.

I haul myself up, standing to my full height and my head almost hit the ceiling.

Why the hell is everything here so tiny?

A foul stench hit my nose and my gaze instantly snaps to the rotting flesh, few feet from me. It's head severed from the body.

I groan, rubbing my temple.

It has my beast written all over it.

I make a mental note to get someone to dispose of the body as I push my way out, regretting not chaining Drogo to a chair.

At least, this mistake would have been prevented.

Once outside, I push a stone and the wall parted, revealing a secret passageway.

The one only I use.

Just as I exit the library, Kieran runs into me.

“Where have you been? Your mindlink was turned off—”

He cuts himself off, sniffing the air.

“You smell like—”

I raise a finger, cutting him off. “Don't.”

There's no need to remind me, my mind is already doing a fantastic job at that.

His brows pull into a frown and I groan mentally, knowing what's going to come next.

“Were you with her?”

I ignore him , brushing past him but I know he is not going to let it go just easily.

He shoves me and steps in front of me.

Drogo stirs in my mind.

He finally decides to wake up. Traitor.

“Leo, What did you do?” Kieran ask, his eyes are now blazing.

“I owe you no explanation.”

He slams his fist against the wall. “The hell you do! You fucking smell like a low blood!”

Then his face drains of color.

“You fucking marked her!”

I shrug. “Drogo did.”

“Are you insane?! You marked that vermin!”

Drogo growls, not liking the disrespect to his mate.

But Kieran doesn't care.

“Fuck off! Drogo! I'm talking to my best friend.”

Drogo doesn't retreat, he snarls at Kieran.

Kieran grab a fistful of his hair, pacing in front of me.

“Have you forgotten how the hunters brutally killed our kind and you went ahead to mark one of them?”

I growl at him. “I remember that damn well. My parents were killed too and I didn't chose her as my mate, did l?”

Kieran shakes his head. “No, we have to undo this. This council won't like this.”

“I don't give a fuck what they think. I'm their Alpha.”

Kieran stares at me hard. “Well, then Alpha. You have some explaining to do because the council is in a meeting now as we speak.”

I whip my head around so fast that the world spin.

“They are meeting secretly without informing me? Looks like I need to remind them their places.”

Kieran hiss. “I would have informed you if your mindlink wasn't turned off when you were busy getting freaky under the sheets with that..human.”

He says human with loathe, his voice dripping with venom and age long sadness from the wolves we have lost to the hunters.

We all had scars and while Kieran carried his like an armor, I locked mine away in the depth of my mind.

That night is still as clear as day in my head.

The night they stormed in, taking advantage of our weakness. The cries of the pups still echoes, tormenting me each night.

I had found the hunters later and killed them as brutally as they did, hanging their severed heads on the stakes of their city. Ashvale.

But that isn't enough to erase what they did.

The deep scar on my chest was a cruel reminder.

I swallow the lump in my throat.

This is no time to be emotional, right now the pack needs me.

I follow Kieran's lead to the grand hall.

Dorian, my Gamma is already waiting, leaning against the door.

When he sees us, he push himself off the wall.

“Alpha.” He dip his head slightly and then his nostrils flare as he sniffs.

“Is that—”

I give him a look that shut him off.

“What's the situation, Dorian?” I ask.

“Nothing yet. They have all been waiting for you.”

Dread pools in my stomach. I already know what's coming and I'm afraid I don't have answers to them.

I nod and Dorian push the door open.

Dozens of eyes snap up to our direction and we walk in, murmurs rippling through the room.

I walk towards the high table and sit behind it,

Kieran and Dorian flanking my sides.

I lean against my chair, as my gaze sweep across the council members.

The room is now silent , well except from the loud heartbeat from one of the members.

They all sit stiffly, exchanging uneasy glances.

They clearly have something to say but they are holding back.

“Speak,” I order and like a dam breaking, every one of them starts to speak, their voices piling over each other.

Cowards.

I raise a hand and the room fall silent.

“Is there no spokesperson among you? If you all continue to speak like barbarians, then I'm out of here.”

Someone clears his throat.

Elder Callum. Of course.

“Forgive us, Alpha. We are greatly troubled.”

Here we go.

“There is a rumour swirling in the pack that you brought in a human.”

His grey eyes remain on me as I tap my chin.

“That is correct,” I say simply.

“May I ask why?”

“You may not. Any one else?”

Callum splutters, taken aback by my words.

“But Leonidas —”

“It's Alpha,” I correct, clenching my fist.

He knows too well not to call me by my name, especially my full name.

His face pales and he lowers his head.

“I'm sorry , Alpha. It won't happen again.”

“It better not. Anything else or are we just here to talk about the human?”

No one dares to speak.

I sigh deeply, my patience growing thinner.

So I raise my finger , pointing through the members until it stops on one. The one whose heartbeat was the loudest.

“You,” I call out and he jerks upwards, almost falling from his chair.

“Do you have something to say?”

His eyes darts to the others before he shakes his head.

“N-No, Alpha.”

“Weird,” I murmur. “You had a lot to say at the last meeting.”

He collapses to his knees, his injured finger wrapped with bandage.

“I'm so sorry, Alpha. I was foolish.”

“At least, we can agree on one thing.”

At the last meeting, he had call me weak because I hadn't taken a Luna yet.

Drogo was dissatisfied and had ripped out his finger. The very one he wagged at us.

Suddenly a strange warmth flutter in my chest, it takes me a moment to know she's awake.

“Mate,” Drogo purrs.

Great. Just fucking great.