Chapter 4: Deaf or just rude?

Nikolai's  POV

I don't do Galas. I don't do fancy shit and I certainly don't give a shit about the women who want to plaster themselves to me all night long hoping they will be the lucky ones to take me away and to whisk my demons away.

Fat chance of that happening.

I came to this pack for one reason: I had to be here with my Gamma, Jack, and a few warriors who had yet to find their mates and yes, I am in with those men and some women but I would rather be elsewhere. Anywhere but in this territory.

The HighClaws pack is not one where I would want to go to voluntarily so for me to be here, in Zades' presence when his brother is the reason my best friend never made it out of that warehouse all those years ago is a lot to handle.

Even after everything happened, I refused their treaty until I knew it wouldn't be Nolan to get the Alpha crown and Thankfully it wasn't. It was his twin, more stable brother. Still a prick but better than the other half of himself. 

The room I am supposed to be sleeping in all weekend is probably the biggest in this pack house and I'm banking on something happening to pull my attention away just so I have an excuse to get going once I've had a meeting with the Alpha in the morning. I visited this room this afternoon and got the hint of Jasmine straight away.

Like she knew that being in here would affect me.

Whoever she is.

 I didn't expect to find a mating bond here but I certainly won't be able to control myself if I stay either. I'm not the sort of person that some woman would want. I'm too unattached. Emotionally. 

I'm just heading to my room when I spot several women hanging about.

Maybe my mood will make them scurry away without so much as talking?

“Alpha. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Rosie. I live here, do you need any company tonight?” She asks but also forgets to say that she's been clinging to Zade's side all night as if jealous someone might steal his attention away.

“No” is all I say and side-step her. She's pretty. All women are pretty on the outside, some are extremely fake but pretty but it's what's inside that matters most. They aren't always that nice and polite. Some pretty women hold a standing card for the longest bitchiest attitude anyone has ever seen. Some are pure evil and some just show a facade that others ‘Expect to see’ but me... When my gut tells me someone is off then I believe it. I go with that. Most women here show a sordid bid of human decency but in reality, they hold bitter lives and fake smiles pushed with a hint of jealousy when something doesn't go their way or something better comes along.

“Are you sure? I mean... I quite enjoy a little detour and who knows? Maybe you and I-”

“I wouldn't even finish that sentence if I were you Posie-”

“Rosie” she interrupts me. That was her first and only mistake. Her friends giggle behind her but stop short when I stare their way. I'm not known to be soft or nice or even pleasant. A lot of people call me an Asshole behind my back. 

Good. I like knowing these things. 

 My pack on the other hand shows me respect and honesty because I have never given them a reason to distrust me in all the years I've been Alpha to the Crescent Moon pack. I have never given them a reason to go off the rails without me. 

“Rosie. Posie … no difference. But I'd advise you to think about what your next motives are because I-” I say as I look down at her gold sequin skin-tight gown and false lashes with false everything plastered to her body. “-Eat people like you and I leave no traces to be found. And to make it better..." I smile but it isn't a nice smile, it's what my brother calls terrifying. "I enjoy the hunt just as much as the fear in their eyes."

If it were to be humanly possible I'd say she turned a shade of grey after turning a shade of white and sickly colour.

“Y-Yes Alpha. Of course” she mutters while walking backwards with her friends. Not once does she take her eyes off me until she's around the corner of the walls that now separate us.

Thank fuck.

Sitting in my dark room I'm just about to open my call log to ring Remi, my beta, when the door opens at lightning speed and shuts just as quickly but also just as quietly as if she didn't realise I'd be in here. I can't see much of her because it's dark and I refuse to give myself away to her until she turns the light on herself.

It isn't until I hear her deep breaths becoming slightly calmer that I realise she chose to hide away here. To have a breather.

But why?

Letting myself be known, I move my chair back a little before I speak to her. It's a tough thing because my brain is currently frying from the scent of her. Smells divine. I could get addicted to her scent. 

Wonderful. Just wonderful.

“It's rude to just walk in here little wolf…” I say, grabbing her attention.

She stands up, plasters herself to the door and stares at me as if I shouldn't be in here which is probably right seems how everyone is getting drunk and finding themselves in someone else tonight.

But that isn't the point. The point is, I spoke to her and no one ever disrespects me by not speaking back. Is she deaf or just rude? I'm just about to repeat myself, something I fucking hate to do when she does something with her hands. Signing? 

Not deaf? Can't be deaf is she is able to understand me without a sigle light on in the rom.

“I don't understand what you're saying… you're clearly not deaf because you can quite clearly speak non-verbally back so what is it little one… what's got your tongue tied?” I say as I rest my fingers against my face, separating them across my lip in a show of boredom. Her body language is what makes me look closer at her. I can vaguely see her silhouette through the dim lights from outside the room but she holds her own no matter the tremble running through her. 

Nerves?

Something completely different? Obviously...idiot.

She doesn't move and I realise that she's terrified of moving closer toward me. Everyone usually is but having her scared of me does something to the Ice that sits in my chest.

“Come here little wolf,” I command and she does. So that's one thing. She's obedient and not stupid.

When she's in reaching distance I hand her a pen and piece of paper that was sitting on the desk in here.

“Repeat exactly what you said,” I tell her. Her hands shake and her eyes stay downcast even when I speak to her but she writes it all down and slides it my way for me to read.

“I'm so sorry sir,” it starts. “I didn't think anyone would be in here” 

“Well, it is my room. Who would you expect to be in here besides me?” I ask as I lean back in the chair.

Her cheeks are flushed a beautiful shade of red but she still won't meet my gaze with her own. I don't even know what her name is or what her eye colour is or if she's as fake as the other women here.

The clothes she’s wearing are run down, have holes wherever possible and doesn't look like she has washed them in so long. They seem to be a size too small which makes her chest stick out a little but she's too skinny. Frail. All bones and no meat.                                                                                                               She writes once more and slides it my way.

“I'm sorry once again Alpha. I had no idea you would be here. Please accept my apologies and I will leave you be.” and it's only then that I see the blood on her chin. It looks dried.