6

Rafe’s POV

Alexie’s presence awakened something deep from my soul—the feeling that died following her disappearance from the pack.

I didn’t know why that was happening, and I couldn’t control it either.

But the anger I had stepped out of the car with had just vanished into thin air and I stood in front of her, with only three steps between us.

“Look who we have here.”

Her voice jolted me back to my senses, and as I opened my eyes, Alexie looked at me with disgust.

“Are you already here to crawl at my feet? Isn’t it too early, ex-mate?”

Her mockery sent waves of anger circulating in my bloodstream, making the feelings I had felt earlier disappear in an instant.

“You must have been continuously replaying that impossible scenario in your mind that is why you think it is possible.”

Crawling at her feet for what reason? For a second chance as she had mentioned? To hell with that.

“Your delulu has made you fantasize about the impossible, lady, so get your head straight and answer my question!”

I snapped, crossing the last step between us.

However, before I could ask the question, Skipper had left my side and was now holding Alexie’s arm, looking like a desperate chick.

“I am so happy you are finally back, Alexie. There is something I have always wanted to tell you…”

“Skipper?”

She ignored me, looking at Alexie in worry. I tried to pull her away from Alexie but she gave me the pitiful face with tears smearing her makeup.

“I am sorry, Rafe, but this is the only chance I’ve got to speak to Alexie.”

She sniffled, then returned her gaze to Alexie.

“Sorry for all the misunderstandings I caused years ago, bestie, but I promise you that nothing was done intentionally. I…I am at fault for everything and…”

“Cut the crap!”

I couldn’t stand the way Alexie raised her hand and yelled at Skipper, so I stepped in and pulled Skipper away from her, controlling myself so I didn't take it out on her.

“What is wrong with you!”

Skipper’s arm slipped from my grip and she ended up falling to the ground. And even in pain, she kept pleading with Alexie to forgive her.

“Only you can help me, Alexie, I am dying, please save me one more time and I promise to leave Rafe for you. I will step away for good and never return.”

Skipper was only embarrassing herself and humiliating me in public by doing that. She succeeded in drawing the attention of the passersby and now, we were the center of attention.

She even gave Alexie some sort of encouragement to look down on us more.

“Stop embarrassing yourself and get into the car.”

I whispered into Skipper’s ear while carrying her up bride style from the ground.

“Ma’am, are they disturbing you? What do you want us to do to them?”

That was the most insulting thing that has ever happened to me since my existence. Bodyguards asking Alexie what to do to me in my own pack?

“No, leave them alone, they are only desperate for help.”

Alexie chuckled while slowly turning to the bodyguards.

“I think our business here is done, we will return to the Silvermoon pack tonight.”

Then she turned to me, folding her arms beneath her bust.

“Mr. Ryder, desperation won’t help. I only do business with serious and honest people.”

She gave me one last satisfying look, the type that explained she had succeeded in whatever she had planned, and stepped inside the hotel with the bodyguards opening the door for her.

Believing that the same woman I once pulled out of the taxi a few years ago now back with bodyguards opening doors for her was one thing my mind couldn’t comprehend.

The same Alexie?

Impossible!

“Alpha Ryder, we have a problem here.”

The chauffeur called my attention.

“It appears that Mr. Grover has discussed your collaboration with Ms. Brown and she instantly rejected the offer.”

That pathetic little urchin. How dare he discuss that with Alexie? I don’t remember informing him to stand for me or talk to her about my offer. No wonder she said those horrible words to me.

So this is the ‘your life is nothing without me’ Alexie mean? Then she is wasting her time because I will never depend on her for anything. If I had known that she was the renowned business guru, I wouldn’t have stooped so low as to seek her audience.

“Who annoys you out there?”

My mum asked the moment I stepped inside the mansion. I wanted to hide it from her because informing her that Alexie is back and provoked me would only make matters worse.

“Answer me.”

She said coldly, pretending she didn’t hear Skipper’s greeting.

“I know what it is, Rafe, Alexie is back and I heard you guys made a fool out of yourself in front of her. Didn’t I tell you that that innocent girl will become someone big in the future? But you wouldn’t listen to me and went ahead to choose this thing over her!”

As she got up from the one-seater brown leather sofa, the anger on her face migrated to a joyous expression.

“Believe it or not, Alexie is moving forward and one day, her rank will be higher than yours.”

Even after leaving Mum’s presence, I still couldn’t get the thought of Alexie flying way above me out of my mind. I am the Alpha. No one in my pack is supposed to rise above me—especially not the woman I once dated.

“Alpha Ryder, Alexie isn’t someone you can bring down easily.”

Mr. Grover’s words made the anger boiling in my blood increase multiple times.

“To the public, she is an ordinary business tycoon, but behind the curtains, she has strong connections in the Silvermoon pack, Winterbloom, and all the packs she is in business with. The Alphas all cherish her and are always ready to protect her.”

The Alphas, protecting Alexie? My heart couldn’t stay still after hearing that.

Why would they protect her when she isn’t their mate? What is their problem?

Suddenly, a mysterious feeling burst into my heart, sending an intense pain through my nerves. It is the kind of pain that I have never felt before, the kind that makes me want to kill.

Out of everyone they want to protect, they chose Alexie? They should start counting their days because nobody must get closer to Alexie except me.