My eyes twitched in irritation.
What’s wrong?
Did he just ask what’s wrong?
There were so many things that were wrong with this. I was in no place to outwardly berate the Alphas for their decisions and actions, especially with my position in the pack right now, but I sure as hell could think of it in my head.
If Soren really didn’t know what was wrong, then he was even more stupid than I thought.
Everything was wrong.
We may not have accepted each other, but the way he played with my feelings was even more sinister than whatever his other two brothers could do. I could still rember the way he looked away when Violet practically accused of stealing Willow’s design. He gave that dress. Yet, he chose to stay silent as I was accused of theft and nearly stripped, only for their plans to go through later on.
Every single positive emotion that had budded in my heart for Soren was crushed the mont he looked away. He was perfectly fine with tossing to the wolves, figuratively and literally.
"Nothing is wrong, Alpha Soren," I forced out through gritted teeth. In fact, I made sure to plaster on the most genuine smile I could muster at the mont, fueled by the minor gratefulness I felt for his offering of food. That, at least, did warm my stomach when I needed it most. "It’s been a tiring day, and I simply need so rest. Unless you need for sothing?"
"N-No," Soren said, shaking his head. He frowned, confusion shaping his features. "There’s nothing I need. I just wanted to see how you were doing―"
"As you can see, I am shaken but fine," I said, cutting him off.
Every second I spent talking to him was another cut into my patience. It was already stretched thin, and I needed him gone before I snapped.
Soren was much nicer than his brothers were, but no matter what, he was still my Alpha. That ant that torturing was nothing more than a snap of his fingers.
My life and well-being were in the palm of his hands. He could be nice to and offer stew and a pretty dress, and he could also toss into the dungeons to rot with the torture devices for the rest of my life if he wanted to.
If I dared to openly disrespect him, I couldn’t be sure whether or not his façade would crack.
I realized I didn’t even know who Soren was as a person. He was always the second Alpha of the Shadowclaw Pack, and that was all I ever knew. I had never seen his true personality, and I no longer dared to assu that his kind-hearted nature was the truth. It could just be another layer of him, and when every single layer was peeled away, the center could very well be just as rotten and cruel as Rowan and Cassian’s were.
This was a risk I couldn’t take. The dress was simply a lesson I had to learn.
"So," I continued, "I thank you for checking up on , but you should really get back. I am sure the Luna is still waiting for you."
Soren’s lips were pursed tightly into a straight line at the word ’Luna’. His eyebrows furrowed, scrunching up into themselves, and he stared at as though I were an impossible puzzle.
My heart skipped a beat. I couldn’t tell if I should be worried about the way he was staring at , but the more he did, the more uneasy I felt.
Even with all that big talk and resolution about keeping my distance, Soren and his brothers were still my fated mates. If I didn’t reject them, I would still be tied to them. One look from him was enough to send my heart into a gymnastics routine.
"W-What is it?" I asked, stuttering. "Is there sothing on my face?"
As I said that, I raised my hand to wipe at my lips. Maybe there were still so remnants of the stew that I hadn’t cleaned off.
Without warning, Soren’s hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. My eyes widened in surprise as I instinctively tried to tug my hand away. His fingers burned , but the feeling was welcod and didn’t hurt one bit. It tingled and tickled, feeling like tiny shots of lightning had been pumped right into my skin in the most rejuvenating manner.
"What are you doing?" I asked, panicked. When I tried to tug my hand back a little harder, Soren’s grip rely tightened. "Alpha Soren, please let go of ―"
"You’re upset," Soren stated. "I want to know why."
His face was so close that it felt like our noses were going to touch. I didn’t even realize that he had edged in, cornering between him and the wall. I inhaled sharply when he t my eyes. His eyes were like molten gold, swirling with such fierce intensity that I found it hard to look away.
There was sothing in his words that made want to spill all of my dirtiest, darkest secrets. I couldn’t tell if he was manipulating the unbroken mate bond between us to get the truth out of , or if he was trying to microdose with his Alpha command.
"I..." The words were choked up in my throat. Every nerve in my body wanted to spill the beans and tell Soren what I was truly thinking, but I was still stubbornly clinging onto the last shreds of my rationality.
I could die. This could be the last thing I would ever say.
"I..."
"Tell , Briar," Soren said. He leaned in, pressing his forehead against mine. I felt my heart skip yet another beat. In fact, it felt as though it had crawled up my chest and was now lodged in my throat. "What is bothering you?"
I could practically hear the last string of my sanity snapping.
Tears raced down my cheeks. Soren, shocked, moved away. He blinked a few tis, at a loss for what to do. To be fair, I didn’t even know why I was crying. A mix of fury, heartbreak, and indignation coursed through .
"Why didn’t you say anything?" I cried out, leaving Soren stunned.
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