I scoffed, glancing at the screen, confused on top of being mad.
I had no idea what he was talking about, but looking at the junk around me, I must have done something crazy in delirium.
“Jena’s in a critical condition and the last thing she needs is you being a jerk. You should’ve been more understanding!” Axel went on, and I felt even more numb after hearing all of that crap.
What was there to understand? Her condition sure wasn’t critical when he bonded with her last night.
I looked over the mess that seemed to mirror the chaos of my life and felt tired. I’ve had enough of Axel forcing me to yield to Jena every time.
“So, you called me just to say that?” I asked, devoid of emotions.
“What else do you want me to say, Diana?” Axel became defensive. “I’ve told you like a hundred times. Nothing’s going on between me and Jena. I’m looking after her because she’s the Alpha’s daughter.”
That blatant lie was more painful than the molten lava that tortured me last night.
I didn’t get him. He should’ve rejected me outright if he felt strongly enough toward Jena to bond with her even if they weren’t mates. Why keep me around if he was only going to hurt me?
“Come by the hospital and apologize,” he said and hung up.
I sighed and scrolled through the call registry. Axel was accusing me of something pretty interesting and it had me curious. For once, he wasn’t lying. I did, call him fifty times and then rang up Jena.
I opened the voicemail I sent her and honestly, it was scary.
“Let the stars be my witness, the moon, my judge. I swear to the eternal night sky, you will suffer ten times as much the pain you caused me.”
My voice sounded so feral and malicious that it even made me shiver. However, knowing it terrified that whiny Jena felt great.
After that, I did a lot of thinking, grieving all the love I poured onto Axel who was like a bottomless pit. No matter how much I gave, it would never be enough because I wasn’t who he wanted. On the other hand, he had plenty of love to give when it came to Jena. She even had him at her beck and call no matter the time and occasion. Begging for the love of a man like that only made me pathetic.
I never thought mate bonds would be this terrible. If I knew the goddess would put me through such torment, I would’ve run away at first sight.
“I swear, I’d never go through this again.” I got up, sighing.
That night, I didn’t bother going to the hospital and slept in my room like the dead. When morning came, I headed to the pack mansion to bury my head in the documents at the Alpha’s office and get my mind off this joke. I’ve been his secretary for years, and my work consisted of helping the Beta with documentation and running simple errands.
I walked into the office as usual and went straight to work. However, I didn’t realize that my poor attempt to cope made the others uncomfortable.
That afternoon, Beta Ryker told me Alpha Lycus wanted to see me. I quickly dropped everything and headed for the door, but Beta Ryker stopped me.
“Wait.”
I looked back and waited for an order but I got an apology from someone who hadn’t hurt me one bit.
“I’m sorry about what happened, Diana. Don’t hold back and tell me if you need anything, okay?” Beta Ryker said, and his sincerity made me hate Axel even more.
His uncle wasn’t even at fault but he still had the sense to apologize while Axel had the audacity to yell at me.
I felt my wall crumbling, so before I let myself be vulnerable, I swiftly brushed him off with a nod and marched to the Alpha’s office.
Just as I raised my hand to knock on Alpha Lycus’s door, his gravelly voice echoed in my mind. “Come in.”
Inside, the room was thick with the scent of smoke. He stood by the window, a cigarette in hand, the ember glowing faintly against the dusky light. His sharp gaze was fixed in the garden below, where pups darted about, their laughter carrying through the air.
“Precious, aren’t they?” he said, not turning as the door clicked shut behind me.
I followed his gaze to the children, their giggles infectious as they chased one another in carefree abandon. A small smile tugged at my lips. “They are.”
Then, he turned, his eyes piercing, his next words slicing through the tranquil moment.
“Tell me,” he asked, his tone low but weighty, “would you go to the ends of the earth to protect them?”
“I…”
I wasn’t sure how to respond. It wasn’t a difficult question. Of course, anyone with a sound mind would say yes, but I know that wasn’t the answer he was looking for.
Alpha Lycus’s gaze softened, his expression painted with a hint of sadness.
“I’ll never forget the day you arrived at Crimson Wolf.” He sighed. “The tragedy of your old pack took every bit of joy from your face, and seeing that was heartbreaking.”
“Alpha, where are you heading with this?” I asked.
