Alexander’s POV
“Why the f*ck are you in here?” I roared upon entering my office.
My anger sent shockwaves through the office, bringing the temperature down.
With a shudder, Axel’s men bowed their heads in deference and moved in the direction of the door.
I interpreted their fear of me as a positive indication.
Axel was seated behind my desk, his feet propped up on the surface, reviewing the rogue reports that I needed to approve. He looked at the door idly, ignoring my angry outburst.
Pushing the reports back onto my desk and moving his feet off the table, Axel uttered, “Temper, temper, dear cousin. I am completely entitled to be here.”
I snarled, “Not in here.” He did not have permission to be in my office.
“Well, when I take over the pack, this will be my office soon,” he stated. “It is ideal. You truly exceeded expectations. This viewpoint is breathtaking.
“I am not going anywhere!” I barked.
“Tick, tick, tick,” Axel’s right hand said. He then turned to face his friend Vito and smiled mischievously.
“You are running out of time!” Axel said. “This will all be mine, and I will be the Opal Pack’s Alpha in less than a month!”
“Over my dead body,” Luke said, stepping forward with a growl.
“That could be arranged,” Axel said, pouting. “But then again, I have a better use for you.”
“And what will that be, exactly?” Luke sneered next to me. He was on the verge of exploding. “Your slave?”
“Calm down,” I ordered Luke over the link. “He is just toying with you. We are both aware that he desires you by his side.”
As Axel drew nearer and stopped in front of Luke, a sinister smile appeared on his lips.
Axel’s nose is nearly an inch away from Luke’s.
“My dear Beta,” Axel said, licking his thin lips. “Keeping you alive is part of my plan. It all depends on your behavior.”
“What does that mean?” I asked, moving to put myself in between Luke and Axel.
“Leave, now!” I ordered Luke over the link. “Take Emily out to her parents’ café!”
I glanced back at Luke, who remained motionless behind me. His expression was that of a man facing an adversary. The muscles in his jaw were so strained that they appeared to be about to break, and his golden eyes were fixed on Axel’s every move.
Luke never got along with Axel-not because he was the Alpha’s apparent heir, but rather because of how Axel made him feel.
Luke had only once explained to me why he hated Axel so deeply. We were leaving for our Alpha training.
“Axel is not pure of heart,” he said. “He envelops himself in darkness. I think he is also envious of you.”
“I think you are seeing things that are not there,” I argued. “He’s my cousin.”
“I understand,” Luke interrupted. “But allow me to warn you as a friend. Exercise caution when near him. He is a wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing who will readily turn against you if given the opportunity.”
I mentally noted that, and Luke and I never discussed it again.
Alpha Training went well, and Axel continued to put on a brave front, but Luke was correct. That day arrived sooner than I had anticipated, and I saw Axel for who he really was and heard what Luke had to say.
When I was unable to show that I had found my true love, Axel was the first to storm into my father’s office and seize the title of Alpha for himself.
My father convened a council meeting and charged the elders and council with determining my faith.
Despite Axel’s best efforts to win the title, the council was unimpressed with him. Axel was deemed unfit to serve as the Opal Pack Alpha by them.
“Young Alpha.” After a protracted and agonizing argument, a counselor addressed me. The disappearance of Emily was depressing enough, but now my title was in jeopardy. “The elders and council had reached a decision.”
I got up from my chair, terrified to hear the outcome.
We give you five years to locate a mate. Should the specified term expire without you having discovered your soul mate, we shall be forced to assign the roles to your cousin, Axel Black.”
Axel was not pleased with the decision; that infuriated him. The councilor went on after he had sufficiently calmed down.
With a glance at Axel, the councilor added.
“Yet, I should warn you. You, too, will not be qualified to claim the Alpha position if you are not marked and mated by the conclusion of the five years.”
Axel was furious after hearing the last part of the decision. In the heat of the moment, he lost control and partially destroyed the council chambers.
“You will never get away with this!” he yelled as he left the room.
Alex was so enraged that he packed up his things and moved to his mother’s old pack, the Dark River Pack.
Although I was relieved when he went and hoped he would not come back, I knew he would eventually.
When Axel left and we were standing outside, my father remarked, “Your cousin is power-hungry.” Before the five years are up, you had better find your mate and mark her. Otherwise, everything this pack stands for will be lost.”
“That you will be banished from this pack, and your beta is mine,” Axel uttered, returning me to the present.
Was he challenging me?
“Luke,” I growled, and his gaze snapped to me. His golden eyes betrayed uncertainty. Leaving me with Axel by myself did not sit well with him. “Right now!” I barked.
Luke narrowed his eyebrows, nodded, turned on his heels, and headed toward the exit.
“He is such a lapdog,” Axel chuckled. “All you have to do is snap your fingers, and he will make the necessary jumps.”
That comment really broke the camel’s back, and the next thing I knew, Axel was making choke sounds.
I had wrapped my hands around Axel’s neck and forced him against the wall. My razor-sharp claws had scratched his skin. I was oblivious to the blood seeping from the wounds.
“Alex,” he choked. “Let go of me! I am your flesh and blood!”
When Axel’s warriors moved to save him, Ghost let go of our aura and made them fall to their knees, whimpering.
I felt strong and unstoppable because of the amazing and addictive magic coursing through my veins.
With a single twist of my wrist, I could already picture myself taking Axel’s life. It would be as easy as pie.
“Alex,” my father’s voice rang in my ears.
I ignored him; I was more intrigued by the fear in Axel’s blue eyes.
“Drop him!” My father ordered.
I shifted my gaze toward my father, and for a second, I wanted to argue with him.
“It’s not the time, son,” he linked me. “You will get your chance to get rid of him. But not today.”
My father was right. If I murdered Axel in my office for breaking in, it would cause a lot of problems.
I deliberately dropped Axel to the ground, letting go of him.
I crouched down beside him.
“This time you are lucky that my father saved your ass.” I hissed angrily at him, “You will not be as fortunate the next time. Now leave my office before I decide to change my mind.
Axel’s men rushed closer, helped him to his feet, and carried him out.
After they left, my father shut the door.
“You wanted to see me?” I inquired as my rage started to fade.
He nodded and drew nearer.
“I believe I have found the reason behind your temper.”
****