LILA’S P. O. V.
I can’t believe how many wolves were in those cells. What was he thinking keeping that many wolves down there? I don’t care how much he is good to Callum, you can’t treat people like that and not care. I plop down on the couch, completely at a loss of what I am supposed to do. Can’t he see that I am just trying to talk to him about it? Make things better.
Maybe he is just too hard headed to care. Or maybe he is just as cruel as everyone thinks he is. It’s almost worse to keep them imprisoned like that, than to just kill them. Especially for a wolf. Not being able to shift and run. Stuck underground. That is the ultimate torture for a wolf.
I am brooding when someone plops next to me on the couch. “You know he is trying to make things better.” Ash states as he gets more comfortable. “He really doesn’t want to hurt people. Hell, he has only ever killed one wolf and let’s face it, he deserved it.”
I look over at him. He isn’t looking at me, just looking at the wall, like that is who he is conversing with. “Then why the hell does he have all those wolves underground? Doesn’t he know that is torture?”
Ash sighs, “When he first took over the pack, he tried to do things the way that everyone else does. The problem is that this pack has never been like everyone else. When we turned over the prisoners, the council would criticize him. We were attacked so often that the council just stopped coming by. The other packs saw it as a chance to attack and take over our pack when Mateo took over. We were attacked at least once a week. After a while the packs saw that we weren’t weak, but that didn’t stop the spies. Then Mateo became stressed that all trespassers were spies, hell most of them were. We would interview them and found that we couldn’t trust what they were saying. We stopped calling the council, because hell they weren’t coming anyway. Mateo didn’t want to kill them, so the only solution was to lock them away. When the spies weren’t coming back the rumors started that Mateo was killing them all. We let them believe them, to try to force the other packs to stop. But you know what, they didn’t. If anyone is to blame for the amount of wolves down there it is the other packs. They need to stop sending them.”
I guess it made sense from that standpoint, but still locked away for that long. “Can I help clear out the cells? Get those wolves somewhere else.”
He chuckles. “Not so sure Mateo would want you to do that. I guess it doesn’t hurt to ask. Honestly Mateo isn’t such a bad guy. You need to give him a chance.”
“I tried, he yelled at me when I questioned him about the prisoners.”
Ash’s smile didn’t leave. “He was worried about you being down there. It’s not exactly the best place in the pack.”
“I get that, but he didn’t need to yell at me.”
“Same could be said for you. I thought you Alphas were taught not to show your anger.”
I groaned. “Shit, you’re right. I should apologize.” I look towards his office, I don’t know how I know, but I know he is in there.
He slaps his legs and gets up from the couch. “Well, I am not going to keep you. I have some things to take care of. One of which is reevaluating the prisoners.” He gives me a wink and leaves me to my own thoughts.
I should apologize, I know it, but pride is a bitch and doesn’t want to let me. I suck it up and head to his office. I knock lightly. The door swings open with such force that I flinch. His eyes land on me and instantly soften. “Sorry, I thought you were Ash.”
“What did Ash do to deserve your wrath?” I smile softly.
He shakes his head. “Nothing. Come in.” He is gruff and short. Obviously not in a good mood. He turns away from me and heads to his desk, sitting on the end of it. I step into the office after him, but I don’t sit.
“I came to apologize. I shouldn’t have lost my temper. You’re right this is your pack, I am a guest of sorts. I would like to offer my help in assessing the prisoners and what should be done with them.” I have been fidgeting with my hands. Why I feel so nervous I don’t know but I do. He just sits there watching me.
Once he can see that I am done, he stands and comes closer to me. His hand reaches out and brushes hair from my face. “Lila, I’m sorry for losing my temper as well. I was worried if we said too much in the cells that they would use it against us in the return interrogation. I didn’t explain it to you and that was probably frustrating. I can see why you were angry.” As he talks he keeps getting closer. “I was also worried about your safety down there. Not all of those wolves are down there for trespassing.” The hand that was brushing my hair out of the way has made it to the back of my neck. His nose ticks against mine. “I am probably about to do something that is going to piss you off all over again.”
I don’t even get the chance to ask what it is before he kisses me. First his lips just brush against mine. But then we are both lost it seems. His hand behind my neck pulls me closer. My fingers are gripping his shirt so tight I think I might tear it. I let out a soft whimpering moan, because fuck it feels good. He lets out a growl as a response and pulls me even closer. It feels like electricity is flowing through my body starting at my lips. His other hand is now around my waist pulling needy. Nothing in this instance feels wrong and that is what scares me.
I pull away, breathless, speechless, pretty much just less. I take in a shaky breath and run. I just pull out of his arms and run. All the way up stairs, into the bedroom that I have set up shop in, slamming the door shut behind me. The feel of his lips still linger on mine. I slam my back against the now closed door and slide to the floor. The tears start to flow and there is not a damn thing that I can do about it. I just hug my knees and cry.