STARLETTE
The following morning, Tom and I met for training again, and I channelled all the rage burning within me into the training.
I hate him. I hate him. I hate him. I kept chanting in my mind with each attack I blocked.
“You have gotten better and fierce.” Tom commented, amazement evident in his voice.
“All thanks to him.” I blurted before I could even stop myself.
“Who? The Alpha?” He guessed.
“Can you believe he hasn’t been sleeping in our room? Not that I care, but-” I trailed off immediately when I realised I was divulging too much information.
“Never mind.” I continued, exhaling sharply.
“It’s okay.” Tom managed to hit my waist, and I groaned in pain. “It’s a safe space. You can talk to me.”
I didn’t know who Tom really was or if I could trust him. But I needed listening ears before I went out of my fucking mind. I needed to rant! So, without giving it much thought, I went ahead.
“Not that I care, but why would an Alpha abandon his own room to sleep in a woman’s room?” I scrunched up my face in disgust and shook my head. “It just doesn’t make sense. He forbade me from speaking with Lucius, but he could unapologetically sleep around.”
Tom chuckled, and I twisted my face in a frown.
“What’s funny?” I asked.
“Nothing. Jealousy looks cute on you.”
“I’m not jealous!” I quickly denied.
He chuckled again, and I rolled my eyes.
“To answer your question, the Alpha hadn’t been sleeping in another woman’s room.” He said.
“Where then has he been sleeping?” I asked.
“He has been working tirelessly. There have been multiple rogue attacks recently, so he has been busy with that along with other soldiers at night.” He explained.
My mouth formed an ‘O’, and I suddenly remembered Maximus’s discussion with his beta at the library. Could it be about that?
“I thought-” I started but trailed off when I realised Tom was lost in a daze. He looked to be mind-linking.
With who? I wondered.
After a few seconds, he snapped back to reality.
“Sorry. I need to go.” He quickly said and dashed off before I could even say anything.
Wiping off the sweat that coated my forehead, I blew out a sharp breath and headed back to the pack house.
“Starlette.” A voice called from behind as I walked through the hall, and I rolled my eyes. Not again.
I continued waking anyway, not minding her.
“I can see that you’ve been training. But that won’t make you stronger than I am.” She continued.
She was so fucking annoying. It took everything in me to control myself from turning around and blessing her pretty face with a powerful punch.
“I’m talking to you.” She suddenly appeared in front of me, blocking my way.
As expected, she tried to slap me, but I caught her hand mid-air. Fueled by rage, I entwined my leg around hers, sending her crashing to the ground. Her buttocks made a resounding impact on the floor, and a loud scream followed.
“Try me again, and it’ll be worse next time.” I warned before stomping off.
A smile curled on my lips. That felt really good. She was stronger than me, but I had the skills.
“That was great, Starlette.” Iris commended, and my smile grew wider.
“You’re back.” I said. She had been brooding ever since she thought our mate was sleeping in Lauren’s room. She had not even talked to me in two days, even though I had been desperately trying to get her to talk. She just kept giving me one-word replies.
“Yes.” Her voice was low.
“Do you think I should tell Maximus what I know about the invincible wolves?” I asked Iris.
As Tom said, he had been working tirelessly to secure the pack from them. Even though I hated him at that moment, I still felt obliged to help him because he didn’t seem to have any clue about them.
“You should. Not for him. But because of the pack members that are endangered,” Iris said.
I loved that we both hated him. He was a cruel mate, but I only hoped his wolf wasn’t as cruel so that Iris would at least have something good for herself.
I made my way to his office and knocked on the door.
“Who’s that?” Maximus’s voice came from the other end of the door.
I rolled my eyes. As if he couldn’t perceive my scent.
“Starlette.” I told him.
“Come in.” He groaned.
I opened the door and slipped inside the office.
The office was big. Bigger and more majestic than I had imagined. It was the perfect working space for an Alpha King. Ruler of the seven northern kingdoms.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, annoyance evident in his voice. The look on his face also matched his tone. It was clear that I was the last person he wanted to see.
He was sitting behind a big glass desk. My eyes wondered at the person seated opposite him, and surprise masked my features.
Tom? What was he doing here?
“I didn’t know you were coming here.” I said when our eyes met.
“Well…” he opened his arms wide and shrugged. “I’m here.”
For him to be in a closed room alone with the Alpha, it was clear that he was either in trouble or he was of a high rank.
“If you have something to say, say it. If you don’t, get out. We have important things to attend to.” Maximus interrupted my thoughts.
I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. “I heard about the rogue attacks.”
“And?” He raised a brow.
“I heard your discussion with Beta Kade at the library.”
“And?”
“They are called ‘the invisibles’. They are fortified by a witch. There’s usually someone somewhere who makes sure that a candle remains burning, and once that candle stops burning, they won’t be able to disappear anymore. But they can also be stopped from disappearing when encircled with salt, as salt nullifies the witches magic.” I explained.