Ava sat on the edge of the bed, impatiently waiting for Alpha Jude. She had to know what business they had together for him to come here.
She did not like the look in Alpha Damon’s eyes. Sighing in relief when she heard the door creak open and alpha Jude walked in.
“What was he doing here?” Ava asked as she stood up slowly to stand before him.
“Calm down, I need you to calm down.” Alpha Jude said, helping her back onto the bed.
Ava could tell she would not like the other next word that would leave his mouth, she had a gut feeling about it
“I am calm.” Ava lied, she was far from calm, “I just need to know what he was doing here.” She added, trying to keep her voice as calm and collected as she could.
“We are business partners now.” Alpha Jude said simply, Ava could see that there was more, and he seemed not to want to tell her.
“What do you mean business partner?” Ava asked confused.
“How? Since when? And what business are we talking about.” It all did not make sense to her.
“You might not like this Ava, but, the west wood pack is in possession of a land that belonged to the mist wood ancestors.” Alpha Jude started.
Ava had so many questions, but she decided to keep shut and listen to him. Alpha Jude took in her expression and continued.
“It was a long time ago, they had used it to pay off a debt to the Westwood pack, and ever since, it had belonged to them.” He said.
“What has that got to do with this?” Ava asked, her eyes squinted, confused.
“Alpha Damon has decided to give the land back to Mist Wood Pack in exchange for our allegiance and partnership.” alpha Jude explained.
“And you accepted?” Ava asked in both shock and surprise.
“Yes, Ava.” Alpha Jude said quietly, “Do you know how long the pack has been trying to reclaim that land?” He asked, his tone rising a little higher than Ava liked.
“You know who that man is and what he has done to me!” Ava said, her voice matching his.
“That was a long time again, Ava” Alpha Jude almost yelled, getting up and standing in front of her.
Ava turned a surprised gaze at him, this did not seem like the Jude she knew, his face had a hint of anger and pain in it.
His brows creased in the middle and his fingers were balled in a tight fist, she could tell he was holding himself from exploding.
Her eyes rang with his words, “That was a long time ago, Ava.” Ava could feel her heartbreak at those words.
He more than anyone knew how traumatic her experience had been, he had been on this same bed with her all those times she would wake up from a frightening nightmare.
He, alpha Jude, had rubbed her back and assured her she would be alright, he had promised to keep her safe, and yet here he was.
The Same man making an allegiance with her enemy, the silence that fell upon them was a heavy one.
So heavy, that Ava could swear she could actually feel its warm heaviness around her.
Lifting her eyes to meet his, Ava was stunned at the coldness in them. Almost like her alpha Jude had been replaced with someone else, someone she could not recognize.
“Yes, yes, it was a long time again, but you know I still have PTSD from it.” Ava retorted, hoping her voice came out strong like she wished it, and not as weak and broken as she felt at that moment.
“He is a grown man now, and from all indications, he is changed.” alpha Jude said
“What does it matter?” Ava asked, her voice raised again as the anger brewed within her.
“It matters because he has demanded that you work with him on this,” Alpha Jude said, dropping g the bomb on her like it’s nothing.
“What!?” Ava asked, she could not believe her ears, there was no way he just said what she thought she heard.
“He has specifically asked, that the terms on which this would work is if he worked with you, in direct contact.” Alpha, Jude said nonchalantly, slinging his jacket on the chair across the room.
“What does that even mean?” Ava asked, her breath in short, rapid pants as she tried to understand him.
“It means you will be representing the mist wood pack in everything, it is a business partnership, Ava.” Alpha Jude said.
Ava sat still, her mind reeled with a lot they had just spoken, and she tried to comprehend it.
She, Ava Mitchell Smith, working with Damon, she could not even picture herself in that position.
Ava had known he was up. to something when she had seen the mischievous look on his face just before she had turned to leave earlier.
She could not accept this, no, she had to stand her ground with alpha Jude, she hoped he wouldn’t force her to do something she did not want to.
“No,” Ava said abruptly.
“What?” Alpha Jude asked, turning to look at her, his face held a look of disbelief and his eyes squinted In anger.
“What?” Ava asked, confused at his reaction. “I said no, I am not going to do it. I can’t work with Damon.” she retorted firmly.
“Look, Ava. I love you and I do not want you to see a side of me that is very unpleasant, so I am going to advise you to just do it.” Alpha Jude said coldly.
“And I said no, you can’t force me to do something I would rather not do,” Ava said, she hoped he would listen to her.
“Yes, you will, Ava.” Alpha Jude said in a tone of finality. “You will work with alpha Damon on behalf of the mist wood pack.” He added, giving her a stern look that dared her to disobey or counter him.
“But why?” Ava asked as tears threatened to leave her eyes, she could not let him see her broken like this, so she sniffed and blinked hard, holding the tears back in place.
“Because this is of very great benefit to mist wood pack, not only will this partnership take us from a seventy to a hundred, it will bring back our lost land.” He said.
“Why do you not understand this?” He asked.
“Why do you not understand me?” Ava asked too, “You know what I have been through alpha Jude, you know this.”
“I would rather not argue with you anymore, Ava.” alpha Jude said, snatching his jacket from the chair and speed-walking to the door.
“And if I insist on not doing this?” Ava asked if she wanted to know what was at stake for her.
Alpha Jude stalked towards her, his towering figure making him look and seem more menacing than he wanted to come off as.
“You can’t go back to Westwood to your parents, Ava, and you can’t leave the walls of this mansion because you will lose everything the power and respect that it had garnered you.” Alpha Jude said.
His words needed no explanations, she understood perfectly what he meant, and she hated that his words were true.
Aloha, Jude leaned forward and pecked her forehead, his lips were cold, and the kiss lacked the usual sweetness that she was used to.
She watched him walk away, too stunned to speak and too tired to even try to stop him.
“Where are you going?” Ava managed to ask just as he opened the door to leave.
“I will be in the study.” He said, his voice sounded different.
“Get ready, do whatever it is to be prepared.” Alpha Jude said, “You will be working with aloha Damon, and I will not take no for an answer and that is final.” He said, walking out of the room.
Ava felt her world crash before her, sliding off the bed and sitting g on the floor, wrapping her hand around her knees and burying her face in it.
It was something to be mated to alpha Damon, but working with him? And in close contact, that he could not phantom.
It seemed that her fate had already been carved and curated, there was no escaping this.
Alpha had just sounded pretty serious, and she did not want to know what would happen if she said no.
Ava knew she had nowhere else to go or run to, mist wood had been her home for the past ten years, and she could not afford to lose it or the power she had garnered for herself.
She had to do this, whether she wanted to do it or not, she had to prepare herself, Ava thought, wiping the tears off her face and climbing back into bed.