VIKTOR
“Alpha?!”
I whirl around at the familiar title, eyes wide and shocked.
Who…
“Oh, goddess! It is actually you! You are alive!” Dan, one of my pack’s warriors exclaims as he bows to me. “Andre said you were alright but still… it is so good to see you.”
“Why are you here?!” I demand.
“Louis?” Jhneele calls as her eyes flicks from me to Dan. “Who is he?”
“Yes, Louis. Who is he?!”
The voice makes the blood in my veins freeze.
Rowan.
“Mummy!” Jhnelle gasps as she gets off the swing while I, with trepidation, slowly turn towards her.
Her eyes are steel.
Frigid and cold as she stares at me, waiting for an answer
“Mummy?” Jhneele calls, her voice quiet with uncertainty.
“Come here, Jhnelle,” she says without taking her eyes off me.
Jhneele looks between me and her before she obeys.
“Alpha? Who is he?” Dan asks.
Oh, goddess. Help me.
“You stay out of this,” I mutter to him.
“Alpha?” Rowan repeats. “You are an Alpha? Do you know this man, Louis?”
“Louis? His name is not Louis… he is-”
“I said shut the fuck up, Dan!” I snap as I whirl around to glare at him.
“S- sorry, Alpha,” he stutters before going quiet.
“Rowan,” I say as I turn back to her. “I can explain.”
“I am sure you can, but for now, I will be the one asking and you will answer. First, what is your name?”
“Rowan-”
“Your name?!” She growls out, making Jhnelle whimper and hide behind her legs.
“Can we talk about this somewhere else, you are scaring Jhenelle.”
“No. You don’t get to that. You don’t get to mention her name or worry about her. Not when you have been lying to us.”
“I did not lie. I- I just didn’t tell you where I was from. have been honest about everything else.”
“A lie by omission is still a lie. You told me your name was Louis. That you had no recollection of who you were or where you came from! That is a lie!”
“And can you blame me?!” I retort. “I woke up in the midst of the rogue coalition. One that has everyone on edge. How would you have had me react? I was outnumbered and alone. I had to protect myself!”
“And after?!” She snaps back. “after we trusted you?!”
“I- I will not justify my actions. I know I hurt you. I know. I just- I have already gotten so deep into it, I didn’t know how to tell you. I was worried… scared you wouldn’t want me.”
“What is your name?!” She growls out. “Where are you from?”
I stare at her for a few seconds, trying to convey how I feel… how sorry I am for lying to her but she doesn’t budge
Her eyes are still as blank and cold as if she is staring at a stranger .
With a sigh, I answer her.
“My name is… Viktor Thorn.”
“Thorn? Thorn… where have I heard that name before?” She mutters.
“It is a popular name, or at least I think it is. I am the Alpha of the Vale pack.”
She doesn’t say anything in response to that. She just stares at me as if she can’t comprehend what I am saying.
“The… the Vale pack?” She whispers.
“Yes… Rowan,” I call as I move towards her but she just takes several steps back.
“Stop!” She orders. “Just stop. Don’t come near me. You… your pack, kills rogues. Tortures and kills them.”
“Rowan…”
“They would have killed me too if Lisa and Rina hadn’t helped me escape.”
“I- wait, what? What are you talking about?” I ask, suddenly alarmed
“Five years ago, when I had managed to survive the fall from the cliff, I woke up on your banks. Your wolves were going to take us in and do goddess knows what!”
“Rowan… I didn’t know that. I swear I didn’t.”
“Of course, you wouldn’t. Because your order was to kill all rogues. Wow,” she exclaims as she brushes her hand along hair in disbelief. “I really drew the short stick with mates. One is an ambitious psychopath and the other, an indifferent murderer.”
“I didn’t- wait! Mates? What do you mean mates?” I demand.
She turns back to look at me with pure rage in her eyes.
“You have until sundown to leave this territory. I don’t want to see you or your wolves here. If you are here by then, one of us is going to have to die and I assure you, it wouldn’t be me,” she threatens as she takes Jhenelle by the hand and turns to leave.
“So that is it, then?!” I call after. “We are done?! Just like that? The past month meant nothing?!”
“What do you think?” She calls back without looking my way.
“I don’t believe you!” I call after her. “You… you liked me. Liked us. I know you did. I felt it!”
“You can believe what you want. Feel what you want. It doesn’t change the fact that you are a liar. Ah, that reminds me,” she says as she stops to look at me. “One more question. Why did you come here?!”
“What? Jhnelle wanted ice-”
“Not why you came to the park! Why did you and the other wolves came here? What was your end game?”
For just a second, I falter at the question before responding.
“I was told… that we were to come discuss some terms with you.”
“And what was the actual reason?”
“Rowan…”
“Answer the bloody question, Louis! Or should I say Viktor.”
“They deceived me. I didn’t know…”
“Why were you here?”
“They planned an ambush,” I answer in resignation. They weren’t going to give you all a chance to defend yourself. It was meant to be a slaughter.
“I see. Thank you for your honesty.”
“Rowan, please…”
“Sundown. Good bye, Viktor. I hope we never meet again.”