Chapter 6

The constant tapping of my thumb against the solid wood echoes through the silence of the mansion, my mind elsewhere, distracted by the image of the dead.

So much death, it surrounds me like the goddamn plague. Perhaps I'm cursed?

"Alpha?"

The tapping continues, even as I raise my frowning eyes to the man in my doorway, barely reacting to his presence.

"Yes?" I wonder, trying to not sound so empty of any emotion. Get your head together, Calliope.

"The lycans are here again." Nathanial wearily tells me.

My thumb stills instantly, and I stare at Nathanial blankly. I wanted to be excited, and yet all I feel is dread. There's the possibility of my mate being on my land again, a mate that I don't want to be around.

"Why?" I retort snappily. Do those lycans assume they can just come and go as they please?

Nathanial cringes slightly at my sudden temper, even if it's not his fault, I couldn't tame my glare.

"They wish to speak with you about Alpha Maddison." Nathanial says quietly.

My gut twists, not liking that the lycans know about the challenge. It's been six months nearly, not once have the lycans been anywhere near my land in that time. The fact that they're turning up now, about my challenge with another Alpha, it makes me uneasy.

"Which border?" I grunt, slipping my feet into the red heels before standing.

Nathanial gulps audibly. Pausing, I stare at the wolf with annoyance, knowing I'm not going to like his next words.

"They're outside the pack house, Alpha." He glances away, seeing the flush of anger boiling within my veins.

Instead of shouting, I find myself silent. I couldn't possibly bitch at him without hurting him, today is not a good day for me. Waltzing right past him, I head down the long hallway, passing through the huge open foyer and step out of the doors to our home.

Three men stand before me, large, tall and tan. None of them the one my beast silently craves, which is no surprise. The fact that he didn't come only makes me more bitter, knowing he doesn't pine for my presence like I do his.

Fucking lycan, everything is so easy for them. My bitterness is for multiple reasons, and despite that I don't mind getting my hands dirty to get what I want, it irritates me that lycans are so free of rules and worries.

"Yes?" I stare, blunt and rude.

"We've been sent to give you a message." One of the three lycans speak up, eyes slowly raking in my appearance.

I grit my teeth. "Should I bother asking from who?"

The lycan meets my sharp eyes, glancing me over with narrowing eyes. I doubt he very much likes my attitude.

"The Alpha you challenge, won't be the Alpha you face, he has a son." The deep growl of the beast should've shaken me to my core.

"Whoever sent you, tell them I don't need secret little messages. I'm fully aware of my enemies, and if this person wishes to give me a heads up, he can do it like a fucking grown man and tell me himself." I snap, pissed off.

Calm down, Calliope, these are lycans your disrespecting. The rational part of my brain warns me.

The men don't look pleased, I couldn't decide if it was my attitude or words that infuriated them more. Either way, none of the men said another word before vanishing back to the woods, exiting my land as quick as they came.

Why is he sending warnings? The man doesn't know me, he knows nothing of us being mates, so why?

While I've considered that it might not be my mate that sent the message, I know those Lycans don't just obey anyone. Despite being primal, and isolated, they respect strength. To come to a wolfs land and give a message, it's definitely come from someone they obey. Someone like my mate.

Should I even refer to him as my mate? Perhaps Lycan is better, after all, there's nothing more than a mere flicker of loneliness reminding me that he is in fact, bound to my soul.

My heels click on the marble floor as I enter my pack house again, only to come to an abrupt halt as I sense another wolf. His scent, familiar, it sends a blood curdling fury through me, even if my heart bursts at the thought of him coming back.

He's not alone.

Turning around, I stare out of the doorway, towards the woods as two figures make their way across the field. My pack members that train like most days, immediately come to an abrupt stop in movement.

"Kaine." I order with ice, not needing to give any command.

Kaine immediately rushes off to retrieve Zed, while I make my way out of the mansion, glaring at the girl that stares at my people and land like they're something out of a fairytale.

The familiar blue eyes remain cast down as he approaches me, knowing full well that what he did was wrong, and hurtful. Still, in his eyes I can see the loneliness, the pain, and yet he remains unyielding to his hearts desires.

"Alpha..." Brandy attempts to say, trailing off when he realises that no words can make up for what he's done.

"Holy shit! Your Alpha is a woman?" The she-wolf clinging to his arm grows excited, shocked.

So much anger, so much fury that I couldn't get any words out. I wanted to rip his fucking head off, for many reasons, the first being his rejection to Zed.

Brandy finally raises his eyes, meeting mine hesitantly due to my silence. He could feel it, the sizzling heat surrounding my body, the urge to rip him apart where he stands. I resist the fury, biting my tongue so I couldn't speak.

"I shouldn't have left-"

"You shouldn't have come back." I spit, incapable of keeping my mouth shut.

Brandy's eyes fill with pain, he flinches like I'd just shot him. Another day, I would have felt guilty, but not today. I'm already on edge and high strung, his arrival and the pressure of everything coming, makes it so much worse.

"This is my home, you're my Alpha, this pack is my family." Brandy gulps, staring at me with agonised eyes, my words cutting deep.

"You ruined that when you chose to run, I watched Zed-"

"I never meant to hurt him." Brandy cuts in, his teeth gritted are the sheer mention of his mate.

Faster than the wolf can apologise, I snatch his jaw, my grip like iron. Blood red eyes bore into his, daring him to disrespect me again. Once upon a time I would never take this approach, things are different now, I'm different.

"Know your fucking place!" I sneer menacingly, loosing all sense of myself with his attitude.

Don't do this, Calliope.

Kill him.

Torn between my bloodlust and mercy for my pack, My growl is malicious, earth rattling, powerful. It warns them all without me having to say anything.

"Get off him!" The shriek of a female pains my ears, angering my beast more than it already is.

Brandy immediately begins to panic, feeling my grip loosen on his jaw, the spots of blood from my iron hold already healing. Yet he fears what I may do to his companion, knowing my strict rules against outsiders.

"Gabby, don't." Brandy warns, not bothering to pull his face from my grip, it's clear that my temper is beyond my control.

Footsteps grow near, surrounding us. Brandy's eyes flicker to my left, the pain that he attempts to hide only triples. I didn't have to look, I know it's Zed.

"I thought you didn't take sides?" Brandy whispers, turning his agonised eyes back to me.

My heart aches, because he's right. I promised my pack equality no matter what, and here I stand ready to snap his neck because he rejected Zed. Deep in my heart and soul, I know that's not the only reason I'm infuriated with him.

"Alpha, now isn't a good time to loose control, you're under a lot of pressure." Kaine's voice is understanding, gentle as he places his hand on my shoulder.

My eyes flicker over Brandy's frightened ones. He's in pain, what are you doing Calliope? Is this what justice is now? Hurting the ones we love?

"Last year you made me feel proud to be your Alpha, now...you bring me only dishonour and shame." I state, harsh with honesty.

I'd never seen Brandy cry, not even when he faced the pain of rejecting Zed. The tears that fill his eyes from my words, both shock and break my heart. In a way I regret them, but I didn't take them back, I meant them even if it hurts.

Releasing Brandy's jaw, I turn on my heel and walk away. The choice he makes now is his alone, I've made my feelings perfectly clear.

Grabbing a few personal belongings from my office, I exit through the back of the pack house. My own home sits within the woods, not far from the mansion. Due to always being in the office or training, I usually sleep in the pack house. Personally I don't want to be anywhere near another wolf until I trust myself to not lash out.

Why did he come back after all this time? Especially with another wolf, male or female, he's hurting Zed more.

"Alpha?" Kaine questions, having followed me.

I wave him off dismissively.

"Not now." I snap.