Chapter 19
Chapter 19
ALEXANDER
I leaned back in my chair. “Why did you come to my office, Faye p>
She crossed one leg over the other, her movements deliberate, like she knew I was watching. She met my eyes with that calm confidence that was as provoking as it was… impressive.
“I got tired of waiting for you to show up and welcome me to the Blood Crescent pack properly,” she said, voice even and smooth, almost rehearsed. “ So, I thought… why not come find you myself and give you a little lecture on courtesy before the great meeting p>
I should have been annoyed. I was the Alpha here–wolves didn’t just stroll in and lecture me on manners. Normally, anyone with half a brain would choose their words carefully in my presence. But her tone was softer than usual, lacking the bite she usually wielded like a weapon. That disarmed me more than I cared to admit.
I don’t know how she does it.
Instead of bristling, I found myself leaning back and watching her a moment longer. “Well,” I said, allowing the faintest curve at the corner of my mouth, “I’m glad you know something about courtesy Luna Faye. For a moment there, I thought you had none at all. I mean… why else would you reject the outfit I sent to you this morning p>
She shrugged…light, casual, like my question wasn’t worth the effort of a real answer. “Like I told Maya, I’d already made plans on what to wear. I couldn’t just change my mind at the last
minute p>
That easy dismissal lit a spark of irritation in me. I leaned forward slightly, my elbows on the desk. “Do you realize how disrespectful that was? That singular act undermined my authority in front of Maya, who is supposed to be my subject p>
Her head tilted just a fraction, eyes narrowing slightly, but not in anger. More like she was examining me, peeling apart my words in her mind. “I didn’t think you exercised your authority by deciding what the people around you wear,” she said slowly, like she was genuinely curious about my answer. “Tell me, did you pick out Cole’s outfit this morning too p>
I blinked at her, caught between surprise and disbelief.
“Because if you did,” she continued, her tone perfectly steady, “I’d say you’ve got a better taste for the males‘ attire than the females‘. What Maya brought wasn’t that impressive. Maybe now that I’m here, I can take over picking outfits for the female pack members while you focus on the males p>
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Her face was soft, but I could hear the deliberate provocation in her voice. She wanted to get under my skin…testing, poking, looking for cracks. And the fact that she thought I had the time or inclination to play stylist for my pack members was absurd.
“You’re being a brat on purpose,” I said flatly, my eyes locked on hers. “Is that how they all behave in Silver Hollow p>
Her expression didn’t shift, not even a twitch. She didn’t flinch or look away, didn’t even seem mildly insulted. If anything, she looked faintly amused.
“I was raised to have my own opinions and my own taste,” she replied without hesitation.” And if, for any reason, someone thinks they need to have a say in what I wear, then my opinion should be sought too. I’m not a pet, Alpha Alexander p>
Her voice sharpened slightly, not in volume, but in precision, each word clipped just enough to carry its weight. “And this has nothing to do with how people behave in Silver Hollow. If an entire pack is to be judged by the actions of individuals, then I’d be right to assume that all members of the Blood Crescent pack are arrogant, cold–hearted, and lacking in basic
manners p>
I felt the words like a strike–not enough to knock me down, but enough to remind me she could land a hit when she wanted to. Anyone else would’ve been crushed under the weight of my response for daring to speak to me like that.
But with her… it was different. Not because I couldn’t punish her…I could…but because she was my mate. Bound to me by duty, and the truth was… I didn’t even want to punish her.
Instead, I sat there, letting the sting settle.
Her eyes flickered, and I saw it–the subtle satisfaction in the curve of her lips, the almost imperceptible lift of her chin. She thought she’d won. And maybe she had for now.
I’d let her have this little victory. I did the same thing with my sister Irene. Sometimes the quickest way to shut them up was to let them think they’d gotten the last word.
So I leaned back again, studying her. “You enjoy this, don’t you?” I asked quietly.
Her brow arched. “Enjoy what p>
“Pushing,” I said. “Seeing how far you can go before I snap p>
She smiled faintly, almost playfully. “Maybe I do. But you haven’t snapped yet, have you p>
“No,” I admitted. “Not yet p>
She leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the arms of the chair. “Then maybe you’re
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Chapter 19
not as easy to provoke as you think p>
I huffed a quiet laugh, shaking my head. “Or maybe I’m choosing not to give you the
satisfaction p>
“Or maybe,” she countered, “you like it p>
I went still, holding her gaze. “Careful p>
Her lips curved into something that was half a smile, half a challenge. “Or what? You’ll tell me to sit quietly in the corner and look pretty? ”
“I could,” I said, my voice low. “And you’d ignore me p>
Her smile widened just enough to confirm I was right. “Exactly p>
For a moment, neither of us spoke. The air between us felt like a taut wire, stretched thin but refusing to break.
“You know,” I said finally, “most wolves wouldn’t dream of talking to me the way you do p>
“Most wolves aren’t me, she replied simply.
“That’s… painfully obvious,” I muttered, though there was no real heat in my
words.
She tilted her head, studying me again. “Does it bother you? That I don’t bow my head and nod along like everyone else p>
I considered the question longer than I expected. “No,” I said at last. “It bothers me that you think I’m trying to control you when I’m not p>
Her brows lifted slightly. “You sent me an outfit this morning and expected me to wear it without question p>
I shrugged. “That wasn’t control, that was… tradition. Presentation matters here. Especially for you p>
“Presentation,” she repeated, tasting the word. “You mean appearances p>
“Yes” I said plainly. “And whether you like it or not, the way you present yourself reflects on
me p>
She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. “So I’m a reflection now. Good to know p>
“That’s not what I meant p>
“It’s what you said p>
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I exhaled slowly, reminding myself she was deliberately twisting my words. “You’re impossible p>
“Thank you,” she said, the corner of her mouth twitching.
“That wasn’t a compliment,” I said.
“It sounded like one p>
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I shook my head, trying not to let the amusement creep into my expression. “You exhaust me, Faye p>
“Then maybe you should stop entertaining me,” she said.
I leaned forward, resting my forearms on the desk too. “And maybe you should stop mistaking my patience for weakness p>
Her eyes sparkled with that dangerous mix of defiance and intrigue. “Maybe I like testing the
limits p>
“I know you do,” I said quietly. “But be careful, Faye. You might not like what happens when you finally find them p>
For the first time, she didn’t fire back immediately. Her gaze lingered on mine for a long,
loaded second before she looked away.
I think she finally got the message.
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