Alpha's surrogate wife

#Chapter 4 - Question

Ansel addresses his men again. “You all may go. ” There is a slight pause as none of them head towards the door.

“Why do you need he—” Ansel peers over his shoulder, and the man immediately silences. Contagious fear bounces from man to man at the sharp look that Ansel gives them. They avert their eyes to the ground, and I can sense their fear mix with my own. “Understood. My apologies, sir,” the man says after a little while. They hastily exit, and lock the door, leaving me behind to face Ansel again. I don’t want to look at him. If he can make men twice my size that afraid, there is no telling what will become of me.

His eyes shift in color to an amber that resembles the crackling fire still going in the fireplace. He looks almost feral, like someone working overtime to contain a monster that threatens to escape. My eyes widen. The golden wolf from before…could that have been him? I’d never seen him in wolf form before, but if it was, then the terror I witnessed on the gamma’s faces makes even more sense.

Ansel takes a step towards my cage with a disdainful look that makes me wrap my tattered veil tighter around my body. Through the chaos of the night, my clothing had been little of a thought to me until now. The damaged blue sarong my dealers clad me feels even smaller with his piercing gaze on it.

He sneers at me. “It’s difficult to shield yourself when you aren’t wearing much. Isn’t it?” His eyes roam over my torn sarong, and he curses under his breath “Why were you in that place?” he asks, folding his arm over his chest.

It doesn’t feel like a question, but a judgement, and I purse my lips. Where in the past his voice was always soft and smiling, now it feels like no matter what I say, nothing will change how lowly he clearly thinks of me. Every part of what made him once familiar to me was drowned out by his new callous nature.

“Please, just let me go,” I whisper, and he shakes his head.

“I don’t think so. From what I heard from your dealers; you would be of good use to me.” He pulls a crumbled brochure from the back of his pocket. “Lily, the chief attraction,” he says, pointing to my picture. “Beautiful she-wolf who can produce high-quality heirs. Of course, they weren’t so kind describing you in person. If I remember correctly, they said you were one of the best whores they had because you crave to be fucked.”

My bottom lip trembles at the sight of pure disgust on his face.

I can’t tell him who I really am.

I think to myself. If a stranger could illicit such a strong detest from him in less than twenty-four hours, finding out I was really his mate would send him over the edge.

I know what I need to do.

He may hate me for rejecting him, but I rather that than the alternative presented in front of me.

“Answer my question,” he says, keeping me under his razor-sharp gaze. “Why were you in that kind of place?”

“I-I…I don’t know.”

“Don’t bullshit me,” he snaps.

Ada rages inside of me. “He’s angry. Tell him who we really are and why we were there!”

“No!”

“Yes!” She pushes out of sync with me, as if trying to get to Ansel herself. The longer I’m quiet, the more I can see his temper bubbling over.

“Why.were.you.there?!” he shouts unable to keep it in.

I lock eyes with him, and heat covers my entire body. “They already told you, so why do you need to hear it again?!” I scream. “I was there so I could go to the highest bidder, and things were going to plan until you interrupted. Since you need a reminder, fine. I’ll happily give you one. I’m their beautiful Lily; their favorite w***e that gives as good as she gets. Is that enough for you or would you prefer I belt out a song?!”

Ada pushes against me, trying to take control, but I refuse to change my mind. I need him to be angry. Maybe If I push him enough, I’ll be sent away, and he’ll never know who I truly am.

I can tell each word I say infuriates Ansel more, and I fight the urge to cower away from him. The rise and fall of his chest as he exhales sharply gives him the resemblance of a raging bull.

I square my shoulders and let out a scoff. “Don’t look so sick to your stomach, mister,” I say, putting on the bravest face I could muster. “I don’t know you well enough to care about your judgement in what I do and don’t enjoy. I may not be your cup of tea, but there are plenty of men who would kill for just a drop of me on their tongue.”

Silence permeates every crevice of the room as the last sentence leaves my mouth. Ansel’s jaw is flexed so tightly, I’m sure he will soon crack a tooth. A violent storm of emotion brews in his eyes as he contemplates my words, and I realize I’ve gone too far. They glow a golden as bright as the furious beast I’d seen slaughter the dealers’ moments prior. I brace myself to endure the brunt of his fury.

“Strip,” he says, his eyes boring into me. My hands raise and find the hem of my sarong. I can’t refuse. The longer he stares at me, the more my body feels as if it’s completely under his power. “Are you aware that I can make you do anything I want with just one look?” he asks.

My eyes widen and he grins. “My guess is that you weren’t. It’s a special ability of mine; one that I’ve mastered over the years. Now that you know, do you really wish to continue to provoke me, little wolf? I have as much control over my temper as I do your body right now, which is why confidently I can tell you that your plan won’t work. No matter how much you vex me, you’re not going anywhere.”

Shit.

My throat dries. I part my lips to speak but he puts his finger up. “Let’s skip the games, shall we? I’m a busy man, and it’s been a long night. Just answer me this, is that strawberry shaped birthmark still on the inside of your right thigh?”

“What?”

“You heard me, Karin.” His eyes return to their natural hue, and he remains stoic, as if baiting me to lie again. “Did you really think I wouldn’t know who you were? Come on, give me more credit than that. Can’t you see that I’m not the frail little boy you once rejected?”

“I-I—” I stammer and waves his wrist in front of me as if demanding the words to fully exit.

“Y-you what? Drop the lies and don’t insult my intelligence again. I know you. I know you have a strawberry shaped birthmark on the inside of your thigh”—he points through the bars.—“right there. Look if you don’t believe me.” I don’t need to look. I’ve had the mark since I was born. I’m out of options. He knows the truth, and the blaze in his eyes tells me he’s once again trying to control his wolf. “I’ve had enough of this, Karin,” he growls.

Swiftly, he raises his hand, and I duck. “Please don’t!” I yell and shield myself as the metal of the cage cracks around me.