My Cruel Alpha

The Meeting

The drops of rain that immediately began to fall stunned me.

Rain? It’s been so long now since we have seen one. Ever since the current King seized the throne, the Kingdom has been cursed. But this… this was hope.

I reached out in front of me, feeling the tiny drops one after the other, just like the stunned crowd. Some of them began to cry seeing the rain and they did one unexpected thing.

They all went on their knees and prostrated before Blake. I guess they thought this was some kind of sign from the goddess that Blake had received her blessings.

“Let’s go.” I told Conrad who began to lead the way to my father. The guest chamber was no less luxurious than what the Prince and Princesses were used to. It was furnished so well with fine paints and smooth marble floor that was almost slippery.

“Here, my lady.” Conrad pulled open the door to a room and I took in a deep breath, mentally preparing myself before I took a step inside.

I have heard all kinds of stories about Landon Hayes. Some said he was as hideous as the wild Orcs; some said his eyes alone and the aura he carried around could kill you if you were not powerful enough to withstand it so I have always been curious about him.

I was curious about the man who appeared just last year and shook up everything, including causing the King to fear him.

“Maeve my dear,”

“Father,” I greeted as I walked up to them, noticing the feasts prepared on the table obviously for the guest whom my eyes now shifted towards.

He had his legs crossed, covered completely in black clothing and as my eyes travelled upwards, I couldn’t help noticing that the air around him was actually meant to suffocate the people around. He was just as they said.

I let my gaze move up to his face. His dark hair was neatly oiled back which highlighted his stunning facial features. His eyes paired with his thick but neatly carved eyebrows stared at me like they were staring into my soul. I quickly caught my breath before I lost it.

This face—his face, was really familiar to me. I could never forget his eyes, those colors that seemed to dance in them. It wasn’t Hazel. It was different, unique, nothing like I had ever seen.

It was the stranger from earlier. The very one who had helped me tie my dress.

What was he doing here? And why he was he looking so different?

He was wearing the same clothes so I don’t know what about him seemed different to me. Perhaps it was the aura he now carried. It wasn’t so intense and suffocating when we first met.

“It’s you.” I said, my gaze first shifting to my father, who had a smirk on his face before I redirected my gaze to the stranger. “What are you doing here?”

“So it’s true you know each other.” Dad asked and I whipped my head to him in surprise. What was he talking about? I barely know this man.

“I’m not sure I’m following Dad, we do not know each other.”

“Of course, we do.” The stranger uncrossed his legs, now looking at me with a half-smile. “Earlier when you came to me to fix your—”

“So what?” I quickly cut him off, unexplainably annoyed at what he was trying to pull. If father found out what happened between me and Blake, it’d be over for me then. “We only talked for a few minutes at most. It doesn’t count as knowing each other.”

“I don’t know if you’ve heard about this sweetheart,” his lips curved into an amused smile as he continued. “I do not waste precious time just talking to random people. Or helping them do what we did.”

What we did? What did we do? He made it sound like we did something more than fixing my dress.

Oh goddess! I knew there was something wrong with him from the beginning. Now he even met my father. Now, when I think about it, I think I had fallen into a well laid out trap. He tricked me into telling him about Blake and perhaps he had already told father and that was why I was summoned here.

“Father, It’s unlike you to pick up a stranger like this, much less believing his words. I thought you had called me to meet Alpha Landon, who knew it was someone else, someone insignificant and unworthy of my precious time.” Quick, I need to figure out a way to make this man leave.

“Of course, my dear daughter.” Father laughed and I wondered what was amusing to him, or perhaps to them. “Let me make the introductions then. Maeve, meet Landon Hayes, Alpha of the Emerald Lake. Alpha Landon, meet my sweet daughter, Maeve.”

And then my heart did a tumble. I staggered back and I almost fell but thankfully, under Dad’s stare asking me to compose myself, I was able to quickly regain my footing.

Alpha Landon. This man was that man? Oh no I mean, this man was Alpha Landon? How in the world?

“You’re the dark lord?” the smile immediately dropped from Landon’s face when I said this. I guess he didn’t like to be referred to as that.

“Why?” he c****d a brow. “Did this insignificant person unworthy of your precious time not meet your expectation?”

Yeah, he was definitely offended by my words. But I don’t why I was growing angrier by the seconds.

He knew who I was and he pretended not to, he tricked me into telling him about myself. One thing I hate the most is being deceived by anyone.

“To be honest, I was expecting more from the dark lord. You didn’t look like how I thought you would.”

“Did you imagine me having horns too?” he tilted his head and took that as a yes when I didn’t reply. “I get it. You’re not the first one to be amazed by my good looks.”

Now I don’t if he was just narcissistic or joking. What a shameless man.

But it’s true that he was handsome. His eyes especially. Oh f**k! Why does it sound like I was obsessing over his eyes?

Father gave me a look and I knew what he wanted me to do. I tried to swallow all of the anger at the surface of my heart, then managed to muster up a smile as I bowed to the Alpha. “It is my honor to meet you Alpha Landon. I hope that you do not take anything I have said to heart.”

“It’s my fault for not introducing myself sweetheart.”

My lips stretched into a fake smile as I bowed again. “I also hope Alpha Landon can refrain from calling me with such endearing words. It might cause a misunderstanding especially for a young unmated girl like myself.”

“I do not think there is any misunderstanding between us.”

Huh? What nonsense was he spewing and why was Dad so quiet? Is he really that much afraid of this man?

“I’m sorry, I do not follow what you’re talking about.” I said, then not giving him a chance to spew out another nonsense, I did a bow again, “If you don’t mind, I would take my leave now.”

I didn’t wait for a reply, I just turned around and my feet hurried me to the door. I needed to escape from here as soon as possible. I was so close to escaping, I had just neared the door when Dad’s voice rang behind me.

“Maeve, be good and come here. Have a seat.”

I turned around with that fake smile still plastered on my face. “Why? If it’s not urgent, I should leave. Trisha just sent me a mind link to find my little brother. I think he is missing again.”

Another lie but I doubt it wouldn’t work. My little step brother was Dad’s favorite child after all.

“Then I would go find him on your behalf.” Father said and waved me forward. “Come here and sit with Alpha Landon.”

My eyes shifted to the man. His smiling eyes doing something to my nerves.

Sit with Alpha Landon? Why?

My eyes narrowed, fixated at Dad. He gave me a nod that immediately told me what this was all about.

Was Father trying to sell me to this man? Impossible.

But I knew I had to play along with Dad. This might be a part of his plan, and until I know for sure, I couldn’t mess this up for him.

I reluctantly went forward and sat next to Alpha Landon, putting a reasonable distance between us before Dad excused himself and left.

Total silence reigned in the room the moment the door closed and I realized it was just me and a stranger. Not just a stranger but a bad person that could hurt me.

And Father was so comfortable leaving me here with him. Makes me wonder what he is planning.

"Is that a habit?" said Landon out of nowhere, sounding so close to me and I whipped my head to the side to see that he had covered the little distance between us and for some reasons, my heart skipped a beat.

“W-what?” I asked him, hating the fact that I stammered.

“Do you usually play with your fingers when you’re nervous.”

I stared down at my fingers I had been clipping together then looked away as I released a silent breath. “I’m not nervous.” I said. “But it’d be good if you can maintain a five feet distance from me.”

“Does my closeness annoy you?”

“More than annoy me, it irritates me.” I spat out. “Alpha Landon, I’m sure you didn’t request for me for no reason.”

I watch him put on the gloves on the table before he started to peel the crabs which he then placed on the plate in my front. “Your father couldn’t stop talking about his beautiful daughter. He didn’t believe me when I said I had met you so he called you here to confirm it. I didn’t mean you any harm Maeve.”

Was that an explanation? I didn’t know how to take it.

And why did my name sound so good and smooth rolling out of his mouth for the first time?

“I guess Alpha Landon also thought I could be easily fooled.” I let my eyes meet his. “You knew exactly who I was when I asked for your help.”

“I never said I didn’t know you.”

“You said we were strangers.” I reminded him of his words.

“Aren’t we?” he c****d an annoying brow that caused me to scoff. “It’s true that I immediately knew you were Dawson’s daughter but we’ve never met so we were strangers. Are you trying to say we’re not?”

Why was he twisting my words back at me?

Either way, we were strangers. But if he knew who I was, he could’ve told me right? Then I wouldn’t have asked for his help and I wouldn’t be here right now.

“How about we drop this and talk about something else as we wait for your father?” His eyes moved towards the door as he added. “Even though I doubt he would be returning.”

“What do you mean by that?” my gaze narrowed at him.

“Did you break up with your boyfriend yet?” He quickly changed the topic while I pretended not to notice.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed again. “You mean, have I rejected my mate yet?”

“Exactly.” He clicked his tongue.

“Why are you so interested in that?”

“I don’t think that’s the right question to ask.”

“What would be the right question then?”

“Why am I interested in you should be what you’re asking.”

Well that was true. Why was he even talking to me?

“Isn’t that because I am a Dawson?” I let my lips stretch the moment I figured it out. “Be closer to your enemy and you’ve won.”

“Mmm… you’re smart indeed just as I have heard.”

“Then I think your sources must’ve fed you with wrong information because I am not… smart.” I forced the last words out through gritted teeth. He should never think that I was smart.

“Isn’t that what you want everyone to believe?” he tilted his head, lips stretched, eyes smiling before he put a peeled crab in his mouth since I wouldn’t touch them.

I didn’t dare answer that. f**k. Could he see through me or what? I knew I didn’t like the way he was looking at me. His gaze was too deep, too attentive,… too attractive too.

Oops. I didn’t just add that.

“I’m going to ask again, what you want from me.”

I tried not to look away, from how his gaze was overpowering mine, how he looked like he was enjoying looking at me like this and that sly smile that remained in his eyes that somehow marched on my nerves.

And then his lips curled up, his eyes still fixated on me as he whispered, “What I want sweetheart,” he paused to breath and his breath met my skin and tingles danced all over my arms which only led to me clenching my thighs together as my traitorous core throbbed with his last remaining words. “… is to pursue you. I want to own you, Maeve.”