MATED TO THE CRUEL DEVIL

A FIRE TO BE TAMED

ALPHA JAX’S POV.

Without another word, I turned and exited Amelia's room, walking through the dimly lit corridor while being lost in my thoughts. I could still smell her aura, and it was so damn distracting.

I was still lost in my thoughts when I bumped into my Beta, Stefan. He was also oblivious of what was going around him, and was busy arranging the scrolls he was carrying.

"Woah, woah. I've been looking for you everywhere," He grumbled, slowly regaining his composure after he had staggered back from the impact. He eyed me like I had committed a crime.

He gazed at me for a moment, and his nostrils twitched before he turned to look at the door I had come out from. After that, he shook his head and gave me a knowing look.

"Well, the last place I expected to find you was in her room." He gave me a mischievous blink before chuckling.

I glanced at the scrolls he had with him and raised a brow bug kept my mouth shut, I mean, there was nothing wrong with coming out of Amelia's room. I had no idea how wrong it was until he began to speak to me.

Stefan wasn't the type to let things slide easily. He was as persistent as a leech, and never let up. From the way his eyes twinkled it was clear he had very important news but it would be impolite to rush him, so I just let him talk.

"Is there something you're not telling me? Something about you're relationship with your arranged wife?" He asked, poking his nose where it didn't belong. I didn't like it when he called her that, and I was quick to defend her immediately.

"Arranged wife, my ass, I don't want you calling her that ever again." I warned him, already simmering with irritation.

Ever since the elders of the council had dismissed her, it became a soft spot for me, and Stefan was always keen on capitalising on things like that. However, he wasn't done with the taunts yet.

As we continued to stroll towards the main hall of the Packhouse, he began cackling excitedly.

"What is it again?" I asked, suspecting it had something to do with Amelia, and I was right.

"I know this might sound a bit harsh, but you've been smitten with your fake bride ever since you returned to the Pack. And you know I'm not lying."

I shot him a look that had him cowering, as he had substituted "arranged wife" with "fake bride". He raised his hands in mock surrender before he continued.

"Take it easy, Alpha. I'm just looking out for my Alpha, who's been acting like a damn lovesick pup ever since he brought a woman home." I knew there was no way I was going to stop him now, instead I decided to speak with him and get more insights on what the people really thought about Amelia and I. Since he was closer and more approachable by the Pack members and Packhouse staff, I knew he knew a lot about them.

"And how have I been acting ever since I brought her home?" I snapped, genuinely curious and he quickly answered it by diving into the pool of gossip that had been flying around ever since, unknown to me.

"What else?! Isn't it clear enough!" He started, excitedly.

"Rumours are going around that you're treating Amelia right, and that you've even ordered her to stop working with the servants. I know that's not a lie. I don't know what's going on but you've switched up from the cold-hearted ruler to Mr. Comfort Provider. That's just the easiest way to understand it." He joked, chuckling.

I cut him off instantly, correcting him. I had no idea what he was thinking but it wasn't heading in the direction I liked.

"I am not seeing her secretly, Stefan. I don't know what the hell you're thinking. I just followed a maid carrying her damn food just to know how she's doing." I blurted, watching as he burst out laughing again while pointing fingers.

"You see... that's where it even gets more interesting." Then, lowering his voice, he said.

"This is the first time in years doing that. You've never done it ever since I knew you, Alpha Jax. Something's up but let's see where it goes from here."

"Ugh!" I roll no eyes, shaking my head and no longer interested in continuing the whole thing. He could gossip all he liked, but I didn't care.

However, as his laughter died and the silence settled between us again, I took the moment to think about what he had said.

And I knew, almost immediately, that he had a point!

I was really onto something, because for the first time in a thousand years, I found myself agreeing with the bastard. I had no idea why I was behaving this way, and it was grating my damn nerves to be honest, but I remembered why.

"But... what's different about her?" He asked, drawing me out of the vacant stare that had taken over now as if he read my thoughts.

"Different about who?" I asked, glancing over towards him.

"Amelia of course." He emphasised, his arms crossed. I sighed heavily, knowing he could keep pestering even if I tried to tell him to stop asking me that.

"I don't know for sure. But there's this thing about her. I don't know if it's the way she carried herself, or that feisty spark in her eyes that tells me there's a fire in her, one that should be tamed. Or maybe it was the stark contrast instead. Maybe it was because of how damn tint and frail she looked, while still having that fire in her." She was a damn enigma. I turned to the side to see him grinning from ear to ear as I told him everything. He seemed to be enjoying every bit of it.

"What's funny?" I asked, shooting him a worried look. This time around, the gein grin his face widened instead and he hesitated for a moment as if searching for the right words to use.

"If I tell you what's on my mind, you might just decide to send me to the guillotine." He chuckled, looking down at my hands which were the real guillotines. All I needed to get it into use was to morph them into the wolfish, sabre-like claws, and they were good to go.

I smirked at his words, before I replied.

"I'd rather you hold that thought, Stefan. I might just take you up on that threat."

He had the penchant for saying horrible things en passant, and sometimes I wished I didn't hear some of the things he said.

"I know. And also-" He was about to launch into another tirade of discussions about her but I had to step in.

"That's enough! I don't want us to talk about her again. Show me the dam scrolls you've got and spill out what you've got."

He shrugged before making his way to the other side of the long table, still smiling. Laying down the scrolls and letters on the large Main Hall table, he began to read it out. But I could still see the smirk on the bastard's face.