Page 18 of Cruel Alpha: Season Two
“An opportunity to be a dick and scare the absolute shit out of the maiden?”
“No!” his voice booms. “An opportunity to set an example! An opportunity to show our people that we are a force to be reckoned with, Cas. What happened here just weeks ago would haveneverhappened under father’s reign.”
My fist tightens at my side.
“No one would havedreamedof setting foot inside the High Chamber with ill intent because they knew better. But now… they see you, they see how you look at Annalise…and they see weakness. So, yes, I used that bitch’s mistake today as a chance to show our people that we aren’t soft, spineless pieces of shit.We are men of noble blood, and we demandto be treated as such.”
Another rough growl leaves him, but it isn’t directed at me. It’s a reaction of general frustration toward what he perceives has become of our clan.
The attack has affected us all in profound ways, and no two reactions have been the same. Some are afraid, some are in denial regarding what the faction’s growing presence truly means, but then there are those like my brother.
The ones the attack filled with rage.
“I don’t fault you for being passionate about Clan Centauri, Dimitri, but I will not tolerate Annalise being disrespected as a result.”
He scoffs, lowering his head when he stops pacing. “After everything I’ve just said, all you’ve heard is how this affects your darling Annalise.”
“I’m dealing with the faction. Rest assured of that. But whether you accept it or not, Annalise will be at my side.”
“No, she’ll be one ofmanyat your side,” he snaps, locking eyes with me. “Am I supposed to take your union with her seriously when evenyoutreat it as a joke?”
My heart thunders with rage, having taken about all the insubordination I can handle for one day.
He belts a hearty laugh that doesn’t fit his mood. “Hell, what am I even worried about? At this rate, she’ll be convicted of treason and forgotten within the year.”
My wolf takes over, and I slam Dimitri to the ground, staring down into his glowing eyes as he lies pinned beneath me.
“Another word, Brother! And I can promise you’ll suffer one of two fates. Either a future filled with regret as you live out the rest of your days in exile… or death. You choose.”
The room suddenly feels smaller, and with no one present to dispel the tension, we’re suffocating in it. Our eyes are lockedon one another, and it takes several seconds for the glow in his to fade. His body relaxes beneath me, and without words, he surrenders.
Standing, I offer him my hand. He stares at it a moment, then clasps his palm against mine as I pull him to his feet. He’s calmer now, but I know he’s far from content.
“If you find yourself in a place where your loyalty tomeis no longer intact, then remember your loyalty to this clan, our people,” I say, holding his gaze. “Yes, we were born into this family, but… we’ve earned our role within it. One sacrifice at a time.”
His jaw flexes as he nods, agreeing despite our lack of common ground at the moment. But the love we feel for Clan Centauri willalwaysbe something we have in common.
“I will not bend on demanding your respect toward Annalise. That’s non-negotiable,” I inform him, and he nods again.
“Understood.”
After a moment of observation, I sense his sincerity and allow my wolf to retreat. “Good.” I extend my hand toward him, and for a while, he stares at it blankly, but when he gives in and shakes it, I pull him into an embrace.
“I need you, Dimitri, andthis clanneeds you. We’re still fighting on the same side,” I remind him as we cling to one another, but it would be remiss of me not to say more. “I must warn you, though. Do not make a habit of crossing me. Beta or not…bloodor not… I have my limits.”
10
Her Side
Caspian
“May I come in?”
Annalise leaves me standing outside her door long enough that I’m not sure she’ll answer. But then I hear her soft steps padding on the other side of the threshold. The knob twists, and a moment later, I’m staring into her dark eyes. Eyes I don’t think I’ve ever seen filled with so much anger.
Without so much as a greeting, she steps away from the door, leaving it open for me to enter. That seems to be as close as I’ll get to an invitation tonight. She begins to pace in front of the litfireplace, and I can only guess this is what she’s been doing for the past hour. I came to her immediately after setting Dimitri straight, and now I’m prepared to let her vent and get whatever she’s feeling off her chest.
She hardly seems to notice when I drop down into the armchair beside her settee. From the looks of it, all she’s aware of at the moment are her own thoughts.
