Chapter 15

The next morning, Mia walked down the stairs, her curly hair bouncing behind her back with each step she took. She walked towards the dining table, but no one was already seated there.

"Good morning, Luna," Mera greeted with a smile, and she placed Mia's breakfast in front of her as she sat down.

"Morning, Mera. "How are you doing today?" She asked, returning the smile pleasantly.

"Very well, Luna," Mera responded.

"Hm, this smells heavenly," Mia said as she inhaled the aroma of the marinated pork tenderloins, gravy, and brown rice.

Mera chuckled. "I'm sure you'll like it, Luna," she replied.

Just then, Hendrix walked towards the dining table. "Good morning," he said with a smile.

"Morning, Hendrix," Mia responded with a smile.

"Did you sleep well?" Hendrix asked her as he sat down.

Mia nodded. "I did. "What about you?" She asked him as she picked up her spoon.

"I did too, Luna," he responded.

"Good morning, beta," Mera greeted as she placed the last plate of food on the table.

"Morning, Mera," he responded as he started eating, and Mera walked away from the table after being done setting it up.

Just then, Alex walked towards the dining table, and as soon as he saw Mia, he groaned inwardly but maintained a stoic expression. He wished he did not have to see her for the rest of his life, but he was stuck with her until the mystery of the death of red wolves was solved.

"Alex, good morning. "You're not quite early for breakfast today," Hendrix said all at once as soon as he sighted him.

"I had a long night," Alex replied simply as he got closer to the table.

"Good morning!" Mia greeted him with a smile.

"Morning," he responded without any enthusiasm in his eyes or any warmth in his voice. He picked up his breakfast and turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Hendrix asked as he eyed him suspiciously. Mia was also puzzled by his behavior. This was also what he did last night.

"To my room," he responded.

"Again? Why? "What's with the sudden attitude of going to have your meals in your room?" Hendrix asked him, confused at his sudden behavior.

Alex turned to look at him. "Is it a crime to eat my meals in my room?" He asked him, trying not to sound annoyed.

"No, but it is something I have never seen you do." "It raises a cause for alarm," Hendrix responded.

Alex looked away just as Mia looked in his direction. "There is no cause for alarm, Hendrix. Change is a constant in life. "Get used to it," he replied as he began to walk away.

"Let him be, Hendrix," Mia finally said as she cut a slice of her pork. "He's just being afraid," she said as she placed the pork in her mouth and began chewing.

Alex stopped as soon as he heard what she said. He turned around. "What do you mean?" He inquired.

"I have come to believe that you're just afraid of being anywhere close to me, and that's why you leave whenever I'm at the table," Mia responded as she picked up her glass of water and sipped from it.

Alex scoffed. "You think I am scared of you?" He asked sarcastically. "Who do you think you are for me to be afraid of?" He demanded, getting riled up. "Alex Heartman is afraid of no one," he sounded in her head as he tried not to flare up at her clueless outburst.

She turned around to look at him, and their eyes met. "Then prove it," Mia said, not breaking her eye contact with him.

"I'll prove nothing," he responded, and Hendrix watched the banter in amusement.

"Then you're afraid of me," she replied.

"I'm not afraid of you, Mia Jayden," Alex said, clenching his jaw as he made mental notes in his head to keep him in check.

"Fine, you're not afraid of me," Mia said, getting to her feet. "But you're afraid of being around me," she added, as she moved closer to him.

He swallowed as he effortlessly masked the unusual alarm he was feeling. "It's depressing how you think I'm afraid of being around you," he retorted, as he narrowed his eyes at her.

She stood before him, and as she reached for his shoulder, he flinched, taking a step back away from her. She chortled. "See, you're totally scared of being around me," she replied to him.

"Since you're trying so hard to prove a point, I would like to let you know that I did not take a step back from you because I'm afraid." "I took a step back because you irritate me," Alex said, stinging her with his words while still maintaining a stoic look.

Mia gasped, and she turned over to Hendrix. "Can you hear the cold-hearted alpha speak?" She asked him, and he placed his hands together in a pleading gesture on behalf of Alex. "How can he say such a thing to me?" I will not tolerate this one bit. "How can he..." She began to rant, and Alex walked away, refusing to get caught up in her melodrama.

"Cold Alpha, listen to me." "I will not tolerate you using foul words on me," Mia huffed as she went after him, but he ignored her. He had used that word on her, hoping she would shut her mouth and sit down, but, unfortunately, it was totally the opposite. She was up and blabbering about it. "We have so much to discuss, yet you play the ignorance card on me." "How are we supposed to solve this mystery if you keep putting up an attitude?" She demanded, only a few inches away from him. "I'm talking to you..." She dragged the last word as she missed a step, stumbling behind Alex, and she fell on him, leading to the falling of the plate of food in his hand and the gravy staining his trousers and boots.

Mia gasped as she regained her balance, and Alex was already seething in rage. His back was turned against her, and he could feel the demon trying to take control over him. He was struggling to keep it at bay, but he was losing it. He was on the verge of snapping when Mia suddenly apologized. "I'm sorry," she apologized, as she placed her hands over her mouth in horror.

"Sorry for yourself. "Now I have no breakfast, and I have to change," he hissed out. "Irritating," he added, as he stomped off. He was angry, and he could feel it. He could feel the demon inside of him awakening. He skipped the stairs and walked briskly into his room.

He was failing at keeping his anger in check. In just two days of Mia's stay, she has managed to get him on edge and irritate him. She managed to get him riled up even when he tried not to. Damn the loquacious, uncultured woman.

He groaned as he clenched his hair, feeling the heat of the demon taking over. Just as he was about to lose control, Hendrix walked into the room and lashed the whip around him, and he fell on his knees, feeling weak as the power of the sagyu rope seeped into him, returning his demon back to sleep.