Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

"Are you okay?" Hendrix asked as he walked closer to Alex.

Alex nodded. "I'm fine," he responded, and Hendrix loosened the rope around him. Alex stood up and heaved. "How did you know I'd be in need of the sagyu rope?" He asked.

"I was downstairs, remember?" He said so, and Alex nodded. "I saw the tension, and I knew you could not hold it in any longer," he added.

"Thanks," Alex said, and shook hands with Hendrix as he pulled him into a brotherly hug.

"I've got you any time," Hendrix responded as he patted his back.

~~~~~~~~~

"I'm worried about Mia," Lauren said as she walked into the study room where Jayden was seated behind his desk.

He sighed. "Not this again." "She has only been gone for two days," he replied as he leaned back into his seat.

"I know, but it feels like forever." "She's my only daughter, you know that," Lauren sighed as she went over to the mahogany and teakwood chair and sat down.

"She's my daughter too," Jayden reminded her.

But I'm the only one worried about her. "That's how different the love of a mother is from the love of a father," she said as she frowned at him.

Jayden stood up from the chair and walked over to her. "You really need to stop all these, Lauren." You need to stop worrying. "If Mia were here, she would not be happy seeing you this way," he said to her as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"I think I'll go see her tomorrow," Lauren suggested.

"No, no, no. Your daughter is happy and fine, Lauren. "Let her enjoy her marriage," he replied, stopping her from carrying out her thoughts.

"Do you think she's happy?" Lauren asked with a sigh. "We decided this for her, and Alex is not even her mate," Lauren added worriedly.

Jayden placed his head on hers. "Relax. The moon goddess knows what's best. "You know it's for the good of the pack," he said, and Lauren sighed again as he placed a kiss on her hair.

•

Mia knocked on Alex's door. "Come in," Alex's voice came out in a calm tone.

Mia walked into the room, and Alex moved away from the bed. His eyes fell on her, and he stared at her. "What are you doing here?" He asked her.

Mia looked around his room and gasped in surprise. "Wow, your room is amazing," she said, grinning ear to ear as she noticed the dark blue decor on his walls and the blue four-poster bed. The sheets were white, and the pillows were the same color as the upholstered bed. "Can we switch rooms?" I hate pink. "Blue is my favorite color," she added, batting her lashes sheepishly as she smiled, looking around the room.

Alex placed his hands in his pockets. "Did you come to my room to order me out?" He inquired.

"Uh?" Mia asked stupidly as she looked at him. She had been so blinded by the beauty of his room that she forgot what had brought her there in the first place.

"What are you doing here?" He asked again, refusing to lose his patience.

"I... came here to apologize properly to you for what happened this morning. "I should not have gone after you and acted improperly," she apologized, looking down at her toes and then at him.

"It's fine," he responded simply, hoping she would just leave his room.

Her eyes brightened, and her lips twitched up in a broad smile. "Really?" She asked, and he nodded.

She was about to speak again when he cut in. "I was on my way out," he said, which was a hint for her to leave, but she did not take heed to it.

"We need to discuss what happened at the borderlines of our packs," she said to him.

Alex shrugged. "An arrow was fired, and I have no fair knowledge of who's responsible, and it's impossible to trace whoever pulled such a stunt," he replied, staring blankly at her.

She swallowed. "Why would someone do such a thing?" She inquired in perplexity.

He shrugged. "I have no idea," he said, becoming uncomfortable, and he walked past her.

She turned around and jumped on him, and he flinched immediately. She recoiled back with an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry," she apologized, giving him a sad look. She could not control who she was around him. She was yet to get used to the fact that he did not like anyone touching him or being around him.

"Do not try that ever again," he warned her, his tone dangerously low and his expression as calm as he could maintain it.

"Forgive my unruly behavior," she said apologetically as she moved away from him.

He stared at her and walked out of the room. She followed him. Alex groaned inwardly. Could she not just leave him alone? He thought. He was avoiding her as much as possible, but she was clinging to him.

"You were talking about a barrier at the altar. "What barrier are you talking about?" She asked him as she kept following him, finding it hard to keep up with his long strides.

"Whoever is responsible for the killings of the wolves under the influence of the red moon is also involved in black magic," he replied as he walked down the stairs.

Mia gasped. "How are we supposed to uncover the truth now?" She asked.

"This is a lead." "At least we know what we're up against," he replied.

"You're right. "What do we do next?" She asked him as he got to the door.

Alex inhaled, trying to control his temper. He turned around. "What we'll do now is that you'll stop following me and go get yourself useful till whenever we need to work as a team," he said, and Mia stared at him, her lips forming the shape of an O. He turned around and walked out of the door. "Talkative," he added, as he closed the door behind him.

Mia walked away from the door and huffed. "A team should always be together, working and solving issues together." "But no, he disappears and never wants to speak," she soliloquizes as she walks towards the living room.

But he's finally talking to you, Aly, as her wolf told her.

Mia suppressed the butterflies in her stomach. Yes, he's talking to me, harshly though, but he's talking to me, Mia groaned.

Then, why are you complaining? Aly questioned her.

because he's so cold. Why can't his heart be as warm as his eyes? She asked Aly as she leaned on the couch with a sigh.

Just then, she saw Mera. "At least I'll have company," she said as she walked over to Mera. "Mera, are you busy?" She asked with a smile.

Mera saw her and smiled back. "Not really, Luna." "Do you need anything?" She asked.

Mia entwined her arm with hers. "Let's go somewhere and have a fun time." "The air in this pack house is becoming nostalgic," she said, grinning.

"Luna, dusk is approaching. What fun are you talking about? "Where should we go?" She asked in surprise.

Mia grinned sheepishly. "You'll see, and believe me, you'll love it," she replied and giggled, and Mera grinned as they both walked out of the pack house.