Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

"Do you have a lead on solving this mystery case?" Hendrix asked Alex, the two of them leaning on the fences that separated the barn from the training field.

Alex shook his head. "Nothing, Hendrix. "I still wonder how I am supposed to solve this mystery case, and with her." He said it with a scoff.

Hendrix chuckled. "She's a vibrant woman, Alex," he replied.

"She's too exuberant for my liking." "I can't stand the sight of her and her constant blabbering," Alex said with a shrug. "Honestly, I just can't wait to get this puzzle solved so she can get out of my life," he added.

Hendrix narrowed his eyes in confusion. "What do you mean by getting out of your life?" He asked, puzzled.

Alex stared at him with an unbothered look on his face. "You heard right. This lie of a marriage is just to find out about the deaths of the red wolves. "Once that is achieved, there is no use of us being together," he answered Hendrix's question.

"Alex..." Hendrix began to speak, but Alex shook his head, dissuading him from speaking further.

"I do not need a woman in my life, Hendrix." "You of all people should know that," he said, looking away from Hendrix to the horses in the barn.

Hendrix nodded. "I understand you, Alex. "You know I do that more than anyone," he responded, looking at him.

"Then do not dissuade me from my plans," Alex replied, and Hendrix nodded.

"Want to race?" Hendrix asked him, just to get Alex's mind off the thoughts that disturbed him.

"You know you're going to lose, right?" Alex reminded him as he looked in his direction with a raised brow.

Hendrix chuckled. "We never can tell this time around if we do not try," he responded.

"You're on," Alex said, a little smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, as they walked over to the stables.

•

"This is wild!" Mera cried out in fear and happiness as she and Mia climbed on top of a tree in the woods.

Mia laughed. "I know, right. It's fun!" She yelled in pure joy as she balanced herself on a tree branch.

Mera walked with wobbly legs on the tree. "Be careful," Mia said, laughing. Mera was able to get to her without falling, and the both of them giggled.

"This is nice," Mera said, smiling.

"Yeah," Mia smiled back as they watched the sun go down the hills.

~~~~~~~~~

Mia giggled as she walked into the pack house with Mera as the evening grew darker than before.

"I had a crazy evening, and I liked it," Mera giggled.

"Me too," Mia responded, smiling.

"I'll go to the kitchen now," Mera said with a smile, and Mia agreed with her.

"Sure. I'll head upstairs," she replied, as they both went in different directions. Mia walked up the stairs and got into her room. Wrapping her hair in a messy bun, she undressed and walked into the bathroom.

An hour later, she was walking down the stairs, feeling fresh from her bath. Her skin was radiating the scent of the oils used in her bath. Her eyes were a reflection of the smile that was perfectly etched on her lips.

She walked towards the dining table, and Hendrix and Alex were already seated as usual.

"A pleasant evening to you, Luna," Hendrix said with a smile as he noticed her presence.

"Same from this end, Hendrix," she responded with a charming smile as she pulled her seat back and sat down.

"Good evening, cold Alpha," Mia said to Alex, and he shot her a look at the name she had called him, but she smiled sweetly to him.

He looked away from her, totally ignoring her and what she had called him. If it was her plan to get him all worked up, he would ignore her.

"Mia, how do you see the Crystal Moon pack?" "Are you comfortable?" Hendrix asked her, striking up a conversation with her.

Mia chewed her food before answering. "I'm loving it," she replied with a huge grin on her face. "I never thought I would have been able to cope, considering the history the two packs have, but I have been able to adapt." "The atmosphere is less hostile than I had thought," she added, and Hendrix nodded with a smile.

"I'm glad you're feeling comfortable here," he replied.

"Alex, you should come to the Diamond Shadow Pack one of these days." "You'll love it there," Mia said to Alex, trying to involve him in the conversation she was having with Hendrix. "We have nice places and the softest grass your paws would want to stay buried in." "Believe me," she chirped happily without noticing that she was irritating him and disturbing his peace of mind.

She went on and on about the places in the Diamond Shadow pack, but he said not a word to her. She went from discussing the Diamond Shadow pack to talking about a show she saw in a theater on the outskirts of town.

Unable to take her loquaciousness anymore, Alex left his food unfinished and walked out of the dining room. Mia watched his retreating figure, and she wondered what she had said wrong.

"Did I say anything wrong?" She asked Hendrix as she looked in his direction.

He shrugged and shook his head as he picked up his glass of water and began to sip from it.

Alex got out of the pack house. He inhaled deeply and exhaled as he looked at the starry sky. Was the punishment of having a demon inside of him for no reason not enough? Must he have to suffer this endless torture from the woman he was forced to marry?

He closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing, with his head still lifted to the sky. He wanted an end to this union. Perhaps he should go to the council of elders and tell them he will discover the truth about the deaths happening in the pack house without the help of Mia or being married to her.

He could not handle her outgoing self anymore. He was a reserved young man who rarely spoke, but Mia was pushing him to the edge, and he was sure he would snap at any moment, lose his cool, and the truth about his demonic side would be out in the open. which was something he did not want any other soul to be aware of, aside from Hendrix.

He had no idea how long he stood in the dark with his eyes closed and his head angled to the sky until the pack door opened and Mia called out to him. "Alex?" She said, and her hand touched his shoulder lightly, and he immediately retreated as he moved quickly aside.

"Have I not warned you never to touch me?" he demanded as he stared at her.

"I did not touch you." "I came to see how you're doing," she replied.

"I do not recall telling you I was ill," he said abrasively.

"I really do not understand why you're getting angry," she replied, feeling hurt by his harsh words.

"I am not angry," he responded and turned away.

"You are," she replied, taking a step closer to him.

"Believe me when I say you do not want to see me angry," he said, and walked away, becoming infuriated by her constant appearance. Mia sighed as she watched him walk away, unable to feel her knees.