15. YOU DO NOT BELONG TO HIM

Aurora

The heavy oak doors parted as I pushed them open and stepped into the throne room. They creaked shut behind me, leaving me alone in the oppressive silence of the throne room.

Alpha Greyson sat on his throne, his gaze as cold as he fixed his cold, menacing eyes on me.

“You called for me?” I voiced, my tone soft and polite.

His voice, sharp and commanding, echoed in the hall.

"Jayda, we have a very critical matter at hand. I have an important assignment for you” he said, straightening his back.

I lifted my chin. "I am here to help, Alpha. Whatever you require, I will do my best”

He leaned forward, his eyes narrowed into slits. "There is a little boy who is critically ill, so many have examined him but still can understand what exactly is wrong with him, it seems to be something supernatural”

Hearing the word 'supernatural' lifted the hairs on my skin.

He gestured towards a guard standing beside him. I unfurled it, my breath catching in my throat as I read the words scrawled across the parchments.

The venom, it seemed, it had mutated in this child, twisting and warping his body in ways I couldn't even begin to comprehend.

"You must heal him. His condition is crucial" he declared, his tone brooking no argument.

I nodded “I will do my best” I replied sharply.

"Beta Axel will accompany you”

Axel stepped forward, his hands folded behind him. Our eyes met for a fleeting moment before Greyson nodded, Indicating that we may leave.

We stepped out of the throne room. And as I turned to leave, my gaze snagged on Cassandra and Daemon. I shot them a fiery look before making my way down the hallway with Axel following behind me.

We walked past the courtyard and then out of the pack house. “Is it far from here?” I asked.

Axel shot a confused look my way and I sighed. “The boy's house, is it far?” I clarified.

“A bit,” Axel replied, his voice sounding distant.

“Maybe we should have used the horses,” I suggested.

“That won't be necessary.”

We continued the trek in silence, only the sound of our trudging footsteps meeting my ears.

I adjusted the small satchel bag that I carried then stole a glance at Axel. I couldn't help but remember when I caught him and Cassandra having an affair.

Who would have thought a Beta was having a secret affair with the Luna? The two did a great job hiding their illicit affairs. At least, they did until I found out by chance and caught them in the act.

“What if he set you up,” a voice rang in my head, my wolf.

I furrowed my brows, pondering. “What do you mean?” I thought.

“At the deserted house, there's no way he didn't know Cassandra would be there.”

I continued my absent-minded stroll, lost in thoughts. It makes no sense, he came to meet me, and he said there was a man who needed healing. But there was no man, instead, it was Cassandra.

Why did he act like he didn't know she would be there? Why did he not try to save me? He led me to the house himself.

My emotions from the day came surging back, I recalled feeling apprehensive, my wolf instincts don't lie.

The pieces of the puzzle connected in my mind. It was set up, he and his lover planned this all along. How could I have been so oblivious when it was staring me right in the eye this whole time?

“Axel” I started, my muscles tensing up. He turned to face me but didn't speak.

“I want to ask you something, and I want to ask it only once. Do not lie to me” I continued, my voice carrying an unusual seriousness.

“Okay? What is it?” He replied nonchalantly.

“Why did you lead me to that house?” I aggressively pulled him into a wall. All the anger of almost getting killed that day swirled up, it just suddenly came back.

He is the reason she knows that I am a witch.

“What house?” He asked, feigning ignorance, his breathing was loud and distorted.

“The one where Cassandra tried to slit my throat, where she tried to murder me in cold blood” I screamed, tightening my grip on him as my wolf became enraged.

“I had no idea Cassandra would be there or that she'd tried to hurt you”

A bitter scoff escaped my lips, faster than I could process.

“You’re having an affair with her, there's no way you’ll tell me that you didn't know, you are a fucking liar Axel” I stated through gritted teeth.

Axel's expression faltered, and he looked away. “Can you stop dwelling on that, already? Just leave me alone, the Alpha told me to take you to the infected child and that is what we will do forget about anything that happened before”

“Answer my question or I will report you to the Alpha” I demanded, my fists clenched.

“I don't know, can we just finish the assignment the Alpha gave you please? The boy's condition could be worsening as we speak.

I glared at him, doubt lingering in my features.

“Lies, he just does not want you to pressure him more into talking” My wolf echoed in my head.

I lunged forward, ramming my knee into his crotch, taking him by surprise as he fell to the ground.

Before he could find his bearing, I was quickly behind him, holding his neck in a lock. He tried to struggle but my hold on his neck was tight.

I quickly dipped my free hand into my bag and slipped out my blade. “Don't move” I

whispered against his ears, my voice dangerously low

“What the hell! Are you insane?” He grunted, sounding irritated.

I pressed the sharp side of the knife against his skin. “I will slit your throat right here if you don't tell me the truth.”

“You and I both know that you can't kill me, the Alpha and the entire pack will come for you”

I hated the fact that he was fucking right!

He tried to get up but I applied more pressure. He winced in pain, squeezing his eyes shut. His elbows rammed into my chest and my grip on him weakened.

He wiggled free from my hold and got up, rubbing his neck. I coughed, feeling pain rippled through me due to the impact of his blow.

“Like I said, you could never, now be a pretty little healer and heal the child” he said with a frown, still rubbing his neck.

I got up, patting away the dust on my clothes. “You're right, I'm not like you or Cassandra, I am not a killer but I will haunt you and that low life bitch”

“I didn't do anything to you” he said.

“But she did, and you helped her get that opportunity”

I spun around on my heels facing the opposite direction as I inhaled deeply.

“Tell me what you know or I'll expose the truth.” I turned around to face him.

A wry smile formed on his lips. “What truth? You want to tell them that Cassandra and I are having an affair? I guarantee you nobody would believe you.”

I folded my hands across my chest. “I could tell them that, I really could. But no. I have something else against you” I declared calmly.

Now it was my turn to smirk as I watched the composed façade he put out crumble. “Imagine what would happen when I tell the alpha that you tried to kill me that day at the deserted house, that you set me up”

“You have no way of proving that I wanted to harm you, you went with me willingly”

“Because you lied to me. You know, you did such a sloppy job trying to get rid of me. Imagine all the people that saw us heading to that house together. And even Daemon walked in and saw with his own very eyes what Cassandra was trying to do to me, I still have the scar on my neck”

Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead as he inched away from me. His heartbeat quickened and I could tell that he was tense.

The scent of adrenaline met my nose. “Are you scared?” I asked, cocking my head sideways.

He swallowed, his throat bobbing. “I- it was Cassandra who tried to kill you, she was the one holding the knife.”

He stepped forward, “If they didn't do anything to her, what makes you think they'll do it to me?” He retorted, his tone gaining some sense of boldness.

“Because she is the Luna, and because it never got to the ears of Greyson. But what do you think will happen when they find out you tried to kill me?”

“Your scared tactics don't work on me.”

“So you do admit that you planned to kill me?” I pointed out, a triumphant grin forming on my face.

“No, I didn't!” He spat.

I zeroed in on him. “Cassandra would be the first to throw you under the bus and you know it, you will suffer alone and you know the consequences are dire. You know how ruthless Alpha Greyson is” I pressed on, my voice chipping away his resolve.

He ran his fingers through his hair, staggering backward. “Are you willing to cooperate, Axel?”

“L- look, she forced me into doing this” he stuttered, panic clawing at his throat.

“Did she force you to come and call me from my room?”

He let out a sharp breath. “She threatened me, I didn't want to be a part of this. She wants you dead because she's jealous of you”