Chapter 49
Chapter 49
Matteo:
Damon had warned me not to leave tonight…that it could be one of Hunter’s traps. But fúck that.
It doesn’t matter if it’s midnight or if the risk is real. This is my mate we’re talking about.
And Hunter? He wouldn’t dare lay a trap for me. He knows better. He knows exactly who he can mess with, and I’m not on that list.
I’m Matteo Sinclair.
Right now, we’re speeding towards his pack. Rage is burning so hot in me my whole body trembles.
I knew it. My gut had been screaming at me all along.
Hunter, sly bastard that he is, might not have been in that attack, but somehow… she ended up in his pack.
And God help me, I won’t hesitate to kill him for stealing what’s mine. If I find so much as a single mark on Anika, I’ll burn his entire pack to the ground.
The driver eases the car to a stop and then mutters, “We’re here, Alpha,”
“Good.
I shove the car door open before it even fully stops, fury pushing me forward like a storm. My steps pound against the ground, heavy and unrelenting, all the way to the room Hunter’s beta claims is his study.
A growl rips through my chest as I slam the door wide open.
“You fúcking bastard—”
“Matteo!”
Anika’s sweet voice hits me immediately I step in.
In a heartbeat, she’s in my arms. I crush her against my chest, breathing her in like I’ve been starved for her. Goddess, I’ve missed her so damn much.
But the moment I lift my gaze, all the tenderness burns to ash.
Hunter.
The bàstard is lounging in his chair, legs crossed, spinning it lazily like this is all some kind of game.
I scoff. “You’ve got some guts, Hunter. Kidnapping my mate and dragging her here—”
“Hold up. That’s the thanks I get?” He cuts me off with a low and mocking laugh. “Really? I half-expected you to walk in here with gifts, Alpha Matteo. After all, I saved your mate.”
My brows knit together. “Don’t fúcking piss me off, Hunter,”
“Then you definitely shouldn’t piss me off either.” He leans forward, eyes glinting. “Dylan and two other Alphas tried to take her. Who knows what they could’ve done if I hadn’t stepped in?”
“That’s a lie. You staged this whole damn thing, didn’t you?”
“Tsk, tsk. Why isn’t anyone believing me? I fúcking didn’t!”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I don’t need you to.” He says. “But,Why don’t you ask your mate? She saw it all. Saw me kill the real attackers and save her ass.”
My jaw clenches so hard it aches. “And then you dragged her down here?
“Does it even matter? She’s back in your arms now, isn’t she?” He bares his teeth in a smug grin, clearly enjoying the way my fury twists my expression.
Oh, God. I’m going to kill this bàstard.
He chuckles, pressing on even though he knows I’m barely holding my anger in check. “So…what do I get, hm? I mean, I saved your Luna. Don’t I deserve something? If you don’t know it yet, Matteo, you better start realizing it now—I’m a good Alpha wh-"
“Shove that up your ass,” I snarl, blood pounding in my ears. “If you think you’re getting anything from me, you’re a fúcking fool. The only thing you’ve earned is a warning. Keep running that smug mouth, Hunter, and you’ll be digging your own grave faster than you realize.”
“Seriously?” A wide smirk tugs at the corner of his lips. “I literally did what you couldn’t. You left your mate wide open for the prey while he tricked you. I’m the one who swooped in. I’m the hero here, Matteo. Shouldn’t that make you the stupid Alpha in question?”
That does it.
I’m so ready to lunge across the room and rip his smug face apart, but then—
A soft touch presses against my chest.
Anika.
I glance down, and she gives me the faintest nod.
Right. I need to get her out of here, not waste blood on him.
When I lift my gaze back to the idíot, he’s smirking, like he knows exactly what he’s doing.
“You’re damn lucky she doesn’t have a single bruise,”
“Whatever.” He rolls his eyes like a bored child. Then his gaze slides to Anika. “By the way, nice mark on her neck. Shame, though. It’s should’ve been mine. But no worries. Just make sure to invite me to the Luna crowning ceremony, okay?”
What the fúck is even wrong with this bastard? The smug confidence rolling off him tonight is beyond anything I’ve seen before.
It’s eating at me, crawling under my skin, and I can’t place what the hell is fueling it.
I pull away from Anika just enough to cup her cheeks, my eyes scanning her face, then trailing down her body for any sign of harm. My voice comes out rough. “Are you okay? Did he… did he hurt-”
“No.” She immediately shakes her head and then whispers. “I just want to get out of here.”
Relief punches through me, and I nod, pulling her closer for just a second before forcing myself to let go.
I don’t know why, but my eyes begin to wander slowly around the room—until they catch on a portrait hanging above the other frames on the wall.
Hunter’s father.
My throat tightens.
I made a promise to my father. One day, I’ll make Hunter pay for what his family did. One day, I’ll have my revenge. But not now. Not with Anika in my arms.
I turn back to Hunter, biting down the words burning in my throat. A part of me wants to say thank you, if only because he did kill Dylan and those other Alphas. But no. I’ll be damned if I give him that satisfaction.
So, the only thing I do I raise my middle finger at him before turning on my heel with Anika in tow.
Behind me, his voice follows,
“I’ll be expecting that invitation! I’ll be there either ways, whether you want me or not.”
I grit my teeth and lead her straight to the car.
And then, we drive back home.
I don’t trust myself to speak to her. She must be tired. The only words I manage are a rough whisper of, “I missed you.”
She lays her head on my lap, and I thread my fingers through her hair, ruffling it gently, keeping her close like I’m afraid she’ll slip away again.
But my mind won’t rest.
Hunter’s words keep replaying.
Could he have actually saved her?
If he did, then why the hell didn’t he leave her where she was? Why drag her back to his pack, keep her there almost twenty-four hours?
No. He didn’t do it out of kindness. He had an agenda.
And I swear, I’m going to find out exactly what that is.