Chapter 84: Heart of the Matter

Kia's POV. 

Staring at the contact address card, I thought the meeting with Alexia at the party hadn't gone too well. It was more like she had morphed into a completely different person. 

The light in her eyes was still there, but her entire personality had changed. My behaviour towards her when she lived here wasn't entirely pleasant. 

If you want something badly, you won't give up, right?

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, adjusting the collar of my blue vintage shirt that I parked with black jean shorts. Letting my hair fall naturally, I didn't want it to look like I was trying to make an impression on her, so I opted for a casual dress. But as I let my engine roar to life, leaving its mark behind as I drove out, I began to guess my outfit choice second.

"Did you deliver the flowers to the address as I had instructed?" I clarified from my driver, rubbing my hands together nervously. 

\----

Confirming from her receptionist that she was in the office, I stepped in, waiting for her permission before taking a seat. 

I took a second to appreciate her beauty, which had, of course, enhanced over the past years.

"Mr Stewart, thank you so much for these beautiful flowers- she beamed without bothering to look up from her computer screen. 

Fuck did she think that the skinny little Stewart would go through the trouble of sending her flowers?

The fact that she thought that way was enough to enrage me. Was she not thinking about me in any way?

The cold glare in her eyes was enough to let me know that I might gone overboard with my words. Our exchange had not in any way gone the way I had imagined, "get your ass together, Kia...you are ruining things rather than fixing them ", I cursed myself inwardly.

"Get out!" she commanded, her body stiff, and veins appeared on her forehead as she pointed towards the door, showing me out. 

I struggled to find words to explain myself, but the word got stuck in my mouth the moment I opened my mouth to speak.

Resigned, I made towards the door, turning back to look at her one last time. Her body was still stiff as she glared coldly at me. 

"Elsa, inform the security never to let him in again", she hissed right after I shut the door. 

"But, ma'am, he's the Alph--

.I don't bloody care, Elsa! Just make sure I don't get to see his face ever again!"

"Alright, ma'am."

She made sure her voice was loud enough to my hearing as I left her company.

I got into the car in a sullen mood. I knew better than for her to embrace me with open arms. 

My fears began invading my thoughts, overcoming my sense of reasoning. 

What if she no longer has feelings for me?

But the mate bond! Indeed, she feels it, too, and she has yet to reject it. I felt a lump in my throat at the thought of her leaving the bond. But with the way things were going, she was unlikely to acknowledge it in the first place. 

I won't back out now, at least not until I'm sure of her decision. 

"Kyle?" I called out 

'Yes, Master."

"Were you able to have a word with the secretary?"

"Yes, boss, here is what you asked for," he stated, handing me Alexia's scheduled meetings and appointments for the rest of the month.

The thoughts of catching her off guard  danced in my mind, she possibly could not keep on pushing me away would she? 

"She accepted a token in exchange, but she pleaded that you please do not disclose the source to ma'am Alexia....." He continued, breaking the silence and my thoughts.

I smirked as I was handed a copy of her schedule.  

"Don't you think you're going overboard with all these Master Kia?" 

"And who opted for your opinion." I snapped.

"I am sorry, sir." He apologized, tightening his grip on the staring.

"What about her socials? ...Were you able to find anything about her online?"

"Not at all, sir. She seems to keep a shallow profile. The only pictures of her on the net are the ones from her launch party a few days ago."

"And about Hazel?"

"She packed a few of her stuff."

"What do you mean a few?" 

"She was reluctant to leave sir."

"Then you make her leave. Are you now that incompetent?" The anger from my earlier encounter with alexia looking for an outlet.

"No, sir."

"As soon as we return tomorrow, you fling her stuff out of my house. Understood?"

"Yes, sir. "

Where are we going now

"The bar at the outskirts of our community."

"Alright, sir."

The car took a sharp turn, stopping at the entrance to the bar.

I spent a couple of hours at the bar, having celebratory drinks, and finding alexia's contact address was enough to call for celebration.

"Look at him, willing his life away while his beta takes the leadership staff from him

What a failure."

The murmurs came from the table behind me. I looked back, and they both acted like they said nothing. 

Taking long strides, I walked to their table, towering over them.

"What did you say about me?" I thundered

"Not- nothing, Alpha Kia", they both whimpered in fear.

"You must think I'm stupid, huh?" I demanded, pushing all the drinks to the floor and flinging the table that served as the only barrier between me and them.

"I - we hadn't meant it, sir. It- it was the drinks. Yes, the drinks.

"Aha... Now I'll teach you a lesson, and next time, you won't let the drinks control you." I declared, my voice turning deep and sinister.

"Please, please, sir."

Ignoring their pleas, I held them both by the neck and smashed their heads into a wall, their blood splattering all over the place as they both shivered in my hands till their bodies went limp. 

"Clean this up", I ordered, turning to the bartender.

"Kyle, let's leave here". I ordered, washing off the blood stains on my hand with some alcohol and changing into a fresh shirt that Kyle got From the car. Getting into the rear seat of my car, I couldn't stop my mind from drifting to my encounter at the bar. Was I a failure? If the people I've been leading since I turned fifteen thought so, then maybe I have been doing a horrible job leading them all this time. 

"Kyle, take me to Alexia's place. You have the address, right?"

"Yes, I do, sir, but...." His voice trailed off.

"But what?" I demanded.

"She lives with Sir Garvin in his mansion."

The sir suddenly turned chilly as the car pulled to s halt by the road side.

'Is the engine bad or the car faulty?" O queried, unable to figure out why the car was parked in the middle of nowhere.

"No sir," he stated, I pulled over because I don't think you're in the right state of mind to visit Miss Alexia at her place for now."

"What do you mean not in the right state of mind?"

"Sir I mean look at you you are obviously furious and your wolf is close to the surface. Going there might-, he swallowed.

"Might what Kyle" I demanded.

"Might end up drastic." He gulped. 

"Not you as well... So you equally think that I am reckless and not befitting of my role and title as Alpha?"

"I said no such thing sir. But it's obvious that you are quite stressed and as such needs a lot of rest. Plus it isn't right shoving your face in the miss' face twice in one  day. It is giving desperation in my opinion sir."

Maybe he had a point. Maybe showing up in Alexia's door right after the office incident wasn't really the remedy I needed. My head still ached from my confirmation with the men at the bar. 

I think I'll sit this one out. I'll check in on her tomorrow after I'm well rested, hopefully our conversation would not lead to a dead end like today's. 

"You have a point, turn the car back home"

"Alright sir"

The smell of freshly baked pastries and grilled chicken hit me as I stepped into the living room. My footsteps echoing through stone walls.  

"Welcome home, Alpha Kia." Haati echoed, taking a perfunctory bow, "I didn't expect you will back so early, I am barely done preparing your dinner."

"You can get back to it, I'm not in hurry to have dinner anyways."

Dragging my legs up the flight of stairs, the weight of my legs causing the floorboards to make creaking sounds with each step I took. 

I walked past Alexia's room, I didn't have the heart to let another occupy the room. 

As if having a mind of its  own my feet were soon in Alexia's room, the faint smell of her perfume still lingered in the air. 

Memories of time I spent with her came rushing in, making me feel light-headed. The days I sniffed her hair. When I had taken her against this very wall. The first ever time she took me in her mouth. The feel of her skin against my palm. I remembered it all, remembered it so vividly that it felt almost real. 

Laying in her bed, thoughts of hunger discarded from my mind and then a wave of tiredness hit me like a wave and immediately fell asleep.