CHAPTER 25: DESTABILIZE

Ayla was standing in the living room when Alpha Liam entered the estate. Her heart instantly raced with anxiousness as the air surrounding her became thick and ominous.

"Are you waiting for me?" the Alpha asked with a bright smile.

She secretly swallowed the lump in her throat. Her forehead was covered in a cold sweat, despite the cold air embracing her skin.

"Yes, Alpha. The omega said you had a meeting first thing this morning. How was it?"

Alpha Liam's eyes hardened at her question. And just like that, he immediately approached her without blinking an eye. He caressed Ayla's chin as if he were amazed by her calm demeanor.

He breathed out. "There's something different about you this morning."

Ayla was dumfounded. She couldn't find out why there was an unexplainable twinkle emerging from the Alpha's eyes.

Is it joy?

Excitement?

Or anything else?

She bit her lips nervously. "What are you talking about, Alpha?"

With her current situation, she was used to making excuses to the Alpha. But before she could open her lips to deceive Alpha Liam, he spoke first.

"Don’t you dare deny it, Ayla. I am your Alpha. I can see everything."

Ayla's nerves prevented her emotions from springing out.

"Should I take that positively?" she asked without even glancing. She really wanted to lie, but she felt highly uncomfortable and trapped right now.

A malicious grin escaped Alpha Liam's lips, as if he were accepting a challenge from her. "It all depends, my Luna."

Her heart tightened at his answer.

Would she believe the glimmer of hope coming from the Alpha? What if he's not telling the truth, or maybe he's cornering her in a tight spot just like before?

"Maybe it's because I got some beauty sleep last night, Alpha Liam."

He stared at her anxiously. "That's all?"

With an unknown amount of courage, she tried to answer him in a casual tone.

"I think so."

Deepening his gaze, Alpha Liam's eyes were pinned on her with so much intention. It wasn't cold like usual, but more meaningful, as a sinister curve was also formed on his thin lips.

She had never felt this attraction to the Alpha before, not even when they first did it together.

The next second...

Ayla's eyes fluttered open as soon as she heard the Alpha's words.

"Azael told me about your wolf."

Her wolf?

She gazed at Alpha Liam, and a chilly glint flickered in his deep eyes.

It made her draw a deep breath. Quite disappointed that the intention coming from the Alpha was different from what's bothering her mind.

"So, you are aware of her whimpering in pain because of what happened at the offering ceremony?"

He nodded. "It's Azael who mentioned everything. How is she?"

She tried to act normal despite the realization that Alpha Liam was actually plotting something in his mind while they talked.

Why is he showing a lot of interest in Dara?

What is he planning?

"She's back to normal." Her answer was merely a whisper. "And, to tell you honestly, she's listening to us right now."

Hearing the answer made Alpha Liam's thin lips curl into a sly arc. He was starting to get impatient, but so far, her emotions have been stabilized by the news.

After a few minutes, they got to Alpha Liam's office. There he sat on his expensive black swivel chair with eyes fixed on her direction.

"Pay attention to what I'm going to say, Ayla."

She took a deep breath. Feeling somewhat annoyed, as she had no choice but to stay still and listen to the Alpha's words.

"You can't leave the mansion for a week or two. Understand?"

Ayla looked at him as Alpha Liam did the same, with a scowl on his face and something in his eyes. His eagerness was overflowing, and now he wanted her to hold back.

"Does it have to do with what happened last night and your meeting?"

Her mind traveled back to what happened during the offering ceremony. Wrecking the emotions that were dwelling in her heart a while ago.

"Yes," Alpha Liam said as he stood up.

Ayla feigned a smile. "Did they really think I was a threat to the estate because I was an Alpha by blood?"

Alpha Liam shook his head.

"No, not now that you are my Luna." A cold light gleamed in her eyes as a wicked smile escaped his lips. "They just hate the fact that I have unlimited access to your power."

Ayla bit her lower lip in response.

"Power? I may be an Alpha by blood, but I don't have that."

A brief moment of silence enveloped the room, and she couldn't help but wonder if that's enough to convince the Alpha about her being powerless.

His expression remained the same, not until the burning desire in his eyes started flaring up.

"Do you really think you're powerless?" Alpha Liam chuckled mischievously, facing her with an ambiguous reaction.

Without hesitation, she ended the discussion by convincing the Alpha about her weak nature.

"I know I don’t have the right to ask about this, Alpha, but..." She took a deep breath while trying to get his attention.

Alpha Liam turned to look at her intently.

"What is it?"

Ayla felt a chill run down her spine when she heard the Alpha's cold voice, but that didn't stop her from asking. "Are you planning to destabilize the packs' peace and order?"

His brows furrowed, and almost burst into laughter at her question.

"What led you to that conclusion?"

"I don't know," she answered in a low voice. "Is it wrong for me to think that you wanted to make a world where you could rule all the werewolves at the same time?"

Alpha Liam just shook his head and gave her a meaningful look. "No...Perhaps you are learning from me."

She gulped, trying to hide the sheer terror from what the Alpha said.

"Learning?" she repeated.

Stretching his neck, Alpha Liam glanced at her and nodded. "You are learning to decipher things, and soon, you'll learn to deceive everyone just to defend yourself."

As much as she wanted to agree, her wolf didn't allow her to dwell on the discussion.

'We have all the right to deceive each one of them for survival, Ayla. There's nothing to be guilty about,' Dara said with certainty.