Chapter 20: Questions

Lilith's POV

Kieran wasn't the type of roommate that you ask for. He was everything that you wouldn't even want in someone you were forced to stay with.

Yes, forced.

As much as I would like to say I had the free will to run away, something was pushing me to stay back. And part of me knew that it had something to do with my wolf.

So, as he was finishing up with preparing the food, I kept myself busy with checking out the small cabin.

From the outside, it looked like an old abandoned house that would crumble if someone just blowed on it. However, the inside was surprisingly taken care off.

A single couch in the living room that faced the fireplace. The bedrooms had medium sized beds that had clean bedsheets folded and placed on the corners of the bed. I guessed that's how he minimized dust building up in the sheets.

There was a working shower, a clean toilet and a partially stocked kitchen. This wasn't just a place where Kieran ran for refuge. This was his home.

So, as I walked back into the kitchen, I watched him and wanted to ask more questions. But from the look he gave me, and given that he already told me not to ask any questions, I was contemplating whether to do it or not.

'Whose he to tell me what to do?' I asked myself, realizing that I didn't need to heed to his every command.

"How long have you lived here?" I inquired.

The clanking of the utensils stopped and he took in a deep breath.

Here we go.

I could already hear the shouting coming even though he hadn't opened his mouth.

"Did I tell you that you ask too many questions?" He countered, turning around and looking at me.

He was not impressed. At all.

I shook my head in response, and he placed the wooden spoon that he was using, aside.

Leaning over the kitchen counter and looking right through me, he went on,

"Then why are you literally doing the one thing that I warned you not to do?"

I paused for a while, leaned forward to show him that I was not being intimidated and answered him,

"Because you don't order me around. I do whatever the fuck I want!"

Ballsy, right? I wish I thought the same at that time.

The only thing I was actually doing was panicking and scared out of my mind worrying that he doesn't go bonkers and attack me.

My response actually shocked him. His eyes went dark with anger and I took a step back. I really tried my best to maintain my cool and it was taking a lot out of me.

I watched him keenly.

His breathing. The way he clenched his fists as he leaned on the kitchen counter. I was really getting to his nerves.

It would've been a smart move to shut the fuck up and keep myself occupied with something else rather than anger a man known for his aggressive temper.

Realizing that I might have bit off more than I could chew, I took a step back and thought of a compromise.

"How about this. I'll ask just a few more questions and then I'll be out of your hair. Okay?"

I hoped that it would be enough to calm him down and still give me some answers. And for a moment, he seemed to pause in whatever he was doing (building up his anger), and consider my idea.

"Just a few questions?" He asked, with his head looking over his shoulder to the kitchen.

"Yes," I answered back quickly, not wanting the chance to slip by.

I knew that he could change his mind anytime and I needed to make sure that I exhaust the questions that I had.

Being that I was going to say with him in the cabin for some time, I didn't have to go in with the big guns. At the moment, I needed to create a rapport for the next time I would have an opportunity to ask anymore questions.

So, I needed to start small.

"Fine. You have until that meat boils. Any longer than that and the food will be spoiled," he informed me.

Looking at the pot over the fire, I guess that I had around five minutes till it started boiling.

"First question, how long have you stayed here?"

"A couple of months at best. I can't remember. I don't have a watch or calendar with me,"

"Well, you have a lot of things in this place. I'm sure that having a calender somewhere in the house would not be such a hard thing to have,"

"Is that a question or a statement?" He asked bluntly.

"A statement. I'm just wondering why you don't have a calendar. Perhaps it would help you know how long you've stayed here," I answered him.

"I find keeping track of time tiresome. As long as I wake up, have something to eat and can sleep, I'm good. I'm still yet to hear another question," he responded, looking to see if the meat stock had started to boil.

"Okay. Why do you stay out here all alone?"

"That's a pretty stupid question. What do you people call me....the something alpha..."

"Exiled Alpha,"

"There you go. You've all nicknamed me the Exiled Alpha. I think it would be odd if I stayed within a pack," he answered with mockery.

From his tone alone, I could tell that he hated the name itself. And I wanted to ask him so badly about it. But judging from his tone, I needed him to be relaxed.

I needed to ease him into a state where I can ask him about how the title came by. I mean, the name was self explanatory.

But this was my chance to get the story form the actual horse's mouth. I wasn't going to let that chance sink in.

"How many?" I asked him.

Raising a brow at me, he asked back, "How many what? People I've killed?"

"No, God no! How many women have you brought here?"

He froze, looking at me like I had done something wrong.

"Women and men," I repeated, making sure I had exhausted all possibilities.

"Just you," he answered after a very long silence.

I doubted him. But I couldn't spot anything off about him when he answered.

What if he was actually telling the truth?

"Don't flatter yourself for being the only one. I also don't know why I brought you here, " he added arrogantly.

"But you said your wolf...."

"Yes! My wolf is the reason you're the only person to have ever stepped foot inside this house. Not to mention, alive. Ever since he got wind of you, it's been a downhill torment for me." He interrupted, sounding pissed at his own words.

"And what do you plan on doing with me?" I asked, already starting to picture all the harm he could cause me.

And that's when my paranoia started to kick in once again.

'He can't harm you,' my wolf advised.

But it would be crazy to take the advice of a wolf against the actions of a rogue wolf.

I could feel my panic attack closing in, and for some reason, Kieran could care less about what I felt.

He just looked offended at what I might have been implying and pulled a disgusting face.

"This interview is over!" He announced with a stern voice.

Realizing that I was yet to ask my most anticipated question, I took my chance to save the moment.

"Wait! I just have one question. Why do they really call you the Exiled Alpha? What happened? What really happened?"

I knew that waiting for him to allow me to ask, would give him the chance to say no to answering anymore questions, I just asked it so that he might feel compelled to answer it.

I was trying my luck and had my fingers crossed the entire time.

"You're very persistent. I'm sure you've been told that countless times," he stated as he looked around the room.

Deep down, I hoped that he was thinking of how to answer my question.

I was wrong.

"Yes I have. And when I'm trying to find answers to something, I push till I get them." I answered him, feeling confident that he was going to talk.

He gestured for me to lean in a bit closer. Almost like he was about to share a top secret with me.

With my ear a few inches away from his mouth, he said in a very calm voice that was chilling to the bone in some way,

"One day, it might have you killed that persistence of yours."

Shocked, I wanted to argue with him but he still hadn't given me my answer and I wanted to hear it from him.

"You're yet to answer my question," I informed him, trying my best not to seem shaken.

Without even looking, he pointed to the food on the fireplace and said,

"Time's up!"