Chapter 25 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CAIUS
That got tense very quick. It's why I don't talk about it or even think about it. That period was the darkest in my life and I would prefer to live the rest of my life without remembering that part but Maeva is part of my life now and she deserves to know what happened.
"Why is there a witch next door?" She asks, changing the subject.
I smile at her and she scowls. I like how she instinctively wanted to make me feel better.
"A proud witch who dared use magic on me on my lands."
She sits up and looks to the direction of the cell. It makes me smile again. No matter how hard she tries, her instinct will always be to make me feel better.
"Why are witches in wolf territory? I don't think she came with the council's permission." She says, leaning back on the wall and crossing her arms.
"She didn't. Snuck in without regard and when I told her to leave, she immobilized me."
"You're well within your right to kill her. Why lock her up?"
I smile. I like that she's asking questions instead of shutting me out.
"I could kill her but we're in uncertain times. I'd rather not take the risk. With this rogue situation being a witch thing, we need them to want to help us."
"If a witch is the one doing this, why aren't we charging towards their territory to end this?" She says, nostrils flaring, and eyes red.
"Relax, my little blood thirsty mate. Two of the dark witches are missing. While it is possible that the missing witches are doing this to incite war between witches and werewolves, my gut says that a werewolf is behind this."
She scoffs and rolls her eyes. "A witch helping a werewolf? What werewolf would want a rogue army? The first thing you said sounds more possible."
I shrug. "It's just what I think."
She opens her mouth to say something but decides against it in the last minute.
"Why did you do that?" I ask. "You're not one to mind what you say, especially with me."
"I've been told to be nice to you if I want to get out soon."
I'm immediately irritated by her words. She's not willing to give this a fair chance. The interest in my mother, the conversation, it was all just a ploy. I shouldn't be angry at it. I expected a little resistance but it still stings.
"Should I bring in the food?" Clayton asks through the mind link.
"Wait for me to come up." I reply.
Her eyes are trained on me. She knows I'm talking to Clayton. Will she ask what we're talking about?
I clear my throat and stand up. "Breakfast will be served shortly."
Her voice stops me when I get to the door. "If I'm not a caged up animal, then you can leave the door open."
I lazily turn around. "I think it'll be fun watching you try to escape but I think Clayton will find it annoying."
She scoffs and her eyes narrow. "You care a lot about what your Beta thinks?"
"You don't?"
She goes silent again and I fold my arms and consider her. She's bound to be going crazy in here and knowing that she cannot fight me for her freedom must be driving her crazy.
"I want to talk to the witch next door. Do you want to come with me?"
She gives me a dirty look and stands up. She stalks towards me, anger blazing in her eyes. I think she's finally snapped and has abandoned reason.
"I am a powerful Alpha! How dare you cage me in here and ask me to follow you like some child?"
"Maeva, calm down…"
She doesn't calm down. She lunges at me. I barely have time to react before her hands slam into my chest, shoving me back a step. Power ripples off her in wild, untamed waves. Her Alpha energy cracking through the air like lightning searching for ground. Her fury is raw, dangerous and oh so beautiful. And she's all mine - if she'll have me.
“Don’t ever tell me to calm down!” she snaps, shoving my chest again. “You have me locked up like a dog and you think telling me to calm down will work?"
She laughs maniacally. "Of course you did. You actually think locking me up here will get you the beautiful family your mother's death denied you."
I growl and she takes a small step back. Her anger fades and realisation hits her. I catch her wrists before she can move away. The contact sends a jolt straight through me. Her skin is warm, pulse racing beneath my fingers.
I meet her eyes and I see fierce stubbornness but also something else underneath it.
“Maeva,” I say quietly, forcing my voice to be steady and not show how much anger I feel. “I’m not your enemy.”
She struggles, twisting, and trying to wrench free. Her eyes turn red, her wolf clawing close to the surface. For a moment, the anger is gone and in its place is frustration and fear. She wants this, her wolf wants this but wanting this could mean the end for her.
“I am an Alpha,” she breathes, voice becoming raspy. “You can’t break me. No one can.”
The fight drains from her movements and her hands curl into my shirt instead of pushing me away. She’s slightly trembling, her chest rising and falling against mine.
“I know,” I say softly. "Believe me, I'm not trying to."
“You don’t know,” she whispers. “If you did, you’d let me leave.”
My grip loosens and I expect her to make her escape. She doesn’t.
She stays right where she is in my arms, close enough that I can feel her breath against my jaw. Close enough to kiss her and finally find out how her lips taste. Am I crazy enough to do it? The silence stretches, thick and charged. I don't dare breathe in case I break whatever spell is still keeping her calm. Every instinct screams at me to kiss her but I fight it. I can't give her more reason to hide from me.
Her gaze drops briefly to my mouth and my hold on control starts to slip. Her tongue darts out and swipes across her lips and I loose the battle. She pulls me down just as I lean in, and our lips crash together.
Her fingers fist my shirt, pulling me close like she's afraid I'll disappear. I slide an arm around her waist, pulling her against me. The kiss deepens, breathless and consuming, every argument dissolving into nothing.
For a moment, there is no pretty cage, no power struggle, no title.
Just the two of us.