"You are making things up. If my mother was still alive, my wolf would have known about it. I could feel the connection between us severing; you killed her." Tears welled up in her eyes without her control and threatened to escape.
"I had no choice but to put an end to her life in order to set a good example for the pack. How could I let that slip? It would have been the spark that might have set off a rebellion. Being an Alpha is not an easy position to be in."
"Yes! it must have been difficult to leave your mate for an Alpha princess," she said sarcastically. Because Selena had never addressed her father with such a chilly demeanour before, a small part of her was frightened.
Hawk's nostrils swelled up with rage.
"That was a decision that your mother made."
He exhaled deeply, and Selena thought she saw a trace of melancholy in his gaze. "Regardless of what happened, your mother was my mate. I could not kill her without also taking my life.
"I don't believe you," Selena stated forcefully. She knew he was just playing with her. Where was Cayden?
"I was afraid of that." He smirked. "Look, you are still my blood, and I don't hate you. If you want to see your mother, wait for my command. Don't say anything to Cayden." The last part was muttered under his breath.
Selena stared at her father. The audacity that he could command her was unbelievable. Before she could say anything, Cayden arrived. He slipped his hand immediately around her waist protectively.
"It seems like my pet is worn out," Cayden stated nonchalantly. It was necessary for him to convey the impression that Selena was nothing more than his plaything.
"Okay, and I want to express my gratitude for bringing in my daughter, Alpha Cayden. Although it may appear that I have no compassion, I am not a cruel person. She made me nostalgic."
Selena gripped her hands tightly as she struggled to maintain control of her emotions.
"I will see you soon, Alpha Hawk, at the next auction."
Cayden took Selena by the upper arm and led her toward the entrance. She seemed to be in a daze as she went after him. Once they were outdoors, the breath of fresh air she took in helped her restore her wits, and she gladly drank in the oxygen.
"What did Hawk say to you?" Cayden questioned her as he walked her towards his car, which was parked on the shoulder of the road close to the entrance gates.
"He told me I was doing a fantastic job of being your breeder and that I should give you an heir soon. Other than that, he didn't say anything meaningful." She lied.
Her wolf was furious with her for deceiving her partner, but she didn't want to take any chances, so she lied.
He helped her into the seat.
"You should not have talked to him."
"Why?"
"Because you belong to me, and I won't stand for him or anyone else to manipulate you."
"I am not stupid," she said, a little loudly.
Cayden cast a fleeting glance toward the well-lit house for a brief minute.
"I just don't want you to get hurt."
Selena recoiled when he brushed his finger on her cheek. His touch never failed to arouse her. She didn't like it.
"Don't you want to know what I discovered?" She asked, changing the topic.
"What exactly did you discover?"
She reclined her seat.
"David has not been promoted to deputy Alpha. And he wasn't pleased about it."
"That's great news, because it gives us something to work with," Cayden answered.
From the beginning, he had reason to be sceptical. Why would Hawk invite them in the first place? Now, he was sure. That was done intending to embarrass Selena, and by extension, him. Cayden had never given a second thought to what other people, even Hawk, had to say. But Hawk was provoking him.
Cayden did not know what was going through Selena's head. She appreciated his touch and their sexual encounters and his kisses. That was something he could understand. They were mates, after all. Being physically intimate was their need, but beyond that, she remained a mystery to him. He speculated maybe she didn't dislike him as much as he thought she did. Sometimes it appeared as though she didn't despise being in his presence. And it made no difference whatever way it went. Because she was his, he would look out for her. Even against Hawk.
Cayden had made it to the road that was on the outskirts of the forest. The road wound its way into the mountains, providing stunning panoramas of the surrounding landscape. The moon, which was rising through the pitch-black night sky to shed light on the darkness, illuminated Selena's face, giving her a white sheen. His thoughts suddenly became filled with a message of alarm. He grimaced and brought the car to a stop.
"Max, what the heck happened?" He communicated with her through a mental link.
"I need warriors. There is a rogue attack!'
*********
Max lifted his nose to the air and inhaled deeply, taking in the aroma of the trees all about him as a soft breeze of autumn blew over him. Fear was in the air, and he could hear the cries of desperation coming from a woman whose voice he did not recognise. Her screams tore through him like a blade, and he felt driven to help her. The sounds were so anguished and terrifying that he felt goose bumps developing over the fur-covered skin that covered his entire body.
In all of his years, he had never encountered a human being, much less a human girl, who had such a profound impact on him.
"No! I beg you, just leave me alone! I don't understand why you're treating me like that way." The woman was heard shrieking.
"Put your mouth to rest, you bitch! Then I will have my way with you; I will drag you so deep into these woods that no one will ever find you again. Then you'll have a legitimate reason to raise your voice in protest." A man's voice could be heard growling.
She could feel every rock, stone, and twig press into her delicate ivory skin, and she could only imagine the bruises she would have if she were to survive this situation.
The second man exclaimed, "Now let's get this party started baby!" as he spoke to the terrified woman.
Max Rudin glared menacingly at the picture in front of him while clenching his palm menacingly. A stunning young woman was being held tightly against the body of the rogue, and the other one was running his hands down the back of her neck and across her collarbone. Once the dangerous claw of the rogue scraped her delicate flesh, the aroma of her blood permeated the night air, which was pursued by the pungent odour of her terror. The young woman battled furiously and kicked out at the beast that stood in front of her, scoring a clean hit to the genital area of the creature. Her captor roared in rage and immediately lashed out at her, giving her a backhand to the face with such intensity that she was rendered speechless by the hit and hung her head forwards limply.
The smell of the woman's blood assaulted Max's nose, and all reason left his head as he pondered about how to best tame the renegade wolves without harming the human woman. One idea predominated in his head as his wolf howled in fury and joy. MINE!! The Beta could hardly believe he had found his mate. His tattered garments were the sole sign that a man had ever stood there before, as he instantly changed into a massive coal-black wolf. He raced forward as he watched the rogue hit his mate and snarled in fury.