Astrid's POV.
Carrying me away from Alpha Halfdan's throne chambers was one thing, but taking me back to the Red Moon pack was another thing altogether.
On our journey back to the Red Moon pack, I couldn't help but feel one thing, and that was the fact that I had messed up.
I know I had a plan; a plan to make Camilla pay for accusing me and also to make Alpha Dane angry; but I didn't expect everything to turn out this way.
I turned slowly to look at Alpha Dane, and the look on his face made me realise that he was pretty angry, and there was barely anything I could do to stop it.
“I…” I was going to say to him as the car drove us back to the mansion, but my words hung up in my throat, making me tighten my fingers on my dress. It was one intense moment that I never expected to evolve this way.
‘You can do this, Astrid... focus! Focus!’ I said inwardly as I summoned up the courage to speak to Alpha Dane.
I wasn't sure why I suddenly cared about how he felt about me. He had ruined my plans, and I should be mad at him, but I couldn't get furious anymore, not after how he had yelled at me to stay at a spot in the car.
“Alpha Dane, I...” I was going to finally speak up, but just then, the car came to a stop, and without a glance at me, Alpha Dane opened the door and climbed out of the car.
He didn't bother to know what I was going to say; he didn't bother to know if I had deep words to tell him.
Just because we had arrived at the mansion, he rushed out of the car. Am I a joke? I scoffed as I watched him get into the mansion.
“No, you can't let it go, Astrid... You must talk to him!” I muttered before climbing out of the car and rushing right behind him.
I checked his study, but he wasn't inside it. I headed straight for the room, seeing that he had no other place to go.
The second I opened the door, I was going to speak up to Alpha Dane for the third time, but the second my eyes met with his inside the room, I swiftly veered around, my back turned towards him at this point.
“Al..Alpha Dane I…” I swallowed nervously. He had taken off his shirt before me, revealing his chest, and fuck! It was so attractive that the best way to resist it was to take my eyes off him.
“I am really sorry about what had happened back there at the Greenstone Pack, Alpha Dane!” I finally apologised, hoping that he'd say something or respond in a harsh way at least, but I was only spoken to by the thudding sound of his footsteps in the room.
But that didn't stop me from continuously apologising to him.
“I only got there because... because you did something crazy and I was trying to pay you back for what you did… I'm sorry!” I apologised further, trying to clear the air, but he still didn't say a single word to me.
He kept ignoring me like I was a fool, and at this point, it had provoked me so much that I didn't hold back anymore.
Without hesitation, I turned to him, not caring anymore if he was still shirtless.
“I have apologised to you, Alpha Dane... What more do you want from me?” My voice was audible at this moment.
Just then, he pivoted to look at me, and with a frown on his face, he responded. “I want nothing from you, Astrid!” He sounded so cold before he grabbed a different shirt.
He walked past me and was going to head out, increasing my curiosity.
“And where are you taking off to?” I raised a question, halting him in his tracks immediately.
He swiftly spun to me and began to walk back to where I stood.
“Why do you care about where I am heading? Do you have anything else to mock me for?” He snarled at me as he kept walking closer to me.
To avoid him, I tried my best to stay away from him, walking backwards with sweat trickling down my face at this moment.
“No!” I swallowed the lump in my throat as I fought to say.
Just as I wished to get away from him as fast as possible, not knowing his next move, I suddenly got to a stop the second my back collided with the table that was behind me.
“Fuck!” I mumbled as I bit my lower lips.
Just then, he got closer; so close that I couldn't help but feel his breath all over my face. He was going to take another step, but instinctively, I placed my hand on his chest, trying to stop him.
My heart raced the second I felt his skin right beneath my finger tips. Slowly, my eyes trailed to his chest, and trust me, it was fucking appealing to my eyes. It called me, but I tried my best to resist it.
As I was still trying to get my head back in place, Alpha Dane's voice broke through the intense silence.
“Don't Mock me again, Astrid! Next time won't be this peaceful!” He noted, my eyes snapping to stare into his eyes at this juncture.
He meant it; he meant every word he said to me, but what I couldn't explain was why he wasn't really harsh towards me, just like he had always been.
“Is he okay today?” I pondered, my eyes observing him as he pulled away from where I was and immediately turned on his heels and left the room.
A sense of guilt washed all over me at this point. I regretted my actions, but recalling that he called me a pawn, I couldn't help but snort.
“It is best this way!” I folded my hand across my chest as I stood alone in the room.
I was still trying to accept the fact that I had offended Alpha Dane, but unfortunately, I began to hear noises outside the room I was in, making me wonder what was happening.
“Is there a party or something?” I muttered as I rushed over to the door.
The second I opened the door, I found Beta Ivar running around. I couldn't help but call him.
“What's wrong, Beta Ivar?” I questioned, holding onto his hand and halting him in his tracks.
“The Red Moon pack… we are under attack; the Rogues are coming for us!” He finally notified me, making my heart skip a beat.
If I wasn't mistaken, the rogue's attacks meant nothing, but brutality, cruelty and ruthlessness in its making. They'd stop at frivolity to bring a pack down and kill its Alpha.
At the thought of this, I felt my heart race rapidly.
“Oh no! Where is Alpha Dane? He left the room shirtless and…” I was going to appeal to Ivar as panic had taken over me, but just then, Alpha Dane showed up.
He rushed towards me, and grabbing my hand, he pulled me back into the room. He was all dressed now.
“What are you planning on doing, Alpha Dane? The Rogues are not to be played with!” I declared, trying to make him think about his decision.
But all I got was ignorance of my question, which made me furrow my brows.
“No matter what you do, Astrid, do not leave this room!”