The Pack Thief

5

Willow's POV

"Willow," His voice was low, "What have I ruined?"

My heart was about to explode. My mind was running a million miles a second. What had I just done? The scrutiny of his behavior left me searching for an escape.

Cyrus was demanding an answer. The alpha, my mate was demanding an answer. Failing to provide one fast enough may foil all of my plans. Thankfully, an answer popped into my head.

"My...My shoes," I claimed, "You're making them filthy."

He glanced down. Then up at me. Then down again. Then I glanced down at my beat up Converse sporting several holes in them, then back up at him. My toe stuck out of one of the holes. Our eyes met, his no longer black as he stared at me with a quizzical look.

I was nothing but a bold-faced liar. He could tell.

My cheeks flushed, as I had quite possibly picked out the worst answer. But the words had already left my mouth in a stuttering panic. The only thing I could do was own them, own the words like they were nothing but the truth. And I did, I straightened my flimsy spine and stared at my moody mate. Straight into his eyes.

"You left a hole in them."

That hole had been there for sometime now.

"I didn't do that." He deadpanned, his brows furrowed.

"Yes you did. I just bought them," The words left my lips in an exasperated gasp. Another lie. Those shoes were thrown at me years ago, in an attempt to showcase the charity of my old pack.

His mouth opened and a tired sigh left his mouth. Tension flooded through me. My tongue ran dry. I watched as he closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and looked at me.

"I am not entertaining this in front of my pack," The alpha said, "Get inside now."

It was an order.

My eyeball twitched. My shoulders stiffened further. I hated the sound of him ordering me around. Hated it even more in front of the pack. He was making me look like I was his property rather than his mate.

Even in my old pack, nobody had ever spoken to me like I was a child. And it angered me, it really did.

"You don't own me," I hissed, "And you don't ever tell me what to do."

Something fell over the pack, something sinister. I had defied their alpha right in front of them. And rumor had it that this alpha, my mate, was not someone to be crossed. He wasn't known for being patient or kind.

He was known for being ruthless. I knew he was ruthless and nothing short of malicious. Yet I spoke to him as if he wasn't a danger to me. Even though I knew how quickly he could become one.

My stupid, foolish words had pushed him too far.

His eyes went black before I could even blink.

A shiver raced down my spine, which I was struggling to keep straight. How could I maintain any composure? My mate looked as if he was crafted by the very depths of Hell. He was horrifying.

Cyrus was the kind of person that even nightmares were afraid of.

He stepped closer to me and I didn't move. My heart was racing and I wanted to move. I wanted to back up. I wanted to run. There was a split second where I could truly taste my bitter fear. But the legitimacy of my words would be questioned if I couldn't stand my ground. And I was not going to be known for being a coward. I couldn't be, not for a choice that I had so carelessly made.