The Exiled Alpha | ✓

14 | Going Too Far

His fingers tighten on the couch, balling the leather into his fist. When he answers, it's grudging and through clenched teeth, "Just drop it."

My expression sours, contemplating for a minute. "No."

I stare hard, making sure that he feels the scrutiny burning into his skull.

"Tell me why you were outside my door all night," I demand, crossing my arms and shifting my weight, "Answer me that and I'll never ask anything ever again."

"You're going too far," he grits out, repressing a growl.

"I have a guess," I continue pushing him, "You're trying to fight what your wolf-"

"Adrienne," he warns with a deathly undertone, "Stop."

The sound of my name off his tongue for the first time makes my heart accelerate, threatening or not.

In a split and thoughtless second, I spit back a taunting response. "That's funny. Nathan has never asked me to stop."

The words are out before I can stop them. It doesn't take me long to realize the weight of what I've just said. Or to feel my body pulse with panic as regret sets in.

My arms fall to my sides, as does the smug look on my face when the house shakes with a thunderous roar. I cover my ears and close my eyes, but I still hear the loud, banging racket.

When I look again the couch is flipped over on its backside and laying on the complete opposite side of the room. Riot is facing me, his chest heaving rapidly as a constant growl comes from his throat. The deep ruby glow of his blackened irises in the dark put the light of the fire to shame.

He takes a hesitant step towards me, then two steps back before abruptly turning and striding for the front door. My feet are glued to the floor as I watch him swing it open. It slams into the wall with enough force to undoubtedly form a hole.

It seems like an eternity before I can snap myself out of my daze.

What have I done?

I jog out onto the porch after him, just in time to catch the view of an enormous dark furred wolf disappearing into the forest.

I don't expect him to come back, not anytime soon. He needs space, so I try to wait. I try to pass time faster with sheer force of will and want. Which only turns into me prancing restlessly around the house.

What if he's going after Nathan— assuming he's even alive— to finish what he started? Or what if he's just leaving me here with no sense of navigation to the way back to my pack? Or maybe he just wants away from me. If it's the latter, then I can't say I blame him.

Telling my overly-aggressive mate that I had relations with a wolf he already hated. That's sure to get him to open up.

Enough time passes for my stomach to knot up with guilt. Every passing minute I'm coming up with scenarios of what he could be doing out there, each one worse than the last. Eventually I can't take it anymore and find myself wandering amidst the looming trees. Following the distinctive scent of Riot Sydney.

The moon shines harshly overhead, but even its light can't penetrate the thick canopy of leaves. There's a gentle yet chilling wind blowing through my hair, disheveling it.