She did what?!

“Gentlemen, please stay calm. I am not interested in wasting even more time on discussing a project that wouldn't bring me profit. I'm sure the offer seems quite tempting to you, but you will have to look for a new investor. I am not interested in your profit from this deal, but mine. If my investment doesn't return ten times bigger, I don't see a point for this discussion.” He stood up and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

He had spent way too much time discussing ridiculous business deals with a bunch of old fools. If those men had as much experience in the business field as he had - there wouldn't be any meeting in the first place.

“Please accept my sincere apologies, Alpha Vincent. However, if you sat down and gave us a minute of your precious time, I'm sure we could get somewhere.” One of the Council members spoke up, eyeing every other man around him.

Sometimes, at least one had to take the leading role, yet most men in the Council feared the Alpha. One snap of his fingers and the small empires they tried to build would burn to ashes; arguing with someone like him was a suicide.

Luciano sat down, well aware of many more propositions he had to listen to. By all means, he had all rights to leave the meeting without explaining himself, but he wasn't sitting there as the man who was eager to get back home.

Today, he was more than just an Alpha or Seth's lover; at this point, he was a businessman, dealing with details for his company's growth. Best wasn't enough for him - he would reach perfection, no matter what it cost him.

“Thank you. As I was…” the Council member tried to keep the meeting going, but out of nowhere, his mobile phone started ringing in his pocket.

He threw a glance at the screen, and his eyes widened a little. Luciano kept observing him, taking in every little detail about his body language. He cleared his throat and asked men to excuse him for a moment, explaining that the call must be important.

By the look on his face, Luciano could easily assume that the caller had used the Council member's phone number for the first time. It must be an important person to receive a personal number.

“Good evening, dear,” the man picked up the phone and smiled as he greeted the person.

While their spokesman was busy, the rest of the Council let themselves take a break and discuss their ideas or propositions.

However, Luciano felt like something suspicious was going on, so the Alpha averted his gaze to avoid getting caught spying and listened to the older male's conversation.

“No, don't worry, I have a bit of free time,” it was weird to hear the man sounding so gentle and assuring someone that they didn't bother him. If this weren't a red flag enough - the rest of his words would be.

“Did something happen? Alright, is the fever high? I see. Listen, I still need to know if you would return to that house to look after him next week. If you can't do that, I will have to look for someone else so you can take those days off. Oh, so you don't want to go back again, huh? Understandable, but I still would love to know why?”

Soon after the last words left his lips, the Council member threw a glance at Luciano, his facial expression pure shock. The Alpha pretended that he didn't feel eyes on him or hear anything from the man's conversation.

“How did he find out that you are not a man? The cover was perfect; no one up until now had found that out or questioned your gender. You are right; a woman shouldn't look after Vincent. We need to get someone else in there. Okay, dear, I have to go now; please get some rest, you need it.”

Luciano was a man of business; catching on to any suspicious behavior was a talent he possessed, and now, he was sure that the caller was Seth. Before the man could return to his place, Luciano jumped back on his feet and stomped out of the library, kicking the door open.

Loud gasps from the Council members followed his actions, but he didn't care. Standing in the hall, he took his phone and dialed the number for his house. If Seth were there, she would pick up the phone, and Luciano wouldn't stop until he checked all numbers - office, and bedroom including.

The phone kept ringing, but there was no answer. “Come on, kitty, don't let me down like that. Please,” he whispered under his breath, struggling to hold his emotions hidden.

He kept calling even after the hope was gone - Luciano had to accept that Seth decided to leave him.

However, even if he had to step out from the game, he wouldn't calm down until Seth explained herself.
He deserved as much as explanations for the decision she made. The Alpha couldn't stop himself from smashing a few objects on his way - the anger filled him, boiling deep inside, like a volcano, ready to blow up.

Luciano stomped back to the library; nearly instantly, he was hit with another piece of information.

Was there more Seth hid from him? Was it so hard to be honest and tell him everything on her own? All those things didn't bother him as much as the fact that Luciano had to find it out from people that had no rights to speak about Seth.

His eyes scanned all men, stopping on two, standing in the further corner. The men stood close to each other, whispering about something, so he focused his attention towards them and listened in.

Unfortunately, only one man spoke the words loud enough so Luciano could hear, but it was enough to push the Alpha over the edge.

“The girl that called him was the one we made to disguise as a man. I know, right. Yeah, they sent her to his home to look after him. I thought it was ridiculous; those Alphas are young, they can fuck around as much as they want, I don't care. Exactly, building a business with an Alpha is easier than building one with a Royalty.” The man kept a long pause, listening to whatever his friend attempted to explain.

Judging by their body language, the news was more than exciting.

“What about the girl? No, I didn't know that, but I wouldn't doubt it ever; she kinda reminds me of an Alpha.” Luciano furrowed his eyebrows, letting himself put two and two together.

The topic of conversation was Seth, no doubt, but the fact that they called his woman an Alpha was mind blowing. However, those men were right, and Luciano silently wondered how he didn't notice that faster.

“Wait, there's more?” The excitement in his voice was far too much. Luciano already knew that he wouldn't like any news coming after those words.

“No way - engaged?” If there was an actual representation to someone saying that they could see red - it was Luciano right now.

Without hesitation, he approached the massive oak table and hit his fist against it, breaking the furniture in half. A feral growl left his lips; the Alpha gave into the rage of his wolf - slowly shifting in front of the Council members.

“Engaged? You're talking about Seth, are you? Bunch of old fuckers, I'll show you engaged! Get as close as a foot to her, and you're the next fucking headless horseman!”

Luciano didn't bother to hide the anger boiling in him. He could easily accept Seth, needing some time alone, but now it turns out that she was engaged, all this time, leading him on.

The Alpha lifted his hand, pulled it in a fist, and threw it at the first one on his way.

His knuckles collided with someone's yaw, filling the library with the terrifying sound of breaking bones. His action brought everyone out of the state of shock; one by one - guards approached the enraged man and tried to hold him down.

It didn't help much, so the Council called another Alphas for help. Many were sent to the hospital wing within a minute, at best, but some managed to get a hold of Luciano.

It took twenty men to hold the Alpha down until he would calm down a little. In the meantime, Seth was sent off to make sure that she was safe.

One of the Council members suspected that Luciano felt something for Seth, so the man had to make sure that he would find out the whole truth. Luciano knew only a part of the story, and for now, the Alpha was far too dangerous to be near her.

It took nearly an hour to somewhat calm down Luciano, at least till the point where nobody would need to hold him down. The Alpha got back on his feet, growled at everyone in the room, and left.

He thought of going home, perhaps trying to sleep it all off and speak to her tomorrow. But he couldn't; if she was in such a serious relationship, he wasn't sure if he wanted to break something that she and the mysterious man might have built during long years.

Luciano went for a walk, lazily moving from one spot to another around the territory, soon finding out that his feet brought him right to Seth's cabin. His eyes scanned the tiny house, thinking of a few memories they shared there.

Perhaps there were a bit more tense and not as perfect memories, but even those still were theirs.

Suddenly, he recalled the set of clothing that smelled of another man.

It might have been one of her fiancees, and she did everything to cover it up. Why couldn't Luciano stop ignoring the red flags whenever she was near?

Walking around the cabin, Luciano wondered if she was there.

If she comfortably slept on her bed while he couldn't take a step without her on his mind?

Seth drove him insane; the need for her was more than Luciano could take. Trying to notice any movements as he stared at her bedroom window, Luciano promised himself to win the competition.

Perhaps Seth didn't want an Alpha, but she could gladly end up with a King. From the very beginning, he didn't see a point in the whole game's act, but now, he had to put more effort into taking that throne.

Luciano couldn't give two shits about others, but Lord, did he care about Seth. He walked back to the front of the cabin and stopped. An unknown man stood in front of her door, knocking on it and repeating, “are you there?”

Luciano cleared his throat to gain the stranger's attention and tilted his head. “Listen, buddy, I'm pretty sure she's not home,” he stated. He hoped that his words were lies, but pretty soon, he would find out that they weren't.

“Oh, alright. A friend of hers?” The man turned around to face Luciano, flashing a wide smile.

Whoever he was, he made Luciano more than just a little uncomfortable - the happiness in him was way too weird. No other man was showing off so much excitement upon meeting Luciano that this one did.

“Yea, could say so.” Luciano shrugged his shoulders, eyeing the possible opponent.

Lately, every other man was seen as an obstacle in his way, even the little miss sunshine here. No matter what those men wanted, Luciano wouldn't let them get too close and comfortable around Seth.

She was his and his only.

“How about you?” Out of nowhere, Demon suggested that they should question the man. Perhaps he could have information to share, or at least some hints about Seth's fiance.

The man approached Luciano and offered him a handshake, stating his name as a happy puppy, wiggling his tail: “Vlad.”

They introduced themselves to each other and sat on the cabin porch. It was getting quite dark outside, so Luciano wondered what any man might have to do around here at this time.

Then again, the man might think the same about him.

“So, how did you two meet each other?” Luciano brought the topic up without thinking.

There were so many different scenarios in his mind, even suspicion that this man was the one Seth might marry. No matter what, he would struggle to fall asleep if he didn't get answers.

“By accident, she was walking back to the territory, wrapped in a blanket. Actually, if I think of that night - she sat on a rock by the road and looked as if she had cried. I couldn't pass her without trying to find out if everything was alright. Then, I invited her to have some ice cream together and watch some movies. A pretty fun person must give her that much.” Vlad spoke quietly, trying to recall the fateful night's events.

Vlad didn't want to mention Seth, staying at his house, simply because the stranger might be a stalker for as much as he knew. “And you?”

The Alpha had to hide regret filling him - because of his actions, words he had said, she cried.

Luciano smiled and shook his head before spilling out the answer: “She's my girlfriend. We had an argument, and she decided to sleep at this stupid cabin, so I came here to apologize. Perhaps she left to do some stupid shit around the town, who knows.” He was surprised by how convincing he sounded.

He literally lied to someone who knew Seth and didn't feel any remorse whatsoever.

“Girlfriend, huh? For how long, if I may ask?” Vlad wouldn't drop the topic.

He might be capable of telling convincing lies, but Vlad wouldn't let anyone make fun out of him. Even more, Seth didn't mention a boyfriend before, but he didn't know both of them well enough - any might be the liar.

“Met before the Alpha games. Quite a while - that's the reason for the argument, by the way. I couldn't remember the damn date.” He lied again.

Luciano assumed that any other man would stay back from Seth if only he spoke up about their fake relationship and nothing more. He didn't like the quiet wolf next to him - he was too weak for a title and obviously way too shy to stand near someone as intimidating as Luciano while carrying the aura of an Alpha himself.

“If you're dating for so long, why did she stay at my house that night? It's so wrong.” Vlad didn't think when the words left his lips.

Only when he noticed the angered facial expression Luciano had, he threw palms over his mouth, eyes widening.

“She did what?!”