Chapter 17 Alpha's Rage

**Xavier**

I wasn’t supposed to be here until the night fell. There were loads of papers piled up on my office desk waiting for my approval. And I needed to get them done before the celebration tomorrow, so I would have plenty of spare time to accompany with guests from the North, rambling about pack business or that ridiculous arrangement.

Fuck it.

I didn’t care about that Alpha, his daughter or his pack. The Red Moon wasn’t in need of any alliance to elevate our power. And it’s absurd that father would consider using a marriage to create a strong bond between The Red Moon and The Eclipse.

For what? I had no idea.

Perhaps, he was trying to seek an alliance for himself, as I could see the growing fear in his hollowed eyes, frightened by the anticipation of me treating him like what he had done to grandpa. We had wildly divergent opinions on pack things. Despite stepping down the crown under pressure, he refused to relinquish the control, either on me or on the pack.

Like Beta Dean had ‘warned’ me before, he wasn’t happy at all about the girl I bought on the auction. He insisted a banishment or a death penalty on that filthy slave. I was fully acknowledged of his crafty plans to murder her and that’s the only reason why he wanted me to hold the celebration this year in that castle.

I knew him too well.

But I supposed he just forgot something crucial, that no matter how hard he tried to get things under his power, he was no longer the Alpha, and I was never the little boy who had to watch his mother die pathetically.

I wouldn’t endure him taking anyone away from me again. His people wouldn’t even be able to touch a wisp of her hair in that castle.

Though I had made a perfect arrangement on it and I was sure that she could stay safe and intact, I underestimated my emotions to her.

Every time I closed my eyes, even just for a few seconds, her image would appear right in my mind and it could never be dispersed. Her delicate body, her faint expression, her eyes filled with pain and agony. All of them just cluttered up my head, disturbing my calmness.

I was too distraught to focus on pack businesses today and my wolf Ares felt it as well. He urged me to visit that “special” girl. He could not explain the reason why he considered her special, but it was very odd that both of us cared about that human girl so much.

We didn’t know the reason, until this moment.

It was very insensitive that we hadn’t been able to give much attention to her specialness. I thought it was just because she bore a resemblance to my mother which intrigued my empathy. And maybe, we were afraid of contemplating our real feelings - a weird attachment to a human girl.

Till this point, both Ares and I had finally figured it out.

She had said to me that she would actually be 18 the day after the auction. That meant, she hadn’t actually been mature the last time I saw her.

Now, she was.

It’s too late when I noticed Ares was going berserk beyond my control.

‘***Mate\***.’ He growled, his front claw projecting forward in threatening.

She looked frightened, clenching her body shivering tightly against Lucas, which could only worsen the situation.

“*Hold back. You don’t want to hurt her.*” I hissed through my gritted teeth, trying to repress the anger.

I felt no better than Ares while watching them kiss like a fucking couple. Jealous was devouring me but I had to stay calm.

“Come, Valerie.” I tried to speak placidly with Ares’s voice, though it might sounded like another roar as I could see her winced back, hiding her figure behind Lucas’s back.

“Come to me.” I ordered again.

She popped out her head cautiously to peek at me, for a moment she seemed to be hesitated. Then she moved aside and released her hand holding on his arm.

But Lucas stopped her. He lowered to touch her cheek softly because whispering something to her. She blushed slightly as he wrapped around her waist and kissed her again.

My mind was on the brink of losing control.

“What brought you here, Alpha?” He turned to glance at me with a playful smile, “I haven’t seen Ares for a long time.”

“Give her back to me.” I bellowed.

‘*SHE BELONGS TO US!*’ Ares growled as he was ready to make a dash.

“I’m afraid I can’t, Xavier.” Lucas chuckled before his sharp fangs being bared and his eyes darkening. He said in provocation, “it’s her own decision to choose whomever she wanted.”

‘*She is ours!*’ Ares shouted furiously.

But with what Lucas said, all of us now were staring at Valerie tentatively, as if waiting her to making a choice.

Feeling our eager gazes, she stumbled back and rubbed her palms against her uniform dress nervously. Then she raised her head, saying something under her breath.

Despite with a lowered voice, we heard it well.

“I don’t want to be anyone’s, Master.” She said.

Ares snarled sharply before leaping forward, claws targeting Lucas’s neck. It’s his primitive instinct to declare a war against his rival.

But suddenly, he pulled our moves into a halt and dashed backward. Because Valerie blocked his way and stretched her arms to prevent him from getting any closer to Lucas.

Her eyes reddened in fear and loatheness as she stared firmly at us.

Then she turned to Lucas and spoke in a respectful manner, “I’m sorry Mr. Lang. I’m afraid I need to go with Mr. Murphy now. But thank you for bringing me here. I enjoyed the time spending with you.”

Lucas looked astonished. He reached out his hand to call her back but she shook her head slightly.

When she walked to us with those emotionless eyes, stood beside Ares obediently and bowed her head down, my heart twitched and Ares let out a painful groan.

In reluctance, he snorted and gave me the control back.

‘*We never understand human beings, do we?*’ He said in a disappointed tone before disappearing in my mind. He wasn’t expecting an answer.

I gazed at Valerie. That painful expression returned to her face. I grabbed her hand and pulled her to me until our chests were against each other’s

Seeing that familiar painful expression on her face. I grabbed her hand and pulled her closer until our bodies clung tightly against each other’s. She didn’t seemed to be surprised or baffled, remaining that faint smile which manifested her indifferent attitudes to whatever I did.

But I saw her smiled brightly to Lucas. Her countenance had just been vividly changeable in front of another man.

Why couldn’t she act like this to me?

Why did she have to be obedient, timid and far-from-reach in my vision?

I wanted the real her.

A mixed feel of pain, anger and jealous grew rapidly in my chest and was likely to blow up. And I had to do something to ease it.

Holding her hand to walk back towards the castle, I did my utmost to control the impulse of marking her as mine right here, right now.

“M…master, I’m sorry.” she said while panting breathlessly with the fast pace of my striding.

“For what?” I asked with a raspy voice.

She didn’t reply.

Her lasting silence was burning my nerves until we reached the back of the castle. She bumped to my back when I halted abruptly.

“I’m—” She wanted to apologize. But before she could finish her words, I pressed her against the wall, hands on either side of her, shackling her movement.

Her faint breath brushed over my lips as she nervously stared at me in her almond eyes, like a frightened deer. She smelled like flower, tingling my sensations and pestering my sanity.

“Sorry for what, Valerie?” I steadied my voice and asked.

She pursed her luscious lips and furrowed her fine brows. I’d be mad if I couldn’t have a slight taste of her beauty.

As I leant forward to nibble her earlobe and purred to her face, she shivered in the warmness of my breath.

“For the kiss, um?” I snorted, “Or for your rejection to me?”