Delicate Circumstances

ZADEN
I couldn't believe it. I thought I'd heard wrong. She watched me the way a big cat would watch it's prey and it made me realize that she wasn't messing around. She meant it. She had to be either insane or stupid. I suppose it couldn't be the latter because she was smart. She was the snake itself, the thorns on the rose stalk, the vines in the swamp. She was smart and crazy, and everything in between. That was why she was my mate.

I lowered myself onto my chair, my gaze still on her. She was expecting my answer. She was curious about what it would be. So, she waited. She waited like a snake waiting to strike.

"Do you have any idea what I did to become an Alpha? I killed my brother's mate. I tried to kill him but would have succeeded if I'd killed his friends as well. I killed my parents, Thalia. I killed more than twenty pack members who were in support of Jaden. Now, you're asking me to surrender the pack I've sacrificed so much in order to get? You're asking me to throw away everything I've worked so hard for?" I quizzed.
She shrugged.
"I simply don't care"
"What?" I breathed, my brows creased.
"Don't you want to keep Jaden down and out? Don't you want to become Alpha King?"
Those offers were tempting, but it wasn't enough to make me surrender my pack to her. Thalia moved towards me, her gaze softening.

"Just give me the pack. You will remain Alpha, I will have the upper hand and I'll let you...."
Her long, elegant fingers traced my broad shoulders slowly. Then, she whispered in my ear.
"Claim me" she said, her voice sultry. I froze, already considering the offer. That's exactly how messed up this was. She knew how to get what she wanted. But, she was my mate and I wanted her. All of her.

"That's right, Alpha. I'll let you claim me. I'll let you touch me and do all the dirty things you've been imagining"

My mind was reeling and the crotch area of my pants became too tight for comfort. Images were displayed in my mind and I hardened until it was painful. It had to be a spell. I had never felt so aroused by the mere words of a woman. Maybe it was happening because she was my mate and she had denied me of what I wanted for too long. There was a long list of maybes.

"Are you using your magic on me?" I asked, my voice more of croak. She gave me a devilish smile.
"Of course, not. Now, why would I do that?" She asked and I clenched my fists.

She was definitely using her magic. There was no other way to explain the mad craving I was feeling. Still, I loved it. I was the devil and she was my queen. We were perfect for each other. If she wanted to play games with me, I was willing to play along.
"Are you telling me it will be a give and take sort of agreement?" I asked.
"Yes, you have my word"
"You expect me to believe that?" I asked.
"I want Jaden gone as well. I hate his mate. I hate the fact that she has stronger magic. I want to get rid of her. We can only defeat them if we work together. You just have to trust me" she said.
I knew that she had a different motive in mind. But, at this point, I didn't show it.
"Alright, let's get this over with" I said, taking out a dagger from my chest of drawers. I made a vertical cut on my palm. Then, I threw the dagger at her. She caught it with a relatively small effort. The smile on her face widened as we shook hands, the crimson liquids on our hands mixing together.
"Deal" I said.
"Deal" she echoed.
"Now, I'll arrange everything else. You don't have to do so much. Trust me on this, won't you?" She said, her gaze locked with mine.
"I'm with you, Thalia. You have to trust me as well" I said. She gave me a hesitant nod and walked right out of my office. Few minutes after she'd left, my beta knocked on the door.

"Come in" I said, wiping the blood on my hand with some wipes. I tossed the stained wipes into the trash can with precision.
"You were eavesdropping the whole time, weren't you?" I asked, not looking up at him.
"I apologise, Alpha. I was worried" he said.
"You don't have to be" I replied.
"Are you sure about the agreement you've made with her? She could be planning something different" he said.
I looked up and met his blue eyed gaze. The concern in his eyes were genuine.
"I also have something different in mind. You don't have to worry. This is just for the time being" I said, a dark smile playing on my lips.
...
JADEN
"What's this idea of yours?" I asked Rhea, leaning back on my seat with my arms folded across my chest.
"It's quite simple. Tell Jacobi you're willing to make him and his clan, our Ally. Then, make him understand that your pact with him has to remain a secret. Tell him that you're sure Zaden would one day come to attack. When that happens, we would fight together to defeat Zaden's pack" Rhea said and I snorted.
"Alright, strategist. I'm starving. Can we eat something now?" I asked and she chuckled. As soon as she rose to her feet, there was a knock on the door. Rhea went to open the door. Haru walked in. She was carrying a tray containing our breakfast.
"Right on time, Haru" I commented and she laughed.
"Of course. Enjoy your meal, Alpha"
Once she'd left, Rhea and I had breakfast together.
..
Since I was less occupied, I decided to go around the pack house and monitor my pack members to see how well they were doing. Rhea insisted that she would go with me. Even though some of my pack members were unemployed, most of them worked at firms, hospitals and industries. Their children went to school too. Karen, one of my pack members was responsible for keeping the children in check. The teenagers were taught to be careful at school in order to make sure they don't reveal their wolf nature. I was yet to establish a school for the young ones. It was a part of my ongoing projects.
"Did you go to high school?" Rhea who was walking beside me asked. I snorted, amused.
"Do I look like the type who enjoys school?" I teased.
Her cheeks turned scarlet.
"Gosh, I'm so stupid. You're the boss at a technical company. You must've gone to school" she mumbled.
"Yes, I went to school. But, I was the moody, antisocial bad boy who was a loner back in highschool" I told her and she smiled.
"Definitely"
We watched Klaus as he trained some of the pack members. Darryl and his epsilons were jogging in. They had just returned from what seemed to be a long run. Chase gave me a salute from his position by the security post.
"They love you" Rhea said entwining our fingers together.
"What's there not to love?" I said and she let out a breathy laugh.

The breeze ruffled Rhea's hair, a few strands falling over her face. She beamed at me, her eyes shining like crystals. I brushed her hair out of her eyes. No matter how much I look at her, it hits a little different every time. She was beautiful.
"Don't stare at me like that. You're giving me the wrong ideas" she growled and I chuckled. There she was, my crazy tigress.

"How did you become skilled in the magic area even when you didn't have a clan?" I asked her.
She smiled, a faraway look in her eyes. She seemed to be replaying whatever had happened in her past, in her mind.
"I practiced. Every night, I would use mum's grimoire. As I grew older, I practiced more.... because I wanted to be strong enough to defeat Aunt Morgana. So, I got really good at it" she responded.
"How did you..."
"Escape? Find out that Aunt Morgana had killed my parents? Survive?"
She shrugged.
"I caught her in the act and when she noticed my presence, she tried to kill me. So, I ran. When I went back home, mum and dad wouldn't open their eyes and Morgana was gone. The police questioned me. I told them Morgana had killed my parents. But, they didn't believe me. I was taken under foster care. Every night, I would escape and steal money and food from werewolf packs because I was always so hungry. When I clocked eighteen, I used the money I'd saved up, to start a new life. I didn't stop stealing because I found an escape in it. But then, you came along. And, everything changed" she said.

I embraced her. I felt proud to be her mate. Rhea was a strong woman, a survivor. She was a fighter and I loved that fact.

"Jaden, I want to spar with Dana" she suddenly said and I turned to look at Dana who was sparing with another woman who was a member of my pack.

Few minutes later, I was watching her spar with Dana. She was skilled and believe me, I'd not quite expected that.
"She's talented" Klaus who'd joined me, said. My phone rang and I picked the call, bringing the phone to my ear.
"Hello?"
"Am I speaking with Jaden Blackwood?" the voice sounded familiar, but I was distracted by the sight of Rhea.
"Who is this?" I asked, still distracted.
"My name is Hunter. I am the royal beta" he responded.
"Right. What can I help you with?" I asked, still watching Rhea as she sparred with Dana. She was so good.
"I had no choice but to call you, since you're the winner of the alpha tournament"
"What?"
"The Alpha King is dead. He died thirty minutes ago."