Momentarily dazed when memories come crashing in, it takes every ounce of self-awareness to come tumbling back to reality and remind myself that I need to be neutral about this.
It’s embarrassing to have to clear my throat a second time in front of the omega; it makes me look weak, incompetent. But it’s what I have to do to gather my composure. My gaze turns measured and formidable as I narrow my eyes, about to speak levelly, when Rissa speaks up.
“What is there to discuss, Alpha Brooks?” Rissa sneers as if saying my name leaves a bitter taste on her tongue. “It’s not like either of us wants this, so why don’t we spare everyone the trouble and just refuse this mate bond?”
A fleeting frown passes my face. I don’t remember the omega being feisty enough to speak so directly and firmly.
Ten years is a long time.
Some things have changed.
Not everything,a tiny voice perks up inside my head, but I disregard it with a grunt that kills two birds with one stone when Rissa gasps, as if the sound was made to frighten her.
Good.
I don’t want her thinking that she can get out of this.
“You heard what the Elders said back there,” I say flatly, throwing a nod in a gesture of the pack den behind me. “This is not about you or me, it’s about defeating the threat that hangs over this pack. I’m an alpha, you’re a witch. You need me to bring out your magic powers. It’s simple.”
Rissa lifts her chin even further than her neck is already stretched and scoffs. “I don’t want any of this. I don’t wanna be your mate. I don’t wanna be a witch.” She chuckles dryly. “I’mnota witch. They’re all mistaken.”
I roll my eyes at Rissa’s reluctance to grasp the extent of what Luna Yvonne’s vision means for her. Though I’d been skeptical myself, the witches have proven to reliably foretell the future. We have no choice but to believe them since every vision they’ve had has come true in the past.
I don’t doubt Yvonne’s premonition, but Rissa seems adamant in remaining skeptical.
“What do you want then, Rissa?” I snap back irritably, noticing how she flinches against every syllable. “Name your price, and it’s yours. We’ll treat this like a business contract. You get whatever you want in exchange for agreeing to the mate bond.”
“Wh—why?” Rissa stammers with a growing frown.
“You think I want this either?” I scoff derisively, rolling my eyes again. “The only reason I’m doing this is to appease the Elders, the other alphas, and do my part to get rid of the demon dog for good. I’m guessing the safety of this pack is something you care about since you work as a healer in the clinic. You care about them, and so do I.” I stick out a hand between us. “Let’s just do this and get it over with. So, do we have a deal?”
I don’t know what else could have prompted me, but I’ve become so neutral to this whole thing that I don’t see any reason to drag it out.
But Rissa remains hesitant as she lifts a quivering hand, yet doesn’t slip it into mine.
“I—I need time to decide what I want in exchange for this,” she mutters with a tentative gulp for dramatic effect.
This isn’t as deep as she’s making it out to be.
“Look,” I begin with an irritated sigh. “It’s not like we can get out of this, anyway. Avoiding it won’t change what the council has decided, but I’ll give you a day to think about what you want. Is that enough time? We only have until the weekend to see this through.”
With my patience running thin, I tap my foot against the recently uncovered stone path and raise my brows until finally, Rissa places her hand in mine. A light, barely noticeable current sparks between our palms, but it’s so faint that I can easily ignore it even though a frown flits over my face.
“Fine,” Rissa relents with an exasperated sigh.
“Good,” I comment with a bemused grin as I shake on it once before retracting my hand. Folding my arms across my chest, I stare at the top of her head just as she straightens up. She’s staring at my midriff again, appearing ridiculously tiny and fragile when all I can see are the honey-brown curls framing her face, catching the setting sun’s orange glow, lighting up as if she’s wearing a crown.
I consciously remind myself that she’s just the omega in the pack, and she’s far from uncovering her mystical powers—gifts that she isn’t even aware of. She has no metaphorical crownon her head or in my life, and I need to remain neutral at all times.
Sniffing to hide the fact that a plethora of thoughts threaten to arrest my mind if I don’t get out of this omega’s proximity, I lift my eyes and stare beyond her head at the outline of the village up ahead. I would have preferred if they’d matched me with any other she-wolf, but this one; our history is tainted by the trouble I’d caused her, amongst other things.
It’s not like I’d bullied her without good reason…
But I’m not ready to face those reasons now. Never was, never will be ready.
This is only for the sake of the safety of this pack and appeasing the Snehvolk Council. I will fulfil my duties, as I always have.
“We will have a final discussion of the details tomorrow evening at my place. You tell me what you want in exchange for agreeing to the mate bond, and we’ll shake on it. I’ll even have a contract drawn up if you don’t trust me.”
