Chapter 5

Artemis Pov 

Don't run, it's time to pay for your crimes. 

I jerked and tossed the blanket aside when I heard a loud scream. Damn it. Another bad dream, and they become scary everytime. It's even worse this time because I felt a hot liquid being poured on my head. A voice which threatened to make me pay for my crimes preceded the torture. Sitting upright, I contemplated for a while. My forehead littered with drops of sweat as I continued to wonder.

A man like me has many enemies. I've made enemies over the years that I can barely keep count of—most of which are dead.

 I found my feet when I heard the scream a second time. 

This isn't a dream anymore. This must be real and I recognized the voice.

But what the hell happened this time?

And I'm about to find out when I dashed to the elevators. I didn't even realize I got down naked except the pair of pants hanging from my waist. And I only became aware of this when I saw the eyes staring at me. But none of that mattered when I saw her holding the book—my book. 

But this isn't just any book. 

Just to set the record straight, I'm a man of record. I like to keep track of events and every other happenings around me. I like to control things as much as I can, but I took this zeal to another level when I attempted to control time by keeping track of every event, documenting every ritual, and of course every killing and parks I've wiped out.

So that's the story when I said it isn't just a book. It contains my deepest secrets. But how the hell did she get hold of it and who the hell allowed her in there? 

That's a reserve area. And only the beta and I have access to it and Iris should better have an explanation for this. It's still too early to make her doubt the mate thing, or start giving some goddamned explanation. 

"Iris!" I called. Who else should I call if not him. Iris happens to the beta of Waterfall, the park I ruled over. Not only that, he also doubled as the supervisor in charge of seeing Waterfall Corporation, the multi-billion dollar company I killed to establish years ago. But iris won't do any good right now. I'm in deep shit seeing her with the book, the very book that contained my adventure, my conquest, my exploits, and the book that contained every detail about how I wiped out the Snow Moon park. And of course Dimitri, its alpha, who happens to be her father.

I bet she must have seen the name 'Dimitri' but I still need to figure something out or some dumb explanation if I must save the day. 

Is the Moon goddess trying to punish me, because it's way too soon.

I just got back, and it's way too soon. The clock is ticking.

"What the fuck is this," she cried. My wolf cursed for causing her pain. Her tears didn't go down well with him but this isn't the for aggression but smart thinking. 

"I can explain. It's not what you think. I can explain if you would listen," I pleaded like a child who has just been singled out for talking in the class. "I can explain. Just hear me—"

The book rammed on my face before I could finish my words.

Well, the thing about werewolves is this. Despite being weak, they are known for their anger, and they can be very deadly when angry. So I need to tread carefully. 

Not that I'm scared of her. I've wiped out entire parks of her kind but my wolf is ready to do everything possible to make her stay, even if it means going on his knees. 

But it hasn't got to that yet. I'm an alpha, and alphas do not bow or yield, except the weaker ones, which I wasn't part of. 

"I don't want to hear anything. How could you? How could you?" she cried, dropping to her knees. My wolf dropped to its knees within me, begging her to get up. It's way too early for this. Damn that moon goddess. While my eyes watched the tears as they flowed seamlessly, my brain couldn't figure out a plausible explanation.

Doomed. 

"Iris!" I growled this time. The stupid beta still hasn't shown up. Where the hell is he?

"Alpha, Iris is in the company. There appeared to be some situation that needs his—"

"Go fetch him! " I snapped, not minding that it's Oslo, my gamma who just spoke. The real problem is my mate who continues to cry on her knees. She felt betrayed, and I know that. But I have no apologies to offer. 

Her dad—the alpha of the snow moon park—and every other soul I sent to the afterlife deserved their fate. But I'm not about to drop that bomb before her. 

I dragged my feet forward as my brain searched for explanations. Finally, I found one when I took hold of her arm. Now is the time to explain myself if she would let me. 

"Go away!" She pushed and continued the tears. My wolf snarled at her. Even though I'm at fault, the wolf felt hurt to have been pushed away. 

But I wouldn't give up. 

"Alpha, you asked to see?"

I recognized my beta's voice but his case would be dealt with later. Besides, if he had done his job, I would not be in this mess right now. The book he is meant to safeguard, now lay on the floor. 

"It's not what you think, everything you read and believe happened centuries ago," I explained.

That seemed plausible. That's the best my brain could conjure. Even though it's a lie I felt comfortable telling it. I just want to get out of this damn situation. 

Her green eyes shot up at me, only that they aren't that green this time. Green is their default color but she has been crying all this while. So their color stood between red and green. But none of that mattered when she found her mate. 

Thank goodness. 

 A wave of relief that washed over my body. It's working at least. I sigh 

Thank goodness it worked.

The moon goddess seems to have smiled upon me when he found her feet. I signaled to Iris who quickly dashed forward with the book. I shot him a look with the corner of my eye, and that told him to get ready for the consequence of negligence. 

"Here, look," I pointed to a certain page she must have read. " Look, it says… " 

I was fortunate to have written the events in a very inconspicuous manner but I still spent the next hour explaining how the book was passed down to my father, and then me. I also explained how I had nothing to do with her father's disappearance and I prayed the whole time for her wolf to detect the lies I fed her. 

"The rest of you, don't you have better things to do with your time?" I yanked. I guess I'm too busy to have noticed that we aren't alone. I bet some enjoyed seeing their alpha in such a vulnerable position. 

"Not you, iris, we have some unfinished business. What is it about the company this time?" I winked. We have some serious things to discuss. Not even about the company but the book she stumbled upon. But this isn't the right place so I changed the conversation. 

"Just some minor trouble…but I have it under control."

My eyes followed as she turned the pages. Iris just stood there. I didn't pay him any attention even though he just spoke. I'm relieved that my mate seems to be buying the whole thing but I felt uneasy because she hasn't said a word.

I nodded at Iris and he saw himself out. 

She flipped for another half hour after which she released a huge sigh. We both sighed because we felt exhausted with the whole thing. Maybe I'm more exhausted considering the fact that I dashed down with my pants after waking up from a nightmare. 

I felt relieved and proud. My wolf screamed for me to touch her but I pulled back. Her silence made me uneasy and it's a bad move to conclude she bought the whole thing. I couldn't tell how she felt but every bit of my body wanted to take her—just like the other night. 

No, Artemis, Not now. Not today.

I pulled back. My wolf, on the other hand, roared. 

Silence, only interrupted by the flipping pages. And at that moment, my guts told me something was wrong. But only time would tell what it is. And I must tread carefully, think faster, if I must beat her at her game.