Chapter - 2

Murmurs rose all around us as Alpha Evan continued to glare at Nick who was struggling to breathe, clawing at Alpha Evan's hands to get him to put him down. And even though Nick was drawing blood with his sharp nails, Alpha Evan didn't even flinch, let alone loosen his grip. 

Before anyone could do anything, a heavily bearded man stepped into the quickly forming circle around us, putting a hand on Alpha Evan's arm that was holding Nick up. 

"Alpha, please put him down," the man pleaded. But Alpha Evan paid him no head, still glaring at Nick as if he was lowest of the low. 

"Please, Alpha Evan. We're not here to start a war," the man pleaded again. 

Again, Alpha Evan ignored him, looking about ready to murder Nick. 

Alpha Adrian was watching the scene unfold and the way he was clenching his jaw was enough indication that he was getting angry.

The only reason no one had dared to do anything until now was that Alpha Evan was an Alpha, one who was extremely angry right then. No one wanted to be in the way of that, specially not when he looked like he would kill anything or anyone in his path. 

I looked at Alpha Adrian again. The more time that went by, the angrier he seemed to be getting. If Alpha Evan didn't drop Nick any time soon, he was sure going to step in. And that would not go over well for anyone. Specially me. Because this had started because of me. 

I had to do something. I didn't think Alpha Evan would listen to sweet, little me, but it was worth a try. 

Hesitantly, I reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Alpha Evan, please let him go," I whispered, my voice low. But with the way his shoulders tensed, I knew he'd heard me. 

Much to my surprise, ever so slowly, he loosened his grip, placing a gasping Nick back on his feet. 

"Alpha Evan, what is the matter?" Alpha Adrian finally asked, his calculating gaze shifting between a gasping Nick and a furious Alpha Evan. 

"The girl is hurt, and he is still forcing her to work. I do not condone this behaviour," Alpha Evan replied, shooting another glare at Nick. 

Whispers rose in intensity all around us and I stood there wide eyed, like a deer caught in the headlights as the two Alphas stared each other down. 

No one had ever taken my side like this. No one had ever stood up to our Alpha like that.

As much as it made me feel all warm and gooey inside, I was also worried. 

I had a feeling that this was not going to end well for me. Alpha Adrian wasn't someone who took kindly to people telling him how to run his pack. And his next words proved just that. 

"She is the lowest of the low in our pack. How we treat these low lives in our pack is none of your business. It is an internal matter of the pack."

I gulped, squeezing my eyes shut. 

I wanted to tell Alpha Evan to just let it go. That I was used to this. That nothing would change this, but I was too scared to speak up. 

"I understand that she is a slave. But this is no way to treat her," Alpha Evan bit out. And I had a feeling that if Alpha Adrian hadn't been an Alpha, Alpha Evan would be holding him by the collar too.

I didn't know what I'd done for him to act so protectively towards me, but I did not want there to be a fight. So I touched his shoulder lightly again in an effort to cool him down. 

Before I knew what was happening, he'd taken my bleeding hand in his own and was inspecting it. 

The touch sent sparks flying through my fingers and I gasped, looking up at him to see if I'd imagined that spark or if he had felt it too only to see him already looking at me. 

This was the first time we had directly looked into each other's eyes. Moss green to icy blue. The moment our eyes connected, it was like all my worries had melted away, like nothing could ever hurt me now that he was here. 

I tilted my head, curious. Why was I feeling this way? I knew he wasn't my mate. Heck, I wasn't capable of finding one because I wasn't a true werewolf. I'd never connected with my wolf and you couldn't find your mate until you had. But then, why was I feeling this way towards a man I'd only just seen?

His moss green eyes seemed to hold the same confusion, or maybe it was my own conflicting emotions I was seeing reflecting in his gaze? I didn't know, all I knew that he was here and he was holding my hand and making me feel all these new and confusing emotions I'd never felt before. 

"Like I said, Alpha Evan, how we treat our slaves is none of your business," Alpha Adrian said again, pulling me out of my thoughts. 

Alpha Evan broke our eye contact then, going over to a nearby table and bringing a cloth napkin to cover my bleeding fingers with even though his own hands were covered in streaks of his own blood. 

Keeping his gaze focused on wrapping the cloth around my fingers, he said, "Well, then, Alpha Adrian, how about I take over your pack? And change some things around in this pack of yours?" 

What the actual fuck? 

Did he really just say what I think he did? 

Did he really just challenge our Alpha in the middle of a gala just because his pack had been treating me poorly?

I couldn't even begin to comprehend what I was feeling right then. It was a mix of way too many emotions, shock standing out the most. 

This was insane. Utterly and completely insane. 

But I'll be lying if I said it wasn't making me feel like a princess. 

"Are you challenging me, Alpha Evan?" Alpha Adrian's booming voice brought me crashing back to reality. 

One where an all out war could break out any moment. 

Over me. 

Could the night get crazier?

Having finished wrapping the cloth around my fingers, Alpha Evan finally looked at Alpha Adrian. "So what if I am?"

No, no, no. What was he doing? As warm and comforted it was making me feel that he was taking my side like that, I did not want an all out pack war over me. 

I definitely wasn't all that important.

And much as I wanted things to change, to lead a better life, I did not want there to be any bloodshed. 

Alpha Adrian took a threatening step forward, his gaze lethal. "You dare come to my pack and threaten me? And over a good for nothing bitch like her?" 

I flinched at his words, cowering behind the hulking frame of Alpha Evan as if he would somehow shield me from the harsh words. 

"Do not talk about her like that," Alpha Evan bit out through gritted teeth, taking a threatening step forward, his hands extended as if he was ready to pounce on Alpha Adrian. 

Thankfully, though, the heavily bearded man from before quickly placed himself between the two Alphas. 

"Alpha Adrian, our Alpha did not mean to threaten you. He is simply very particular about how he treats his slaves. Aren't you Alpha Evan?" He said, clearly trying to play the middle man here. I peeked out from behind Alpha Evan to look at Alpha Adrian. He still looked murderous, his beady black eyes narrowed and his nostrils flaring. 

"Well, tell him that this is my pack and I will run it however I please," Alpha Adrian fumed. 

"Of course, Alpha Adrian. We know that, don't we, Alpha Evan?" The man said, turning around so he was facing Alpha Evan and me. 

The man had a thin, barely there smile on his heavily bearded face, his piercing blue eyes flickering towards me for a moment before zeroing in on his Alpha. 

"She is only a slave, Alpha. A nobody to us, yes? And how Alpha Adrian treats his slaves is not our business, yes?" He said, his tone low, placating. As if he was trying to calm his Alpha down, almost scared of what he would do. 

To be honest, so was I. Anger rolled off of him in waves. And he seemed as if he did not care if an all out war broke out right then. 

And over what?

Sweet, little me?

As flattering as it was and as on cloud nine as it made me feel, I knew it wasn't right. 

So, I spoke up, my voice low so only Alpha Evan could hear, "Alpha Evan, he is right. I am only a slave. Not someone worth starting a pack war over."

He looked down at me, his expression softening drastically. What had been tonnes of barely concealed anger had now morphed into what looked like something akin to shock and surprise. "Let me be the judge of that," he said to me, his voice low, yet velvety smooth.

To Alpha Adrian, he said, "I would like to buy her. Name your price."

This time I gasped out loud. I couldn't believe what he'd just said. The man was offering to take me away from here, from this cruelty. 

My heart swelled, a warm sensation enveloping me. No one had ever thought so much about my well being and the fact that someone finally had, I couldn't help but feel like I was on cloud nine. 

As insane as this sudden turn of events was, it was the most interest a complete outsider like him had shown in my life. And while I was oddly happy, I was also apprehensive of what he wanted from me. Because no one was did something like that for someone without expecting at least a little something in return. 

I looked at Alpha Adrian then, waiting to see what would happen next.