Chapter 5

"Please guys, you don't have to do this."

"Why shouldn't we?"

"I didn't steal the book," I replied. "I swear, I didn't."

One of the warriors knocked and when I heard, "Come in," I knew I was in trouble. If only they'd just let me be. Those warriors never passed up an opportunity to torment me and this was no different.

They dragged me in as soon as they opened the door. I thought about kicking my legs as hard as I could to break free of their hold but I decided it wasn't worth it. I was already right in the same room as Sharon, the alpha's daughter and I needed a good explanation that would convince her that I didn't steal her book.

"What seems to be the problem?" Sharon asked, turning towards me. "What has she done?"

Sharon was a very beautiful lady. There was this charm around her that couldn't be denied. As she turned to look at me, I couldn't help but have my mouth wide open in awe of her beauty.

Her long, golden hair and deep brown eyes just stood out for me. I always thought they were enough to charm any guy without saying a single word. She was a tad chubby too, with flesh in the right places. If only beauty was a human, I'll place my bet on Sharon being that human.

"We found her with this book," one of the warriors said as he handed the little book over to Sharon who seemed quite surprised. He was the leader of all the warriors in the pack.

"You're sure you saw this book with her, Mark?" Sharon asked, still inspecting the book and flipping the pages for reasons best known to her. Perhaps, she felt I might have torn a page or two out.

"Yes, Sharon," he answered. "That's why we decided to bring her here, knowing that thieves aren't tolerated in the mansion."

"Young lady, what's… Your name again, please?" "I'm Riley, ma'am," I softly muttered.

It was a question that she always loved to ask me, not because she didn't have the answer to that, but because she always wanted to prove to me that I wasn't one whose name was worth remembering. It was fun for her and I didn't mind. I never expected anything better from her anyway.

"How did you get your tiny hands on my book?" She asked.

"I found it lying outside, ma'am, so I picked it up."

"Oh, Is that so?" She asked. She didn't look bothered at all. She just tossed the book towards her shelf and turned back to look at me. "It must have dropped when I went to pick up something yesterday."

She gestured to the warriors to let me go and they did. They went over to her bedside and sat. She handed a box of cookies over to them and they began to eat. Shameless warriors! They couldn't even apologize.

"Can I go–"

A lady just walked into the room without even knocking and I wondered who had the guts to do so. She was a bit tall, 6 feet or slightly less, I think. She had one of the neatest haircuts I'd ever seen and it looked so good on her. Her bulgy eyes looked so pretty too.

"Susan! It's so good to see you," said Sharon as soon as the lady stepped in. She stood from the bed and ran to her with a broad smile on her face. They shared a warm embrace that lasted a few minutes and she sat on a chair while Sharon returned to her bed. They loved each other.

"Hey, you," Sharon said to me. "I didn't summon you here to do nothing, did I? Come on, get busy with something. That's the least you can do to show some appreciation to the people who picked you up. You do owe us your life, you know. There are so many things you could do here, aren't they?"

I nodded and walked to her window. I picked up a rag that lay just underneath it and I began to clean the window panes.

"Have you heard?"

"Heard what, Sharon?"

"Alpha Darrius, the alpha of alphas would be coming to this pack for the full moon festival!" Sharon said.

There was excitement all over her voice and she could hardly contain it. "Who knows? He could find his mate in the Air Pack. I, for one, would love that."

"You want him to get a mate here or you want him to pick you?" Susan asked with a smirk on her face.

"Don't be silly. Of course, he'd pick me," Sharon answered. "You see that little book over there?

I've read it four to five times."

"What about it?"

"It's a book on seduction. Specifically, how to seduce very powerful men like alpha Darrius. I've been practising a lot too. I'll do all that I can to make sure that he ends up with me. Surely, he's mine and no one else's."

"And if you're not his mate?" One of the guards asked. "What if the goddess chooses someone else as his mate?"

"Then, the goddess should go to hell!" Sharon screamed.

"You may want to take that back, Sharon," said Susan. There was a look of fire in Sharon's eyes. She wasn't about to take no for an answer. Her eyes blazed hot like a hungry lion that just spotted a helpless deer in the forest.

"Yeah, I take it back," she grudgingly said, acknowledging that those words came out in the heat of the moment. "But, I'll still get him. He's mine."

She spoke so freely that I was sure that they had forgotten about me. I kept cleaning as quietly as I could as I didn't want to be remembered. The guards just nodded to whatever she said. Bunch of cowards. They weren't as brave as I thought they were, or they just suddenly became little men, in front of Sharon.

I didn't get why Sharon was so agitated. She was as beautiful as any lady could be; a dream for any man. I was certain that her beauty was one of the reasons why the guards were always around her. She could have any alpha just with the snap of her fingers; even the alpha of alphas, I dared to think.

"When the full moon does rise, Susan, we'll both see that we were destined to be together; alpha Darrius and me."

*****

Darrius POV

"Tell her to come in," I said to the guard as I sat on a sofa in the parlour. Danny shot me a knowing look and I moved quickly to play down anything he must have thought. "I'm not into her or anyone else anymore. For real, I'm not."

He said nothing. He just smiled and shook his head. I was certain he didn't believe me but I was also sure that he'd come around soon when he saw the actions that back up my claims. I was keen to show that I wasn't all talk. I meant business this time.

"Hey, Lita,". Danny greeted as soon as a young red-haired lady, with monster curves stood by the door. As soon as I set my eyes on her, something in me was forced to move. "You can come

in."

As she came in, he stood and lightly hugged her before walking across to me to say what I already knew he would. "I'll see you soon, Darrius. Gotta give you some good ol' private time."

"Go away," I said as we both smiled. "See you around," he said to Lita as he walked past her and out of the building.

Lita's countenance wasn't great. She looked a bit sad and it wasn't hard to tell why. I hadn't reached out to her in about three weeks. I'd be warming my bed with the other ladies.

"Hey," I said to her, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "How are you?"

"Do you care?" She answered, with a question of her own. "You seem to have moved on from me and that's not alright. I know there are many ladies around you. I know that, because I'm one of them, but you can't deny that none of them can make you feel the way I do."

She stood and turned around, right in front of me, and then she sat on my lap. She was right. There was something about her that made me lose my senses. No matter how hard I tried, it was so tough to hold back from her, especially when she caressed my hair and kissed me on the forehead as she did on this occasion. I usually forget where I am or whatever I meant to say.

"You should just give me a little more time than the others. Don't I deserve that?"

"For sure, you do," I answered. My eyes were shut and I was in a world of ecstasy. Her hands felt so good and her bum on my lap brought many ideas into my head. Yet, it had to stop. I needed to settle down. But how was I supposed to do that with Lita by my side? How was I supposed to think straight when she was all that filled my mind?

I finally got a hold of myself and gently lifted her off my lap. "This has to stop. We have to stop, Lita."

"What are you talking about?" She asked, with a very surprised look on her face.

"I've decided to do away with this type of life. I need to set my path straight. I'm hoping to find my mate during this full moon, whoever it may be. I hope you can understand me when I say that I don't want anything to do with you or anyone else except my mate."

As I spoke, I could almost see her eyes tear a bit. She covered her eyes with her palms and when she brought them back, I couldn't see the tears anymore. But I was sure they were there. I

expected her to say something, but she didn't. She just walked towards the passageway to my bedroom, pausing briefly to ask a question. "Are you coming or not?"

So many thoughts ran through my mind and I did my best to fight them back only to find myself on my feet, walking toward her against my will.

"One last time?" I asked her, giving myself a reason to justify what was about to happen.

"Yes, my alpha. One last time."