CHAPTER 5

HERO POV

She cleared her throat, a delicate sound that seemed to echo in the otherwise silent room. Her gaze, previously fixed on the flickering flames of the fireplace, now turned towards me. "Why were you outside the hotel?" she asked, her voice a soft, yet insistent whisper

The question hung heavy in the air, a silent accusation. I gave her a small smile before finally breaking the silence. “You ask a lot of questions, little dolphin.” 

Her captivating eyes widened a little. “What, little dolphin?”

“I would have said you look pathetic, like a beaten dog but that honestly doesn't describe you.” I paused and stared at her.

“Instead, you seem little, helpless, and more like an injured dolphin.” I waited to see if she would perhaps defend herself, but she just nodded her head a little, like she agreed. Was she so submissive that she couldn't even speak up for herself?

“I think I'm just trying to perhaps find out, I suppose. Was that a poor choice of words or a bad question to ask?” 

"Nah, I wasn't exactly eager to join the Great Ball Bash. I mean, who needs a sweaty, crowded room full of people swinging around heavy objects when you can just binge-watch your favourite show and order takeout?”

Snorting with laughter, she rolled her eyes and I got the first glimmer of something beneath the breaking shell around her. “I'm sorry, you're an Alpha and you don't like the balls? You know what? I find that hard to believe.” 

“Do you?” I questioned.

"Oh, please. Everyone knows all Alphas love nothing more than parading around, flexing their muscles, and basking in the adulation of their underlings. You do it within your pack, but that's a tame affair, a mere shadow of the true competition.” She sighed before continuing.

“A ball? Now, that's where the real game begins. 

Taking care of a pack? Child's play. A simple matter of asserting dominance and doling out orders. At a ball, the true test of an Alpha's mettle is revealed. It's a battleground, a stage upon which they strut and preen, vying for supremacy. A spectacle of ego and power, masquerading as a celebration of unity.

Camaraderie? A mere facade. Beneath the veneer of civility lies a primal urge, a desperate need to prove oneself the strongest, the most cunning, the most deserving of the Alpha title. It's a grotesque display of dominance, a competition to see who can outshine the rest, a grotesque contest to determine whose wolf is the most ferocious, whose growl the most intimidating. It's a pissing match of epic proportions, a battle for alpha status, a fight for the ultimate prize: the right to claim the title of the biggest, baddest Alpha of them all.”

“But I know that it's just a giant pissing match to see whose dick is the biggest or who fucks more in bed.” She finally said breathing hard. 

Then, as if she realised who she was talking to. Her expression shifted dramatically, the bravado melting away. A blush crept up her cheeks as she lowered her gaze, her fingers nervously twisting together. "I... I apologise," she stammered, her voice barely audible. "I shouldn't have spoken so rashly."

"No, you should not have spoken so rashly," I began, my voice low and measured. "But I cannot say you are entirely wrong. Balls are, indeed, Silly."

“To you.”

I blinked, startled. “Excuse me?” I replied, my voice barely a whisper.

"Balls are Silly to you, and maybe to the other Alphas, but to the women, they are anything but–. You Alphas set the rules for your packs, and some make even sticker rules for the women. Sometimes, the only way out of a pack is to marry another Alpha. Most times, few of us are cruelly rejected by our true mate and forced to become rogues unwillingly.” Her voice, once light and teasing, had softened to a whisper, her eyes glazing over with a distant sorrow.

Now, I understood. Zara wasn't heartbroken by Weston's denial. She was shattered, her spirit fractured. It wasn't the rejection that had wounded her so deeply, but the realisation that she had been trapped in a gilded cage, forced to conform to a destiny she never chose. 

“What pack are you from?” I questioned. 

“Why bother? They’re all fucking the same. cut from the same cloth, aren’t they? Self-serving, hypocritical… Power-hungry, self-absorbed. It’s a lost cause.”

They were not all the same, but I didn't tell her any of that. 

“I’m not from around here either. I have no suggestions for you if you don't want to go back home.” I plainly told her. 

"It's all the same, isn't it? No matter where you go, it's always the same old story. But hey, thanks for the clothes. I guess I'll need them." she mutters.

“It's the Full moon tonight. Everyone was going to run in celebration after that ball. Don't you want to join them? The moon Goddess is always generous tonight” She said walking closer to the window and let the moonlight wash over her. 

“No. I have control over my wolf. I don't need to let him out on full moons. Do you need to run?” I asked. 

“I don't need to.” she spat out 

Interesting answer to the question. “Do you want to run?” 

“Not with them. I was thinking of a different way of letting off some steam instead. Tell me, are you Mated?”

Was she now trying to—? ‘Hell no.’

"Curious?" I pointed out.

“I don't even know your name or the name of your clan, Alpha…”

"You think I'm an Alpha? Interesting…Why do you think I'm an Alpha?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Weston planned this whole fancy ball. He only invited the most important Alphas. And there you were, giving orders like you own the place. This room? It must have cost a fortune. Either you've got a really generous Alpha, or you are an Alpha. You've got this powerful aura, but it feels... different. Not quite like a typical Alpha. Maybe I just don't get out enough.” she pointed out.

Fuck, she was emotional but still observant. “All you need to know right now is that I could end your life right here and now and nobody would do anything about it.” 

I wanted her to realise who she was poorly trying to flirt with. All she did was shrug and chuckle. 

"You really think that little act of power scares or impresses me?" She asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "That doesn't make you any way hot or unique. Even the lowest member of my pack could take me down without breaking a sweat, and no one would even notice or bat an eye about it.” 

Interesting. “You can call me Hero. Black haw pack.”

I

couldn't understand why I'd given her my name and lied about my status. If I'd been honest, she would have been at my feet. I could've tangled my fingers in her beautiful hair and tasted that intoxicating red lipstick all over my aching erection.

It wasn't like she wouldn't be doing that soon enough