My Ex Mate Betrayed Me, Now The Enemy Alpha Wants Me

Chapter Six:THERON

Sloane.

For a moment, I think I must have heard him wrong.

“Rhys, grant them sanctuary. Give them the gold they asked for.”

I stare at him.The Alpha of the Lockwood pack. The man whose territory is feared across all of Lunaria.

This is the isolated pack that has shed an unimaginable amount of blood to ensure its dark secrets never leave its borders.

And he just agreed to protect us.

I thought I would have to convince him a little more. It is almost disappointing. He would have made the perfect recipient for the quiet rage burning inside me.

My eyes narrow slightly. There has to be a catch. There is always a catch.

Tristan turns toward me, lowering his large frame slightly until his teal eyes meet mine one last time before he straightens.

They are the strangest eyes I have ever seen. It is a type of teal I probably will never see again—like a light green forest swallowed entirely by an ocean, the two colors slowly bleeding into each other until I cannot tell where one ends and the other begins.

They are captivating. Cold. Unsettling. And far too expressive for a man who seems determined to keep every other part of himself completely unreadable.

He is tall. Taller than Rhys, which is saying something, but it is not just his height that makes him so intimidating.

He is built like someone designed him specifically for war. Broad shoulders stretch the white fabric of the shirt across his chest. Thick arms flex as his long fingers work the lock on my silver restraints.

And then, there is the scar.

A thin, pale mark cuts clean across the corner of his right lip. I noticed it earlier, but now that he is this close, I find myself wondering how he got it.

Which is completely ridiculous.I do not care how he got his scar.

I do not care about his eyes or his height. And I certainly do not care about the fact that he somehow manages to look more intimidating standing completely still than most Alphas do while actively threatening someone.

He is my enemy. Or at least, he should be.

“Why are you staring at me?”

His low voice catches me completely off guard.

I blink, clearing my throat. “I wasn't.”

One corner of his scarred lip lifts into a smirk. “You were.”

“You're very confident.”

“I've been told.”

“By yourself?” I retort almost immediately.

Rhys makes a sudden, strangled sound beside us.Tristan's dark gaze immediately flicks toward his Beta.

“Was that a laugh, Rhys?”

“No.”

“It sounded like one.”

“I'd never laugh at my Alpha.” Lena snorts loudly from the corner.

“Coward.”

She stands up, deliberately letting her chains clank against the stone floor. Rhys gives her a flat, murderous stare before turning to look at Tristan, as though silently asking for permission to throw my sister out of the nearest window.

Tristan only shakes his head. He stands fully upright after freeing me from my restraints.

“Take them to the east wing.”

Rhys nods and gestures toward the heavy doors.

I rise from my seat, rubbing my raw wrists where the silver cuffs had bitten deep into my skin. Lena follows me, but before we can take another step, Tristan speaks again.

“Nice meeting you, Theron.”

I freeze in my tracks. The name sounds incredibly strange coming from his mouth.

I turn slowly to face him. His expression is entirely unreadable, but his sharp eyes are locked onto mine.

“My name is Ryker,” I remind him, my voice tight.

“I know.”

“Then why did you call me Theron?”

“Because that's the name the rest of Lunaria knows.”

“And I just told you it isn't mine.”

His gaze darkens instantly. For a fraction of a second, I think I catch something dangerously possessive flashing across his eyes.

“I'll call you whatever I want.”

I scowl at him, completely thrown off by his absolute audacity.

But Lena grabs my hand, pulling me along with her before I can even register why my wolf suddenly tries to howl at the dominant way he said it.

“Enough flirting,” she whispers directly into my ear.

I reach out to smack the back of her head, but her razor-sharp instincts kick in, she dodges my hand with a quick giggle.

The moment we step outside, all the chaotic emotions and thoughts I have vanish immediately. They are completely replaced by unadulterated awe.

I stop without meaning to, looking around in a trance.

The Lockwood estate is absolutely nothing like I imagined.

The main building rises behind us in jagged dark stone and towering windows. But beyond it stretches an enormous courtyard surrounded by ancient, towering trees.Their branches twist high above the massive stone walls, thick enough to block out most of the sky. Thin strands of ivy crawl over the outer walls as though nature itself is slowly claiming parts of the estate.

A wide stone path cuts through the grounds, leading toward what looks like the heart of the pack territory. Beyond it, the land opens up into a breathtaking valley.

Mountains rise in the distance, their sharp peaks disappearing into a thick layer of pale mist. Dense, dark green forests stretch between them beneath the afternoon light, while a narrow river winds through the valley like a silver ribbon.

I have heard stories about Lockwood territory. Everyone has.

They call it cursed. Mysterious. Dangerous. Unwelcoming.

But absolutely nothing about what I am seeing matches the horrific bedtime stories I've heard. Looking at it now, I cannot understand why anyone would ever want to leave this place.

The air is entirely different here, too. Cleaner. Colder.

It carries the heavy scent of pine and wet earth, mixed with something deeply wild and powerful that I cannot quite identify.

For a moment, I simply stand there. Even Lena is dead silent, and that is saying something.

“This place is beautiful,” she finally whispers.

I nod without glancing at her, completely unable to take my eyes off the scenery.

“You can pick your jaws off the floor now,” Rhys’s corny remark breaks our trance. I cannot help but roll my eyes at him.

Lena sneers at him defensively. “We were just trying to look impressed so you don't go off crying later. Whitmore is way better. Hell, I'm sure Banecrest is better too.”

A complete lie.

She looks at me, trying to get me to back her up. I chip in smoothly.

“For sure. The trees here look quite dead to me, actually. You should water them more,” I pass him a highly judgmental look while Lena gives him a triumphant smile.

Rhys narrows his grey eyes at the both of us. “Why do we need you two again?”

“To prevent this sorry pack from impending doom,” Lena replies easily.

I cannot help but laugh a little. Slowly, we start moving past the courtyard, and that is when I notice the people.

Warriors. Dozens of them.They are scattered across the training grounds. Some are sparring in pairs, others are carrying heavy weapons toward the armory, while several are returning from what looks like a brutal border patrol.

They are dressed almost entirely in a deep, uniform shade of blue. Every single warrior seems to know exactly where they are supposed to be.

It is absolutely nothing like Banecrest. Banecrest is loud, proud, and always chaotic. It is never this controlled.

I take another step forward, my gaze moving across the training grounds. Lena's arm is wrapped securely around mine as she drops sarcastic comments on almost everything she sets her eye

s on.

I am about to suggest we sneak out later tonight to steal some of their food without their useless guards noticing.

Then, my gaze stops on someone across the field.

I stop moving entirely. My breath hitches violently in my throat.

I know him.

And he should be dead.