Chapter 02: She didn’t care.
2159 Words
“Come on, it'll be fun.”
When those words escaped from an excited Amelia’s lips, Mia stopped what she was doing just to stare at her—and not with just any look. She made sure to show all the disdain and irritation that the subject stirred in her.
“What exactly is going to be fun?” Arms crossed in the middle of the kitchen, she scowled. She was still wearing one of Amelia’s bright pink pajamas, complete with a huge, sparkly unicorn on the front. The outfit only reminded her of one thing: why hadn’t she brought more clothes when she came to this godforsaken pack?
Not that she didn’t already know the answer. She hadn’t packed more because, even knowing she had to stay, she still couldn’t fully accept the idea of being among the Akellos—the arrogant wolves who despised her. When had they ever done her any good?
The idea was absurd. And yet, here she was, taking refuge with the very people who hated her simply for existing.
“So, Amy, what’s supposed to be fun?” She forced herself to focus on her friend and not on the ever-growing list of reasons she loathed this place—something she spent most of her time doing anyway. “Watching Tomas pick candidates like he’s browsing a catalog? Is that it?”
“He’s not doing that.” Amelia stepped closer, always so careful, like Mia was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode—an exaggeration Mia found utterly ridiculous. Seriously, she didn’t care in the slightest if Tomas chose some fake mate who’d end up causing trouble later. She didn’t care. Not one bit.
“You think he actually enjoys this?” Amelia leaned on the kitchen counter, green eyes locked on Mia’s face, scanning it for any trace of inner turmoil. “His family is forcing him to find a mate.”
“So why doesn’t he just fall in love for real instead of hiring someone?” The words came out sharper than intended, her patience already thinning—something that happened far too often when the topic was Tomas.
Across the kitchen, Amelia pressed her lips together, clearly holding back a response that might push Mia further. She’d been doing that ever since the whole disaster with the damned spy. Before that, Mia had been respected—the rebel alpha’s half-sister. But after? She became the foolish girl who’d nearly handed her own brother over to the enemy spy she’d fallen for.
And where there had once been respect, there was now only caution, pity, and distrust. Even Amelia—her best friend—hadn’t escaped that shift, at least not in how she treated Mia.
Lately, Amelia weighed every word, filtered everything, took precautions with every sentence. And Mia, though she knew it came from love and concern, felt a burning urge to tell her to stop treating her like she was made of glass.
Mia hated seeming weak. And more than anything, she hated being treated like someone who needed pity.
“He doesn’t want to hurt his future mate.” Amelia’s voice was soft, laced with that frustrating caution. “That’s why he’s handling everything through a contract—it benefits both sides, since he has no intention of fulfilling the bond the way he’s supposed to.”
“Of course not.” Mia rolled her eyes and turned toward the coffee maker. “Just wait until he picks a supermodel to fill the spot. Then we’ll see if he suddenly decides to play the perfect mate.” She muttered the words while pouring herself a strong cup of coffee, wondering how much caffeine it would take to survive another day in that place—and another conversation about Tomas.
For a few seconds, blessed silence settled over the kitchen. But Mia knew Amelia wouldn’t let it last. She never did. Amelia never dropped something once it caught her interest, and unfortunately, Mia and Tomas’s history fascinated her far too much.
“Are you avoiding the interview because you’re jealous or something?” The tease came out of nowhere.
Mia slowly turned from the coffee maker, pretending the suggestion didn’t irritate her even more.
“Hell will freeze over before I feel jealous of Tomas.” Her voice was steady and calm—despite how utterly stupid she found all of this. “I don’t care if he hires a supermodel or some random girl. As long as he doesn’t do anything reckless—which, let’s be honest, he has a massive tendency to do—and as long as he doesn’t screw up the recent alliance he managed to secure for the rebels...” She shrugged. “I’m sure he’ll do just fine.”
“Okay.” Amelia tapped her fingers on the counter, thoughtful. “Then I’ll call him, tell him I’m not going, and we can watch a movie or something.”
“Why aren’t you going?” Mia frowned, momentarily forgetting the cup in her hands.
She didn’t like Tomas, but she knew better than to trust him to make smart decisions on his own. And now Amelia was about to leave him to handle everything by himself—just because she was still stuck in overprotective babysitter mode.
Mia sighed, understanding that her friend’s concern—this constant need to hover—was her way of showing love. But still...
“You can leave me here. I really don’t need a babysitter. I think I’m grown-up enough.” She offered a playful tone, though it did nothing to shake Amelia’s resolve.
“I’m not leaving you alone. I’m the one who convinced you to come here, so I’m staying with you.” Amelia shrugged.
Mia almost corrected her—almost told her that she hadn’t come just because Amelia had asked. The truth was, she’d mostly come to escape her problems in the rebel pack.
But she couldn’t say that. If she did, she’d only give her super-nanny more fuel.
“I already left you alone for most of yesterday.” Amelia held Mia’s gaze. “We can stay in today.” She glanced down at her fingers drumming on the countertop, then bit her lip. “I just hope Tomas doesn’t mess this up, interviewing all those women by himself. You know how he is—too nice. I worry he’ll pick a con artist or something.”
“He’ll figure it out.” Mia’s mutter didn’t exactly radiate confidence.
God, Tomas handling a room full of women probably only interested in his money or power—was there really any chance this would end well?
“Yeah, he will.” Amelia’s eyes drifted around the kitchen. “So, what are we doing today?”
Mia didn’t answer. She clutched her mug a little too tightly, her thoughts far from the kitchen—on Tomas, the candidates, how absolutely terrible he was at spotting red flags... and how much she hated that she still cared enough to bother about it.
“You really should go to that interview with Tomas.” The words left her before she even realized she was thinking them, still staring into her coffee.
“No, he’ll be fine.” Amelia’s reply came a little too fast.
Mia shook her head. “He’s not exactly great at reading people.”
She looked over at her friend, hoping—really hoping—that Amelia would take the hint. Amelia wasn’t the most skeptical person in the world, but she was still better than leaving Tomas alone with that circus.
“If you were there, you’d see through their fake smiles and sweet talk.”
“Well, he’ll have to manage on his own. Today, I’m staying with you.” Amelia’s voice was laced with exaggerated sorrow.
Mia narrowed her eyes. “You know exactly what you’re doing, don’t you?”
“What? Choosing to spend the day with my best friend?” Amelia placed a hand over her heart in theatrical innocence.
Mia rolled her eyes. “I hate you,” she grumbled, setting her mug down with a loud clink, fully aware she’d just lost.
A smug smile finally escaped Amelia. “And I love you,” she sang. “Why don’t you go get ready while I make us breakfast? Tomas will be here in half an hour.”
“Amelia…”
“I’m not going without you.” She was already moving toward the stove. “And you really don’t want Tomas handling the interviews alone, do you?”
Mia’s only response was a dramatic string of incoherent grumbles as she stomped out of the kitchen like a sulking child—fully aware that, one way or another, she was going to those damned interviews.
God, maybe this pack really did have some kind of special talent for making her do things she swore she wouldn’t.
***
“What exactly did you write in the ad to attract so many women?” Amelia asked the moment they stepped into the meeting room inside one of the companies Tomas managed.
To his credit, Tomas barely reacted to the surprise guest at his side. Mia, actually showing up and ready to participate? That wasn’t something you saw every day. He knew it would take delicate maneuvering to keep her from storming out halfway through. Not that it stopped him from teasing her relentlessly on the way there.
Irritating her had become something of a sport—a finely honed skill he’d spent years mastering.
“A personal assistant position,” Tomas replied with a shrug. “I may have emphasized the absurd salary and made sure to mention exactly who they’d be working for.”
“Right, because who could possibly resist the almighty Tomas Akello?” Mia muttered, rolling her eyes as she dropped into one of the chairs surrounding the sleek glass table in the center of the spacious room.
Tomas took the seat directly across from her, flashing the most arrogant smile he could muster. “Unfortunately, there’s still one very specific someone who manages to resist me in every possible way.” He winked at her.
His light brown eyes—those same eyes that had once been Mia’s teenage kryptonite—sparkled with amusement. A smirk tugged at his lips, only growing when she muttered a curse under her breath.
Mia narrowed her gaze, ready to fire back something sharp, but Tomas straightened his cuffs and shifted back into business mode before she had the chance.
“Well, shall we get down to business?” He focused on the folder in front of him. The smooth transition into his CEO persona would’ve been impressive if it didn’t annoy her so much. “I printed out the candidate profiles. Since I didn’t know Mia would be joining us, I only brought copies for myself and you, Amy. But I’m sure you won’t mind sitting close to her to share.”
“I don’t need to see anything. I didn’t even want to be—”
“Of course, I can do that,” Amelia cut in quickly, stopping Mia’s complaint before it could gain traction. “So, how’s this going to work?”
“Individual interviews,” Tomas said, swiveling to face the door. “I ranked the candidates from most to least promising, hoping that’ll yield better results than last time.” He sighed. “I ask everyone a set of standard questions. Those who pass this round go on to the next.”
“How many have passed so far?” Mia turned her chair toward the entrance.
“Two.”
“And how many have you interviewed?” Amelia asked, pulling her chair next to Mia’s and grabbing the profiles and a pen.
“Twenty-seven.”
“Wow, looks like you’re finally getting selective.” Mia’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “So your criteria isn’t just anyone in a skirt anymore?”
“You know that was never my criteria.” His voice snapped sharper than expected, his gaze locking with hers.
And there it was—that unbearable tension. That damn magnetic pull that made her want to curse the universe for pairing them up in this cosmic disaster of a bond.
“Can we bring in the first candidate?” Amelia’s voice sliced through the moment like a breeze cracking a window.
Mia sat straighter, eyes fixed on the door. She just had to get through this ridiculous morning of interviews. No opinions. No involvement. No caring.
Because at the end of the day, it didn’t matter who Tomas picked to stand by his side for the rest of his life.
As long as he didn’t blow the alliance with the Akellos and ruin everything the rebels had worked for—
Well, then everything would be just fine.
That was all that mattered.
- Writer
