MATED TO THE CRUEL DEVIL

SHE'S INTRIGUING

Jax’s Pov.

No man, woman, or lady had ever spoken to me the way brown hair or Amelia spoke to me in their entire life. And the ones who have tried something like that were either rotting underground or were already devoured after their bones had been snapped.

But there was something about her that made me want to listen to her even though I had no strength in me and something that made the corners of my lips tweak up as her eyes stared at me in confusion and a bit of fear.

“Relax, everyone, I’m sure she’s just joking. Don’t scare your Luna away with those eyes,” I replied sarcastically, adding more layers of shock to the guard’s and maid’s faces.

I was not the one for jokes, pantries, or smiles. I was the demon Alpha, the cruel one whose name added fear and ruins instead of worship and lullabies, and even saying something like a joke amazed me too.

“I’ll bring you to three deals brown hair if you want us to live in harmony in this house.” I raised a finger at her as she opened her mouth to talk, instantly silencing her. “First of all, you should fear me and take my threats seriously. I don’t care if you’re my bride or you’re just a lady. If you disrespect me, I’ll burn everything you hold dear to the ground. You, inclusive.”

My eyes darkened, clenching my jaw as I smelled the fear in her. I was not supposed to be scaring her, but a part of me wanted to let her know that even though I had stood up for her, I could still destroy her at any moment.

“Secondly, you listen to me. You do as I say. Follow my order. Is that understood?” I continued to speak. “And thirdly, there’s nothing that will happen between us. You may be my bride but do not try to seek your s****l fantasies from me or anyone. I do not care how you satisfy yourself, but if I ever find any other man touching you, you’ll have someone’s blood on you, and I’m sure your heart is too fragile to take that, isn’t it?”

“Don’t worry, cruel alpha, I have no interest in touching you either. Or having someone’s blood on me.”

“You should mind the way you speak to the alpha, or else -” Someone began to speak, but I interrupted them.

“You should mind the way you speak to her if you do not want your tongue removed. Everyone dismissed.”

I hated weaklings, and I hated women, but there was something about her that seemed enticing, interesting, and intriguing.

She was far prettier than I had assumed, and it killed me more to even admit that. And the cruelty and mockery in her was something that couldn’t be missed. On the outside, she looked like a girl who would listen to your every word, but deep in her, she was just a fire waiting to be touched.

“Have you not ever heard of me, brown hair?”

She was scared but not as frightened as I needed her to be.

“Nope. But with how your maids react, I’m thinking hearing about you would not be a good thing.” She replied quickly. “Now listen, husband, I don’t care if you have three hundred thousand rules for me to adhere to. Nope, I do not care. What I want you to know is that deep inside your harsh and cold stone face, there’s a soft thing there, waiting to be taken care of and pampered. How about we make my own deal?”

The corners of my lips tweaked with a small smile. What a fragile thing dancing at the edge and tip of fire. I leaned slowly back into my chair, signaling her to continue.

“So, how about you and I become friends?” She started her sentence with the impossible. “You seem like someone who has scared the whole of this mansion off, is all alone, and might need a friend. I am someone who everyone has always been scared of, so I think we match more. You clearly don’t need me as a bride. I think that’s all a lie. So instead of that, let’s become friends, and since you helped me get out of my shitty pack, I help you get out –”

“– Get out of what?” I interrupted, my brows raised in amusement.

Everything about her was pretty, including how she struggled to find the word to use, covering up that fear of hers and acting like she could talk back at me, and how those brown orbs were staring at everywhere but my face.

“Are we liking her?” My wolf mindlinked me.

“Not one inch, you stupid thing,” I growled, snapping the thoughts away from my head.

Every thought of fantasizing about her left my head, with irritation and disgust coursing through me immediately.

“You should go to bed now, Amelia. Tomorrow is a big day for me, and I don’t want you ruining it because of lack of sleep.”

“Falia!” I called out immediately after I finished my sentence, not giving her a chance to say anything.

The head maid rushed in instantly and bowed to me, reeking with fear.

“Take her to her room. Make sure she sleeps early.” I commanded her while Amelia tried to change my mind.

“But, but we’re –”

“– Amelia, I have no interest in having a friend, not to talk of you being that friend.”

“But if you look at it –” she continued, but I didn’t let her finish again.

“– Don’t I scare you at all?” I growled, “Did your parents not warn you about me?”

“Listen,” she stood her ground, tackling the maid away from herself, “It’s obvious you need a friend. Why are you being a shithead and pushing everyone away?”

“And you’ve known that since when?”

She scoffed, eyeing me disdainfully, “Even a blind wolf can smell your loneliness, great alpha. You have a great night too.”

My eyes followed her as she disappeared from the room, the dress the maid had put her in hanging onto every curve of her body.

“Would you like me to tell the maid to warn her? Or deal with her personally?”

I squinted at the closed door; my body giddy at her words. f**k. I loved that she riled me up so much. I loved that she talked back at me and did things no one had ever dared to do, even after being warned.

After downing the last bit of the wine in the cup, I stood up from the chair and slammed the cup on the table before chuckling to myself.

“For the first time in my 1000 years, something in this damned generation is finally worth it.”