The Queen Of Tricks

The Alpha's Mate Part 2

She hissed in pain as I wiped her hands with the disinfectant. She watched my hands as I wrapped hers in a white bandage. I debated on asking my next question.

"What does V stand for?"

Her eyes shot to mine. She growled. "Who told you?"

"You're not answering my questions, I don't have to answer yours." I shrugged my shoulders back at her.

"It was the female with the braids, wasn't it?" She growled again.

My eyes slightly widened in shock, but I kept it hidden. Distracting myself with pulling glass out of her left hand. "Why do you think that?"

"Traitors." She hissed. With no expression on her face she sighed. "She's the only one brave enough to actually speak to you. The only one that's mobile anyways."

I let the last part slide. V was smart, observant. I wondered how much she had gathered from my pack already. "So what does the V stand for?"

She didn't answer for a long time. When I finally looked at her I saw that she was staring at me. I involuntarily shuddered at her eyes. They were light blue. The colour of the sky on a perfect summer day. She smelt like a summer breeze too. Her eyes and scent were calming. The opposite of her hot headed personality.

I knew what she was staring at. She was not getting lost in my eyes, but she was staring at the new scar that lined my jaw. The new scar she had gifted me.

A satisfied grin stretched her lips. "I forgot I dipped the ring in wolfs-bane."

Another shudder went through me. Not that I was surprised the ring had wolfs-bane. I figured it did because of the scaring. The only reason I would scar from a scratch so small was if it was poisoned.

It was the fact that she needed to put some wolfs-bane on her ring. "Why do you need wolfs-bane?"

Her grin widened even more. "So mutts like you will never forget me."

Ignoring her comment, I looked deep in her eyes. Trying to read every thought that went through her wicked brain. "I do not need a scar to remember you V."

She avoided my eye contact. Scanning the kitchen again. She frowned at me. "Well you're just lucky I don't have a scar from you almost killing me."

I coughed to clear my throat. "I am sorry about that."

"Sure you are." She mimicked me. The end of her lips slightly turning up. Quickly though they turned down again.

The more we spoke the closer we got to each other. I had finished bandaging her left hand. So distracted with finally having a conversation with her, I had not noticed I was still holding her hands. She didn't pull away.

V looked at me with sad eyes as she whispered so quietly I could barely hear her. "Why are you keeping me here?"

"Because you are my mate," I whispered back to her.

"I don't want to be trapped."

My heart nearly broke seeing the tears fill her eyes.

"You are not trapped, you never will be." My voice had gone hoarse.

"I can't stay here."

"Why?"

"Because I just can't." She pleaded.

"You are my not just my mate, but you will be my Luna. I can not just let you leave." I whispered, wiping the stray tear that escaped from her check.

"You have to Cassar." Her voice shook. "Please."

With the sun starting to cover her face with morning glow. Her face resting in my hand. The tears starting to fall from her eyes. The look of utter defeat on her sleepy face. All I wanted to do what say yes. I needed to say yes. Give her anything she wanted, but the one thing she wanted, was the last thing I could give her.

"I can't V. I'm sorry."

She leaned away from me, looking out the window at the rising sun. She shook her head. Her tears stopping.

I could only marvel at her as her eyes looked over me, burning. "Then I will have to find another way out."

"You won't," I whispered once again.

She gave me a small sad smile. "You said I wasn't trapped here."

"You aren't. You have the freedom to move about my territory and-"

"That's not good enough. I want to go home. To my home." Her voice had turned hard, determined once again. The scared defeated female gone, as if she was never here.

"You have to understand-" I had to fight myself from growling as she cut me off again.

"No, you have to understand. You will regret this Cassar Salvaterre. I do not like to be trapped." Her voice was strong, full of determination, stubborn.

"V-" She cut me off once again.

"I would like to go back to my room now." She stood up from her stool, her bandaged hands at her sides.

I sighed. She would rather go back into a room she desperately tried to escape, then speak with me. "Okay."

I stood up and walked her back to the room across the hall from her 'art'. I opened the door and she walked in. She did not protest as she entered.

She went straight for the bed and laid down. She faced away from me. Her sleepiness finally taking over.

I started to shut the door when I heard her call over her shoulder from the bed. "Vienna."

I stopped, and looked at her quizzically. "Pardon?"

"Vienna. That is what the V is for. That is my name." Every word more drowsy than the last.

"Vienna," I whispered into the morning air. If I did not know better, I thought I saw her shiver. I smiled.

As if angry that she had told me something personal she snapped. "Don't forget to lock the door."

I would pretend that didn't sting.

With a smile still on my lips at my mate's name, I closed the door as she finally let herself sleep.

I don't care if I was busy with my pack, one day she would acknowledge the bond. Even if it took one hundred years.

Once again I woke up in a room that I was not familiar with. I was expecting the twin to the one I had demolished, the one I had fallen asleep in. Instead I was in a different giant bedroom.

The walls were a light grey. The bed cover and sheets were black. Across the king sized bed was a black leather couch against the wall. On the left side of the room I saw a bathroom. On the right side of the room was a large window that opened to a balcony.

The room, it smelt like him. A mixture of earth and wood. It was a calming smell. I didn't hate it. Not that I would ever tell him that.

Without making a sound I removed the covers that were draped over me. I was still wearing the clothes I went to bed with. Little pieces of dirt covering them. I stood up and slowly walked over to the balcony.

I was on the top floor of the packhouse. Looking around the balcony I saw an easy escape below. It would just involve a couple of jumps, shimmying, and some intense rock climbing. Maybe if I was feeling it, one leap would do. But nothing I hadn't done before.

I quietly opened the glass door and stepped onto the balcony. I rested my now healed hands on the black iron railing that was overlooking the lush green forest. I waited.

"I wouldn't jump if I were you." The female voice spoke with a warning from behind the other balcony door.

I knew she was there. She was hard to miss. Her icy presence was hard not to notice.

"And why not? I've escaped from you twice now. Third time won't be much harder." I smirked.

"I'd like to see you try." She snorted and came to stand beside me.

I gave her a wicked grin. "I'm going to bet I'll be testing that theory soon enough."

"Still planning on running?" Harlen raised her brows at me.

"The Alpha still trapping me?" I countered.

"You're not trapped here. You are free to roam the territory, as long as you stay on the territory." She said the same thing the Alpha told me.

"The definition of being trapped is you are in an unpleasant situation in which you lack freedom, and you cannot escape." I pointed out. "Sounds kind of like this situation, don't you think?"

"How do you know that on the top of your head?" She asked skeptically.

I smirked. "It's not the first time I've been trapped. It won't be the first time I've escaped either."

She gave me an icy smile. "I don't know, it doesn't seem like you really want to escape considering you felt comfortable enough to sleep for three days."

This time I turned to face her, my mouth dropping to the floor. "Three days?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah. After the first day, Cassar was so nervous he moved you here so he could keep a better eye on you."

So that was why the room was covered in his scent. I gawked at her. Then anger flared in my belly.

Reading my thoughts she smirked at me. "Don't worry, he slept on the couch."

I was relieved, that would be super awkward. Not to mention a d**k move considering I didn't even know about it.

"That's good, or else I really would have to kill him."

She laughed and nodded her head. "I think I would have killed him before you even woke up."

That surprised me, I didn't think she would care that much. The icy looks she gave had me assuming she didn't even care if I was here or not.

"Thank you." I showed my gratitude.

She shrugged her shoulders, showing that it meant nothing. But I thought otherwise.

Then my stomach decided to make an appearance. I remembered I hadn't eaten since I finished off the Algoren Pack's peanut butter which was apparently three days ago. My stomach grumbled again just thinking about it.

I had been so exhausted from keeping my fox on a leash, hunger and thirst didn't even cross my mind. That was why I slept for so long, my body was trying to recover from a battle with my fox.

"We can go to the Pack kitchen and find some food." She said, glancing at my grumbling stomach.

I nodded my head. Escaping would have to wait. Harlen was right I wouldn't be able to do much with an empty stomach.

I let her lead the way. She went through the bedroom balcony and pointed under the bed. "All of your stuff from the Algoren Pack is under there."

A vicious growl ripped from my throat. I glared at the female.

Her dark brown eyes not backing down. One blink was the only thing that gave her away. That she was a little bit nervous to be here.

"I'm the only one that touched your stuff. I don't make it habit to go through other people's belongings." She shrugged her shoulders walking out of the room. "You can shower and change if you want to. I'll be out here."

She closed the door, I looked back out of the window. Before I took a step I heard Harlen call from the other room. "Don't think about running either. The house is surrounded, just for you."

I could hear the grin in her voice as my own grin stretched my lips. "Aww shucks, you guys didn't have to do all that for little old me."

"Alpha's orders." She called.

My grin winded, I was getting under that guy's skin.

I checked my bags to make sure everything was there. Nothing was missing or touched. I quickly grabbed some new clothes and headed for the shower. Ignoring how weird it was for me to be using Cassar Salvaterre's shower.

In record breaking time I jumped out of the shower changing into some new jeans and a loose white long sleeve. Something durable. Who knew how much running I would be doing today?

I walked out of the bedroom to a large apartment. On the one side of the room there was a small kitchen that had all the necessities. The other side was the balcony continued. In the middle were some matching black leather couches that faced a flat screen tv. In the corner of the room sat a desk and chair. Important papers scattered over it, something I would be checking out later.

Harlen nodded to me, walking over to the black door. "The top floor was dedicated just for the Alpha."

"I wish I was rich," I told her, looking around the room at the thousands of dollars in furniture.

She grinned at me. "Me too. Perks of being an Alpha."

I shook my head. "I've met Alphas before, they don't have this kind of money."

Harlen wondered how I knew that. Where I had been to meet these alphas. She didn't ask though.

"Perks of being one the richest Alpha then." She corrected. We walked out of the room, down to the kitchen.

"And how again, did your pack become so rich?" I asked twirling my hair between my fingers.

"Beats me, Viribus has had money ever since I got here."

"When did you get here?" I knew the answer, but I would blow my cover of just being a regular wolf if I didn't go along with the conversation.

"Ten years." She told me. The first story about the legendary Warrior Harlen circulated about nine years ago.

"What brought you here?" Everyone knew she chose to stay here, but what was it that made her stay?

She looked away, avoiding my eye contact. "I was hungry."

I knew she didn't want to talk about it, so I wasn't going to ask more. She hadn't asked deep questions about my past, I wouldn't ask deep questions about hers.

On our way to the kitchen we passed an elevator. Harlen and I opted for the stairs. I was already trapped in this blasted territory. I didn't want to be trapped in a cursed elevator too.

By the time I reached the familiar kitchen, my stomach was begging for food. I looked around the white kitchen, with counter tops marble with stainless steel appliances.

Harlen walked to the giant fridge and opened it. Bringing out some leftovers from a previous meal. Quickly we heated them up and started eating on the same stools Cassar Salvaterre fixed up my hands.

I looked at the stool remembering what had happened three days ago. The whole time we sat on those stools, I watched his expressions. Analysed every word he said. I let him think he dominated the conversation. The entire time he didn't have a clue.

I needed him to pity me. Feel bad for locking me up. I wanted him to let me go based on that pity. Clearly it was pointless.

All my planning went down the drain. For goodness sakes, I even punched the stupid mirror so he could clean the glass out.

He tried hard to hide his surprise, his annoyance, but I saw it. He wasn't the worst at hiding his emotions, but anyone who knew what they were looking for would turn his brain inside out. It made me almost nervous for him.

Of course, he didn't do everything I was expecting from him. He would unexpectedly throw out some stupid comments that made me feel all weird and uncomfortable. Those were the moments I had to change the direction of the conversation.

I even told him my full name. Surprising the both of us. I was still kicking myself for it.

"So where is this so called big bad Alpha?" I asked her nonchalantly. I didn't care, I was just curious.

"Dealing with Alpha stuff." She said with her mouth full.

"When will he be done?"

"Why do you want to know? I thought you didn't like the soul sucking Alpha vermin?" She had amusement in her eyes as she used one of the pet names I gave him when he locked me in the pink room.

I grinned. "Hate is the proper definition. And I do, don't worry. I would just like to know how much time I have to prepare myself for the crushing headache he will no doubt bring."

"Fine line between love and hate." She sang.

"Good thing I can walk a tight rope." I sang back.

She smirked and gave me an unbelieving look. It wasn't hard to hate the male who was trapping you like an animal. An uncivilised animal that is.

"Depends on when I tell him you are awake. I'm sure he will drop everything to come see you."

"Ummm, maybe give him some time."

"I thought you might say that." She grinned.

"Wouldn't he want his best warrior with him?" I questioned. Most Alphas took their best warriors with them everywhere they went. Yet Harlen was with me.

"Normally, but the Alpha wants his best warrior protecting his mate instead."

"Ah Yes. Protector, jailer. Same thing. Tomato, tomoto." I bobbed my head with each word.

She gave a deep sigh, "I'm not your jailer, Vienna. I'm just here to make sure you are safe."

"You know, it may be hard to believe, but I'm quite capable of taking care of myself." I mused.

"Oh I know that. Cassar even knows that. You proved that already, but he doesn't care." Harlen justified.

I groaned loudly. "This is ridiculous. Why can't he just let me go? I'm obviously not his mate."

"I don't know, from where I'm standing it's obvious you are."

"How? How the hell, do people think we're mates?" It wasn't possible for us to be mates.

Harlen looked at me for a long time, examining my face and body language. I stared right back at her hoping she could answer my question.

"No one ever explained to you about the mating process did they?" She wondered aloud.

I just turned away from her, looking out the giant window that faced the back yard. I saw males and females walking around, some in human form and some in wolf form. Wolves of all different sizes and colours. Some of them played, others trained, and others just stood around talking to each other. They looked peaceful.

She took my silence for a no, and continued. "What kind of pack do you come from?"

The answer was no pack, but I couldn't tell her that. Not without raising questions I did not want to answer.

"Listen the mating bond is nothing to be afraid of." She started. "It's a gift from the-"

Before she could continue and lecture me about how great and powerful the blasted mating bond was -which the bond seemed to be more of a burden to me- a group of young males walked through the glass door into the kitchen.

I gave them each a lopsided grin, inwardly thanking them for getting me out of a terrible conversation.

A few of the males shot us curious glances. A couple wouldn't even look at us, but most of them stared at me. The brave ones slowly dragged their eyes up and down my body. I raised my brows at them.

They didn't last long though. With one icy glare from Harlen they went scattering into the other direction. Only two of them stayed. One of them being the huge male that plowed me over at the football game.

Seeing his familiar warm eyes, my lopsided smile turned into a full blown smile. I jumped from my stool sauntering over to him. Seeing me, a small smile formed on his face.

"Teddy!" I cried in excitement.

"Teddy?" He questioned.

"Yeah, you remind me of a teddy bear I had when I was a kid," I told him.

"That's got to hurt the ego. Who wants to remind a hot girl of a teddy bear?" The male beside him sneered. "Real sexy."

I scrunched my face at him, then looked at Teddy with a smirk. "Actually I slept with my teddy bear every night. Cuddled with him too. He always kept me safe." I put my finger on my chin, grinning widely. "Oh, what I would do if I had him back just for one more night."

Both of the boys faces started to turn red for different reasons.

"You can call me whatever." Teddy scratched the back of his neck, laughing nervously. "I just wanted to thank you for what you did at the football game. It was really cool."

I smiled at the shy male. Looking at him closely, he looked to be around 18. That meant he had only been shifting for 2 years.

I waved off his appreciation. "Don't worry about it. It wasn't your fault you were almost eaten by an overgrown sausage."

His eyes widened at my insult to his Alpha, but he didn't comment on it. "It wasn't your fault either."

"Oh I know. The only one to blame is the overgrown sausage himself."

"He was defending his mate." Teddy tried to explain, defending his Alpha.

"Doesn't matter. It was a football game, tackling is part of the sport. I'm also not his mate." I stressed again. No one seemed to believe the last part though, Teddy smiled awkwardly, the other smaller male avoided eye contact, and Harlen rolled her eyes.

"Riiight." Harlen drawled.

Every shifter had a different look to them, a different size and shape. Some were tall, some were short, and others were average. Some fat, some skinny. All shifters were attractive, it all depended on what you were into. The sexy football star, or the steal your heart in the middle of the night bad boy? I was always into the bad boys myself.

The average wolf size is around six feet tall. Most wolves look like fit athletes. Tall and well built. The typical 10/10 on the attractiveness meter.

Foxes are small and scrawny. Our size makes it easier to sneak around. The average height for a fox is 5'5''.

And then there were shifters like the bears. Who were well over 7' tall and weight over 300 pounds. In their human form. Most of them were cuddle bunnies on the inside. Gluttons for sleep and food. I should have been born a bear.

The average size of a shifter kind didn't always matter though. That was why I was able to pretend I was a wolf. Every once in a while you would get a shifter that didn't fit the perfect description of their animal form. It didn't make them any less of a shifter. Unless you were me, who literally wasn't a wolf shifter.

With that, the small wolf and Teddy took their leave seeing Harlen's icy look cast on them again. Waving goodbye I watched them leave.

Teddy reminded me of another teddy, and a favour I promised. Later though. That would have to be later. For now I had to focus on getting out of here.

Turning around I gave Harlen an angelic smile. "Where's the Alpha exactly?"

Her eyes narrowed at me. "Why do you want to know?"

"I just want to talk to him."

"You will have to wait. He's in a meeting with some pack members right now."

With that I shot out of my seat walking out the kitchen door to the hallway. Harlen quick on my heels.

"What are you doing?" She called after me.

I didn't answer her as I followed the campfire aroma up stairs and down hallways, past closed doors, and opened rooms. His scent leading me to a large black wooden door with two male wolves standing at attention outside.

When the two wolves saw me storming to them their bodies stiffened. Their eyes following my movements.

"Move," I commanded them. The one moved out of my way instantly, the other was slower. He looked between me and Harlen, not sure what he should do. He raised his brows at Harlen silently asking her what do it. Harlen just shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm sorry ma'am, the Alpha is in an important mee-" He started, but I cut him off.

"I don't care." I glided past him opening the door.

Not bothering to examine my surroundings or the other four wolves in the room, I prowled in front of the Alphas desk. Fully interrupting the meeting. Someone behind me growled in annoyance, but I ignored them.

"Can I help you?" Cassar asked me, raising his brows at me from behind his desk. His eyes full of amusement.

"Well letting me go would be a huge help, but I doubt that's going to happen anytime soon." I drawled.

"That would be correct." He confirmed, the edges of his lips turning up. He glanced over my head at Harlen who was leaning against the open doorway, two sulking males behind her. He looked back at me. "I didn't know you were up."

We all knew the comment was directed at Harlen who had been with me the whole day. He no doubt told her that as soon as I woke up to let him know. She shrugged one shoulder at him, not apologising. "You're not the only one in charge anymore."

Cassar Salvaterre opened his mouth to respond, but I beat him to it. "Who else is?"

The room seemed to shift as I looked at Harlen. She looked at me smirking. "You are."

"You? As in me?"

"Obviously." Someone sneered from behind me.

I didn't even bother turning around as Cassar and Harlen both glared at them for me.

"No one has explained to her how the mating bond works," Harlen said, still glaring at the body behind me.

Cassar's eyes snapped to me, softening. "You don't know how it works?"

I couldn't tell him that the reason I didn't know was because no one bothered explaining a bond that did not affect me. I never needed to learn about it.

His nice brown eyes seemed to swallow me whole. "Your not ignoring our bond, you just don't understand it."

My eyes hardened at his words and I lazily spoke. "That and the fact that it doesn't exist."

"We will see about that." Cassar stood up from his chair. "You are my mate. That means we are equal. So my position becomes yours."

"That means I'm an Alpha?"

"We call it a Luna, but yes. My responsibilities become yours. You have the power to give orders, and command my pack." He explained to me. A grin spread across my lips. My eyes full of excitement, at the possibilities.

"Well in that case..." I slowly turned to Harlen smirking.

"In that case, I am not letting my future Luna run away from her pack," Harlen said. Stopping me from all of my planning.

"What happened to loyalty?" I shook my head in disappointment at her. Another voice chuckled softly from behind me.

"Of course," said the slow voice. "Your commands do not take effect until after you are fully mated to Alpha Cassar."

My face scrunched up in disgust. "Never mind. Not worth it."

Cassar's deep slow growl filled the room around us. I ignored him as I looked at the older woman who stepped up beside me. Like most of the members with titles, I knew who she was.

Nora Vita. A walking legend. The Beta in front of me, was one of the best. Known for her wisdom and grace, shifters of all kinds had dedicated their lives to learning all that she knew. She was born and raised in the Viribus Pack. She was not born with a wolf form, but she had fought for her right to be the Beta. Unlike most Alphas and Betas, she rightfully earned her position among the packs.

My first thought when I saw her was that she looked like one of the Amazons from Wonder Woman. She was tall, almost as tall as Cassar. Her old body still strong and packed with muscle. She had curly grey hair that cascaded down her back. Her features were sharp, edged, it gave her a lethal look. She was known for her green eyes, full of wisdom.

She put her hand out for me to shake. "My name is-"

"Nora Vita." I shook her hand.

"And you are Vienna." She smiled softly at me. "What was your last name?"

She looked at me deeply with the wisdom you could only gain from experience and battle. I caught myself almost wanting to tell her.

Instead, I smiled innocently at her. "I don't have one."

She gave me a soft smirk. "I guess Alpha Cassar will have to change that for you."

I gaped at the old lady.

Harlen snorted from the doorway and Cassar just smirked like a fool.

I snapped my mouth shut and turned to face the fool himself, glaring. "Anyways, back to the reason I'm here."

"Right." Cassar sat back in his chair, folding his hands in front of him.

"I'm calling in my bargain." His smirk disappeared faster than a rabbit running from a fox, his lips curving into a grumpy frown. "I want my meeting with Alpha Soren."

"You do not need to meet with Alpha-"

"I want to. We made a deal, it's your turn to hold up your end of the bargain. What kind of Alpha would you be if you went against your word." I held my head up higher. "Now."