Chapter 9
1759 Words
Two days.
That was how long Aiden had managed to avoid Diana.
Two entire days of burying himself in pack duties, meetings, reports, patrols, disputes—anything that kept him occupied.
Anything that kept him away from her.
He hadn't introduced her to the pack.
He hadn't even announced that he'd found her.
And he couldn't explain why.
Perhaps he simply needed time to get himself together.
Or perhaps he was avoiding the one woman who had somehow managed to get under his skin without even trying.
Either way, there was a more pressing problem.
Jackson.
Aiden's jaw tightened at the thought of his half-brother.
His nose wrinkled when Vincent entered his office and reported that members of the Hunter Moon Pack had been spotted lurking around Silver Moon territory.
“Snooping around like idiots,” Vincent said. “We caught two of them.”
Aiden barely reacted.
“Where's Diana?”
The question escaped before he could stop it.
Vincent paused.
Aiden's eyes narrowed.
He hated that his Beta had noticed.
“She was asleep,” Vincent answered carefully. “I assigned two Gammas to stand outside her door. She won't run away. I promise.”
Aiden gave him a long, irritated stare.
“Right.”
Vincent shifted uncomfortably.
“You still have a job to do, you know.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“I'm beginning to think making you my Beta was a mistake.”
Vincent's face fell.
“Alpha, I—”
“Tell me about her.”
Vincent blinked.
“About Jackson?”
Aiden's stare hardened.
“Diana.”
“Ah.”
Vincent swallowed.
“I thought we were discussing the spies.”
“We are now discussing Diana.”
“Of course.”
Vincent cleared his throat.
“She is Diana.”
Aiden stared at him.
Vincent immediately realized how stupid that sounded.
“She’s stubborn,” he continued quickly. “She doesn't like you.”
Aiden scoffed.
“That much is obvious.”
“She is also kind.”
“I didn't ask for her personality assessment.”
“Right.”
Vincent nodded.
“Sorry.”
Aiden leaned back in his chair.
His fingers tapped against the armrest.
“Tell me what I don't know.”
Vincent studied him for a moment.
Then smiled faintly.
“You really can't figure her out, can you?”
Aiden's fingers stopped tapping.
“Be careful.”
Vincent immediately straightened.
“Yes, Alpha.”
Aiden looked away.
“I need to know how to tame her.”
Vincent almost choked.
“Tame?”
“She refuses to submit.”
“She is Diana.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“It is when we're talking about her.”
Aiden's jaw clenched.
“I don't want to hurt her.”
Vincent stared at him.
Aiden noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You have something to say.”
Vincent hesitated.
“You don't want to hurt her?”
Aiden's expression became colder.
“Don't misunderstand me.”
He leaned forward.
“She needs to understand her position. I won't have my Luna undermining me in front of the pack.”
Vincent nodded.
“Of course.”
“And I have no intention of sleeping with her.”
That made Vincent's eyebrows rise.
Aiden noticed that too.
“I have women for that.”
“Of course you do.”
“They're submissive.”
Vincent bit the inside of his cheek.
Diana was many things.
Submissive wasn't one of them.
“I don't think Diana will appreciate that arrangement,” he said carefully.
“She doesn't have to appreciate it.”
Aiden looked toward the window.
For some reason, the image of Diana flashed through his mind.
Those strange eyes.
That stubborn mouth.
The way she had looked at him like she wanted to tear his throat out.
His jaw tightened.
He hated that he remembered every detail.
He hated even more that he wanted to see her again.
“It's for her own good,” he muttered.
Vincent said nothing.
Aiden spun his index finger impatiently.
“Back to the spies.”
Vincent straightened.
“We caught two of them near the northern border.”
“Did you kill them?”
“Not yet.”
Aiden's eyes lifted.
“Why?”
“We thought you might want to question them.”
“Question them?”
Aiden gave a humorless laugh.
“About what?”
Vincent remained silent.
Aiden's expression darkened.
“The fact that they crossed into my territory is enough.”
His voice dropped.
“Handle it.”
Vincent swallowed.
“Yes, Alpha.”
“And Vincent?”
“Yes?”
“If you bring one more Hunter Moon wolf into my territory alive without my permission, I'll consider it a failure of leadership.”
Vincent nodded.
“Understood.”
Aiden leaned back.
The hatred inside him had nothing to do with territory.
It was personal.
Jackson had murdered Camilla.
The first woman Aiden had ever loved.
The last woman he had ever intended to love.
He could still remember her dying eyes.
For years, he'd dreamed of them.
But recently...
Those memories had begun changing.
Camilla's face wasn't always the one he saw anymore.
Sometimes it was Diana's.
Aiden immediately pushed the thought away.
He refused to entertain it.
Diana was a complication.
Nothing more.
Jackson was the enemy.
And enemies were meant to die.
His half-brother had been expelled from the pack by their mother years ago, saving him from Aiden's wrath.
That had been Elena's greatest mistake.
She had protected Jackson.
She had always protected him.
Even when he deserved punishment.
Even when he became a threat.
And now he was back.
Aiden's hands curled into fists.
This time, there would be no one to save him.
“Also, Alpha...”
Vincent's voice pulled him from his thoughts.
“What?”
“The Luna's introductory ceremony.”
Aiden sighed.
Of course.
Another problem he had been avoiding.
“When?”
“We need to announce it.”
“I know.”
“The pack is already talking.”
Aiden rubbed his temple.
“Fine.”
“Tonight?”
Aiden opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
A familiar voice came from the doorway.
“An introductory ceremony?”
Aiden's entire expression changed.
His mother.
Elena walked into the office without waiting for permission.
She wore an elegant dress and an even more elegant smile.
The kind of smile that made Aiden want to throw something.
She lowered herself onto one of his couches as though she owned the place.
“Hm.”
She leaned back.
“These couches are comfortable.”
Aiden stared at her.
“What are you doing here?”
“Oh, baby.”
Her smile widened.
“Must you always greet your mother like that?”
“You've not answered my question.”
Elena sighed dramatically.
“I know we're not on the best of terms after what happened at the church.”
Aiden's eyes hardened.
“You mean after I killed your son?”
Her smile disappeared for half a second.
Then returned.
“You killed my baby.”
“And you raised a murderer.”
Vincent lowered his gaze.
He suddenly wished he were anywhere else.
Elena crossed one leg over the other.
“Anyway.”
Her voice became smooth again.
“I heard you were planning an introductory ceremony.”
Aiden said nothing.
“For our future Luna, perhaps?”
Silence.
Elena's eyes gleamed.
“So it is true.”
Aiden's patience snapped.
“Leave.”
Her eyebrows lifted.
“I am your mother.”
“You are also an unwanted guest.”
“You don't get to speak to me like that.”
“I just did.”
Elena slowly stood.
“I am an elder of this pack.”
“And I am your Alpha.”
Aiden's voice was calm.
Dangerously calm.
“Know the difference.”
Vincent held his breath.
Elena's eyes flashed.
“You've become arrogant.”
“No.”
Aiden smiled.
“I simply stopped being afraid of you.”
That hit her.
He saw it.
The tiny flicker of hatred behind her eyes.
“You're going to regret humiliating me.”
“I doubt it.”
“You killed my son.”
“He deserved it.”
Elena's face twisted.
“Aiden!”
He stood.
“Vincent.”
Vincent's stomach dropped.
“Yes, Alpha?”
“Get her out.”
Vincent slowly approached Elena.
“Aunty...”
She glared at him.
“You will both pay for this.”
Aiden laughed.
“Perhaps you should worry about burying your dead son instead of hovering around me like a fly waiting for me to fall.”
Elena's hands curled into fists.
She wanted to shift, she wanted to rip his throat out.
But she knew better.
Aiden had defeated her once.
He would defeat her again.
So she smiled.
A cold, calculating smile.
“You're right, Aiden.”
She walked toward the door.
“You won't fall.”
She stopped.
“But everyone has a weakness.”
Her eyes flicked toward Vincent.
Then toward the door.
Then back to Aiden.
“And I intend to find yours.”
She left.
The door slammed behind her.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Aiden remained standing.
His expression was unreadable.
But Vincent knew him well enough to recognize the tension in his shoulders.
“Alpha?”
Aiden didn't answer.
His eyes had drifted toward the window.
Toward the wing of the mansion where Diana's room was located.
Vincent followed his gaze.
A slow realization dawned on him.
“Oh.”
Aiden turned sharply.
“What?”
Vincent shook his head.
“Nothing.”
Aiden narrowed his eyes.
“Say it.”
Vincent hesitated.
Then smiled.
“I think I finally understand why you haven't introduced the Luna to the pack.”
Aiden's expression darkened.
“And why is that?”
“Because you're afraid.”
The room went silent.
Aiden stared at him.
Vincent immediately regretted speaking.
Then Aiden smiled.
It wasn't a pleasant smile.
“Get out.”
Vincent didn't argue.
He left.
The moment the door closed, Aiden's smile disappeared.
Afraid?
No.
He wasn't afraid of Diana.
He was afraid of what happened when she was near him.
Afraid of the way his wolf reacted, afraid of the way he searched for her without realizing it, afraid of the fact that after years of feeling nothing...
One stubborn redhead had started making him feel everything.
And that was unacceptable. It was too dangerous.
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