Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate by A E Randell
Chapter 167 Don’t You Want Me to Go with You?
Greyson looked down at the woman grabbing his arm with mild confusion as he tried to figure out what exactly it was that he had inadvertently walked into.
He really didn’t want to get caught up in any lover’s quarrels but he had been intrigued by Lexi from the moment he had first laid eyes on her.
She wasn’t a wolf, that much was certain, but he couldn’t place her scent. It was exhilarating, alluring, and called to him, yet he couldn’t identify exactly what it was about her that intrigued him so much.
He begrudgingly tore his eyes from her and glanced across at the pissed-off-looking man that she had identified as Allen, who was shooting daggers toward the both of them. He instantly felt his wolf respond and could barely contain the growl that threatened to erupt from his chest.
The unspoken challenge in Allen’s glare was obvious, but Greyson refused to respond with violence in front of his Queen and her consort.
Instead, he turned his attention back to Lexi, the warmth of her body pressed against his side stirring something inside of him that he had thought he had long since buried when he entered the service of the Elite Guard.
“I’m not sure why he would say that, but whatever reason he holds, I can tell you with certainty that he is wrong on many levels.” He said softly as surprise flashed in Lexi’s eyes for the briefest of moments before it disappeared again.
“You’re overstepping Commander..” Allen warned lowly as Greyson lifted his gaze once more and returned his glare confidently. “Am I? I answered her concerns honestly. That is not overstepping. If anything, I believe that it is you who is overstepping. What gives you the right, or the qualifications to comment on my character, or my future actions when you don’t know the first thing about me?” Greyson replied curtly through clenched teeth.
The very presence of this man was beginning to irritate him and the audacity he had shown only incensed him further.
“You don’t know her anywhere near as well as I do, Commander.” Allen hissed, “She isn’t who you think she is…”
“That’s the issue though. I don’t know who she is, but just because she is unfamiliar to me, does not mean that I wouldn’t want to get to know her.”
“Trust me, she isn’t someone that you want to get entangled with,” Allen growled.
“You don’t know the first thing about me or what I want.” Greyson shot back, raising his voice as Lexi looked between the two her face now a mixture of confusion and concern.
Truthfully, she hadn’t expected this reaction from either of them. It was supposed to just be a bit of fun and to put Allen in his place a little bit. She hadn’t intended for it to escalate in this way.
“Why are you so interested in whether or not I get to know her, hmm? Are you mated?” Greyson asked, frowning suddenly.
Although Allen was behaving arrogantly, perhaps there was a reasonable explanation behind it. Dominant wolves were incredibly possessive over their mates and if this was the case then he would respectfully withdraw, but there were no mating marks on either of them that he could see, so perhaps this was a case of rejection and jealousy.
When both Lexi and Allen scoffed loudly at the mere possibility that they might be mated, it put any doubts that he had to rest. “I hope to the Goddess that I am not paired with her kind for the rest of my life.” Allen sneered suddenly with such venom, that Greyson had to stop himself from wincing at the severity of it.
He felt Lexi stiffen against his arm as she straightened herself up and glared at him confidently.
“You know, it would serve you right if she did.” Lexi spat. “There have been countless matches over the years that the Goddess has made, and the males have questioned her wisdom, but what none of you can see is that she does it to teach a valuable lesson. Your so-called fated mates offer everything that you and your wolf are lacking, you disgusting little fleabag.”
“There’s nothing that you can offer that I’m lacking in any way, shape, or form. Logically, there is no reason why you would be paired with me!” Allen spat back just as viciously.
As Greyson growled in warning, Ann stepped forward and Adam followed closely behind her.
“That’s enough, all of you.”
Ann spoke softly, yet sternly, and at her words, all three of them fell silent.
“This needs to stop. All of you. Allen, you will accept that Lexi is part of our family or I will exile you myself. Am I clear?”
“Yes, my Queen,” Allen answered begrudgingly through gritted teeth as Lexi sniggered loudly and Ann turned to face her.
“Lexi, please, I love you, but for the love of god, please stop provoking and poking members of our family, do you understand?”
Lexi looked up at her through her lashes and pouted sullenly before nodding her head curtly.
Ann sighed and threw a tired glance at Greyson.
“Commander Greyson, you are more than welcome to get to know our Lexi but I will warn you now, she can be a handful at times. As long as you are prepared for that, then be my guest. She is my childhood best friend and has been taken on as an advisor in her specialist area, to which I shall let her explain to you.”
Greyson nodded as he listened and Ann continued.
“If you would like to take the tour and find somewhere to get to know one another better then I can lend you a personal escort for the afternoon.” She said to Greyson before turning to face Adam.
“I’m going to retire to my room for now and digest a little of what we’ve learned today, finish what you need to with Allen and I’ll see you later.” She said softly as she stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on his cheek.
“Ann, wait!” Adam called after her as she paused and turned to face him. “Don’t you want me to go with you?”
Ann smiled softly as she looked between him and Allen.
“Spend the time that you need to with Allen and make sure everything is settled that needs to be, okay? I’m tired of the baiting and fighting, and I want to think with a clear head. I can’t do that with Allen and Lexi at each other’s throats.”
Both Allen and Lexi at least had the good graces to hang their heads in shame as she spoke and without another word, she turned and gestured to the royal guard, who immediately fell in line behind her as she left the four of them in the middle of the corridor.
Sometimes, things were much simpler to deal with if you could just walk away from them.
It was a shame that dealing with Narcissa and her coven wouldn’t be quite as simple as that.