Chapter 5 Caught Between Alphas

IRENE'S POINT OF VIEW

Someone was staring at me.

I felt it before I saw him.

The feeling crawled over my skin and settled deep in my chest, making it hard to breathe.

Slowly, I looked up.

A man sat alone in one of the stalls.

He was watching me.

Not glancing.

Not looking around.

Watching me.

His dark eyes were cold and deep.

Unmoving.

His presence alone made me uneasy.

He had to be a lycan.

His body was different from a werewolf's.

Bigger.

Broader.

More dangerous.

And I had never seen him before.

For the first time in a week, I snapped out of my daze.

My heart started racing.

I was scared.

Truly scared.

I had never felt pressure like this before.

Not from Alpha Dave.

And definitely not from Eugene.

Who was this man?

I quickly looked away.

But no matter where I looked, I could still feel his eyes on me.

It was suffocating.

I suddenly wanted to leave.

I reached into my pocket to pay for my drink.

Then froze.

I had no money.

I stared at my empty hand.

I had been so distracted when I left home that I forgot to bring anything with me.

I grimaced and glanced at the old man behind the counter.

He was busy helping another customer.

Then movement caught my eye.

My body went cold.

The lycan had stood up.

And he was walking toward me.

I couldn't stop staring.

He was huge.

Not just tall.

Massive.

When he stopped in front of me, it felt like a wall had appeared.

How could someone be this big?

No wonder werewolves feared lycans.

One of them could probably fight five wolves by himself.

I shrank into my seat when he sat across from me.

My shoulders curled inward.

Like making myself smaller would somehow protect me.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“What do you want?”

My voice shook.

“You are Irene?”

“The rumored Irene?”

His voice was deep.

Heavy.

The sound of it sent a chill down my spine.

I couldn't look him in the eyes.

I stared at his hand resting on the table instead.

Even his hands looked dangerous.

“What rumors?” I asked softly.

I wanted to leave.

I wanted to run.

But all my courage seemed to disappear in front of him.

How could someone be this overwhelming?

“The rumors about the rejected mate of this pack's future alpha.”

My heart skipped.

“What?”

My head shot up.

For a second, our eyes met.

Fear slammed into me.

I looked away immediately.

“I don't know anything about those rumors,” I mumbled.

Was he an alpha?

No.

Was he...

the Lycan Alpha?

“W-Who are you?”

Curiosity won.

I lifted my head a little.

Not enough to meet his eyes.

Only enough to stare at his chin.

Blue veins stood out on his neck.

His muscles stretched beneath his shirt.

He was so big that I wondered if a wooden stick would even break if I hit him with it.

The man didn't answer.

He just stared at me.

His expression unreadable.

Like he was trying to figure me out.

The silence stretched.

My palms grew sweaty.

My heartbeat became louder.

Then finally...

he spoke.

“Arnold.”

The name echoed inside my head.

Arnold.

Why did it sound familiar?

Then I remembered.

Alpha Dave.

Luna Lorraine.

Eugene.

The war.

Eugene had fought beside the leaders of the Five Packs against the lycans.

The lycans lost.

The war ended.

Eugene killed the Lycan Alpha.

But the peace treaty...

It had been signed by the next Lycan Alpha.

Arnold.

My blood ran cold.

He was the son of the Lycan Alpha Eugene had killed.

What did he want from me?

Revenge?

Was he here because of Eugene?

“W-What do you want from me?” I asked.

My voice trembled.

Was he going to kill me?

The door of the stall suddenly opened.

A familiar scent hit me.

My body reacted before my mind could.

I turned.

And my heart stopped.

Eugene.

I hadn't seen him in a week.

Not since our last conversation in the hallway.

Yet seeing him now...

so close...

made my heart beat wildly.

“Irene.”

He said my name.

And I hated how much I still loved hearing it.

The mate bond was strong.

Apparently...

not strong enough to keep Eugene faithful.

“I’m glad to see you here,” Eugene said softly.

Like nothing had happened.

Like he hadn't shattered my heart a week ago.

Why was he smiling at me?

Why did he look relieved?

Did he really think everything was okay between us?

I said nothing.

I stood up.

I didn't even care about paying for my drink.

I could find the old man later.

Right now...

I just wanted to get away from Eugene.

“Irene.”

He called my name again.

The longing in his voice cut deeper than I wanted to admit.

“Let's talk somewhere, okay?”

Before I could answer—

Arnold stood.

The Lycan Alpha casually took my hand and pulled me to his side.

I froze.

Standing beside him...

I felt tiny.

His body blocked my view.

His presence swallowed the room.

And somehow...

for the first time since Eugene walked in...

I could breathe.

“I will speak with her first.”

Arnold's voice was calm.

Deep.

Commanding.

“You can find another day for your business.”

My eyes widened.

He had just dismissed Eugene.

The future Alpha of Hellfire.

Like it was nothing.

And Eugene...

didn't move.

Didn't speak.

Didn't even look away.

His eyes were fixed on the hand Arnold was holding.

And for the first time since I met the Lycan Alpha...

I saw something terrifying.

Eugene looked jealous.