Chapter 5 Caught Between Alphas

Irene's Point of View

Someone was watching me.

I felt it before I saw him.

When I finally looked up, I found a man sitting alone at a nearby table.

He was staring directly at me.

Not glancing.

Watching.

His dark eyes were cold and unreadable.

I had never seen him before, but everything about him felt different.

He was bigger than any werewolf I had ever seen.

A lycan.

I quickly looked away.

But I could still feel his eyes on me.

I suddenly wanted to leave.

I reached for my drink, then remembered I had no money.

I had been so distracted when I left home that I had forgotten my purse.

Before I could decide what to do, the man stood.

My stomach tightened.

He walked toward me.

With every step, the uneasy feeling inside me grew stronger.

When he stopped beside my table, his shadow covered me.

He pulled out the chair across from me and sat down.

I forced myself to meet his eyes.

“Who are you?”

My voice came out weaker than I wanted.

“And what do you want?”

He didn't answer.

Instead, he studied my face.

“You're Irene?”

I frowned.

“How do you know my name?”

“The rumors about you are everywhere.”

My stomach dropped.

“What rumors?”

“The rejected mate of Hellfire's future Alpha.”

My fingers tightened around the glass.

I lowered my eyes.

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

He watched me for another moment.

Then he finally spoke.

“Arnold.”

The name stopped me.

Arnold.

I had heard it before.

Alpha Dave had mentioned him.

So had Luna Lorraine.

The new Lycan Alpha.

My blood ran cold.

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

Why was he here?

And why was he talking to me?

I swallowed.

“What do you want from me?”

Arnold didn't answer.

He only kept looking at me.

Then the door to the stall opened.

A familiar scent reached me.

My entire body went still.

Eugene.

I turned.

He stood there, looking at me.

I hadn't seen him for a week.

Yet the moment our eyes met, the mate bond stirred inside me.

My heart betrayed me again.

“Irene.”

Hearing my name in his voice still hurt.

“I’m glad you're here.”

He smiled.

As if nothing had happened.

As if he hadn't broken my heart.

As if we were still the same people we had been a week ago.

I looked away.

“Irene,” he said again.

His voice softened.

“Can we talk?”

I stood.

“No.”

The word came out before I could stop it.

Eugene froze.

I had never spoken to him like that before.

“I don't want to talk,” I said quietly.

“I just want to leave.”

I turned.

But before I could take a step, Arnold stood.

He reached for my hand.

I froze.

Then he pulled me gently to his side.

I looked up at him in surprise.

Standing beside Arnold made me feel small.

But strangely, I no longer felt trapped.

I could breathe again.

Arnold looked at Eugene.

“I'll speak with her first.”

His voice was calm.

He didn't need to raise it.

“You can find another time for your business.”

Eugene's expression changed.

His eyes dropped to our joined hands.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then his jaw tightened.

“Irene is my mate.”

Arnold looked at him.

“And?”

Eugene's face darkened.

“You don't get to take her away from me.”

Something inside me tightened.

Take me away?

Eugene had no right to say that.

He had chosen another woman.

He had come home with Ruby.

He had gotten her pregnant.

And now he was standing here, acting as if I still belonged to him.

I slowly looked at him.

“Then why did you let me go?”

Eugene went silent.

For the first time, he had no answer.

I felt something shift inside me.

Not love.

Not forgiveness.

Something colder.

Something stronger.

I turned away from him.

“I don't want to talk to you.”

Eugene stepped forward.

“Irene—”

Arnold's hand tightened around mine.

“Didn't you hear her?”

Eugene stopped.

His eyes moved from Arnold's face to our hands.

The jealousy in his expression was impossible to miss.

The man who had come home with another woman's child...

Was jealous because another man was holding my hand.

And for the first time since Eugene returned...

I didn't feel guilty for it.

Arnold led me away from the stall.

I followed without arguing.

Only when we were far enough from the crowd did I pull my hand free.

“Thank you.”

Arnold looked at me.

“And I'm sorry for dragging you into that.”

He said nothing.

He only stared at me.

“What?”

“You used me to get away from him.”

I stiffened.

“I didn't mean to offend you.”

“You didn't.”

“Then why are you looking at me like that?”

A faint smile touched his lips.

“Because I'm wondering if you really want to leave.”

I frowned.

“What does that mean?”

Instead of answering, he turned and walked toward a quieter part of the grounds.

I followed reluctantly.

When we stopped, I crossed my arms.

“You said you wanted to talk to me.”

“I do.”

“Then talk.”

Arnold looked at me for a long moment.

“I brought you here because I want something from you.”

My heartbeat quickened.

“What?”

He stepped closer.

I instinctively stepped back.

His eyes stayed on mine.

Then he said something I never expected.

“Be my woman tonight.”

My mind went blank.

“What?”

Arnold didn't smile.

“As my partner at the party.”

I stared at him.

“You want me to pretend to be your partner?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

He held my gaze.

For the first time, the playful look disappeared from his face.

“Because I don't want a pretend partner.”

My breath caught.

“Then what do you want?”

Arnold stepped closer.

His voice dropped.

“I want you.”

I couldn't breathe.

I had met the Lycan Alpha only tonight.

Yet he was standing in front of me...

asking me to become his woman.

And the worst part?

I had no idea why he had chosen me.