Denied by Destiny: Trapped in the Shadows of the Mate Bond

Hector POV

"You want to handle him?" I open a 3 way mind-link between Ezra, Riley and myself.

"You will allow it?" Riley's seems surprised by my offer.

True it is an alpha's duty but this piece of shit attacked his sister, I would let him rip the shit to pieces of he chooses. But it won't make him feel any better, he'll just have eliminated the risk, not the memory. "She's your sister. He was meant to protect her, I think it is a fitting punishment. But I understand if you don't want to. It won't make the memory or hatred disappear...just the person."

He had already lost a lot of blood from the dagger's tip being dipped in wolfsbane. His wound wasn't healing and he'll be dead by sunset even without further punishment.

It doesn't take Riley long to give his punishment. He pulls the dagger out of the male's side and plunges it into his neck.

I probably would have just snapped his neck with my bare hands, but each to their own.

Returning back home I take a detour and check with some of the guards that have been on border patrol all day.

They were getting ready for the night time shift switch over, checking my watch, it was already 7pm. I didn't sleep last night and was now starting to feel it. I was tired and bored of Than's pi***-take in trying to goad me into a reaction.

I was pushing my wolf out, he was trying to highlight the point that we stood in between Kaia and the prisoner earlier. When he was glaring at her, too long and too menacingly for my liking. But she was handling it and I didn't doubt that it affected her. She was strong. As I keep telling my wolf, he just has a soft spot for single mothers. Nothing else....so why did I want to pull the shit's windpipe out from the way he was staring at her?

I'm tired, it's been a hectic two days. Hell, it's been a hectic...how long has Kaia been here now.

I shake my head, shaking my thoughts away as I enter the alpha house looking forward to a long hot shower when I stumble across a sight I didn't expect. Kaia sitting at the bottom of the staircase, her rucksack by her legs.

"What's going on?" I had a feeling my wish for dinner, shower and an early night were off the cards.

She doesn't answer me at first, her chin rested in her palm as she looks at me, giving me no clue in what she is thinking.

"Kaia?" I take a step closer, removing my phone from my pocket and placing it on the sideboard in the hallway.

"You traded me in for the male. I understand don't worry, I'm not mad."

The words that leave her lips aren't what I was expecting and I take a second to make sure I heard her correctly. RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

"What are you talking about?"

"Hector please, Than doesn't do anything for free. He won't have just given up a pack member for punishment...for death. He wanted me didn't he?" "Yes." I answer truthfully.

"And you agreed."

"No." Again, I answer truthfully.

"Really?"

"Kaia, I'm not lying." I laugh at how preposterous her accusation is.

I regret my reaction instantly when she stands up and grabs her bag in her hands, heading for the door.

I don't want her to leave and I have a feeling she isn't bluffing.

I grab her elbow as she walks past me, changing my tone into one of seriousness.

"Yes, he said he wanted to trade but I told him no deal. That you weren't worth the same value, I believe those were actually my exact words." "You did?"

"Of course I did."

Something odd takes over me as my hand continues to grip onto her elbow. She must have showered before preparing to leave, a slight scent of coconut and lime exudes from her, a new shower gel perhaps. Her green eyes watch me, checking for a telltale sign of a lie, of a fib. Her green eyes are winning the battle against her blue rim that circle her pupil, her wolf kept well underneath the surface.

Perhaps Than would of traded her, perhaps I still will. But today I didn't, she was worth 100 of those pricks if not more. 2

The desire to step forward and touch her lips overwhelm me, to stroke her face. To remove that annoying long strand of dark brown hair that is sitting on her collarbone.

"Hector, it's okay if you did, it would take a strong person to deny Than. I know how stubborn he can be." Then it's a good thing she was no longer with him, but now with me.

"You are mine to protect..." Her eyes flash at my comment, her cheeks turning a cute shade of pink. "As a pack member, as long as you are within

my pack...." I start to correct myself.

"..I mean as your Alpha, it is my job to protect you." I think that's what I meant.