Alpha's STOLEN Mate (by Abigail Hayes) novel Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Elowen

The sleek black sports car that awaited us screamed wealth and power-all leather and chrome, the kind of vehicle that cost more than most packs’ annual income. Kaius slid into the driver’s seat with casual confidence, clearly expecting me to play the obedient companion.

I settled into the passenger seat and fixed him with my coldest stare.

“That kiss didn’t mean anything,” I said flatly as he started the engine.

His hands stilled on the steering wheel. He turned to study my face with those penetrating gray eyes, a slow smile spreading across his

lips.

“Oh, it meant nothing? His voice carried dangerous amusement. “Funny, because I felt you wanting me. Needing me. Your body was

practically begging for more.”

Heat flooded my cheeks, but I forced my voice to remain steady. “That was just biology. The mate bond. Nothing more than a

physiological reaction.”

For the first time since he’d appeared in my conference room, Kaius looked genuinely uncomfortable. His jaw tightened as he gripped the

steering wheel harder.

“God, Elowen,” he muttered. “You can’t just attribute everything to the bond. We have something real between us-something special.

Seeing him rattled gave me a vicious surge of satisfaction. I smiled with false sweetness.

“Oh, we definitely have something special. Hatred.” My voice turned sharp as broken glass. I’ve hated you since you rejected me that first night. I hated you more when you kidnapped me. And after the second kidnapping?” I shrugged. “Well, let’s just say my feelings have only

gotten stronger.”

His face flushed with what might have been shame or anger. At least you can’t hate me any more than you already do,” he said defensively. “And you know what they say-hate is just love wearing a disguise.”

“Don’t count on it,” I snapped.

To emphasize my point, I deliberately suppressed my scent and pulled my wolf deep inside, creating the psychic barriers that would block

him from sensing my supernatural nature.

The reaction was immediate and violent.

“Elowen!” His voice cracked like a whip. “I’m warning you-don’t you dare build those walls! I won’t tolerate you hiding from me!”

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Chapter 84

I lifted my chin defiantly. “And what if I choose to do exactly that?”

A

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His hand shot out, fingers closing around my throat-not enough to hurt, but firm enough to make his point crystal clear. His gray eyes

blazed with possessive fury.

“Stop it!” he snarled. “Fucking release your barriers right now!”

I grabbed his wrist, my own anger flaring. “Let go of me! If you can’t handle being around me without feeling what I am, then pull over

and let me out!”

The car gradually slowed as Kaius pulled to the curb, but his grip on my throat didn’t loosen. Instead, he turned to face me fully, his

expression raw with desperate need.

“Sensing your wolf is my fucking right!” he growled.

I met his gaze without flinching, my voice deadly calm. “You lost that right the moment you rejected me.”

Something in my tone made his fingers slowly uncurl from my throat. For a moment, vulnerability flickered across his features-guilt, regret, something almost like heartbreak.

Seeing that crack in his armor awakened every cruel instinct I possessed. He’d put me through hell, torn my heart apart, stolen my

freedom. It was time he experienced even a fraction of that pain.

The ritual words came easily, flowing from some deep well of hurt and fury.

“I, Elowen Ravencrest, reject you-”

“NO!”

His shout filled the car’s interior like thunder. His eyes went wide with genuine shock, pupils dilating as the partial rejection hit his

nervous system like a physical blow.

For thirty seconds, neither of us moved. He stared at me as if I’d just driven a knife through his chest, his breathing harsh and uneven.

Then his expression shifted to something cold and calculating.

“Nice try,” he said with bitter laughter. “But did you really think I’d just accept you severing our bond?”

I’d known he wouldn’t allow it-the rejection needed his consent to be complete. But seeing the raw pain flash across his face had been

worth the attempt.

“At least now you know what it feels like,” I said quietly. “Being rejected by your mate.”

The guilt in his eyes deepened, and for a moment I thought he might actually apologize. Instead, he reached across me and opened the

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Chapter 84

passenger door.

2900

“You win,” he said, his voice flat and emotionless. I’m not in the mood for games tonight saymore, 1 kas pack business to handle

anyway.

The mention of his pack made me think of those artificial wolves circling our territory, but I pushed the thought away. Whateve supernatural nightmare he was involved with, I had my own problems to worry about.

“What happened to dinner and hotels and human sex toys? I taunted as 1 dimbed out of the car. Tot feeling adventurous ang

His knuckles were white against the steering wheel. Maybe another time, little woll

The engine roared to life as I slammed the door, leaving me alone on the sidewalk as taillights daggered into the evening tatic

Well, that could have gone worse.

By the time I made it back to pack territory, the sun had set completely. I found myself sitting in my office chair, staring blankly at the wall and trying to process the day’s events.

He actually let me go. That’s… unexpected.

“Well, well, Evelyn’s voice drifted from the doorway, her tone rich with amusement. “Someone looks like they had an interesting evening Romantic encounter with a certain Alpha King, perhaps?”

I shot her a withering look. “Did you have a vision about it, or are you just guessing?

“Please, the scoffed, settling into the chair across from my desk. “I don’t need psychic powers to read the signs. You interact with Kains and then spend hours looking shell-shocked. It’s practically written across your forehead.”

Before I could come up with a suitably sarcastic response, Scarlett appeared in the doorway. Her expression immediately killed any urge I

had to banter.

“We have a problem,” she said grimly.

My stomach dropped. “What kind of problem?

“Two of our younger wolves went missing today. Jake and James-they got restless, decided to go hunting outside our territory without permission.

‘Fuck,” I breathed, already knowing what she was going to say next.

I tracked them for miles before losing the trail, Scarlett continued, her warrior’s composure barely masking her anxiety. “But based on

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Chapter 84

the direction they were heading, and some partial footprints I found…” She met my eyes grimly. “They were going toward that cave.”

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My blood ran cold. Those artificial wolves had been waiting, watching, learning our patterns. And now they had two of my pack members.

This is exactly what they wanted. Bait.

“We’ll find them,” I said with more confidence than I felt. “Tomorrow morning, we mount a rescue operation.”

But even as the words left my mouth, I couldn’t shake the feeling that time was running out-and that those empty red eyes were watching from the darkness, waiting for me to make exactly the move they expected.

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Alpha’s STOLEN Mate