The Mate That Wasn't Mine novel Chapter 111

Chapter 111

Chapter 111

MAXIM POV

I’ve said for a long time now that I am a lousy judge of character. Even so, I didn’t expect Alpha Remy to fall. Goddess, one week where I’m proven to not

be a fool would be a rare delight.

Perhaps it was karma, warning me for leaving Tess in bed. My gorgeous, silly, possibly still drunk personal goddess of fiery bliss.

Inhaling her orange scent, I basked in her soft, tipsy little smiles. With her guard down, her hands to lingered on my collar, stood a little closer, not caring who was looking. When I placed my nose into her neck felt her quiver against me.

When she smiles, those serious chocolate eyes of hers illuminate. I forget my scarred face and the questioning looks my black–shirted status gets me.

When I get back I’ll have to let her know that after she blindfolded me it was pure carnage. But not the good kind. Leaving me naked, hard as fuck and ready for whatever she desired, my little Pagano fell asleep.

I think she was planning to crawl along the bed towards me, destroy me, one kiss or breathy gasp at a time. Only she just stayed curled up.

I won’t tell her how long I lay there waiting, cock aching, leaking pre–cum, whispering to her how much I loved her and really fucking loved her toying

with me.

Only for her to hear none of it.

Destroying me without a single touch, because now I really want to know just what she had in mind.

Maybe I will tell her what happened. Striding through the undergrowth with Remy my imagination conjures just how her pretty cheeks might flush.

Damnit. We should just turn around. Screw this stupid idea.

“Maxim, which way now?” Remy interrupts, huffing his way in front of me, even though he doesn’t know where we are going. Typical Alpha mentality.

I don’t know what I expected when I invited him with me. “Keep going, through the treeline.”

“Where are we going?”

“It’s something I thought you might want to see. Part of your pack. People you might want to get to know. A bit different but good people I promise.”

Remy had simply shrugged his huge shoulders, pushing branches and ferns out of his way as we trekked through the undergrowth. “But why? And why just us, not even Marshall?”

I just roll my eyes and keep walking. “You’re under no obligation to come with me. I won’t be offended. You can head back. I know it’s a bit of an awkward walk through these woods.”

“No, no I didn’t say that. I’m just curious.”

I notice he’s wearing his white armour for the first time since his father died. Which seemed a bit unnecessary considering it is just the two my throat I try to learn a bit more about our Alpha.

“Do you ever leave Ravenbow?”

“No. Not really. Shadowed troops once or twice but didn’t see much.”

It’s a shame really. People would like to see you.”

Clearing

I don’t tell him but there is a vague childhood memory surfacing of my shitty little industrial backwater losing their mind because the Warden’s were coming for people’s assessments. Imagine how they would have acted had an actual prince of Alpha himself appeared before everyone?

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27 Tue 24 Jun.

Chapter 111

“I’m not a fucking recluse Maxim.” he grumbles. “I’m very aware of what goes on. I know our history. I read every report that comes through

“I know that.”

“Then what is this about?”

“Just…when your father threw people from the Cliff, or sent them to exile, he considered the job done. That they were extinguished. Well, they re ants There are exiles of every kind, not all of them are rebels and not all of them want culling like rats.”

Alpha Remy pulls up, his huge hand resting on a branch above his head. I catch up to him, his rapidly icing gaze watching every step I make. “Since when were you on the rebels‘ side?”

“Not rebels. I’m talking about Exiles.” I correct him before quickly tramping past him. He doesn’t have a clue where he is and we’re barely half an hour from his bedroom. “I’m just saying, an exile helped me. Even though I worked for the very system that hurt them in the first place. Anyway, we’re five minutes away now.”

“I’m trusting you on this one,” Remy grumbles but I hear his footsteps continue behind me.

The little house comes into view. The red lantern remains hanging, but unlit, giving me sensation of sincere relief. There is no sign of the wicker basket! left my possessions in, including my favourite leather jacket.

Maybe my little speech to Remy was utter bollocks and I’ve been robbed after all.”

“Hang on…is this a-” Remy asks, approaching the fenced paddock, whilst I am already knocking on the front door.

“It’s Maxim!” I shout, knocking. “It’s Maxim! It’s safe,” I repeat.

The door opens with a flourish and I’m knocked to the floor by an over enthusiastic Daff whose arms are swiftly wrapped around my neck, her honey blonde plait hitting me in the eye. “You’re alive!” she cries. “Oh Goddess I’m so pleased!”

“You’re alive too! I left you both in such a state,” I joke back. “And look at you now!”

Heaving myself back up to standing she gives me a broad smile. “First thing I did with the gold, you gave us” she beams, agling her face upwards for me to see. Her lips are a rosy coral shade, her teeth pearly white and pretty.

“They’re amazing. You cannot tell at all. Flawless.”

I am not lying. So many of her teeth were ruined or missing before. She reminded me of a gnarled peasant from the history books. Now she had a real, treasurable smile. Dimples in her cheeks and a bounce about her had no idea ever existed.

“Oh Mrs Braithes would only let me see the best! We travelled for at least three days once she regained her senses.”

“Is she all well? Healed? She took such a bad fall?”

“I am! You look worse than me,” announced a croaking, formidable voice. The starched, vile, old skirts that I left her soaking in two weeks ago were long gone. Both women wore new dresses, burnt orange for Daff, a deep mulberry hue for her older matron.

Not pretentiously fashionable, for by the looks of it they had chickens and goats to tend to. Sticking her hand out the matriarch mutters, “Did you kill him? The man who was here?”

“My mate did. You saw the mountain erupting two weeks ago? That was the end of him.”

Her eyes narrow, smile briefly faltering to firmly nod and hiss, “Good riddance.”

I realise Daff’s smile has vanished, stepping behind Mrs Braithes. Shit, I forgot the giant beast of a man behind me. The man in white armour, arms folded like a conquering enemy.

“Apologies. Let me introduce you both,” gesturing behind me with a wave. But I am interrupted with a cold, condescending. “I am Alpha Remy.”

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Chapter 111

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When both women drop on bended knees, I feel a twist in my guts. He doesn’t even ask their names. I haven’t fetched Pemy here for them to keel over I’m trying to make him realise he needs to think bigger. Stop assuming the wrecked tunnels are the answer to everything bad.

Yet my Alpha is not absorbing that lesson. In fact he’s looking at them like absolute shit.

“Ah, Alpha, I would like to let you know why we’ve come here. Briggs, actually held these two women captive for over a week. Brutally so. They told me everything he said, that day when I mind linked you in the tunnels, I was coming from here. They were also kind enough to keep Tess safe for a while too. They’ve been truly loyal. And-”

“And you gave them gold? What gold?”

Woah, what’s going on here?/I link him.

/I want to know why you’ve taken me to a damn whorehouse. What the fuck are you thinking?/

I snap back./That you’d realise not every exile is for hunting down and killing!/

The Alpha is glaring with rage, but he isn’t looking at me. His eyes are fixed on poor Daff, who stands fiddling with the end of her sleeve, confidence melting by the second.

/Then you’ve fucked up. This is an absolute outrage. When it gets reported you took me this gutter? The worst kind of women? What will everyone say!/

It’s painful to see the slender Daff’s face quickly turn as wan and sad as the first time I met her. Her hand fiddle with her russet coloured gown, the thick honey–coloured plait hanging down her back. She knows when she’s being judged, even over a silent mindlink.

“You know what, I think I’ll just grab my things?”