43

Word Count: 2149

~Dove

Matthias leads me inside his home, guiding me every step of the way.

My pulse beats wildly in my throat as the chatter from the gathering disappears from behind us. Being alone with Matthias, away from watchful eyes is a more terrifying concept than I thought it would be.

He leads me from the main foyer and down a dim hallway. I admire the paintings on the wall, depicting ancestors with furrowed brows and sullen expressions.

The paint smells fresh. Everything is new after Varian destroyed Matthias' original home.

"You got a beautiful house built so quickly," I muse conversationally, staring at him from the corner of my eye.

"There is nothing more I love then a luxurious place to live." The hallway curves around and emerges into a formal sitting room. A door opens up to the outside world, showing off the right side of the house. I can see the lights of the city, which feel so far away.

Varian is out there somewhere, waiting for hear about my safe return home. We agreed that if I didn't return by a certain hour, he would send someone after me.

"I definitely remember that about you. You've always liked nice things," I respond.

He likes his things pretty and without much purpose. It makes me wonder if that is how he viewed me and my worth.

"You probably won't believe me, but I had you in mind when I built this place," he says while I step through the sitting room, inspecting the trinkets and collectables seated in a towering glass door cabinet. "I knew I would see you again."

I look at him over my shoulder. "You better not ask me to come clean this place..."

"Of course not." He laughs a little at the idea, resting against the arm of one of the couches. "I don't want to hide you anymore."

That I believe, considering he introduced me with no shame to people who clearly were not impressed with my presence. That might have tickled me a year ago, but now I am just confused and suspicious of his intentions.

"Look, I didn't come here with the express intention of starting things back up again," I tell him quickly. "You hurt my feelings a year ago, and I'm going to need some time to overcome that."

Disappointment flickers over his face, but he quickly smothers it. "I understand. What made you come here, then?"

I twist the ring on my finger, not making a move to come out from behind the couch where I stand. Having an object between us right now seems smart. Especially with the dim lighting in here.

"I suppose I missed you," I force myself to say. "I wanted to see what it would be like to be near you again."

His eyes warm again. "Am I meeting your standards?"

I smile coyly. "Maybe."

He straightens, moving around the couch so there is nothing between us. I'm trying to flirt with him, to lower his guard, but I can't help worrying that he can tell how out of my depth I am. I can barely remember how to function around him, when it used to be so easy.

"I want to see you more, if that's possible," he murmurs, looking over me, eyes lingering longer on the collar of my dress. It doesn't reveal much, but the heat in his gaze suggests otherwise.

"Fine, but if you're going to court me, you better do it properly," I say. "I refuse to be seduced as you have typically have done."

The corner of his mouth curves upward. "You didn't like my previous methods?"

I liked them at the time, but I definitely don't now. By setting this boundary down, I can give myself more time before he gets suspicious about my lack of interest in him.

If he has it his way, he probably would bed me tonight, and never speak to me again.

I feel a blush crawl up my neck. "They were...nice, at the time. But if you want a real relationship with me, you have to earn it."

"I would be happy to," he steps closer, a dark intent lingering in his eyes. "You're very worth it."

I quickly swerve around him, motioning at the door to continue the door. He hesitates, but agrees, taking my arm in his again before we step out into the hallway again.

We walk for a while through the downstairs area. Matthias points everything out to me, animated. I nod and pretend I'm interested in every last thing. I'm biding my time, waiting for the chance to ask him questions.

Eventually we have moved through most of the lower level, passing by a final closed door that snags my interest.

"What's in this room?" I ask.

Matthias pauses me, looking uncertain. I'm tempted to reach for the doorknob, but I don't want him to see my desperation.

"Better not go in there." He rubs the back of my neck.

"Why not?" I ask through my lashes, blinking languidly. I know he likes when I do that, wanting to feel in control of me.

"It's my private office and it's locked." He jiggles the look to demonstrate to me, winking. "There are too many secrets in there."

The tiny hairs on the back of my neck instinctually rise. I know he is the Alpha, and he carries many political secrets that can't risk exposure, but him looking this door only piques my interest.

I doubt there is anything in there that would lead me to finding out about Varian's brother, but I can only think about what else is in there that Varian could benefit from knowing.

"Secrets? What kind of secrets?" I ask, sweeping my hair off my neck so he can see the long line of it.

I know his weakness, and sure even, his eyes darken and his lips part. My back bumps against the wall as he looms closer, my breath hitching in my throat.

"You'll have to marry me to know," he murmurs, reaching out to caress my face.

I take his hand in mine, linking my fingers with his. Him touching me is too intimate, and sends a horrible shiver up my spine. It wasn't long ago that he was about to kill me. The mark on my thigh is a reminder that in that regard, I'm safe.

"Oh come on, who would I possibly tell?" I drop my gaze to his mouth. "At least tell me one interesting thing."

"Like what?" His voice doesn't sound entirely own. He's under my spell.

"I don't know. Tell me something interesting about one of your enemies." I grab his tie, running it through my hand.

Maybe my question is too on the nose, but he doesn't seem suspicious. He braces his and on the wall by my head, leaning close enough that this would be hideously scandalous if anyone walked down this hallway.

"Alright." He thinks for a moment. "Alpha Kai had an affair only last year. His wife went to his mistress' house and killed her right at her front door."

My mouth drops open. "Seriously?"

I wasn't expecting that. I've only ever seen Alpha Kai once, when he came to Matthias' old manor for a business meeting. I never met his wife, although she definitely sounds like an interesting person.

"He keeps this hidden from his pack members. His wife is made out to be this perfect Luna, but she is anything but." He rolls his eyes. "I've met her once myself and she's pure evil."

I shudder, wondering if any of Kai's pack members know about this. I doubt it, since Alpha's tend to lead far different lives than what is displayed to their pack.

"Creepy..." I swallow. "What about Varian?"

I hold my breath, studying his face nervously. Somehow, it feels obvious that I'm working for Varian. I just hope Matthias is too narcissistic to think I'm here for any other reason than to get him back.

He frowns a little, put off by the mention of his name.

"Varian?"

"Yeah, do you know any terrible secrets about him?" I ask breathlessly.

I want him to think I'm on his side, that I hate Varian as much as he does. It's not a reach for him, since he believes I want Varian's mark off my body.

"I know plenty." He sighs roughly, pushing away from me, giving me a chance to breathe. "You know better than anyone how terrible he is. Nothing comes seriously to him. He drinks himself into a frenzy every night, he fucks whatever is in front of him and he doesn't care for the consequences. He will never be my ally, no matter how desperately he is trying to become mine."

I store that last part away to tell Varian later. It is a relief to know that Matthias views Varian the same way that most of his enemies do, which is exactly as he intends. He doesn't want Matthias to see him as the threat he truly is.

"Why would he want to be your ally?" I ask.

"Desperation, I'm sure of it. He knows my pack is powerful and he wants a part of it. I can't stand him for that." He pulls a face. "And for what he did to you, of course."

"Of course." I smile tightly.

I doubt Matthias cares about that. He didn't care that I was imprisoned, and he only cares that I'm marked because Varian has a claim to something he wants.

"Apparently he is looking for his brother. That is what my father told me once," I bring up cautiously.

I watch for any shift in his expression. He eyes me quietly for a long moment, contemplating how to respond. I look away, trying to make it appear like I don't truly care.

"He has a brother?" I can't tell if he's asking a question, or stating a fact.

"He does." I shrug. "Or he did, at least."

While this line of questioning could get me thrown into a cell deep below this manor, it needs to be asked. I need to flesh out what Matthias knows if I stand a chance of being worth anything to Varian's mission.

His brows press together and he takes a step back. "What do you know about that?"

"Well...not much. Father mentioned it in passing once, and I was just curious. Never mind—"

"I know that he believes my father killed his precious brother," Matthias says raggedly, cutting me off. "As if I care either way."

I tuck my balmy palms behind my back, trying not to appear too nervous. I'm sure I'm sweating through this dress, I just hope it's not too obvious.

"Do you know anything about it?"

He steps forward, his annoyance vanishing in a moment. He takes both my hands, pressing his lips to the top of my hand.

"Can I kiss you?" He asks gently. "I've been dying to ever since you walked in."

I shake my head, slipping from his gasp so I can push back on his chest. "No, I told you that you have to court me properly."

"It's just a kiss." He pouts in a way that is definitely not appropriate for a man his age or of his social standing.

"It's never just a kiss with you," I remind him, thinking of all the times in the past when I claimed I needed to get home, and he baited me into bed with the exact same promise of a kiss. "We both know where it would lead."

He brushes his thumb along my lower lip. "Would that be so wrong."

I swat him away. "Matthias. I'm being serious."

While I'm frightened he's doing to lash out at me and force me into his arms like the last time I saw him, I'm not scared to fight back. I can feel the weight of a small dagger taped to the inside of my thigh that I will reach for if I need to.

Mercifully, he backs off a step. "Alright, no kiss. How about a promise to see each other again?"

I nod, satisfied with that proposition. "I would like that."

I didn't blow my chance with my line of questioning. However, it's revealed one important thing...

Matthias knows something about Varian's brother, and I'm going to find out what it is.

💜••💜

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***

My hands tremble by my sides. "Don't sleep with her..."

He steps toward me, his eyes dark. "Why not?"

"Whatever you were planning to do to her tonight, do it to me instead," I whisper.

***

~Midika 🐈‍⬛💜