Beta's Runaway Bride: 4 - Maxim

I move back from Xiomara and lean against the wall. The gravity of what I've just said seems to sink

in and she crosses her arms over her ample chest.

"So, in other words, I am your prisoner,” she says, jutting out her chin in defiance and I can't help

but chuckle.

"Are you forgetting that your father gave you away? You're more like a gift, but one I didn't exactly

ask for,” I say and grit my teeth.

This seems to make her eyes narrow at me. “What is that supposed to mean? If you do not want me,

there's always an option to return to sender,” she says, and I'm not sure if she's actually being

serious, but I burst out laughing anyway.

"Oh, Bambi, do you think that's possible in your position? You're the daughter of an Alpha, an

important chess piece that your father needs to move so his pack can advance,” I say and walk

towards her. “You can be lucky you were given to me and not some warrior with an affinity for

violence.”

She sucks in a breath but maintains her defensive position. “You just had me bent over the counter-"

“But did I hurt you? No, I merely subdued you without using violence. You'll soon find out that with

me..." I say, tilting her chin up. “I can make you submit without using violence.”

Her eyes grow wide at the obvious double meaning behind my words, then she pushes me back

hard - or rather, she tries to.

“I will never submit to you,” she says rather weakly and I chuckle before grabbing her wrist gently.

"Hmm, I do love a challenge. But if you're ever looking for a shoulder to rest your legs on, you know

where to find me. Make yourself at home while you're at it,” I say and wink at her before walking out

of the kitchen.

This entire thing has gotten me wound up so fucking tight that I know I'm going to snap at the next

person who looks my way. I don’t want this woman invading my personal space, I don't want her

scent in my home, or to know she’s just up the fucking hallway.

So I go to the one person I can take my anger out on - Nikolaos.

I sense him in his office when I walk into the mansion and make a beeline for him, however just as

I'm about to burst in, I hear the unmistakable sound of Mia moaning. Gods, these two - you'd swear

they're teenagers with the way they're constantly at it like rabbits

I grumble as I walk downstairs and see Levi, also known as Armata, waiting for me. He's dressed in

our usual attire of black cargo pants, boots, and a t-shirt, but his usual placid scent and demeanor is

somehow gone.

He seems rattled.

“You okay, Lev?” I ask when I walk up to him and he gives me a terse nod.

“I am,” he lies, but that's where I'm leaving it. We head out towards the armored SUV and I start it

up.

I haven't seen the rest of the Gammas since my return, and hopefully they're all not worked up like

Levi here. The brides were an unwelcome addition to our peaceful lives, and I know they feel the

exact same way as me.

We don’t want this but know it would benefit our Alpha.

"Section 33 today?" I ask, and watch as Levi reaches for the tablet on the dash.

"Six unpaid tributes, three late for the last two months,” he says as he scrolls down the list of our

debtors. “Ex Rogue packs.”

I grin when he mentions this, because I am itching to sink my fists into someone's face. Maybe this

will help with the fucked up feeling in my gut. Violence is easier to deal with than emotions.

For one, when you punch someone's face you expect the blood and sound of bones breaking that

follow. You can't do that when you're faced with unnecessary emotions making you feel uneasy and

with Xiomara in my space, I don't know what to expect.

The visits to these debtors, the blood coating my fists, and the ache in my fingers usually put me on

a bloodlust-filled high, but this time I found it harder to control myself. Levi had to pull me off a few

of these fuckers and I had to admit that seeing what I did to those poor fuckers made me feel

uneasy.

I can’t do this until Niko eventually finds someone else.

“I know I'm speaking out of turn,” Levi says as we make our way back to the estate in the late

evening. “But are you okay, Beta Maxim?”

I don’t know the last time someone asked me that. You'd think with how close Niko and I are, that

he would notice my unease; but he hasn't noticed the change in me yet. Or if he has, he's choosing

not to care.

“There's a woman in my home that I did not ask for,” I scoff, my eyes on the road. “No, I'm not

okay.”

When my gaze flickers to Levi, I see his lips are a thin line as he nods as if he understands.

“It's unnerving,” he says, his voice low and filled with malice. “I'm used to darkness and silence, I

welcomed it and its familiarity. But Demis presence is like an uncomfortable sunbeam coupled with

a constant aria being sung. I don't know how to deal with it...so I pretend it's not there throwing my

whole life into chaos.”

Levi's admission floors me. The twins, although not brothers by blood who grew up in the same

orphanage, are known for their silence, so his admitting this to me is huge. Liam, or Panzer, is the

more quiet of the two, so I wonder how he’s dealing with it.

“I know what you mean,” I murmur. “But I suppose this is our new normal now and Alpha Nikolaos

needs us to accept it so our pack can be stronger.”

My wolf gives me a sarcastic look because I'm trying to convince Levi that we have to accept this

when I hate it myself. What's a fucking Beta to do? Niko is the authority and I'm here to make sure

it's adhered to.

Levi sighs and leans back against the headrest. “I know, and I accept it; it's just taking me a while to

catch up with everything. I accept Demi as my bride for the sake of my Alpha, but I'll never accept

her into what's left of my charred heart.”

I leave the conversation hanging there, blown away that he would refer to his heart as charred. It

shouldn't surprise me, given Niko saved both him and Liam while they were being burned alive.

So I simply clap him on the back and continue the rest of the drive in silence.