Dark Times

Chapter Three

I knew that now was the time I should've been making my way down the stairs to meet with the Alpha for his fancy meal. But the desire to do other things was just too great. What was ten minutes going to hurt anyone? Besides, I was putting a right to my team's mistakes. They were forgetting that the council considered themselves above everyone. The times wouldn't apply to me whilst I was in this lovely position, not that they ever did anyway.

I was renowned for my blatant disrespect. Old habits were difficult to shake.

Instead of filing down the stairs, I followed my nose to one of the places I was most curious about. There was a woodsy smell. The smell of pinecone and ash. Checking to make sure no one was watching me, I pressed my ear against the door. No sound came from within- empty.

Whistling, I broke the lock.

I wasn't sure what I'd been expecting. It was just a bedroom with a desk on the far side, a door that led to a bathroom and a tall wardrobe. I hastened over to the desk. It was definitely a man's room. The scent gave it away, not to mention the dark colours, so to speak stereotypically.

I had a prowl through the desk drawers, finding nothing of particular interest. When I shuffled through the files on the desk, I bit my lip to hold back a grin. My nose had led me to the Alpha's room. What better place to go to than the Alpha's room to wreak havoc?

I fumbled past a book on mates and promptly rolled my eyes. Naturally, the Alpha was just one amongst many that thought mates actually really meant something. I pushed pictures and jewellery aside, coins and little pieces of chain. When I found a ring box, I paused.

Who was the Alpha proposing to? Maybe it was a family heirloom. It was a simple silver band with a little diamond in the middle, but the beauty was found in the modesty. Heirlooms were expensive...

Pocketing that...

By the time the Alpha would've realised it was missing, we'd be long gone anyway. I could sell that for big money to the right people.

Accepting that ten minutes was long enough, I put things back where I'd found them to the best of my abilities, though it wouldn't be such a huge problem if things were out of place. They never suspected the council members.

Then, frowning down at the lock I'd broken, I started on my slow descent of the stairs. Now that I thought about it, fifteen minutes really weren't going to hurt anything.

I followed the sound of voices to where we'd be dining. It was Trish's voice. The scratchy cadence of it almost made me turn away.

"I'm so sorry Alpha. She's not normally this late. We should just start without her."

"She'll be here in a minute," Igor added. "Sometimes time escapes her."

I sighed dramatically. Didn't they understand that I was trying to keep the ruse up? Whilst they were in there kissing ass, I was proving that we were part of the council. Council members weren't kind. They didn't turn up to things on time. They were rude, doing as they pleased.

Would it kill them to go along with it?

My fingers hesitated over the door handle. I wasn't sure why. Normally, I wasn't such a pussy. I killed and I cussed. I'd just raided the Alpha's room for God's sake! What was wrong with me?

My chest tightened the longer I stood there, my wolf on edge. I'd felt something was wrong from the minute we entered the territory. Maybe it was something to do with the Alpha.

But I still wasn't a pussy. Reminded of this, I forced my way in.

I felt Igor's disapproving gaze on me instantly.