Dark Times

Chapter Nine

The lengths I was willing to go to for this job were incredible, even to myself. I hadn't seen Igor and Trish around anywhere, risking their life that little bit more with every added second of exposure. When we returned to the base, I'd be starting a petition up to get me knighted.

After this shit show, I deserved it.

As we walked, a small smile lit up the Alpha's face. After that conversation, how could he be so dense as to believe even the tiniest part of me might want this conversation. The thought stumped me.

He side eyed me. It was at that point that I realised he really couldn't help himself. I couldn't wait for the truth to come out. Then he'd realise how much time he'd wasted sitting outside my door at nights to 'protect' me. I was the very it he sought to protect me from.

"My pack would accept you with open arms, you know, if that's what's concerning you."

Of course his pack would accept me- I'm awesome. But they wouldn't accept that part of me. Besides, I didn't give two shits about his pack.

"It's not."

"Is it the rumours?"

Rumours? My brows shot up. What could the rumours be surrounding Alpha Aidan? Maybe he was a bloodthirsty heathen.

"You'll have to give me an example."

He clearly didn't want to. If I didn't know them already, sense told me he'd rather keep it that way. Of course, I didn't know any of the rumours, but I wasn't prepared to lose that bargaining chip in telling him.

"The rumours might say I'm violent and vicious, but I could be soft with you. You're my mate. You'd get a different side of me."

Violent and vicious. Was he really so different from us rogues?

"What makes you think I'm not violent and vicious?"

"I know you're not violent and vicious." Oh God. I'd never known resisting a laugh could be so hard. "You're rude and aggressive, but I'll bet there's a docile little kitten inside of you just waiting to be let out."

He hadn't seen the carnage I had a tendency to leave behind.

"You do recall that I'm the council's executioner, correct?"

"I'll have to see it to believe it."

Of course. Because I was slight in figure, I couldn't swing an axe. How could I forget? The next two days were going to itch by extra slowly now that I excited over them. To see the look on his face when he realised how catastrophically wrong he'd been about me. I knew it'd haunt my dreams at night until the moment of truth arose.

I wondered if it'd be enough to bring this grown man- an Alpha no less- to tears. To know that the mate he'd waited years for was the very thing he hated.

"What did you say to that Sarah woman?"

I was having way too much fun with this. But I could hardly be blamed. It was like he was trying to help me out. Maybe fate was giving me one back as her way of saying, 'sorry, my bad, give me a moment to fix this'. "Don't give me that look. I saw your eyes glaze over. I'm not stupid."

Pack links were hard to miss.

"You don't have to worry about anything like that," He promised. "I'll be faithful to you as your mate."

"God, can you stop saying that?"

"What- that I'm your mate? Are you worried it'll start to sink in?"

He looked hopeful and I hated it. The pleasure I'd get from reminding him his mate was a rogue- the very thing he hated- was immense. I'd remind him of how he saw me as an it, a something whose death should be dragged out.