The Alpha

Chapter Eleven

Josephine

"This is absurd!" I tug on Theo's arm as I sprint to keep up with him and he looks down at me while I panic. "You're just going to kill him."

"That's the point." He responds as if the prospect of killing someone doesn't even faze him. I retract my hand from his arm like he burnt me.

For a while there I forgot who he was. For a second I thought he was more than a heartless monster. And I can't believe I let myself forget. He's killed too many people. Most of the people he's killed, it's been for no good reason. Like this. What is killing Jonathan going to gain him? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"How can you even live with yourself?" I spit and he looks at me almost as if he's tired.

"We're back to you hating me? I thought we were past that, baby." He says in a low voice that makes me shiver. I was hoping he wouldn't notice. But, of course, he does.

"I'm not going to stand by and watch you kill a man for no good reason." I say before he can comment on my reaction to him. I stop running next to him. "He didn't even touch me."

He growls loudly and whirls around to face me. I blink at him wide eyed as he stalks towards me, grabs my arm, turns back around, and then continues walking again.

"You are going to watch because you're my mate." His barely contained anger shows in his tone. "And I don't give a shit if he touched you or not. He was alone with you, in a room, without my permission, and that is not acceptable by any means." He comes to a stop and places both his hands on my arms, leaning in close to me so only I can hear.

"Stay put and don't run off. I'll be busy enough without having to think about catching you again." When he catches my glare, he softens. "Please, baby. This is important." And only because he says it nicely do I nod my head.

He doesn't smile as his men start to appear around us, but he does lean down and kiss my forehead. I melt. If a monster can make my knees weak then I can't imagine what would happen if he was actually a sane man.

"Jonathan has challenged Alpha Lupine to the death." Jason's voice rings out and the minute I hear death, I cringe.

There's a slim possibility Theo might die. It's so small I didn't think of its existence until just now, but what if he dies. He's my mate; if he dies, I'll slowly suffer to death so I won't have to live very long without him. It's just the way out mate link work. He could die!

I suddenly reach out and clutch onto his arm. He can't do this. Either way I'm going to be upset. Why can't he just focus on the fact that his mate is in distress? Is this challenge more important than my wellbeing?

He looks down at me with one eyebrow raised and I blink up at him, terrified. He can't do this. He can't go through with this. I'm unable to even voice this to him because Jason is still talking about the rules.

"And the winner gets lovely Miss Josephine over here." Jason gestures to me and I offer a quick, tense smile before turning back to Theo with my pleading eyes. He can't do this. "Do you both agree to the terms?"

"Yes." Jonathan's voice says loud and clear.

I tug on Theo's arm as my wolf whines in panic. Theo doesn't even look at me as he clenches his jaw and nods his head. I release his arm, a sob climbing up my throat. He can't die, I'll die without him. Literally. He may be a monster but...I don't know. It's the stupid mate link. Me hating him goes against my every instinct.

Theo gives me a reassuring look as he steps away from me. When I whimper, he looks at me like he just wants to snatch me up and never let go. How can I feel such emotions for someone so heartless? And how is this heartless person becoming less and less evil the more I spend time with him? This is all happening so fast.

"Are you both ready?" Jason asks as they both step into the circle the pack had created. I swallow hard as I see Jonathan's aggressive stance. They both nod their heads.

"Fight!"