A Deal with the Alpha Who Hates Me

"Calm down. I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to scare you."

The owner of the grey eyes said softly.

I let out a sigh of relief when I found it was not Kael. But they resembled each other a lot—probably brothers. He was the same man who had stopped Kael from choking me to death that day.

"It… it's alright…"

His eyes were filled with concern, unlike those cold, emotionless orbs. Gulping, I tried to moisten my parched throat and looked around. My body crawled back from him on its own accord.

It was dark and freezing.

Why was he here?

I didn't trust anyone in this pack.

"Grrrrr!"

Nala continued to growl at him, daring him to touch me, and I softly whispered to her, "Calm down, girl. It's fine."

He looked between Nala and me, intrigued but not saying anything. I felt extremely uncomfortable. I was barely wearing anything, dammit.

As if realizing this, he suddenly got up on his strong legs and removed his coat. He leaned down to wrap it around me, and that's when I inhaled his scent—pinewood and rain. It… it was addicting.

His face was really close to mine, and I saw his eyes holding my stare. Wasn't he afraid of his brother? He could get in trouble.

"Is my punishment over?" I questioned through my stuttering teeth.

He sighed and shook his head. "Not yet."

"Then… why… why are you here?"

Placing his hands in his pockets, he stood tall, and I felt vulnerable lying at his feet—tied, trembling pathetically like a leaf.

"Humanity is not dead, Astrid."

My eyes teared up. I couldn't say anything.

Crouching down, he reached out his hands to touch me. "May I?"

I couldn't believe he was going to help me. I needed this. I couldn't say no. When I barely nodded, he wrapped his strong arms around me, and the next thing I knew, he pulled me to his warm chest.

Warmth rushed through me. I shivered involuntarily, and his grip around me only tightened. My cheek rested against his stone-hard chest.

He continued to walk, carrying me, not knowing where. Yet, I didn't question it. At least he was here—when Kael had left me here to die.

I saw Nala following us. She had stopped growling at him, and it was evident that she was trusting him—just like me. I just hoped we weren't wrong.

No words were exchanged. After 20 minutes, I saw a cave hidden behind the bushes. He settled me down softly on the hard rocks and proceeded to untie the ropes around my wrists and feet.

"Stay awake. Okay?"

I nodded, clenching onto his coat wrapped around me for dear life. Nala cuddled with me. I continued to lay there, lost in thought.

When he returned, he carried some wooden sticks in his hands. Within the next 10 minutes, he lit a bonfire, and my body welcomed the heat. He settled opposite to me, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

"Why?" I asked, and those grey eyes locked with mine.

"Kael is going to hurt you when he finds out—"

"Don't worry about me, Astrid. You should be more concerned about keeping yourself warm. Hypothermia is not to be taken lightly. Despite our wolves trying to keep us warm, werewolves do die of hypothermia."

I blinked, my eyes fixed on the burning flames enveloping the bonfire. I wondered how he would react when he found out I had never talked to my wolf. I didn't even know if I was a werewolf. How I could heal without having a wolf was a question no one would be able to answer. I guessed I was just weird—probably defective. That's why Mom had told me never to tell anyone.

"You are what? Cousin brothers?" I asked, still staring at the bonfire, trying to distract my mind from my useless self-degrading thoughts.

When he whispered, "Real brothers. I am older than him by two years."

My head snapped up to look at him. I thought Kael was the only child. I never knew he had a brother—and an older one at that. Why did no one know about him? And why had he left his seat? It was bizarre.

"Why?"

He sighed and looked into my eyes. "You ask too many questions, Astrid. Just sleep."

I gulped and avoided his eyes. Leaning my head back on Nala, I snuggled with her fur, and I found his gaze trailing between me and Nala.

"Jaguars are never friendly. I must say, I am surprised."

Smiling down at Nala, who rested her face on my thigh, I caressed her forehead with my fingers. "They just need a little love and attention. You give them a little, and they return ten times back. A trait sadly not found in werewolves."

The smile faded from my lips as I remembered my own father selling me off to this pack. That old, rooted knife twisted in my stomach. No one had called after I came here—not my brothers, not my father, not even my mother. It was like they had forgotten me completely. Was it that easy? If yes, why couldn't I do that? Why couldn't I hate my father despite everything?

"Everyone is not like that, Astrid. People return love. Rather, there are a few special ones as well who love with such fidelity that they can even destroy themselves—along with the entire world—for that one person they loved."

My heart thudded in my chest as I saw the pain in his eyes. Kael. He meant him. I just knew it.

"He is a monster. You can't possibly defend him—"

"I am not, Astrid. I know he is wrong. But I only want you to know that behind all the rage and fire of vengeance is a man broken beyond comprehension. He had a golden heart, which your father tainted red in Rebecca's blood. The hatred he has for everyone related to you is proof of his undying love for Rebecca. And you know the worst part?"

Dread settled inside me as he finished, and I felt a shiver travel down my spine.

"Whenever I look into his eyes, I realize this is just the beginning for him. He is not going to stop at this, Astrid. He will repay blood with blood."