The Rejected Alpha (Book 1 of the Rejected Series)

Chapter 39

Salem cleared their throat and shifted in their seat. "Well," they said and clapped their hands together, and I looked at them with a raised eyebrow. "I am sure that someday in the future, you will be with him."

They smirked, and I scowled, knowing exactly where they were going to go with that comment. "Unless I get to him first," they said, confirming my suspicions.

They winked, and their grin grew wider. "I mean, who could resist someone like me?" They flicked their hand through their hair and off their shoulder before they gave me a seductive smile while they did a little finger wave, and I almost threw up in my mouth because I was disgusted by their behavior.

"The same person that can resist the Viper and her prowess," I replied, not saying that I could resist their "charm" because they already knew I could but tried it all the same. I nodded in confirmation when Salem's eyes grew wide, and they lifted themself fully in their seat until they were seated straight at attention.

"Wait, are you saying that they resisted you like the Viper?" they asked, shocked, and I nodded in confirmation. "Does he know that you are her?"

I shrugged and leaned back in my seat. "He thinks that it is me," I replied and moved a hand across my face. I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose. "That is why I want you to either play the Viper or me. I want to make sure that I can quieten his suspicions at least for a little while."

Salem frowned and nodded slowly. "Are you worried that they will figure it out?" they asked, and I had a feeling that they were wondering if I was worried that the people who were controlling my mate would figure it out.

I shrugged. "I'd be stupid if I weren't," I replied. I cleared my throat and leaned back in my seat. "Mindy, Levi's "mate," has some suspicions that I could be the Viper. She doesn't trust the Viper because, in her words, the Viper could tell me."

Salem shrugged. "Does she know that you are the Viper?" they asked, and I shrugged and grimaced because I didn't have any hard evidence if she did or not.

"She has her suspicions, I believe," I replied. "She wanted me to say that I was the Viper today after the meeting. However, that didn't happen, and it isn't going to happen. But I am sure that she is going to try and convince people that I am her and that the Viper shouldn't be trusted with any information that they have."

Salem grinned, and the grin was wide and sparked with mischief. "Are you going to charm them until they trust you?" they asked with a raised eyebrow and cocked head while they studied me. "Or are you going to let the doubt simmer for a bit?"

"Oh, I want Mindy to doubt herself," I replied and leaned back in my seat. "I want her to question herself on whether I am the Viper or not and lose some precious sleep over it."

Salem nodded and studied me for a bit before they cleared their throat. "What about Levi?" they asked, and I shrugged. "Are you going to either confirm or deny that you are her?"

"As I said before, I think he knows that I am the Viper. I am not worried about him saying anything because he knows that it could harm me." I shifted in my seat and cleared my throat. "They know that I could get killed if he talks."

"The controlled him or the actual him?" they asked.

"Both," I replied. "The actual him will beg the controlled him not to say a word, and the controlled him will listen and not say that she is me and I am her."

Salem nodded, and I could tell that they were relieved and satisfied with my answer. "So they are basically becoming one and the same, right?" they asked with a raised eyebrow, and I stilled with them saying those words.

They are becoming one and the same.

The image of the symbol appeared in my brain after I had given the cup to Horus.

They are becoming one and the same.

Salem frowned and leaned closer to me when I didn't say a word. "Alex?" they asked, concerned. "Are you ok?"

I didn't respond and hopped from my seat, pushing my chair back with such force that it hit the wall behind me with a loud bang.

"Alex!" Salem yelped and jumped up, startled. They watched me with wide eyes filled with shock while I went to the junk drawer to get a notebook pad and pen to draw it. "What the actual fuck?"

I didn't respond and went back to the table. I drew the symbol that I had seen on Horus's hand, my heart pounding hard in my chest.

I shuddered when I felt this wave of power wash over me, and my wolf growled nervously.

"Alex?" Salem asked nervously. They were peeking over my shoulder, and I had a feeling that they knew what this symbol meant and its importance to my mate and me. "Where did you see this?" they asked.

"What does it mean?" I asked instead, and they tensed behind me. I didn't turn to look at them and studied the symbol, wanting it engraved in my brain so that I could always remember it. "I know that you know, Salem, so do not lie to me. I will know if you do."

Salem took a deep breath before they let out a breathless chuckle and shook their head because they knew that I would know if I was lied to. "And I know what happens to me if I tell you," they said gravely. "You've put me between a rock and a hard place."

"Hmph," I replied, unimpressed. "I guess then it depends on who you are more scared of." I paused and let those words sink through them. "Me or them."

"Them, completely," they replied, and I peeled my gaze off of the piece of paper and looked at them with a raised eyebrow, mildly impressed. "I know what you can do and how you react, but I know that if I say that it would put my life in danger, then you won't push."

Their voice was hesitant at the end, and I had a feeling that there was this small piece that doubted themselves with what they had said. They had no idea if I would harm them or not, even though they were praying that I wouldn't.

And unfortunately, I didn't have the heart to harm them. I was not going to let them get hurt by someone else, especially if they, whoever they were, knew how to kill Salem.

Yes, Salem annoyed the shit out of me, like Filip and Nike, but I had no idea what I would do without them.

They didn't care about the wolf in sheep's clothing. They've seen me at my worst, saw the beast that I tried to hide and suppress, and still stayed by my side, even though I had harmed one of them.

Some of them saw the beast closet more than the others, but still, they stayed by my side. They still trusted me, even though there were times I questioned their sanity.

"Hmph, too bad I can't shed my skin that easily," I said and turned away from them again, and they breathed a sigh of relief.

I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose before I shook my head. I had no idea where to start, where to look, and I couldn't help but wonder if there were some answers where the ghosts rested.

"Alex?" they asked, and I grunted a response to let them know I was listening. "Where did you find that symbol?" they asked. "Who showed it to you?"

"It's none of your business, Salem," I replied tiredly. "So don't ask me again because I will not tell you." I shook my head and turned around until I was looking at them.

I made sure that my face was blank and a mask, and I made sure that they couldn't pick up on my emotions or anything like that. "So my suggestion is to leave it be."