Mercy and the Merciless Alpha

Chapter Seventeen

As if the universe was equally shocked and perplexed the torrential rainstorm suddenly stopped altogether and the clearing was swept over, consumed by a storm of silence. What was Luke trying to accomplish here? I knew he meant well but this declaration was so easily seen through, if anything it was only going to cause me more harm now. My mother looked stunned as well, I searched her features for any kind of explanation but found none. What was the end game?

Azrael wrapped his hand around the back of my neck and hoisted me off the hard ground, his cold touch sending shivers down my spine as he angled my head to the side and pushed my hair away. His movements weren't rough but they certainly were not gentle either, I felt his wolf simmering beneath every movement and I hated how much it affected me.

With my neck angled to the side my mark was on full display but also a show of submission in wolf behavior. My cheeks burned as I heard him chuckle and felt Azrael's thumb trace over the bite mark he'd left in my skin, if I didn't know any better I would have thought his touch felt lovingly. But I did know better...sadly.

"I think this speaks for itself, does it not, boy?" Azrael taunted squeezing the back of my neck ever so slightly harder before releasing me. "I won't entertain an unrequited childhood crush when the proof is right before us all." He tucked me back into his side again, a satisfied flint to his eyes.

I cringed internally at the mention of Luke having a crush on me even though I wasn't entirely certain that's what this was. Growing up, everyone in our pack assumed we were going to be mates—especially once Weston ran away and I become the next in line for the title. Luke was from a respectable family, good fighting genes and we got along better than anyone. Admittedly there had been times over the years where I could tell Luke had more than friendly feelings towards me but once we were of age and learned we were not in fact mates, I figured all of that would disappear. However, seeing the pain flash before Luke's eyes as he was forced to take in my mark said otherwise.

Luke's eyes practically bore a hole into the nape of my neck, my mother took his forearm and tried to usher him back and calm him down. He shook off my mom's touch, "Mercy, how could you?"

My head pulled back in confusion, I couldn't tell if this was all a ruse or if Luke was genuinely processing feelings right now. I pursed my brow and took a step away from Azrael, this time he allowed it. "Luke...please...I-I don't understand.." I took another hesitant step forwards, testing the waters of freedom Azrael would allow me.

My foot hovered over the damp grass about to venture closer to them but something gave me pause. I turned around to face Azrael, I held my hands in front of me to try and stop them from shaking. "Ten minutes alone with them in a secure room, please."

Azrael shook his head instantly, "Not a chance."

Tears brimmed my eyes, I wanted to scream in frustration while all the while I felt the affects of McCoy's temporary fix slowly drain out of me. "Please, I'm begging you. I'll do anything you wish." My head hung in shame as I pleaded for minutes with my loved ones with my mate, my captor.

He sighed, even his breathing marred with clear annoyance. "Ten minutes—not alone—out here."

I roughly brushed the tears that rolled over my cheeks, "Five minutes alone, please. I...I've been good..." I felt my knees begin to wobble ever so slightly as the dull pain and suffocating weakness crept back over my body; and in that moment something flashed inside Azrael's eyes.

No, like quite literally flashed. I watched as a shadow danced across his dark irises for a split second before disappearing and fading into their normal light grey color. Azrael nodded once, "Use your infirmary room. Five minutes, not a second longer." With that, Azrael silently turned away and stalked back in the direction of the pack house opposite to the infirmary. The moment Azrael was far enough away both my mother and Luke took off across the clearing towards me, I felt my knees buckle just as my mom appeared beside me and instantly her arm was around my shoulder supporting me as we walked into the infirmary.