The Female Alpha’s Sanctuary novel Chapter 55

Chapter 55
No one knew of his inner fury. He glared daggers at Locksworth, his fists whitening at the knuckles. His lips tugged up to showcase his canines threateningly. Hestia, who was now out of the initial shock, noticed Landon’s jealous fit but said nothing.
She merely stood by his side, watching with calculating eyes.
Intrigue hit me in the face. I wondered why she wasn’t blowing a fuse. Seeing her husband act like this would’ve angered her no doubt, but at the same time Landon couldn’t help it because of the mate bond. If I knew Hestia as well asI thought I did, she would’ve disregarded the mate bond excuse and still find her anger pointing at him. But none of that ensued. Strange enough, she was calm and collected. Not like the emotional mess I expected her to be.
My focus returned to Locksworth. The fierce look of determination in his stormy eyes set deep in his features. His hand was still outstretched to me; waiting.
His large hand meaning to hold mine.
Waves of satisfaction rumbled from my wolf at the thought. She purred, nudging her head against mine in encouragement. She wanted to feel it as much as I did. To feel his large hand covering mine, his long fingers intertwined with mine, his heat mixing with mine.
She wanted everything.
Quickly, I shut out my bond with Noah. I was getting careless with the kind of emotions reaching him. He most likely caught a sense of what I was thinking. Embarrassingly enough, I knew he would’ve made this a big deal if he had known the effect Locksworth had on me. The effects that even I was confused of. Their origin was so unclear and confusing I knew that words probably wouldn’t be enough to express them. It was like I was dying of thirst and he was a tall glass of iced water just waiting to be chu gged down.
For the first time since meeting Locksworth, my wolf fell silent right after and retreated into the back of my mind. She left me to figure this out myself. Just watching as she laid on her stomach with her head resting on her paws.
Wow
“Do you already have a mate?”
Locksworth asked, a slight edge to his voice. His clouded eyes darkened, cold but intense with scorching heat burning through me. I almost felt pressured under his scrutinizing gaze. A gaze that dared me to answer.
The instinct that urged me to comfort him hit me. My fingers twitched to touch him. To soothe him of his tension. No words of threat were made, yet his gaze alone made me feel intimidated. This was who he is. The intimidatingly dangerous Alpha that everyone swerved away from.
He was the Bloodlust Alpha.
Raizel Locksworth.
I began to fully understand the weight of his title and importance as the ranking number one. Meeting him now, I understood just how he was able to control everyone around him like a pawn. His aura alone was enough to make the strongest of Alphas to submit.
He was made up of overwhelming power
Power he knew how to use fully
My lips parted, but no words came out.
For a second, I was far too taken with the depth of his cold eyes to properly respond. But I was quick to catch myself. Shaking myself out of my daze, I pressed my lips in a thin line. Landon, from the corner of my eyes, stiffened at the question.
If I answered yes, his wolf would be satisfied but then his reputation would be tarnished. No one picks another over their true mate, but he did. It would surely cause problems for him. On the other hand, if I said no, his wolf would feel rejected but his reputation would be saved.
Sadly for him, I didn’t take his feelings into consideration.
“No. I don’t.”
The air went thick. Landon’s shoulders slumped, a look of pain over his expression. He turned away, hands tight and clenched. I didn’t miss the way my father glanced over to me in shock. My mother just kept her gaze at Hestia who had her head down.
Did they truly believe I’d still acknowledge him as my mate?
After everything that happened?
I couldn’t care less about his reputation.
He didn’t deserve the title of my mate and I wasn’t going to give it to him. As far as I was concerned, he was just some Alpha of a pack I had to be wary about. Not having an alliance with Nightwake meant we were more on enemies than acquaintances.
The answer seemed to please Locksworth. His initial tense form, relaxing as he once again held his hand up higher.
“Please.”
It came out as a breathy whisper fanning over my skin. I inhaled sharply, unable to resist the small shivers raking up my spine. A pleasurable moan from my chest almost slipping if I hadn’t caught myself. From the looks of everyone behind him, no one had heard what he said. Locksworth swallowed with the tip of his tongue darting out between his lips to wet them. His gaze dropped to mine as mine did to his.
My heart pounded against my chest in anticipation.
Anticipation for what?
Then without registering what I was doing, I instinctively slipped my hand in his. The perfect fit. Tingles, sparks, everything electrifying ran through me the moment his skin touched mine. I felt my breath hitch at the overload of emotions hitting me all at once. The warmth slowly spread through my body from his hand. It felt so… right. So right, that it was concerning.