Chapter 6 A Choice Between Two Alphas

Irene’s Point Of View

"I’m going to talk to her first. You can talk to her another time," Arnold said firmly, his voice deep and strong.

I froze. I couldn’t believe what the lycan was saying. He spoke as if he knew me, even though this was the first time we had met.

Eugene didn’t look happy. His jaw tightened, and he stared at Arnold with an angry look that made the air feel tense. "Alpha Arnold," he said, his voice sharp and upset, almost like he was mad at the title. He glared at Arnold, and I could feel the tension between them. "What do you want with my mate?"

My heart sank. Eugene looked like he was struggling, and I could feel it too. The bond between us made everything worse. Ruby had been so understanding, which made me feel even guiltier about thinking about another woman when the one I was meant to be with was carrying my child. But I couldn’t forget Irene. Not yet.

"Your mate?" Arnold said, his voice soft as he looked at me. He held my wrist tightly, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t pull away. But strangely, I didn’t want to. Seeing Eugene so upset, feeling his jealousy, made me feel oddly satisfied. "I thought your mate was the one who’s pregnant."

I could feel the weight of his words. It wasn’t new to me, but Arnold’s scouts had clearly gathered more information than I knew.

"You don’t have the right to say that," Eugene said sharply, his voice low but full of anger. "Whether she’s my mate or not, it’s none of your business if I want to talk to her!" His glare at Arnold felt like a knife.

"Is that so?" Arnold raised an eyebrow and looked at the woman with him. He thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Fine."

Suddenly, he let go of my hand and stepped back, as if he was handing me over to Eugene. I felt exposed and unsure. If I didn’t want to talk to Eugene, I’d have to say it out loud.

Arnold’s companion just sat back and watched. I could see the frustration on his face, he knew what Arnold was doing. He had warned him, but Arnold clearly didn’t care.

"Eugene, let’s talk somewhere," Eugene’s voice softened as he turned to me. He smiled, but it looked a little helpless when he saw the cold look in my eyes. I couldn’t help but notice how good he looked tonight, how his clothes fit him, and how the light highlighted his features. But I wasn’t fooled. "Come with me."

He took a step closer, but I stepped back. His hand reached out, but I pulled away, as if his touch would burn me.

"I don’t want to talk to you," I said, my voice firm. Arnold nearly laughed at my words but held it in. His lips twitched, and I couldn’t deny it, he looked charming when he smiled like that.

Eugene’s face darkened, frustration taking over. "Let’s not do this here," he urged, but I didn’t move.

"I said, I don’t want to talk to you," I repeated, my voice strong. I felt the sting of it, but I meant every word. "Stay away from me."

Eugene couldn’t accept being rejected, especially from his mate. He stormed toward me, trying to make me talk.

As he got closer, Arnold stepped forward, ready to step in. But I made the first move, grabbing Arnold’s hand.

"Let’s go. Do you have something to talk to me about?" I asked, my small hand gripping his wrist. His skin was so hot, it felt like my palm was burning. Was it just lycans who had such high body temperatures? No wonder they were always so hot-headed.

Arnold seemed surprised I’d chosen him to step in, but he didn’t hesitate. "Of course, let’s go," he agreed.

I could see Eugene’s anger growing, but I wasn’t backing down. Even though lycans were bigger than werewolves, there was something feisty about me, something Arnold noticed.

"Where do you think you’re going?!" Eugene shouted, furious. He reached for my other hand, but Arnold was quicker. He slapped Eugene’s hand away with one smooth move.

"Is this how you treat others?" Arnold’s voice was taunting. "By forcing yourself?"

Eugene’s eyes widened in pain as Arnold slapped his hand away. He didn’t show it, but I could see it, his hand stung from the force.

"I want to talk to my mate!" Eugene growled, but he hid the pain.

But it was too late. I made sure Eugene heard me loud and clear.

"I don’t want to talk to you!" I said firmly.

With that, I tugged on Arnold’s hand, pulling him with me as we left the stall. I didn’t even think about my unpaid drink as I walked away, feeling a mix of relief and strength.

Behind me, I could hear Eugene shouting my name, calling me to come back and talk. But I didn’t care. I wasn’t ready for that conversation. And even if I was, it would be on my terms, not his. Eugene didn’t seem to understand that at all.

The noise of the busy street drowned out his voice, and I quickened my pace, making sure he wasn’t following me. Once I was sure he wasn’t behind me, I let go of Arnold’s hand.

"Thank you, and I’m sorry for the trouble," I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. I could feel Eugene’s eyes on me, still watching.

"Thank you for the trouble. I hope this doesn’t leave a bad impression on you, Alpha Arnold," I said softly, my voice almost lost in the noise of the street. It was hard for him to hear, but I lifted my head to see his reaction. He just stared down at me, making me feel confused. Why was he looking at me like that?

"I don’t know what you’re saying. Let’s go to a quieter place," Arnold said in his deep, rough voice. He took my hand again, ignoring my attempt to pull away, and led the way through the crowd.

I tried to stop him, but soon realized it was pointless. I was no match for his strength. With all the noise around us, I had to shout just to be heard, but it seemed like he couldn’t even hear me.

I didn’t know where he was taking me, but since we were still in the pack territory I knew, I wasn’t alarmed, at least not until Arnold turned down a quiet alley. My eyes widened in shock. This wasn’t a place I should be seen with a man!

"Why are we here?" I asked, pulling my hand away sharply. This time, he let me go.

"We need a quiet place to talk, right?" Arnold said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. His gaze was still intense, eyes locked on mine.

"There’s nothing for us to talk about," I replied curtly, looking around. I recognized the area, but I’d never been in this dark corner. What was the point of bringing me here?

Hearing my sharp reply, Arnold raised an eyebrow, and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "That’s not what you said in the stall earlier, miss."

I couldn’t believe he was taking that seriously. Was he really going to use that against me? "You know I was just making an excuse to get away from him, right?"

"No. I don’t," Arnold shrugged casually. "I’m not that smart to read between the lines, miss. My apologies."

He sounded polite, but I couldn’t shake the feeling he was mocking me. If what he said was true, that he wasn’t smart, then he was definitely clever enough to drag me into this dark corner. No wonder he was the alpha of the lycan pack.

"I think there’s been a misunderstanding here," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "I’m sorry for using you as an excuse, but I really need to go." I didn’t want anyone seeing me here with him, it would create the wrong impression. The last thing I needed was more attention, especially since people were already starting to talk about me and Eugene, especially with Ruby now in the picture.

"If you don’t want to talk, then I’ll be the one talking," Arnold said. He took my hand, and I could feel how rough and strong his grip was. I couldn’t even imagine what he could do to an enemy with that kind of strength.

"I’m Arnold," he said, his voice smooth. "The alpha of the lycan pack."

I wanted to say I already knew who he was, but out of politeness, I introduced myself properly. Even though his hand felt like it was burning mine from how hot his body temperature was, I had to admit, lycans were built differently from other shifters.

"I’m Irene, nice to meet you, Alpha Arnold," I said. I was grateful for the etiquette lessons Luna Lorraine had taught me. She had always said that, as a future luna, I needed to be well-spoken and poised.

I had worked so hard to learn everything I could to be a good luna, to make Eugene proud. I had never had a family of my own, so the idea of belonging to one, especially this pack, meant everything to me. But now, all the effort I had put into learning those lessons felt like a waste.

"Alpha, if you may excuse me," I said, hoping to leave. I just wanted to go back to my room and be alone. Coming to this lively party had been a mistake.

But Arnold didn’t let go of my hand. I couldn’t leave.

"Is this how you treat your guest? I haven’t even said anything yet," he said in a slow, relaxed tone. His charisma was undeniable, but there was something boyish in his smile that made it feel like he wasn’t taking anything seriously.

I remembered my lesson with Luna Lorraine: When your opponent seems careless, they’re testing you. They want to see what you’re made of, to figure out how they can get what they want from you.

I tightened my guard, my mind racing.

"Let’s talk somewhere else, if you have something important to say," I said, trying to steer the conversation away from this dark alley. I didn’t know what he wanted from me, but I knew I didn’t need to guess.

Arnold answered me bluntly.

"Be my woman at the party."

"What?" I asked, my heart skipping a beat.