The Alpha's Omega Mate-Chapter 31: Temptress… but unwanted.

~Zarek’s POV~

As I watched Jennifer continue to storm into the house, whilst cursing up a storm of expletives, I couldn’t help but be bothered, and worried.

Something definitely didn’t feel right.

Her words had hit me like a troop of barbaric soldiers from the West and stirred something dangerous deep within my heart. I wondered what she meant by ’dealing with them’ especially as she’d referred to Dahlia but deciding that I would never understand by standing here and staring at her retreating frame, I shook my head.

My eyes narrowed into slits as I glared at her and when she disappeared around a corner, I turned to the closest bodyguard— Dragos— and ordered;

"Watch her... her every movement. Who she meets and what she meets them for. Also find out where she meets them and get back to me when you find anything suspicious."

"Yes, Alpha."

"Thank you."

And with that, I stalked away, feeling more tired than I have ever felt in a couple of years. When I arrived at my chamber, I tried to keep myself busy by reading through the new scrolls that had been sent in today... I tried to work out; Hell, I even tried to sleep knowing how impossible that was but none of these helped.

I was worried. And I was worried sick about Dahlia.

Images of her sprawled on that filthy cell floor plagued my mind. It made me restless... worried me. It made my wolf prowl about with a menacing agitation. And I grunted as I rolled onto my side for the nth time in a few minutes.

This was pointless.

Ignoring her was pointless. Leaving her to rot in there was unnecessary.

But then, what would happen when I freed her?

What would my people think when they realize that I had let a thief go simply because I had been too afraid to see her hurt? What would their reactions be when they discover that the so-called accused thief was my mate?

And worst of all, what would she do?

She had promised to try to flee again and again. Had said it to my face; and something about her quiet voice and the eerie determination in her eyes while she spoke those words made me decide that she would do it. She had meant it and that made a tremor run up my spine.

Now, I was conflicted, I don’t know whether to leave her rotting in that godforsaken cell or set her free.

However, just as I still pondered over what to do about Dahlia, a soft knock sounded by my door and a familiar scent hit my nostrils. I frowned.

"Who’s it?" I snarled, despite knowing who it was, but when they still wouldn’t respond, I grabbed my discarded tunic, draped it over my body and rose from the bed. "What do you—?"

"Zarek, it’s I, Jennifer!" A voice I had come to know and found annoying called back. Before I could respond, she pushed the door open and stepped in, making me take a step back in shock when I noticed the sheer clothing she was draped in.

It was a shiny pink dress, silk—see through— and stopped just beneath her groin. However, what surprised me the most was her appearance. She’d done an impeccable makeup on her face and styled her hair into a classy updo.

I drawled; "Going somewhere?" Whilst folding my arms across my chest.

Jennifer didn’t care that she had just made herself up and that I obviously found her unattractive. She didn’t care either that I didn’t gush about how impeccable she looked—which she did— She simply smiled at me.

"No! I’m not going anywhere!" She let out in a fake high pitched voice. "I only came to see you... to spend the night with you."

"Dressed like that?" Now my irritation flared as I regarded her with open annoyance. "I was about to go to bed, Jennifer and you just—"

"—wish to go to bed with you!" She supplied, immediately interrupting me. Again, I frowned.

"I do not need company. I want to rest."

"And who said you weren’t going to? Who said you wouldn’t rest? I just want to lay with you... not disturb you." She answered, but I knew that she was lying. She was here for something and wouldn’t leave until she got it.

However, If this was what she had meant by those words she said earlier then she didn’t know what she’s got coming for her. Instinctively, I took another step back— creating more space between us— and deciding to be as placating as I could muster, I said slowly;

"Not today, Jennifer... but maybe some other time. Some other time when I am not so tired."

I’d rather chew a horse’s hoof than allow this to happen again.

Obviously not buying my lie, she shook her head so vigorously that her breasts jiggled, almost spilling through the low neckline of her see-through dress, and a feeling akin to annoyance rose like a storm in my chest when she wouldn’t stop shaking her head, further proving my theory that she was intentionally doing this.

She was here to seduce me and that was definitely laughable.

"No please, Zarek. I am your woman. Your fiancée and I have every right to be here. I have every right to share your bed everyday, not just on days that it only pleases you."

"Jennifer..."

"And it hasn’t pleased you in a long while. Ever since that filthy mutt and her stupid child arrived at this pack, you’ve refused to touch me. You’ve refused to hold me. Zarek, you now treat me as nothing but a disturbance!"

Anger.

"But Dahlia isn’t here, or is she?" I snapped, feeling the first waves of anger as it began to simmer just underneath my skin.

"She isn’t here physically but you and I know that you have a soft spot for her!" Jennifer screamed back, further annoying me more than I already was.

Despite the rage brewing inside of me, I still managed to stay calm— or maybe I think I do. But then I crossed my arms over my chest, regarding her with bored curiosity and asked; "Tell me, Jennifer, why do you have these preposterous ideas?"

"I don’t, Zarek, stop making it sound like I’m making things up. I see the way you look at her, I’m not blind or foolish! You even call her by her name and you never call your slaves by their name. Heck, Zarek, you never even know your slaves’ names!"

I do not know if it was due to lack of sleep or her annoying voice causing it but a headache soon began to develop between my eyebrows. I pressed my lips together as I glared at her, whilst zoning out the rest of the words that kept pouring out of her lips like a broken dam.

Jennifer soon noticed that I wasn’t paying attention any longer because then, she stopped talking and took another step closer. I didn’t move away. And seeing this as her cue to keep going, she continued until she was pressed against me with her rounded bosoms squashed against my taut chest.

"My beloved..."

As soon as her flowery perfume hit my nostrils and I realized to my horror that she had spiked her scenting oils with aphrodisiac elixirs just to get me aroused enough to sleep with her, my wolf went berserk with irritation.

He fought to tear out to the surface, to rip her into shreds for trying so hard to get under my skin, but I pushed it back, snarling. "Why did you use aphrodisiacs?" I asked and at the sound of my voice, she froze.

However, she quickly recovered from her shock as she smiled sweetly at me and muttered; "I was desperate. I wanted us to make love and if you wouldn’t do it willingly with me, then I would have to resort to other means. I don’t find it wrong, seeing as you’re already my husband."

Husband.

The word tasted like vomit and I groaned. I cocked my eyebrow at her, whispering as I traced my index finger gently over the line of her chin; "Don’t do it next time."

She nodded eagerly as she melted into my touch. With a soft purr, she blinked up at me expectantly and pouted. "I miss having you this close."

"I don’t." I drawled.

Her closed eyes snapped open.

"Zarek...?!"

"You will leave now, Jennifer, and you won’t return to my chambers until I ask you to; and if you do as much as try to disobey my orders, I’ll show you how a day in the cold and filthy dungeons feels like." I snapped and with that, withdrew my hands from her face as her jaw dropped.

"Zarek you cannot keep pushing me off while you’re intimate with other women!"

"And who exactly is ’other women?" I growled, my patience wearing thin with each passing second.

"Let’s take Nyx for example. She has your child!" She cried and I inwardly rolled my eyes when fat drops of tears streamed down her perfectly made up face.

"A child that we made several years ago! I wouldn’t even dare lay a finger on her now!"

"But you did! Now, I want to have your child too!" By the gods, this girl is insane!

"Leave now!"

Maybe it was the beastly edge that my voice carried or the way my eyes glowed with fierce light, but Jennifer scrambled backward, her eyes wide with fear. Without sparing another glance at me, she fled the room, crying hysterically as she bounded down the corridor.

But I stood still—unmoving... unfeeling.

As much as I hate to say this, the aphrodisiac had done something to me, it had flicked on a switch, making me restless with arousal. But even in this my now dizzying haze, I knew just one thing:

That I needed Dahlia, and I needed her out of that cell with immediate effect.