Equals

Blaire White

After breakfast, London suggested we take a walk in the garden so that we could talk and get some fresh air at the same time. He walked silently beside me, his long legs matching my pace, and his elbow brushed against my shoulder, sending sparks down my spine.

I inhaled the fresh air, infused with the scent of earth and the fragrance of blossoming flowers, and smiled when I heard birds chirping in the trees. It was like sweet music to my ears, and I felt at peace.

“Blaire,” London called my name softly, and I snapped my attention back to him, tilting my head to meet his eyes briefly.

“Why did you want to leave?” he asked, his face almost contorting in a pained expression as he waited for my answer. I was at a loss for words, opening my mouth and then shutting it when no words formed. I was ashamed to tell him the real reason I wanted to leave the minute I woke up in his arms, but I couldn't stand lying to him.

“When I recognised you as my mate, I was scared because I thought you were going to reject me,” I mumbled, looking away. He sighed and laced his right hand with mine, gently tugging me to stand in front of him.

“Why in the world would you think that?” He almost sounded hurt that such a thought had ever crossed my mind.

“Y-you are the Alpha of this pack, and I'm just a lowly omega from a non-existent pack,” I replied, turning away. But he stopped me, holding my cheek as his eyes bore into mine.

“Do not ever think that. You are mine, omega or not, and we are equals,” he enunciated every word as if to erase the thoughts plaguing me. I was stunned by the intensity of his confession. He leaned his forehead against mine, shutting those intense grey orbs and sighing.

“The man I thought was my mate died yesterday, and now you're here, London,” I whispered, shaking my head.

“I feel like I've betrayed him,” I choked on a sob, and his gaze softened considerably, the pad of his thumb softly grazing my cheek as he stared at me like I was his whole world. What I did to deserve this man will always remain a mystery to me.

“I know you have lost so much in such a short time, my love, and everything is moving so fast, but I promise to be patient and give you all the love you deserve,” he replied.

“You have no idea how much I want to show you off to the whole world and make you my queen.”

“I didn't know a part of me was still missing until I found you, Blaire,” he rasped, warmth filling his eyes.

“So I will wait for you, however long it takes for you to heal. I will be here with you through it all,” he said, pulling me into an embrace that felt like home. We stayed that way for what felt like an eternity. In truth, I didn't want to let go. Being in his arms made me feel safe. He interlaced our hands, gently tugging me towards the back entrance of the pack house.

“Where are we going?” I asked softly.

“I have some work to do in my office, and I want you there with me,” he replied, briefly looking at me before tugging me up the stairs towards another wing of the pack house. The hallway was more lavishly decorated than the one that housed the bedroom we had breakfast in, with a dim yellow glow from the chandeliers and red carpets. We stopped in front of a huge, dark mahogany door. Pulling it open, I was greeted by his similarly dark office. There was a bookshelf in the corner, and his desk was in front of windows that were concealed by dark curtains. The only source of light was a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, emitting a soft yellowish glow.

He rounded his desk and plopped down on his revolving chair, opening his computer and pulling a file from the pile sitting at the corner of his desk. I stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, unsure whether or not to take a seat.

“Come here,” he mumbled, leaning back in his seat. His eyes gazed at me intensely as I padded softly towards him, gasping in surprise when he pulled me onto his lap, caging me in with his arms wrapped around my waist.

“What are you doing?” I whined, my eyes flitting to the closed door in panic.

“Someone may come in,” I tried to reason, but he only chuckled and buried his nose in the crook of my neck, pulling me even closer so that I could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

“I don't care,” he replied nonchalantly, going back to plant soft, open-mouthed kisses on my neck that made my toes curl.

His lips trailed along my neck, sending shivers down my spine as his warm breath tickled my skin.

“London, we can’t...” I protested weakly, but my words faded into a soft moan as he continued to kiss my neck, his hands tracing delicate patterns on my back.

“Shh, just relax,” he murmured against my skin, his voice husky with desire.

***

It took a while before London decided to actually get some work done, with me still seated on his lap. Bored of staring at the ceiling and counting the books on the shelf for the umpteenth time, I didn't want to disturb London when he was so engrossed in work. So I just sat there, with the back of my head leaning against his shoulder.

A knock on the door had me snapping my eyes open and sitting up. I had fallen asleep. London cursed under his breath and invited the person in.

Two men walked in, one stopping to shut the door behind him with a soft click. The moment our eyes met, the second man's widened in shock before he carefully masked the emotion, his face turning blank. He had a hardened and unapproachable look, his long dark hair pulled back in a bun at the base of his head, and his amber eyes seemed to stare into my soul. The other man with him was slightly younger but no less intimidating, with red hair, dark eyes, and casual attire similar to his counterpart.

“My king,” they said in unison, inclining their heads in greeting.

Wait, what? King?

London was the Alpha King? Fear pulsed through my stomach at the shocking revelation. How could he leave out that tiny detail? I already knew he was Lycan, but I never thought he was the cruel Alpha King that I'd heard so many rumours about. His hands caressed my thighs, and instead of the tingles I should have felt, I felt my fear intensify.

“Why are you both here?” he asked, his soft tone, which I had grown so familiar with, shifting into an authoritative one that left no room for argument.

“There has been a new development, my king,” the dark-haired man said first.

“What is it, Reece?” London replied in that deadly tone of his.

“Three of our Lycan warriors were ambushed and murdered on their way back from procuring goods.” Reece wasted no time in responding, and I felt London going rigid, his forearms tightening around me. Not in a way that hurt, but enough for me to know he was pissed.

“We have a traitor then,” he cursed in a deadly, calm voice. I didn't know what was scarier, his impending outburst or his deadly calm voice.

“They were ambushed by the rogue bandits that have been terrorising our trade routes. We caught one, but he would rather choose death than confess,” the redhead man spoke up this time.

“Judging by his looks, my king, he should be no more than eighteen,” Reece added, and London hummed as he took in the new information.

“The timing was perfect, so we deduced that it was an inside job,” Reece continued.

The room was plunged into an uncomfortable silence after Reece's revelation. I could practically hear a pin drop, and I could almost taste the tension in the air. London spoke up in a much calmer tone.

“Who found the bodies, Cane?”

"A young warrior, my king,” Cane replied.

“Get him here,” London ordered, and Cane bowed, hastily leaving the room, while I sat frozen in fear on my mate's lap.

As though he could sense my unease, he began to rub up and down my thighs in an attempt to soothe me, but that did nothing to quell my emotions.

Could London be as cruel as the rumours say? I refused to believe that the man who had been nothing but kind and tender to me was anything like the rumours painted him to be. Or was it all just a show?