21

He left the kitchen to open the door and immediately my stomach churned as I heard several loud voices coming from the hallway.

"Hey how are you?" Chace and Samuel appeared in the kitchen, followed by a girl I didn't know who seemed very shy. I ignored her and looked back at Chace, who sat down on the stool next to me. "It's okay," I replied, picking up the champagne bottle, but before I could pour myself anything, Chace put his hand on my shoulder.

"You really shouldn't drink. It doesn't suit your position." Stifling my anger, I watched as he took the bottle from me and pushed it toward Samuel, who was standing across from us. I wanted to explode with anger, but that was Ludwig's house and I certainly wouldn't want to do another fight because of me.

"Look who we got there!" My gaze flew to the door and I immediately rolled my eyes. Jayden! As if just being there wasn't bad enough, he was followed by two giggling young women, who looked at me like they wished me the worst.

This situation couldn't get any more uncomfortable, that was the only consoling thing. "So you just wanted to start a house party without us?" the alpha asked, picking up the bottle to examine it with a grin. I didn't answer him and wanted to get up to go home, but luckily Ludwig came and because of him I stayed.

"We would certainly have invited you, but you had your hands full," the blonde replied, looking at the two stylish blondes who were standing close to Jayden and ensnaring him.

It felt like hours, although it must have been minutes, as Ludwig placed several glasses and drinks on the counter and Chace turned on music on his cell phone. I was already wishing my nightmares back because this seemed a thousand times worse.

I no longer dared to say anything, let alone drink or leave. Annoyed and overwhelmed, I just watched the others laughing, drinking and dancing. "If you want, I'll take you home," Ludwig whispered in my ear, but the others could apparently hear it.

"That's not necessary. I'll do that later," Jayden said and the girls immediately gave me dirty looks. "I can also go alone." I spoke loudly, but somehow no one seemed to notice me anymore, which I didn't care. I had the idea of ​​just sneaking away secretly and after Ludwig had apparently found a fan in one of the girls, I excused myself to the toilet and disappeared into the hallway.

It made me furious that even such a nice evening couldn't just end well. Something always got in the way, or rather Jayden got in the way. As I angrily reached for the front door handle, the black-haired man grabbed my arm and turned me in his direction so that my back was to the door.

"Is there anything you can do other than just break my rules?" He smiled at me, but I could see the depth of his hatred in his ice blue eyes. "I told you something about it. I'll stay close to you and that's fine. I don't have to be forbidden anything and I'm too tired to argue with you now."

I wanted to get out of the situation and turn around, but again he turned me into my old position and got so close that I could no longer move between him and the door. "Too tired to talk to your mate? But drinking with Ludwig, that works?"

His gaze became more aggressive. Like a predator about to snap and by reflex I immediately wrapped my hands around my neck before he would bite again. "Please just let it go and just leave me alone." My voice broke because I was afraid. Fear of him and his uncontrolled actions. It was different at my house. In front of my grandma he would hardly have bitten me or anything like that. But here and then still drunk. I didn't want an escalation.

"Let her go." Chace came up behind him, which only made Jayden growl at him and get even more angry. "The problem is that you just don't listen. You go to men's houses at night, drink alcohol and disregard everything I tell you!"

Chace disappeared back into the kitchen and left me alone with that roaring wolf, but all his talk made me so angry inside I couldn't contain it.

"You're drinking your head off at the Wialtrama! You show up here with two women who stick to you like chewing gum and I'm the one who's misbehaving!?" I yelled at him and pushed him away from me and it with all my might surprised me when he stumbled back a couple of steps.

At that moment the others came out of the kitchen and looked over at us anxiously, except for Ludwig, who came straight to us. "Jayden, don't-" "You'd better be quiet!" the black-haired snarled at Ludwig, then aimed him squarely. "You're a loser Ludwig! Did you tell her why her grandfather died?"

I thought the blow would hit me at that moment and looked questioningly at Ludwig, who hung his head and just looked embarrassed. "I knew it! And now to you!", Jayden approached me again. "If you dare to defy me like that again, you'll get to know me!"

I had to hold back the tears and just looked down. After talking to my grandmother, I was able to answer the question why no one put up a fight against him. It was starting to feel like an alpha was akin to a dictator and no one had the right to tell him what they thought.

"Take her home," Jayden turned to Chace, who nodded and walked toward me. There are so many unanswered questions left in my head when I left the house with him, but I just wanted to get away. I would still get answers.

I got in his car with Chace and looked over at the front door, which had closed. When the pretty boy was about to drive off, I pulled up the handbrake and looked at him intently.

"What's all this about?" I asked him, not giving him a chance to answer. "You tell me something about war, but get drunk every night like teenagers. Jayden makes me do things I don't want and-" "You drink every night yourself," he interrupted me with a grin and watched me think on.

"But I'm not in the middle of a war either, and besides, I was invited," I replied, crossing my arms in annoyance.

"You don't know the place and the people here. While we're having fun here, enough wolves of our pack are in the woods and make sure that everything runs smoothly here," he explained and took a deep breath. I watched his changed look, suddenly there was tension and worry, but still I couldn't let it go.

"And you like that? That others are wandering around in the forest and you're partying here?" He turned to me and looked me straight in the eyes. "Still don't get it? It's like you humans. The simple soldiers keep things quiet. The higher animals only come into play when something serious happens."

"Oh, and my grandfather's death wasn't serious enough?" I hissed at him and wanted to get out, but he pushed a button on his side of the door, so that my door would no longer open. "Ludwig failed there, not us," he murmured, looking thoughtfully out of the window. "Now don't ask me why or why. You can ask him or Jayden that yourself," he said and then started the car again to actually drive off.

I looked forward to the beautiful houses that soon disappeared and gave way to the dark forest. While it seemed unfair to me, it was still reassuring to know that there were wolves out there watching out for you.

We arrived at my house and before I could get out, Chace gently took my hand, making me look over at him. "He doesn't mean it. He's the youngest alpha ever and it's just too much for him. His emotions sometimes boil over."

Before I could give him anything in return, he let go of my hand and continued talking calmly. "I'm not saying you should put up with anything, just don't provoke him and no matter what, I'm here for you." He smiled just as warmly as the first time I saw him and he managed to give me at least a small sense of trust after that horrible evening. "See you."

I got out and watched him drive down the cul-de-sac and around the corner. Standing in front of the door, I realized to my annoyance that I had left my jacket and key at Ludwig's. I knocked and rang the bell, but my grandma was probably on her way again, typical old wolf.

Freezing, I ran around the whole house to look for an open window, but there wasn't one, which slowly but surely drove me to despair. By the time I had run to Ludwig's I would certainly have frozen to death and there was no one left in the Wialtrama that I knew.

I thought about what I should do and then after a short while I started walking in the direction of Wialtrama. Maybe Lou would be there, I thought and walked faster and faster down the dark streets to warm myself up a little with the movement.

Arriving at the club, Eddie got up immediately, but I shook my head straight away. "I don't want to go in, but can you please see if Lou is there?" I asked him and he then sat back down on his stool and tapped his cell phone. "Hello?" I asked him again, but he didn't even look over at me.

Just as I wanted to pass him, he grabbed my arm. "Just wait. She'll be right there," he growled, and I flopped against one of the black doors. It wasn't long before a car pulled up and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Jayden get out and glared at Eddie. "That doesn't look like Lou," I whispered, just making him grin.

"Longing?" Jayden came up to me and before I could say something stupid to him, he put his black jacket on me and pulled the zipper up the front. "Thanks Eddie." He nodded to the bouncer and led me by the arm past the car, across the street and into the woods.

I knew he lived here and really didn't want to go with him. I wanted to slam him against a tree, but it was really cold and I was drained and tired. "Why aren't you at home?" he asked while crossing the dark forest. "There was nobody at home and my key is in my jacket and it is with Ludwig."

I couldn't see his face in the darkness, but I knew he couldn't help but grin. "And then you wanted to go party?" "No! I was looking for Lou. Are we done with the interrogation now?" I asked him annoyed and almost fell over a tree root, but Jayden grabbed my hips and hugged me tightly.

It was the butterflies in my stomach that suddenly drove me crazy in his arms. It only lasted seconds in which I could feel his chest vibrating against my back and his breathing on my neck, but the moment felt frozen. Created for eternity.

I pulled away from him, startled, trying not to let my rapid breathing and racing heartbeat show, but I didn't know if he couldn't hear it with his instincts.

"Everything okay?" he then asked me and walked next to me in the direction of the hut. "Yeah, everything's okay," I replied, confused about myself, and hesitantly followed him further through the darkness that was also spreading inside me.