Alpha's Dark Desires

Chapter 38: Mate Meets Sub (II)

Kane’s POV:

After Ashley’s ridiculous request—a demand, really—I sat in my office, too frustrated to even pretend to focus on pack work. "Another session... with Elena as an audience." The words echoed in my mind, fueling my frustration. Ashley was a decent enough sub, but this? This was absurd. The thought alone was laughable, and I couldn’t help but curse myself for writing that blasted favor clause into my contracts. At the time, it had seemed foolproof. Now, it was coming back to bite me in the worst way.

But more than Ashley’s outrageous request, my mind kept drifting back to her—to Elena. My little mate who had somehow already gotten under my skin, without even trying. Despite the obstacles, my desire for her was undeniable, and right now, I needed a distraction. Anything to shake off the irritation Ashley had stirred up.

With that in mind, I left my office, deciding to track down my stubborn little mate. "Let’s see what that little troublemaker is up to," I muttered under my breath, already feeling the tension ease a bit. Just the thought of her brightened my mood, though I’d never say that out loud.

Rounding a corner in the long way, I picked up Elena’s voice, sharp and loud, and—wait a second. Was she... arguing with Ashley?

My brows lifted in surprise as I stopped in my tracks, taking in the scene before me. There was Elena, her face flushed with anger, standing toe-to-toe with Ashley. And by the look on her face, Elena wasn’t about to back down. I stayed hidden for a moment, watching with a mix of amusement and curiosity. Ashley had some nerve, pushing Elena like that. She must have known that Elena was my mate. And yet, here she was, taunting her, testing her. I could almost see the fire blazing in Elena’s eyes, and I knew that look all too well—it was the same one she’d given me that first day we met, right before she’d stormed off.

And then, before I could react, it happened.

With a speed that even I hadn’t expected, Elena reared back and threw a punch straight at Ashley’s face. Her fist connected with Ashley’s nose with a satisfying crack that echoed down the deserted roadway. Ashley stumbled back, a hand flying up to her nose, her expression turning from smug to utterly shocked as blood trickled between her fingers.

Oh, hell.

I couldn’t help the grin tugging at the corner of my mouth. There was something undeniably satisfying about seeing Elena put Ashley in her place. Still, I knew I had to step in before this escalated any further. Elena looked ready to launch herself at Ashley again, and while the idea of her taking out all her frustration on Ashley was tempting, it probably wasn’t the best course of action.

With a sigh, I stepped forward, catching Elena’s arm and lifting her up and over my shoulder in one swift move. She was light, but she squirmed, her fists pounding against my back with surprising strength.

"Put me down!" she shrieked, kicking her legs as I held her in place.

"Calm down, little mate," I said, trying not to laugh at her furious attempts to break free. "I think you’ve done enough damage for today."

"You think I’m just going to let her talk to me like that?" Elena fumed, wriggling on my shoulder. I had to tighten my grip a little to keep her from slipping. "You saw how she was looking at me! Acting like she’s got some kind of claim!"

I suppressed a smirk. Elena’s jealousy was both unexpected and... well, a little flattering. Not that she’d ever admit to feeling jealous, of course. She’d probably bite my head off if I dared mention it. But I couldn’t help enjoying the fierce, possessive side of her.

Ignoring her continued squirming, I turned my head just enough to give Ashley a hard, warning look. She was still clutching her nose, glaring daggers at Elena with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. I didn’t say a word to her, and I didn’t need to. She knew better than to push any further, especially after I’d shown up to intervene. After a tense moment, she shot me a defiant look and stormed off, nose bleeding and pride bruised.

"Serves her right," Elena muttered, kicking at my back again. I stifled a laugh and started walking up the porch with her still perched on my shoulder.

"You done kicking?" I asked, patting her leg.

"Not even close," she snapped, though her kicks were half-hearted now. "You think you can just haul me around like some sack of potatoes?"

I chuckled, loving the fire in her voice. "When you’re punching pack members in the face? Yeah, I think I can."

"She deserved it," Elena huffed. "Did you hear the way she was talking to me?"

"Oh, I heard it," I replied, my tone amused. "And I think you made your point pretty clear. I’d say Ashley learned a valuable lesson today."

"Good," she muttered, sounding only a little bit appeased.

I’ll admit, watching Elena punch Ashley right in the face was... well, satisfying. It wasn’t exactly how I’d imagined introducing my mate to the pack, but the way Elena’s fist had connected with Ashley’s nose, the shock on Ashley’s face—it was priceless. Elena had handled herself better than I could have expected, though "diplomatic" wasn’t exactly the word I’d use.

When I stepped in to stop things from getting messier, Elena was all fire and fury, kicking and flailing as I lifted her over my shoulder like a ragdoll. She was shouting something about finishing what she’d started, her fists pounding into my back with a strength that was impressive, even for her. I couldn’t help the grin that tugged at my mouth as she struggled. For someone so small, she had no shortage of fight.

Watching Elena storm off, all fire and fury, was the most amusing thing I’d seen in weeks. There she went, marching down the hall, practically vibrating with anger, that fierce little scowl on her face making her look ready to take on the world. And all because I’d let her handle herself with Ashley. Honestly, I couldn’t help but feel a spark of pride—and maybe a little thrill at the sight.

Elena was strong. Fiery. A force to be reckoned with. She wasn’t going to let anyone walk all over her, and I respected that. And okay, maybe I’d let Ashley push her buttons just a little too long, but... I wanted to see how my little mate would respond. Elena wasn’t some weak wolf. She’d punched Ashley in the nose, for heaven’s sake! I didn’t need to "protect" her from every annoying conversation or challenging look. Besides, watching her stand up for herself had been... well, impressive, to say the least.

I leaned against the doorframe, crossing my arms as I watched her storm off, the anger practically radiating off her in waves. She was muttering under her breath, probably cursing me in a variety of creative ways. Hell, she could keep cursing me all day if she wanted; I’d never get tired of that fire in her eyes.

Of course, the whole thing had only amused me more. I knew she thought I was some arrogant, unfeeling Alpha, but what could I say? I liked seeing her riled up. Her anger, her defiance, that stubborn spark... it was more attractive than she probably realized. I hadn’t expected her to be this strong-willed, this unyielding. She challenged me, pushed back, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy every second of it.

She wanted to take on the world, and I was more than happy to watch her try. noveldrama

I sighed, letting a smirk tug at the corner of my mouth as I replayed her words in my mind. What kind of mate lets his little fluffy waltz over and rattle his mate just so he can see how she’d react? I couldn’t help but laugh softly at that. "Fluffy," huh? Ashley would be furious if she knew Elena had called her that. But it wasn’t like Ashley mattered—not the way Elena seemed to think. She could have as many tantrums as she wanted; Ashley wasn’t a threat. She was just... a part of my past that I was ready to leave behind.

But it didn’t seem like Elena had figured that out yet.

I followed her down the hall at a leisurely pace, hands in my pockets, my gaze fixed on her retreating figure. She didn’t look back, though I could feel her tense, as if she knew I was behind her. Her shoulders were stiff, her head held high, and there was this stubborn tilt to her chin that only made me want to push her more. I wanted to see how far she’d go, how much she’d fight me on this. And I was certain she’d keep fighting, all while pretending she didn’t care at all.

Hell, I knew she cared. Her reaction, that punch, the way she’d shouted at me—all of it screamed jealousy. Even if she didn’t want to admit it, she was feeling something for me, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying every second of her trying to fight it.

"Calm down, Elena," I’d said back there, more to see her reaction than anything. The anger that flared in her eyes had been downright electrifying. She was like a firestorm, unpredictable and utterly captivating. Most wolves would have backed down, especially when I gave them that tone. But not Elena. No, she’d just doubled down, her voice rising as she demanded I let her "finish what she started."

It was hard to keep a straight face. She didn’t know it, but I was holding back laughter the entire time. Not because I didn’t take her seriously, but because she was so damn fierce about it, standing her ground as if she were ready to take on the whole pack just to make her point. And I... I couldn’t help but admire that.

She’d called me out, though. Said I was just watching her, "letting Ashley humiliate" her. And maybe I had pushed the boundaries a bit, letting Ashley talk the way she had. But Elena could handle herself—I knew that now better than ever. Besides, she’d more than held her own, and if it came down to it, I’d always step in when she really needed me. But this? This had been a lesson, a test... and maybe, just a little bit of fun.

After all, if Elena could stand up to Ashley, she could handle just about anyone. And I wasn’t about to apologize for letting her prove it.

But her frustration didn’t end there. Oh, no. She’d stormed off, muttering something about finding an unmated wolf just to drive me mad. I raised an eyebrow at that, unable to help the smirk that spread across my face. Was she really thinking of making me jealous? Did she really think that would work?

The truth was, I’d been jealous before. The moment I’d realized she was my mate, I’d felt a surge of possessiveness that I hadn’t felt in years. But Elena didn’t need to know that just yet. She could keep trying to rile me up if that’s what she wanted. In the end, she’d see that none of those wolves could match me—not in strength, not in status, and certainly not in what I could give her.