“Alphas tend to live with their packs. You haven’t lived with the pack in a long time,” I rebutted, and Colin’s smile vanished.
He stepped around the chair and desk to stand before me, and no one said anything while his eyes bore into mine. He stepped back after a while, his ankles crossed while leaning on the desk.
“How was it?” he asked. “Seeing Kaleem again, I mean, how was it?”
I clasped my hands behind my back. “I did what you asked and nothing else.”
Colin looked at Jackson, but I kept staring at Colin. I knew what he was doing. He was trying to get a reaction out of me, and I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
“I’m happy to hear that,” Colin nodded. “Kaleem rejected you, Diana, don’t forget that.”
“I’m the one that was rejected, so why would I forget? And what was between Kaleem and I ended, but it was betweenKaleem and me, no one else.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them, but I wasn’t going to stand here while this man wasted my time with his poking at my wounds. “Alpha,” I finished with a slight bow, and in my peripheral vision, I saw Jackson stand up.
When Colin burst out laughing, surprising Jackson and me, I looked up.
Colin pushed himself off the desk and stepped to me. “Diana, Diana, Diana,” he said. “Your spunk has always been refreshing.” His face morphed into the cold creature I knew he was when he was towering over me with mere inches between us. “But be careful, be very careful and remember who you’re speaking to.”
He walked away to sit behind his desk, and my nails dug into my palms.
“The pack will be returning to our lands, Diana. A lot’s about to change, so how about you loosen up and practice showing gratitude? It’ll take you a long way, I assure you. Now, leave.”
A knock came at the door at that moment, and it was opened by a human woman wearing a pale green suit. She held the door open for a man to enter the room, and Jackson moved to stand by his grandfather behind the desk.
The human stared at me for a moment, a pale scar above his lip that made his upper lip look puckered, and his mouth curved a little while he ogled me.
I made my way to the door past him but was stopped before I could make my escape.
“Diana,” Colin called. “Return to Wolfcreek and stay close to Kaleem. It’ll make our transition smoother. You’re the face of our pack Diana for both Kaleem and the town’s people to see, so try and be a little welcoming and smile more.”
A second ago, he told me to remember what Kaleem did, and now he wanted me to be his tail.
My lips parted, but Colin’s eyes glowed, and his jaws clenched before I could say what I intended to. The man that had joined us stared from Colin to me, and I closed my mouth.
“Yes, Alpha,” I grumbled and closed the door.
I could bet anything Colin was up to something. I just hoped that it didn’t have anything to do with Wolfcreek. Kaleem had made it clear what he’d do this time if Colin stepped out of line, and I believed him.
This time though, Dad and I weren’t going to get caught in the crossfire. I was sure of that. If I had to cut ties with the world to find peace, I would do it.
Whatever plans Colin had, I was making some of my own, and I was patient. For every action he took from here on out, I’d do the same to secure my freedom and Dad’s.