TO TAME THE BRUTAL LYCAN BEAST-Chapter 51: A HONEYMOON?

AZRAEL

"What do I have you for if I have to do everything in this castle?" I sigh, pulling on a robe.

"I’m already doing everything," he corrects, proceeding to drop a stack of papers on my desk. "This, however, is something that you personally have to deal with. After killing off a certain someone’s daughter and disrupting the already fragile balance we had with packs that were just barely following orders, you’ve now set off another inciting incident—a revolt brewing in the shadows amongst the alphas. One you have to deal with before things get messy."

"What do I care? We can just kill them off, appoint new heads. I’ve done it before." I wave him off, not in the mood to work until I feel better.

His scowl deepens.

"We both know that doesn’t work the way you think it does," he argues.

I ignore his outburst, moving to the mini fridge in my bedroom for something else—something stronger—to distract myself with until he’s gone and I can call in another group of women.

Maybe a different combination this time. Blondes. Brunettes. It doesn’t matter. None of them will be what I actually want anyway. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"What’s wrong with you?" he continues now that I’m ignoring him. "You’re typically indulgent and lazy, but you don’t typically lock yourself in your room all day. You’re spiraling."

I flinch at his words.

He’s pointing things out like I don’t know, like I’m not aware of my own fragile mind being chipped away piece by piece and it isn’t unnerving me.

Like I’m not concerned by the fact that the things that usually keep me sane aren’t working anymore.

The wine tastes like water. The women feel like ghosts. And every time I close my eyes, all I see is her face—twisted with hatred, spitting venom at me like I’m the worst thing she’s ever encountered.

Maybe I am.

"Shouldn’t you be somewhere brutally murdering some criminal for the fun of it?"

"Maybe I should start by killing you so all this whining stops and I’ll be left alone." I snap at him, tempted to throw the bottle in my hand at his head.

"We both know you’re not killing me until I bear a successor who can take over the position of beta when I’m gone. That’s why my bloodline exists for you, isn’t it?" He rubs his invulnerability in my face, daring me to take it away from him.

"Maybe I don’t need a beta anymore."

He rolls his eyes, not buying my threat.

"Get to work."

He gives me a stern look in his eye that warns me not to dismiss him right now.

I could dismiss him—even if I wanted to—but thinking about dealing with him later gives me a headache, so instead I give in.

With an exhausted sigh I draw closer, grabbing the first file on the table and looking through it, resenting myself for deciding to take a position of power years ago.

Ruling used to be entertaining. The politics, the power plays, the endless stream of fools trying to outsmart me only to end up dead. It was a game I enjoyed.

Now it feels like a chore. Everything does.

My eyebrows raise in recognition.

"What is this?"

"It’s a list of families suspected of plotting with Ivana’s father to revolt against your reign. One of them you might actually find interesting..."

"Alpha Ottomar Wilderose." The name practically pops up in front of my eyes on the list when usually I wouldn’t have noticed it at all.

Ottomar Wilderose, Alpha of the Wilderose house—and Valoria’s father. My fixation on her begins to turn into curiosity and interest in her family against my will.

I’ve heard whispers about the Wilderose household. Seven daughters. A powerful bloodline. And yet, for some reason, Valoria was sent to me as a concubine—the lowest offering a noble family could make.

Why her? Why not one of the others?

"He’s been especially busy holding secret meetings with them. There’s not enough evidence to convict him yet and he’s not deep into it, but if we observe him for a few months perhaps we could get a lead."

"You’re right, Eros." A wide smile stretches across my lips instantly as a new bright idea sparks to life like a light bulb.

"Pardon? Did you... did you just agree with me?"

"Of course you’re right. He might just be the perfect pawn to figure out what the rebels are planning and snuff them out once and for all. We need to keep a close eye on him—and who better to watch him than myself."

"I doubt he’s going to let his guard down around you if you show up at his front door to observe him."

"But if the context was not observing but rather visiting the family of my dearest concubine on our honeymoon, then it wouldn’t seem so suspicious, would it?"

No other idea could be more brilliant than this.

What other way can I observe a traitor than inspecting him myself while having Valoria by my side until this insane delirium of having her fades as fast as it had sparked to life.

Perhaps seeing her in her natural habitat—surrounded by the family that raised her, the people who shaped her into the trembling, defiant creature she is—will finally satisfy this maddening curiosity.

Perhaps then I’ll understand why I can’t get her out of my head.

Eros stares at me with blank disbelief.

"You’ve never once considered dropping by an in-law’s house before. You’re going to start another rumor with that girl again."

"What does it matter? We get our answers in the end, don’t we?"

"Does your sudden enthusiasm for doing your job have anything to do with the fact that she’s involved?"

He stares at me suspiciously and it’s irritating.

"What do you mean?"

"You’ve been acting strange since she showed up. She’s a spy, but you haven’t killed her yet or made plans toward it. You’ve locked yourself in your room since she stormed out that night and now you want to personally observe a noble house that just so happens to be hers."

His words hang in the air like an accusation. Because that’s exactly what they are.

"Don’t be stupid, Eros. You’re imagining things."

"Am I?"

Like hell I’d admit this is a problem I can’t eventually sort. It’s only a matter of time before she gets boring enough for me to bother with.

I scoff.

"Worry about that head of yours instead. Valoria is nothing but a mere speck in the way, not worth my time plotting against. She’ll wind up dead on her own without me having to do anything about it. She’s a tool I’ll use as I see fit in the meantime."

He watches me, doubtful for a moment, before letting out a breath of defeat.

"Very well."

I watch him leave, the door clicking shut behind him.

The silence that follows is deafening.

I look down at the file still in my hands, at the name Wilderose printed in cold, official lettering.

A tool. That’s all she is.

So why does my chest tighten at the thought of seeing her again?