Chapter 5

"Goodness! What a frightening dream!" I muttered, glancing immediately at the clock.

Still trembling all over, I looked around; the dream was still vivid in my mind and in my body. Trying to calm down, I took several deep breaths. I had only been asleep for half an hour, yet I felt more tired than before. Frustrated, I lay back down, turning to the other side of the bed, but the sensation of vibration persisted, which started to truly scare me. Sitting up again, I observed my body in detail, stopping at my thigh. It was twitching repeatedly, and that was when I realized how idiotic I was. Rolling my eyes, I quickly grabbed the phone from my pocket, which hadn't stopped ringing—it was on silent and vibrate, of course.

"Yes..." I felt a bit anxious realizing who it was. "Lilian..."

"NO... Do not say my name out loud," Liliana nearly shouted. "The wolves and their hearing... remember?"

"Oh! Right... right," I said quietly, checking my bedroom door. "I'm sorry, I forgot..."

"How are you, Cassandra?" Liliana questioned, sounding worried.

"I'm fine, and you?" I asked in a whisper. "Did you have any trouble?"

"Everything went just as we planned," Liliana let out a sigh of relief. "What have they decided regarding what we did?"

"I have no idea," I huffed impatiently. "They put me in a room, but no one has spoken to me since they caught me."

"What do you mean?" Liliana asked, confused. "Didn't they take you to my Alpha?"

"Yes, they did," I sighed in resignation. "But he only looked at me once... with anger... broke the table, and went out for a run."

"I see..." Liliana declared sadly. "I can imagine his disappointment."

"Don't worry," I added confidently, trying to cheer up my college friend. "He'll get over it! No one can force you..." Suddenly, something strange happened, leaving me open-mouthed and preventing me from finishing the sentence. In seconds, the bedroom door was kicked wide open, and my phone was ripped from my hand.

"Liliana!" Ulysses' voice sounded calm but authoritative. "May I know what you think you're doing?"

"Hey... you IDIOT!!!" Completely stunned, I shouted the words. "That was a private conversation!" I shouted again, confronting him irritably. The Alpha stared at me with clenched teeth and a look that said I was not to be questioned at that moment, but despite that, I kept my hands on my hips and looked at him defiantly. "Give me back the phone!!!" I grumbled, advancing toward him. "You can't do that!!!" Jumping repeatedly, I tried to grab the device from his hands, but he was taller, broader, and I didn't stand a chance.

"I can, and I did!" Ulysses was surprised by the "attack" from this human girl; didn't she have any fear of him? He turned his back on her, ignoring me completely to resolve the pending issue with the other female.

"Arrogant idiot..." Irritated, I cursed under my breath, insulting that man mentally and even verbally. "Ill-mannered..." He quickly looked at me again with a raised eyebrow, a half-smile, and yellow eyes glowing intensely. I let out a subtle gasp; his wolf was partially dominating him, which made him extremely terrifying, but also sensual. I had forgotten that they heard very well—too well—and it was better to take a break from the challenge. After all, I trusted Liliana, but I certainly didn't trust that wolf.

"My Alpha, with all due respect..." Liliana quickly called Ulysses' attention upon hearing Cassandra’s irritation on the other end of the line. "What I am doing is for the good of all of us."

"Do you really think so?" Ulysses questioned ironically.

"Yes, if the Alpha of the pack isn't happy with his mate, how can he lead at one hundred percent?" Liliana argued again. "And we both know we aren't fated mates."

"It is the law that is at stake right now, not my happiness," Ulysses growled in frustration.

"But that is exactly why I did what my Alpha could never do... challenge the law." Liliana's voice trembled, showing how much that situation also affected her. "This will give you time to find a solution."

"The only SOLUTION is this, Liliana," Ulysses shouted, exasperated.

"No, it isn't," this time, Liliana declared firmly. "Please, take good care of my friend Cassandra; she is a wonderful person, and she only wanted to help me."

"LILIANA!" Ulysses shouted, irritated. "I am your ALPHA; do not dare hang up on me."

"Good luck," Liliana hung up immediately.

"I don't believe this!!!" Ulysses was furious, staring at the phone. "How was she able to just hang up like that?"

"Maybe because the subject isn't even worth discussing," I declared with my hands on my hips, frowning at him while blocking the door.

Ulysses immediately spun on his heels, observing the woman who continued to confront him at a time when it wasn't wise to challenge him. She had a confident posture; it would have been amusing if he weren't so irritated.

"Get out of my way," he growled the words, walking with long strides toward the bedroom exit. He knew he sounded somewhat animalistic, with his partial transformation emerging due to frustration and anger, but he didn't even care.

"I already said," I huffed at the way he was looking at me. "I would like to speak with Bernardo."

"No," Ulysses declared seriously, analyzing the stubborn female in front of him.

"What do you mean, no?" I asked, irritated.

"That wasn't the topic," Ulysses leaned back in his chair with a relaxed posture. "Whatever you want to ask Bernardo, you can ask me." His gaze lingered for a few moments on the lips of the female who was stirring his wolf more and more. "I have already introduced myself properly, and whatever you ask him, it’s going to end up coming through me anyway."

"Really?!?" I knew he was right in that sense, but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction and admit it in front of him. "Well... since I have to stay here for a while..." He looked at me for a few moments with an indecipherable expression, yet I declared firmly, "You could give me some task. I am also a veterinarian; I can help with whatever is needed."

"No," Ulysses declared firmly, without hesitation.

"Why not?" I asked, furious. That man was getting on my nerves; I was developing nervous gastritis, and I had only been there for a day. At this rate, by the end of the week, my nerves would be completely shattered.

"Because you are our guest," Ulysses offered a fake smile. "You don't need to perform any function around here."

"Guest????" I forced a laugh. "Prisoner, you mean."

"Not a prisoner," Ulysses stretched his lips into a half-smile. "You know you are free to leave whenever you want."

"You know very well that I won't leave until Liliana is free from this punishment you want to impose on her," I nearly shouted.

"Then, as I said..." he looked dark and harsh, staring at the female. "You are our guest. If that was all, please... GET OUT," he declared coldly.

"With pleasure!!!" Clenching my teeth, I spun on my heels and marched out the door, slamming it hard. I knew I had struck a nerve when I said that Liliana's marriage to him would be considered a punishment, but he stripped away any composure I might have had. "How I hate him!" I shouted as I descended the porch, nearly tripping on one of the steps. How could a simple man disturb me so much... body and mind?

Damn, damn, damn... if he wanted a good challenge, then he would have one.