Chapter 3 Chapitre 3

In the days that followed, the heroine found herself hearing whispers among the pack, thinly veiled echoes of sinister truths surrounding Jaxon . She hadn't been looking for this information, but it came to her anyway, like shards of glass sparkling in the middle of the darkness. Pieces of a past that he tried to keep buried but that the oldest had not forgotten.

"You know, the Moon Goddess never gave him a mate," a voice whispered behind her as she stood near the edge of the woods. She turned around, recognizing one of the elders of the clan, a woman with silver hair and a face hollowed out by the years.

She raised an eyebrow, feigning indifference. "Why are you telling me this? »

The old woman smiled sadly, shaking her head. "Because you should know what you're dealing with." Alphas without a mate are like wolves without a pack, always searching for something they never find... and often, that makes them... dangerous. »

These words resonated within her. She had seen Jaxon 's brutality, felt this cold anger that always seemed to vibrate under her skin, ready to burst. Was this this loneliness, this emptiness he felt? For a moment, she almost felt pity. Almost. Then the hatred returned, burning, reminding her why she had to keep her emotions in check.

Later, while walking in the village, other words reached his ears. Some said he had been betrayed in the past, that love had been taken from him in the cruelest way. Others claimed that his heart had been broken so violently that he had sworn never to associate with anyone again. The absence of a companion was not a choice, but a consequence of his own injuries.

She clenched her fists, thinking. Maybe there was a crack in this hard and impenetrable facade. Maybe she could sneak in, pierce this armor that he seemed to brandish with every look, with every word he uttered with this icy detachment. If she discovered his weaknesses, she could use it against him, make him fall at his own game.

That evening, as the moon rose high in the sky, she decided to take a risk. She knew where Jaxon was, in a secluded part of the estate, where he liked to meditate away from prying eyes and the weight of his responsibilities. The place was dark, covered in shadows, but she felt no fear. On the contrary, she felt carried by a strange excitement, an anticipation that made her steps lighter, her breathing quicker.

She found him standing, staring into the distance, his dark silhouette silhouetted against the starry sky. He didn't see her right away, and she took the opportunity to observe him for a moment. In this tranquility, he seemed almost human, less imposing, less cruel. She could discern a certain weariness in his posture, a fatigue that he carefully hid in the presence of others.

She approached without a sound, but he sensed her presence before she said a word. His hard gaze rested on her, and she felt that familiar thrill, that electric tension that built every time they came face to face.

"What are you doing here? he asked, his voice low but sharp.

She shrugged, displaying a casual air that she knew would irritate him. "I could return the question to you. »

He frowned, a glint of defiance in his eyes. "You're asking for trouble, kid. You should know this is not the place to play. »

She smiled, approaching him with a confidence she didn't really feel. "Maybe I'm not here to play. Maybe I just wanted to... understand you. »

He laughed briefly, almost mockingly, but she sensed the underlying tension. "Understand me? Is that your excuse now? »

She looked up at him, holding his gaze. "Would that be so absurd? I hear things, Jaxon . Everyone is talking. You can't stop rumors from spreading. »

Her face closed, and she knew she had hit a sensitive spot. But she didn't stop. She wanted to see how far she could go, how far she could push him to reveal himself. "They say you're alone, that you chose to be... or maybe you didn't have a choice. »

He approached her, his eyes glowing dangerously, and she felt her breathing quicken, a mixture of fear and excitement that she couldn't control. "Do you believe everything they tell you? » His voice was low, almost a whisper, but she felt the intensity of his words. "Maybe I'm alone because no one can understand me. Maybe it's better this way. »

She felt her heart beating wildly, this distance between them shrinking with each word, each look. She placed a hand on his chest, almost unconsciously, and she felt his muscles tense under her fingers, this raw strength that he always seemed to contain, like a beast ready to emerge. "What if someone tried to understand you? If someone really wanted to know who you are? »

He looked at her, surprised by her boldness, and for a moment she thought she saw a glint of vulnerability in his eyes, a split second where he seemed unsettled. But it disappeared as quickly as it appeared, replaced by this usual coldness.

"That would be a mistake," he finally said, his voice hard again, almost sharp. "Approaching someone like me... it's not for the faint of heart. »

She bit her lip, refusing to back down. "Maybe I'm not as fragile as you think." »

They looked at each other in silence, and she felt the intensity of that moment, as if time had stood still around them. She didn't know if it was madness, this irresistible attraction she felt for him despite everything he represented. But she knew she couldn't turn back. She had come too far to give up now.

Slowly, almost without her realizing it, he placed a hand on her face, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. She shivered under his touch, feeling both vulnerable and strangely powerful. He scrutinized her, his eyes lingering on her with an intensity that almost made her sway.

"You know nothing about me," he whispered, his voice laced with a seriousness that made her shudder. "And if you knew...you wouldn't stay here." »

She held his gaze, refusing to give in. "Maybe I want to know." Maybe I'm not like the others. »

He shook his head, a bitter smile playing on his lips. "Everyone says that...until they find out the truth. »

She felt her heart tighten, torn between fear and fascination. She knew he was hiding something, a dark past that haunted him. But she refused to back down. She wanted to see beyond this facade, to unravel the secrets hidden behind this impenetrable gaze.

"Then show me," she said softly, her voice full of challenge. "Show me who you really are, Jaxon . »

He remained silent, observing her as if she were a mystery he couldn't solve. Then, slowly, he leaned toward her, closing the distance between them until their breaths mingled, creating an electric tension that seemed to fill the air around them. His gaze looked into hers, and she felt this irresistible attraction, this strange connection that united them despite themselves.

But before she could react, he stood up, regaining his mask of coldness. "Be careful what you wish for," he whispered, his voice laced with warning. Then, without another word, he turned away, leaving her alone in the darkness, her heart pounding, filled with a mixture of frustration and attraction that she struggled to understand.

She stood still, her mind whirling, feeling that she had just crossed a line, that she had just engaged in a dangerous game, a game whose rules she did not know but from which she could no longer turn away.