Chapter 5 5. Come Closer

Varg POV

Something stirred within me, a feeling I'd never felt before. I looked at the girl, trembling from nearly being struck by my dagger. Her eyes were wide, and I could see the similarities between us, though I wasn't about to dwell on it. I stepped closer, watching as she pressed herself against the stone wall, almost as if she wished she could melt into it.

People always had that reaction to me. I was used to it. I moved nearer, sensing her discomfort and unease. Now standing directly in front of her, I could hear her heart pounding frantically. That was exactly how close I needed to be to pull the dagger from the wall beside her head. She shut her eyes, trying to calm her breathing, though it was clearly not working.

I smirked. I liked the effect I had on her. Maybe next time she'd think twice before barging in where she didn't belong. Dropping the dagger onto the round oak table, I grabbed a towel from nearby and draped it over my shoulder.

"You're my mate," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

I turned toward her, smirking. If she only knew who I was, she wouldn't be so quick to weave fairy tales around me. I wasn't the type to feel anything for a woman, that was likely why the last one I had left after just a few weeks. But it didn't matter to me. She was probably better off without me.

"Get out of my room," I growled, my tone icy. "And don't ever barge in here again." I gathered my training equipment and tossed it into the room next door. When I returned, she was still there, glued to the wall.

"Please...you have to help me," she pleaded, her voice shaky. "My mother always said that once I met my mate, I would-"

"Enough of that." I snapped, cutting her off as I closed the distance between us, pinning her with a cold stare. Planting my hands on the wall on either side of her head, I caged her in. "Don't ever talk about that mate nonsense around me again. If you know what's good for you, leave. Now."

She fell silent, looking even more frightened than before. Her scent was maddening, almost breaking through my resolve. Even if she was right about the mate bond, I wasn't about to let her in.

I pulled my hand back from the wall and turned away, not looking at her as she slipped out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her. I knew I must've scared her, but that was exactly what I intended. It's what I did best, keeping people at a distance, making sure no one got too close.

But something about her didn't sit right with me. I couldn't shake the strange feeling in my gut, like a nagging itch I couldn't scratch. She'd looked so broken, so vulnerable, but there was a spark in her eyes, a strength I wasn't used to seeing in people around here. Most of them just obeyed, no questions asked.

I shook my head, trying to shove the thought away. I didn't need distractions, especially ones that looked at me with that kind of intensity.

With a frustrated sigh, I walked back to my training area, ready to throw myself into another round of combat practice. I wrapped my fists, the familiar leather tightening over my knuckles grounding me, reminding me of what I was here for. This was all I needed, strength, power, control. I didn't need anyone else, and I didn't need a mate.

********

The dull thud of my fists against the leather should've been enough to drown out every thought of her, but it kept circling in my mind. The way she looked at me, her face, her voice, her scent, they'd all embedded themselves too quickly, tainting my focus. This was the second time I was letting my focus slip away into something aside. Blood, pain and anger.

"I heard you won the match today, against Mark," Lucian's voice interrupted my thoughts as he strode further into the room.

"Is that surprising to you?" I muttered, landing another hard blow on the leather bag.

He chuckled. "For a guy like Lucas, he's probably lucky you didn't finish him off."

I stopped punching the bag and turned to him, narrowing my eyes. "What are you up to Lucian?" He gave me a confused impression as if he didn't know what I was talking about.

He chuckled and tugged his hand in his black pant. "Since when do you care about what I do?"

"You know what I'm talking about," I pressed. "Who's the girl you brought home last night?" My tone was more serious than I intended.

"That's none of your business, Varg," he shot back, his expression guarded, giving me the sense he was hiding something he didn't intend for me to know.

"You don't tell me what's my business," I said, ripping off my gloves. "Whatever you think you're hiding, it better be good. Because if it's not, it's on you."

He smirked. "At least I'm the one focused on revenge. All you do is fight and train."

"Revenge," I snapped, stepping closer until he instinctively took a step back. I could hear his heartbeat quicken. Lucian might be my older brother, but everyone knew I was the smarter and stronger one. "I warned you not to get involved with that pack. I don't want their Alpha doing to you what she did to Mother and Father. For all I care, stay away from that damn pack."

He shrugged, his gaze hardening as he turned toward the door. "Fine, I'll leave your room. But maybe you'd be interested to know, the Alpha of the Moon Pack is dead. Someone killed her last night."

My eyes widened, but I forced any hint of guilt from my expression. "I don't give a damn who's dead or not. Just don't do anything reckless."

He groaned, gripping the doorknob, ready to leave. But I wasn't about to let him off without a warning.

"Keep that girl away from my room," I called after him, my voice cold. "Or you have no idea what I'll do next."

He paused, his shoulders tense. "She won't bother you again," he muttered, anger edging his voice. But I didn't care. As long as they stayed out of my territory, I had no intention of getting involved in whatever he was planning.

With that, he shut the door, leaving me alone in the silence.