Chapter 7.

Alpha Ryan’s POV.

The moment the guard escorted Diane and her friend out and the door shut behind them, I knew Taylor was going to have my head.

“You’ve lost your mind.” He began and I sighed.

Maybe I have lost my mind, seeing as this was the second time today someone was telling me this. I smiled slightly to myself as I recalled her infuriated face.

“What’s there to smile about?” He continued. “Do you understand what you’re doing?”

“We need an advantage,” I told Taylor.

“That’s why we had the other girl.” He threw his hands up in hysterics.

“Taylor, we needed something more substantial. In case you’ve forgotten, she is their Alpha.”

“That’s exactly why we ought not to have her here.” He deadpanned.

“I don’t think-.”

“She’s a freaking rogue!” Taylor lowered his voice and gritted out, cutting me off.

The room fell silent after that, the tension thickening the air. My reputation for my hatred of rogues was well known because I was a freak when it came to maintaining order, safety, and peace all around as their king. Although that was true, things were deeper than that. My hatred for rogues was very personal and the sentiments were expressed by those close to me.

Taylor was watching me, waiting for a response. The response he wanted to hear; I didn’t have. There was something about the rogue Alpha that did not just correspond with her being a rogue.

“You didn’t seem to feel this way earlier on,” I responded.

“Please, Ryan, even you know I’d flirt with a pencil if it looked feminine enough.”

“We have a lot on our plate right now, a war would only be a distraction.”

“So what? You’re afraid of rogues now?”

“Afraid? You know damn well it has nothing to do with that.” My temper was rising, and it was becoming increasingly hard to stay calm.

“And you were the one who said I was thinking with my dick.” Taylor chuckled wryly. “You like her, don’t you?”

“We. Need. Leverage. You moron.”

“For what?!” He slammed his hands on the table. “f*****g let them attack, we’d finish them off.”

“Yeah, like we did much ‘finishing’ last time.” I spat back.

Taylor shot up from my desk, sending a chair backward, causing it to make an irritating screeching sound on the floor.

“Don’t you dare pull that card on me.”

“On you? You’re not the only person that lost someone that night,” I stood up to face him.

“You didn’t lose s**t, man.” He jammed his finger at my chest.

We were standing dangerously close to each other now and breathing in each other's faces. Things got ugly quickly whenever emotions were involved.

I grabbed his finger away from my chest and held it down.

“Touch me again and I’d gladly assist you to recover all you’ve lost.”

In a split second, Taylor connected his fist to my jaw and sent me stumbling back, releasing my hold on him in the process. We stood on either side of the room staring each other down with our chests heaving rapidly as we tried to relax.

“What the f**k dude?” I asked him when the pain in my face began to kick in. Half of my face had gone numb and the other half stung painfully.

Taylor shrugged his shoulders at me and took a sit on the other chair still in place in front of my desk.

“Explanations, I need them. Plus, your entire plan.” He responded calmly from his seat.

I shook my head as I adjusted back into my seat. Taylor and I rarely fought, we agreed on almost everything instantly. This was a sensitive topic for both of us though and in all fairness, I deserved that hit.

“I’m sorry.” I began.

“Ugh, f**k you and your feelings, Ryan. What’s your plan?” He rolled his eyes at me, but I was able to detect a faint glint in them.

“She made a solo mission to meet me, the king, and went on a murder spree to get my attention, knowing fully well I don’t take liking to her kind.”

“She’s unhinged, I get it.”

“I watched her take down our men and she barely had a scratch on her. Audacious, skilled, and competent, not unhinged. We need that.”

“I still don’t get your plan, are you just politely going to ask her to go into battle after keeping her captive for a while?”

“Like I said, leverage.” He furrowed his brows. “A troop is to be sent back with the other girl, they’d groom her people for war.”

“What makes you think she’d agree to that?”

“What makes you think she’d know about it?” I raised a brow at him.

“If they don’t meet up to expectations?”

“She wouldn't have left them if she didn’t believe they could defend themselves from any possible attack from us.”

Taylor sat up in his seat, amusement dancing in iris.

“And If they don’t make it back?”

“Then there’s no use for leverage anymore, is there?”

“No, there isn't.” He grinned at me. “And if there’s no pack member left, how could there be a pack?”

“It’s only a matter of time before I get a report that they’ve broken laws, rogues don’t last long without their leader. All that accreditation bargain was bluff.”

“You’re a genius man.” He held his hand out for a handshake. “Thought you’d gone soft for a moment there.”

“Your thoughts are always messed up, nothing new.” Taylor laughed heartily and I accepted his handshake.

“Can I get back to what I was doing now?”

“Yes, get out of my office.” I sighed and immediately disconnected my hand from his possibly infected one.

I glanced at the clock on the wall and the time said 5:30 p.m, it was getting late. Well, can’t be a bad host, I thought as I stood up from my seat and smoothened out the creases on my clothes, I must go make sure my guest is properly settled in.