Chapter 18: Little Mate
Vivian Grey’s POV
A small shiver worked its way down my spine. His words weren’t cruel, but they carried an edge that made me wonder just how far he was willing to go for the things or people he claimed as his.
And now, it seemed, that included me.
"What do you mean by alpha-less?" I asked, though deep down, I already had a sinking feeling about what he meant.
Zaliver didn’t answer right away. His gaze stayed forward as we walked down the quiet corridor. The faint echo of snores drifted through the air now and then, soft reminders that this place never truly slept.
Lily’s voice echoed in my mind. "Alpha disrespected him."
A sharp pang of understanding hit me.
The Blue Moon Alpha. He must have challenged Zaliver during the raid, or said something, done something that Zaliver had taken as a slight. And Zaliver, being who and what he was, wouldn’t have let that pass. Not in front of his men. Not ever.
Which meant Gwen’s pack had lost their Alpha because of a night that had ultimately been about me. Because someone had come looking for me, and the Alpha of Blue Moon had been in the way.
"Oh," I whispered, the word coming out smaller than I intended.
Alphas were known for their pride, their need to dominate and command respect. If a regular alpha reacted violently to disrespect, how would the alpha of all alphas respond? Zaliver wasn’t the type to forget or forgive easily. I knew that much already.
Still, I felt relief wash over me knowing Lily was safe. That had been nagging at me since I passed out. Not knowing what happened to her had been like an itch I couldn’t reach.
We came to a familiar door and Zaliver stopped. I tensed when his hands gripped my hips.
"No way," I said quickly, stepping back.
He turned to me, a smirk playing on his lips. "Why not? You’re my mate. You belong with me. That means you sleep beside me."
And just like that, he opened the door and not-so-gently shoved me inside.
"Rude," I muttered under my breath, brushing past him.
As I crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed, a sharp poke reminded me of something. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the black credit card and handed it to him.
"Here."
He took it with a glance, kicking off his boots with practiced ease. "Ah, yes. Your little boat stunt today." His tone turned mocking. "Don’t try anything like that again unless you want to end up like Rapunzel."
He walked to the bedside table and placed the card down. One by one, he emptied his pockets, keys, phone, and a ridiculously thick wallet.
"You mean free and back with my family?" I teased, even though the image of being locked away wasn’t exactly a stretch.
He snorted without humor. "No. I mean locked in a tower with nothing but a pet lizard for company."
He disappeared into the bathroom, door wide open, like modesty wasn’t even a concept in his world. I took the opportunity and went to work immediately. I pulled back the covers on the left side of the bed, then went around collecting every single pillow I could find, from the couch, the armchair, even the decorative ones that looked like they’d never been touched. I stacked them down the center of the bed in a neat, deliberate wall.
It wasn’t exactly the Great Wall of China, but it was something. It was mine.
I claimed the side closest to the door, sat back, and crossed my arms. If he didn’t like it, he could sleep on the floor.
When he came out of the bathroom, his damp hair clung to his forehead and his bare chest glistened slightly in the low light. I quickly turned around, pretending to adjust the pillows. My face felt warm. The bed, clearly made for his large frame, made me feel like a child curling up in a giant’s space.
"Well, isn’t that adorable," he said, clearly amused.
I didn’t reply. He moved around the room for a while before the lights flicked off, plunging everything into darkness. I lay on my side, facing the door, clutching my pillow like it could protect me. My breathing was shaky, loud enough that he probably heard every inhale and exhale. My blood rushed too fast. My toes wiggled uncontrollably, a small outlet for the anxious energy still bottled up inside me.
No matter how tired I felt, my thoughts wouldn’t settle. The day had been overwhelming. I was overwhelmed.
"I can hear your eyes moving," Zaliver’s voice broke the silence.
I flinched. "And?" I said defensively.
"Go to sleep. We’ve got a long day ahead of us," he murmured.
Easier said than done.
Still, his voice had a way of grounding me, even if I didn’t want to admit it. I let the silence stretch, breathing slower.
But one question still clung to my mind. I couldn’t let it go.
"Hey, Zaliver?" I whispered.
He groaned. "What now?"
"That time, when you told your pack you didn’t believe it when someone told you that you had a mate. What did you mean by that?"
Silence.
I almost thought he’d fallen asleep, or just decided not to answer. But then, after what felt like an eternity, he spoke, his voice low and heavy in the dark.
"Because people like me, people this twisted, don’t get mates." His tone was flat. "Now go to sleep before I make you."
I stared into the darkness long after the words had landed.
People like me. People this twisted.
He’d said it so matter-of-factly, like it was something he’d accepted a long time ago, something he’d stopped fighting. Like the idea of being loved, of being someone’s person, had never been on the table for him. Not because he didn’t want it, but because he’d genuinely believed he didn’t deserve it.
And that, quietly and without warning, broke something open in my chest.
"Goodnight then," I whispered, my voice coming out softer than I intended.
At some point, I must’ve drifted off. But even in my half-asleep haze, I felt him moving. The pillows I’d stacked so carefully were slowly pulled away, one by one. Then his arms wrapped around me and pulled me close. I let out a sleepy protest, but it was weak and useless and we both knew it.
He rolled us gently until his body was between me and the door. Even half-asleep, I knew what that meant. He was protecting me. Positioning himself as the thing between me and any harm that might come through.
"I should have known," I mumbled, my words muffled against his chest.
I felt him chuckle softly, his chest rumbling against my cheek. And I think, just maybe, he nuzzled the side of my face before resting his chin on top of my head.
"Of course you should’ve," he murmured. "What’s mine belongs here in my arms. You, little mate, belong to this wolf god."
I was too tired to argue. And honestly, tucked against his warmth with his arms steady around me, I wasn’t sure I wanted to.
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