Maddening Pheromones

Logan’s P.O.V

I twisted the cufflinks on my wrist, feeling the cold metal bite into my skin—a sign of impatience, boredom, or both. My Beta yanked the door open, his eyes wide with anxiety. He knew better than to keep me waiting.

We should turn back. My wolf snarled in my mind, his primal instincts urging me to flee from this place. Severing the link with a sharp mental snap, I silenced his protests. We rarely saw eye to eye, so it was easier to ignore him.

Curtly nodding at Damien, I stepped out of the limo, my jaw tightening as I saw the swarm of wolves crowding the entrance.

I cleared my throat once, a low and menacing growl that made them flinch. Their faces turned white as they recognized me and scrambled to make way for me.

‘That’s more like it,’ I muttered, walking past the crowd who whispered and gawked at me.

My brow arched at the man approaching me with a wide grin. He was holding a leash attached to a young girl's neck. His black hair was streaked with gray, the deep grooves and lines on his face betraying his age.

Glancing at Damien, who looked as disgusted as I felt, I mind-linked him. He answered immediately.

“Yes, Alpha.” His voice echoed in my head. “That’s Delta Francis from the Sandwind Pack.”

The crowd's voices around us became a dull buzz and my brows pulled in a heavy frown.

Sandwind Pack. What the hell did they want with me? That pack was filled with nothing but a bunch of cowards and traitors. They had stayed out of the war between my pack and the Crescent Pack for over a decade, pretending to be neutral. But I knew they had profited from the bloodshed, selling weapons and information to both sides.

They must have caught wind of the reason I was here; To finalize and sign the peace treaty agreement with Jake of the Crescent Pack. Unlike my father, who was thick-headed and blood-thirsty, my goals were bigger than stealing pack territories or gaining a few boundary yards.

I needed to end this fucking war, and while I was at it, I had to find my Luna.

“Greetings, Alpha Logan.” Delta Francis bowed his head slightly, tugging on the leash. The girl whimpered and mirrored his actions, her hair falling forward.

“I am the diplomat and Delta of the Sandwind pack sent by my Alpha to you.” His eyes darted away from mine, avoiding my gaze, and I shook my head, suddenly irritated.

I despised vain men.

He didn't stop talking, though, waving his hand at the brown-haired mousy girl who cowered next to him. “I am offering you the best deal to secure the most profitable alliance. This is Ella, a very rare breeder whose fertility is unmatched. And if I’m not mistaken, your pack suffers from a shortage of female wolves who can carry your offspring, and you, Alpha Logan, need an heir.”

His smile widened as he grew more confident. “Ella’s bloodline is the only omegas left who still produce abundant slick during heat, and she can birth ten pups at a time.”

I had to admit, the crafty man had done his homework, and if I didn’t hate his pack so much, I might have been tempted.

Although my pack was at its peak of strength and power, the biggest challenge remained on birthing pups, as the female wolves in my pack were mostly alphas with low fertility rates.

“Thank you,” I said flatly to the diplomat before mind-linking Damien to take the girl from him.

Suppressing a smirk, I watched Damien follow my orders with evident confusion. He was probably wondering what I was up to as he glanced at Francis’ smug expression.

When we were far enough from the Delta, Damien couldn’t hold back his curiosity and whispered in my head. “Alpha, what’s going on? Why did you take the girl? Is she your mate or something?”

I only spared him a smile. It was pretty clear that I loathed the diplomat and his stupid pack and didn’t have any feelings for the girl who meekly trailed after Damien like a lost lamb. Hell, I couldn’t sense the mate bond between us even if it stared me in the face, but it wouldn’t kill me to put up an act.

I was no longer the blunt boy who spoke his mind without thinking, too naïve to understand how the world worked sixteen years ago.

Sixteen years ago was the darkest period of my life. I still remember the night my mother walked out on us. She packed her bags and left with a stranger, leaving me and my father behind. That little boy cried and begged her to stay, but she didn’t even look back. My heart went with her that night, leaving a bitter husk in its place.

At first, my father didn’t take it well, drowning his sorrows in alcohol and women. I should have appreciated that because everything spiraled when he brought a new wife to the pack.

A jinx, a curse, a mistake became my new name. After reminding me that I was the reason my mother left, she’d beat and starve me, locking me in cellars. And that was the beginning of my hell.

I always wondered why Father let her do those things. Why he let his pack members mock and spit on me. He let them call me a monster, and I was barely nine years old.

They were right, though. I was all those things and more. Embracing the darkness in me, the rage that burned like fire in my veins, was the best decision I ever made.

Shaking my head to clear out the dreary memories of my past, I realized everyone were blatantly staring at the girl hiding behind Damien.

‘Oh my Goodness! It’s Alpha Logan. I heard he has a sex dungeon!

‘Oh my, that poor girl is his newest addition to his collection of toys!’

‘He’s so hot, but he’s a psycho! You don’t want to know what he did to his own family just to become Alpha!’

‘Stay away from him. He tortures and kills women.’

A wicked smile curled my lips and I grabbed a glass of wine from the server who walked by me. How pathetic were the wolves of Crescent Pack? I didn’t mind the fear that hung in the air, though. If there was one thing I’ve learned; Fear is the best weapon to bend anyone to your will.

My eyes snapped to Damien as he growled low in his throat and shot daggers at the people around us.

Savoring the dry taste of the Cabarnet, I mind-linked. “Let them think what they want, Dame. It’ll eventually work in our favor.”

His response was instant as he gritted his teeth. “What right do they have to judge anyone? They have no fucking idea what that witch did to you!”

“Well then. Carry on.” I shrugged carelessly, cutting off the mind-link and taking another gulp of the wine.

‘When would they start this fucking coronation?’ I carelessly wondered, glancing ahead. My jaw ticked as my gaze landed on the girl who was glued to Damien’s back. Tears glistened in her eyes as she bit her lips, clearly terrified by the words she was hearing.

Damien’s reaction was heightening her distress. I noted from how she shuddered whenever he barked at people.

“Oh goddess, please don’t sell me to a perverted Alpha with his evil Beta.”

I snorted, realizing the mousy girl didn’t know she said the words out loud.

On hearing her words, Damien slowly turned around, his eyes wide and he flushed bright red. He looked like a deer caught in headlights, and I watched with interest as he scrambled for what to say to the girl. “Hey…uh…not what it looks like…sorry…”

I’d never seen him this way—a stuttering mess in front of some slave girl. My snort was even louder this time.

Some of me thought they matched as a couple…in some weird BDSM fashion with the way Damien was holding the leash. It was funny but reminded me that I needed to find a wife. Pretty soon, at that.

I fought back a yawn as Jake kept talking about his Luna. The ceremony was long and so fucking boring. I just wanted to sign the fucking treaty and leave.

Then the most delicious smell caught my attention—luscious, ripe peaches. Saliva pooled on my tongue.

Tickling my nose, it stirred my blood, making me restless with hunger. I’d never smelled an Omega so strong, so sultry and slick that it’d fuck with my head, sending the blood rushing south of my body.

It was driving me wild, and I had to gulp in short breaths through my mouth as I lifted my head to scan the crowd.

Where was it coming from? Who was it?