I stewed and then simmered in my anger I sat in bed later that night waiting for Maverick to come to bed. It was late but I was determined to confront him about it.

He couldn’t do it. It was that simple. I would not allow him to put himself on the line like that. It was something I couldn’t live with.

I heard his heavy footsteps. I folded my arms just as the door opened and he appeared.

“You’re still up,” he said as he came into the room, closing the door behind him.

I didn’t answer as I watched him with a cold look that left him with no doubt that I was upset with him.

He stopped midway to the bed. “What?”

“You know what.” I ground my teeth, determined for him to admit what he was planning.

Did he really think he could keep it from me? Or was he still planning on how to tell me? It didn’t matter. There was no way I was going to let him do something like that.

I couldn’t even consider what damage could be done between two fighting Alphas. It was too terrible to even think about.

“No. Honestly, I don’t know why you’re in a mood.” His voice strained.

A mood. Was he kidding me? I wanted to yell and scream at him. It took all my self control to remain seated in the bed with my arms crossed defensively.

He rubbed the back of his neck. I had a momentary pang of empathy for the tiredness in his features but I refused to let him off the hook for even considering an option that would put him in danger.

“You gonna tell me?” He raised an eyebrow at me as he dropped his arm to his side. He kept his distance.

“When were you going to tell me?” I found myself asking, reluctantly wishing I had the patience to give him the cold shoulder a little longer.

But at least I wasn’t raising my voice and allowing my emotions to blind me with anger. For the first time I was not unleashing my temper and allowing my emotions to dictate my actions. Nothing good would come from that. It was a lesson I was beginning to learn. Maybe the training with Jackson had finally brushed off on me.

When he didn’t answer I glared at him. “You weren’t going to tell me, were you?”

I couldn’t believe the level of betrayal I felt. The pain similar to what I would imagine my insides being crushed. For the first time I had learned to trust someone and he had betrayed me. I had to catch my breath. It was something I hadn’t even considered, that he would try do this without my knowledge.

“And how was this going happen?” I slipped from the bed, needing to be closer to study his stone like features. He wasn’t giving anything away, which only fueled my volatile anger.

He lifted his eyes to meet mine but remained tight lipped.

“Were you going to just leave without saying anything?” I put my hand to my heart as I approached him. The pain spreading through my chest made it hurt to breathe.

He wasn’t even trying to explain. His silence made it worse. Like there was nothing left for him to say.

“How could you even think about leaving me out of this?” I was struggling between the hurt and the anger.

I stopped, searching his features for something. Something to reveal that my words were getting through to him.

“What options did you think we still had left?” he asked. His tone strong and uncaring of my emotional meltdown. “If we can’t fight them and there is no way to hide from them. What option is left?”

I clamped my mouth closed, trying to take in his words.

“You made me promise not to run. But it’s okay for you to lie to me?” I asked, stepping closer.

“I’m doing what I have to do to keep you safe.” I hated how calm he was, not allowing me to see anything below his tightly controlled expression.

I turned my back, unable to look at him.

“None of the decisions I’ve been forced to make are easy.”

Shaking my head, I refused to allow him to explain his betrayal. “Don’t.” I lifted a hand up in his direction. He quietened.

I found myself by the window, feeling the need to escape. Reverting back to the action that I took when confronted with a situation that was too difficult to navigate. Running was the easy way out, staying was much harder.

My breath was heavy. My chest lifting hurriedly with each breath like I was out of breath.

“Alexandria.”

I shook my head. “Don’t.” My shoulders tight.

The tension in the air increased as I faced him. The sight of him pulled at my heart but this time, it only brought pain.

“You made your choice.” I lifted my chin defiantly.

“It’s not like that Alexandria. Don’t make it sound like I had any option. I’m doing what I have to.”

I gave a stiff nod. “Then you leave me with no choice but to do what I have to.”

He frowned. “You promised not to run.”

“Who said anything about running?”

Still filled with turmoil, I had no idea what I was going to do but it wasn’t going to stand on the side lines while my mate risked his life. That wasn’t me, and if he thought for a minute, he was about to get the biggest wake up call.

He studied me. “You’re planning something.”

“You didn’t think I needed to know what you’re planning, then I don’t believe you need to know what I’m going to do.”

He stiffened as his frowned deepened. “I need to know your safe. I need to know that if I’m not here, you aren’t putting yourself in danger.”

“Not nice, is it?” I asked, feeling like I had more control than before. I was taking back control and I wouldn’t stand by helplessly.

“You promised.” He folded his arms across his broad chest.

“Like I told you, I’m not running.”

Whatever I was going to I wasn’t going to run. Running had never done me much good. It had only delayed the inevitable. And in this situation, was no different.

His eyes glittered angrily. “I have ways of ensuring you don’t do anything stupid.”

I gave a dismissive one arm shrug. “Like I said. You do what you need to and I’ll do what I need to.”

Despite my volatile emotions, I was already trying to come up with a plan. I would not stand by and do nothing. This was my family, my problem.

“I know you Alexandria. You’re going to do something stupid.” His eyes began to glow.

“How is that any different from what you’re doing?” I asked the question, hoping he would see how dangerous his plan was.

“I’m taking a calculated risk.”

I scoffed. “Are you kidding me?” I walked over to him, to stand so close I had to look up to keep our eyes connected.

“What happens if you lose?” I asked the question, that had been going through my mind since I learned his plan from Tristan.

“I won’t.” His confidence was in his voice, his eyes.

But I didn’t hold that same confidence.

The Alphas were usually the strongest of the pack, he would be going up against the strongest werewolf from a large pack. The odds weren’t looking good. Why was he so confident? Did he know something I didn’t?

“There are times when I need you to trust me Alexandria. And right now, I need you to trust that I know what I’m doing.”

I opened my mouth to argue with him but then firmly shut it. He was set in his decision. I could see it in his eyes, any words I uttered would fall on deaf ears. It was a waste of time arguing with him.

He reached out to touch me but I stepped back. “I need you to sleep elsewhere. I’m too angry with you to play nice.”

“No.”

His response surprised me.

“No?” I echoed.

“You are my mate and my place is with you. You can be angry but I’m not going anywhere else tonight.”

I glared at him as he strode off to the connecting bathroom and shut the door.

I was so angry I wanted to hit something.