REJECTED AND REDEEMED

Chapter 5: Who Is she?

"Can I come in?" he asked again.

Hazel regained her grip. She had initially lost herself in the wonderment of his face.

"Yes, you...can." she said, stammering.

She was feeling an intense heat from within. Arden stepped a few feet inside giving her space, his silver eyes swept over her face.

He is even more impressive up close Hazel.

Akira sighed, her voice dreamy and reverent,

Oh moon goddess we're the luckiest wolf in existence.

"Akira please, not now," Hazel said inwardly and managed to push Akira deeper down into her subconscious mind. She needed to relate with the wolf king with a clear head, not from a lover girl's perspective.

"You sleep well, you slept long." Arden said calmly. His voice was direct, not cold but no air of warmth in it.

His tone was quite confusing to Hazel,

Was that a compliment or disapproval?

Hazel's throat tightened,

"Yes...I...I was knocked out pretty badly by your men." She said slowly.

"Oh! Rougues had tried getting into our pack several times, that was given, I hope you aren't hurt anywhere?"

Hazel bit her lower lip to hold back her thought, even this man was no different from Alpha Ryder or Ethan. He didn't offer her any apology whatsoever before switching up the conversation on her.

"I am fine." she replied through gritted teeth.

"Okay." He said.

What followed was a few minutes of awkward silence, tension brewed in the air. Neither of them could start up a conversation. Hazel kept wondering if Akira perhaps was wrong and delusional. If this rigid man was truly her mate, wasn't there supposed to be some kind of firecracker affection between them? She knows her body craves him, her eyes kept roaming towards his perfectly sculpted body but she resisted the urge to look further, what about him, isn't he feeling anything for her? Or was he going to reject her too?

That sounds like the most logical conclusion, she thought miserably.

"I hope you don't mind telling me where you're from and how you came across my guards." Arden said suddenly jolting her out of her thoughts.

"I was chased by the guards of my former pack and that was how I came across your guards at ...your border."

Arden stared into her eyes, a soul piercing gaze. He could see the sincerity in it but her words sounded exactly like the first excuse most rogues he decapitated gave when first caught.

"And for what reason, he asked?" He questioned again staring at her intently to see if she was lying.

Hazel didn't know how to answer that, how was she going to tell him that she ran away after being rejected by her Alpha's son, the maltreatment and hate she got from her pack.

"It's a long story." she said, swallowing the lump in her throat as she squeezed her palms too tight she felt the pain from the impact of her nails, the pain of remembering what they did to her she couldn't bear it.

"Cut it short." He responded curtly.

Hazel was stunned.

This extremely gorgeous man has no softness in him at all, a strong enough red flag. She didn't want to be bonded to a brutal man like this. Now it was more obvious that the moon goddess specifically disliked her, if she didn't, why does she have to end up being tied to ill-mannered men.

"You know what, rest more for now, tell me your story when you feel ready." Arden said, turned around towards the exit door.

Hazel couldn't fathom the man at all, is it a form of consideration from him or another way to shame her for a sad story he didn't want to hear.

"Can I ask for something?" Hazel said.

He stopped in his track and turned around to face her.

"What?"

"My bag, did any of your guards that knocked me out by any chance see a jade green bag?"

This raised Arden's suspicion, what must be inside that bag that sounded so important to her, he's so curious himself to see this bag then.

"I will ask them to find it."

And search it first myself, he thought inwardly.

Why don't you just trust her, she's our mate afterall, Axel, his wolf cut into his head.

Arden's expressions didn't change. If anything his hands shook slightly, his eyes, those silver eyes sharpened almost imperceptibly like a blade being drawn.

"Is there anything of interest in the bag?" He questioned.

"Yes, my journal." She responded straightaway as if she had been waiting all her life for that question.

"A journal?" He questioned suspiciously.

"Yes, i write, I like writing, it reduces my stress, it is my way of expressing myself." She replied biting her lips.

You are blabbing girl! Akira screamed mockingly.

Bitch, Hazel thought.

"No problem, your bag will be found and returned to you." Without another word, he turned around and left.

As Hazel manned the door. Arden paused right outside it. He had to hold his chest to stop the fast beating of his heart. He had held it down long enough, breathing the same air with a woman he desired badly but still maintaining an air of indifference.

"Just like that?" His wolf screamed in his head, "I thought we were here to bond with our mate." He said pacing around.

He now know that the moon goddess wasn't joking with the mate bond thing, Hazel was the real deal, his ordained mate but something bothered him, in her eyes, he could read the lines of sincerity at the same time, he could tell she was holding back some informations.

That was the problem,

If it turns out she was actually a spy, he would be torn between the pack's strict rule of decapitating any spy or keeping his mate. If it turns out that way, will he be able to forgive himself?

That journal of hers must hold some clues, all he needs to do was find it.

****

Arden returned to his office, his wolf taunting him for treating her like that. Just then Gaius walked in.

He greeted bowing in respect.

Arden was not in any mood for long conversations, he nodded his head in acknowledgment and moved on with his words.

"Call Caden, I need to see him now."

While Gaius kept making the call, Arden was deep in his thoughts trying to argue with his wolf who believes Hazel is not guilty of anything but he can't just believe a stranger simply because she's his mate.

Soon afterwards, Caden walked in calling the Alpha out of his thoughts.

Arden turned, staring at him.

"That girl, replace her maid Caden,also I need you to find the guards who brought her in, and ask if they had seen her with a bag if not, find the bag and bring it to me."

That girl! You are talking about your mate, you egocentric idiot. Axel, his wolf, shot back at him from the corner of his mind but Arden ignored him.

"Yes Alpha." Caden said sarcastically, "Hope you didn't act cold towards her?" he asked staring at him with a scolding face.

"Mind your business and get to work, you know how I hate mixing business with pleasures."

This surprised Gaius who was arranging some books at the library in the room.

Wasn't this the same person running to meet his mate earlier?

Caden wasn't moved,

"With this face of yours, I don't think you spoke to her nicely?"

"I can't trust her just yet." He looked into his friend's eyes, "I can't allow history to repeat itself Caden."

This made Caden shake his head.

So he hasn't gotten over that.

"Concerning the rogue that was caught, has he said anything yet?" Arden asked changing the subject matter.

Caden smirked,

"He hasn't but don't worry he will talk when I'm done with him."

"I trust you to. Caden, make sure you get the girl's bag to me first thing tomorrow, send the guards to find it."

If she happens to be a spy, who would I protect,

Her or my pack? He thought miserably.