Alpha Jaxon POV
A siren. I had my suspicions but she'd just confirmed it. I felt a moment of fear along with nothing but revulsion. I hardened my heart as I dragged her towards the pack house, as she struggled futilely, tears in her eyes, tears I had put there.
"Jaxon" she pleaded, with those big doe-like eyes of hers "Jaxon please don't do this."
She had her voice and it was beautiful. Like music to the ears. I didn't question how her voice had healed, evidently, the water had more than brought her powers to the surface. I could feel my wolf resisting me as we dragged her downstairs toward the basement.
"Please" she begged, her voice husky "I haven't done anything."
"Don't you get it" I snarled "It's not what you've done it's what you're capable of doing."
She still didn't comprehend the true nature of her powers, the strength she had in just her voice. I flung her into the nearest cell and watched as she stumbled and fell to her knees, listening to her cry out in pain as she grazed her knees. I swung the door shut with an ominous creaking sound as she climbed awkwardly to her feet and turned around to watch me with a fearful expression on her face.
"Jaxon we have to talk" she begged me.
"About what? How you've tried to hide what you are this whole time? Are you claiming you had no knowledge that you were a siren? Because I find that hard to believe" I said snidely, even though I suspected she hadn't known. The look of awe on her face as she sang, as though she was experiencing something new, something beyond her imagination was something that couldn't be faked.
"I didn't," she said indignantly "I've never known. All I've known is that I didn't have my wolf and that was it. I never knew my mother, she died giving birth to me" she continued to protest, clutching at her throat, unused to speaking let alone talking so much "how was I meant to know?" she asked and I hesitated.
"It doesn't matter" I muttered "because it makes no difference. I can't have you wandering around the pack house, being a danger to the men. Who knows what you'll do to them."
"I won't do anything. If you feel this strongly about me, then reject me" she insisted, her chest heaving up and down as she stared at me accusingly "if you hate me then just do it. Clearly, you can't stand the thought of a siren being your mate, so reject me and get this over and done with. Sever this mate bond so you don't have to have any feelings towards me."
I eyed her. It was tempting. So tempting that I almost opened my mouth right then and there to do it. But my wolf was growling ferociously in my mind and threatening to do all sorts of things if I so much as attempted it. "I wish I could," I said heatedly as she blinked at me "but my wolf seems to like you for some unfathomable reason. Right now my only option is to leave you down here."
"For how long?" she demanded icily.
I avoided her gaze. The thing was, I didn't know how long. The look in her eyes as she gazed at me told me she knew it too.
"I have my voice," she said suddenly "I don't need you to reject me anymore, I can do it myself" she added with triumph.
No. No, no, no I protested in my mind, despite my own misgivings. She opened her mouth and began to shout the words "I Riley reject you Alpha Jaxon as my mate..."
"I refuse to accept it" I snarled, causing her to fall silent in shock "so don't bother finishing that sentence, it's just a waste of effort."
"I hate you" she whispered, her face going pale "I hate you so much."
"Hate me then," I said nonchalantly shrugging as though it didn't matter to me, trying to put on a forced smile, even as I felt a twinge of pain in my chest and my wolf howled in grief "I don't care. It makes no difference. It's probably best that you hate me" I added grimly as she glared "it will make this easier on the both of us."
I began to turn. "Where are you going?" she shouted in panic "You can't just leave me down here alone."
I glanced over my shoulder "Omegas will come down and give you food and drink. Female omegas" I emphasized as she gaped at me "I won't trust a male to come down here."
"You bastard" she spat out as I raised a brow and turned my back deliberately "I can't believe you can be this coldhearted. Doesn't what I want or how I feel matter to you at all?"
Her voice was beseeching, a tinge of desperation in it. I closed my eyes and breathed for a second. I couldn't afford to show her mercy. Her kind had taken advantage of merciful shifters long ago and we had paid the price in bloodshed and the loss of many. I began to walk towards the stairs as she clutched at the bars, hissing as the silver burnt her slightly.
"Please" she shouted, while I began to climb "Please Jaxon" she screamed, as I winced and began to slowly ascend.
I opened the door and resolutely shut it behind me, Callum standing there with his arms folded over his chest.
"You really did it then," he said as I stared at him mutinously "you put your mate in the dungeon. Jesus Jaxon" he swore as I began to woodenly walk down the hallway "what on earth are you thinking? You can't keep her down there forever. I know that she's a siren but she's only a halfbreed, shouldn't that court for something?" he asked seriously "she's not a full-blooded one, so she's not as powerful. She doesn't seem like the type to just kill for no reason."
"We can't take that risk," I said dully "I'm not about to risk the lives of every man in my pack for the sake of one woman and a feeling you have about her either," I said sharply as we rounded a corner.
He sighed "Then reject her. It's simple."
"She still strengthens my wolf," I said gloomily as we headed back outside "it will weaken him if we reject her or accept her rejection."
He looked sick "So that's it? Is she just a prisoner forever? Even after you take a chosen mate, she will still strengthen your wolf as long as she stays in close proximity" he said exhaling and looking like he wanted to punch me in the face "but don't you have a limit? She's just a teenager" he argued "who's been abused her entire life. Where is your humanity? Where is your compassion?"
I laughed. "It's gone, Callum. Why do you think I have the reputation for being ruthless and coldhearted?"
He sighed. "The women are settling in. The new ones. They were quite fascinated by the show that Riley gave them at the lake. I gather the half-vampires have never seen a siren before, because they were asking questions but I couldn't exactly answer them. They seem keen to research the subject."
"Let them," I said blithely "they won't find anything we don't already know about them."
"The party preparations are already underway. What do you think we should do? Bring it forward? Keep the same date? What are your thoughts?" he asked quietly.
I paused. "Bring the party forward. I think it's imperative that I find a chosen mate, don't you? Although why everybody is insistent that this pack requires a Luna I don't know. It will at the very least prevent me from turning feral" I joked as Callum frowned.
"About that. Do you think there is anything to that rumor, about there being a feral wold out there in the forest?"
"No. The other packs would have reached out if that was the case. Until I find out otherwise, I think it's more than likely rumors or gossip. It's unsubstantiated. The women were probably just gullible and frightened of nothing" I said arrogantly.
"Alright," Callum said reluctantly "I'll inform the omegas to bring the party preparations forward and make sure that everybody that is eligible is invited."
"Do that" I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose and then began to walk back out.
"Where are you going?"
"For a run" I retorted "My wolf needs to go and get some of his anger out. Unless you want to face me in the training ring?" I retorted eyeing him carefully.
He shook his head.
"Didn't think so" I muttered with a large exhalation and began to make my way towards the front of the pack house, my eyes focussed on the forest "never mind, while I'm this angry it's best I remain alone" I murmured, shifting and running into the place that felt like home and granted me peace and sanctuary.