Chapter 202: Scum

Magnus’s bitter, dominant scent visibly repulsed Raymond. Watching the scoundrel squirm as he inhaled my husband’s lingering pheromones brought a dark, vengeful satisfaction to my chest.

A ruthless corner of my soul relished every second of his discomfort. It was a pathetic consolation for having to tolerate an enemy under my roof, but at least he couldn’t make himself at home. A pity I couldn’t grant him an educational tour straight down to our wine cellar. I doubted he’d enjoy the accommodations, though perhaps I was mistaken—maybe he’d feel right at home in the company of his battered detention director?

Smothering those dark fantasies and the grim satisfaction they sparked, I set my teacup onto the glass tabletop and met my guest’s gaze.

"I’m glad you find it so welcoming. Our pack always takes pride in hospitality, though I fear our Alpha is currently unavailable to extend his personal greetings. He’s running into a few... constraints regarding important visitors."

The man let out a dry smirk, setting his untouched tea aside. I had been right to compare him to a raven. His coal-black eyes looked drawn on—empty, bottomless chasms. His face was unnaturally pale and smooth, devoid of a single wrinkle or genuine human emotion.

He was unnaturally tall. Broad-shouldered, yet sickly gaunt. Beneath his bespoke suit, there were no dense, powerful muscles like the ones I had grown accustomed to beside Magnus. The sharp tailoring only accentuated the deathly pallor of his skin; even the nails on his long, spider-like fingers were drained of color. It was as if no blood ran through his veins at all.

Death itself had waltzed into our home, taken a seat across from me, and was now peering straight into my soul to initiate a conversation.

"You are a rather intriguing person, you know?" Raymond drawled, lacing his long fingers together as he leaned casually into the plush armchair. "Receiving an unbonded male while doused in another man’s scent... It borders on a complete lack of tact, wouldn’t you say?"

"Invading the home of an engaged female with a true mate without prior notice—and at nightfall, no less—that is what I consider a complete lack of tact."

"Jane, you are an Alpha Breeder. The concept of a true mate is... let’s say, flexible for your kind. You were never meant to belong to just one male." His piercing gaze bored into me, fanning a searing ember of rage in my chest.

"My, I had no idea your expertise in this field ran so deep. Especially regarding who belongs to whom." Gritting my teeth, I picked up my teacup once more.

Only a few drops swirled at the bottom. A shame. Throwing the porcelain straight into his face wouldn’t inflict nearly enough damage to soothe my temper. I’d just have to finish drinking.

"I am an alpha wolf. Naturally, I am better equipped to dictate how a breeder ought to live. You are frail by nature, inherently in need of protection—protection I am more than willing to provide." Smirking, the vulture tilted his sharp chin upward.

The firelight flickering in the hearth reflected in the black void of his eyes for a split second. Had I not been enveloped in the hoodie drenched in Magnus’s dominant scent, the likelihood of me snapping would have skyrocketed. The realization that this scoundrel and I existed on entirely different sides of the universe was infuriating.

Beneath his prejudices lay a repulsive truth. To him, a breeder was merely a bloodline vessel and an incubator, a brainless piece of furniture rather than an individual. Guided by the law of the strong, he believed himself entitled to dictate my fate—even though I was a total stranger to him.

"Fascinating dreams you have, Raymond. But I have no need for your protection, rest assured. My mate is more than capable of protecting me." Forcing a hollow smile, I handed the empty cup to Sayan.

He took it in silence, immediately passing it to a rigid Rianna. The sight of a powerful Beta serving a breeder made the city leader’s eyes narrow in disgust. He winced, fixing me with a sharp, venomous glare before spitting out his words:

"Yes, I’ve heard plenty about Magnus Rainn’s protection methods. Slaughtering the entire leadership that maintains and secures this city—is that what you call protection? Beasts like him ought to be put down like rabid dogs before they can breed. You have a son with him, don’t you? I would strongly advise having specialists evaluate the boy for psychological defects. With those genetics..."

Clenching the armrests of my chair until my knuckles popped, I locked my glare onto the bastard sitting across from me. My skin burned from the strain, but the physical ache kept me from losing control.

Every word he uttered branded my mind like white-hot iron, unleashing a wave of primal fury that threatened to consume me. A wildfire raged inside my chest.

This creature dared to talk about executing my husband? My Alpha, who had fought to win freedom for disenfranchised breeders? The man who had done more for the downtrodden than this entire corrupt system combined?

Magnus had established a foundation and helped those without true mates experience the joy of parenthood. He had never viewed breeders as feeble invalids stripped of their right to choose.

And now this scum was implying my child was broken. The only true, incurable lunatic in the room was sitting directly across from me. He was the one who needed a specialist—though at this point, there was clearly nothing left to save.

"Is that so? And do you have a breeder of your own, or perhaps children?" I asked, my voice deadly cold.

"I have three concubines, though sadly no children as of yet," the man replied with a smug smirk, entirely oblivious to the trap.

"Poor souls. I shall pray they find a worthy male capable of granting them the joy of motherhood." A dark satisfaction surged through my veins as the arrogant mask began to slip from his pale face.

"Are you implying that I am incapable of...?" he growled under his breath.

"I am neither a fortune teller nor a therapist here to console you over your pathetic attempts to start a family, nor can I predict your future success should you acquire another handful of concubines." Taking a fresh cup from Sayan, I took a tiny sip. "I fail to understand why you came to my home to initiate such a conversation. But I will certainly instruct security to check our perimeter for any stray signs advertising psychological support for impotent wolves."

"Females like you require strict discipline from a male to tame that sharp tongue of yours. You’d fall right into line after a lesson or two." The raven bared his teeth in a vicious snarl, my words clearly striking at his fragile ego.

"My Alpha could certainly spend more time disciplining me to keep me in line. Though, truth be told, he happens to thoroughly enjoy my tongue."