b e g | chapter 06

It's already nearing 5 o'clock in the morning and Atticus is still pacing back and forth in his office, getting slightly aggravated. He never once left this sanctuary of his ever since Onyx and the 'gang' left last night.

His dinner, that was brought to him by one of the omegas living in the pack house, was now could due to the fact that it was left untouched for hours. His wide mahogany desk was covered with files and paper works. Pens and other office supplies were scattered above the disorganized files. The flame in fireplace, that was lit up since late afternoon yesterday, was starting to burn out.

He kept pacing around for about half an hour before finally sitting down on one of the couches in front of the fireplace. He watched the smoke emitting from the remains of the burnt wood as it danced slowly towards the atmosphere before disappearing into thin air.

He got lost in his own thoughts, unknowingly. Realizing only when it was interrupted by a knock on the door. He heard the door open before looking up to see his Beta with an exhausted look.

Suddenly, there was a spark in his eyes and Onyx noticed it. The weary man nodded and Atticus immediately stood up and went for the door while Nick followed silently behind, slightly dragging his fatigued body.

As they made it to the main entrance, Atticus' men parted a way for their Alpha to reach the black car where Octavia's sleeping figure lay in the backseat. He watched her form through the open car door, his eyes lingering on her face that appears to be so innocent and pure. When in reality, she's a wolf in sheep's clothing. A bit literally, perhaps.

"She's been out since we left her territory." Onyx spoke up from behind him. He looked at Atticus briefly before fixing his gaze on the beauty in front of them.

Atticus nodded. "Tell Rose to fix the spare bedroom next to mine, then all of you can call it a day. You did well, thank you."

Onyx was surprised at his best friend's last remark. He shook his head a bit and gave Atticus a silent nod before telling the men to take a rest and entering back inside the pack house. Atticus scanned Octavia's body for any injuries that she may have. Seeing none, he made a move to pick her up from the seat.

But before he could even touch her, Atticus felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Ludovic with a serious expression on his face. "Whatever you might find out, it happened because we had no other choice."

"What are you talking about, Vic?" He was utterly confused by the sudden statement of his Gamma.

Vic shook his head before giving his Alpha a toothy grin. "I want to say good luck for when she wakes up. You know, we had a rough time tryna' capture her. She's one helluva handful. Keep your temper and violence at bay, Alpha. I heard Octavia's deadly when her own temper rises."

Atticus growled at him for his blunt disrespect. "You'll be calling her Luna. Understood?"

His Gamma lightly chuckled, raising his hands up in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. But only if she's unconscious or not present. I don't want to get knocked out by her." He laughed once more before retreating inside the pack house to probably rest.

Atticus made a guttural sound as he continued his interrupted action. He placed one arm on her upper back, and another behind her knee. He carried her lean body with ease, closing the car door when he withdrew Octavia from the vehicle before walking towards the pack house.

His wolf was getting riled up by the smell of Onyx's scent all over her, causing a low growl to emit from his throat.

Calm down, he thought to himself. It's probably because of Nick having to fight a one-on-one with her. Or when he knocked her out, obviously he has to carry her to the car.

When he entered the huge double doors, he was approached by the head maid, Rose. She bowed her head in respect and Atticus curtly returned it. "Alpha, the bedroom has been prepared."

"Thank you, Rose." He replied while nodding.

"It is my pleasure, Alpha. I shall start preparing breakfast for the household, excuse me." The old woman smiled before turning to leave just as Jack, her mate, arrived from an early morning jog which caused her smile to brighten.

Atticus just reached the top of the stairs when the couple shared a passionate moment. He peeped at the two, a bitter memory flashed through him and he couldn't help feel a bit sullen.

Cassidy.

He dismissed the thought away as he walked down the hall. He rounded a few corners before reaching a corridor leading to the main rooms of his pack house. At the end of the hallway, stood a black wooden double-door that leads to his bedroom.

He entered the last door on the left and carefully slid his mate under the velvet sheets of the queen-sized bed. Atticus looked at her face one last time. The corners of his lips slightly twitched upwards as content settled on his face. He gave her a soft kiss on the forehead before leaving and locking the room.

He went straight to his bedroom where he laid on his bed and pondered about everything that happened today. Now is his chance to prove to her that he needs her and that she'll need him too.

And Atticus has absolutely no idea how to do that.

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With only a few hours of sleep, he woke up groggily and took a quick shower as soon as he got up. When he exited his room, a loud continuous banging coming from Octavia's bedroom door greeted him.

"Dammit." He heard her mutter on the other side with his heightened werewolf senses before everything went silent.

He decided to lean the side of his head on the door to listen for her light movements, only for him to jerk back and tumble to the ground on his rear end. His hands reached up to massage the throbbing side of his face.

She must've known I'm out here listening, he thought.

"Let me out, you douche." Octavia shouted from the other side. Atticus kept his mouth shut as he stood up, dusted himself off, and faced the door.

"I know you're out there. The door reeks of your scent and I hate it." She spoke in a sassy manner.

"So is yours. Though I must say, I do enjoy taking it all in." He replied with a small smirk playing on his lips. "I will unlock this door but you'll have to take a seat on your bed."

"You mean the bed. This is not mine nor will it ever be." She said in a harsh tone. Atticus heard some shuffling inside before hearing Octavia's soft voice. "Okay, I'm seated."

Atticus went to unlock and open the door. Instead of being welcomed by the sight of her sitting patiently on the bed like he instructed, he was greeted by a swift kick to the jaw, which only caused him to stagger backwards.

Octavia went to punch him in the face but, luckily, Atticus caught both of her hands with ease. She scowled and used her right foot to step on his thigh, then her left on his chest before pushing off his body to flip back and land smoothly on her feet, kicking his chin and releasing her hands from his hold in the process.

When Atticus recovered, he looked at Octavia with a warning glint in his eyes all the while gently massaging his chin.

"You're a piece of cake, you know that?" She taunted while shifting to her combat stance.

Atticus stood like a board and crossed his arms. "I do not intend to hurt you."

"Oh really? You think I won't be able to handle you? What an arrogant thought." The female Alpha straightened her stance, placing her hands on her hips. A deep scowl settled on her face.

"It's not that. Look, Octav-"

She interrupted him with a growl before snapping at him. "It's Alpha Octavia to you."

Atticus returned her growl with his own guttural roar. His dominant Alpha wolf was not pleased with the way she was openly disrespecting him, as a fellow Alpha and as a mate. The shade of his blue-brown eyes intensified while the corners of his lips reveal two sharp canines.

Atticus fought off his wolf resulting for his body to shake rapidly and his eye color to changed colors; a deep shade of blue that would darken to a brown then would transition into a lighter hue, amber, before going back to its earthy azure color and change again.

Taking deep breaths, it took Atticus Grady a few moments to calm his animalistic side. Grayish green eyes watched his semi-wolf form carefully. Octavia swept her gaze over his bristle-filled olive skin to his bared teeth before settling on his closed eyelids.

"Look, Alpha Atticus. You can not keep me here." Atticus looked at her with an impassive but hard expression.

"Watch me." He deadpanned before turning to leave, shutting the door behind him.

"No! Wait!" She yelled after him, her tone getting a bit desperate. "Atticus!"

Octavia mentally smirked and gave herself a pat on the back as he stopped his movements abruptly. He slowly turned to look at her with furrowed eyebrows and narrowed eyes. His stared at her for a while before arching a perfect brow.

"Keeping me here is a big threat to your pack. There will be a ful-" She cut herself with a curse, lightly shaking her head. "Look, just- let me go. I don't want to hurt anyone."

She spoke the last part so softly that, even with Atticus' highly heightened senses, he didn't catch it. He stared at her still, not making a word or move. The gentle breeze of the wind that was coming from the opened windows in the room could be heard.

Realizing something, Atticus' gaze on her faltered and landed on a particular window, then to the glass doors of the balcony.

The bulletproof glass has a hole in the middle, one where her slim frame could easily fit through. His eyes widened as he realized once again that she could've escaped already if it weren't for the silver bars that was placed as a barrier outside the window and door that kept her detained inside.

What in the world did I have for as a mate? Atticus thought to himself in astonishment.

Octavia followed his gaze. "Oh, um. Sorry about your window and uh door." She apologized half-heartedly, lightly scratching the back of her neck in an awkward manner.

Atticus looked back at her, still not bothering to make a sound. She sighed in a defeated manner before falling to her knees, his eyes widening like saucers.

"Oc- Alpha Octavia." He swiftly corrected himself, not wanting to rile her up again that would rile up his wolf. Again. "What are you doing?"

"I'm kneeling and I'm probably about to beg, you feebleminded imbecile. What does it look like I'm doing?" She rolled her eyes. "Or did you just asked that in order for me to suffer a huge amount of embarrassment to admit that I am willing to beg for my freedom."

"Get up."

"No, hear me out and don't you dare fucking interrupt me." She looked daggers at Atticus, whose mouth was parted and ready to voice out his thoughts.

"Let me go back to Lycan Shadows, Alpha Atticus. I'll give you a huge part of my land. Reinforcement contract in case – I don't know – a fifth world war would start that this time could and-or would wipe all supernatural beings and you'd be the assailant. Money? I have tons of it. Mostly hidden and well, I actually have no idea and don't really give two shits about where my ancestors have buried that chest filled with diamonds and gold. But still, I have piles of money back home, just name your price. More power? Alright! Done! Though I doubt I'll be able to really give you that since I'm not a witch or whatever but I do know one. Or o-or or information regarding the most recent plans of this newly created type of vampires that are going for you? I'm willing to give those to you or just whatever you want or need, just – let. Me. Go." Atticus blinked at her, not fully understanding what she said since she was rambling in a single breath.

"Get up."

Octavia looked up at him with a resistant expression. "Not until you give me an answer."

"Get up, Octavia."

"I told you, it's Alpha Octavia to you." She said while glaring at him, knees still firmly planted on the hardwood floor.

"I said get up!" He growled lowly before roughly grabbing her arm and pulling her up to her feet. He towered over her slightly smaller frame, chests and toes almost touching, before speaking in a gruff tone. "I don't need your land, reinforcements, money, or power. Okay? Maybe I'll consider the information about those vampires but I'm not going to let you go because you are all I ever wanted. And now that you're here, I don't intend on losing you."

Blue-brown eyes met with gray-green ones as Atticus looked deep into her eyes, wanting to read or just see something in them. But everything in Octavia remained loyal to her mind's order, not betraying her own-being. Not even a tiny bit. If anything, her eyes seemed to harden the more he stared at it.

"You are going to regret this." She enunciated each word slowly, making sure to get her statement through his thick skull.

"I highly doubt tha-"

"Alpha, I'm sorry to intrude but Beta Onyx sent me and we have urgent matters to discuss and deal with." Ludovic Moretti appeared at the doorway, looking conflicted with the situation his Alpha and 'Luna' are in at the moment. The two Alphas turned their heated gaze to him, making him feel small all of a sudden, despite his mountainous frame.

"Very well." Came Atticus' clipped answer as he nodded to his Gamma before facing the silent Alpha in front of him. "You are to not leave this room, house, territory, and pack. I will send someone to bring you a meal shortly."

He watched Octavia's fierce expression changed into something dreadful as he began to walk back out the thick mahogany doors, grabbing the narrow gold-colored doorknob on his way. "W-what?" Her feet moved on their own accord at the moment that her hands shot out to grab him despite knowing it was already too late. "No! Atticus-"

Steely emerald eyes filled with panic were the last thing he saw before shutting the double doors tight. He let out a small breath he didn't know he was holding as he secured the lock.

"I fucking went on my damn knees then fucking begged and this is what you fucking give me?! Did I boost your bloody ego, you fucking twat? Do you understand how much resolve it took for me to look up at you while begging?! I fucking hate your guts! I would reject you if I could! I-"

He stood there for a while, leaning against her door with a firm hold on the doorknob, his knuckles turning pale from his grip. His gaze was fixed on the cream-colored granite floor and no sound was coming from him as he continued to listen to her rant. Ludovic cast him a wary glance, his mouth opening up to say something to his Alpha.

"Not a word, Vic. Not a single word." Atticus spoke before his Gamma could and strode off towards his office. Ludovic merely nodded and followed behind him, drowning out the shouts of his Luna.

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n o t e

When I first wrote this chapter about a few months ago,

I just finished watching the movie Titanic.

Hence, the reference lol.

Longest chapter so far

All because of Octavia's rambling 😂

Much love,

Tonie