Eira’s POV

"Quite daring, aren’t you?" he said, his light gray eyes fixed on me, unwavering.

"Do I have anything to fear?" I countered, meeting his gaze without flinching.

"Not anymore," he replied casually. "At least not from me. Now, get to the point. Why did you want to meet me?"

I studied him for a moment before speaking. "I have noticed something. You always speak to me as if you already know me. Even now, you are... casual. Familiar. As though we have met long before this. No respect towards me as a Luna of one pack. Why so casual with me?"

His lips curved slightly, that same unreadable expression lingering in his eyes. "Do you feel that way?"

I could not tell whether he was being serious or mocking me.

A sudden, irrational urge rose within me to wipe that smirk off his face.

Why did men like him always have to look so... composed? So dangerously attractive? It would have been easier if his face reflected the darkness I sensed within him. Why can’t these wolves be just ugly?

"Yes," I said firmly. "I do."

I held his gaze, refusing to be the first to look away. "And I came here to ask you something else. Why did you save me? Why did you bring me back to Kael?"

For a moment, he simply stared at me.

Then he took a step closer.

"So you came here to thank me?" he said, his voice low, almost amused.

I did not move.

"I will," I replied steadily, "once I know the reason."

He tilted his head slightly. "Asking questions in return for being saved does not sound very grateful."

"And refusing to answer does not sound very convincing," I shot back.

A faint chuckle escaped him.

"If you are so determined to show your gratitude and seek answers," he continued, his tone turning deliberately suggestive, "there is a much easier way."

My eyes narrowed. "What way?"

"How about becoming my mate as well?"

For a second, I thought I had misheard him.

"What?" I snapped. "Do you have a death wish? My mates would tear you apart."

He laughed, completely unbothered. "You already have five. What difference would it make to add three more? Me and my two mate brothers. It seems rather balanced, don’t you think?"

Bastard.

I clenched my jaw. "You are insane."

"Say yes," he went on smoothly, clearly enjoying himself, "and I will answer every question you have. Otherwise..." He shrugged lightly, "my lips remain sealed."

Frustration flared within me.

"I came here expecting something different," I said sharply. "But you are no different from the rest."

His expression did not change.

"I was wrong to expect anything at all," I spat angrily.

"Now you have your clarity," he replied coolly, unbothered. "Good."

The calmness in his voice only made it worse. As if provoking me was the only reason he had agreed to meet me.

"Asshole," I muttered under my breath before turning away, as I understood he wasn’t going to answer me at any cost.

I could feel his gaze on me as I walked off.And even without looking back, I knew that damn smirk was still on his face. I felt like hurling every existing curse at him.

I returned to my mates, frustration still burning within me.

"Calm down," Kael said the moment I approached.

Of course he had heard everything.

"That bastard is unbelievable," I snapped, my anger spilling out before I could hold it back. "Would it kill him to answer a simple question? And did you hear what he said? He asked me to become his mate."

"He was not serious," Rafe’s voice came from the side. "He was provoking you so he would not have to answer."

I turned to him sharply, irritation flaring all over again. "Of course you understand him. He is just like you. Both of you seem to live to infuriate me."

A smug look crossed his face. "Then you should stay away from bastards like us."

"Good. That is exactly what I am going to do," I shot back, quickening my pace as I headed inside.

Kael followed close behind. "This much anger is not good for you or the baby," he said gently. "You need to calm down."

I exhaled slowly, trying to steady myself as I sank onto the couch. My hand instinctively moved to my belly, fingers resting there protectively.

"Baby... are you alright?" I murmured softly. "I will not get angry again."

"Talk about fake promises," Rafe muttered under his breath.

My head snapped toward him. "Shut up. Bastard."

He gave a quiet shrug. "You just proved my point."

"Rafe, shut up," Lucian intervened this time, his tone firm. "Let her calm down."

"Whatever," Rafe replied, though the edge in his voice had softened slightly.

I leaned back against the couch, closing my eyes for a brief moment, forcing myself to breathe.

But even then, my thoughts drifted back to him.

Kaizan.

And the questions he had left unanswered. He was clearly hiding something from me, and my intuition wasn’t wrong.

-----

Kaizan’s POV

I returned to the car where my two brothers, Shawn and Conor were waiting for me.

Conor greeted me with his usual frown, arms crossed, his expression unreadable yet clearly displeased. Shawn, on the other hand, did not bother hiding his irritation.

"Are you seriously looking for a mate now?" he asked sharply. "Are you out of your mind?"

I let out a low sigh, leaning back into the seat. "Do not make me puke," I muttered, my brows drawing together in distaste. "A mate? Women are nothing but trouble, and nothing but disgusting."

Conor scoffed lightly. "Right. And yet you spent years searching for one woman, saved her, and gave her a life back." His words lingered in the air.

"She deserved to be saved," I said, "And you know that as well."

"You should have just told her the truth," he added.

"That wouldn’t be fun," I closed my eyes briefly, a faint smirk tugging at my lips. "And what good does that bring? A gratitude from a woman? Spare me that one. I enjoy our life as baddies."

"He didn’t want to answer her, that’s why he provoked her in a way that she will never ask him anything again," Shawn shook his head in annoyance, "but the bastard almost scared me with the thought that he wants a mate now. I almost got into a mood of rebellion."

A quiet chuckle escaped me.

I opened my eyes and glanced at both of them. "Relax," I said calmly. "The three of us will die exactly the way we have lived. Mateless."

There was certainty in my voice. No hesitation.

"There is no place for a woman in our lives."

Conor’s expression eased slightly. "Good. At least you have not completely lost your mind." He leaned back, exhaling as if shedding the weight of this place. "Let’s go. I have had enough of this suffocating palace and its collection of annoying bastards."

A faint smirk lingered on my lips as I stared ahead. Home sounded far better than this place.

Far better than questions I had no intention of answering.