Antiope

I am up since dawn and I am sitting outside on the balcony. The view is so beautiful, so calming, so peaceful it makes me want to cry. I've been wanting to cry ever since Magnus dragged me down the Alpha King's platform. If I could, I would sit here all my life, away from my problems.

That's when I hear the slide door open at the other side of the vast veranda and Magnus walks out. My serenity is shattered by his presence but he still doesn't know I am here. He is wearing a pair of sweatpants and nothing else.

"Great Mother, that is a fine male," Maximo purrs excited.

Max is not wrong. I have seen males while training but no one even came close to what Magnus offered. Every inch of his body was sculpted not to make him look good. To make him look lethal. And he is. When he turns I see on his back, a long thick scar. If that rumor is true, I am fairly certain that all the others will be too.

"Don't ogle him," I chastise Max and I get up to get away from him.

"Antiope," his thick voice reaches me.

Damn that voice! Damn that accent!

"Magnus," I acknowledge and head for my room.

"Peaceful, right?"

"It was a minute ago," I throw and get in my room.

My frustration is taken out on the covers of my bed as I tidy it up before checking on my few belongings. I was planning on staying for one night for the Mating Hunt, not be abducted and dragged to Sweden. I hate to admit it but even at the beginning of spring, I need heavier clothes.

I glance at the clock and it's minutes to 7. I am seriously thinking about not going down for breakfast but my growling stomach has other demands. Plus, I really need to work on my attitude. I have to tread carefully between keeping him at arm's length to make sure he knows I am not taking any shit and being obedient enough to keep my sister safe till he gets bored with me and lets us both go. I hope.

I put my black tight jeans and throw on a grey sweater over it and I go down barefoot, reluctant to put on my heavy biker boots. I go down the wooden stairs and I see him in the kitchen. He is still in his sweatpants and has a kitchen towel thrown on his shoulder. He moves effortlessly as if he is dancing and I just stop on my tracks.

There is no wonder why a flock of women are willing to breed for him if it means having some of that body. This is not a man that lifts weight in front of a mirror. That is a man that lifts rogues and breaks them in half. He is big but not big enough to make him slow. His body is the perfect mixture of power and agility. Magnus is dangerous. Hot and dangerous.

"Glad to see you come around."

"He is hot, I give you that. That doesn't make him less of an asshole."

"No, but it helps."

I go down the last steps and my feet hit the thick carpet that is so soft I let out a satisfied moan. I curse under my breath and I turn to Magnus that looks at me with his deep green eyes dripping lust.

"God morgon," his morning voice is velvet on hard stone and that Swedish is simply delicious.

I cough to swallow my confusion and I walk to the kitchen with my head held high. I am not giving him an inch even if he keeps parading in front of me half naked on a daily basis. Which I hope he won't.

"Good morning," I nod and take a seat on the breakfast bar.

"I am making waffles," Magnus says and I shrug.

He puts in front of me a big, wooden serving tray with servings of bread, cheese and cold cuts, some berries and... a tube? What is this? Toothpaste?

"Smoked cod roe caviar," Magnus points at the tube. "Smörgås with cheeses, salmon, ham, tomatoes and cucumber. Do you need jam with those?"

"Jam? That's what we are having for breakfast? Raw half-toasts, caviar toothpaste and jam all over it?"

"And waffles after that," he smiles.

I want to scream in frustration. I am a bacon and eggs girl but what I am looking at here is some lame ass lightweight breakfast. I dread to think what dinner will be. Boiled water and raw salt.

"You don't seem impressed."

"That is cause I am not."

"Americans. Bacon, eggs and cholesterol, right?"

"Damn right!"

"OK," Magnus moves to the fridge and takes out a carton of eggs and a package of bacon.

Wha...? He is not making me bacon and eggs, is he now? Just because I asked to? This is not right. Is this some kind of tactic? Hot and cold shit? Cause no way the Alpha that dragged me here would be making me what I want. I do not know what to do with that realization but something makes me speak out.

"No, it's OK. I'll try these. Even the caviar toothpaste. When in Rome..."

"You sure?" Magnus gives me a side smile that makes his devilish face even more handsome. "It's not a problem. My mate wants bacon, she gets bacon."

Mate. That word coming out of his mouth is like a bucket of cold water over me. My face drops and my appetite is lost. Magnus is playing house and for a minute, I was caught up in it. If he wants to fatten me up and eat me as if I am some stupid kid in a folktale, he got it all wrong. I get up and head for the coffee maker, I pour myself some coffee and I head for the stairs.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"I am not to be fed and kept like an animal for your entertainment, Ulfisson."

I am halfway up the stairs when I hear him growl behind me. So much for being diplomatic. My damn pride will be the death of me and my sister. My stupid pride, my deadly sin.

"Antiope!" He yells and I freeze.

There is command in his voice and hard, cold demand. I will my body to move but he is an Alpha, my Alpha. My wolf recognizes him as her mate.

"Come down, now!"

I don't move, I just turn to him trying to keep a straight face. Gone is the playful Magnus that was ready to whip some eggs for me. There is Alpha Magnus Ulfisson, fisting the towel hard enough to make his knuckles go white.

"I have made the rules clear, haven't I, Antiope?"

I grind my teeth and look away from his commanding eyes.

"Look at me!"

I snap at him and frown. I shake in anger and my jaw is tense.

"Breakfast at 7," he points at the breakfast bar.

My mind offers the decision for me. It projects Celia's image, writhing in silver chains. So, I walk down the steps and take my place at the bar while he goes back to making bacon and throws some eggs in the pan. When he is done, he throws the plate on the table.

"Eat!" He orders.

I am holding the fork and I am this close to sticking it into his fucking eye and be done with him. I'd probably be dead within the hour and so will Celia but...

I swallow my anger and I grab a piece of bacon. Magnus brings the waffles and puts butter, honey, chocolate spread and whipped cream in front of me without a word before taking his place across me.

I eat my eggs and bacon and would never admit that they were the best I ever had even under torture. He then pushes the plate with the waffles to me and I take one. I pick the butter and the honey and I spread them on while I feel his gaze on me. I cut a small piece and I put it in my mouth. He is standing still but when I swallow and cut another bite, he lets out a soft breath and fills his plate with these ridiculous smörgås things.

We eat in silence and I make it a point to not even look at him. I glance out the window to the lake now and then to let the view calm me. I can't wait for this to be over so he will go away and leave me alone.

"We need to talk about the Luna Champion," he breaks the precious silence.

"Let's not," I hear my icy cold voice. "Talk, in general, that is."

"To assign the personal guard of a Luna, we in this pack have a tournament. The winner gets the honor and the responsibility of being the Luna's bodyguard," he replies as if I never uttered my last words.

"I do not need a bodyguard. I can take care of myself."

"For a Beta, you have pretty roguish ways. In a pack, we all need each other. Being my Luna makes you precious to the pack. They need to protect you."

"They don't know me."

"They don't need to. You are my mate."

"I am not!" I let my anger take the best of me as I hit my hand on the table, making things shake.

I raise my head to meet his gaze and I expect to see him fuming with rage. What I am faced with is a pair of lusty blue eyes. The more I defy him and deny our bond, the more he needs to dominate over me. I am just fueling his natural predator inside.

"Next week is good for you?"

"Are we going to pretend I have a choice here?"

"You do have a choice."

"Then I choose to leave and take my sister with me."

"Anything but that choice."

"Your definition of choice is quite limited. Or talking for that matter. Both seem to be what you decide and what you say."

"Isn't it nice and safe when your mate makes sure for your well-being?"

He is talking about me as if I am some frail little missus he needs to take under his wing and protect from the ugliness of the world, keep her sheltered to maintain her innocence.

"I wouldn't know," I throw at him. "The one claiming to be my mate dragged me here against my will, is not beneath force feeding me and he keeps an innocent 18-year old girl in silver chains."

He remains silent. Speaking the truth has that effect on people. I keep my hard gaze on him and I take a sip of my coffee.

"Am I excused now, Ulfisson?"

"You will call me Magnus."

"You will let me see my sister."

"Quid pro quo?"

"I seem to be conversing with a monster so sure. Quid pro quo."

He raises his eyebrow and pins me with his deep gaze. This is a fucking dangerous game we are all playing. And if it wasn't for Celia, no one would take prisoners. Except Magnus already has one.

"I will let you call your parents," he negotiates. "In exchange, you will eat with me at least half an hour for breakfast and an hour for dinner every day."

And so it begins. I glance at the clock on the stove. 7.20. 10 more minutes and then I get to talk to my parents. I get up, pour some more coffee and take my seat across him.

"Now," he smirks in satisfaction. "About the Luna Champion."