Selling Myself To The Alpha
Chapter 58

Liana

POV

Three weeks. Three weeks have passed since I last seen or heard from Axel. I have ignored his calls and messages. I replied coolly and professionally to work-related emails and messages but that is it. Now I am sitting at my desk and staring at my computer as my

nerves gnaw at me.

Axel can walk in here any second and I can only pray that I will seem calm and collected. That he cannot tell that I have fallen apart when I learned about his engagement. That he cannot see that I still cry myself to sleep at night. That it is not obvious that I have not been eating because everything tastes like dust. That I do not look as miserable as I feel. I have been practicing daily but reality is vastly different from what is plotting in my mind. According to Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, there are five stages of grief, and I am pretty sure I worked through all of them.

I am done with denying the truth that Axel is engaged. I went into a manic rage and screamed and shouted at my favourite portrait of him that I drew. In the solitude of my cottage, I told him how much I hated him for making me trust and love him. How much I miss him and how empty everything seems without him. And when I was at my angriest, I broke down crying and started bargaining. I begged him to come back to me. To love me, to pick me. I wanted to promise him the moon and stars and eternity. And then I realised I have nothing to give. I have no bargaining chip. I cannot promise lucrative contracts and allies to a neighbouring pack like Angela. So, I accepted it. I am a human and I cannot bring anything of value to the table.

The ping of the elevator's door pulls me away from my thoughts and I look up - right into Axel's green eyes. My heart starts racing like a horse and I fight the urge to jump into his arms and kiss him senseless. My palms start sweating despite the cool office and the room just got a little bit brighter.

"Where's Juliana?" He asks brusquely.

"Good morning," I master my brightest smile. "She has a doctor's appointment and will be back this afternoon."

"Oh, yes," he grunts. "I forgot."

"Do you want coffee?" I ask as he storms to his office.

"No," he huffs before he slams the door shut.

I slowly exhale and sit down. I made it. It was hell and awkward, but I made it. I was friendly and professional just as I planned, and I did not break down or throw myself at his feet begging him to love me.

Progress. I am making progress.

Axel POV

The windows shatter as I slam the door shut and I take a seat on the nearest couch. My hands are trembling, and I ball them into fists.

"She's still here," I breathe the words in relief.

These past three weeks were hell. She kissed me farewell and then went cold. In the back of my mind, I expected to replace her desk empty and her gone. Or that Wilson got to her and made good on his promise. David had to send me pictures of proof that she is unharmed and at home. Not only is she still here, but she is also all smiles.

What the f**k happened?

I want to jump up and confront her, but I cannot bring myself to move. The relief of seeing her is too great. I rest my elbows on my knees putting my face in my hands. I have no idea how I am supposed to handle this situation. There is a knock on the door, and I look up as Liana enters.

"Jack has sent this," her voice is steady and sweet. "It's the new contract. He said he'll contact you this week regarding a meeting."

Flabbergasted I look at her as she walks to my desk and places the documents down. It is like watching a stranger. She is not the passionate woman that made love to me before I left. Nor is she angry or silent like the person that ignored me for three weeks. "Oh," she turns to me. "And your father phoned, he ..."

"Enough," I bellow as I jump up and walk to her.

She does not move or flinch. She simply intertwines her fingers and looks at me with a stoic expression.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" I demand and push my hands into my pockets. Goddess knows I would much rather touch her, but she is acting so strange that I fear that she would attack me.

"I'm simply doing my work, sir," she replies coolly, and her gaze does not waver from mine.

"Liana don't test me," I growl deep and low. "You know perfectly well what I'm talking about."

"My apologies, Alpha," she bows slightly, and my eyes nearly pop out of my sockets. "I have no intentions of aggravating you."

"Aggravating me?" I hiss as I cling to the last shred of self-control.

"Aggravating me?" I bellow as I grab her hand and she gasps for air as I press her fingers against my throbbing mark. "You shouldn't worry about me, Liana. You should worry about him."

Her beautiful blue eyes look emotionless at me, but she does not move.

"Do you feel it?" I growl.

"Y... yes," she stutters. "It's beating."

"It's beating for you," I warn her softly. "You cannot toy with a wolf like you would humans. Choose your next move wisely."

"That's rich," she explodes as she jerks her hand away and I am relieved to see emotion in her eyes again. "You can string an entire harem along, but I must choose wisely."

"For the love of the goddess, what are you talking about?" I bellow.

"Angela!" She spits the word as if it is a bad taste in her mouth. "Your fiancé. Tell me, Axel. Does she approve of you f*****g me on the backseat of your car or should I expect another attempt on my life?"

"What?" I whisper as the blood drains from my face. How does she know about Angela? Worse, who else knows? The entire idea of the engagement party was to keep this concealed.

"We had an agreement, Axel," she yells furiously. "No other relationships. I kept my part but you ... you got engaged!"

"It's not what you think," I defend myself. "It's not real. It's a smokescreen so that she can stay away from you."

"That's your master plan?" She raises her eyebrows. "To marry my assailant?"

"Wow," she throws her hands up in the air. "Now that will teach her."

"I have no intention of marrying her," I shout angrily.

"You're missing the point," Liana shoves me hard against my chest. "It's not about your intentions, it's about your actions. You have no intentions of marrying me but that doesn't stop us from humping like rabbits. Angela is planning a wedding to a hotblooded alpha. I don't believe she would've said yes without a quick roll in the hay."

"Believe it!" I interrupt her. "I have not so much as kissed her since I met you."

"Don't wrap horse shit and sell it as figs, Axel," she sneers. "And you can bet that she will definitely kill me once she learns I marked you."

I stand there like an imbecile as her words hit hard and mercilessly. This is not how I planned things to go. The engagement was supposed to keep Angela occupied while I woo my mate. Now I am stuck with Angela and not with Liana.

"You were laying in the hospital fighting for your life," I hiss when life returns to me. "I had to do something to keep you safe. My dad is still Alpha and can overrule me. Do you honestly think he would believe that his best friend's daughter is capable of attempted murder?" "Then why didn't you tell me?" Her bottom lip starts quivering and my heart breaks for her.

"Because it's a ruse," I say softly as I step closer and rest my hands on her shoulders. "It's so insignificant and unreal to me that I do not think about it. Because I was occupied with keeping you and Nina safe. I am sorry, Liana. I fucked up and I'm sorry. I haven't seen Angela since the night we got engaged. And I haven't kissed or slept with her."

As I say the words the image of Angela pinned against my bedroom wall taunts me, but I shove it to the back of my mind. Now is not the time to tell Liana about it.

"I'm sorry you had to replace out this way," I sigh as I glide my hands up and down her arms. "I tricked her into keeping it a secret until we announce it at a party that never will happen."

"Your plan sucks," she sniffs and wipes the tears off her face as she pulls away from me. "Because you don't have an exit strategy." "Liana ..."

"No," she shakes her head as she walks towards the door. "I'm done. And at the office, we work. Nothing else."

"I'm going to kill her," I blurt out the words as she reaches for the door.

A deafening silence fills my office, and she slowly turns around.

"Have you completely lost your mind?" She gapes at me.

"She tried to kill you, I'm simply returning a favour," I shrug as I go sit behind my desk.

"She did it at the spur of the moment," Liana shrieks as she marches to my desk. "You're planning hers. That's not the same, Axel."

"Are you defending her?" I look at her flabbergasted.

"I'm not defending her, I'm protecting you against yourself," she argues. "The truth always replaces a way to surface and when her parents learn that you killed their daughter, there will be war. You're going to risk your pack, your company, everything you have and cherish to get rid of a nutjob. That's simply foolish and the price much too high."

"Then what do you propose?" I raise my eyebrows.

"Marry her for all I care," she sneers as she turns around and walks to the door. "And you can answer your own damn phones. I'm taking a sick day."

"Liana!" I call her but she slams the door shut and defeated I stare at it.

What the fuck just happened?