Chapter 43: I’m Trying To Figure You Out

Benjamin froze, his brows furrowing in annoyance as he looked down at me.

Before he could speak, I pressed on, my voice cutting through the space between us. "Benjamin, you put your hands on me and assaulted me. You can’t just expect me to act like it never happened when a single ’sorry’ has never come from your lips. I know you won’t mean it, but the least you can do is properly apologize."

"An apology?" he repeated slowly, as if I had just asked him to speak an ancient, extinct dialect. "You want a ’sorry’?"

"I’m not asking for a grand speech," I added, leaning back against the booth and crossing my arms. "It’s standard protocol when you cornered me, pinned me down, and acted like you owned me. A free steak and an access card don’t magically erase that. If you want me to tell your uncle you’re forgiven so you can go back to your vault, then say the words."

Benjamin stared at me, his jaw clenching as his eyes flickered with a sudden, sharp heat. For an Alpha born into absolute privilege, the concept of apologizing—especially to an Omega—was clearly a foreign, poisonous pill to swallow.

The silence stretched thin between us. The anger flared in his posture for a brief second, his chest rising as if he were about to snap, but then he looked at my cold, expressionless face. He knew I wouldn’t budge. I wasn’t going to lie for him, and I certainly wasn’t going to be intimidated.

Slowly, the tension drained out of his shoulders, replaced once again by that heavy, bone-deep exhaustion. He ran a hand through his messy hair, letting out a long, defeated breath that smelled faintly of smoke.

He looked away, his gaze dropping to the mahogany table as his throat worked.

"Fine," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, rough and scraped raw. "I’m... sorry. I shouldn’t have pinned you down, and I shouldn’t have put my hands on you like that." He snapped his eyes back to mine, his expression a mix of embarrassment and genuine irritation. "There. I said it. Are you satisfied now, noisemaker?"

I studied his face for a long moment, checking his expressions. It was rough, reluctant, and it bruised his colossal Alpha ego—which meant it was entirely real. I won.

A small, satisfied smirk touched the corner of my lips.

"Acceptable," I said, sliding out of the booth and adjusting my hoodie. "Let me go get your vault back."

But before I could step toward the exit, he grabbed my arm and dragged me toward a side door that led into a small, secluded lobby near the restrooms.

"What are you doing?" I asked, glaring down at his iron grip on my wrist. I yanked back, but I couldn’t shake him off. Damn his brute strength.

"I’m trying to figure you out," he said.

"And that involves pulling me against my will?"

"No, it involves this."

In a single, fluid motion, he slammed my back against the wall and pinned me in place, trapping both my wrists above my head. I frowned, my eyes narrowing to slits. This was definitely not part of the script.

"Noisemaker—"

"It’s Brianna," I finally told him, my voice flat.

His lips slightly curved. "Brianna," he whispered, leaning down until his eyes were level with mine. "I’m trying to understand why you were so adamant about getting that apology. Were you just that deeply offended, or did I taint your pride?"

"You’re asking that now, after you already apologized?"

"Of course. An apology from an Alpha such as myself is an expensive currency."

"Psycho. Since when was that a thing?"

"Just now," he said, totally unbothered. "So tell me... are you mad that, in your words, I cornered you, pinned you down, and acted like I owned you?" his words dragged softly, making my words sound somewhat... intimate. "Do you find it insulting that an Alpha held you down?"

I turned my head aside, refusing to give him the satisfaction of looking away first. "It’s precisely because you did those things that I find myself annoyed," I said. "I hate being defenseless. It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth."

As the words left my lips, I felt a little... vulnerable. Maybe I should’ve just kept my mouth shut. Where was my discipline?

"Really?" He let out a soft, low chuckle. "You like to be in control? That’s quite an odd trait for an Omega to have."

"Mind your business, Benjamin."

"But you are my business. We already agreed that you’ll be my companion from now on, so I can’t help but want to find out the things I’m curious about. And you... you make me very curious."

I glared at him, but in that split second, I felt his grip on my wrists loosen just a fraction. I didn’t waste it. Using that tiny window, I slipped my hands out of his hold, shifted my center of gravity, and flipped our positions—driving my forearm into his collarbone and pinning him against the wall.

He didn’t look surprised at all. Instead, an insufferable grin spread across his face.

"Is this better?" he asked.

My brows drew together as the realization hit me—he had baited me. He deliberately released his grip just enough to let me slip away and switch our places. Before I could pull back, his hand snaked around my waist, pulling my hips flush against his body.

"There. You’re in control," he murmured softly. "What will you do now?" His free hand slid up, fingers lightly brushing over my ear. "Will you corner me now that you have me pinned to the wall... and act like you own me?"

"Stop that," I said, pushing against his chest. "You’re being weird right now."

"Weird? I’m just following a principle I believe in."

"What principle?"

"An eye for an eye," he said. "Usually, it’s between wolves of equal standing, but for you... I’ll make an exception. So..." He drew his face closer, his warm breath fanning across my skin. The scent of his specialized smoke was gone—like it was never meant to linger after it was put out. "Instead of an apology, you should’ve asked me to repay you by acting exactly how I treated you. Then, maybe I’d have understood better what you were so mad about."

"There’s no need for that," I said calmly.

"Why? Is it because of the apology?"

"No," I replied, a small, dangerous smirk playing on my lips. "It’s because I already took it out on your uncle. An eye for an eye? Edgar received the end of it."

Benjamin froze, his unhinged purple eyes widening for a fraction of a second as the words registered.

"...You kissed my uncle?"