The Mindlink Prank

POV: ELOWEN.

I grab the cold, unforgiving metal door handle, feeling the heavy, burning weight of his gaze prickling the back of my neck. I hurry out of his office, pushing myself into the empty, dimly lit hallway. The exact second the heavy wooden door clicks shut, a loud, sharp crash of glass shattering against the wall echoes ominously behind me.

Deeply shocked, I freeze in my tracks. My heart skips a beat at the sudden destruction happening on the other side of the thick wood. I shake my head, briskly walking away to distance myself from whatever dangerous temper tantrum he is throwing in there.

*What a prick!* I furiously think to myself.

*I heard you, princess. You forgot to turn off the mindlink.* Zarek's voice suddenly purrs directly inside my head, accompanied by a deep, dark, resonant chuckle.

Pure panic instantly sets in. The sound of his voice echoes in my skull as if he is standing right behind me, whispering dark amusement directly into my ear. My hands curl into tight fists, my fingernails biting painfully into my palms.

*Shit! How can I turn this off?* I frantically ask myself.

*Find out yourself.*

*Fuck!*

*Watch your mouth, princess.*

*Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Can you still hear me?*

*Yes.*

*Help me! Or cut it off!* I fiercely demand through the mental connection.

*It is actually fascinating to hear your thoughts, so why should I?* he replies smoothly.

His obvious amusement fuels my boiling irritation. I can practically see the arrogant smirk forming on his handsome, infuriating face.

*It is not funny, Zarek! I swear you will be annoyed the whole night if you do not cut it off right now!* I snap back at him in my mind.

*Really? What thoughts will you share with me tonight then?* he taunts. *Perhaps something about what you do in bed when you are all alone?*

My cheeks burn hot at his brazen, inappropriate comment.

*Have you got nothing else to do, Alpha? You should keep yourself busy with work rather than annoy your pack members!* I angrily broadcast the thought, aggressively stomping out of the packhouse and heading straight toward my brother Torin's parked car.

Torin leans against the driver's side door. He flashes a warm, easy smile as I approach. "Hey, you are back, finally! Everything turned out well?"

I brutally mask my boiling anger with a fake, strained smile, yanking the passenger door open. "Yeah. All is good. Can we go home now?"

I slide into the passenger seat and slam the door shut. The familiar scent of pine and old leather in Torin's car usually calms me, but today it does nothing to soothe my fraying nerves.

*Liar,* Zarek taunts ruthlessly in my mind. *I thought you were a little pissed. Maybe share it with your brother instead of lying. Or are you too busy picturing my hands on you?*

My face flushes a deep, angry crimson at his words and the unwanted, vivid images flashing through my traitorous head.

"Elowen?" Torin asks.

I snap my eyes open to see my brother looking at me with genuine worry etched across his features.

"Did you hear me? Are you okay?" Torin presses.

"What?" I look at him, desperately trying to push Zarek out of my thoughts.

"I said put your belt on so we can drive home now."

"Ah, okay." I fumble with the seatbelt, pulling the strap across my chest and clicking it into place. I clear my throat, desperately playing off my rising panic as mere curiosity. "Torin, how does a mindlink work? How can you sever it?"

"Just turn it off. Can you mindlink now?" he asks, starting the car engine with a low rumble.

"No, not yet. Just curious."

*Lies. Lies again, princess,* Zarek drawls in my head.

My irritation spikes so high I can barely contain it. I snap at my brother, raising my voice much louder than intended. "But how do you turn it off? Should I just say turn?"

"Calm down, Elowen. We can practice at home. No need to be so riled up, okay?" Torin chuckles, maneuvering the steering wheel as we pull away from the packhouse.

Following Torin's vague advice, I squeeze my eyes shut. I cross my arms over my chest, pressing my mind hard to break the intrusive bond. I visualize a thick, impenetrable brick wall slamming down between my consciousness and Zarek's smug presence. I push all my mental energy into severing the invisible tie binding us together.

*Still there?* I ask cautiously, praying for blessed silence.

*Always here,* Zarek immediately responds.

That is it. I am pushed straight over the edge. I unbuckle my seatbelt with a frantic click. Before Torin can even attempt to stop me or hit the brakes, I physically jump out of the slow-moving car. My boots hit the dirt road with a heavy thud, kicking up a cloud of dust as I stumble forward but quickly catch my balance.

"Elowen! What the hell are you doing?" Torin shouts from the car, slamming hard on the brakes.

I ignore him. With my nostrils flaring and my heart pounding with explosive anger, I storm all the way back into the packhouse. I ignore the confused stares of passing pack members lingering in the lobby. I march down the hallway, my heavy boots echoing loudly against the floorboards. I do not bother knocking. I aggressively barge right back into the Alpha's office, throwing the heavy wooden door wide open.

I march directly up to his mahogany desk, planting my hands flat on the polished wood. I lean forward, my chest heaving with every ragged breath.

"Cut it off, Zarek! I do not want you in my head!" I scream.

He barely glances up from his paperwork. His expression is infuriatingly stoic and unbothered, his jaw set in a rigid line. He flips a document page, his eyes scanning the fresh ink without a single care in the world.

"Maybe try to ask a little nicer and you will not have to deal with this. It will get easier," he calmly suggests, his voice smooth and devoid of any emotion.

"What? Do you not know how to keep a conversation going?" I explode, my patience shattering into a million jagged pieces. "How come you are an Alpha? It feels like I am talking to a robot! Oh, Goddess, you are one hell of a frustrating man!"

He finally looks up at me. Our eyes lock, and the heavy air in the room suddenly shifts. A sudden, undeniable flash of genuine, raw hurt crosses his deep blue eyes. It is a sharp, agonizing vulnerability that hits me like a physical blow to the chest. For a split second, the untouchable, stoic Alpha is gone, replaced by a man who just took a knife to an old, unseen wound. Then, in the blink of an eye, his passive, icy mask slams back into place. His features harden into impenetrable stone.

"Go home. I already turned it off," he states with chilling, icy firmness. "Next time you show me disrespect in any form, I will not hesitate to punish you."

I freeze in the sudden, heavy silence. All my roaring anger instantly drains out of my body, leaving me utterly hollow. It is replaced by a sharp, suffocating pang of guilt over my big mouth. I stare at him, my heart clenching painfully in my chest. I pushed too far. I let my explosive temper control my tongue, and I struck a raw nerve I never intended to hit.

"Uhm, Zarek... I am sorry..." I stutter nervously, my voice trembling as I desperately try to explain myself. "It is just that... I do not know. You were..."

He does not even bother to look at me. He keeps his gaze firmly locked on his scattered papers, his broad shoulders stiff and unyielding.

Before I can figure out what to say to fix the damage, a loud knock interrupts us. The door creaks open, and a deeply confused Torin steps inside, panting slightly from chasing after me. His eyes dart between me and the Alpha, trying to assess the thick, suffocating tension filling the room.

"Alpha, Elowen. I was just wondering if everything is okay?" Torin asks hesitantly.

Zarek smoothly covers for my explosive outburst. His tone is casual and collected, betraying none of the bitter conflict that just transpired.

"Nothing big, man. I was merely confirming her training schedule starting tomorrow. You can take her home. I will see you both tomorrow," Zarek claims coolly.

He formally dismisses us without ever lifting his eyes from his documents again. The rejection is crystal clear, a solid, unshakeable wall built instantly between us.

"Yes, Alpha." Torin nods respectfully. He motions with his hand for me to follow him toward the hallway. "Elowen, come now."

I swallow the thick lump forming in my throat. I take one last lingering glance at Zarek. His head is bowed over his work, his dark hair falling slightly over his forehead. He looks so impossibly isolated behind that massive desk. I desperately want to apologize properly, to take back the harsh words that caused that flash of pain in his eyes. But I have no idea how to open the mindlink myself. Even if I did figure it out, I refuse to risk getting trapped in his head again, vulnerable to his teasing and my own uncontrollable temper.

Physically shrugging my shoulders to shake off the heavy blanket of regret, I turn my back on him. I walk away, matching my brother's pace down the corridor. I chew on my bottom lip, furiously working to justify my actions to myself. He was the one who started teasing me first. He provoked me. He invaded my privacy and refused to leave. I shouldn't feel this bad about defending my own mind. Yet, as I step out of the packhouse and back into the cool evening air, the nagging ache of unresolved guilt settles deep in my chest, leaving a bitter, lingering rift between us.