Chapter 15
Koe swept Cyrus’s legs and sent the shifter crashing to the mat in the compound’s training arena.
“Shit!” Cyrus swore and shot Koe a hard look. “Are we practicing or fighting, cuz it sure as shit doesn’t feel like you're pulling your punches?”
Koe’s heavy frown slipped. Stepping back, he swiped at the sweat on his brow and hissed, “Fuck! I’m sorry, man. It’s just…”
When he didn’t finish the sentence, Cyrus did it for him.
“Jury?”
Koe’s frown returned with a vengeance.
“Easy, Koe.” Cyrus held up his hands as he got to his knees and then rose to his feet. “I’m not bad-mouthing her. It’s just an observation.” Lifting a hand, he rubbed at the sore spot where he’d cracked the back of his head when he’d been taken down. “You’ve been a little off since she arrived.”
Heaving a weighty sigh, Koe lowered his fists and muttered, “Is it that obvious?”
“Yeah”, Cyrus answered. “It is. So much so that you didn’t even need to call the pack together to tell us to give Jury a wide berth. We have eyes, brother.”
There was a slight snarl to Koe’s voice when he bit out, “Meaning?”
“We know she’s off limits. We just don’t know if it’s because she’s female, because you don’t trust her, or because…”
When his words tapered off, Koe narrowed his eyes on Cyrus. “Or because of what?”
“Is she yours?”
The question had Koe tensing. His knee-jerk reaction was to deny the assumption, but why?
Doing so could only make things worse. Sighing in resignation, he shook his head.
“I don’t know. I feel protective of her, but I’m unsure if it’s because she’s female or if there’s more to it.
” He didn’t mention her scars or what had been done to her.
That’d be Jury’s tale to tell if she ever properly joined the pack.
“Well, is it more than just protective?” Cyrus prodded.
Pacing to the nearest wall, Koe pressed his back into it before he slid down and rested his forearms on his upraised knees. Cyrus followed and mimicked his Alpha, dropping to sit beside Koe.
“It’s more than protective,” Koe admitted. “I’m possessive. But again, I don’t know if it’s because I’m attracted to her or because I’m the Alpha, and I refuse to have Jury experiencing anything remotely close to the shit she’s suffered with the Biters.”
“The shit she’s suffered with the Biters?”
“Bottom-feeder shit,” was all Koe was willing to disclose. “How other packs treat Omegas, but worse.”
Cyrus nodded. “Well, are you attracted to her?”
Koe rolled his head from where it rested against the wall to shoot Cyrus a look of incredulity. “Have you fucking seen her?”
Cyrus chuckled a deep sound. “Yeah, man. She is fine.”
Koe’s head jerked off the wall as his brows speared down.
“See! Like right there. I wanna rip your fucking head off for saying that, but why?” He shook his head, “Man, even if I were interested, I couldn’t act on it.
Not now. She’s been through too much to walk into a new pack only to have the Alpha lusting after her. She deserves better.”
“You’re a good man, Koe. She’d be lucky to have you.”
Koe’s gaze turned distant, his Adam’s apple dipping low as he swallowed hard. “If you knew the shit she suffered, you’d tell me to leave her the fuck alone.”
“Shhhit,” Cyrus breathed. “That bad?”
Koe nodded. “She deserves a soft place to land after what she’s been through. Free of harassment, free of pressure.”
“Maybe you should ask her what she wants.”
Shooting him a pointed look, Koe shook his head. “That feels like me pressuring her. Fuck, what if it’s just because she’s the first female to come here? What if I’m just hard up?”
Cyrus shrugged, “So go into town this weekend and get laid, then see if you still feel the same way toward Jury.”
Koe was already shaking his head. “I wouldn’t do that to her, man.”
Cyrus’s response was a knowing grin.
Getting to his feet, Koe held out a hand, and when Cyrus took it, he hoisted the Enforcer up. “Stop making that fucking face before I punch you in it again.”
Cyrus barked a laugh.
“Sorry for taking my frustration out on you,” Koe offered, clapping his Enforcer on the back.
Cyrus’ lips cocked in a grin. “You hit like a bitch.”
Koe huffed a laugh and offered, “In that case, we can go another round if you’d like.”
Cyrus shook his head. “Fuck that! I’m steering clear of training with you until this thing with you and Jury is settled.” He rubbed the back of his head. “If you wanna train, you’ll have to wait for Daemon to return. That sadistic fucks enjoy the pain.”
Koe snorted. “They should have been back by now.” Expression going serious, he glanced at the door as if expecting them to walk in. “I’m half worried something went wrong.”
“If it was just Thrall, I’d be worried. But he’s with D, and you know there ain’t shit that D can’t handle.”
“I also know that Daemon isn’t opposed to going to war with an entire pack alone. I shouldn’t have sent him. He’s hell on wheels.”
“You know his wolf needs to be let loose on occasion. He doesn’t get to be free often, and training isn’t enough to satiate Demon. This is good for them. Let ‘em have it.”
Cyrus was right. It felt unfair the way Daemon had to keep his beast locked away, but the animal was uncontrollable on the best of days, which meant Demon rarely saw the light of day.
It had Koe praying that was the reason for the delay.
If Daemon needed a little extra “hunting” time, then he and Demon would get it.
Cyrus fist-bumped Koe’s thigh before standing and walking backward.
“I’m hitting the showers but think about what I said.
You should let Jury decide what she is and isn’t ready for.
You could be denying you both the Creator’s most significant of blessings.
” Turning, he headed for the locker room, tossing over his shoulder, “There are worse lots in life for her than to be mated to the Allegiance Alpha. And if shit with Biters was as bad as you're hinting, then she deserves a mate who’d go to war to protect her. That you?”
Cyrus didn’t wait for a response; he just kept walking, leaving Koe alone with the question.
Hell yeah, it’s me!
He was already in the process of declaring war over what had been done to Jury.
He could tell his pack that it was about principle and pack standards, but the truth was, it was just about Jury.
It was one hundred percent about what had been done to her specifically, and yeah, standards would be enforced, but he didn’t give a fuck about Biter standards. He gave a fuck about Jury.
Eyeing the empty doorway, he wondered if Cyrus was right. Should he let Jury decide, or should he do the righteous thing and leave her the hell alone?