Chapter 8 Chapter 8
ELLA
I made my way out of the kitchen to get more plates from the pantry when I was grabbed and pushed against the wall.
“What are you doing?” Zane snapped.
“I’m getting more plates from the pantry.” I kept my head down, not wanting a repeat of our last encounter.
“No, I mean in the kitchen. What do you think you were doing?”
“Alpha, I don’t understand—”
Zane punched the wall next to me.
“Stay away from me, Omega. I rejected you. End of story. I don’t want you.”
Anger flashed through me. I was getting in trouble for just doing my job! I was being the submissive, gentle omega I was told to be, and it still wasn’t enough for him.
“I understand, Alpha,” I replied darkly.
He walked away, and I stood against the wall, wiping the few tears that had dared to fall now that he was gone.
I walked back into the kitchen with the plates and met Declan.
“Follow me,” he said quietly. I set the plates on the counter and followed him to the hallway behind the kitchen.
Declan stared at me.
“What happened?”
My eyes snapped open, and I looked up at him.
“What do you mean?”
“You came back into the dining hall visibly upset. You’ve been crying. What happened?”
“Nothing. I just dropped something on my foot,” I lied. It was none of his business.
Declan stepped closer to me before knitting his brow. He took my wrist in his hand and I yelped.
He let go at my yelp and stepped back, eyeing my arm where the bruise was from last night.
“Who did that?”
I took my arm and hid it behind my back.
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. We should head back in, we both have work to do.”
Declan gave me a worried look before throwing his arm over my shoulder.
“What do you think they’d do if we just quit?” he joked.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“They’d starve.”
We both laughed as we walked back into the kitchen. Zane was there, and of course he started staring at me again. I shook my head and continued with my work.
My mom came in a while later, holding some bags in her arms. She smiled, saying hello to the kitchen staff and to Declan.
I wiped my hands on my apron.
“Mom, I’m all done, I’m going to head back to the house and do some laundry before lunch prep.”
“Sure, hun. I’ll be down in a bit, I’ve got a few things to do as well.”
I made my way down the hill and was once again ambushed by Zane.
“We really need to stop meeting like this, Alpha,” I huffed as I yanked my arm away from him.
“Who is that wolf you keep flirting with?”
I took a step back.
“I’m pretty sure you lost the right to ever have an opinion on that when you rejected me,” I snapped.
He grabbed my arm again, and I gasped at his tight grip.
“You are mine.”
“No!” I yelled at him.
“You didn’t want me! You rejected me. You don’t get to take that back!”
“I’m Alpha, I can do what I want!” He crushed his lips to mine, and I bit him hard, drawing a bit of blood. He recoiled, then came at me again.
“You are not my mate, Zane Davis!” I screamed at him.
Suddenly, Declan was by my side.
“Ella, are you okay?” I looked up at him, and he wiped a tear from my face. I hadn’t even noticed I was crying. I was so grateful he was there.
Declan turned to Zane, who growled and advanced on us.
Declan lowered his head in submission.
“Alpha, I do not wish to challenge you. But Ella is my friend, and she is upset.”
Zane straightened himself.
“What is your name?”
Declan kept his gaze down.
“Declan Black.”
“Well, Declan Black, is she your mate?”
“Excuse me?” Declan looked up at him in confusion.
“If she is your mate, then take her. Otherwise, you have no claim to her, and your Alpha is demanding that you let us finish our conversation.”
I was furious.
“Alpha, I have nothing else to say.” I turned to Declan and took his hand.
“Take me home please.”
I could hear Zane growl as we walked away. But I wasn’t about to let my best friend get eaten alive.
Zane was an alpha, which meant he was stronger and faster. He could take Declan down in seconds, and I didn’t want to see that.
As we walked back to the house, I could feel my body shaking. I knew it was partly because of the fear I had of Declan almost becoming ground beef.
But part of it was because I had not only stood up to Zane, I had yelled at him. I didn’t know where that had come from, but it had felt good to finally let it out.
When we entered the house, I sat down on the couch, my head in my hands.
“What was that all about, Ella?” Declan asked, sitting beside me on the couch.
“I, uhm…” I struggled to find the words.
“Is he the one that hurt you?” he asked tenderly.
If only you knew, I thought to myself. I took a deep breath.
“Two years ago, Zane was my mate.”
He was kind to try to hide the shock on his face. He had moved to the pack after Zane had left, so he didn’t know anything about it.
I continued, “He rejected me that day. On my birthday, no less. He didn’t want me. He didn’t want an omega as his mate, as his luna.”
I lowered my head.
“I’m nothing,” I whispered.
“You are not nothing.” He smiled at me.
I smiled back before tossing my hair to the side.
“Anyway, he got back yesterday from his two years of alpha training. The two years were good for me. The mate pull we had is gone.
“At least, it is for me. He’s been mean and possessive since he got back. I think he still thinks I belong to him, even though he rejected me.”
“Did he say that?” Declan asked.
I nodded, and Declan squeezed my hand.
“Well... ice cream?”
I laughed, glad my friend was here.