Chapter 9 Chapter 9
ZANE
I paced around my room, wrestling with my thoughts. I knew I was better than this, getting frustrated and jealous over some girl. My wolf was angry that I continued to scare her off.
She didn’t seem affected by the mate bond at all. It was like she really was over me. Was it so easy for her to get over an alpha? That stung my ego. Shouldn’t I be stronger than that?
I decided I needed to calm myself down, maybe find a distraction. She might not be affected at all, but I was about to lose my mind.
I made my way back downstairs into the common area, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, and took a long drink.
“Zane.”
I looked up to see Mariah standing in front of me, scantily dressed and offering herself to me. I rushed her, my lips crushing hers as I lifted her onto the counter.
We lost ourselves in a fury of grinding and sucking until I heard a cough off to the side.
ELLA
Mom joined Declan and me from the other room, laughing as she saw us delving into a quart of ice cream.
“We should probably head up. I need to check on the pulled pork and you need to finish those salads.”
We all went back to the kitchen together, where we were surprised to see Zane and Mariah going at it right on the counter, half-naked and in the throes of lust where anyone could walk in and see them.
My mom let out a cough, and they looked up to see the three of us standing there. They both straightened themselves out and Mariah gave me a wicked smile.
“Jealous?”
“Not in the least,” I replied.
“You really think you’ll ever find another mate? You tried to get your hands on this one, but you were nothing to him,” she huffed before hopping off the counter.
I glared at her.
“Oh, so you’re his mate?”
I saw Mariah’s eyes brighten and then fill with disappointment when Zane looked away.
“She’s a friend.”
I smiled as I heard my mother try to stifle a laugh.
Mariah glared at Sophie.
“How dare you—”
I stood tall and, with every bit of confidence I possessed, berated her, “No. How dare you! Coming in here and making a mess and a scene where we have to work. Have you no decency?”
The look on Mariah’s face was priceless. She stammered for a minute before finding herself and yelling at me, “You have no right to speak that way, Omega! Zane, do something!”
I glared at Zane and Mariah, my anger reaching new heights.
“And you have no right to be in here making our job more difficult! Do you see this mess? Pans and dishes all over the floor, spilled water—do you seriously think of no one but yourself?”
Mariah began to speak again before I interrupted her.
“Leave.” I waved my hand dismissively before meeting Zane’s eyes again.
Zane stepped forward, growling, and I immediately realized what I had just done. He stood before us in an aggressive stance.
Suddenly, Alpha Daniel walked in.
“What is going on here?” he boomed.
None of us answered, refusing to be the first to break the silence. Alpha Daniel stood straight, radiating power and authority.
“In my office. Now!” he commanded.
We followed him to his office. Zane and I stood in front of his desk as he sat. Alpha Daniel motioned for us to sit, but neither of us accepted.
“One of you better start speaking,” Alpha Daniel said sternly.
I straightened myself, attempting to suppress my frustration.
“Alpha, Mariah attempted to speak offensively to my mother. I will take a lot of things but not that. Alpha Zane and she were in the middle of an intimate moment when we entered the kitchen and—”
“Zane, did you find your mate?” Alpha Daniel interrupted
I continued, “I asked. She wasn’t his mate, so I gave her a piece of my mind. If she was his mate, then I would have given her the respect deserved of a luna. Zane didn’t appreciate my words.”
Alpha Daniel turned to Zane with anger in his voice, rubbing his temples.
“You started this fight over a silly girl who isn’t even your mate? What the hell are you doing Zane? What if your true mate had walked in and seen you with her?”
I scoffed and looked at Zane.
“Wait, does he not know?”
Zane glared at me, daring me to speak.
I shook my head in disbelief.
“Alpha Daniel, Zane found his mate.”
Alpha Daniel’s eyes widened in shock as Zane yelled, “Shut up!”
“I was his mate,” I stated bluntly.
Alpha Daniel turned to me, shock and confusion written on his face.
“Ella?”
I stood and lowered my head.
“It was two years ago, before he left. He…” I took a deep breath. I could feel all of my newfound confidence fading.
“He rejected me.”
Alpha Daniel let out a growl.
“He what?”
“He rejected me. But apparently, he seems to think he still has a claim on me while he messes around with her.”
Alpha Daniel sat down and let out a long breath.
“Ella I am so sorry. I had no idea this had happened. Obviously, you accepted his rejection?”
I nodded and he turned to Zane.
“Zane, apologize to this girl.”
Zane’s head snapped up with a furious look at his father before submitting.
“I apologize for any offense I caused.”
“If you don’t mind, I need some time with my son,” Alpha Daniel said, turning to me.
“Yes, Alpha.” I gave him a tight smile before leaving the room.
Declan met me out in the hall.
“So?”
“So what?” I responded innocently.
“So what happened? Are you being punished? Is he? I can’t believe you spoke to them like that.”
I sighed. Neither could I. I must have lost my mind, talking like that to an alpha.
I joined my mom to work on dinner and Declan watched us from the other side of the island, making jokes about Ella the fearless omega.