Chapter 18 Chapter 18
ELLA
I fumed as I paced around my room. I had never been so angry in my entire life. Suddenly, my anger turned to panic as it dawned on me that I had just slapped an alpha.
I rubbed my face and sat down on the floor at the foot of the bed.
Yeah, but he deserved it, my wolf snapped.
I chuckled. Yeah, he really did.
I had to admit it had felt good, cathartic even. Letting out everything I had held in for two years. Yelling at him, finally telling him what I had been through because of him—it was almost therapeutic.
I sat on the floor with my head in my hands for a long time, wondering how I would ever show my face downstairs again. Zane was probably on his way up to rip my head off.
I was snapped out of my thoughts by a knock at the door.
“Zane, go away!” I yelled, hoping he would get the hint and finally leave me alone.
The door opened, and I was about to yell again when Alpha Daniel walked in.
“Alpha, I’m so sorry. I thought—”
“You thought I was Zane. I picked up on that.” He smiled warmly before walking over and sitting next to me on the floor.
“You want to talk about it?”
I tucked my hair behind my ear and looked down.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Ella, I heard the entire thing. You guys were practically standing right outside my office.”
I winced.
“Everything?” Daniel nodded and I let out a breath.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Well, was all that true?” he asked.
I nodded.
“All of it.”
“Why didn’t you ever come to me? If I had known they were treating you that way—”
“It wasn’t your problem, Alpha. They were smart and made sure to do it when you weren’t around.
“And since you never mentioned Zane’s rejection, I just assumed you felt the same way they did. I didn’t know it was because he never told you about it in the first place.”
Daniel patted my knee with his hand.
“I’m sorry, Ella. You really are something else.”
I gave him a warm smile. He was a kind man, and he reminded me a lot of my father.
“Not going to lie though, I would kill to have seen the look on Zane’s face when you slapped him.”
I chuckled.
“It was priceless.”
Daniel laughed deeply.
“I believe it.”
We sat in comfortable silence for a while until Daniel finally stood.
“Well, I believe your mom probably needs you downstairs to help with lunch prep. How about you come to my office after lunch, and we’ll start your training.”
“Sounds good,” I stood up and placed a warm hand on his arm.
“Thank you, Alpha, for listening. I thought for sure I was dead meat after our little fight.”
“If it had been anyone else, they probably would be.” Daniel laughed.
“Zane has a soft spot for you.”
I smiled.
“Sure, he does. I think our definitions of ‘soft spot’ differ.”
We made our way downstairs and parted ways.
“Remember, after lunch, my office.”
“Yes, Alpha.” I smiled before turning to walk back into the kitchen.
Sophie and Declan sat at the large island and looked up at me, their eyes wide.
“What?”
“Are you banished?” Declan asked, only slightly joking.
“No?” I stared at them, playing dumb.
“Why would I be banished?”
“Your fight with Alpha Zane! Nobody understood what you said, but we definitely heard the yelling. Nobody yells at an alpha like that and lives!” Sophie replied, worry evident in her voice.
I rolled my eyes.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
I turned around and crashed into a wall of a man. I looked up to meet Zane’s glare.
“Yes, Alpha?”
I heard Declan and Sophie gasp from behind me.
“When you are finished with lunch prep, I need to meet with you. My office.”
I pulled out my most innocent look.
“I’m sorry, but I’m meeting with Alpha Daniel after lunch.”
“Then you’ll meet with me now.” Zane took my hand and dragged me down the hall to his office. He pulled me inside and closed the door.
“Sit.”
I glared at him before sitting down in the chair across from his desk. Zane sat down, anger still fueling him.
“What do you need from me, Alpha Zane? The menu for next week? Do you have a meal request?”
I heard Zane growl and shut my mouth, opting to keep quiet and stay alive.
“Ella, I can’t have you acting like this. I am an alpha and you need to remember that.”
“I remember just fine, Alpha Zane.” I crossed my arms and sat back in the chair.
“It’s the reason you rejected me after all.”
Zane jumped up from his chair and bounded over to me in two long strides. He leaned down, his hands gripping the armrests on either side of me.
“Ella, stop!”
“Or what, Zane? You’ll reject me? Oh, wait…”
I was not about to back down. I had come this far. The floodgates had opened and if he wasn’t going to leave me alone there was no way I was going to let him forget what he had done.
Zane stood up and ran his hand through his hair.
“Ella…”
I watched him through angry eyes, hoping he would get tired of this and leave me alone.
You have to admit he looks pretty damn hot when he’s all angry like that, my wolf said in my head.
“Oh, shut up…,” I mumbled.
“What did you say?” Zane snapped back around, his glare meeting my own.
“I said I need to get back to work. If that’s all, Alpha, I should be on my way.”
I stormed out of his office before he could stop me and made my way back to the kitchen. There was no way this was going to end with me apologizing.
I was done being submissive. I was done playing the weak, sad girl. He had busted open the dam, and I wasn’t going back.