Page 295 of Bride of Choice

I almost missed it, the small, glittering, curved, wand looking lollipop stick on my nightstand. Picking it up, I frowned at it. What the hell was this thing supposed to be? It almost looked like a- “OH MY GOD!” OH, my fucking god!

Nabbing up my purse, I ran out the door.

And nearly slammed right into the Lo denaii waiting in the wings, just outside of my hut, like some stalkerish idiot.

Thick fingers grabbed my shoulders, steadying me when I would have slammed right into furry pecs.

“I don’t have time for this! Watch where you’re going!” I snarled right as the male that had caught me blurted, “Jojoknee- What wrong?”

Jerking out of his grasp, I gaped at him for a full minute before thawing and coming at him with both hands smack-happy. “What’s wrong? What’s wrong?! You slimy, two-timing waste of fur! I’ll tell you what’s wrong with Jojoknee!” I bellowed at him as he blocked my ninja-windmilling slaps and punches. “You cheated on me, you piece of dog crap!” I was bellowing so loud I’d dare to call it a roar. “I hope she gives you every disease known to mankind and your babies look like hairless orangutans! I hope your dick turns green, itches and oozes and leaks pus, and falls off- I-”

“Stops! Rek no cheats! Stops!” he yelped and yipped.

Pausing to catch my breath, uncaring who heard and came to investigate, I glared at him with all the pain and anger I’d been holding in.

In a deceptively calm voice, I asked, “Did you choose to bring her here?”

“Rek-”

“Did you stop for one moment and think, what the fuck will my mate think if I just bring home some rando woman, or did that not enter your tiny, walnut sized nugget of a brain?”

“Rek no have- Rek not- Jojomine-”

“Jojomine? I’m not your Jojo anything!” I snarled, stepping into his personal space.

Rek was forced to take a step back, then another, and another. There was a small measure of satisfaction to be had in watching him trip over his damn feet and tumble to his ass.

“No listen! Let Rek ‘splain!” he sputtered, crabwalking backwards as he eyeballed my purse.

Rounding on him, I jabbed my finger down at him. “Listen? To what?! Is she still here?”

“Rek- What?”

“Is. She. Still. Here?” I demanded to know. It was redundant. Like I didn’t know the answer. Like the whispers hadn’t gotten back to me. Like Mal and Rosa weren’t pissed on my behalf that he was running around trying to introduce her to every being he’d ever known, whereas I’d been, partly on his part, his dirty little secret. It was a bitch slap to the fucking face, is what it was.

Catching the glint of the horn in my hand as it caught on the sun, he blinked at it stupidly.

“I don’t have time for this. For you or any of your bullshit. Not anymore.”

Turning, kicking my boot up to send snow flying at him, I took off.

I got all the way to the corner, stared down at my horn for a minute, stuffed it in my back pocket, before turning around and charging at him right as he righted himself.

I came at him with a bellow, tackling him into a huge pile of snow. Lifting my purse up, I swung it at him, telling him all the ways he’d broken my heart and I’d never, ever, as long as I lived, forgive him, EVER, with each arm numbing swing.

Rek lifted his arms up, barking at me to stop and listen, let him ‘splain, but made no move to dislodge me as I straddled him and gave beating him about his upper body a go.

I was on my sixth swing when a cry sounded off from behind me and to my left. One moment I was ranting at him through screams and watering eyes, the next I was flying to my right. My shoulder took the brunt of my fall, my purse smacking me square in the face as I landed.

“Leave him alone!” a pipsqueak of a voice cried out.

A roar sounded off right as I shoved his flavor of the month off of me, reared up, and slapped her clean across the face as hard as I could. “Touch me again, bitch!” I snarled at her.

Expecting to find Rek coming at me, I jerked back as he grabbed at not me but the woman he’d thrown me over for.

Lifting her up by her jacket like she was a naughty pup, he walked her over to the other side of the hut, bellowed at her to stay, and was rushing back to me, lips pursed, poorly muffling the snarl in his voice as he swiped at something on my face.

I felt a little sick as I shoved his hand back and stood. Even more so when I realized that wet stuff he’d swiped off of my face was blood.

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