Page 29 of Cruel Alpha Bully

Him? It’s a guy!

I stand up, tilting my head to get a better look. One of the disco lights spins, obliging me and illuminating his face for a few seconds.

It’s that dude Scott!

I’m surprised that he has the balls to come back sniffing around my mate after how I sent him running.

I don’t move, just stay in the shadows. I’ve been incognito here for a while, and I want to keep it that way, at least for now.

Scott hands my wife a shot and holds up one of his own. Gina takes it, and they clink the tiny glasses together, throwing their heads back to swallow the liquor in one gulp. Gina cheers and bounces a little, clinging to his arm.

She stumbles, and Scott immediately puts his arm around her. Before I even realize I’ve made a conscious decision, I’m halfway across the dance floor.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” My voice cuts through all the other noise—the music, the hard bass, the talking, the laughter. The dark resonance of my wolf voice can be heard as clear as day.

Scott pales, as expected, but instead of letting go, his arms tighten around Gina.

Big mistake.

I take another step towards them, feeling my instincts taking over. My muscles are hardening all over, and my eyes must be glowing with a predatory sheen as my wolf howls to be free.

Tear up my rival! Chew him to pieces!

“I’m sorry,” Scott says, finally taking a step back and letting go of Gina. “It was just a friendly chat.”

“The hell it was!” I snap, lunging towards him. Gina jumps right in front of me and smacks her hands against my chest.

“Will you fucking calm down?” she cries, her voice shrill from the alcohol. “We were just having a drink.”

“This is the scum that was sniffing around you the other day!” I growl at her, barely keeping my voice from rising. I want to roar and scream, but I’m still aware of the crowd around us.

“Scott? Sniffing around? You’ve got to be kidding me, especially after the show you put on when you first arrived!”

“Show? What show?” I shake my head, genuinely confused.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about!” she yells. “Jill! She was all over you from the second you walked in! Now, I’m only just finding out she was trying to get with you all through high school. Is that who you’ve been doing the last few years? My ex-best friend?”

I shake my head, feeling my guts drop with uncertainty. I can’t remember how many girls hugged me when I walked in the door. Was Jill one of them? Maybe. I really don’t know. I wasn’t paying that much attention.

“Don’t try and deflect,” I retort. “The issue here is you and this festering snotrag. He’s come after you before. Now, here he is again with his hands all over what rightfully belongs to me.”

Gina puts her hands on her hips and glares at me. “I am not your property.”

“That may be so, but you are my wife!” I can’t help it, I finally yell. “You are my fated mate, and you can’t be letting other men touch you—especially in public.”

Gina laughs, shaking her head. “The audacity that you can stand there and say that about me after what you did when you walked in those doors.”

Suddenly, I realize that it’s too quiet. The lights have stopped moving, and there is no music playing.

Fuck! Fuck! We’re arguing in front of the whole damn pack!

Jack appears by my side, grabbing my arm and giving me a shake. “Time to settle down, hey buddy? Let’s get you two lovebirds home, shall we?”

“That’s a good idea,” Gina says quietly, “but I’m pretty sure the damage is already done.”

Jack drives us home, and Gina and I don’t say anything the whole ride home. When we get back, I stay silent because I don’t want to start the fight again. I have plenty more that I want to say. I just know I need to calm down before attempting to say it.

I go to bed after a hot shower, and when I wake up in the morning, I’m surprised to find Gina next to me. She’s put as much bed as possible between us, but I really didn’t think she’d even want to share a room with me after last night, let alone a bed.

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