Page 17 of Alpha Scorned

She went quiet, and I hated that I could almost feel her fear.

“Half-demon?” she almost whispered.

My friend didn’t have an issue with the half-demon children that had been sired in the prison, like Devon. But that didn’t mean she wanted any kind of demon as a lover, or that she would ever trust one. It had taken me a while to trust Zander, but I did. He’d been nothing but polite if a little distant towards me when I’d met him before. But Becca didn’t know him.

“Yeah, but, please, don’t worry, he’s nothing like those evil fucks who took us. He’s a good guy. He’d never hurt us.”

There was a beat of silence. “It’s okay, I know that, really. Connor would never send anyone here that he couldn’t trust.” She sighed, and I could picture her shaking off her past. “How about the one with the blonde hair, then?” she suddenly blurted. “He’s hotter anyway. I could ride him instead.”

I forced a giggle, happy to go along with her change of subject. “That’s Lionel. He’s a lion shifter. He seems like a nice guy, but I don’t know him very well.”

“Good. One for me to feel up, oops, I mean out, then.”

I shook my head again, and smiled. In some ways my life would be easier if I was more like my friend and could put the torments of my past behind me. It wasn’t that I believed Becca had fully moved on, but she seemed better at compartmentalising the trauma. Though she also hadn’t been left with physical momentos like mine. “Fine. See you in about an hour. I just need to get Devon changed.”

“Yeah, you do that. And put something decent on yourself, would you? You have a soulmate to impress.”

I held a frustrated sigh. “Becs, I gave him up, remember? And he's not here for me, he’s here for Shane.”

“Really? Well, you won’t mind if I make a play for the sexy bastard then.” It was a statement not a question. She was winding me up and I knew it, but that didn’t stop the growl that vibrated up my throat. “Yeah, rejected my ass.” She chuckled. “Get something sexy on, girl. You need to fight for his hot ass if you want it; which you do, judging by your jealousy. You might have sent him packing, and he might be pissed at you, but it will be fun to win him back, don’t you think?”

Biting my lip stopped my retort. My friend meant well, but there was no way I was dressing up for Owen, no matter how sexy he was. I wanted to fade from his notice, not grab his attention. “Yeah, keep telling yourself that,” I muttered under my breath, looking down at my sexy little kitten heeled boots.

Just over an hour later we walked into the crowded main cave. Not everyone in the pack could fit in. Some lingered outside in the warm summer air, waiting to hear the new Alpha’s words on the speakers, or be informed by others of what he said. Becs and I, along with Devon, stubbornly forced our way through the bustle and down the edge of the crowd to where we had a decent view of Owen and his brothers. They stood at the back of the cave on the podium that Shane used to address the pack. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of Owen standing so close. His jaw length mahogany hair gleamed and he’d shaved off his scruff. He was so handsome it hurt to look at him. His shoulders and chest filled out the white button down he wore. The sleeves were rolled up revealing some blue ink tattoos that moved with the corded muscle of his forearms. I couldn’t help but ogle the rest of his honed, powerful body. His thighs strained against the material of the designer jeans that rode low on his hips, and as he turned around to talk to Robin, I caught a glimpse of his perfectly toned ass. My core pulsed with need, my wolf pricking up her ears at my interest.

“Damn it, girl, I told you to dress up. Owen’s always been sexy, but dayum, he is positively smoking hot right now. And Robin is about to melt into a puddle of goo at his feet.” Bec’s nose wrinkled and I couldn’t help but giggle, even though I really didn’t find it amusing to see just about every single female with their eyes trained hungrily on my mate. I shook my head. Alpha power and the air of danger that pulsed around him were powerful aphrodisiacs to any unmated female. I instantly wanted to jump up there and slam my mouth against his to warn them away, to claim him as mine. My fists curled and I shook my head. I had to stop thinking like that.

He’s not mine. I gave him up.

Deliberately forcing a nonchalant expression on my face, I rolled my eyes. “He won’t see me if we stay back here, so it doesn’t matter what I’m wearing. Besides, he hates my guts—I rejected him. And I don’t want him,” I added for good measure, the lie tasting so damn bitter on my tongue, I almost gagged.

“Sure you don’t,” scoffed Becca. “That’s why you're basically burning a hole in his ass, staring at him.”

“No I’m not!”

She chuckled. “If you say so.”

“O-wen!” yelled Devon, his excited little voice carrying to the stage. He pulled against my hand, but I held tight to his wrist.

Owen glanced his way, and his smile devastated me. His whole face lit up and he winked, sending my knees into a ridiculous wobble.

Becca groaned from the side of her mouth. “Jeez, sister, if you don’t tap that, I will.”

I swallowed hard, wanting to fan my hot cheeks, but didn’t want to bring his attention to me. “He’s not winking at me, you idiot, He’s just saying hi to Devon.”

“O-wen, O-wen!”

Owen’s grin stayed in place as he mouthed, “Hi,” before he glanced at me. And then his whole demeanour changed. Ice consumed his expression before he turned to talk to Robin and the male by her side. Pain tightened my chest at his obvious rebuff, but at least he’d been happy to see Devon. Zander, who stood next to Owen, frowned, and Stone scowled. They exchanged a look and both men sauntered over as I bit back my anger and hurt.

“Hey, kid. Owen’s a bit busy tonight,” said Stone in his deep voice, but his next words shocked me to my core. “But you made him really happy by being here. I haven’t seen him smile like that in a long time.”

Devon peered around Stone towards Owen. His nod was sad. “O-wen not happy.”

Zander stepped forward and Devon’s eyes widened as he peered up and studied the huge male. Zander smiled and squatted down next to my son. Solemnly, he held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Zander. What’s your name?”

Devon studied him through narrowed eyes, his head cocked. He didn’t speak for a few seconds, then, as though making a decision that he could trust Zander, he nodded. “I’m Devon.”

“Cool. Nice to meet you Devon.”

---