Chapter 14 – Won’t Tolerate Disrespect.
“Men are respectable only as they respect.“– Ralph Waldo Emerson
<b>Kiya</b>
“Get me out of this!”
“Why?” <b>Jackie’s </b>bellyughter echoes as she towers over my pitiful form. “He looks sofortable!”
“Well, I’m not!” I retort..
“Why?”
“I have to pee!”
Here I am. Lying on the kitchen floor, t on my back, with a snoring Alpha on my front. With thick arms wrapped around my smaller <b>frame </b>and head heavy on my chest, I’m an unwilling prisoner. Now, I know what body pillows feel like, but I can’t say that I hate it too much. I admit this skyscraper on steroids looks peaceful. Like a sweet baby.
But it doesn’t change the fact that my dder is begging for release!
Note to self: Neron is <b>deep</b>–conditioning alone from now on.
“Alright, bud. That’s enough.” I say, patting Neron’s bare back. “Wake up! Bing a pillow is not my intended profession in life.”
“Zzzz…”
“He’s out cold!” I gasp in horror.
“The big bad Alpha must be so tired.” <b>Galen </b>teases as he dances around me like a giddy child. “I admit, this is
an adorable sight. Out of all the pillows in this home, he chose you!”
“I’m not a pillow,” I growl <b>lowly</b>. “But he can catch some Z’s back in his room.”
“Come on, Kiki! Admit it! You like this! You never allow Neron this close unless you have to.”
“I don’t like it!”
<b>Liar</b>.
<b>“</b><b>Sure</b>. Like you didn’t enjoy washing his hair? You wouldn’t stop smiling, girl! And I didn’t miss the sounds you made <b>too</b>!” He yfully pokes my nose but retracts when I attempt to bite it. “Feisty!”
“I was just helping him,” I mutter softly. “It meant nothing.”
Liar times two.
“Sure. Keep telling yourself that.” My friend shoots an irritating smirk at me before adjusting his shower cap. “Jackie, Abi, my love, <b>we’re </b>seeing the blossoming of a beautiful rtionship.”
<b>1/5</b>
“Are y’all going to get this puppy off of me or not?!” I’m getting fed up. Not with the teasing, but from the close contact with the sleeping Neron. He’s shirtless and I’m wearing a short robe <b>that </b>exposes most of my chest and legs. It’s a lot of skin–to–skin contact, and it enveloped <b>me </b>in a warmth equivalent to the sun. It’sforting. Peaceful. Hell, this is another image of Neron branding into my mind.
It’s sweet.
<b>“</b><b>Ah</b>, this is something you don’te across every day. I still remember you on your knees scrubbing this floor.” <b>And </b>just like that, all my soft feelings disintegrated to infuriation when that high–pitch voice grates against my eardrums. “Reminiscing?”
Despite my view of the world turned upside–down, I recognize the two bodies that entered the kitchen. One brought me hatred and the other, pain. The dearest mate couple of Odessa and Darien. As much as Darien’s <b>presence </b>saddened me, my fury was on Odessa for the reference to my ve days. If I wasn’t weighted down. by this two–hundred and fifty pound Alpha, I’d w her face off.
“Come down and find out!” I growl, shivering as Neron adjusts himself slightly. “What the hell do you want?”
“Cassandra wasining about her kitchen being used for ‘unnecessary reasons‘ and we followed the stench of spoiled avocados.” Darien shrugs his shoulders nonchntly. Jackie glowers at the insult, ready to pounce until Abigail’s touch calmed her. “You’re still making that shit? How do you even know if it works?”
“Why don’t you try it, Judge Darien? You might need it to soften your attitude.” Galen barks back. His anger <b>was </b>as hot as a ming knife. And it threatens to stab his best friend in the chest. His dark eyes are void of its earlier humor. “You don’t get <b>a </b>say in what we do on our day off when you haven’t been doing your job.”
“So?” Odessa scoffs. “Doesn’t he have a right to speak his mind, dear Delta?”
“Yes, but he’s not exempt from its repercussions. Talk shit, get hit.” Jackie retorts, mming a bowl down on the kitchen counter. “What is wrong with you, Darien? You blow off training, ignore us, and now you’re insulting Little Bit. Alpha Anthony won’t be happy with your drop in performance.”
“Well, he- The Beta interrupted Odessa with a hand to her face<b>..</b>
“I’m speaking to Delta Darien, not you. Stay in yourne.”
Anger contorted Darien’s handsome face. It’s scary. This is threatening to spin out of control. Thest thing I wanted was for my friends to fight. “Odessa has a right to speak like everyone else. If I told Abigail to ‘stay in herne‘, you’d be the first one to tear heads off. <b>There’s </b>no need to be hypocritical. I won’t tolerate anyone disrespecting my mate.”
“But you’ll disrespect us?” Galen asks<b>, </b>crossing his arms. “We’re supposed to be working together. I get that you want to spend time with Odessa, but you’re neglecting your work. <b>This </b>is unlike you.”
“<b>You </b>all <b>have </b>to face it,” Odessa smirked triumphantly, which irked me further. “<b>Darien </b>is focused on better things. Like me! You’ve trained the dogs <b>on </b>your own. So, why can’t he take a vacation?”
“There’s a difference between <b>taking </b><b>a </b>vacation and neglecting the duties your Alpha specifically assigned you.” Jackie <b>barks</b>. “And Odessa? You’re pretty and all, but you <b>aren’t </b>that Important.”
“She is to me.” Darien possessively wraps his arm <b>around </b>Odessa’s waist, pulling her closer to him. “And maybe I don’t want to work. Maybe I refuse to hang around <b>a </b>bunch of heartless, overbearing, and nagging
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mutts. You <b>have </b>mates and yet you can’t let me be <b>happy </b>with mine?”
“Darien, that’s not what they’re saying,” I spoke. Whether it be my response or the sound of my voice, insulted look on his face seared into mine.
the
“The rejected mate doesn’t have a say in this matter.” My heart heaves painfully from the sadistic smirks on the couple’s faces. How dare he throw my rejection in my face? Did he forget that he was rejected too?! “Before you continue to embarrass <b>yourself</b>, shut up, and let the big boys and girls handle this.”
“As if the bitch ever does,” Odessa adds in that snide to hurt me further.
<b>I </b>can take insults. But what I refuse to ept is the pain of my past being thrown at my face like <b>a </b>goddamn frisbee. This new Darien continues to break the foundation of what our friendship <b>once </b><b>was</b>. I don’t know what happened to him, but something happened. Something bad and I can’t figure out what.
It hurts. Yet, I will not take it. Who the hell do they take me <b>for</b>? Odessa is a rotting banana that Darien happily eats. Perhaps her toxicity is rubbing off on him. I never thought he’d stoop this low.
But I didn’t get that chance to defend myself.
Because, in the blink of an eye, the heavyweight on my front was lifted. And said weight threw the couple against the wall. They struggled as thick hands held them by their necks, gasping for air. Neron, in a f*cking deep conditioning cap, is trying to strangle my enemy and former best friend!
“Continue to disrespect my love, and neither of you will have the vocal cords to spew out more garbage. And <b>I </b>always keep my promises.”
Holy shit.
That deep, rumbling voice. This isn’t Neron. It’s Onyx!
The couple couldn’t croak a syble because Onyx’s arms shook with fury. He’s pissed. Pissed for me. He <b>must </b>have heard everything while Neron was asleep and just came in like a wrecking ball. As much as I loathe Odessa, I don’t want Onyx to kill her. And I still care about Darien.
“Onyx, stop!” I hurry onto my feet. “Don’t do anything hasty, please.”
“No. They stood here and insulted you. They upset you. Your respect is non–negotiable. I’ll be damned if I stand idly by, Kiya. These two deserve to be punished for their insolence.” Golden <b>eyes </b>stare deep into my own. when he turns his head to me. “You don’t deserve this.”
I admit. My wolf mate defending me twists some arousal wires in me. It’s attractive–but it’s unnecessary! Odessa and Darien continue to lose oxygen; on the verge of passing out.
“Kiya, let me take over,” Artemis demands. <b>“</b>I’ll handle this.”
“If you say so.”
Artemis
“Onyx, let them <b>go</b><b>.</b>” His head snaps toward my direction, <b>hard </b>gold <b>instantly </b>softening into a shade full of warmth and <b>love</b>. “There <b>are </b>other ways to handle this, but choking the hell out of them isn’t the answer.”
35
Something in my tone clicked in his mind. No one would dare to order an Alpha <b>like </b>this. Perhaps I’ve signed my death certificate and should expect an open casket funeral soon. But, to my surprise, Onyx obeys and releases the idiots, dropping them heartlessly on the kitchen floor.
Oh, how the tables <b>have </b>turned. Instead of Kiya, it’s them<b>. </b>Amusing. I watch as they desperately fill their
with <b>air</b>, scooting away from the frightening tower of my mate. Before I can say anything else, I’m hauled into Onyx’s powerful arms and taken out into the kitchen.
We pass by some <b>pack </b>members giving us looks of anticipation or curiosity, drumming up scenarios in their minds of <b>what’s </b>happening between us. I hope they aren’t <b>thinking </b>we’re going to mate.
<b>Because </b>that’s not happening
Onyx took me into Kiya’s room, kicking the door close behind him. We went tumbling <b>onto </b>the bed with his strength caging me against his bare chest. He buries his face in the crook of my neck, deeply inhaling my
scent.
“I’ve missed you, my angel,” Onyx mutters happily. His seductive, rumbling baritone sent delightful shivers down my spine. He <b>must </b>have felt <b>my </b>trembles because his arms tightened around my <b>waist</b>. Like Kiya, I can’t feel the sparks of the mate bond. But his epassing warmth brought a sense of peace to my mind. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I say tly. “What’s going on with Neron?”
“He’s exhausted in more ways than you think.” <b>He </b><b>answers </b>thoughtfully, his <b>head </b>still buried in my neck. “He’s asleep, so I took over. Good thing I did <b>too</b>.”
“Onyx, don’t do that again.” Leaving me no other option, I rest my head on his chest. “I appreciate youing to our defense, but Kiya still cares about <b>Darien</b>, She doesn’t want to see him hurt.”
“I <b>cannot </b>promise you <b>that</b>. Anyone who insults you deserve my wrath. By insulting Kiya, by extension, he insulted you. He didn’t care that he was hurting you, so <b>why </b>should I <b>care </b>if I hurt him?”
“While I see your point, it’s not what Kiya or I <b>want</b>. I don’t want her to be sad. So, if you’re going to kill someone, at least let us know beforehand.”
His chuckle quakes through my body like a violent <b>tremor </b>while his hands on my back left trails of the burning me. It’s a pleasant feeling <b>that </b>I can’t get enough of, I shifted my body to get morefortable, but Onyx <b>took </b>it as a sign to tease me further.
“You don’t understand how much I want <b>to </b><b>make </b>you mine.” He <b>says </b><b>breathlessly</b>. “Your scent, your warmth- it’s possessing me like a ghost. I want to love you so much, Artemis.”
“Onyx-
“I know what you’re going to say, and I understand.” He lifts my head to meet his. I never knew gold had so many shades until I <b>look </b>deep into the windows of Onyx’s soul. It’s a beautiful swirl with each shade marking a unique emotion. Above them all, I see <b>love</b>. For me. “I haven’t earned your <b>trust </b>yet. I <b>won’t </b>stop until I do,
Artemis.”
“Because Alphas keep their promises<b>,</b>” I repeat his infamous line from the kitchen. He smiles like an excited child. It’s breathtaking and I couldn’t help but smile back. “I was nning on going for a run tonight. Do you
Flutende Duespect
He blinks. “Are you sure you <b>want </b>me there? <b>We’ve never </b>gone on a run together.”
I’m not sure why I’ve invited him. His presence is getting to me. Then again, I’ve never seen his wolf in the glory of a run before, and I’m curious <b>to </b><b>see </b>it. “It was an offer. If you don’t want to run, then-”
“N–no! I do!” He panics, shooting up <b>from </b>the bed with me. “I thought you still hate me.
“I tolerate you.”
“That’s better than nothing.” He grins. “What time do you want me to meet you<b>?</b>”
“Eight o’clock. East side.” Wiggling out of his arms, I head to the bathroom. “I’m going to wash this thing out. of my <b>hair</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>you should too.”
<b>“</b>Are you asking me to shower with you?”
“Onyx, you have until the count of ten to get out. Nine!” Like a <b>rocket</b>, he left my room in a gaggle of deepughter.
And Iughed too. For the first time in a while.