The Alphas’ P**n Star Mate

Chloe POV

"You lost your mind there, didn't you?" Cortina was snickering at me still.

"Shut up," I growled. I wasn't in the mood for her attitude right now. I wasn't in the mood for anyone's attitude, especially since everyone has been giving me hell since earlier.

We're all stuffed in the conference room at the warrior center. Because of the lack of seating, Mick tried to make me sit on his lap. I chose Miles's lap instead, since I'm still irrationally pissed at him for letting an unmated shewolf whisper shit in his ear. Then there was that weird shit with Boyd. I still don't know what that was about. My hand still has this weird energy coating it, making me flex and clench it every time the image of that snake comes to my brain.

"What the hell was that?" I asked Cortina again. It went away as quickly as it came. For some reason, I don't think I should mention it to anyone else.

"I think your brain just short-circuited from jealousy," my wolf said mockingly.

"You know that wasn't it. You felt it too."

She sighed. "I know. He did just get back from that Alpha who was cursed or whatever. Maybe it was a lingering effect of that."

"Maybe." I don't think that's it though. It felt darker than what I felt from the Alpha wolf.

I was about to ask Boyd what happened to him, but he gave me a look, full of confusion, and maybe even fear, and all of a sudden I couldn't say anything about what I saw. I just muttered, "Sorry. You shocked me," then started walking to the warrior center by myself. I was trying to figure out what had just happened, but then Cindy caught up with me. He asked me what was wrong, but something told me I needed to keep what I saw to myself. It was the same feeling I got when Driana had me drink out of the flask. It felt personal, like it needed to be kept a secret and not shared.

Then Mick caught up with us, and Cindy tailed behind as Mick started in on liking my jealous side. He and everyone else has been picking on me ever since. Now I'm just pissy and irritated.

Darren and Beau took Boyd to the clinic to get checked out. Beau gave me a curious look before they walked off, but didn't say anything. I could tell he was concerned about something, but then he kept whatever it was to himself. He was probably just worried about Boyd. Boyd did seem off, but after everything he went through, that's to be expected.

"Hey, Mick!" Jamie whispered loudly in Mick's ear. "What are you doing later?"

Alexi and Billy started snorting. Cindy laughed with his arms crossed over his chest, his make-up not on for once. Winnie looked annoyed, rolling his eyes. Riley was sitting on a sleeping Dave's lap, his eyes swimming with excitement, like he was eager for some drama to unfold. Estel, who was sitting at the end of the table with Emily and Beta Desmond, smirked, which irritated the shit out of me.

Lenny and Miles were the only ones leaving me the hell alone, which made them my only allies at that moment.

"I plan on doing Chloe, if she lets me," Mick winked in my direction.

I simply flipped him off, snuggling more into Miles's chest. Miles sighed, but didn't say anything. He just rested his head on top of mine.

"That looked like a green light to me," Jamie grinned mischievously, resting his chin in his hand.

"I'm taking it as one," Mick reached for my knee. I swatted at his hand, but he grabbed my leg anyway. The sparks were enough for me to allow it. I was still pissy though.

Now Jamie's on my shit list too.

"Hey, Emily. What was it that Jamie was telling us about the rolling pins and Nonna a few days ago?"

"Ho, ho, ho," Jamie sat back in his chair. "You wanna play that game, Chloe?"

"I just forgot," I smirked darkly.

"Is that where the rolling pin thing started?" Beta Desmond gave Emily a curious stare.

Emily's face was burning red now. "Don't drag me into this. I haven't whispered in anyone's ear."

"You've obviously been spanking someone with a rolling pin though," Jamie laughed.

"You did what with a rolling pin?!" Mick was staring at Jamie, no longer smiling but with pure fury in his eyes.

"Relax," Jamie waved off his concern. "All participants were consenting adults."

"Bull shit," Mick growled. "You better have not been doing anything that needs consent with my Nonna. Especially with a rolling pin."

"What about a spatula?" Jamie's teeth glistened from his crooked smile.

The two of them started going at it, Mick growling and yelling as Jamie antagonized him.

"Good job getting the attention off you," Lenny chuckled in my ear. Miles's chest rumbled with his own amusement against me.

"Hey, Chloe," Riley smirked at me, leaning forward with his head resting over his folded hands. "Did Lenny, an unmated wolf, just whisper in your ear?"

"That's not the same," I lifted my chin, sending a glance at the shewolf down the table. "He's my babysitter."

"So you spend a lot of time alone together?" Riley looked absolutely devious.

"Are you accusing me of something, cat?" Lenny asked in a hard voice.

"I was accused, even though it was bs," Estel muttered, earning a possessive growl from me. I don't know her from shit and have smelled her on my mates the past few days while things were tense between us. It's so fucking different. "Is that my dress?" I sneered, my eyes sweeping down her body.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, looking down at it nervously. That arrogant look was gone from her face.

"It is," Riley said in a sly pur. "Didn't Mick buy that for you?"

I growled, sending another glare at Mick who was still busy snarling at Jamie.

"Good goddess, you all are so fucking annoying!" Winnie screeched. "If you all are just going to fight about stupid, petty, annoying crap, I'm going to check on Boyd!"

"Boyd's fine," Billy told him. "You can't see him yet anyway. The doctors are doing scans on him right now. You're right, though. We do need to talk about the shit we found at the hotel." Billy looked at Mick uncomfortably.

"Yeah," Mick sighed. "Let's start with what we didn't find. The Alpha and Luna from Redmond Moon Pack. They, along with that freak, Mr. Smith somehow escaped. Rodger and Kai suspect dark magic. Estel's necklace picked up traces of it on Mr. Smith when he grabbed her and dragged to the basement where Boyd was being kept." "Does that mean Mr. Smith was the one that was using dark magic?" I asked the obvious.

"Seems so," Mick grimaced. "Alexi said they found some sick shit in a hidden room in the basement too, after I left." He looked at Alexi who suddenly looked nervous at all the attention. "You never told me what it was though. Just that it looked like a black magic den." Alexi sent me an awkward look, then looked at Mick and Miles, "You two should go check it out after this. There's something there you'll want to see. Just don't kill any of us after."

"What is it?" Billy asked.

"I want to know too," I said firmly.

"Eh, I'm not sure that you do," Alexi laughed nervously. "I was fucking mortified that Rodger had to see it."

"Why Rodger?" My chest tightened at the mention of him.

Alexi shrugged, sending a hesitant glance around the room. "Uh, because he's Rodger. He's, like, protective and shit." His eyes went wide, then he frantically added, "Protective of all of us, you know. Like he's always been. I mean... Shit."

"What the hell does that mean?" I growled, getting annoyed.

"Just... Trust me," he stared at the table, refusing to meet my eyes again. "You don't want to know."

"Tell me," I growled. The room was quiet and awkward, and I was already angry as it is. I could guess why no one was talking. It had to do with another secret being kept from me. "I'm so fucking tired of everyone keeping secrets from me. If you don't want to tell me what the hell it is you saw because of Rodger, just say it because I already know."

The room was quiet again, and it felt like everyone froze. Even Miles stopped breathing for a second. I got more annoyed and pushed myself out of his lap.

"Fuck all of you. Keep being dicks. That's fine. I'm sorry for expecting you all to be truthful with me. That was too much to ask, I guess. Miles or Mick can tell me the rest later. Lenny, let's go."

Lenny sighed heavily, getting up to follow me out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Riley was the one to break the silence to ask.

"To blow off some steam away from here so you guys can talk more freely." I've had enough bull shit for one day, and it's not even breakfast yet.

"Where are we going?" Lenny asked as we made our way down the hall.

"To run," I growled. "Cortina hasn't been out in a while."

Cortina was already wagging her tail excitedly in my head.

Lenny wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me to his side. "You know, lapachka, I don't think they were staying silent because they were trying to keep it from you. It's just not their secret to tell."

"I know," I muttered. "I also know they were never going to get shit done if they had to pussy foot around me. I'm fine."

"Are you fine? I mean, if you truly do know that secret, are you fine with it?"

I pressed my lips together, not knowing how to answer. "The only thing that I'm not fine with, is not knowing why he won't tell me or even talk to me about it. Why didn't he tell me the day I showed up at Broom StiXXX? It makes me feel like there is something wrong with me." "That's not it, lapachka. He's just scared. That man has carried a lot of guilt."

"Hmm," I grunted. I didn't want to think about it anymore. I would just get myself worked up again.

"Wait for us!" I heard Riley call out from behind. I turned to see him and Dave coming down the hall. "I volunteered for babysitting duty too."