(Book 2) – Chapter 61
The scent of vanilla coffee and a newly printed book wafted toward me causing me to stumble from my yoga pose. I lifted my head looking all around us causing my mates to notice and hurry toward me. I put my arm out holding them back so the scent wouldn’t get hidden amongst theirs. I knew this was a scent of my last mate and not that I had a rejection under my belt I felt some dread and some fear eating at my stomach.
“Ryder, what is it? Do you smell something we don’t? Should we shift?” Blake rubs my back as he keeps looking around us. The guys have surrounded me making sure I was covered if something did attack. I was thankful they would lay down their lives for me but I would never let that happen.
“Mate.” That one word silenced all of us as we waited for them to walk up. I could hear how our heart beats had sped up almost in time and the smell of our fear was almost overwhelming.
“I thought assface was the last one and he ruined he chance to join this awesome family.” Blake growled out. “Who could it be? If they even try to reject you I am ripping their tongue out of their mouths!”
“Don’t be so drastic.” Kane hit his shoulder shoving Blake to the side. “We would want his tongue to hear his screams as we rip his body to shreds.” Kane and Knox both had a sadistic grin on their faces which I knew promised pain.
All the guys nodded in agreement as we saw about three guys walking up the kill. The one in the middle was the future Alpha Koda and I have no clue who the other two are. Their scents were mixed so Blue couldn’t tell which one was our mate and she was starting to get more antsy. I am fifty percent sure it was going to be Koda and I was not emotionally ready for that. I wanted to flee but Blue had other ideas.
‘He is so handsome and he smells so good. Please let me have him.’ Blue whined. I agreed with the handsome part since I had a thing for tall guys with broad shoulders and a smooth, lazy grin. His reddish-brown hair pulled up into a man bun and his brighter hazel eyes were like icing on a cake.
“What do you want us to do? We can block all three of them while you take a few minutes or longer. I just need to help you, please.” Andrew gathered me in his arms pressing my back to his front and it helped steel my resolve.
“We are going to do this head on. I am betting he doesn’t realize I am his mate since I smell like all you stinky men.” I could feel the laughter coming from Andrew.
“I think that is a good thing. Maybe we should all rub our sweat and stench on you so he won’t even know his mate is in front of him.” Asher teased.
I hit him with my elbow and stepped in front of them as the three guys stopped in front of us. I could see that the smile that had been on Koda’s face had fallen a bit and wasn’t reaching his eyes anymore. His dad didn’t know s**t about how he felt about his brother and what had happened last night. s**t, this was not going to go well. I hope Blue was preparing for the worst.
“Hi, Koda. Thanks for agreeing to spar with me.” Goddess, I was feeling so nervous. I didn’t even know where to put my hands.
“It was more like the Alpha is making him do it so don’t go thinking anyone is enjoying being around you.” The guy on his left glared at me. Koda kept silent letting him speak to me like that. Good to know where he stands on his manners.
“How about you stuff it, little boy. No one speaks to our mate like that and gets away with it. I know the Alpha would understand one less of you mangy mutts.” Edgar moved to my side wrapping his arm around mine, ready to throw me back so he could protect me.
“Let me link him and we will see who he believes.” Koda smirked like he knew he was right and he wanted me to be embarrassed.
‘Wanna bet?’ I linked them, my guys, Alpha, and Luna. ‘Letting your friends disrespect a guest like that would get the wolf in big trouble in my pack.’
All three of their faces looked they were stuck with their mouths open big enough to catch several flies. I had to hold my breath so I wouldn’t laugh at them for that and for how it changed to fear when the Alpha replied with telling them to shut their traps and to not be disrespectful to us. It may have made it worse to them but it made me happy.
“Listen I don’t want any more issues or fights. We will be leaving in a few days and there is nothing wrong with learning from each other.” I smiled sweetly but inside Blue was biting at the bit to be in control and take her mate. She was just about done listening to facts about not forcibly taking a mate.
“Let’s just get on with this. I told my father I’d spar with you so let’s just get it done so I can go kick your a*s and go do something that needs to get done.” Koda stepped into one of the training circles and took off his shirt. “I don’t usually make time for little girls.”
‘You’re going to knock me on my a*s pretty boy. I am about to beat your a*s into submission before I stake my claim on you.’ I could feel how after a rejection she was in a mindset to not let that happen no matter what. I couldn’t let her take the choice from him even if I wanted to agree with her.
‘Guys, stay close. Blue is ready to take what she wants, and she is sick of listening to her newest mate treat us like crap. I can’t let that happen.’ I looked at them and they nodded stepping with me toward the ring. They stayed on the outside as close to the edge as they could and I walked to the middle facing off against Koda.
“Did you really call me a little girl? You are older than me in so many ways, grumpy.” He growled a warning and it made my heart stop for a second. “Alright, lets do this pretty boy. Get ready for an a*s whoopin.”
“I did. I’m an alpha and what are you? I know you’re not an alpha or a beta. Are you an Omega or just a regular wolf?” He looked confused. I could hear my mates laughing around the circle. I started circling him hoping that would help him smell that I was his fated mate and that it would change what was happening.
“You really can’t smell her? Is your sniffer broken?” Teased Asher causing the guys to laugh some more. The two who were with Koda kept a hateful look on their face. Guess they don’t have a sense of humor.
“I already know that she’s my mate but I would like to know what rank she is. I mean what ranked wolf has this many mates? Are you guys faded or chosen? Maybe my brother was correct in rejecting you.” He said this like it was nothing. Like me being his mate meant nothing.
Blue gulped. I asked her if maybe it’d be better if we went out and rejected him since he already has his hatred toward us but her sadness overwhelmed me. I could hear my mates arguing with Koda and telling him to watch what he said next. I couldn’t concentrate on how they came to my defense or how this was killing me slowly on the inside. I needed to suck it up and say my piece before getting the hell out of here.
“Look I’m done with this. I don’t want to spar with you, I don’t want to be around you, and if we haven’t resolved this by the time we get ready to leave we should just get the rejection over with. I have better things to do with my time like get packs to join us for the war and to figure out the best training that we can do alongside the last decent witches and vampires we have found so that we can win this war to get our rightful place back. You should figure out how you’re going to treat me because as your mate I won’t stand for this. I’d rather go through the pain of a rejection then deal with you treating me like s**t on the bottom of your shoe. And no one will be telling what or who I am until you make your decision on if you trust the goddess or the word of your man w***e of a brother.” Blue sent out a warning growl causing Koda to step back into his guards who looked like they wanted to be running the other direction.
With that I walked over to the twins and asked them to take me back to our room. I ignored Koda and the s**t he was spewing. Not even the biggest I’m sorry can make up for the fact that he took out his hurt and pain out on me when all I did was accept rejection. Let him stew for a bit on that fact that he may have lost his chance on a mate because he trusted his selfish brother. I didn’t mention it to the guys but Brock smelled like two different she-wolves and I knew it was from s*x.
‘We love you and you did amazing. How about later tonight we come back out here and I will spar with you alone? I won’t hold back and I won’t act stupid. I am sorry we didn’t figure out that your motivation was different than ours. Forgive us?’ Edgar kissed the back of my head as the twins held my hands. I just nodded in response. I needed a few minutes so I wouldn’t head back there and leave all three of those guys with bruises and broken limbs.