Duo-Duels

I packed a few clothes in a bag and carried them downstairs to give Cora. If her story was anything like mine, then must not have much. Cora was a powerful beta wolf she shouldn’t be working in the kitchens. If she wanted she could serve in the beta army, and I could help her. I went to the kitchen and ran into the blonde haired devil Lexi.
I rolled my eyes and nearly made a U-turn but I was there for my friend.
“Is there something the Luna wants?” The way she dragged out the word Luna irked me.
“Want to help?” I smiled.
She rolled her eyes, “Like I care what you want. You don’t belong here.”
“You know this place needs a few changes. Starting with those dumb outfits.”
She glared at me. “You don’t rule here.”
Not yet since Dean and I hadn’t had a mating ceremony yet but I was his mate in the moon goddess’s eyes and that was enough.
“We’ll see about that. Where’s Cora?”
“What part of I don’t care what you want don’t you understand?” She flipped her hair over shoulder and strutted off. She paused and glanced over her shoulder, “And Dean’s busy tonight. You might want to make plans.”
I dropped the bag and stretched out my arms to grab her neck. I was seconds from wringing her neck. Her eyes went wide she dropped the tray. The plates shattered and the food scattered. Gabe walked into the kitchen. He read the situation quickly and came between us. He grabbed my arms and hauled me back.
“I’m going to kill her.”
“She’s crazy!” Her friends surrounded her. She hiked up the antics and sobbed but not a trace of tears could be found on her face.
Gabe pinned me against the isle as Lexi’s friends dotted over her. I didn’t even touch her.
“What the hell?” Gabe asked.
“She provoked me!”
“Come on, Little Wolf, what did an innocent omega do to provoke you?”
“Innocent? Her? She’s a snake.”
Lexi sobbed. Now one tear rolled down her red face. Her friends looked at me with disdain. Oh, she was so fired.
“She tried to kill me. She’s been nothing but abusive to me.”
Gabe lifted his brow at me.
“You don’t believe that. Do you?”
He turned to the omegas. “Get her out of here. Clean this up.”
Gabe moved away and chuckled. “Dean’s lover.”
“Is he… never mind. She isn’t anymore. She just likes taunting me.”
“Why don’t you fire her? Or do you prefer to rip her head off?”
“Hmm, don’t tempt me. I have things to do.” I picked the bag and marched out.
She wasn’t in the kitchen and the servant’s homes felt like a no go area after the Lexi incident. I went to the beta base instead. Pummelling a punching bag didn’t feel like a bad idea then I ran into Ginger. She hadn’t been seen around since Ash died.
“Ginger?”
She turned her head. Her eyes appeared so distance. She lost so much weight. Her clothes didn’t hug her body the way they used to.
“Oh, hi.”
“Nice to see you’re out.”
“Yeah… Kenzie made me. I didn’t want to.”
“Have you already trained?”
She shook her head. Her skin was paler than usual. Her lips were dry and her face was stained with tears.
“I can’t. I can’t even feel my wolf. I feel awful…” she sobbed.
I placed my hand on her back and rubbed. She buried her face between her knees.
“I shouldn’t have convinced him to go out that night. He would still be here.”
“The Dare pack’s the only one to blame.”
“So am I. Ash is dead because of me.”
“Please don’t say that. He wouldn’t want to see you like this.”
“I know you’re just trying to help, but I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself. I’m tired… so tired.”
“If you need to talk.... I’m here so is Sam. He’s always going to be there for you.”
She nodded and sniffled. “He saved me when you were busy kicking ass. He hasn’t stopped training since.”
I could imagine Sam doing drills since the first Dare attack. I hoped they managed to work things out. Ginger told me she was going to rest. I needed to find Cora. I pondered my next move when I felt my mate’s call.
It was like waking up to the sun on my face in a comfortable bed. He left the room early today. His call got more urgent when I didn’t respond. Cora and I needed to talk about the stone. I left the beta base quickly and rushed to the castle. He wouldn’t like that but I could deal with him later.
“Layla…” a hiss came from above.
Cora descended the stairs with a pile of towels in her arms.
“I’ve been looking all over.”
“I heard you fought with Lexi. What’s going on?”
I led her to the lounge then through the door to the library. I closed the door. I had a feeling Dean wouldn’t just let his call go unanswered.
“I don’t remember the way home and the goddess’s tear is unprotected.”
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I think those men didn’t find it.”
“Do you think it’s the Dare pack?”
She shuddered, “Yes. Hybrids.”
A shiver ran through me. I knew it.
“Have you spoken to your mate?” Cora asked.
“No, I don’t know how. I don’t think I should. Something’s stopping me.”
“Does it matter if he gets the stone? I mean our pack’s gone.”
I shrugged, “I guess not. Can you still help me get back?”
She stared at her lap and brushed a tear from her face. “It’ll be like going back to that night.”
“I know but this is something we have to do.”
***
The second I walked out of the castle into the midday sun I was snatched off the ground and locked in a death grip.
“Did you blow me off?” Dean said into my ear.
“Dean! People are watching.”
“They know you’re my mate. We’re sparring remember?”
“Shoot. I forgot. Is that what you wanted?”
“No, I wanted you.” He set me down and spun me. He grabbed my cheeks and kissed me. “Can you train in these clothes?”
I wore a pair of pants and a lose green shirt with a jacket over it. My sneakers might be a problem because the grass was slippery. We had a bit of rain last night.
We walked hand in hand to Dean’s private training spot. It was hidden by trees and hedges.
“You can fight in your bra,” he winked, tossing me a wooden staff.
“Very funny.”
“I mean it. First one on their ass loses.”
I smirked. We stared at each other for a while because both of us knew not to make the first move. Dean sighed and aimed for my arm. I blocked that easily.
“I do trust you.”
“Isn’t what you implied yesterday.” The staff came at my ankles I jumped and swung at his head. He ducked and grabbed my staff.
“I trust you. I was indecisive.”
“Indecisive about trusting me?”
I yanked my staff back and attacked. He blocked me effortlessly. Sweat drenched my back and rolled down my forehead. Dean hadn’t broken a sweat.
“No. I wasn’t sure it was the right time.”
“Is it now?” He grabbed my staff again and hurled it away. He dropped his staff and closed the distance between us. He grabbed my face and smirked.
“You okay? Are you… are you pregnant? Why are you making me hit you Layla?”
I laughed and pulled his hands away but I kept hold of them. “Dean, no…” I blushed.
“Oh,” he frowned. “So, what’s wrong?”
“It’s about my pack I need to go back and I need your help.”
“Anything Little Wolf.”
“Dean,” Gabe’s voice cut through the serene evening sky.
“What the fuck does he want?” Dean grumbled.
“Where the hell is she? Where’s Layla?” Gabe burst through the hedges with burning yellow wolfish eyes with his beta wolves in toe.
“What’s going on?” I asked, holding on to Dean’s arm.
“The kids were right the entire time. You’re a spy. You’ve been leading the Dare pack to us the entire time.” Kenzie spat.
Lyle stood on the right side of Gabe. He didn’t look at me with disgust the way Kenzie did he stared at me with confusion and sadness.
“This again? I’m not a spy. The Dare pack destroyed my pack.”
“Shut it. You ruined my pack. You’re going to pay for this—” Dean shoved his brother back before he could reach me.
“Hold it. You’re not going to touch her.”
Gabe pointed his finger at me. “Your mate’s a spy. Her own pack member rated her out. You tried to have her killed too, huh?”
“What?” I gasped. “My pack’s gone!”
“Cora. The worker. She told us everything. How you worked with the Dare pack to destroy your pack. She heard you talking to them when she was captured with all the other dead girls.” Kenzie blasted.
“We were all captured,” I burst out.
Dean shook his head and shifted away from me. My heart shattered. My wolf reached out for him but he didn’t reach back.
“I swear this is all a lie. They killed my parents—”
“Shut up Layla. It all adds up. You show up and the Dare pack attacks my pack. We come here and the Dare pack attacks again. Or are you going to play the amnesia card?” He backed me up but there was no end for me to hit.
Dean appeared and shoved his brother away. Thunderbolts of alpha power exploded in the private garden.
“I need to speak to Cora please. She’s lying!”
“She’ll run,” Kenzie sneered.
“Enough. Enough of this. This is my pack, remember that.”
“She deserves to die,” Gabe blasted.
“Last I checked this was my pack.”
“The evidence is damning. Don’t think with your dick right now.”
“Then don’t think with your busted ego. She’s mine.”
“What’s your pack going to think when they find out your mate’s working with the Dare pack? We have a credible witness Dean,” Kenzie said.
My heart was in my throat. My wolf ran wild within me. She was on the verge of coming out but running would damn me.
“You don’t want to test me. No one touches Layla. We’ll lock her up until we can prove the truth.”
“What?” I gasped. “You’re going to do what?”
“You have a reason to be scared?” Dean raised his brows. The anger on his face shattered me.
“I didn’t lie.”
“I don’t know what to believe anymore.” Dean marched off leaving me alone with snakes in the grass.