Chapter 28: The Alpha's Jealousy

[Cole]
"Rough night?"

Cole realized he had been staring at Owin who was now giving him an awkward smile. He blinked and returned a weak smile as Owin went on to describe his lonely breakfast because Jude was not at the training ground when he went.

It was then Cole noticed that his Beta looked like shit.

Rubbing his chin, Cole realized that Jude was not the only one who had forgotten to shave this morning. Damn it!

His mind was all about Dove's blushing. Her cheeks were bright pink when she heard Owin's voice and she was acting all shy around him. He didn't like it. His mind had been busy hiding his frustration at the spiky hair Gamma since the young man entered the room.

Cole glanced at Jude, noted his unruly hair and grinned. The last time he received a warning glare from Jude was when they were fifteen and it was over a werewoman.

Clearing his throat, a sign of a truce, Cole turned to Owin and asked about his latest report.

"After he met Oscar, Wesley suddenly canceled all his appointments with me." Owin rolled his thumbs over his clasped hands. "Then he met with Edgar. Secretly."

"What's Abe been up to?" Jude asked suddenly.

Owin frowned in puzzlement, "Surprisingly, his hunting sessions with Oscar had stopped. Maybe Oscar's been too busy."

Cole kneaded his temple and nodded slowly. "We could be his target."

"But those three rogues weren't even hurt bad!" Owin cried. "And they started it! Dove was alone, right? Three against one. Even with that mysterious guy, it still wasn’t fair."

Cole swallowed the bitter lump in his throat. Owin was just protecting the Luna of his pack, Cole silently assured himself. There’s nothing going on.

Clueless about the silence he was getting from the two elder wolves, Owin rotated his head about, "Am I wrong?"

"You're right, Owin." Jude stifled a yawn and then said, "But Oscar would jump on anything to start a fight - it's his ultimate goal."

Owin slumped back in his chair, "I really hate that Alpha."

"We all do." Jude patted his back.

"I'll tell the guards to look out for spies. We'd be getting a few soon." Cole turned to Owin. "Get some rest before you set off again."

"Sure, Cole!" The bright smile returned.

Cole narrowed his gaze at the oblivious fighter. Was his wife blushing over the thought of this darn smile?

Women are suckers for such smiles. He glowered silently at the thought.


******

[Dove]
I think Cole was trying to train me in fighting the temptation.

Why else would he come for breakfast looking all sexy and dangerous?

I couldn't look at him and breathe properly the entire time. If I saw the dark stubble across his masculine chin, I might attack it and let him ravage my lips.

Goddess, Dove!

My eyes widened at the thought.

"You can’t defend yourself just by staring at the enemy, Dove.” Megan’s yawned and threw a sleepy glare at me.

“Sorry,” I mumbled and angled my body once more so that my front was almost touching the ground, my back slightly lifted, my hind legs getting ready to bounce off the ground and my claws stabbing the soil.

Without taking my eyes off the target marked on the tree trunk, two arm’s length from me, I waited for Megan’s cue.

“Now!”

My claws flipped the soil at the target; my hind legs pushed upwards; my wolf body flew over Megan. I landed heavily on the tree trunk and in one fluid movement, dug my claws into the soft bark and swung my forearm upwards in a crescent moon curve.

I swiveled my body around, using my other forearm as a pivot, and jabbed my sharp teeth into the bark of the tree, tasting the bitterness of the flaky skin. After another swivel of my body and a strong bite, I released the tree and landed smoothly on the ground.

Panting, I shifted back to human form and Megan was smiling with weary eyes. “Perfect.”

“Bleah!” There were still splinters in my mouth. As I spit them out, I spotted Owin walking over and waved at him.

Megan turned around and folded her arms. Owin halted and eyed cautiously at her. “What did I do?”

“I didn’t see you at the feast and then you left immediately after that.” Megan put an arm around Owin’s neck, bent him forward and ruffled his hair.

“Hey! It’s new. Don't mess it up,” Owin protested, laughing.

I laughed along until Megan released Owin and he rushed over to me. “Dove, I’m glad you’re alright. I heard about the three rogue Omegas who attacked you.”

“Oscar’s?” Megan came up beside him.

Owin nodded.

We turned from the ruined tree and moved towards Connie’s B&B.

Megan wanted to introduce a nice werewoman to Owin but the young werewolf merely grinned and said he’d be better off with a sparring partner. He begged me to convince Megan to drop the idea and we both got scolded by Megan.

As Owin talked about Jude, his rare absence from training and disheveled appearance this morning, Megan was blushing madly but Owin was oblivious. Observing Owin as he bickered with Megan, I understood why Megan kept pushing Owin to get a wife.

Abruptly, Owin looked ahead and his face instantly shone. “Cole!”

My eyes quickly caught a burly figure in the distance, on the steps of Connie’s house. As I got near, his face became clearer, I caught a look of displeasure and frowned.

“Hey Cole, are you here for lunch?” Owin had his usual liveliness.

Cole glared at me and said, “I wasn’t told that someone would be having lunch here.”

Sensing that he was talking about me, I sighed and replied, “It was a last-minute decision. Owin’s back so we thought we’d have lunch together.”

Cole glanced at Owin, then back at me. Without another word, he stomped off towards the village.


******


After handing the harvest review to Megan, I left the fields and headed straight back to Connie’s.

She was surprised to see me and I quickly explained that I needed to stay for the night. With only a raised brow, she nodded and brought me upstairs to the same room that I used when I first arrived.

Once the door closed, I sat on the bed and sighed. The natural orange light outside the window soon grew dim and the pale moonlight took over.

Cole should be done with his dinner by now, I thought. I wondered about the life he had before me. Did I make it better or worse for him? The stuffy feeling expanded in my chest, hampering my breathing.

I walked towards the window to be near the moonlight and prayed.

Can I be selfish? Just this once. I hope I had made his life better and that he couldn't live without me.

The door threw open and the giant crashed in with a fierce look.

“Cole!” I gasped.

“What the hell are you trying to do?” His voice thundered across the room.

I cleared my throat and declared, “I’ve decided to stay here until we figure out how to keep our distance.”

Cole inhaled sharply and trudged towards me, “Didn’t you hear me say that I’ll decide how much distance we’re going to keep? Or did Owin make you forget every damn thing about me?”

What? My brows wrinkled heavily. “What are you saying? What has Owin got to do with us?”

“You tell me.” He growled.

“There’s nothing going on between Owin and me! I’m your wife, damn it!” My fists were tight and my knuckles were white.

The sheer gall of this ox-brain wolf! Here I was, hungry and exhausted, pining for him, being saddened to the core because I can’t be with him, and going to cry buckets of tears for him, while he accused me of having romantic thoughts about another man.

The clear blue eyes darkened into a frightening shade as he towered over me and snarled, “Then, why did you blush when you heard his voice?”

Oh. My. Goddess! I raised both arms, squeezed my fists even tighter and screamed silently.

He stepped closer, his voice in a snarky tone. “Were you dying to see his smile?”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Who cares about Owin’s smile? I was dying to see your smile. I want to protect your smile, you brainless wolf! I blushed because of you! You were looking so hot and sexy and ready for mating, I was in heat!

With my chin up, I ignored his stunned expression and stated, “I’m staying here and that’s final.”

I moved past him, pushing his strong scent out of my nostrils, and headed for the door when the floor gave way and my view overturned.

Before I realized what had happened, I was on the Alpha's shoulders, being carried like a sack of rice back to the mansion.