#Chapter 56: Confrontation Boiling Expectations

Elijah/ NEPTUNE
After leaving a meeting with a human of a prospecting company determine to understand why I would not sign his new wife of the week to my company. I did not want to have to explain that she had no talent that he married someone that thought talent could be bought at the snap of his fingers.
I have meetings like this every blue moon, but they never got better. I was agitated with his persistence.
After explaining to him that she would have to enter the next talent competition next year I had my assistance move the rest of my meetings to tomorrow or another day.
I did not anticipate it, how could I.
When I came home it hit me in an instant. The challenging scent of an Alpha that I did not expect to have in my home. I had buried the last remaining contents of gifts sent to Ava.
Trying to hold my wolf back I took another whiff to discover that the scent had entered from my backyard and was now nestled in my home. I knew with out taking another whiff that it was coming from Ava’s room.
She had to have know what would happen. That he was challenging me. Then I hit me. Her mate the mate that she claimed was trying to reject her was an Alpha.
Once again Ava had either lied to me or she kept something from me. I leaned against the table top of the kitchen and gripped the wood until I could hear it splitting.
My wolf’s fury and my own were colliding with one another and I was having a hard time keeping focus; let alone control.
I let out a roar that would have shook the house, “AVA!” As angry as I was I could not let my anger get the better of me. I did not want to let Neptune take the reins, if I did who knows what he would do.
I could feel my body tremble and shake. Everything was out of my control. All I could think was, “Don’t hurt her.”
Then everything went black.
There was no way she could not know what she had done. This she-wolf had brought the scent on another wolf—another Alpha into OUR home. Her mate was challenging us.
I rushed up the stairs and without thinking invaded the room of my disrespectful houseguest. We did not want to harm her but the threat had to be eliminated.
Without hesitation I swung the door open and ignoring Ava’s yelling and threats and went straight to the problem. I ripped everything that had his scent. I tore threw the letter and the cards and balled the scraps in my hand.
“Elijah what the hell are you doing,” Ava screamed at me as I could see from my peripheral vision that she had gotten out of bed.
I turned my back to her and left the room. When I got to the living room foyer I switched on the fireplace and tossed everything in the flames.
“You bastard,” I heard Ava scream at me as she pushed and slammed her fist against my back. Anyone else that would have challenged me when be at my feet right now under my command, but not her.
I understood her frustration but my rage overwhelmed me. When I sensed her up to take another swing at me I quickly turned around and grabbed her wrist.
Ava let out a gasp as I brought her close to my chest, I brought her at eye level. I moved us away from the fire. The last thing I wanted was her and the pup to get hurt.
My chest vibrated against hers; I could feel shuttered. She was angry but I could smell her desire. I bent down and nestled my nose at the base of her neck breathing her in.
Then his scent was there again. I looked down to see a chain hanging around her neck with a charm. I reached for it and snatched it from around her neck. The temptation to throw it in the fire resonated with me, but I could not do it. I flung it to the other side of the room. I would have someone polish and clean the damn thing. Hopefully the smell would mask or eliminate his.
“You had no right to do that, Elijah,” she yelled at me, but all I could do was chuckle.
“And you had no right to lie to us.” I saw the look in her eyes searching for answers. “You failed to mention to us that your mate was an Alpha. That bastard has been stalking around here for some time in my territory, Ava.”
“You did not tell me that he was coming around.” she glared at me as she snatched her wrist from me. “I did not know that he was even here. I found the gifts today what did you expect me to do,” she tried not to challenge me but I could feel her emotions getting the better of her. She kept her head down.
“Why do you need to keep worthless trinkets from someone that abandon you and your pup?” She stood silent against me. I saw her hang her head low. I could smell the tears form.
“If you still love the bastard, go back home to him. Instead of cuddling up with me,” I spat.
“He does not know about my baby and I know that he would not accept either of us,” she said. “The last time we spoke he called me a half-bred mutt.”
I startled her as I growled at the thought of any wolf tossing aside a mate as beautiful and caring as the one in front of me. I cuffed my finger under her chin and slowly brought her face within my sight.
“Kitten look at me,” I growled. “Look at me in the eyes, Ava.”
When I saw her face I felt my heart swell. I would do anything for this petite woman in front of me. I felt my wolf begin to settle down and give me back control.
“I don’t want to go back and forth between your feeling for me and your feelings for your ex. If you want to be with him, I will not stop you, but I will not be a backup when he decides to reject you.” I did not want to upset her but I needed to know where we stood.
But she did something that I did not expect her to do. Ava laughed. She laughed me coldly as she moved me away from my touch. She met my gaze pushed my hand away and began to put distance between us.
“Yeah I’m sure you would like me to leave. You want me to leave so that the new mistress of your house can take my place, right? She looked at me with rage.
I frowned at her words. I was confused. Even my wolf that had settled down was now growling at the thought of another woman besides Ava at my side.
“Who are you talking about?”