AVa walked dejectedly away from them all towards the pack-house. She really couldn’t believe that he had insulted her so drastically in front of the members of his pack. She didn’t even have the confidence to wave Emerald. Wait! Why should she wave Emerald? The girl didn’t even defend her once. She had just stood there, why their rude, untrained and insane Alpha had heaped lies on her head like flowers.
‘I really shouldn’t judge people’s characters on a first-time basis. Damn, when would I learn this?’ She scolded herself inwardly.
“Ava! Ava!” Someone called her anxiously.
Ava angled her body sideways, catching Emerald’s sand-dune hair rustling the girl’s face. But, still, she wasn’t breathing high at all, as she stepped right in front of Ava. The girl wasn’t a normal werewolf, Ava concluded in her heart. But, what did she want anyway?
“What is it?” Ava snapped.
Emerald pulled her lip inward, and sighed dramatically. “I deserved that.” She looked at Ava with a soft overdramatic sheen of sadness, which made Ava think that the woman wasn’t feeling guilty one bit. “Ugh, look, you know how the Alpha is, right?” She asked easily.
Ava snorted, looking away from the girl. “I don’t know how he is or how he isn’t, but whatever happened is fine. Please excuse me,” She said easily.
Emerald hand shot out, and touched Ava, stopping her from leaving. “Jeez! Are you always this uptight? I said I’m sorry. No-one here actually takes when the Alpha is talking. It’s suicide, and really has grave consequences. We were really surprised that you could actually stand up to him, even if it was a 5 seconds thing,” She said in disbelief.
Ava laughed softly, no humor evident in that laugh. “The thing is, you were just trying to protect yourself, and you pinned the whole thing on me,” Coward, she mumbled inwardly, not saying it out loud.
Emerald pulled away from her. “You’re upset right now, and that’s fine. We will talk later after your initiation. Don’t be so upset. It’s not a good look on a young woman,” She said, as she walked away from Ava.
Ava watched her go, wishing she could cut the girl’s hair off. So annoying! Was that a way to apologize to people; by being unnecessarily snobbish and rude? Well, she didn’t have the energy to mince words with the girl. She turned her body back on track and raced back to the room with a renewed energy. She just wanted to be alone.
She twisted the knob easily, and stepped into her room, only to be jerked towards a hard body. She opened her mouth to scream, but a hand covered her mouth tightly. Ava kicked backwards, but it only went through the air, not quite connecting with anyone. The person kicked the door shut, then pushed her weight on the door.
Ava gasped through the closed palm, as she stared into the Alpha’s dark eyes. How had he gotten here so quickly, and why was he here? Damn! Didn’t he have pack duties, other than stalking her this way?
“Don’t fucking move bitch,” He ordered rudely.
Ava tried hard not to, but it was hard obeying him when he was so dangerously close. He used his torso to nail her to the door. It dug to the lower part of her, making Ivanka purr. The creature was enjoying this closeness, more than was strictly needed.
“Do you actually think you could talk crap out there, then come in here, and nap in peace? No, bitch, you’re going to be severely punished. And, do you know how? I’m going to walk you out naked as you go about your initiation.” He said with a soft laugh. “Who are you looking at that way?” He snapped.
She gritted her teeth in response, until she tasted metal.
“Lower your head now!” He shouted bitterly. Then suddenly, he let go of her, and she struggled to stand upright, as she breathed more oxygen into her loins. “Fuck! I won’t say this again, I hate being disrespected. Do you understand me?”
Ava said nothing.
He moved quickly, pinning her back to the door. “I said, do you understand me?” He shouted.
“Respect is given both ways, Alpha,” She said instead.
His lips were dangerously close to hers. Her breathing escalated, as the beats of her chest could be heard. Ava tried not to focus on the curvy lips of his, but the next words that would be said. She needed to learn to shut up where necessary.
‘Moon Goddess!’ He breathed out. “She would never learn. Your ego is bigger than a horse, is it not? We will see how long it takes you when you’re poked at tonight. And, things have changed now, you’re only meant to serve me, and your boyfriend if any soul would have the brains to pick you because you are worse than trash,” He said with a curse.
Ava bit her lips to stop the tears from flowing. “Then, why did you keep me here?” She queried.
His lips trailed her cheeks to the jaw, and he bit. “You’re where you should be,” He said simply, and retreated slowly from her room. He jumped through the window, and she could barely hear a sound that signified his descent. Not that she cared anyway.
Ava walked slowly to her bed, trying to quieten Ivanka, but the creature refused to be. She just wanted her mate to be by her side and nowhere else. Ivanka kept purring, while Ava resisted the urge to touch where his lips had been. She wouldn’t give him that pleasure.
She rested her head on the bed.
“Your punishment would be to walk naked alongside me,” He had said.
She smiled. She had done it before, and doing it again wouldn’t kill her. He wouldn’t break her. He could try all he wanted, but he wouldn’t be able to break her confidence. She would show him that being his mate wouldn’t be a curse.