Ethan
I lean against the wall, arms crossed, glaring at Aria like she’s the reason my life’s gone to shit. And maybe she is. “I don’t have anything to do with you anymore, Ethan,” she spits angrily.
It pisses me off how she looks at me like I’m some fucking beast. “You think I don’t know what you’re up to? Going around with Lucas like some desperate-” My eyes trail down her body, and, damn, that dress. It’s tight in all the right places, and her tits? Don’t get me started. “-and what’s this?” I gesture at her like I’m disgusted, but my cock twitches in betrayal. “Since when did you start dressing like a fucking whore? Were you hoping I’d come running back to your desperate ass?”
Her eyes narrow, her chest rising and falling like she’s ready to explode. “I didn’t’t do it for you.”
I scoff. “You’re lying, Aria. You’ll always be my puppet-the one who’ll do anything for my validation. I mean, you literally dyed your hair black just because I said I hated your blonde hair.”
“I don’t want you anymore, Ethan! I don’t want anything to do with your cheating ass, so stop acting like I give a single fuck about you!”
The venom in her voice makes me flinch for half a second, but I cover it with a smirk and step closer. Her vanilla scent hits me like a brick wall, making my head spin and my wolf stir. “Then why is your heart racing? Huh? Why is your wolf so damn restless?”
Her eyes widen, but she recovers quickly and hiss, “Get the hell off me, you-”
“No, shut the fuck up, Aria,” I snap.
“No, you shut the fuck up, Ethan!” she fires back, and I’ll admit, it catches me off guard. She’s got fire surprisingly. But her next words knock the smirk clean off my face.
“Didn’t you reject me? What the hell do you want from me?”
“It doesn’t matter omega. You still belong to me. You’re mine, whether you little ass like it or not.”
She laughs in my face like I’ve gone crazy. “I don’t belong to you anymore, Ethan. I belong to my mate…Alpha Lucas.”
Her words hit me like a sledgehammer, my vision turning red as my wolf roars in anger. That bastard Lucas. I wanted to rip his fucking head off when I saw him kiss her.
“I guess I’ll just have to remind you who you really belong to uh?”
Her eyes narrow in confusion. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“You wanna act like a whore, kissing every bastard you see? Then I want my turn.”
I lean in, ready to take what’s mine, but she slaps me so hard, it echoes in the restroom.
“Bastard!” she yells.
My wolf snaps, and I grab her arms, shaking her. “How fucking dare you bitch!”
“Let me go, you jerk!”
“Not until I get my fucking-”
The door bursts open, and Jake’s body flies past me, slamming into the wall like a ball. My head jerks toward the doorway, and there he is. Lucas. His eyes are glowing gold, his hand wrapped around Sam’s neck, squeezing like he’s trying to pop a damn balloon.
Oh, fuck.
—–
Aria
The second Lucas steps into the restroom, Ethan lets go of me like I’m a damn hot potato. My heart’s still pounding as Lucas glares at him, his golden eyes burning with rage. Sam is on his knees, gasping for air, Lucas’s hand gripping his neck like it’s nothing.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” The words hang in the air, sharp and final.
Ethan tries to play it cool, smoothing out his shirt. “We were just talking. Nothing more.” He sounds calm, but I catch the flicker of fear in his eyes. Can’t blame him. Lucas looks like he’s about two seconds away from ripping Ethan’s spine out Mortal Kombat-style
Lucas’s gaze doesn’t waver. “This is your one warning. If I ever catch you bullying my girlfriend again…” He squeezes Sam’s neck tighter, and a choked cry escapes him. “…I’ll rip your fucking heart out and eat it.”
Jesus Christ. He’s terrifying. Ethan might be an Alpha, but Lucas? Lucas is on another level. Bigger, badder, scarier…like the ultimate boss fight Ethan didn’t sign up for.
He tosses Sam aside like he’s weightless, sending him crashing into the wall near their stupid friend, Jake, who’s still sprawled on the floor. Then he turns to me, his gaze softening in a way that leaves me confused as hell. “Come here, Aria.”
It’s not a request, and my legs move before my brain catches up. His fingers brush my cheek, gentle, protective. “Are you okay?”
I nod, too stunned to speak. This is the same man who just threatened to commit murder, and now he’s looking at me like I’m the only thing that matters.
Fuck!
“Good. Let’s go.” He takes my hand, leading me out of the room like he’s done with the whole scene. I glance back at Ethan, who’s glaring at us, seething. Oh, he’s pissed.
Outside, Mia and Lily are pacing like worried moms. The moment they see me, they rush over, practically tackling me in a group hug.
“Are you okay, Aria?” Mia asks, looking me over like I’ve just survived a plane crash.
“Look at her hands,” Lily says, and Lucas’s expression shifts to something dark and dangerous.
“Let me see,” he demands, grabbing my hands. His jaw tightens when he sees the bruises. “That fucking bastard.”
Before I can say anything, he’s pulling me forward again.”Come with me.”
“Wait-what now?”
“Just trust me,” he says, and his tone leaves no room for argument. I don’t know what’s scarier…his anger or how safe I feel with him right now.