I should have known the moment we arrived at the pack house the trouble would start. Jean has been very docile after her confrontation with Prior and was quiet the whole drive back to Moonscape pack lands. That sort behavior should have alerted me to her current mood.
Jean is never docile, not without a cause.
Bran and Cale were waiting for us in the front yard when we arrived. Bran took one look at Jean and immediately lost his head. Not that I’m blaming the incident on him but he should have had more control over himself!
He watched Jean approach the pack house like a hungry animal and when he noticed her arms were curled around mine, he growled a possessive “Mine!” and charged forward.
Jean took the move as a threat and reacted purely by instinct. She doesn’t like it when someone invades her personal space, especially not with me close by. She moved before I could hold her back and landed a solid blow on Bran’s side.
I winced when the unmistakable sound of ribs cracking reverberated through the air. If Bran wasn’t a werewolf I’d worry for his safety. As it is, Jean followed the first blow with a straight that landed on his left eye and finished it with a right hook that busted his lower lip. Before Bran could recover his senses Jean grabbed him and executed a perfect full shoulder throw. She then pinned him on the ground with a painful arm lock.
It happened so fast I didn’t have time to react. All I could do was to try and control the damage after the fact.
“Jean!” I shouted handing Cale over Prior. “Let him go!”
Prior looked confused and he seemed to be under some sort of shock. After what he just witnessed I’m not surprised. He came close to being on Bran’s current position if I hadn’t intervened earlier. Jean could be quite an amazon if she’s provoked and worse if she’s on a foul mood, which she seems to be her current state. Bran really shouldn’t have done what he just did.
“He started it!” Jean hissed her green eyes blazing. If I don’t stop her now she’s liable to do more damage. “Maybe I should break an arm now so he won’t think I’m messing around.” And to prove her point she twisted her body to one side and all Bran managed to do was let out a pitiful grunt.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and shook my head at her. Jean has a very short fuse and become very unpredictable when she senses danger. Â
I crouched down and placed a hand on her back. When I was sure that she wouldn’t fight me, I gently run my palm up and down her spine in a soothing gesture.
“Let him go sweetheart,” I urged gently. Bran’s breath is now coming in short gasps because Jean is slowly cutting off his air. “Forgive him ‘kay? Just this once, for me. He’s sorry so just let him go. Bran’s at his limit and he might pass out. You don’t really want that do you?”
I could see she was debating whether to listen to me or not and I breathed a sigh of relief when she finally released him and took a few cautious steps back to make sure she won’t be vulnerable to a surprise attack.
Her eyes locked with mine. She doesn’t look apologetic, little termagant, if anything she looked a bit smug. But from the leveled look on her green eyes I’m reassured she wouldn’t make any more moves to hurt anyone, unless they provoke her first.
“She’s human Bran,” I whispered as I leaned over him. “You can’t expect her to understand when you just charge in like that. Jean’s a bit short tempered to begin with so you’ll need a lot patience in dealing with her. I’ll help but you need to keep your distance for now.”
Bran nodded in understanding and he doesn’t look like he’s ready to stand so I let him stay where he was to gather his muddled thoughts.
I straightened and turned to Prior to take Cale in my arms.
“You can relax,” I murmured to Prior. “She won’t attack you if you don’t provoke her.”
His eyes met mine and I just winked. He gave Jean a suspicious glare before moving to help Bran off the ground. I have no doubt Prior would be wary of Jean and would be giving her a wide berth in the future.
“See what your tantrum did?” I teased Jean holding Cale up. “You made Cale cry.”
Jean blushed, finally recovering some of her good sense, and the second she started baby talking Cale I was sure the storm had passed. She’s calmed down and would not be lashing out on people she thinks is trying to hurt me. I just hope Bran listens to my advice and stays clear for now.
“Hello,” Lorcan greeted and I groaned inwardly when I felt Jean stiffen beside me.
Shit! Not him too…
“You must be Jean?” Lorcan smiled widely, completely oblivious as to how much danger he’s in. “Lorcan Burnell, I’m the…”
He didn’t get a chance to finish because Jean’s fist shot out and collided with his face, successfully bloodying his nose. It was a swift move, flawless and sharp. And since I was still holding Cale, I couldn’t do anything to prevent it from happening.
Lorcan looked like he wanted to strangle Jean and was exercising amazing self-restraint not to do so. And it took a lot of effort in my part not to laugh out loud.
In the course of a few minutes after her arrival Jean managed to draw blood and break a few bones from two of the high-ranking wolves of Moonscape.
Jean’s always been very protective of me and she doesn’t take kindly to the idea that I’m being mistreated due to false assumptions and misconceptions about our relationship. I didn’t have to tell her the situation, she guessed it all on her own. I have no doubt in my mind that by the time she’s through with her vindication half of the pack would be out of commission, if they don’t step up their game and clean their act while she’s here.
“Pack beta,” Jean snarled flexing and massaging her bruised knuckles. She’d regret that impulsive blow later when she’s properly calm. “I don’t know what kind of discipline you have around here but your people have been very rude and have been making my Ruari feel miserable. Now, where the fuck is your alpha?”
 “That would be me…”
Jean perked up and I stiffened when I heard Ciaran’s voice.
He took one step forward, then another and another, and slowly traced his way towards us. Ciaran eyed Jean like a hot-blooded predator would a prey and stalked to where we stood with the same feral grace.
His whole body was tensed. I could sense he was spoiling for a fight and from the aura emanating from Jean, she is too. Both of them are too unstable for any form of interaction right now. They could seriously hurt each other and I’m not going to stand by and watch it happen.
I moved to block off Jean’s line of sight and to shield her from Ciaran. Jean started to protest but she knew better not to argue when I half-turned and glared at her to back off.
“Could you please take Cale upstairs?” I said handing Cale over to make sure my arms are free just in case Keiron makes a sudden appearance. I don’t stand a chance against Ciaran’s wolf but I could hold him off for a while to prevent a disaster. “It’s time for his nap and he’s had enough excitement for one morning. I’m sure Lorcan wouldn’t mind showing you where my room is.”
Lorcan shot me a disgusted look but I ignored him. He could get over himself. These two shouldn’t be around each other right now. The sooner they’re away from one another the happier I’d be. And if looks could kill I’d be dead by now. But Lorcan should just accept what happened in good grace. I mean it was just a punch in the face, delivered by a girl, that completely caught him unaware and bloodied his nose.
Again, I choked down a laugh tried not to stare at Lorcan’s face and just focused on Jean and Ciaran.
Jean carefully took Cale in her arms and I should have learned from my earlier mishap in misreading her immediate compliance as acquiescence to my silent request.
Before I could step away she pulled my head down and gave me a lingering kiss on the lips. A feral growl escaped from Ciaran and from the sly smile on Jean’s face I realized she was purposely baiting him. She glared at his direction and raised one perfectly arched brow, deliberately taunting him.
“Don’t be mad at me Ruari,” she fake pouted before resting her forehead on my chest. “I don’t like it when you’re mad.”
I wanted to strangle her! Seriously. The little minx is playing with fire and she’s enjoying it far too much. She doesn’t know what kind of trouble she’s courting. And Ciaran is too unstable to ignore the bait cast on his way.
“I’m not mad but we have to talk about your behavior later.” I stressed brushing my fingers across her cheeks to remind her retribution is coming later for all the trouble she’s causing me. “Now go take Cale upstairs.”
Jean smiled brightly and moved to give me another kiss that landed on my cheek after I moved my head slightly to one side. But the provocative act still earned another angry growl from Ciaran. She sneered at his direction before following Lorcan inside the house. I followed their progress to make sure she and Lorcan wouldn’t come to blows with Cale caught in middle.
“I think you have a lot of explaining to do,” Ciaran said once we’re alone.
I waited until they’re all safely inside before turning my attention to him.
“Where do you want me to start?” I sighed.
It’s just mid-morning and I’m ready to call it a day. Gad! What a tiring morning.
“Don’t play games with me Ruari.” He scowled. “You know damn well what I’m talking about!”
So we’re back to scowling and growling…
I looked at him and shrugged. “If I know I wouldn’t be asking would I?” He’s irritating when he’s acting like this, so immature and utterly impossible. If he’s going to continue acting this way, then fine, two can play that game!
“Damn it! Let me see… Ah yes,” he bit out sarcasm lacing his tone. “Why don’t you start with the part where you let me believe Jean is you lover when she clearly isn’t!”
I bristled at his tone and his angry and sarcastic words.
How dare he tell me that? To accuse me of making him believe anything, well damn him! He hadn’t apologized for spying on me and he hadn’t apologized for acting mad and crazy all the freaking time. Now that I think about it, he hadn’t apologized for anything bad he’d ever done to me!
“I didn’t make you believe,” I snapped my temper rising to match his. “You formed that conclusion on your own!”
“And you didn’t correct me!” He snapped back. “Do you have any idea how much I suffered imagining you with Jean? I was agonizing over it so much that I’m Iosing control of Keiron! And why didn’t you tell me Jean is a woman and not a man?”
“Why does it matter if Jean is male or female? Jean is Jean and she’s important to me regardless!” I yelled. “And you deserve to suffer for assuming too much about things you don’t know or understand! Who do you think you are anyway, getting mad and acting all crazy? You think you could waltz back into my life as if nothing happened? As if you never brutally rejected me?”
“I never rejected you!” He growled grabbing my arm and pulling me hard towards him. “I never…”
I laughed humorlessly and pushed away from him. How dare he!
“The moment you realized I was your mate you told me you hated me.” I screamed, tears streaming down my face. Remembering what he said and how reacted that day hurts too damn much and he has the gall to stand in front me and deny it all! Well fuck him! “You said you wished I were dead! What do you call that if not a blatant rejection?”
Ciaran watched me quietly as I breathed in and out harshly, swiping angrily at my cheeks.
This conversation is not going the way I envisioned it to. I was hoping we’d talk it all out instead of argue. I wanted him to understand my relationship with Jean so he will not treat her like a rival. I was hoping once he sees her he’d at least be willing to listen to the whole story. It was the reason why I was bent on taking Jean back to the pack house. I wanted Ciaran to realize that she’s not a threat to him. She never was.
I didn’t mean to bring up his rejection, in fact I never meant to speak of it again. I know that if we’re going to have any form of relationship in the future, digging up the past would not be a good idea for both of us. It was over a long time ago and nobody could do anything about it now. It would only open old wounds. And as they say, it’s better to let sleeping dogs lie.
“Ruari, I’m not going to make excuses because I have none except for the fact that I panicked. But even that doesn’t really excuse my behavior, does it?” He said looking straight at me. “I was a brat at eighteen Ruari, a spoiled and selfish brat. Finding out that my mate is a guy and the pack runt didn’t exactly fall in with any of my plans for the future.”
“Well, I’m sorry if I didn’t ‘fit’ in your perfectly crafted life!” I growled feeling the lash of pain whip in my chest.
“Would you shut up for a moment and hear what I have to say?” He cut me off. “You’re putting words in my mouth and jumping to conclusions. Haven’t we had enough of that by now?”
“It’s not my habit to jump into false assumptions without conclusive evidence Ciaran, that’s you!” I snarled.
What else could he say when he’d already said enough? How much more does he need to hurt me until he’s satisfied?
“You know what, I’ve had enough. I think this conversation is going nowhere so before we tear each other’s throat out I’d be the sensible one and bow down. You are after all the alpha and I’m nothing but the pack runt.”
I purposely spewed the last remark just to hurt him. I know its petty and low but I can’t let him walk away from this conversation, from me, unscathed. Not when I’m a bloody mess inside.
How do you react to something like that? Being told that you don’t ‘fit’ in your mate’s life. I’ve always known it was impossible for us, not taking our genders into consideration, his status and mine are too far apart to begin with. Any idea of an ‘us’ wouldn’t work if we consider pack laws.
If I’m such a bad ‘fit’ then why in Lucifer’s damned name is he keeping me here? Why don’t he just let me go? Why did he tell me he wants me when he decided long ago that I have no place in his life? What does he fucking want from me?
I could feel a fresh set of tears threatening to spill so I turned on my heel and go. I’d be damned if I let him see me crumble any more than he already have. I won’t give him the satisfaction of witnessing how painful his words struck me.
“Fine, go. You’re right. We’re both too angry to talk right now.” He said once I had my back turned on him, before I could move away. “But don’t think this is over Ruari. We’re going to have this conversation again and the next time we do, you’re going to tell me everything and then you’re going to listen to what I have to say.”
Comment