JEALOUSY
1428 Words
THEODORE’s POV
“Vice president, I think we need to replace two of the motorcycles before next week’s ride. I’m afraid it’s damaged beyond repair,” Geovani, one of the biker club’s members and a mechanic, said to me.
“f**k! These recruits should’ve known better than to damage those bikes. It’s only a miracle they made it out alive”. I frowned, looking up from my private bike, which I had been inspecting before Geovani’s interruption.
From the corner of my eye, I saw the two new recruits squirm at the end of the club’s garage. The rules here were simple: make a mess with the club’s property, then ensure you clean it. But given they were new, I let it pass just this once.
“I’m sure there wouldn’t be a repeat of this,” Geovani gave his word, and the two recruits nodded immediately in agreement. In the first few months after the addition of new members, they never failed to amuse me, but it was pleasant to see them toughen up over time.
“I hope so. I’ll let Felix know to arrange shipment of the new bike.” I said. Felix was the Road Captain, so it was his job to take care of that anyway.
Interstate rides were a big deal. Every year, biker clubs from neighboring states gathered for the run, and Hellbound’s name was well known especially after our three consecutive victories these past years. A mechanical failure halfway through winding mountain roads or endless highways could get someone killed. Safety was a priority for us and the reason there was always work to be done at the garage before a major ride.
I stood up from the squatting position I’d been in, grabbed a napkin, and began cleaning the engine oil stains from my palm. “Finish up my bike’s inspection; I’ll join the others at the front. Call me if there are any hiccups.” I paused to look up at the recruits. “They better not be, though.” I finished.
“Sure thing, Vice,” they chorused. I nodded my head in satisfaction and exited the garage to the building's front. Hellbound, clubhouse. It was a strip club with private access to our club’s garage. During the day, the place was almost unrecognizable compared to the chaos it was every night. The stage lights were off, the chrome poles reflected the afternoon sunlight filtering through the tinted windows, and bartenders lazily polished glasses behind the counter while a few brothers played pool near the back.
The scent of alcohol, leather, engine oil, and cigarette smoke had become so familiar that I barely noticed it anymore.
“Brother,” Adrian called, signaling me to join him. He sat in a red booth alongside three other club members. Felix and Lucian were nowhere in sight. I suppose they already left, after all, they mentioned something about having stuff to take care of at noon.
“The interstate ride is in a week. Is everything ready?” Adrian asked the moment I plopped on the seat next to him.
“They will be,” I answered grimly.
Adrian raised one brow but made no further comment.
“Vice,” his company greeted me with a nod. One of the men poured the already opened whiskey into an empty shot glass and slid it over to me.
“Thanks,” I muttered, brought the glass to my lips, and downed it all in one go.
“How’s Levi’s sister?” Another member in our booth, Nick, said, his eyes lighting up in a strange manner.
“What?” Adrian beat me to ask the same question that had been on the tip of my tongue.
Nick shrugged before taking a swig from his beer. “I’ve got anatomy with her this semester.”
Recognition flashed through my mind.
Right. I’d seen Nick around campus more than once.
“What about her?” Adrian asked again, his tone noticeably firmer.
“I don’t know if she’s already mated or not…” Nick leaned back against the booth, looking more amused than concerned.
The sentence alone was enough to make both Adrian and me exchange a glance.
“…but every unmated male in that lecture hall yesterday could tell she was in heat.”
My body stiffened. “What?”
“She spent almost the entire lecture looking restless. By the end of class…” He let out a low whistle. “Her scent was starting to leak. Not strong enough to affect everyone yet, but damn! Every wolf in the room noticed.”
The chatter around us gradually died down. Even the members sitting at neighboring booths had gone quiet.
“Poor thing probably doesn’t even know what’s happening to her.” Nick chuckled.
“She knows,” another biker muttered. “Every omega grows up hearing about their first heat.”
“Knowing and being prepared are two different things,” someone else replied.
“Either way, I wouldn’t mind helping her through it,” Nick smirked.
The words had barely left his mouth before Adrian was on his feet. The table rattled violently as his palms slammed against it.
“What the f**k did you just say?” Adrian demanded.
“I was joking, Prez.” Nick’s grin faltered.
“You find that funny?” Adrian grabbed the front of Nick’s cut and hauled him clean out of the booth.
The bottle in Nick’s hand shattered against the floor.
“I said I was joking!”
“The hell you were.”
Adrian’s Alpha aura exploded through the clubhouse.
The room instantly fell silent. Even the music suddenly seemed insignificant beneath the oppressive pressure rolling off him.
“Prez—” Nick struggled against Adrian’s grip.
“You’ll keep Levi’s sister out of your filthy mouth.”
Several patched members immediately rose from their seats. “Easy, Prez.”
“Take it easy.”
“He wasn’t talking about disrespecting her—”
“I don’t give a damn.”
Adrian shoved Nick backward so hard he stumbled into another table.
“If I ever hear you—or anyone else—talk about Rosalie like she’s some omega waiting to be claimed…” His eyes swept across every man in the room. “You’ll answer to me.”
Nobody spoke. None even dared move.
“That’s enough.” I stepped between them before Adrian’s temper got the better of him.
“Theodore.” Adrian’s jaw remained clenched.
“Office,” I said instead.
He held my stare for another long moment before finally releasing a slow breath and turning away. I followed him into the president’s office, shutting the door behind us.
We sat in silence for several seconds. Finally, I folded my arms. “What was that, Adrian? You aren’t one to lose your temper so easily, especially on Hellbound’s brothers.”
Adrian stayed quiet, his jaw tight with annoyance.
“You nearly ripped Nick’s head off.” I pointed out.
“He crossed a line.”
“So have dozens of idiots before him.”
He remained silent, and I narrowed my eyes at him.
“You’re acting possessive.”
His gaze snapped toward mine.
“Don’t start with that she’s forbidden s**t. I know that.”
“Do you?”
He rubbed both hands over his face before exhaling sharply. “I made Levi a promise, and I’m simply taking care of her like I said I would.”
“So did the rest of us. You don’t see me fuming in anger the moment her name leaves another man’s lips.”
I wasn’t buying his excuse. Protectiveness didn’t look like that. That looked a lot like jealousy. I don’t blame him for that because I was too, but I wasn’t about to let him act in anger because of jealousy.
Before I could press him further, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out absentmindedly, expecting a message from Geovani about the garage. Instead, the text from Rosalie had my brows lifting in surprise.
Rosalie:
Hi Theodore. Are you busy? Could you come back to the apartment when you have time? I’d like to talk to you about something. Privately.
I stared at the screen.
“Rosalie?” Adrian guessed, his voice pulling me out of my train of thoughts.
“She wants me to come home.” I slowly lowered the phone.
His brows knitted together. “For what?”
I shook my head.
“I have no idea.”
- Writer
