Chapter 10:
1278 Words
I don’t see the slap coming. I mean, I feel it coming, the breeze and the ugly look on Zara's face.
But for some reason, I don't see it. And when I don't see something, I tend to believe it's not happening.
Well...
Zara’s palm crashes across my cheek like a whip of fire, and for a second, I just stand there, blinking through the sting and shock.
...I guess it is happening.
"Are you out of your damn mind?" she hisses. "You slapped the Alpha? In front of pack members? Omegas?!"
My face is burning, but I don’t look away. "He insulted me."
Wrong answer. Another slap, sharper this time. Kira snarls in my head.
"Let me take over. Just for a second. One second and I’ll put her on her back."
"Not now," I think back. "Not like this."
Zara grabs a fistful of my hair and yanks. Hard. I gasp, stumbling back, trying to twist away from her grip.
"You think you can talk back to me now, omega?" she growls, yanking again. "Disrespecting your Alpha and your Luna?"
I shove at her arm. "Let go of me, Zara!"
Just as her other hand lifts again, I hear a voice from down the hall.
"Whoa, whoa—what the hell is going on here?"
Thank Goodness it's Lior.
His steps are quick and his leather scent hits before he even rounds the corner. The second he sees us, he’s between us in a flash, prying Zara’s hands off me.
"Zara, are you insane? What are you doing?"
"She slapped Nox!" Zara snaps like a spoiled brats. "In front of everyone!"
Lior glances at me and I can swear that I see the amusement in his eyes.
If I'm not seeing things, he winks discreetly at me and then turns to Zara who is eyeing him intently.
This makes him turn back to me again and I feel a little embarrassed under his scrutinizing gaze.
I’m panting, my hair a mess, my cheek throbbing, I must look really exotic.
"Well, why?" He asks like he's being forced to even be here right now.
"He just spawned out of nowhere calling me a slut," I say flatly.
My voice actually sounds calmer than I feel. Give me a plus for emotional control. Something that Zara lacks.
Honestly, I think a good Luna should have good emotional control.
Zara is kinda losing it of late, and I can't wait for Nox to realise it.
Zara scoffs, folding her arms. "Maybe don’t act like one."
I smile sweetly. Too sweet. "Tell me, Zara, why didn’t your sweet mate take you on that honeymoon after the big ceremony? Hmm? Weren’t you a good enough girl for a little trip to the coast? What, you're not slut enough to satisfy him all of a sudden?" I pretend to think about it. "Well, you guys have been together a while. I heard it gets boring after a while." I shrug.
She lunges at me with a deadly growl, her claws extending, but Lior throws an arm out and blocks her.
"Enough. Both of you. This is not happening here."
"She’s an embarrassment," Zara snaps, straightening her dress. "And if Nox doesn’t punish her, I will."
"Try it again and I’ll bite you myself," I say quietly, my voice trembling but firm. "I don’t care if I’m omega. I’m still a wolf."
She glares at me, nostrils flared, then turns sharply and storms off down the corridor, heels clacking like gunshots.
I let out a long breath and sag against the wall.
"Tamsin," Lior says softly, stepping in front of me. "What happened?"
"Nox saw me coming back from Silas’s. He said I should focus on work instead of… sleeping around."
Lior’s jaw tightens. "He said that?"
I nod.
"I’m sorry," he mutters. "He’s… still hurting, you know?"
"So am I."
We look at each other. His green eyes are kind, understanding, too gentle to be associated with the Alpha and his mate. Far too gentle to be closely associated with them.
"I think I might leave," I whisper. It's a thought I've been playing with of recent.
Leaving Lunaris.
There are tons of other packs I haven't explored. Or I could go to the city. Living among humans isn't such a bad idea.
Lior blinks. "What? No, Tamsin—you can’t."
"Why not? What’s even keeping me here anymore? He mated someone else. I get slapped by his Luna. Everyone either pities me or pretends I don’t exist."
"Lunaris is your home," he argues. "You were born here. You don’t know what the outside world is like. Humans—they don’t accept our kind easily. You won’t be safe."
"Better than being slapped and insulted every time I walk through a door."
"Tamsin…"
I look up at him, and he sighs.
"Okay. Maybe it sucks here right now. But it won’t always suck. Not if you stay. Not if you fight."
I laugh dryly. "You sound like Silas."
"Because he’s right. And maybe so am I."
I smile faintly, rubbing my sore cheek. "Your sister hits like she lifts logs for fun."
He laughs. "She kind of does. Come on. Let me get you some ice."
I nod, letting him lead the way.
Kira hums in my mind, her anger softening. "I like him."
"Yeah," I agree quietly. "So do I."
"You think we can move on with him?"
I pause in my steps and place my hand on my chest. The lingering pain?
"No. No, Kira. No."
I feel her sag in defeat but I don't pay her any mind. Lior turn back to me and extends his hand to me.
"Is the slap getting you paralyzed already?" He chuckles as I take his hand.
"I took about two of them, so yeah. I guess the venom is already spreading to my brain," I shrug.
His eyes pop open dramatically. "Two?"
"Yeah."
"You're a f*****g survivor, Tamsin," he gushes. "You took two of Zara's slaps?"
"Yeah, big deal?" I chuckle.
"Hell of a big deal." He hands me a pack of ice. "I remember the first time she struck me. I swear, my face shifted to the side for days."
"Come on, Lior. Stop gassing me up." I try to smile, but it falls short as I press the ice on my face and I wince, bringing it away from my face.
He shakes his head and takes the ice pack from my hands. "I'm serious, I have never taken two of her hits at once. That lady hits with murderous intent."
He takes my face in his other hand and turns it to the side so he can get a better view. "You can take two of Zara's hits, but you can't apply ice to them on your own?" He chuckles as he presses the ice pack on my cheek.
I wince, not from the numbness, but from the cold of the ice.
"Only psychos press ice on their skin," I counter.
"What does that make you?"
"Not a psycho."
"Says the girl who is currently letting the guy put ice on her skin." I see a smirk crawl to his lips and I step on his shoes hard.
"That's what a psychopath would do," his smirk turns to a full on grin.
I take the ice pack from him and push away from his presence. "Just, f**k off."
He chuckles, but he does just that after lingering just enough to stare deep into my soul.
"You think he likes us?" Kira asks as soon as he leaves.
"Girl, it hasn't been a month we got rejected. Touch some grass."
- Writer
