The old college was close to the forest, which was one of the reasons why my fellow alphas and I had originally decided to move here. It wasn’t long before we were in the first sparse trees.
“Why don’t you shift in front of other people?” I asked, letting go of her hand now.
The waning moon above was still nearly full, and with the clear night, there was enough silvery light to see her by. Her hands clenched into fists as her jaw worked.
“I’m fat,” she finally said. “I’m fat in human form, and I’m fat in wolf form. I can’t run, I don’t have the endurance, and whenever anyone sees me shift, they always end up mocking and laughing at me.”
I frowned at her. “You’re the alphas’ wife now. You can’t let your insecurities rule you.”
“Insecurities. Right. Because when people literally called me a pig-wolf and left grotesque drawings of me in my work locker, it was my fault for being upset. I should just not have feelings,” she snapped back. Her arms dropped to her sides, and she looked like she wanted to say more, but instead, she clamped her jaw tightly shut.
“Way to twist my words.”
“Nothing has changed about the way people see me. Especially not you and the other alphas. I’m sorry that I’m not confident enough after being harassed and bulliedby youmy entire life,” Jasmine said, stepping forward.
Her words hit me in the stomach. My bullying. I’d always considered myself to be more of a bystander, someone who watched Owen do the bullying. But I suppose to her it wouldn’t make much of a difference. I frowned at her, shaking my head slightly.
“People will see you differently now. The Goddess declared we were to be married, and now we are. It will be disrespectful to her and us—"
“But not me. And that’s the point. Has it occurred to you that I’m an actual person? That maybe I deserve to be treated like a person because I am one, and not because I’ve been forced to marry you?”
“Hey, we were forced into this marriage, too!” I protested.
Jasmine’s face flushed, and she looked like she wanted to hit me. Her voice was so thick with sarcasm that they needed to invent a new word to describe just how sarcastic she was being. “I’mso very sorrythat the way the Goddess forced you to marry me—by the way, I saw how much you were scowling all through the wedding ceremony—doesn’t make me want to trust you.”
My wolf’s ears pricked up in excitement. It had been a long time since someone challenged me like this. And her words struck a chord. I might not have been bullied, but as she spoke, it reminded me of just how much she didn’t fit in with this pack.
Just like me.
I stepped closer, so close that our bodies were almost brushing. And I grinned at her. “Shift. Your alpha commands you.”
Chapter 6 - Jasmine
My wolf whimpered, torn. It wanted to protect itself, but it also wanted to obey the alpha’s command. I forced myself to stay where I was and continued to glare at him, even though I felt all wobbly inside from the tension.
I wasn’t one of those women who was confident in my plus-sized body. In my head, I used words like ‘curvy’ or ‘plus-sized,’ since the word ‘fat’ had been thrown at me so often as an insult. Some women could take that and turn it around, make it their word. I tried to. I used it out loud simply to try to make other people think it would hurt less if they called me by it.
That didn’t change how much I didn’t want people to actually look at me. This dress showed off all my flaws. It hugged my body so tightly that everyone could see my rolls, and with the necklace I’d been given to wear, I felt my double chin more than usual.
I never shifted in front of other people. The last thing I wanted was to shift in front of Renz, to show that even my wolf form was large. I’d never had much stamina, and I couldn’t see a ‘run in the forest’ with Renz, of all people, as pleasant.
“Disobeying an alpha?” Renz smirked at me as he brushed my hair off my neck. I shivered at his touch. “Hmmm. I suppose the question is, should I threaten or bribe you?”
“Neither will get you what you want,” I replied boldly.
Renz chuckled, then lowered his hand. “Alright. How about this. If you do this with me, I promise I’ll punch Owen in the face at any time of your choosing.”
I couldn’t help it. I laughed. “You will not.”
“I will. Any time, any place. Just say the word, and bam.” Renz punched one hand into the flat of his other palm. “No limits, either. But if you don’t do this with me, then I will…” He paused, as though searching for the perfect torment.
My stomach cramped as I thought of all the things he could do.
“I will take you back to the house and make you watch a movie of my choice with me,” he finished, his grin widening.
I blinked. “What movie?”
“That’s the punishment part. You won’t know until we’re sitting there, and you have to watch the whole thing.”
