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I try to contain it. I’m not as feral as I was the night I first left Accalia, but this is a pretty close second. Because the first night? I was sure that Trish had successfully come between Ryker and me. Now? I know that she hasn’t, but that’s no thanks to this guy.
“Yes or no. That’s all I want to hear from your mouth right now. Yes or no, Aleks: did you find Trish Danvers and convince her that she’d be better off begging for forgiveness from Ryker and living in Accalia again?”
“Gem—”
“Yes,” I snap out through gritted teeth. “Or no.”
His eyebrows wing up, but that’s his only reaction other than a sigh. “Then, yes.”
I knew that. Still, it hurts to have him admit it to my face like that. “You knew how she treated me. You knew how I felt about her. What she did, trying to make Ryker her mate when I was his intended. And you still went out of your way to invite her intomyterritory where she was able to talk tomymate without me knowing about it?”
“Gem—” he tries again.
I hold up my hand. “Save it. I don’t want to hear your apologies.”
His expression turns haughty. “I wasn’t going to apologize.”
He wasn’t? “Are you serious?”
“Why? I’m not sorry.”
“You should be.”
“I know she was cruel to you, Gem. If I’m sorry for anything, it’s that she saw you before I could tell you that I invited her into Muncie. But forgive me if I feel sorryforher. Like the little wolf, I, too, know what it’s like to love someone who chooses another.”
Little wolf. That’s what he used to call me. Sure, he said maly wilku, but it translated as “little wolf”.
Oh, great. Not only did he drag Trish back into my life, but he’s also giving her the same name as me. Is he trying to hurt me on purpose? Or did I never realize that my vampire with his chilled skin had a cold fucking heart?
He’s cold, but I’m burning up. I thought confronting him would help me handle my anger, but yeah. Totally wrong onthatcount.
Glaring up at him, the molten lava of my gaze meets the steel behind his pale eyes. For the first time since I’ve known him, I want to challenge Aleks.
I… I want to see him hurt, too.
His lips twitch just enough that I see his fangs lengthening.
This is the reaction that he’s looking for out of me. Hell if I know why, but that settles it.
I can be a hothead, but I’m also super stubborn. He wants me pissed at him? Then I’m going to dial back my rage as far as I can. Tamp it down. Swallow it so that it festers in the pit of my stomach. Don’t care. I’m just not gonna let him see it.
I grin. Aleks’s smile falters.
Then, without another word, I spin on my heel and stalk toward my bedroom.
I make sure to slam the door extra hard, too.
* * *
For the next three days,I stew over my argument with Aleks.
It’s easy, too. With the latest shake-up in Accalia, Ryker hasn’t been able to leave the Alpha cabin, let alone take a midnight run down to Muncie.
I’m still pissed at Aleks, so I’m avoiding him. He wants to call me his roommate? Then, that’s what I’ll be. We might cross paths in the hall or in the kitchen, but I don’t go out of my way to make our relationship like how it was before he escaped Muncie. For the most part, I stay locked in my room, except for when I’m at Charlie’s or burning off some of my fury by shifting to my fur and letting my wolf tear through the park.
The full moon’s approaching. Maybe if Aleks came back during any other phase, I wouldn’t be holding such a grudge, but I can sense her approach like a loose strand of hair stuck beneath my shirt. It’s annoying, I keep slapping at it, and I know that if I can just pluck it off my skin, I’ll feel relief. But, like some of my thin, blonde hairs, the Luna is relentless and annoying.
Gotta admit, I’m probably being relentless and annoying, too.
