The Mate That Wasn't Mine novel Chapter 44

Chapter 44

TESSA POV

“What do we do?” turning to Briggs.

Combined with dark, tired eyes his haunted expression left him looking seriously unwell.

I hadn’t managed another shot anywhere near the flare. None of us had.

Briggs takes a few seconds. “I don’t know…I really don’t. I’ve never seen that kind of death before.”

Other men stand around us, all equally struggling for conversation.

Witnessing a man’s throat crushed to nothing.

That rattle echoed around my head all morning. Warden Marshall observed silently until the bell rang to finish the session. Surely I can’t have been the only one thinking that what I just saw wasn’t right?

My wolf spirals at such a thought. Oliver was coming at the Alpha with a blade!

A blade the Alpha could have knocked away with ease. He could have had him flogged, punished, cut and sent home. But he killed him. Mercilessly. The rage flowing through the Alpha’s frame when his grip tightened was terrifying.

How can such a man worship Luna Sabrina so tenderly? Even though his hands are the size of bricks, he places them around her shoulders like the softest cashmere.

Perhaps it’s the stress of last night. Maybe Luna Sabrina is still unwell? I dare not ask.

Alpha’s have a duty to the pack. Not to the individual.

Whilst my wolf makes excuses, I can’t shake the dread from the pit of my stomach. His huge body, ice white hair and natural authority were already intimidating.

Then I’ve heard the stories from Maxim, Kai and Silas. Not all their stories are funny. The soldiers who abandoned their station for new–found mates. Flung down into the black chasms. A place where only rats and decay exist.

“I’m going to find Irene. You coming?”

“You know what, I’m going to leave you to it,” Briggs exhales. I rub his shoulder. I’m fairly sure he’s going to go back to his room and vomit.

Beta Isaac is still packing up the long–distance bows, a scowl’on his already surly features. His long black braid swishes in back and forth.

“Hi, you don’t know where Irene is do you?”

“She doesn’t want to see you. Just back the fuck off. And stop hanging around our door at night. You think we don’t know you’re there?”

“Oh…sorry,” before taking a few steps back and gesturing to Briggs that we need to get out of here.

Briggs eventually turns off into Block A, his weary feet scuffing along the gravel. There is no sign of Maxim, even after the bells rang so I’m guessing something came up ahead of meeting with me.

I try not to let it bother me.

After all, bigger, crazier things have happened already today than a missed lunch date.

Not a date. Friendly meeting?

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Chapter 44

It’s definitely bugging me. Where was he?

Turning into Block El head straight for Isaac and Irene’s room. Except the door is ajar. “Irene?”

No answer. A distant scent. Walting a few seconds in case Isaac had followed, I give the door a little push. Then I let out a shriek.

Blood on the floor. Not a lot, but clear, dried spatters. The huge bed is unmade. A small pile of pillows on the floor near the window makes my heart break. The quilted coverlet Irene told me about her aunt making her lay on top.

Is she sleeping on the floor?

Has he been hurting her?

“Irene!” I try again, almost tripping up over Isaacs heavy black armour plating. He must have been fitted out for going to the front.

Maxim hasn’t got his, but I know Kai and Silas have been complaining the heavy black plated design takes up too much space in their rooms.

Tiptoeing, I head further inside, peering into the bathroom. Towels are all over the floor. The shower door leans, almost off it’s hinges. My skin pricktes.

Guilt lashes at me in waves.

Only for tears to sting my eyes when I inspect the pillow pile. It is Irene’s space. A few of her trinkets are smashed, a ceramic teapot, some ripped books. But it is her collection of precious things all the same, purposefully places along the window ledge.

Some small parcels are wrapped in tissue with tags on. I see one wrapped in red tissue paper with my name on.

She’s been making presents for us?

“What the fuck are you doing in here?” a dark voice growls. I spin around, the king size bed separating me from the seething, muscular anger of Isaac.

Dressed in his blue Beta shirt, his bulky Infantry frame leaves the material stretching and distorting around him. Veins pulse in his neck and forehead.

“I said. What are you doing in here,” his voice raising a few decibels.

“I just came to see Irene. I want to make sure she’s okay.”

“She’s fine. She’s got her mate.”

“No. I don’t think she is okay. Maybe she should stay at her old dorm for a few days. Or with me?”

“Oh really?” shaking his head, before putting his hands together and cracking his knuckles loudly. “Irene knows her place,” allowing the end of the word to finish with a vile hiss.

I’m trapped in here. There is only a narrow window behind me, Irene’s sad little pillow world of knick–knacks and the gray stone walls around me.

“Well you

need to let me leave here. Right now. You think my mate will be happy you’re threatening me?”

“I’ve not even started to threaten you. Silly bitch. You think you can just come in here? You think I can’t fuck Maxim up? I let him off last time. He’s not as tough as you think. And judging by how quiet your fucking room can be, I might just tell him you came in here for a good time?”

“Just shut up!”

“Come round here and make me. Or shall I come to you, give you what you’ve been looking for?” taking a step closer, threatening to pounce around the disheveled mattress and blankets.

My brain stutters.

Blindly, I reach behind me, my hand scattering Irene’s collection of trinkets and hurl the first thing I keep a grip of, Isaac laughs, ducking the ceramic vase which flies past his head.

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Chapter 44

It smashes against the wall. My heart races.

“Nice try. Now you’re a vandal. So when I report you ”

“GET AWAY!” hurling three fat books at him. He just swats them away, his blue shirt straining at the movement.

“NO! You came in here, you crossed the fucking line!”

Finally I grab something sharp. A blade of Irene’s. It doesn’t look particularly lethal seeing as the handle is ivy leaf winding design working its way up t shining blade. But it’s sharp enough. Isaac lets out another callous laugh. Then he strikes.

For such a big guy he is quick. He’s around the mattress before I can even react. I scramble up onto the bed and swipe at him. “GET BACK!”

“Don’t be such a tease, you’re on my bed now. Wonder if you’ll be as hard work as Irene?”

“YOU FUCKING BASTARD!” I scream, instead of running for the door I run at him.

“SHE KNEW THE DEAL!”

Fists flying, blade swishing I launch myself, kicking and screaming at the piece of shit who dared to hurt my best friend.

the

Guilt fuels my rage. I swing with everything I have. He curses and grunts, before knocking me back onto the bed, punching the side of my face. I’m seeing stars but still swaying my blade–wielding arm around.

Oak and berries hit my nose before I see him. I could sob with relief. He doesn’t make a sound, he just bounds in before tearing into Isaac with his own

fists. Punches fly, crunching, guttural sounds of pain rise.

But Maxim does not let up for a second.

“You dared to touch her! YOU DARED!” he roars before slamming his fists straight up Isaac’s nose, the crunchy sound of broken bone following. Fresh blood spurts down Isaacs face but he doesn’t relent.

“YOU’RE A LIAR!” Isaac bellows. “She’s fuck all to you! FUCK ALL TO ANYONE! Throwing your career away for a boring screw!”

He grabs Maxim by the waist, hurling him over the bed, away from me and into his possessions.

The black armour plating falls to the floor, the men landing on top of it. The instant Isaac pauses for breath Maxim reaches behind him and withdraws a dagger.

Pressed to Isaacs throat, I remain a lump in the centre of the bed. I hate the fact I can catch Irene’s scent here. I don’t want her to have been anywhere

near this place.