Jarek.
"I can no longer work in a space that's inconvenient for me. I quit!" She screamed and as soon as those words thundered across the room, I froze.
She cannot be serious right now, can she?
She cannot possibly mean that.
I watched her quickly pack up her things, thinking that she was only trying to be difficult, but when she aggressively brushed past me to step out of the office, panic set in.
Something in me broke.
"Leilani!" I yelled, following after her as she marched into the hallway and got into an elevator. Without thinking, I followed after her, crossing my arms over my chest as I glared pointedly at her. "Stop being ridiculous!"
"You're the one who's being ridiculous right now!" She clapped back.
For the first time in my life, I saw a wildness in her eyes that I've never seen in them before. She looked pissed—beyond normal and the hurt… the pain radiating from her struck at me in a way that I hated to admit.
I hated that she was mad at me. I hated to see her so angry… so hurt, it made me feel guilty. And she wouldn't even look at me.
Goddess what am I even doing?
Breathing through the lump in my chest, I tentatively held her arm, but as soon as my fingers skimmed over her skin, she flinched again, her face scrunching up in disgust. My heart plummeted.
"I know you're mad at me right now… and that's very much understandable. But you should know that I will never do anything to hurt you or make you feel stupid. I would never—"
"Save it." Leilani bit back, brushing past me as soon as the elevator doors slid open. Again, I followed after her, frantically trying to get her to reason with me. To talk to me.
"Please just hear me out!"
"There's nothing to listen to!" She growled so loudly, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I froze, my eyes widening when her eyes shone with a bright purple light.
She looked strange… feral. And for a minute, I could swear that the aura that radiated from her rivalled mine.
And she was no Alpha. She didn't even have a whole wolf yet.
Gulping, I took a step back and sighed whilst pinching the bridge of my nose to curb the sudden headache brewing at the back of my skull. "Leilani, hear me out… please."
She looked crazed when she spun around to face me. And in that moment, that instant… I realized just how much my actions had hurt her. Just how selfish and stupid I had been by trying to use Chalice to get her off my head.
She blinked rapidly as if trying to stop herself from crying but it was too late. The tears were already streaming down her face. Her body was already trembling so badly I felt like shit.
"I used to think you were different…" she suddenly began to say, as if wanting to twist the knife further into my heart. "…I used to think that you were better than my family and my mates. But no, you're just like them…"
Her voice trailed off as more tears slipped past her eyes. I stepped closer to her, wanting to wipe them off but she slapped my arm so fast, I nearly stumbled.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!"
That voice… The venom lacing those words kept me rooted in place. I pressed my lips together, my heart shattering into a million pieces with each passing moment.
"You're no different from them, Alpha Frostclaw. One minute you're acting like you're a real friend, the next minute, you're kissing my brains out, and now… now, it's no secret that you want to get into my sister's pants just like everyone else."
That stung. It stung so bad.
But wait… did she just call me Alpha Frostclaw?
Did she just…?
No, no no! "You're getting it all wrong, Sweetcakes… I didn't… I would never—"
"Save it!" She snarled again, this time with so much emotion, I felt a shudder run up my spine.
However, I was just about to move to touch her when her eyes glowed again. Bright. Purple. Strange.
I froze. What the hell?
"Give her my current position." She spat, and with that, turned away from me and began to march toward her car.
But I knew I couldn't let her leave like this. I couldn't let her drive like this. That was a recipe for disaster.
Without hesitation, I began to follow her only to stop when she was suddenly held back by Alpha Richard Landry who had been walking towards us until he saw her crying.
I vaguely heard what he said to her. I didn't even hear what she responded with, but next thing I knew, he was opening the door to his car for her and she was stepping in, not turning to spare me a glance even for a second.
My heart tightened in my chest.
Rage like no other rushed through my veins. I balled my hands into fists as I glared at a smug looking Landry who immediately got into the car with her and drove off.
And for the first time… for the very first time in my life, I finally experienced what it felt like to want something I couldn't have.
To crave for something that was never mine.
But I wasn't letting go.
—
I stormed back into my office in rage, and as soon as I stepped in, I angrily cleared off everything on my desk in one fluid swoop.
As the objects clattered to the floor, filling the room with a deafening noise, my anger soared.
My wolf thrashed wildly in my head. Wanting out, needing to let off steam one way or the other. But I held the reins against him tighter.
If he comes out now… now that my emotions are all over the place… I wondered what he would do.
He was already mad. I couldn't give him more reasons to be madder.
The sight of Leilani with another man had riled me up more than I cared to admit, and that smug smile.. that stupid smile on Landry's face when she got into his car made me want to punch into something— preferably his face.
Gritting my teeth, I picked up my phone and dialed Chalice's number. She picked up on the first ring, her stupid sugary voice echoing through the receiver.
"Hey Frostclaw."
I frowned. "Ms Blackthorne, after careful consideration, I have decided that you're unfit for the job."
She gasped, instantly bursting into tears.
"Why? Did Leilani ask you not to take me?" She sobbed but I ignored her, hating how that was the first thing she had to say.
"But if you may, a friend of mine has an organisation which is looking for great minds like yours.
"I don't want it! I want your—" she began to say, but before she could finish the sentence, I abruptly ended the call and slammed the phone on my desk.
"Now, I just need to apologize to Leilani."