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REBECCA
“Get down, kids” I hurried them, sliding off Reiner’s wolf and helping them off.
“Why Mommy?” Vi asked.
“Daddy has to talk to that guy over there,” I quickly said. “We’re going home by ourselves“.
I wasted no more time in trying to talk Reiner out of that stare–down: I knew it’d be useless.
His more animalistic side was taking over, wanting to challenge the other male, and words
wouldn’t stop him.
He wouldn’t listen to me.
But I’d die before I dragged my kids into this. Or let them witness any kind of violence.
“Well, well, well,” Silas snickered, looking directly at me. “What do we have here?”
Reiner growled, taking an attacking stance, and I let out a laugh.
What was he planning on doing? Silas couldn’t go through the barrier. The moment Reiner attacked him, we’d be f****d – he would’ve given the Crescent Moon a reason to attack, and
then the Council might get involved…
“Why don’t you go mind your own business?” I spat at him. “Don’t you have better things to
do?”
Silas shrugged. “Just taking a pleasurable stroll around my property, darling. And taking a look at what will soon be mine, I guess. Well, I see you’ve got some news! You brought over a friend, neighbor? Won’t you introduce us?”
“No, I won’t. Kids …
Another chuckle – one that made me see red. “I wonder why. Considering your reluctance and your… reputation,” he snickered, tipping his chin towards my kids. I felt bile creeping up into my stomach – I couldn’t believe he was truly having the audacity to …
“I guess he’s not a … long–term visitor“.
Reiner’s growl deepened, and I clenched my fist, forcing myself to stay silent. I took Violet and
James by the hand and started towards the track.
“Planning to expand the family with a new baby daddy like the little slut you are?”
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8 Points
–
My wolf growled and clawed, begging to be let out to rip that fucker’s throat out, to f*****g answer back to his endless taunting: I felt my canines elongate, but I focused on the feeling of my kids‘ hands in my own.
When I felt the sound of cracking bones, the typical sound of a werewolf shifting, I thought I
1
hadn’t been able to control myself – it wouldn’t be the first time that my emotions got the upper hand.
–
Then, though, I realized that I was still in my human form it hadn’t been me who shifted.
“Daddy we don’t wun anymore?” Vi asked: she’d turned around, and noticed that her dad was not in his wolf form anymore.
She was still just a child – and for that, I was thankful. She couldn’t understand how awful and humiliating that situation, or Silas‘ words, were in her eyes, her dad had just shapeshifted, which meant we just weren’t riding anymore.
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I hated every bit of that situation but I couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit of cruel satisfaction when I saw the fear in Silas‘ eyes upon being face–to–face with Reiner.
“Listen well,” Reiner told him, speaking slowly and in a low, menacing tone I knew all too well: I’d heard him use it many times against our enemies while forcing them to surrender. I couldn’t see his face, but I knew his eyes were flashing with red hues – a clear sign that the Alpha was pissed. “The lady over there is my mate and the mother of my children. You will not address her, and them, if not with the utmost respect and kindness, and you will beg for her
forgiveness for your words and acts against her“.
No need for gruesome threats of violence or war: Reiner was perfectly able to make himself
extremely clear and terrorize his opponent while speaking like a gentleman. Silas was shaking
like a leaf, pinned by his gaze, despite being an Alpha himself.
“You…” he tried to retaliate.
Reiner didn’t utter a word: he probably only raised his left eyebrow. Silas‘ mouth trembled.
“I … I beg your pardon, ma’am,” he stuttered, slightly bowing his head towards me. “Yours and your children’s“.
“Good” Reiner replied, coldly. “Is it good enough for you, Rebecca?”
“Yes,” I quickly said. The fact that part of me loved seeing Reiner being so protective of me
and the kids and Silas mortified, there was nothing I wanted more than for that awful affair to
be over, and to go back home. “Yes, it’s fine“.
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+8 Point
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“Very well,” he nodded. “I intend we won’t be disturbed by your presence anymore“.
Silas nodded quickly, looking more like a chicken than a wolf. “S–sure!” he squeaked – and at the sound, the three warriors behind him looked at him in complete shock. “We … I… you won’t hear or see me again“.
“Good” Reiner smiled. I knew all too well it was that very open and very creepy smile that showed all of his teeth, and in particular his fangs. “I wish you all a good night, then“.
Without another word, he shifted back into his wolf and turned towards us.
Hop back on, he prompted us.
The kids ran towards him, all too happy to resume their ride: and even if I wasn’t in the best of
moods, I followed them.
The cabin came into sight way sooner than I believed: and Reiner wasn’t even speeding as he was before probably to avoid upsetting me even more.
The sun was going down, painting the sky with beautiful orange and pink tones: truly a sight
to behold.
“Okay, you little rascals – go in and start getting ready for shower,” Reiner told the kids as they
ran inside the cabin. “Mommy will be up to help you in a minute, I’ll get the dinner started. Hey,
can we talk for a moment?” he then asked me, lowering his voice.
He seemed genuinely worried, and as if he really wanted to explain himself.
I nodded, sighing. I didn’t want what had happened with Silas to spoil our mood for the rest of
the weekend so it was better to pull that aching tooth out.
–
I walked into the kitchen: I wanted to have that conversation as far away from the
all–too–functioning ears of the kids as possible.
“I … I didn’t want to upset you,” Reiner sighed, pursing his lips. “Nor disrespect you, of course.
It’s …
“I know it was mainly your wolf,” I told him. “I understand why you couldn’t exactly stop. The
thing is …”
“It wasn’t mainly my wolf,” he interrupted me, shaking his head. “It was me. I wanted to put
that asshole in his place. You don’t deserve to be treated like that, not when you’re alone and
not when you’re with our kids“.
I took a breath.
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8 Points
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I know he’d acted out of pure and good intentions – and a big, prevalent part of me was so grateful to him for that. Not just grateful, truth be told my heart had been jumping and running ever since he’d stepped in to defend me.
–
—
He’d been brave, and strong, and virile. I couldn’t help but admire that couldn’t help but long for the intensity of the feelings he’d shown.
Even if he was just defending the mother of his kids.
Still, I flinched at the implications that I couldn’t defend myself and had never done so. I was not some damsel in distress – did he really think I just let Silas treat me like s**t in front of
our kids?!
–
“You think I don’t know?” I hissed. “You think I just let that sad excuse of an Alpha just call me
a slut whenever he wants?”
“I do not,” he said, not breaking eye contact. “You held your ground out there, and it was clear it was not the first time. But… Becky, males like him only stop harassing women only when they feel threatened by another male, when they …” Reiner abruptly stopped, taking a breath as the words that he was about to speak hung between us, unspoken and yet deafening.
When they know said woman belongs to another man.
–
I suddenly felt dirty not because I didn’t want to belong to Reiner, but because of the
different meaning a man like Reiner and one like Silas gave to the word and concept of
belonging.
“At least he won’t bother you and the kids anymore” he murmured.
I nodded. “I know. I’m … not upset at you for defending me … us. I just didn’t want all of it to happen in front of the kids“.
Reiner pursed his lips. “Well, I don’t think it was bad. Wait” he quickly added when he saw me
raising my brow. “I know they’re little, but… they learn by imitating, right? The best thing we
can do for them is set a good example. This way, James will know not to let a woman be
mistreated, and Violet will know that any man not worthy to fight for her is not a good man to
have around“.
You didn’t fight for me.
The thought came unexpected – and even if I knew he hadn’t heard it, I immediately felt bad.
I knew Reiner had no fault in what had happened to us four years before, that he’d been manipulated by Sheila, but… part of me couldn’t help but resent the fact that he’d chosen not
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to listen to me. That he’d chosen to just go with whatever Sheila had told him.
He did today, I thought sternly. He showed he cares today.
No, another part of me said. He didn’t listen to you again just to do whatever he thought was
right.
I sighed and shook my head.
I was too tired – I needed something to eat, and crash into my comfortable bed upstairs.
“Next time you wanna show the kids what dating standards they should have, run it with me
beforehand, okay?” I sighed. “Let’s just drop this“.
Reiner nodded, visibly relieved. “Sure,” he said. “I just… I was a bit caught up in the moment.
I’m sor … wait, is it just me or it’s like, really cold in here?”
I frowned – I’d been kind of shivering ever since entering the house, but I’d brushed it off as
me just being stressed: after all, I tended to do that.
Actually, though, it was cold.
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Strange I was sure I’d turned the heating on when I’d walked in that morning.
With him quick on my feet, I rushed to check the thermostat – and all color drained from my
face.
It said 59 F.
