Chapter 125

Alyson

It only takes a moment for me to catch my breath, and another for me to sprint across the hall, watching Olivera struggle to stand, instead melting to the floor where he slams his fist against the tile floor—it cracks instantly under his bold knuckles.

I dare flinch, seeing him so angry almost a warning for me to be careful, but I instead charge forward anyways. I grab his cheek, forcing him to meet my eyes, and he relaxes ever so slightly. When he does, I drag my palm across his face in a single, sharp slap.

He jolts upright, standing suddenly and staring me down with a pure look of surprise written across his face. "What the hell was that for?"

"That's for doing something so stupid," I growl, my fists trembling at my sides. "You could have died from that cure, Olivera, how dare you try something that risky in my palace?"

"You might be the Luna, but you're not my Luna," he says, snide. "I am free to make any decision I want if it means figuring out if that cure works or not."

I want to hate him but it's so hard.

He reaches up, pinching my chin, daring to lean in closer as he adds, "I suppose all that is left is to see what my wolf thinks."

"Thinks of what, exactly?" Ryan breathes.

I jump back a pace or two away from Olivera, seeing my mate shirtless and damp, slipped into pair of jeans that soak up the water and blood still present on my mate's back. Olivera cracks a smile, my face blushing hard as if I've done something salacious when in all reality, it was a poor choice of timing to enter the room on Ryan's part.

"Oh, saucy," Olivera hums, looking back and forth at my mate and I.

"What are you speaking with my mate about?" Ryan growls.

I can see Ryan is exhausted; he is too tired to be standing here and yet I know for a fact he isn't moving as long as I am in here with the rogue Alpha.

"Explain something to me now, darling," Ryan presses.

I open my mouth to speak. Olivera has other ideas.

"Why must you be so nosy? The girl was in here confessing her undying love to me, Alpha. I know you're jealous but, let's face it, you're no match for me in that condition."

My jaw hits the floor so hard that I see it roll down the hall.

"No damn respect," Fritz mutters, standing behind my mate. "Just a typical rogue."

"Alyson, go to our room, now. I'm going to handle this," Ryan growls.

I hesitate, feeling like a leaf in a hurricane. "I don't want you to fight, Ryan. He is just getting under your skin, that's all it is."

"As well as get into your pants, Luna," Fritz shoots back.

Ryan dares to shift, fighting hard not to in his condition. If Olivera doesn't get hurt in the fight, my mate will at least be wounded by trying to shift. He is still fighting his infected wound; I don't need this to become any worse.

"Can everyone stop trying to pick a fight? We are so close to being done with this entire ordeal." I brush my hands down my pants, my lungs shriveled up and working overtime to carry my voice. "If Olivera still has his wolf, then this cure may actually help save you, Ryan, we just have to try this out and—"

"I don't need his help," Ryan snaps.

"He's a filthy rogue, like I said, Alyson," Fritz snarls. "He's only trying to hurt your matehood with Ryan and piss off your pack. The only thing a rogue is good for is tearing packs in half. It's what they do best."

I step forward, wanting to scream. "He just took an experimental drug to help fix this illness and you both have nothing good to say about it!"

"Get to the bedroom," Ryan bites, his Alpha tone finally stinging me so hard that I crumble to the floor on my knees, before him, practically bowing. A chill rushes through my spine and my wolf whimpers, wanting to please our powerful mate. "Get up, and go to the bedroom, Alyson. Now."

I fight back as hard as I can, feeling sick just by disobeying his aura.

"Maybe you should lighten up on her—" Fritz whispers in Ryan's ear, as though he is back on my side of this argument.

"Watch yourself, Alpha Rat," Olivera growls, his voice tainted in anger. "Stop speaking to the Luna like she is a dog. She fought hard to get this cure and I decided to test it out for your benefit, putting my life at risk to see if it would cure your infectious bite. You speak to her like that again and you'll get to see how powerful my wolf can be after that test-tube cure."

"Stop bickering," I groan, my fingers crunched onto the floor beside my mate's feet. "No one is hurting me and I am not going anywhere. Can we please just see if this cure worked?"

The room is silent in thought for a long moment.

Ryan reaches forward, grabbing my arm and helping me upright, letting me sink into his chest gently as he crushes his lips into mine, stealing my breath ever so slightly.

"Whatever you want," Ryan says in a flat tone. "We can go to the courtyard and see what this rogue can do but if he says one more thing, wounded or not, I'll kill him on the spot."

I nod, praying that won't happen. We retreat to the courtyard, anyways, warriors joining as we line the walls and give Olivera space to shift. He paces for a minute, speaking under his breath as if to motivate himself, but it only edges into my nerves more.

Leaning into Ryan's arms, I feel him weakening by the minute. He shouldn't even be out of bed, let alone putting up with this stress, but he locks his arms around me anyways. I settle my head into his chest, kissing his bicep that I press my cheek into, and when I look up to see Olivera shift, I instead watch him as he stares straight through me.

Jealousy, envy—whatever it is, it looks far too dangerous to be toying with right now.