Page 3

"Let's goooooooooo!"

I jump from my REM sleep and into a heart attack. I flail around in my sheets, trying to fight off the sudden intrusion. Rather, I find myself suddenly suspended in air and then in pain.

"Ow." I groan at the new pain radiating through my body.

I push up off the floor I just made out with and try to figure out what woke me.

Cheers come extremely loud from somewhere beyond my door.

I growl under my breath and wrench open my door.

I march down the hall and follow the heinous yelling of the inconsiderate werewolves.

I cringe as I make my way toward the living room and the harsh sounds grow.

I walk into the living room and see Jason, Jake, Carter, Delta Laney, and Beta Hendrix.

They are standing and yelling at the TV.

I step further into the room and peer around them to see the cause of the commotion.

Seriously?A football game? Mycheck of the large clock mounted on the wall tells me it's 5:48 AM, which in my opinion is still way too early to be yelling like this.

Abruptly I notice a movement in the corner chair and I look over to see King Mathews watching them in amusement.

Additionally, royal guards stand equally placed around the room.

I take a moment to peek again at the screen and confirm that I will never understand one's obsession with throwing around a ball.

Their yelling suddenly increases in volume as a person I can barely see on-screen crosses into the touchdown zone. I cross my arms over my chest and clear my throat in an attempt to gain their attention. When that fails, I try speaking. "Excuse me," I call on deaf ears.

I roll my eyes and try again, louder this time. "Hello, excuse me." Still nothing - not even so much as a turn of the head. Okay, that's rude and now I'm annoyed.

Looking around for my target object, I spot it on the end table next to the couch.

Feeling vindicated in doing so, I pick up the TV remote and press the mute button.

All attention is quickly drawn to me with calls of unpleasant names, complaints, and whines.

I cross my arms again, this time in annoyance.

Oh wow, sonow they can look at me?

"Good morning, gentlemen," I greet completely unamused.

"Though I appreciate your enthusiasm for this asinine sport," I begin, gesturing to the TV, "I implore you to recognize that other people in this household are still sleeping - myself included.

So, if you guys would be so kind as to remember the sun doesn't revolve around you and keep your voices down slightly, we with heightened hearing would appreciate it. "

They all go quiet then Delta Laney decides to speak. "Well, the game's on now and we don't really care who's still sleeping. Now, if you will be a dear, unmute the TV, and go do what women do," he says with an arrogant smile.

Jason growls lowly at him in a warning. "Might want to take that back, dude." Delta Laney only smirks at me.

I laugh in disbelief. Did he really just say that? Ha! Here I was trying to be all respectful. "What the hell did you just say?" I question, walking around the table and couch so that I stand directly in front of Mr. Public Speaker.

He shoots a look to Beta Hendrix that basically screams 'watch this' before looking back to me."Why don't you go to the kitchen and make us some sandwiches," he mocks so proudly. Delta Laney laughs at his own attempt at a joke, looking to his friends to support his "joke."

None of them dare.

I cock my head to the side in mock confusion, frowning.

"Oh, was that funny? Was that supposed to be funny?

If so, you really need a career change from being a fucking clown.

" Poorly hidden laughs sound out around the room, but I continue to glare Delta Laney in the eyes.

I can feel myself actually fuming - like what a fucking asshole this guy is. He doesn't even know me.

Laney's face grows serious and his eyes darken. 'Uh oh - his wolf didn't like that.' Jasmine's voice teases lightly in my head, making a smile tug on my face. This in turn makes Delta Laney's wolf even more upset.

Abruptly, Delta Laney stands, steps close, and leans his face down to mine.

His voice deeper - his wolf seems to speak through him, "Maybe you should change yours from being an insignificant bitch.

You're nothing but a pup, so watch your tone and show some respect to your Royal Delta.

" Unanticipatedly, Delta Laney's hand is around my bicep, wrenching me slightly towards him.

I clench my jaw in pain as I feel the tips of his fingers shift into claws and slowly embed themselves in my skin.

"Or I'll make you," Laney spits, his eyes completely black now.

My wolf growls at him and I send a punch right into his jaw.

His head snaps to the side and he stumbles back, letting go of my arm and landing on the couch.

I glance at my arm and see four small holes with trails of blood gradually slipping down my arm.

With a glare, I refocus my attention on the worked-up werewolf.

"Calm down, Delta Laney," I warn him, "this is a fight neither of us wants.

" Delta Laney sits on the couch, chest heaving heavily.

Suddenly, a growl rips out of his chest and he lunges.

I step to the side and he flies past me.

I turn and grab his right arm, pulling it taught behind his back, before I kick the back of his knee.

Delta Laney yells and falls to his knees, allowing me to gain the advantage.

He growls at me and tries to punch my stomach with his left hand.

I groan when he proceeds to land a few. I use my strength and pull his right arm tighter.

"Delta Laney!" I yell, making sure I had his attention.

"I will warn you one last time: Calm. Down.

" He groans in pain and halts his assault - which will definitely leave bruises for later.

I hear a deep growl that sends a shiver down my back.

I snap my eyes over to King Mathews who doesn't look too happy.

Most likely because I just landed his Delta.

We stare at each other in the eyes and my wolf goes crazy.

'Jasmine?'I ask her, breaking our eye contact.

When she doesn't respond, I frown and look back at King Mathews.

My eyebrows scrunch together. I see something in his eyes, but it's gone before I can tell.

At the growl of his Alpha, I instantly feel Delta Laney relax under my grip and his breathing slows.

Feeling confident that he's calmer, I release his arm and move back a few paces.

He rubs his shoulder and stands, not turning around to face us.

I look to King Mathews whose eyes are glazed over, telling me that he's mind linking - probably Delta Laney.

As King Mathews blinks his eyes clear, I look to Delta Laney.

Delta Laney turns to face me with his head low.

He takes a deep breath and sharply lets it out.

Slowly, he lifts his head to look at me.

Though he has physically calmed, his eyes are dark and reveal just how upset he and/or his wolf are.

"I apologize for my actions and behavior.

If you will excuse me." Laney immediately turns and walks speedily out of the living.

A hand belonging to my brother grips my shoulder and whispers quietly so that nobody else can hear.

"Office in 10." Jason leans back and gives me a stern side look.

I nod my head slightly. I look around the room and I take a poll of the aftermath.

Carter and Jake are trying not to laugh, Beta Hendrix is pretending to be reading the TV Guide, and King Mathews stares down, wearing no expression except his eyebrows are pulled together.

I pull away from Jason and walk back upstairs. An uneasy feeling rushes up my spine and makes the hairs on the back of my neck rise. This feeling alone hastens my pace away from the prying eyes I know are following me.

I get to my room and quickly get ready since going back to sleep is no longer an option.

I put on high-waisted blue jeans, a black lacy bralette, and a cropped blue jean jacket.

As I dress, I can see I was correct about the bruises on my abdomen.

Multiple fist-sized bruises litter my left ribs, turning the skin there a really nice shade of purple.

Bruises for werewolves are so weird as they take hours to heal.

Unlike when I cut myself shaving and it magically heals in seconds.

It's like our bodies know the bruises aren't a current threat to us, so they don't waste an exorbitant amount of energy trying to heal the bruises as quickly.

Next, I move to analyze my arm. The skin of my bicep that was in Laney's grasp has started to darken into what will soon be another bruise.

On the plus side, the bleeding has slowed significantly and the penetration marks have begun to heal.

The fact that they aren't already healed tells me the holes are not as shallow as I had originally believed, but the healing process shouldn't be too much longer.

I do my basic make-up and hair routine, with a final touch of the ring my mom and dad gave me shortly before they died. Once finished, I grab my phone and jog downstairs to Jason's office.

I knock three times on his door.

"Come in."

I open the door, walk inside, and close it behind me. I stand in front of his desk as he finishes writing something. "You wanted to see me?" I ask with my eyebrow raised.

"Yes," he says. He puts down his pen and leans back in his chair looking me in the eyes.

"Jade, you realize you assaulted the Royal Delta and that harming a Royal is punishable?" He asks me.

I stare at him confused. Was he not just in the same room as me?

I nod slowly and cross my arms. "Actually, I did notknow that. I love fun facts - they're my guilty pleasure," I joke lightly.

Jason stands abruptly and slams his hands down on his desk.

I jump back as his voice suddenly rises.

"This is not the time for your witty comebacks or your sarcastic humor.

This is serious. You assaulted a Royal, Jade!

I told you that this was one of our responsibilities and that you needed to be on your best behavior.

" Best behavior? What am I, a fucking kindergartener?

I feel the anger start to pump through my veins - the exact thing I have to constantly fight to keep under control. I scoff, "That Royalis a sexist pig, Jason, from now until proven otherwise. Is he really the kind of person you want to be defending to me right now?"

Jason rolls his eyes and shakes his head in exasperation. "Are you going to pretend like you didn't instigate this situation? Are you really going to pretend that you didn't throw the first punch? And are we really going to pretend that you didn't lose control of your anger yet again?"

My hands fall to my sides, weighed down by the heavy fists my fingers seem to be making of their own accord.

"I did notlose control," I seethe.

I take a step closer to his desk, looking directly into his eyes.

"He was losing control of his wolf, Jason.

The punch shocked him and that was the onlything that stopped him from shifting within those next thirty seconds.

It's a common practice in our training to calm down the more sensitive wolves.

Not only did I keep my composure and de-escalate the situation, but I also managed to do it alone because not one of the other ten people in the room moved a muscle to help. "

I shake my head in disbelief at this conversation.

"Oh, and you want to talk instigating? All I did was ask you guys to keep it down because for some reason you all," I argue, jabbing my finger harshly in my brother's direction," thought it was acceptable to scream in a quiet house before 6 AM.

" I cross my arms in a defensive stance, as though it somehow helps block some of the metaphorical blows Jason's throwing.

"And I don't know, maybe you're just blind," Jason growls lowly at my words, "but had you actually been paying attention, you would have seen Sean Laney was the one who put his hands on me first." With that said, I pull down my jacket sleeve enough to expose the now bruised area of my bicep with four equally spaced holes that are no longer bleeding.

I watch Jason's eyes scan the wound before I shrug the sleeve back into place.

Thinking over his previous words, I shake my head again and look my brother up and down in disapproval. "Do not try to build on my faults to prove your point."

Jason narrows his eyes and another low growl releases from his chest. "I might be your brother, but I am foremost your Alpha! You will show me some respect, Jade," he yells as his eyes darken.

I am sure that mine are lightening to their glorious silver - the color of rage.

"My respect is earned, brother! I respect our traditions.

I respect our culture. I respect what an Alpha is supposed to be.

I do not and willnot respect an Alpha who favors those of high rank over their own - especially their own blood.

" I laugh bitterly to myself. It would be the Royals who finally cause a rift between me and my brother.

"That is not what Mom and Dad taught us.

They told us to watch over each other. And hell, if they were here, they would have found this situation hilarious. "

"Oh yeah, they would be so damn proud of their daughter who lacks control of her anger issues," he spits.

His words are angering my wolf and unlike Delta Laney, it going to take more than a punch to keep her from going full wolfy.

"You know what, Jason? Fine. If it's the Royals you want, it's the Royals you can have.

They can help with the pack, be your shoulder to cry on, and hell, maybe you'll even find yourself a new sister wandering around.

My anger issues and I are going to go cause havoc elsewhere.

Call me when you finally want to be an Alpha and a brother. "

I can't stand to look him in the eyes anymore. I only feel anger and betrayal and and and - I need to get out of here. I need to lose some of this steam.

I sharply turn on my heel and rush to Jason's office door.

I fling it open and slam it shut behind me as Jason calls for me to wait.

I shake my head, trying to knock out all of the rancorous thoughts and keep walking.

My body is physically shaking from the boiling fury going on inside.

While this level of anger may not be totally reasonable, I can't control it, and boy does it keep getting hotter.

It's like it's a personal side effect of being a Yin Yang wolf or something.

I go down to the basement, better known as the pack house gym, and rip off my jacket.

I come to the section of various hanging punching bags.

I choose the first one and go to town, releasing the negative and buzzing energy that has built inside of me.

After a few strong and strategically placed hits, it rips and falls to the ground with an echoing thud.

I shake my arms out and step over to the next bag.

The second bag lasts a bit longer but breaks eventually.

I growl in frustration at the lack of punching bag quality our pack utilizes and I start running laps around the room.

I know my eyes are still shining silver - I can feel it.

It's like a pressure pushing on my eyes and the world seems brighter.

I can also feel both my and my wolf's anger clawing at my chest.

I stop by the rack of weights and pick up the largest one.

I move it in my hand, figuring out the balance.

I pull my arm back, let out a yell of frustration, and chuck the weight at an adjacent wall.

The crash sounds throughout the room, but I keep throwing the various weights at the wall.

By the time I run out of weights, there's a decently sized hole where I threw them. ..oh well.

I take in quick breaths...I'm still pissed.

I punch the wall repeatedly, at least the concrete won't break as easily. I punch as hard as I can and the wall cracks with dust debris flying around. "Fuck," I mutter under my breath. I lean back against the wall and slide down it. I prop my arms on my bent knees and rest my head on them.

I breathe deeply, catching my breath and calming down both my wolf and me.

Damn Jason. Damn the Royal Delta. Damn them all, dammit.

I feel something drip on my leg. Confused, I look to see my knuckles are completely busted and are dripping copious amounts of shiny, red blood.

I pay no mind as the wound itself will heal in a matter of moments.

I stand and make my way up the stairs. I go into the kitchen and let the water from the sink wash away the drying blood.

As I wipe away the last of the blood, I see my knuckles heal over.

I walk out of the kitchen, looking over my knuckles, and bump into a wall. Wait, since when did we have a wall there? And since when did walls come with sparks?

Suddenly a heavenly scent of lime and cedarwood overcomes my senses.'Mate,'Jasmine speaks softly...almost as though she's content. So that's what she's been hiding from me.

Hands wrap around my waist to keep me from falling and those delicious sparks erupt throughout my body. My eyes travel up my mate's body, but my eyes widen in shock when I see who it is.

Ryder Mathews. The Alpha King is my mate.

Holy shit.