Page 38 of Brutal Reign
They’d better not fuck around and kill each other.
I’ve always joked that they would someday, but adding a high-speed motorcycle chase into their already volatile dynamic makes the possibility of it actually happening all too real.
My inner wolf suddenly perks up, and I whip my head in the direction of the entrance to the barracks right as River storms in through the doorway, very much alive and looking thoroughly pissed off. She radiates fury as she stomps in the direction of her bunk, everyone in her path instinctively stepping back to clear the way. Nothing makes shifters duck for cover faster than an Alpha’s rage, and the aura of anger surrounding her is so potent I can practically taste it in the air.
Guess it’s safe to assume that Seb won their race. But if I know my best friend–and I do– I’m betting his victory isn’t the only thing that’s got River looking like she’s ready to commit murder. Odds are, he ran his mouth again and said some dumb shit to twist the knife.
Back in the day, it’d be my job to step in and do damage control, but now, all I can do is sit here and watch as River stomps over to her bunk, ripping off her riding gloves angrily and throwing them into the cubby affixed to the end. Her friend Hayden sits up, peering around their bunk to ask River what happened. Before I can hear her reply, though, my inner wolf alerts me to the presence of another pissed-off Alpha.
Seb thunders into the barracks like a storm cloud, emanating so much negative energy that my wolf retreats to the recesses of my consciousness with a whine.Looks like I’ll be doing damage control after all.I sit up straighter, posture stiff and fingers curling into the edge of the mattress at either side of my hips to brace for impact as he heads my way.
Seb’s dark gaze lifts to meet mine for a fleeting second before flickering back to the ground, his heavy boots clomping against the floor as he eats up the distance in long strides. He passes by me to go for his cubby while Beau and Eli exchange nervous glances, looking to me for guidance, and I wave them away with a sigh, opting to handle this one on my own. When Seb’s at his worst, everyone else is just collateral damage.
The two of them clear out while Seb rips his hoodie off over his head, slamming it into the cabinet. I ease up to my feet and step around to join him. He doesn’t look up when I approach and lean a shoulder against the frame of our bunk- he’s stuck somewhere in his own head as he furiously kicks off his shoes, stooping down to grab them off the floor.
“What happened?” I ask calmly.
He grumbles something unintelligible under his breath as he shoves his boots into his cubby.
“Seb,” I press, louder this time.
He whips his head toward me, meeting my eyes with a wild, unhinged look in his own. “I fucked up,” he chokes, his expression twisting in a strange mix of fury and anguish. From that look alone, I know it’s something bad. Seb always bottles up his emotions, but right now, they’re displayed all over his face.
“What’d you do?” I question, holding my breath as he averts his eyes again and clenches his jaw tight. My heart thuds harder against my ribcage, throat tightening as apprehension curls in my gut.
Seb drags his hands over his face, his voice muffled behind his palms as he mutters, “I kissed her.”
Those three words punch all the air from my lungs. I freeze, my entire world grinding to a screeching, excruciating, halt.
“What did you just say?” I murmur in a low monotone, sure that I must’ve misheard him.
He turns to face me, the guilt in his eyes betraying the truth behind his words. “I didn’t mean to,” he rushes out, brows pinching together as he shakes his head. “I just…fuck, she was yelling at me, and I just wanted to shut her up, so I… I wasn’t thinking, it shouldn’t…”
I abruptly turn on a heel, not wanting to hear any more of his bullshit excuses and opting to walk away before I say or do something I know I’ll regret.
We had a fucking deal.
Sure, it was one made between a couple of messed-up kids, driven primarily by fear, but it was a deal nonetheless; one that I respected and stuck to.
“Ace!” Seb snarls, following me over to the other end of our bunk where my own cubby is. I reach inside to grab my duffel from the top shelf, ripping open the zipper and tossing it down onto the ground.
“What are you doing?” he demands, blinking at me in bewilderment as I start pulling my stuff from the shelves and stuffing it into the bag at my feet.
“This was your plan all along, right?” I snap, the accusation leaving a bitter taste in my mouth as it rolls off my tongue. “Get me to back off so you could have her all to yourself?”
“What are you talking about?” he growls, reaching over to rip the stack of clothes out of my hands before I can shove them in the bag. “You know it’s not like that!”
“No?” I scoff, cutting him an icy glare. “Then why’d you fucking do it, Seb? Huh?”
His eyes widen, his mouth hinging open as he struggles for words.
“Yeah, that’s what I fucking thought,” I mutter, yanking my clothes out of his grip. He reaches for them again, but I shove him back with a feral growl, my wolf pushing forward to reveal himself in my irises as a warning.
“You’re really gonna walk out on me, just like that?” Seb rasps.
“Just like that,” I deadpan.
He throws his head back with a groan, dragging his hands over his face. “Ace, c’mon man,” he implores, his voice raw with emotion. “She’s not worth it, you said so yourself!”