Bringing Agony to the Beta (Beasts of Arizona Series #2)

Chapter 3

When we were done putting everything up in the make-up room, I walked back to the parking lot and, unfortunately, Pyro was still there.

I pursed my lips as I walked towards my car. He’s standing there, looking at me like he wanted to tell me something but is waiting for me to speak first. I rolled my eyes inwardly before walking to the driver’s side of my car.

I opened my car door and saw that he did the same. I narrowed my eyes at him but he just shrugged it off and slid inside my car like it’s his own.

I shut my eyes and clenched my fists in frustration before getting inside. He’s trying my patience and I couldn’t just explode just like that. He thinks he can do that to me easily? Yes, he’s my mate and I am weak for him but I won’t let that stop me from trying to move on.

He’s chosen who his mate would be and that’s not me. I need to stop treating him like a shrine. It’s annoying.

“Don’t you have your car?” I asked him.

He’s not poor. He’s got the means to be the Alpha of the pack if only Ambrose weren’t here. So, why is he here inside my car?

“I’ll ask Ryder to get the car I used when I went here,” he replied nonchalantly. He’s buckling his seatbelt, acting so at home inside my car and I hated it.

He’s too cocky. I don’t even know why he’s my mate. And damn it. He’s hot and all that but I have seen better. He’s not the most handsome man I met, not the sexiest and definitely not the kindest. But damn my wolf to hell because it never failed to get excited whenever he’s f*****g near.

I don’t understand why I would be mated to someone who doesn’t really like me. It’s too cruel and stupid at the same time. Couldn’t fate have given me someone who would actually like me back? Why am I even stuck with this man who doesn’t even know how to reciprocate my feelings?

“Why don’t you just ride in your car so I don’t have to be suffocated inside mine?” I suggested in a rude manner as I placed my key in the fob. I didn’t even care if it sounded harsh. I just wanted him to know that I didn’t want him around me anymore.

My wolf could hate me all she wants but I’m not going to be a slave for her stupid feelings for someone who doesn’t even like me. I am Dionessa Garner and I can have any man I want. I’m not going to act like Pyro is the last man in the world. After all, he denied me first.

“Are you feeling uncomfortable?” he asked in his usual low baritone.

I snapped my head at him but immediately regretted it when I saw him staring at me like he needs to read my mind. His ocean blue eyes were staring at me like he’s waiting for me to elaborate my answer.

I hastily averted my gaze and looked at the steering wheel. Ah, f**k this. “I don’t like you near me. Isn’t that even obvious?” That’s right, Dionessa. Don’t let him see that you still want him. Those days were gone.

It was quiet for a few moments before I heard him heaving out a deep sigh. “I’m sorry about that,” he said in a whisper. “I never thought you’d feel that way.”

I gawked at him in disbelief, trying so hard to calm my f*****g senses because I badly wanted to kick him in the balls right now. How could he say that to me right now? Why is he acting like he didn’t do anything wrong? Was replacing me without even rejecting me face-to-face something that a normal guy would do? He didn’t even have the decency to properly reject me so my wolf could finally move on from her attachment to his!

What a selfish jerk!

“Can you hear yourself?” I asked him in the most sarcastic way possible. I don’t want to hide how much it irks me to have his presence around.

To be honest, no matter how much my wolf is incessantly obsessing over him, I hated having him near. I just want to stop and make sure that he’s not in sight before I could finally relax. He’s the main reason why I seldom stay in the packhouse—well, aside from the demands of my work.

I scoffed and shook my head. “I don’t know if you’re stupid or just plain thick-skinned,” I mumbled as I started the engine. “Anyway, if you insist on your games, you are playing with the wrong woman, Pyro.” It was a warning and a promise at the same time.

I heard him sighing hard in the passenger seat. I am actually waiting for him to speak the whole ride but when I looked to his side, I saw him sleeping. I rolled my eyes and just focused on driving until we finally arrived at the packhouse.

Ryder is really going to get it when I see him later on. That guy needs to learn his lesson.

“We’re here,” I uttered as I turned off the engine and removed my seatbelts. I turned to Pyro and saw him rubbing his eyes. I was thankful that he is asleep. I don’t know how awkward it would be if he was awake the whole time.

But, on the other hand, I am angry that he didn’t even respond to my remarks. He just let me talk before he shrugged everything off like am a crazy woman who couldn’t keep her cool.

I gritted my teeth but did nothing but to roll my eyes and just calm myself. I opened the door and stepped out of the car without even looking back at Pyro. I walked straight to the backyard of the packhouse where I could hear the whole pack having fun.

And I was right.

When I got to the backyard, I immediately saw Ryder dancing with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. He’s obviously smashed and is singing with the melody that is being played in the background.

Ambrose is busy filming Ryder’s stupidity while Neil is sitting on the bench with a shot of whiskey in his hand. He’s just shaking his head while making sure that everyone is having fun.

On the table far from the crazy and wasted Ryder are Caitlynn and Ceira. They are eating fries, popcorn, and their juice. Even before Caitlynn got pregnant, these two both don’t drink alcohol so I’m guessing they’re drinking pineapple juice. The most alcohol they could ingest is a bottle of wine. And that’s it.

I decided to walk to them since I am not drinking tonight, too. I’ll just have fun and talk to my only friends in the pack. They’re the only genuine ones so they’re the only people I trust.

Caitlynn’s eyes widened when she saw me walking towards them. She’s still looking so good even though she’s in the third trimester. No wonder she’s one of the highest-paid models in the state of California.

All her gigs are willing to bend over to her requests just to get her to cover for their magazine even when she’s already pregnant.

I ran to them and hugged her tightly. “How was your trip?” I asked her as I looked at Ceira who’s only sighing on her seat. I chuckled and hugged her, too.

“It’s boring,” Ceira said. “Everything is just so slow with the driver.”

I laughed and pulled a chair for me to sit on. “Ambrose definitely told the driver to do that,” I said as I picked up three pieces of fries and ate them all at once.

They both sighed and nodded. “Apparently, he really did,” Ceira replied. “I just hated how the driver could handle driving forty miles per hour in a clear road.”

“True,” Caitlynn agreed. “I lashed it all out on Ambrose when I came back.”

I snorted. “So, that’s why he made sure I am here. Because you got mad at him,” I said, already seeing and understanding the whole picture. Ambrose always had to make Caitlynn happy—especially now that she is pregnant.

He’s a slave for her and it’s fun watching Caitlynn torturing him sometimes. Cait’s the only person in the pack who could control Ambrose and I have the upper hand now because she’s one of my best friends.

“Did you ride with Pyro?” Ceira asked me as she sipped on her pineapple juice.

I glared at her. Must she really ask that? I have already started forgetting about it. “Nope,” I replied.

Caitlynn looked at me with furrowed brows. “Did you not see him? He told Ambrose he’d be the one to fetch you from work.”

I raised my brow. Ryder said otherwise and now Caitlynn is saying that Pyro volunteered to pick me up? I could feel my wolf getting excited just by thinking about it.

“Why would he do that?” I asked, in denial as I munched on the popcorn.

Caitlynn and Ceira both gave me a knowing and meaningful smile. I had no choice but to glare at both of them because they are annoying the s**t out of me again.

“Oh, stop giving me those looks. You’re annoying me,” I told them and they both just burst out laughing.

I shook my head and looked at the people around who are busy partying when I saw Wynona getting cozy with Pyro who seemed to not care about her at all. His eyes are focused on the drink in front of him, looking like he’s in deep thoughts.

I tore my gaze off of them when I suddenly heard my name getting called by a drunken Ryder who’s holding a glass of whiskey which I think is for me. He’s got to be kidding me.

“Come on, Dion! Let’s sing a song!” he beamed as he held my hand and pulled me towards the center of the people having fun. He grabbed the Bluetooth microphone and searched for a song on his phone before blasting it all out.

He shoved the mic to me and started dancing around with the upbeat music playing. I had no choice but to go with the flow because everyone around me is already up on their feet, dancing like this is the only time they could have fun.

I danced to five songs before I told Ryder that I needed to drink. I was so tired but it’s actually fun to move around.

“Are you tired?” I asked Caitlynn who was already yawning. “You should go to sleep now,” I told her and asked her to get up so Ceira and I can take her to their room.

But Ambrose was there and he took care of everything.

Ceira nodded at me. “I’ll go ahead, too, D,” she told me and I agreed. She looked tired because of her stressfully sluggish trip back from California. “Are you staying here?” she asked me as she looked over my shoulder.

Curious about what she’s looking at behind my back, I turned to that direction too and saw Pyro getting up with Wynona.

“You think he’s really happy with Wynona?” Ceira questioned.

Well, he doesn’t look happy with Wynona but that doesn’t change the fact that he doesn’t want me as his mate, too. I looked away and shrugged. “I don’t care,” I replied and I just received a smirk from her.

I tried to ignore it but I almost couldn’t move when I heard Pyro’s voice from behind me.

“Are you done for tonight?”

I clenched my fists and controlled the excitement of my wolf to hearing his voice.

“Yup,” Ceira answered. “I’ll head back inside!” she beamed before rushing inside the packhouse, leaving me alone with Pyro.

I sighed and cursed that damn deity in my head before looking at Pyro who’s standing behind me with an intense stare. He’s alone. “Where’s your mate?” I asked him.

He pursed his lips as he stared at me like I said something wrong. He licked his lips before nodding. “She’s drunk so I asked Aira to bring her inside,” he replied like what he did was the best he could.

“So, what are you still doing here? Go and take care of your mate,” I said as I started to walk past him. I don’t want to deal with him anymore. I want to sleep it off and have a good night's sleep.

But before I could even pass by him, he held my wrist and made me face him again.

I tilted my head to the side as I narrowed my eyes at him, annoyed. “What?” I snapped. “I want to sleep now.”

He stared at me exhaustedly before letting out a deep sigh. “Good night,” he whispered like it was so difficult for him to tell me that.

I glared at him but, in reality, my heart is already beating like crazy inside my chest. It’s annoying how he could easily turn my emotions from angry to excited with his words.

“Let go of me,” I ordered with gritted teeth and was happy that I did not need to repeat myself. He easily let go of me and I had to run to my room to calm my f*****g stupid heart.