Scum (Book 1)

23. Territory

Liam’s POV

Chey and I slept head to foot, and I woke up with my leg on her chest, making me feel guilty. I gently try to move it, not wanting to spook her, but I failed, and she straddled my leg, punching where someone’s head would be until she realized that she was fighting a foot.

I can’t help but to start laughing as the girl scurries off the bed in what I assume is embarrassment.

“I could have broken your ankle,” she whines in concern.

“I would have stopped you if I felt threatened.” Chey looks super cute in her pajamas, so I find myself smiling at her, once again thinking about how lucky her mate will be. “Where are you going?” I ask, noticing that after the girl did her morning routine, she slipped her feet into a pair of slippers.

“Breakfast is free.” Never in my life have I woken up early to eat hotel breakfast, but Chey wants to go, so I get up, careful to hide my morning erection from her as I get ready.

I hate sleeping with clothes on, but I might have to start because I definitely don’t want the girl to get the wrong idea. Dallas is an invaluable friend, and his sister is off limits, by not just his standards, but also mine.

I mind-link Royce, asking him if he wants to join us, but he brushes me off, meaning that he’s doing something I’d rather not know about.

In the meantime, Chey has gone ahead of me, scared that she’ll miss out on something.

Cheyenne’s POV

I loaded my plate with a little of everything, but the food isn’t as good as home. Still, it’s free, and if I eat enough, I won’t need lunch today.

“Good morning, beautiful.” I freeze with a plastic fork in my mouth, recognizing the voice as the same one from the pool. I silently pray that the man is talking to someone else, but he stands right in front of the table I’m at.

“Morning…?” I don’t know if I should respond because my name isn’t beautiful.

“Eating alone?” The man sits across from me, and because I can’t tell if the tables are free for everyone’s use the way they are on pack territory, I don’t ask him to leave. “So… Why hasn’t he marked you?” I’m assuming the man mean’s Liam, and because I don't know what to say, I respond with my age.

“I-I’m seventeen.”

“And how long have you been together?”

“Does it matter?” I’m glad to hear that voice because I didn’t know how to reply to the man.

Liam came from behind me, so I didn’t see him walking toward the table, and I guess he needs to put on a show again, because he kisses the side of my head as he sits in the chair next to mine, picking a strip of bacon off my plate while wearing a sly smile.

“You seem very interested in my girlfriend,” Liam says, leaning on the table with narrowed eyes.

“What kind of Alpha male would I be if I didn’t explore my surroundings?”

“This territory isn’t up for grabs.” I look between the two men as if they're insane because it kind of sounds like they're talking about property right now.

“Um, ‘scuse me.” I raise my hand, breaking the intense staring contest the men are having by waving. “Do I look like an item that can be claimed?”

“I’m sorry beautiful, it’s just that I feel like you might be with the wrong man.” My face goes blank as I turn to my future alpha.

“Liam, I want to go home.”

Liam’s POV

I know that I shouldn’t laugh, but Cheyenne is so unused to being flirted with that she wants to run away, but this is the second time she’s asked me to ‘go home’ because of the same person, and I don’t like it.

“Have you eaten enough?”

“Not really.”

“Then go get another plate and take it straight back to our room.” Chey practically flies out of her seat, leaving her unfinished food for me.

I turn back to face the cause of the problem, irritated because he’s lustfully followed Chey to the buffet with his eyes.

“Okay Riker, enough pretending not to know one another. What’s your issue?”

“Does Porsha know about her?”

“Porsha isn’t my problem anymore.”

“And how long has she been your ‘problem?’” I need to be careful with my answer, so I choose not to give one.

“Again… Why does it matter?”

“Well… Yesterday, I was willing to respect your relationship because there are plenty of women around this weekend, the organizers made sure of it, but today she came down in her pajamas, and do you know how she smelled?” The man pauses, waiting for me to respond, but I won’t. “Like a good night’s sleep.”

“Next to her boyfriend.”

“Pfft… Liam, we’re both men.” I know the man is referring to the fact that neither Chey nor I showered, but we didn’t come down to breakfast smelling like s*x. “Who is she, really?”

“She’s my girlfriend.”

“Who you aren’t f*cking?” Riker is looking at me like I have three heads, and honestly, I don’t blame him.

“She’s a virgin,” I whisper.

“WHAT?!” Riker looks around, leaning in further because he genuinely doesn’t believe me. “Is she waiting for her mate?”

“That’s her plan.”

“Is it you?”

“Nope.”

“Bro, if you can swing it, pull it. If not, pass her this way. My fathers on my ass to find a girl without a ‘muddy’ past, and I promise you that I will treat her like the-” I slam my hand on the table, standing in an aggressive manner because Chey isn’t an object, just like she said. “Alright, alright. She’s off limits, but I’m telling everyone that she’s got you whipped to make myself feel better.” Riker leaves, successfully calming me by defaulting to the fool that he is.

He and I used to be friends, but Porsha got in between us. I guess you can say that we’ve always had similar tastes in women, but I respect Chey, while Riker respects his d*ck.

Cheyenne’s POV

Jenna keeps teasing me about Alpha Riker, the man who calls me beautiful. I don’t know how to respond to him, but when Liam came back from breakfast, he promised me that I wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore.

Now, Jenna is ‘primping’ me for the luncheon we’re going to, and when she’s done, I feel a little overdressed. The makeup isn’t heavy, but it’s more than I’m used to.

“Jenna, are you sure this isn’t too much?”

“Absolutely not. Liam is a VIP. Everyone will be looking at you.” I start feeling sick, but I don’t get to focus too much on my nerves because Royce knocks on the door, reminding Jenna that we’re running late.

The woman makes a few last-minute adjustments to my hair before pulling me to my feet, and by coincidence, we end up in the elevator with Riker, who I stay far, far away from.

“Beautiful, are you afraid of me?” Liam isn’t with us because he went to pull the car up, so Royce speaks for me.

“Cheyenne the man isn’t afraid of anyone. She just doesn’t like the fact that you don’t respect her relationship.”

“Cheyenne?” Riker repeats, smirking at me before taking a step closer, and this time, I use my own voice.

“Alpha Riker, I am not a member of your pack. If you take another step, I will hit you.” The man must’ve thought I was joking because he took another mocking step, and like I promised, I punched him.

“What the f*ck was that?” The man asks, massaging his jaw as Royce positions himself between us. “You'd hit me in the face when I’m due to speak today?”

“I told you that I was.” The man is lucky that I held back because he was so open that I could have broken his jaw, but I was being thoughtful.

“Damn… I thought that you were joking. Sh*t that hurt. No need to ask why he just called you Cheyenne the man.” I choke on my laughter, a definite mistake because Riker starts looking at me again. “You aren’t just eye candy, are you?”

The elevator doors open, and I quickly make my way out, happy when Liam is standing in the lobby.

I slow in my pace, amazed by how handsome he looks, and as he approaches, I find myself taking a step back, not liking the expression of anger that he’s wearing.

“Is he bothering you again?”

“Don’t worry Liam, Cheyenne the man just taught me a lesson.”

Liam’s POV

Cheyenne looks so beautiful that I can only stare at her, but the speed at which she’s walking toward me takes away from the moment, and my eyes are then drawn to Riker, who’s got Royce laughing at whatever he’s saying.

I close the distance between Chey and I, pulling the girl close to me because I’ve already warned the man, and if he’s crossed the line again, I may have to remind him of why Porsha chose me.

“Is he bothering you again?”

“Don’t worry Liam, Cheyenne the man just taught me a lesson.” Riker points to his cheek, and my eyes go wide.

“You hit him?”

“I just tapped his face a little.”

“Chey!” I’m trying hard not to laugh because this is a serious matter that could turn ugly fast. “You can’t just go around punching people. Even though he doesn’t act like it, Riker is a very strong alpha male.” Chey pouts, and I swear that my heart skipped a beat with how adorable she looks. “Hey… I get that you’re not used to any of this, and I can tell he makes you feel uncomfortable, but Royce wouldn’t have let him touch you.”

“I know, and I’m sorry alpha Liam.” I can now see how Cheyenne works people over, including my father who hates to punish the girl for anything, even when she’s blatantly wrong.

“I forgive you.” I lift Cheyenne’s face, once again mind-linking my sister and Royce that people are watching, so I’m not immediately mentally assaulted by them. “Now, let’s hurry up and get in the car so that you can tell me how stupid his face looked.” I’ve never stood so close to Cheyenne while she smiled, and it’s no wonder so many of her male friends like to make her laugh.

There’s a twinkle in her eye that’s hard to ignore, and yet again, I feel like Chey’s mate is going to worship the ground she walks on, as he rightfully should.