His Feisty Queen

9 - Zane’s Wrath

Xavier

    I was sitting on the couch, nursing a cup of coffee.  It was that time of day when Zoey usually walked by, and I was patiently waiting to catch sight of her.  I don’t know why, but it was like I needed to see her.

    Slightly later than usual, she finally appeared in my sights, looking more beautiful and radiant than ever.  She was wearing a black dress, and her dark brown hair fell down her back in waves of curls.  Make-up decorated her already pretty face, making her look absolutely exquisite.

    After setting my coffee on the small table next to the couch, I left my house wearing nothing but a pair of black gym shorts.  I didn’t even take the time to slip on some shoes.

    It was like some unknown force was controlling my movements, and it led me to follow Zoey to the waterfall.  Once there, I watched pull painting supplies out of the large duffel bag she was always carrying, then she set the easel.

    Staying far enough back to keep her from noticing me, I watched Zoey as she started painting.  Her brush strokes were fluid and natural, bringing forth what appeared to be a replica of the waterfall and the setting sun.

    Wanting a better look at her painting, I quietly moved closer, but I had no control of the wind that decided to whip through right then, carrying my scent in her direction.  Knowing there was point in hiding any longer, I walked up behind Zoey and marveled at the way her hand started shaking in response to my scent.

    The closer I got, the more her scent affected me, and it wasn’t long before my wolf, Zavier, started excitedly chanting, “Mate!  Mate!  We finally found her!”

    Feeling the strong need to gaze into her eyes, I spun Zoey around.  Those captivating brown eyes gazed upon with sadness and apprehension, but there was also a hint of longing and love.

    My hand tingled from the sparks flowing between us, and it was such a surreal thing to feel.  After exchanging a few words about us being mates, I wrapped my arms around Zoey and buried my face in the crook of her neck, so I could enjoy her tantalizing scent of roses and honeydew.

     Unable to resist the urge, I left a trail of kisses up the curve of her slender neck and that eventually led to our lips coming together for a kiss that left me breathless, but I couldn’t seem to stop.  I continued to enjoy the feel of her skin on my lips, then it happened.

    Zavier took control of my body, like he often does, and there was no stopping the chain of actions that led to me deflowering my gorgeous mate.  Luckily, he was gentle with Zoey and didn’t cause her too much physical pain, but rather a great deal of pleasure.

    Once he had my length buried deep in her core, Zavier gave me control back, just as Zoey mumbled against my ear, “Mark me, mate.”

    Despite very much enjoying the way those sparks made my entire body light up with arousal and pleasure, I couldn’t deny my feelings for Felicity.  I loved that sexy she-cat with all my heart, and I couldn’t ignore that love.

     Right away, I stopped thrusting and looked at Zoey’s face, feeling completely torn, as I responded, “I can’t mark you, Zoey.  I shouldn’t even be doing this, but I couldn’t resist you.”

    “What do you mean, you can’t mark me?  Why the hell not?  I’m your mate!  You have no problem f*****g me!” she growled with tears springing into her eyes.

    “I promised myself to Felicity.  I love her, Zoey.  I don’t love you,” I answered, wanting to be truthful about my feelings.

    Rage and sadness came into her eyes, then Zoey slapped me with force before pushing me off of her.  After reaching over to grab her dress, Zoey crawled away from me. 

    I knew I had to set Zoey free, so I said those words every shapeshifter dread hearing, “I’m so sorry about this.  I, Xavier Bowman, reject you, Zoey Branson, as my mate.”

    As soon as the last word left my mouth, I watched Zoey curl into a trembling ball on the ground, as pain-filled sobs pierced my ears.  It was so much harder than I could have ever imagined.  

    Seeing my fated mate in such a state of anguish nearly tore me apart.  I never wanted to hurt Zoey like this, making me want to take back the rejection, but that would only put us back in the same predicament.

    Unable to bear the sight before me any longer, I walked away from my sobbing mate with my shoulders slouched in defeat.  Filled with remorse over my wolf’s actions, I growled at him, ‘She didn’t have to be in so much pain.  If you hadn’t f****d her, Zoey would only have to deal with the rejection only.  Now she’s never going to forgive me.’

   ‘How could you reject our mate?  I know you want her, as much as I do.’ he growled in return.

    ‘I don’t love her, Zavier.  The only reason I feel an attraction to Zoey is because of the stupid mate bond,’ I responded, trying to convince myself at the same time.

    ‘You’re an i***t!  Our mate is the most beautiful creature in the world!  How can you not see how big of a mistake you’re making?’ Zavier asked in exasperation.

    ‘What do you not understand about this?  I love Felicity!  She is the one I want to be with.  Now, shut the f**k up,’ I snapped, getting irritated with his reasoning.

    Zavier retreated to the back of my head and whimpered over the loss of his mate.  I felt bad for snapping at him, but he needed to understand me, and Zoey could never embrace our mate bond the way he hoped.

    Once I got into my cabin, I leaned against the front door and brought my fingers to my nose.  The sweet scent of my fated mate’s arousal was still strong on me, and it was incredibly hard not to run back to her, but I had to stay strong and hope she accepted my rejection.

    Knowing her scent would cause a fight between me and Felicity, I thought it best to take a shower.  After scrubbing my entire body twice, I left the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my waist and walked straight to my bed.

    With only one girl on my mind, I fell back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.  Why did she have to look so damn beautiful?  Why did her scent have to affect me in such a strong way?  Why did it have to feel so incredible when I entered her?

    All of these questions and more raged through my mind.  Was it a mistake to reject Zoey?  Was I a fool to wait for Felicity to let me mark her?  Would I be able to move on from this?

    Worst of all… I couldn’t stop seeing the hurt in Zoey’s eyes when I confessed my love for Felicity.  I broke my fated mate’s heart, and I felt just awful for doing that.

Zane

    I was headed outside for my evening run when the sweetest scent wafted into my nose.  I knew the scent, but I couldn’t remember who it belonged to.

    Sniffing the air, I followed the smell of starfruit and acai berry all the way to the dining hall, then I scanned the large room.  When my eyes landed on the black-haired beauty with neon orange highlights and matching eyes, my jaw dropped at the realization.  

    My fated mate was the one she-cat already spoken for.  None other than the beautiful Felicity.

    While I gazed upon her with my heart already aching, her eyes suddenly snapped in my direction, then they widened with surprise.  The sound of her chair legs scraping against the floor made the entire room go silent, but that didn’t stop Felicity from walking straight to me.

    Before I had the chance to say a word, she looked me dead in the eye and boldly stated, “I, Felicity Hendricks, reject you as my mate, Zane Branson.”

    Searing pain erupted throughout my chest, but I refused to succumb to pain of any kind.  Instead, I held my head high and choked out, “Your loss!  Not mine!”

    After spinning on my heel, I left the dining hall and the castle for that matter.  Despite keeping a straight face, my heart was aching in a way I had never experienced.  

    Worse than that was the nagging feeling I had in the back of my head, concerning my twin sister.  Somehow, I just knew she was needing me at the moment, so I went in search of her.

    As expected, I found Zoey at the waterfall, but she wasn’t painting like usual.  Instead, she was sitting on the ground, hugging her knees and crying.  For the second time in less than an hour, I felt my heart break, but this time it was at the sight of my sister crying.   

    Not wasting a second, I ran to my twin and dropped to my knees, then I wrapped my arms around Zoey and anxiously asked, “What’s happened?  Who is to blame for these tears?”

    “M-my m-mate,” she stuttered between sobs.

    “Tell me what happened,” I insisted.

    “Xavier… h-he’s my m-mate,” she informed me with a few sniffles.

    I knew where this was going, but I pressed further nonetheless, “What did Xavier do?”

    “I got overwhelmed and caught up in the moment.  I actually thought he was going to accept me.  We started mating, then I told him to mark me, but he refused, insisting he is in love with Felicity.  Xavier rejected me for that b***h,” she explained with her tone steadily growing angrier by the word. 

    “Don’t feel bad, Zoey.  That b***h just rejected me for that asshole mate of yours,” I informed her with my own anger starting to rise to the surface.

    “Felicity is your fated mate?” Zoey asked with concern-filled eyes.

    “Yeah, but it’s whatever.  I don’t need that b***h to be happy.  Let’s go home and rest for a bit, then we can discuss our plans to leave.  I’m thinking… maybe we should move up our departure date,” I suggested, knowing it would be good for us both to get away from Xavier and Felicity.

    “I would like that,” Zoey admitted.

    After I got her painting stuff in the duffel bag, I carried it for my sister while we walked back to the castle with heavy hearts.  As soon as we were back in the Beta Suite, Zoey rushed to her bedroom and locked the door, leaving me to worry about her.

    I tried lying down in my bed, but my mind was reeling from the events of the evening.  The more I thought about what Xavier did, the angrier I became to the point I wanted to rip his f*****g head off. 

    Unable to take it any longer, I stormed toward Xavier’s cabin, ready to do him harm.  I was only forty or so feet from my destination when a searing pain erupted throughout my body, damn near crippling me.  

    When it dawned on me that the pain was happening due to my mate f*****g Zoey’s mate, my rage burned hotter.  Not only were they causing me pain, but they were also causing Zoey pain.

    There was no stopping me from barging into Xavier’s cabin, then my eyes landed on the two of them.  Felicity had her limbs wrapped around Xavier, who had her pinned against the wall and was rapidly thrusting his hips while she moaned, “Mark me, baby.”

    Completely enraged, I ran across the room and barreled into the two of them, making the three of us fall to the floor.  Without missing a beat, I rammed my elbow into Xavier’s side as I yelled, “How could you deflower my sister before rejecting her?  That was precious to my sister, and you seduced her into giving it to you with no intention of giving yourself to her.  I should end your miserable life right now!”

    Sparks tingled on my arm, as Felicity tried to pull me away from Xavier, but I wasn’t having it.  I was just ass pissed off at her and angrily snarled, “Don’t f*****g touch me, b***h!”

    Hurt flashed in her pretty orange eyes, as she breathed out, “Please, don’t hurt him, Zane.”

    “Screw him!  Oh wait, I forgot you already did that!  He doesn’t deserve to live after the way he f****d my sister and rejected her,” I seethed through clenched teeth.

    “Xavier!  Is it true?  Did you mate with Zoey?” she asked with even more hurt in her eyes.

    Xavier looked away in shame for a few seconds before meeting her eyes and admitting, “Yes.  Zavier took control, then one thing led to another.  By the time he gave me control back, we were mating.  I’m sorry, Felicity.”

    “Why didn’t you reject her right away, like I did with Zane?  If you truly wanted to be with me, you would have said those words of rejection without hesitation,” Felicity irritably grumbled, making me smirk.

    “I swear, it’s not like that!  Felicity, I love you.  I told Zoey we couldn’t be together, because you’re the one I want,” Xavier rambled, but Felicity obviously didn’t want to hear his voice any longer.

    After getting to her feet, she glared daggers in his direction and hissed, “I can’t even look at you right now!  You need to think about your actions and what you really want.  Once you figure it out, be sure to let me know.’

    Xavier stared at my mate longingly as she stomped out of the cabin, then he looked at me and glumly mumbled, “I swear, this is not what I wanted for any of us.  Your sister is a beautiful woman.  She will easily find love with somebody who deserves her.”

    “She is and she will.  You, however, will leave Zoey alone.  If you come within ten feet of my sister, I will personally tear you to shreds!  Got it?” I growled, ready to pounce on him again.   

    “I hear you loud and clear, Zane!  Now, get the f**k out of my cabin,” he grumbled in response before getting to his feet and holding the front door open.

    I knew causing pain to Xavier was also causing my sister pain, but I couldn’t help myself.  The son of a b***h shouldn’t have treated my sister the way he did.  Plus, there was also the fact that my mate rejected me for his sorry ass.