Isabella
“So,” Vanessa said, sipping on her second Brawl Brew of the night. She leaned closer to me, her breasts brushing against my forearm. “What’s going on with you and Roman?”
I pressed my lips together. “Nothing,” I said. Not that it was any of her business.
The waiter came over, setting another drink down in front of her. “Isabella needs another one, too!” she said. The guy raised a brow at me, and I shook my head. Moon Goddess, I didn’t want to end up like Vanessa who had undid the top two buttons of her shirt and was nodding her head offbeat with the music.
She leaned closer to me, and I leaned against Derek’s arm—trying to put as much space between us as possible. I didn’t want to snap again and ruin my chances of becoming a warrior just because Vanessa got on my nerves.
After gazing at me, she dropped her gaze to my lips and frowned. “I know something’s going on.” She rested her arm on the table in front of us, sighing to herself. I glanced down at it, noticing the shiny scars on her skin.
“Come on,” I said quietly, grabbing Derek’s hand and pushing him to the edge of the booth, needing to get out of here as soon as possible. “We’ll see you tomorrow. Thanks for inviting us.”
As soon as Derek stood, I hopped up and tugged him to the door. Vanessa flirted with everyone she could tonight—evenme. It was desperate, and a part of me felt bad for her. Hell, all of me felt bad for her, and I didn’t know why. I didn’t mind her flirting with people, but it was her flirting with Roman that made me and my wolf anxious.
“Bye, you guys!” Vanessa shouted from across the pub as I hurried to the door with Derek. “Bye, Isabella!”
“I don’t know how her parents deal with her,” Derek said when we walked toward his car. The sky was a dark blue, and the moon was blazing so brightly above us. I could just imagine how beautiful my Moonflowers were glowing on my windowsill.
“Me, either,” I said.
Derek opened his door and froze, staring behind me. “Alpha.”
I clutched the door handle, my knuckles turning white, and looked at him. He just had to ruin the night, didn’t he? Coming here looking like a fucking sex-god, probably going to flirt with Vanessa since he didn’t have time to earlier.
Roman walked up the sidewalk, jaw clenched, eyes dark as the night. “I’m taking Isabella home,” he said, his gaze not leaving mine.
“Derek’s taking me home.”
He stepped toward me and clenched his jaw. “Derek is going to get in his car and drive home by himself, aren’t you Derek?”
Sensing the tension, Derek gazed between us. Roman asked him again, this time in his alpha tone, and he bowed his head. Oh, hell no. I was not going home with Roman. No fucking way. I yanked on the door handle. “Derek, unlock the car.”
“Sorry, Izzy.”
“Derek, unlock it!”
He sat, shut his door, and started the car. I grumbled to myself, glaring as he sped out of his lot. He would get it later. Oh, boy, was he going to—
“Isabella.” Roman growled.
I narrowed my eyes at him, watching the moonlight hit his perfect damn skin. “What?” I said between clenched teeth.
“Come with me,” he said. He held out his hand, wanting me to take it, but I turned on my heel and walked in the opposite direction—right into the woods. This man had the nerve. Yes, I was still angry from before. Yes, I wanted to hurl my fist right into his pretty face. Yes, I wanted him to tie me to his bed and finally give me what he has been denying me for the past week.
I entered the woods toward my house. I couldn’t wait until my birthday. When I find my mate. When I leave this pack. When I finally get what I deserve. A man who’d lift me up instead of put me down. A man who wasn’t so confusing like Roman was. One moment he was taking me to our spot and telling me stories of his mother, the next he was shoving his dick down my throat and telling me I wasn’t shit.
“Isabella, I’m not in the mood for these games you play. Come with me,” he said sternly.
I stepped over some branches, fingers gliding against the bark on the trees in the woods. He could stand there all night and try to convince me to go with him for all I cared.
“For fuck’s sake.” He growled and followed me, snapping branches and breaking through vines to keep up. “Why don’t you listen to me?” He snatched my wrist, his whole hand enveloping it, and stopped me. I tried pulling away, but he just pushed me against the nearest tree and pinned both of my wrists above my head. “Stop fucking fighting me.”
I growled. Stupid fucking alpha, always thinking he could just tell me what to do and what to think and… and… He was so close. The scent of mint and wet bark was driving my wolf wild. She was jumping inside of me, running around in circles, so fucking excited. He trailed his nose up the side of my neck and inhaled, his lips grazing against my soft spot.
“Let me go, Roman,” I said through clenched teeth.
“No,” he said breathlessly. “I’ve been stressed out all fucking day.”
