“Okay,” I said. “I guess we’re done here for now. Anyone hears, sees, or finds out anything, let me know as soon as you do.”
Sebastian hung around when everyone had left. I thought he knew I needed some company. I used to enjoy my alone time, but since mating with Maddy, I’d become uncomfortable being by myself. It was almost like my pack instinct was heightened. Clearly, Sebastian also didn’t want to be alone. I wasn’t sure if it was because he felt bad about Abi or if he was simply lonely. That had never been something I’d considered. Sebastian was always so outgoing and fun-loving, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have issues. If we did get Abi back, I wondered what might happen between the two of them.
I was making breakfast burritos when Maddy came down the stairs. She wiped at her eyes, smiling when she saw Sebastian. The problem was, I knew it was not a true smile. I could see it. She was trying, but it didn’t look genuine. There was still some anger toward him lurking under the surface.
Apparently, Sebastian could sense it too, because he headed to the front door. “Hey, guys, I need to get going. See you later.”
He strode out the door, and Maddy came into the kitchen to brew herself a cup of coffee. I really wanted to build that bridge between them. Having one of my best friends and the woman I loved at odds with each other was exhausting. Somethingneeded to be said. I finished wrapping the burritos and plated them, then slid one over to Maddy.
We ate in silence for a few minutes before I decided to broach the subject. “So, you and Sebastian?”
Maddy swallowed and glanced warily at me. “What about us?”
I sighed and put my food down. “It seems like things are… I don’t know… strained between you two.”
Maddy shrugged. “It is what it is.”
“Well, that’s a little vague. What do you mean?”
Maddy huffed out an irritated breath. “Look, he screwed my friend and left her out to dry. I understand two grown adults can get horny and want a little release, I’m not a prude, but he just straight-up ghosted her. That’s pretty shitty. I figured it was not a massive deal, not cool, but whatever. After Abi got kidnapped? I don’t know. I guess I’m more than irritated. Like, maybe if he hadn’t done it, she wouldn’t have gotten taken.”
I forced myself not to roll my eyes, instead clearing my throat and angling my body toward hers. “You know that’s not accurate. We don’t even know where she got snatched. It could have been in the parking lot of a grocery store or something. Are you saying that if Sebastian had pursued her, she’d be safe now?” It was the same silly line of thinking I believed was plaguing Sebastian, and I didn’t want Maddy going down the same rabbit hole.
Anger flashed in Maddy’s eyes. “Maybe. How the hell do you know she wouldn’t?”
I held my hands up to keep the peace. “Hey, whoa, hold on. There’s no reason to get angry. I’m trying to figure this out and smooth things over between you two.”
Maddy stood, dumped the rest of her food in the trash, and tossed the plate into the sink. I winced, thinking the plate would shatter. Instead, it bounced around loudly in the basin. Shewhirled on me—her face a mask of fury. “Did anyone ask you to do that? Smooth things over?”
There was a challenge in the air. Like she was pushing me, trying to assert her dominance. My wolf did not like that. I walked over to her, doing my best to exude every bit of my alpha energy. “Maddy, you need to calm down.”
Her eyes flashed. “I am fucking calm. You need to not talk about things you don’t understand.”
“I do understand. Sebastian fucked up. He feels like shit, and he doesn’t need you or anyone else making him feel worse about it.”
Maddy was enraged, her wolf exerting her influence. Was this what it would be like to have two alphas in the same house—both of us fighting the other for supremacy? I couldn’t even contemplate it. I was too busy trying to restrain my own wolf; he was desperate for Maddy to back down, desperate to assert his own authority.
“I’ll make him feel like shit if I want to,” Maddy snarled. “It’s my prerogative. You don’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do.”
Things were starting to slide off course, and I felt the undercurrent of something else—something familiar but strange. I’d never had this feeling when I was angry before. My brain was scrambled, and I was horny as hell. This argument was stirring something deep inside me, almost like my wolf had wanted this fight. My cock throbbed inside my pants.
“Maddy, I’m telling you, stop. Okay? We… we need to think about this.”
She pressed herself against me, her breasts pushing against my chest. “Why? Maybe it’s best if we get it all out now.”
I couldn’t concentrate. I was so angry, but also… I didn’t know. I felt dizzy. “Maddy, I’m the alpha. I’m in charge. I’m telling you, fighting about this isn’t the way to go about it.”
Maddy leaned forward even closer. I could see the anger in her eyes, flashing like lightning. But there was hunger there too—a hunger similar to mine. She bared her teeth at me, and a growl erupted from her throat. “Are you gonna fuck me or not?”
There was a moment of silence as her question hung in the air. Our eyes locked on each other, our angry, heaving breaths the only sound in the room. My rage suddenly morphed into something else. I pressed my lips to hers, kissing her hard, harder than I’d ever kissed anyone before. She returned the kiss almost violently, her fingers gripping my hair. She was already grinding her hips against me, rubbing herself on my stiff cock, straining my pants. We were both growling, the anger and lust mixing into an intoxicating madness.
I slid my fingers up her body to the neck of my old T-shirt she was wearing. I yanked at the fabric, tearing the shirt in two. Her nipples were already hard, and Maddy gasped when I pinched them. Our lips still were crushed against each other’s, our tongues waging a war. She slid her hand down and tugged at my zipper, sliding it open and digging into my pants with fervor. It was like we were still fighting, but I’d never had a fight that felt this good.
My cock swung free, and a groan rumbled up from my chest as she stroked me. I thrust my hips in time with her hand. Maddy pulled her lips away and slid her cheek along mine until her lips were tickling my ear. “I said, are you gonna fuck me or not?”
My vision became hyper-focused, a singular mission now before me. I would do as I was asked. I pulled away from her and spun her toward the kitchen island, then tugged her pajama shorts down and pushed her over so she was face down on the counter. I spread her ass apart with my hands and slid my tongue into her.
“Oh, fuck.” Maddy groaned, and I worked my tongue deeper into her, rubbing her clit with my thumb as I did.
