He’s not an angry person, but right now, Tae looks like he wants to knock me out. I clench my fists as my forearms shake.Bring it on, Tae.A fight would be a great way to expel some of this energy.
“That’s it.” Nash steps between us. “Enough of this territorial bullshit! I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Jagger, but you know better than to lay claim on an omega. They’re not fucking property.”
“She could be if I bite her,” I sneer.
The words come out of my mouth before I can stop them. What the hell has gotten into me? My stomach churns, sickened by myself. Seeing Delilah and Tae has tapped into an untamed, animalistic part of me that I can’t control. Plus, scenting her for the first time in a year has made it impossible to think straight.
Now it’s Nash’s fists that clench. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“Shit, I didn’t mean to say that.” I rake my hands through my messy hair, pulling at it. “Fuck, fuck… FUCK!”
“Jagger?” Tae watches me closely. Although he was seething moments before, his expression seems to have switched to that of concern. “What is it?”
“It’s…” I pace like a wild animal is clawing underneath my skin, desperate to get out. “She was never just a hookup to me, okay?” The words explode from my mouth. “With Del, it was… different.”
“What do you mean by different?” Tae leans back against the wall, head inclined. “What exactly happened between the two of you?”
I let out a roar as I sweep everything off the kitchen counter top in one swift swipe of my arm. There are only a few bags of chips remaining, momentarily hovering at the edge before falling to the ground with a resoundingly pathetic plop. It does nothing to relieve the frustration bubbling within me that’s making me want to tear apart this whole damn house.
Nash pinches the bridge of his nose. “We’re lucky there weren’t any dishes on there.”
My breaths are shooting in and out of my lungs as I spin to punch the wall instead. My knuckles smash into the dry wall, creating a massive crack.
“Dude, you’re scaring me.” Tae catches my arm to stop me from doing it again. “You need to chill out.”
“I can smell her.” Struggling to obtain enough oxygen, I narrow my eyes at him. “Her scent is all over you.”
“Back up, Tae,” Nash orders. “Go grab a shower. Her smell on you is pretty…” He moistens his lips. “Intense.”
Tae pauses then nods. “Fine, but then we need to talk, okay? As a pack. I need to know your history with Delilah.”
Without replying, Tae leaves the room, taking the scent of my omega away with him. The air instantly feels thinner, making it easier to get a handle on myself.
I hang my head over the sink, splashing my face with icy water. My nose stings from the chilly sensation, but it helps clear my mind. Shame surges through me like wild fire. I can’t believe how close I came to almost hurting my packmate.
Nash doesn’t say anything, retreating to the living room where he slurps his beer and watches a basketball game even though he doesn’t follow sports. His gaze flicks to me every so often, but I don’t ask why, needing silence.
When Tae returns ten minutes later, he’s dressed in track pants and a tee, smelling decidedly of his usual self. He looks nervously in my direction, as if he’s afraid that I’m going to launch myself at him any second.
“You good, Jag?” Nash asks.
I go grab a beer before joining them in the living room, nodding shakily while sinking into the armchair opposite him. I shift my ass from side to side. Nash was right about the furniture being uncomfortable. I’ll buy us something extra nice tomorrow. It’s the least I can do to make amends for my behavior.
“Yeah, I’m good.” I clear my throat before continuing. “I’m sorry for… damaging the wall.”
Nash shrugs. “Nothing some spackle can’t fix.”
“And?” Tae clicks his tongue. “Anything else you wanna apologize for?”
“I…” I look down at my grazed knuckles. “Tae… I… shouldn’t have… I’m sorry for ruining your date. With Delilah… I…”
He takes a seat next to Nash. “Are you ready to talk about what happened between the two of you?”
I take a drink. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
The two of them watch me and wait, letting the silence stretch on.
“I met Delilah last year.” I decide to start from the beginning. “Pack Fireplayed a show at SVU, and we ran into each other after.”
