“I’m sorry,” Chad says, his gaze flickering between us as confusion plays on his dull features. “Are you an employee? Because the first thing I’m doing as your new boss is firing you.”
“I’m Ember. Sunshine’s,hopefully in the very near future, mate.”
My heart skips a beat at how easily Ember speaks of our future, and Chad’s dramatic scoff ruins the swoony moment.
“You’ve been busy, Sonny. But then, you always knew how to get around, didn’t you?”
I want to point out that I’ve only been with three people. Just because I’m an omega doesn’t mean I’m a whore, but I refuse to play into his immature hand.
Ember’s growl is a low warning that Chad doesn’t pay attention to, instead stepping closer to me and bumping my chest. We’re both the same size and not very bulky, so it's kind of like two twigs blowing in the breeze, but I guess it could pass for intimidating if you squint hard enough.
“Does my bringing up your slutty past in front of your ‘mate’ piss you off?” Chad finger quotes the word mate like a fucking cartoon character from the early 2000’s.
I can feel Ember practically vibrating with barely concealed anger. A quick glance shows that he’s starting to glow. I’m not sure how much longer Chad will get away with being an asshole. Hopefully not too much longer.
“It doesn’t piss me off, but I find it funny that you never showed an interest in my life until I dated one of your friends. Maybe we should talk about the fact that you stalked those dates. I think you’re just fucking jealous. What? Were you tired of working on your ‘hand-eye coordination’?” I ask, finger quoting the last few words because no one ever said I was a mature adult.
“Stop being a little bitch and-“
His words are cut off abruptly, the air between us warping and thickening like heat rising off asphalt on a summer day. A pulse of something invisible and violent slams into Chad. He doesn’t have time to react as the force hits him square in the chest and sends him flying backward until he hits his SUV. Chad lets out a low oomph as the air leaves his body and he flops awkwardly to the ground.
Ember’s heavy, angry breathing is the only sound in the shock-filled silence. His chest heaves, and his eyes glow a bright orange.
I don’t think I’ve ever been this turned on. I wish I had a camera to record this moment. It’s definitely the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.
After a long, stunned moment, Chad peels himself up from the starfish shape he was making on the ground. He staggers, brushing gravel off his sleeves and straightening the collar of his ridiculous fucking denim shirt with as much dignity as he can muster.
“You’re going to regret that,” he snaps, trying to look intimidating as he points at Ember, but his finger shakes, and the whites of his eyes are showing.
Ember doesn’t step forward. He doesn’t raise his voice. He just glares at my brother like a bug squashed on the bottom of his shoe. “I’ll kill anyone who insults my mate,” Ember says calmly, his alpha voice rising to the surface.
Chad freezes immediately. As a beta, I know that an alpha bark doesn’t do anything to him, but Ember doesn’t need magic on his side. He’s telling the truth, and Chad can tell.
“The only reason you are currently still alive,” Ember states evenly, “is because killing you would likely upset Sunshine.” He tilts his head as if thinking it over. “Maybe. Probably. I haven’t asked him yet, but I’m sure there are fond brotherly feelings for you somewhere in his beautiful heart.” He glances sideways at me briefly, as if mentally adding it to his to-do list. “That feels like something we should discuss before I commit murder.”
I stare at him.
Chad stares at him.
A shutter on the house bangs in the rhythm of a laugh as if the house finds his little speech amusing.
Ember smiles calmly.
“You two are fucking insane,” Chad scoffs.
Through all of this, Chad’s finger is still raised and pointed at Ember. Still shaking. Still intimidating no one.
“If you continue pointing at me, I may remove that. I’m sure that won’t kill you, but it may put a dent in your sex life,” Ember says, and mimes a jerking off motion.
Chad’s hand lowers immediately as I bark out a loud laugh.
We all stand there for a while, the silence growing more awkward by the second as we wait for Chad’s next move.
But he just stands there like an idiot, his mouth opening and closing like a fish trying to breathe out of water.
“Maybe you should go, Chadwick,” I finally say when I can’t take it any longer.
He nods, his face blank as he turns and climbs into his vehicle. His car starts, and he begins to pull away, but stops abruptly and reverses back. The driver’s side window rolls down, and he glares at us from behind the safety of three tons of metal vehicle.
