You know what they say when you're doing something you know would have terrible results but you do it anyway? As I stared down at Wendell, feeling Tate's annoyance behind my back like a warm storm I didn't want to face anytime soon, I knew I had made things worse. Without the guy even doing something which could have justified my blowing up at him, besides my gut telling me I didn't feel comfortable with his attention.
It wasn't a good turn of events. Definitely far from it, but I knew if I could rewind time and have the option to do it all over again, I wouldn't have done anything else other than what I just did. Because I didn't feel comfortable. And that was it, I realized. That was all the reason I needed because I knew deep in my gut there was something wrong.
What Wendell did wasn't merely stare at an unknown person who entered the room. No, there was something in his eyes, some sort of interest that sent a screeching, high-pitched alarm all over my body and made me instantly dislike him, be wary of him.
At this point, it didn't matter we were supposed to follow werewolf protocols, that I promised Tate I wouldn't show I was dominant or even how dominant I really was; no, nothing else mattered than making sure this guy knew he made a mistake to ensure he wouldn't do it again to anyone else.
Because it wasn't a matter of looking at someone wrong, staring at someone for too long, or the fact there was still a sea of never-ending anger coursing through my veins. No. What mattered was the intention behind the glint in his eyes and from what I saw and felt deep in my guts that he wanted to do something I knew I wouldn't like.
It wasn't sexual, but I knew once he acted to whatever thoughts were running through his head, I would not like what he would do. The same thing he would feel if he had done anything to me—he wouldn't like what I would have done to him.
So I didn't regret anything at all as I crossed my arms and twitched an eyebrow, daring him to say whatever he was thinking. "You got something to say to me?" I asked when seconds passed and not one word came out of his mouth.
He hadn't even greeted Tate, something he should have done first off when we came in. I may not know every rule in this society, but I know enforcers weren't usually more dominant than wolves who were next-in-line to be the Alpha, like Tate was. There may be cases where it wasn't true, but the power which surrounded Wendell paled in comparison to Tate's, so he didn't have a good excuse to be this dismissive of him.
The skin around Wendell's eyes tightened a little but he still didn't say anything. Instead, he went about a whole other way as he ignored me and turned to Tate. "A little late for propriety's sake, aren't we?"
A wave of warm rage roared inside me at the backhanded insult he had done. The nerve of this guy!
My power had roiled out of control unveiling itself fully to wrap itself comfortably around me as soon as I snapped in annoyance at Wendell. As soon I did, he should have immediately felt I was more dominant than him and he should have shown respect or at the very least, acknowledgment of the fact.
It was common sense, something utterly natural and instinctual in wolves that I doubted he just didn't know it. Had we truly been beasts without a hint of logic and reason, this kind of act alone would have cost him his life as I felt the need in my blood to put him in his place, no matter what.
Well if he was going to do this, then werewolf rules be damned, I thought. Making sure the scorching, primordial fury I had felt before hadn't surfaced, I stepped closer towards him, blocking his view of Tate.
"I don't appreciate being ignored so if you have something to say to me, say it now or I will rip the words right out of your throat."
I heard Tate's sharp intake of breath behind me but I was past the point of caring. This guy had been making mistake after another mistake and this was one too many today to be called a coincidence. He had gone so far over the line I was sure he didn't think he was in the wrong nor did he think he was weaker than me.
