ROTTEN LOVE - Chapter 10: Chapter 10

The report on Zain Levine excluded the fact he had a sister. I was under the impression that he was an only child. His parents died tragically at the hands of vampire extremists. It's one of the reasons why Maddox chose to reach out to Zain out of all the alphas.
His pack is the biggest which is a great advantage. But without common ground, there would be nothing to build on, making Zain the perfect candidate.
I have no idea how we missed her. They look nothing alike. She has dirty blond hair, and brown eyes. Nothing compared to Zain's black hair and blue eyes—they do have the same arrogance.
"Come here," Zain orders me.
"No." He thinks he has the authority to command me in front of our people. He has learned nothing.
"You are injured. I will take you to get healed."
"I can handle it."
"You're a stubborn person. Then, come heal my sister." He examines her neck.
I cross my arms. "The burn is not severe. She will heal in an hour with her capabilities. No extra mending is necessary."
Jason yells out, "but I can do it if you like Zain."
I snap my head at him. Traitor. He pays me no attention.
Many people have seen my exchange with his sister. They won't trust us now. I have to find a way to salvage the situation. "Take the group back to the cabin. Update them on the situation."
Marisa crosses her arms.
"Make sure you feed. It will make you better." I chide.
Marisa replies, "I am fine."
Wish I could say the same thing. My back aches. "Do it anyway. The group goes where you two go. I'll come find you when I am done with the issue here."
"They can handle their own problems," she argues.
"I can't let Jason wonder by himself, especially when he seems a little distracted."
We eye my brother, and he pays us no attention. Maddox places his hands behind his back. "I'll come looking for you if you take too long."
I nod and make my way to Zain. Marisa and Maddox walk in the opposite direction. Zain and his sister eyes us as we approach.
When we get close, Zain reaches for my arm. I step back but he grabs a hold of me and spins me. My back faces his front.
He runs his hand up my arm until it floats in midair. He is not touching the claw marks. Yet, I feel his invisible gesture all around the wound. I toy with my pendant. The gesture stops, and he turns me over.
He looks at his sister. "Never again, Maddie."
His sister, Maddie, narrows her eyes. "I told you not to pick her. She was all over that bloodsucker where everyone could see her." She makes an obnoxious-smelling notion. "It's clear she is yours—somewhat. She should know her place."
A diplomatic answer is required. She makes me out to be a cheating wife. I did not ask to become one yet.
I take a deep breath. Pinch the bridge of my nose. "My arrangement with your brother is new and unexpected. I do not know your customs. But, in ours, men are not superior to women. I should have the right to make my own decisions and hang with whom I please. That includes friends who I have known the entirety of my life. If your alpha wants a submissive wife, he will not find that with me."
"We do not treat our women like that either." he reprimands.
She rolls her eyes. "You were intimate with that bloodsucker. That is why I responded. I won't have you disrespect my brother."
I grind my teeth. I'm tired of her name-calling, a habit Zain has too. "First, his name is Maddox, not bloodsucker. They consume blood to live because that is how they are built. They had no choice in their genetic makeup like you. Second, your brother is a big boy. If he has a problem, then he can find me to fix it. Lastly, had you waited and observed, instead of reacting, you would have known that I was getting things straight with Maddox."
Zain's eyes round.
"Maddox has been my friend my entire life. Things between us got blurred, so I was fixing it. I would have liked to resolve my situation with him in a more stable timeline, but I got rushed thanks to your brother's" — I point at Zain — "impulsive actions. You call my friends bloodsuckers, but it was your brother who couldn't keep his teeth to himself."
I look directly at Zain. "I was correcting things out of respect for you. Let's clear something up." I sigh loudly. "Despite my past with Maddox, you will deal with him. He is part of my inner circle. Boundaries will be made. Regardless, you keep your crew in check because we have every right not to be ganged on. If you look around at the members assembled" — I notion to his lingering pack — "it was a reasonable thing to assume."
"Disperse," he orders. They scatter away. "I will deal with them later."
Jason lifts a hand and hovers it over Maddie's burn. He brings his hand down slowly. At their contact, they flinch. An electrical charge appears to pass by them.
His reaction and hers were noteworthy. When his hand stops glowing, the healing is complete. He hesitantly lowers his hand.
I snap my fingers. "You think you can help. I am the one bleeding," I retort.
He gives me a look that tells me to screw off but there is also an apology in there. He pivots me and places his hand on the scratch. I wince. Nothing happens.
I peek at him and he motions to Zain. Right.
He needs someone to cipher. They do not know. When he touched Maddie, she probably thought it was part of the healing process.
Annoyed, I reach for Zain's hand. I don't ask. Jason instantly starts working. Zain is silent but he squeezes my hand.
"Done."
I instantly release Zain's hand. It feels cold with the absence of his warmth. "We will go back to our group."
Zain catches my wrist. He directs his sister. "Show Jason around. Ensure no one touches him."
"My brother does not leave me."
"I can handle myself." Jason scoots closer to Maddie.
I know he can. But can someone blame me for not trusting her? I give her a death stare.
"Calm down, witch. I have no beef with him. I had none with you either. I just... Zain is all I have left." She looks away.
Jason is all I have from my parents, from my happy family that once existed. I understand.
I don't say anything to her. I simply nod, and they go on their way.
I pull my wrist, but Zain slides his hand down to mine, intertwining our fingers. "We need to talk about today."
"I told you I am not apologizing to her. Maddie came for me first."
"I don't expect you to. I got a good idea of how things went down."
"Then, there's nothing to talk about."
He places the other hand on my waist. His touch is instant. Despite its stationary position, I feel it across my whole skin. "There's plenty to talk about. For starters, we should talk about our new status."
"Seems like you got everything in order and don't need my consent," I argue.
"It was not planned. Yesterday, it felt good, almost natural. By the time I allowed myself to do it, I thought we were on the same page. Felt the same thing but then I got left standing in my room alone."
"What can I say? I did not like your attitude or diction."
"That was only a response from finding out about your little session with Maddox."
I blow air out. "Well, it's done. Maddox and I are over. We never even where a thing."
He looks at me. "Does that make you sad?"
"It makes me mad. If I am not with Maddox, it's because of his choices or lack of. I will not dwell in the past."
He releases my hand to hold my waist firmer, slamming me into him. "If I thought you would be miserable, I wouldn't have bit you. Yesterday, you wanted it. You wanted me." His face nears mine.
I struggle to breathe. "It was part of the plan to make you mad."
"It might have started like that, but you lost yourself—for a time. You wanted me. You still do." His lips hover over mine.
If I take one step, they will join. I place my finger on his lips. "Nice try. It will take more than that to convince me to get rid of your abstinence spell." I peck my finger, the only barrier between our lips.
"I am touching you now."
"Because I am allowing it."
"Allow me to touch you further." His lips move to the outside of my ear. "I do not care about the dry spell. The only person I want to have my cock in is the good girl from last night." He nips the bottom of my ear.