Alpha Jaxon POV
I'd managed to successfully avoid my mate for the day and was now seated at the dinner table, my stomach growling with hunger. I glanced towards the kitchen, impatient for the food to be served. I had been training for a fair portion of the day and I was starving. Callum chuckled "I can hear your stomach from here."
"What's taking so long" I scowled "Do I need to go in there and make them hurry up?"
I was about to stand up and do exactly that when I smelt her and stiffened. No. Hadn't Cody informed Sandra she wasn't to be in the same vicinity as me? Her scent was so delicate and reminded me of the ocean. Cody and Callum's eyes widened as she began to step through, balancing three plates carefully. I gritted my teeth, glaring at my Beta and Gamma, both whom looked concerned.
"I thought you told Sandra she wasn't to be near him" Callum hissed.
"I forgot to mention it" Cody snarled "and besides it doesn't make sense unless he wants it known who she is to everyone" he added as I stiffened.
He was right, in a sense, by informing Sandra he would be informing the whole pack who Riley was to me. But it wasn't making it easy to be in her presence. As she placed my plate in front of me, I got a huge whiff of her scent, causing my wolf to go berserk as I inhaled it. Her hair lightly stroked my face and my eyes widened at the feel of it.
Callum and Cody thanked her quietly for their meals and I could sense the pack members curiosity as they looked at her. I growled, causing her to jump and the other pack members to still. "You've seen an omega before, stop staring" I snapped.
Riley ducked her head, her cheeks flushing. It was adorable. My wolf wanted to reach out and touch her. She was so close it would have just taken me to reach out with one hand. She hesitated and glanced at me, silently communicating.
It killed me to wave a dismissive hand towards her "continue your duties."
The flash of disappointment in her eyes as she turned, caused my wolf to grow angry at me.
Why can't you just admit that you have feelings for our mate already and stop this nonsense?
I've told you that I won't be taking Riley as our mate. It's not on my agenda, so stop pushing it.
You are a fool and an idiot. What you are doing to her is only going to make her hate us. The mate bond is sacred and you are making it seem as though it means nothing! The moon goddess will punish you for such disrespect towards our mate!
The moon goddess will do nothing. I have the pack to worry about, my own feelings have to be pushed aside. I refuse to be made weak or vulnerable because of Riley.
You idiot, it's not weak to fall in love with your mate. You act as though she is useless when in fact, she might be the strength you need to keep this pack from descending into chaos or challenging your leadership.
That's not going to happen.
My wolf stopped speaking to me. I absent-mindedly began to eat my food, watching out of the corner of my eye as Riley continued to bring plates from the kitchen and put them in front of pack members along with the other omegas. She moved gracefully on her feet, almost like a dancer and despite my misgivings, I couldn't stop staring at her, even though it was making Callum and Cody uncomfortable.
"You might want to stop looking before the pack starts asking questions" Cody growled.
I ignored him, chewing mechanically, watching Riley's hair swish in her ponytail as she walked, the sway of her hips, the delicate arch of her spine as she bent over. It was mesmerizing.
So when another pack member, Henry, thought it would be amusing to reach out and touch her ass, I was more than a little angry. Riley jumped and turned around, her cheeks red, trying to remove his hands but my voice cut through the din, causing each pack member to look at me stunned.
"Get your hands off the omega before I break them."
Stunned silence. Henry glanced towards my furious face and quickly removed them, while Riley bowed her head, stepping back quickly.
"I was just playing," Henry said dismissively.
"Playing" I repeated, as my Beta and Gamma shot uneasy glances at each other and Riley looked on the verge of tears "since when have I ever given the impression that the omegas were fair game to the pack members?"
More silence from the pack members at the table. I had never granted permission for the pack members to openly touch or grope the omegas and they knew it. Henry had gotten excited at seeing a new one and made the assumption I would not object. He was wrong. I stared at him stony-faced.
"I should not have put my hands on her," Henry said without remorse "but she's only an omega so who cares? It's not like she complained" he added smirking.
I slammed my fist on the table, causing several pack members to jump in their seats, some even pushing theirs back.
"For starters," I said icily as Riley glanced at me uncertainly, not sure whether to remain where she was or leave "she didn't complain because she's mute" I snarled "so that justification is weak."
Henry looked flabbergasted as he shot a glance over his shoulder at a trembling Riley. "I didn't know," he said fearfully "it was a mistake" he added, looking to the other pack members for sympathy.
No one met his eyes. I gave a grim smile. "Your hands just put their hands on her ass by mistake?" I asked callously.
Henry's eyes darted towards the other pack members who resolutely looked in the opposite direction. He would get no help from that quarter. "I mean, I made a bad judgment call," he said weakly "it won't happen again Alpha Jaxon."
I wasn't done. I got up, so abruptly my chair tipped over, causing gasps from the table. I strode straight towards Henry and grabbed him by the collar, hauling him to his feet, and forcing him to turn towards Riley whose eyes had widened.
"Apologize," I said between gritted teeth.
Henry's eyes widened in shock. "You want me to apologize to her," he said in disbelief.
My hand tightened and he made a strangled sound. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" he choked out, as Riley gave a timid nod.
I still wasn't satisfied. I glanced at Riley who was still trembling and fearful, not sure if it was from Henry's actions or my own. I turned to Henry and then abruptly smacked his head onto the table, breaking his nose, blood spurting everywhere as he gave a loud howl. I let go of him and he immediately clutched at his nose. I regarded him coldly "anybody lays a hand on an omega from now on, the punishment will be dire. Henry has gotten off lightly today" I sneered as the table went slack-jawed "I trust I will not have to remind you of this rule?" I added, straightening my shoulders.
Everybody at the table slowly shook their heads. I fought to gather my composure again. Damnit. I might as well have hung a sign up stating Riley meant something to me. I breathed heavily and then forced myself to slowly walk back to the table. One of the other omegas had picked my chair back up for me and I sat back down, picking up my fork and meeting everybody's eyes. I deliberately put a forkful of food back in my mouth and began to chew, the table beginning to mimick my movements. Henry quietly got up from his seat and left the room, no doubt heading towards the hospital to get his nose looked at.
I looked at Riley. "You may go about your duties" I told her stiffly.
She slowly nodded and headed back towards the kitchen. Callum and Cody stared at me.
"Jaxon, you have never acted this way on behalf of an omega" Callum warned "the pack is bound to be suspicious now."
"They shouldn't be treating the omegas like that in my presence" I growled "perhaps this will serve as a lesson to them all."
"Or they'll wonder what caused you to be so angry on behalf of a mute omega" Cody sighed.
"Shut it" I growled, stabbing into my steak viciously "I don't want to hear anymore. As it is, I want a close eye kept on Henry. He's laid his hands on her once, he does it again, he loses both of them" I said frostily, glaring at my Beta who looked taken aback "the same goes for anybody else."
Callum and Cody sighed but said nothing more as I quietly finished my dinner.