Page 24 of Challenged Mate
“Yeah, right. Someone needs to tell her to stop acting like the queen of the pack. She hasn’t mated the alpha yet. She’s not better than any of us,” the female, Hannah, snarled.
Did people really think that?
I looked at the females behind Hannah. They wore equally displeased expressions. Had I somehow given the pack the impression I thought I was better than them? That wasn’t my intention at all.
But I wasn’t about to tell that to these females. They showed too much aggression. Nothing I said would alter their impression of me.
From my left, a new female stalled forward and called out, “Stop being a bitch, Hannah. Take your own advice and stop acting like the pack’s queen bee.”
Surprised by the support of a stranger, I turned to introduce myself, only to realize I recognized the female. She was the female guard from the airport.
“No one asked you, Jenifer,” Hannah spat out.
Jenifer stopped beside Kayla and smirked at the group of females. “I don’t care. I can smell a jealous bitch from a mile away, and it’s my civic duty to nip it in the bud. You can pine after the alpha all you want, but he wouldn’t mate you if you were the last female in the pack.”
It took all my self-control not to react to Jenifer’s cruel words. They seemed a little over the top, but Hannah’s response cured me of any compassion I felt on her behalf.
“Please. Like she’s any better than me.” Hannah gestured my direction with a derisive sneer. “Her own pack didn’t even want her. Why our alpha is taking their sloppy seconds is beyond me.”
Anger sliced through me, leaving several invisible wounds all over my insides, and my skin burned with humiliation.
I knew Hannah’s words weren’t true, but that didn’t matter when so much insecurity clouded my mind. Coupled with my anger and embarrassment, I became a tumultuous storm of emotion.
“I suggest you keep my name out of your mouth,” I warned.
The beautiful female raised a perfectly manicured brow. “Oh? Is that so? Do you hear that girls? The Summit reject is trying to tell me—”
Without thinking, I lifted my arm and slashed my hand in front of my body. A flash of golden light flew from my flesh, striking Hannah’s cheek.
I gasped.
The others around me did the same.
I watched, shocked, as Hannah lifted a hand to her cheek. Her fingers came away dripping with blood.
Her furious brown eyes drilled into me as she screamed, “Are you fucking crazy?”
Her friends, on the other hand, looked at me with fear. They took a step back, no longer willing to back their friend in this battle.
“You should see a healer before that scars, Hannah,” Jenifer said with fake concern. “You wouldn’t want to damage your looks. It’s the only reason any male in this pack would ever consider mating your magic-less ass.”
Hannah’s nostrils flared.
I stood unmoving, still processing what the heck had just happened, vaguely registering that I’d been right in my assessment about Hannah’s full-shifter status.
I glanced at Kayla. Her lips twitched with a smile. I could tell she was bursting at the seams, wanting to celebrate my use of magic, but she kept it together. No one else could know what an anomaly the strike had been.
Several tense seconds passed.
I braced myself for Hannah to retaliate, vowing that I would try not to use magic against her. I had no control over it, and I didn’t want to do anything to permanently harm Hannah—even if she was a bitch.
“Screw you,” Hannah finally barked at Jenifer. Then, she threw herself against my shoulder as she stomped past me.
I stumbled. Kayla helped steady me. My magic pressed against my skin, but I willed it not to react.
The females walked down the sidewalk. Hannah didn’t look back, but her friends shot uneasy glances over their shoulders until they turned the corner.
“Don’t worry about her,” Jenifer said, drawing my gaze. The brunette shook her head. “Hannah’s been a bitch since we were ten years old.”
