Chapter 6: Puppet Master.
*Jane*
Melina snuck out of the kitchen leaving us three to deal with all
the awkwardness.
Xander’s face had turned a remarkable shade of red, but he said
nothing.
Our Mate doesn’t seem to like this, I heard my wolf growl. “Well
say somthing.” I prompted.
His eyes met mine, and I could see the tell tale signs of his wolf
rising. The golden flecks in his iris were more pronounced now,
mirroring the shade of red on his face. I flinched instinctively
when I heard the low rumble in his chest.
I knew that look very well. He was moments away from an
explosion.
Mia extended her hand as if to touch him, but quickly dropped it.
“He’s processing,” she offered, as if I didn’t know my own.
husband. “Jane, I’m sure you’ll make the right choice in the end.”
Her dismissive tone made my canines throb painfully against my
gum. My wolf desperately wanted to sink her fangs into Mia’s
Chapter 6: Puppet Master.
neck. But I fought to restrain myself. No matter what, I was still
the Luna of this Pack. I had to maintain composure at all times.
Xander finally spoke. “No.”
I turned. “What?”
“I said no.”
“I wasn’t asking permission, Xander. I was informing you, as a
courtesy.”
The chair screeched against the floor as he stood. His eyes were
fully red now, pupils transforming to slits. “Are you
contradicting me?” he roared. “Your Alpha?”
I looked down at his balled fists. My wolf could feel how angry he
was, could feel the rage directed at us. So much so that I almost
backed down, but I didn’t want to. Xander couldn’t eat his cake
and have it.!
He took a menacing step towards me. “Are you toying with me?
Bringing up this stupid topic to get a reaction out of me?”
It felt like he’d slapped me. “You think I’d make up a boyfriend
just to make you jealous?”
He laughed. “I know you, Jane. You always have a hidden
agenda. Every word, every fucking action… it’s all calculated. But
Chapter 6 Puppet Master
this? This is crossing the line. You’re not getting a boyfriend, and
that’s final.”
His fist crashed down on the table. The glasses of water jumped
and one toppled over. Water flowed down the wooden surface
and directly onto Mia’s silk robe.
“Oh my god!” she gasped dramatically.
It was like someone had flicked a switch in Xander’s head. His
demeanor instantly changed, he was by her side in a second. “I’m
so sorry, baby,” he murmured. He grabbed napkins and began
dabbing at the wet fabric.
I swallowed hard. Xander had no problem yelling at me, but now,
he was showing this bitch more tenderness than I’ve received in
years. My wolf whined, confused by the sight of our mate
attending to another.
Don’t cry. Don’t you dare cry.
“Forgive Xander for the outburst, Jane,” Mia cooed. She stroked
his face lovingly before turning to face
. “He gets so excited
over small things sometimes. But Jane…” she tilted her head, “we
all deserve happiness, don’t we?”
I stared at them, wondering exactly when I’d become the outsider in my own marriage.
Chapter 6: Puppet Master
Xander stretched to his full height and turned back to me. In a
softer voice, he said, “You already have me. Why would you need
to look elsewhere for happiness?”
“Xander,” Mia interjected. She placed a possessive hand on his
shoulder. “She has every right to…”
“No Mia,” Xander cut her off. His voice dropped to that bone–deep
Alpha rumble. “Stay out of this. Jane is my wife, what does she.
even know about him? He could be anyone… a rogue, a
kidnapper. I won’t allow just anyone to enter our lives.”
Before I could respond, Mia angrily rose to her feet. “I’m not
staying here to be spoken to like this. I’m packing my things and I‘
m leaving,” she snapped, spun on her heel and stalked toward the
stairs.
Once again, Xander’s expression completely changed. The Alpha
presence vanished as panic flashed across his face. “Mia, wait!” He
rushed after her. “Please don’t go.”
I watched the interaction. I knew Mia had no intention of
leaving. She was enjoying seeing me miserable a little too much.
She paused halfway up the stairs and looked down at him with
cold eyes. “You don’t value my opinion.”
Xander took her hand and brought it up to his chest. “What do
Chapter 6. Puppet Master.
you want? Tell me what you want me to do?”
I stood frozen, unable to process what I was seeing. My alpha, my
husband, begging a Beta to stay, hanging on every word. I’d never
seen such a look of terror on his face. I’d never even heard him
plead like this. Not even with me.
“Let Jane do this,” I heard Mia say. “You have me. She deserves
something too.”
Xander said nothing for a while, standing as still as a statue as he
considered Mia’s words. What I would give to hear his thoughts.
He turned, looked at me and back. The silence stretched so long, I
could hear the grandfather clock ticking in the hallway.
Finally, he sighed. “Fine. But…” his eyes met mine. “I want to see
him. Face to face.”
I blinked, caught off–guard. This wasn’t how I’d imagined this confrontation ending.
“I’m having lunch with a potential business partner tomorrow. Bring your… boyfriend.” It sounded like it physically pained him to say the word.
My throat tightened. I truly didn’t expect this. Where was the jealousy? The possessiveness? I wanted him to beg me, to show that he still cared, but apparently not.
Chapter 6: Puppet Master
“You have until tomorrow to prove me wrong.” His lips curved
into a smirk.
The smugness in his eyes told me everything I needed to know.
He believed I was bluffing. That I’d manufactured a phantom.
boyfriend to make him jealous. That I would show up alone
tomorrow, embarrassed and admit there was no one else. That I
would crawl back to him.
Anger bloomed in my chest. “Fine. We’ll be there.”
Xander stared at me, little surprised. “Jane, I hope you know
what you’re doing.” then he disappeared up the stairs with Mia. I
remained rooted in the kitchen watching as they moved. They
reemerged minutes later. Mia had changed into a yellow
sundress while my husband wore his signature black slacks and
dress shirt.
I moved to the window, watching as they crossed the driveway
to his car. Xander opened the passenger door for her in a
gentlemanly way. My wolf whined as Mia slid into the space that
had been mine. How things had changed.
Xander circled around to the driver’s side, then paused. He
turned his head toward the house, and then his eyes found mine.
Something flickered across his face, before he looked away and
slipped into the car.
Chapter & Puppet Master.
They eventually drove off, and I was all alone.
At night I woke to the sensation of fingers threading through my hair. The touch was gentle, and all too familiar. My wolf stirred
in recognition.
And then his scent hit me: whiskey and mint, although the smell
of alcohol was heavier. I blinked into the darkness, trying to
figure out what was going on.
“Janet,” a husky voice murmured in my ear, using the nickname
only one person had ever called me. I turned over, but I could
barely see through the darkness.
When my night vision finally sharpened enough to make out his
silhouette, I gasped. “Xander? What are you doing here?”
