The Alpha's Omega Mate-Chapter 175: Once upon a bad day.

~Zarek’s POV~

Morning came by pretty quickly, and by the time the first cock crowed, I was already at the training ground, punching at everything my hands could touch, slamming and breaking into anything that accidentally crossed my path.

I spent a solid thirty minutes throwing punches at a particular black leather bag, and by the time I finally came up for air, it was beyond broken, it was battered. And my fists were nothing but a bloody mess wrapped in leather clothes.

"I would’ve asked to spar with you but I suspect that you’re in a bad mood. That and the fact that you’re usually stronger than I am." Someone said from behind me, momentarily snapping me out of my reverie.

I didn’t even need to turn around to know that it was Orion, I snickered; "You could try... I’m in the mood."

That made Orion chuckle nervously, he rounded me slowly to come stand in front of me, his eyes piercing and accessing. He drawled; "I stumbled into Doctor Ava on my way back last night..."

But already knowing where this conversation was headed, and knowing that I didn’t want to listen to him berate me for doing something that was none of his concern, I spat; "What she came to do here is none of your business."

"Why?" He asked, ignoring my blatant dismissal, and further ignoring the growl that escaped my throat seconds after. "Why are you still looking for Dahlia?"

"And why are you still concerned about my relationship with her? Isn’t Elodie enough for you anymore?"

As expected, Orion flinched like he’d been physically struck, his eyes darkening for a moment before he glanced away and sighed, shaking his head. "That’s not what I asked and you know it!"

When Elodie returned to us like a thief in the night, I was glad. I was happy that now she was safe, healthy... and out of her two-year long coma that caused the rift between Kai and I. But above that, I was happy because her presence should be enough to distract Orion from Dahlia.

Hell, I had even hoped that he would no longer bother about her.

—but obviously, I was wrong.

The mule folded his muscular arms over his chest whilst glaring up at me as if expecting me to speak. I wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction.

I smirked; "What is the matter? You’re struggling to choose which of them you want?"

My words struck a nerve and I knew because he reeled back in shock, his eyes thinning into slits, his nostrils flaring; But he knew better than to fight with me— and worse, when I was in such a bad mood.

The corners of his lips turned downwards as he glared at me, his stare intense, almost burning through my skin like laser beams. "I love Dahlia," he drawled, slowly, stubbornly.

And bloody Hades, I immediately saw red.

"I love her so much that it feels unhealthy... but I also know when to back off. And now, I’ve backed off."

"Why are you telling me that?" I growled, my vision still sizzling from the white hot rage searing through my bones.

I always knew that Orion liked Dahlia. Hell, many times I’ve overheard him asking her to marry him. But somehow, for some reason, I never tried to think that he loved her. I never wanted to believe that he could love her.

But now, hearing him say it out loud, loud enough for me to hear, made me feel things I didn’t want to. It made me want to break things that I probably even shouldn’t.

I squeezed my eyes shut and took in a deep breath, my heart pounding against my ears as I took a few steps further away from him— not to protect myself, but to protect him.

I seethed; "I don’t care."

I saw Orion open his mouth, saw the look of frustration and confusion and annoyance... and something else crossed his face before he sighted, rubbing his face with his hands.

He sighed. "I know I messed up trying to win her over from you."

"And you would’ve never stopped if Elodie never returned!" I growled, watching the way he flinched before he snapped his lips shut.

I was right. I could see it in his eyes.

I could feel it in the way his shoulders tensed up, and the way his lips pressed into a thin line. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

He wouldn’t have left her. He ever would’ve if Elodie never stumbled her way back to us... if she hadn’t just miraculously come back from the land of the dead.

I turned away from him and began to stomp away from the tree holding my punching bag, and from the training ground altogether. It was just early in the morning but I already knew that my day was ruined, especially with everything that happened last night and now.

I had not made it into the house when Orion suddenly crossed my path so fast that I nearly stumbled into him. He was panting, his face flushed and his breath coming in short gasps— meaning he had run.

And I hadn’t noticed.

I was so lost... so deep in my thoughts.

A frown etched its way onto my face as I regarded him slowly, my wolf snarling within the confines of my body at his disturbance. "What is it now?" I snarled, my rage seeping into my voice. "Now, are you just trying to gloat at me?"

"Fucks no!" He cried exasperatedly, "I am not! I’m just looking out for you... I am just worried that you’re beginning to take this thing a little too far!"

My ears stung when his words settled in my head. ’I am just looking out for you?’ Since when?

A chortled laughter escaped my lips before I could stop myself and I threw my head back, laughing when his meaningless words echoed on my head over and over again.

My voice was deep. Cutting. When I spoke up again, I seethed; "You’re just looking out for me?"

"Yes," Orion cried indignantly. "You’re my Alpha, remember? And despite everything that’s happened in the past month, I am still your Beta!"

The more the words slipped past his lips, the more irritated I became. I shoved him. Hard. My voice dripping with sarcasm; "Last I checked, you wanted to be Alpha. You wanted to wed my mate and you somehow also managed to promise marriage to Jennifer..."

Orion froze, his shoulders sagging.

"Now, come to think of it. Does she know that Elodie, the mother of your child, is back? Or are you planning to leave her in the dark as well? The same way you did to me?"

I saw him gulp. Saw the way he avoided my eyes like the plague.

I turned away from him one more time but before I could walk away, he called out, his voice pleading. "So you’d hang those things over my head forever?"

"I don’t know," I whispered truthfully, "just stay away from me right now."

I made to walk away but this time, he grabbed my arm, his movements frantic. His eyes were desperate. "Just stop looking for Dahlia. I don’t know why but I think she doesn’t want to be found."

In an instant, whatever pity I felt for him earlier dissipated, and in its place was irritation... and rage. A blinding hot rage. I seethed;

"Let go."

"I know you do not want to listen to me right now. Hell, I don’t even want to listen to myself too but as your Beta, I have every right to advise you. I have every right to tell you that—"

"Don’t tempt me Orion, I decided to let you retain your position and left you in this pack despite your betrayal because at some point in my life, you were more than family to me..."

"Zarek..."

"We both know what I can do, especially to that fancy title of yours. Don’t push me." I seethed, and with that, I stormed away from him.

Thankfully, this time, when I walked away, he simply let me be. He didn’t call me back, didn’t run after me, and I loved it that way.

I was still fuming by the time I finally arrived at my chambers and as soon as I pushed the door open, my rage intensified. My wolf, already agitated, snarled angrily.

Because before me was Jennifer, clad in a flimsy cloth that made her appear no better than a person who was stark naked.

Her face was all made up, her hair done, and her skin glistened with scenting oils that would’ve turned the best of men on without a moment’s hesitation.

But I was no man.

Right now, I was a raging monster.

I stormed into the room, grabbed her by her upper arm and dragged her out of my room like a thief, all the while s deaf ear to her screams and cries of pain.

"Zarek, you’re hurting me!" She shrieked, her voice grating on my already thin nerves.

"If I didn’t know you before now, I’d have thought you were an eunuch! What the Hell is wrong with you?! Do you know how many men are lining up to have me?’ Do you know how many men I’ve turned down because of you?!"

That caught my attention. I briefly turned to her and flashed her a smile. "Do me a favor," I said softly— too softly.

Her eyebrows shot up. "What do you want?"

"Go be with one of them!" I spat, almost smirking when she gasped in disbelief.

I didn’t wait for her to say anything else. Didn’t wait to listen to more of her nonsense. I simply pushed her out the door and slammed it shut in her face, finally sighing in relief when she was out of sight.

Oh goddess!