Tainted Romance

by Simone Elise

I had spent the whole ride here getting on to him, how he needed to get back together with her so why didn’t he just tell me he had invited her? I would have stopped nagging him about him taking her back if I knew.

  Because her being here, meant there was a chance they would get back together which I had to encourage because I wasn’t leaving my friend at the end of the year by himself.

  “What do you want?” I snapped. She could hear me over the music so I didn’t need to yell, even though I would like to as she was sleeping with my mate.

  It was because of her I was having nightmare after nightmare of being alone.

  Facing the unknown by yourself was scary, and it was scaring me knowing at the end of the year I was moving countries and starting a whole new life on my own.

  “I came to talk to you,” she snapped back about as friendly as a fight dog.

  “I think you have the wrong person, Ebony. The person you want to speak to is Blake. Are you drunk or something?”

  “WHY do people keep asking me that?! I’m not drunk! Or lost! I want to speak with you.”

  “Well, that’s nice, but I don’t want to fucking speak to you. Now, fuck off.” I ripped my arm from her grasp.

  She could die a slow painful death as far as I was concerned. It would be nothing compared to what she had put me through.

  The memory of her in Zane’s room, in her underwear, flashed in my mind and him walking out of the bathroom with just a towel around him. Fuck it. I had trusted him.

  I really was an idiot.

  But my idiot days were behind me. I saw people for what they were, and Ebony was a slut. One that liked to sleep with my mate.

  I might be encouraging Blake to get back together with her, but that was only because I didn’t want my friend by himself.

  “Zane and I, we never slept together,” she yelled, trying to get my attention. “Not once have we slept together since he marked you.”

  I scoffed, “Sure. Whatever you say, Ebony.”

  “I’m not lying! Well, I was, but not about it now. We haven’t had sex. Zane doesn’t want me, and I don’t want him. All I want is Blake.”

  “Well, go find Blake. I think he went to the toilet. Go check there.” I waved her off, not believing a word she was saying.

  Then suddenly, Blake appeared behind her looking more furious than usual. He was glaring at her.

  “Didn’t I tell you to stay the fuck away from Allie!” he roared at her.

  I watched her cringe. I knew what it felt like when Zane roared at me when he thought I had purposely blocked him out, when really my wolf was dying. Yeah, I knew what it felt like to have your mate yell at you so I wanted to yell at myself for doing it, but I was going to stick up for her.

  “It’s fine, Blake. She was just looking for you anyway,” I said and reached into the ice bucket and pulled out another beer. “I think I need something stronger than beer,” I said to myself.

  “See what you’ve done! You’ve got her wanting the hard stuff!” Blake roared at Ebony.

  Well, he was right. I did want something harder because Ebony had just reminded me of her and Zane. Even if she was saying her and him didn’t happen, I didn’t believe it.

  I read his mind earlier this week when she said they slept together on the weekend. He honestly couldn’t remember, but his memory had pointed towards a firm yes.

  Yeah, it still made me feel sick.

  And he had been the one to say I would be in his bed one day and Blake’s the next. Yeah, that really happened. It was the other way around. Me in his bed one night. Ebony the next.

  “Zane and I have not had sex!” Ebony yelled between Blake and me. “I lied, ok. I lied because Blake was hurting me, and I wanted to hurt him back, and the only way to do that was to hurt you. So, I lied.”

  I looked at her shocked. Was she actually serious right now? I looked at Blake, frowning. Was that believable? I didn’t know when she was lying or not. Blake could tell, couldn’t he?

  I arched my eyebrows at him, for him to either confirm her story or destroy it.

  “Doesn’t matter anymore anyway,” Blake snapped. “Just piss off, Ebony, and I know your dickheads of friends will be near, so take them with you.”

  Wait a sec. “Zane is here?” No, surely not. This whole weekend was to get away from him. I had suffered through school being near him. Feeling him in my mind. I had suffered through that, but this weekend I had left to get away from him.

  Ebony nodded her head. “He is, and he wants to see you, but only after you believe me when I say I was lying.”

  I narrowed my eyes at her. “How do I not know you aren’t lying now because, the situation was reversed, I would lie for Blake?”

  She looked at me with dislike. “Do you honestly believe I would try and make you feel better if it wasn’t the truth? You know I hate you. You are basically stealing my mate from me so why would I stand here and say something which is only going to make you feel better?”

  She had a point.

  “Fuck off, Ebony.” Blake pushed her away. “Now.”

  “I’m not leaving until I’ve got you back,” she said, determined. “You hear me, Blake. When you are back with me, that’s when I leave.”

  “Well, it sounds like you are in for a long and boring weekend. Enjoy the festival.” Blake gripped my arm and started dragging me away.

  “HEY, I WAS LISTENING TO THAT SET!” I yelled, being pulled away from Ebony and the festival I was enjoying. We still had hours of music to go.

  “I’m tired,” Blake snapped at me and dragged me back to our campsite.

  Just because his mate had shown up and ruined his night, didn’t mean she had to ruin mine. Still being his friend. I didn’t protest when he pushed me inside and closed the door. It was when he went to lock it, I laughed.

  “What? Scared she will break in or something?” I said laughing.

  He looked at me seriously. “I wouldn’t put it past her.”

  “Aww, Blake, you are funny,” I sighed, and went to the fridge pulling out the vodka and orange juice. “Ok, we need to talk then seeing as you have dragged me from my music.” I closed the fridge door.

  “Don’t start, Allie.”

  I smiled at him. “I told you on the way here you and her are meant to be and now what do you know, she shows up here, begging for you to take her back.”

  “How did you know she begged?”

  I laughed at his expression. “It was a figure of speech, but if she really did it, it just adds to my point.”

  “I don’t want her.”

  “So, your heart doesn’t beat faster when you are around her. Your mind doesn’t race with all the ways you could get her undressed and the pain you feel when you go to sleep at night without her. That doesn’t happen either, right?”

  He looked at me with wide eyes. I was guessing I was hitting all the nails on the head.

  “Yeah, Blake. It doesn’t get better without them, only worse. Your mate – the one you promised you would spend the rest of your life with when you pierced her skin with your teeth needs you. You can’t fight that.”

  I swallowed my vodka and orange juice.

  “I can try,” he grumbled, running a hand through his hair. “When I’m with you I don’t need her as much. The pull for her isn’t as strong.”

  “But you do realize I’m a band-aid right?” I looked at him, waiting for him to realize. “Just go find her and talk to her.”

  “No.”

  “Fine, answer this simple question.” I put my drink down. “Do you love her? The need to always put her first, is that there? To always want to please her?”

  He remained quiet.

  I knew the answer.

  “I know she hurt you but… and I don’t say this because I like her, I say this because I honestly think she loves you back and it was my fault she went to another man’s arms.”

  My mate's arms, but I didn’t say that.
>
  “What do I say to her?” he groaned. “How the hell do I just take her back?”

  “Simple. Just talk. I think what comes from that will be natural. You won’t have to force it.” I smiled at my friend. “Go on, what are you waiting for?”

  His hand was on the door. “I’m not turning my back on you. Bringing you here and ditching you. I’m not doing that.”

  “You make that sound like it’s possible.” I grinned and pushed him on the shoulder. “Just go see your mate, alright. I’ll be fine. I have vodka and an endless supply of food.”

  He smiled and nodded his head. “You’ve always been a better friend than me.”

  “Trust me, you’re a great friend.”

  “Thanks.” He unlocked the door and then turned back to look at me. “She wasn’t lying earlier about her and Zane. She was telling the truth.”

  My smile dropped. So, she had been telling the truth. I knew he would know if she had been or not. Surely, he should have picked up on her lying about it to begin with, instead of having to wait for her to be honest.

  “I didn’t pick up on her lying because I wanted to believe it, but hearing her tonight, she was honest, Allie. Her and Zane haven’t had sex since he marked you.”

  Should that make a difference? I smiled grimly. “Guess it doesn’t matter anymore anyway.”

  “Well, you want me to go back to her when she has been unfaithful, so why won’t you go back to him, when he hasn’t?” Blake made a good point.

  “My relationship with Zane is a bit more complicated. You know I don’t trust people. I trusted him, and he broke it.”

  “Well, when you think about it, he hasn’t really. Ebony lied.” Blake sighed. “She’s a fucking bitch at times.”

  “Yeah, you really hit the jackpot.” I smiled at his bad luck and nodded my head. “Get out of here, Falcon, before she does track us down and I end up killing her. Then you won’t have to worry about not having a mate or not.”

  “Yeah righto, Winters, I’m going.” He opened the door and left.

  Leaving me by myself with a bottle of vodka. Maybe I should stop mixing the orange juice. I think I could have it by itself now because I needed it as strong as I could get it. Hopefully, I will pass out from alcohol poisoning.

  Chapter Sixty-eight

  ZANE

  “Come to the festival, Taylor. It will be fun, Taylor,” Taylor mimicked what Ebony had obviously said to him because I sure as fuck hadn’t said he will have fun. Taylor groaned and threw the pieces of the tent down. “Fuck it, we are sleeping outside because I don’t know how to put that shit together.”

  “God, give it to me,” Ebony snapped. She had come back in a foul mood. She said she had spoken to Allie, but her ‘plan’ wasn’t on track when it came to Blake.

  Ebony was picking up the pieces when she froze. “Oh shit,” she muttered.

  “What?” I looked at her, as she got up looking panicked.

  “He is coming.” Ebony started shaking. “Oh my God. Oh my God.”

  “Ebony, calm down.” I put a hand on her shoulder.

  “No, you don’t understand. He is probably coming to yell at me. I wasn’t, um, very nice to Allie. I may have been a bit aggressive.”

  “Well, looks like you are about to find out.” I spotted Blake heading towards us.

  She started cursing and nervously rocking from foot to foot. “Oh God, I don’t think I can go another round with him.”

  “The Ebony I know can face down any man,” Taylor pointed out.

  “Every man but him,” she said quickly just as he stepped into hearing distance. “How did he even find me in this sea of people.”

  Taylor scoffed, “You mean in the sea of fucking tents. All of which are put up apart from our two.”

  Blake came to a stop at our deflated tent. He looked at it for a moment then his eyes were on Ebony.

  “Can we talk?” he said. Speaking to her with a tone that was actually acceptable. He usually snapped at her or yelled at her. He didn’t talk nicely to her. Ebony didn’t move or say anything.

  “Allie said I should try and talk to you,” he added, looking nervous.

  Never seen Blake nervous, but he was nervous right now.

  Ebony snapped out of it and was quick to walk to him.

  “I never thought I’d be grateful to Allie.” She locked her arms around his neck and went up on her tippy toes brushing her lips against his, and that was all that was needed to spark their fire because Blake’s self-control was gone as he lifted her up gripping her like he was dying for her.

  He started walking them away.

  It was when they disappeared in the trees I knew they were gone for the night.

  “Ok, where are you going?” Taylor said as I started to walk off.

  I turned and grinned at him. “To find Allie.” Seeing as her bodyguard was gone, it meant she was by herself.

  That’s if Chase wasn’t with her.

  I felt my pull to her, and I just followed my feet, being drawn to her.

  I reached out for her, finding her mind easily.

  If I open a second bottle, would I be considered an alcoholic? Considering I had drunk my weight in beer tonight, maybe I shouldn’t open a second bottle. Then again, I am by myself for the night, so did it really matter if I got off my face?

  And I’m at a festival.

  Yep, open a second bottle.

  Joints, alcohol, and chocolate. My night was looking better.

  I came to a stop at her door. I hoped she was still considering her night getting better when I joined it.

  I knocked on the door. I could hear her on the other side.

  Please answer the door, Allie.

  Just as I hoped, the door opened and there my blonde bombshell was standing.

  I grinned immediately.

  “Hey.”

  “Um, hi.” She looked me up and down. “Ebony isn’t here if you are looking for her.”

  “I assumed she wasn’t here when I saw Blake drag her off to the trees.” I grinned at her.

  “Good, he took my advice.” She smiled. “Um, so what do you want?”

  “What are you doing?” I rocked on my feet. Finally, I was able to talk to her, and she was talking back.

  “Um.” She scratched the back of her neck looking like she didn’t want to admit to what she was doing.

  “Apart from deciding to open a second bottle of vodka or not?” I added.

  She sighed. “You’ve been in my head again.”

  I nodded my head.

  “Then you would know I’m not doing anything,” she pointed out.

  “Can I join you?”

  She started biting her bottom lip. Not opening the door any further.

  ‘Come on, sweetheart, let me in,’ I spoke in her mind.

  She rolled her eyes and then nodded her head and opened the door up wider for me.

  I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face as I stepped up into the Winnebago.

  She picked up the lit joint she had in the ashtray and went back to pouring herself a drink.

  “Um, so do you want one?” she asked. Her back to me.

  I could feel how nervous she was.

  “Sure.”

  Maybe if I were drinking as well, she would be at ease. She said she’d had a lot to drink, but her mind wasn’t cloudy. Considering she was smoking drugs and drinking hard, her mind wasn’t affected.

  She reached over, bending slightly over grabbing a glass, and my eyes were on her ass and the way her dress was riding up. God, I wanted to run my hand up her.

  She turned, taking my view away, which was replaced with a view of her breasts. God, they were so perfect. Hands down the best breasts I had ever touched, or had the pleasure of looking at.

  I tore my eyes off her breasts and looked her in the eye, taking the drink she was handing me.

  “Thanks,” I said, and her hands just brushed mine, and she wa
s quick to pull her hand away.

  “No worries.” She grabbed the ashtray and put the joint back in her mouth and sat down. Putting her drink and ashtray down, her eyes went to the television. “Can you stop staring at me?” she asked, her eyes still on the television.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be well, um, staring.” I moved from the door and went and sat beside her.

  She crossed her legs, taking the joint from her mouth. “Do you do drugs?” She turned to look at me.

  “Considering I’m the future of the pack, I think my dad would kill me if I were doing drugs.” Dad let me have women, parties and alcohol, but he drew the line at drugs.

  “Yeah, I don’t normally either. Only at festivals.” She frowned. “Normally with Blake.” She shrugged. “Or Chase. I wonder where he is.” She blew out a mouthful of smoke.

  Her leg was nervously going up and down. I could feel her nerves, and I couldn’t stop my hand from going to her bare knee and stopping it.

  I watched her eyes land on my hand, and her leg stopped going up and down. She took a shaky breath in.

  She could feel it, couldn’t she? The heat. The spark between us. She could feel what I was feeling. I knew I could get my answer by reaching into her mind, but this once I was going to try and read her without doing that.

  Her breathing was rapid and her eyes were locked on my hand. The joint in her hand was about to burn her fingers like she had completely forgotten about it.

  Knowing it was a second away from burning her, I leaned across her with my other hand and took it from her, putting it in the ashtray.

  Was it wrong if I started to feel her up? My hand was burning on her knee, not moving up further. Self-control, Harris. Have some self-control.

  I pulled my eyes off her, keeping my hand on her. “So, what are you watching?” My fingers started to draw on her skin. She wasn’t answering. “Allie?”

  Her head snapped up. “Um, I’m not. I’m listening to music.”

  I looked at the screen. Sure enough, it was playing music flashing between pictures. I frowned looking closer. “Are those photos of you?”

  “Um, yeah. Plays the pictures on my phone in the background to the music.”

  “What song is this?”

  “Festival song, by Pez and 360.”