Filed To Story: Mated to Two Bad Boy Alphas Book PDF Free by Jamersy
“Thank you,” Christy said proudly, flipping her hair back. “I did drama in middle school.”
“I can tell,” Ajax said with a smirk.
I was still giggling when Zane leaned toward me, whispering, “We should keep her around. For the creativity.”
“She’s my best friend,” I whispered back. “She’s staying regardless.”
He grinned. “Perfect.”
Our food slowly disappeared as the chatter continued. The Hounds had somehow slipped into a heated debate over which condiment was superior: Sheila was Team Mayo, Ajax swore by Sriracha, and Aaron was trying to make a passionate case for honey mustard.
“It’s sweet! It’s tangy! It’s literally everything you want in a sauce!” Aaron said, slapping the table for emphasis.
“I literally don’t even know what it is,” Warner muttered.
“That’s because your taste buds are dead.”
“That’s because I don’t eat food that looks like it belongs on an art project.
I was laughing so hard my stomach hurt, and so was Christy. Even Zane cracked a rare full-on laugh, not just a smirk or chuckle, but a real one that made his eyes crinkle.
And for the first time in a long time, the tension in my chest loosened.
It felt good.
It felt normal.
-LIA’S POV-
But in a world where supernatural creatures walked the earth, alongside the ones who hated them, normalcy was a luxury that we didn’t get to have.
“Wow, you have been gate-keeping your fries for so long, Zane. And then you claim to love me,” I said dramatically, stuffing another french fry into my mouth. “These are so good and you didn’t even offer.”
“They were spicy,” Zane defended, frowning. “I thought you wouldn’t like them!”
The Hounds and Christy laughed their asses off, almost in tears. The situation itself didn’t warrant that kind of reaction, but we were seven high schoolers, high on fizzy drinks and too much ketchup.
“It’s like we fool babies,” Ajax said. “Saying, ‘It’s spicy, you won’t like it,’ while drinking the world’s creamiest chocolate shake.”
“Yeah, right,” Zane snapped, scowling. “Like anyone would ever give you one.”
“I can buy my own chocolate shake, Zane.”
“I’m talking about a baby.”
We all laughed again, but I quickly suppressed mine. “We’re going off topic. You gatekept french fries.”
“My love,” Zane took both my hands, “I would buy you this. whole burger joint if you wanted. You think I’d hide a few fries from you?”
“Yes. You just did. You forget about me the moment there’s food.”
“Who the hell forgets one meal upon seeing another, Lia?” he said, and now my checks flamed.
The fake anger I was showing melted away, replaced by a severe blush.
The Hounds hooted, making the situation worse.
“You can’t eat my best friend, Zane,” Christy said, wrapping her arms around me.
Zane cocked up a brow. “Careful there, Chris. You don’t want a glitter scalp, do you?”
Chris gaped at him, scooting away from me. “You wouldn’t dare…”
“You wanna try?” Zane gave her a half smile that didn’t reach his eyes. He genuinely looked terrifying, until I slapped his arm.
“Behave. She’s my best friend.”
“You little,” Zane muttered, before grabbing me by the waist and pulling me into his lap. I gasped, my eyes wide.
“Zane,” I scolded, “everyone’s watching.”
“So?” he challenged. “I’m gonna do whatever I want to you, no matter who is watching. You understand?” His eyes turned black for a split second, making me suck in a breath. My heart gave a thump in my chest, heat spreading through me.
Zane smirked, winking at me.
I leaned in to his ear. “You’re lucky that was hot,” I whispered.
“Mhm? Or what would you do?”
“You’re forgetting I wolf out too sometimes. Your friends couldn’t even stop me when I did. I’m dangerous.”
“Whispering in a friends’ gathering is bad manners,” Chris said, scowling. “Why aren’t you guys saying anything?” She glanced at the Hounds.
I pursed my lips. It was because she was the only one who couldn’t hear us.
“They’re love birds, sweetie,” Sheila said. “Zane turns into a love vulture when bothered too much.”
“Does he?” Chris frowned.
“Yes. And then I try to cal your best friend,” Zane replied, before letting out a playful growl and attacking my neck with kisses. I squealed, pushing at his face, before giggling.
“Zane, sto-“
A loud crash cut me off, rattling the windows and shaking the walls.
Zane immediately let me off his lap and stood up, pulling me behind himself, while Aaron grabbed Christy’s arm and did the same. I grabbed onto Zane’s t shirt, my eyes wide as I tried to make sense of what was happening. The restaurant filled with chaos-screams, dishes clattering, people running around to find safety.
“What was that?” I yelled over the ruckus, the smoke in the air making my eyes burn.
“Something burst inside the restaurant,” Warner replied, as he and Ajax walked forward.
“Where are they going?” Christy cried.
“To find us a way out. Don’t worry, nothing’s gonna happen,” Sheila reassured.
It had to be The Order. There was no other explanation for a random attack on a public restaurant. It could only be them. No one else would be cruel enough to attack a public place on a random Wednesday, one with kids in there. A child was crying at the top of his voice, and a woman was screaming in pain, a thin piece of wood lodged into her thigh.
“We should help her,” I said to Zane, gesturing towards the hurt woman. “She’s alone.”
“I’m on it,” Sheila said, immediately hurrying up to her.
“We should stay close and together,” Christy cried, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Sheila!”
“Don’t worry, she can take care of herself,” I said.
“Let’s go,” Zane said, taking my hand and leading me towards the exit when Ajax and Warner gave him the signal.
I turned my head to make sure Christy was following, and relaxed when I found Aaron pulling her along.
Something impaled my foot, and I yelped, pulling my hand from Zane’s. He immediately turned to me, his eyes wide.
“What’s wrong?”
I bent down, holding my knee. “My foot,” I cried, face contorting
-LIA’S POV- car,
Zane didn’t waste a second. He lifted me into his arms and hurried out, leaving the burger joint. We headed towards his but before we could reach it, gunshots rang in the air. Zane dodged before I could even flinch, his movements animalistic as he carried me to the car and placed me inside. My ears rang, leaving me almost completely deaf. The sound had come from too close. Or my new hearing was more sensitive.
Zane climbed into the car as well, and started it, pulling out from the parking lot.
“Wait,” I said, even though I was unable to hear myself. “Christy. Zane wait for Chris.”
Zane’s lips moved in response, but I couldn’t hear anything. My eyes still burned. I blinked a few times and rubbed my ears, ignoring the pain in my foot and the blood that was filling my shoe.
“Zane,” I said, now able to hear my voice. “Christy.”
“Aaron’s got her,” he said loudly, taking a sharp turn. The tyres. screeched against the floor, making me cringe. “Put your head down!” he shouted, grabbing my hair and pulling my head towards his lap. I let out a cry as a bullet hit the windshield, cracking the glass. Zane swerved the car once again, the tyres screaming under it, before we crashed against a wall. I almost flew forward from the impact, but Zane held me back, not letting me get hurt.
“We’ve to get out,” Zane growled, kicking off the door of his seat. He cradled me into his arms and climbed out of the car with me. “Put your face in my chest.” I obliged, unable to form any thoughts. Everything was too loud. Too much. My head was spinning.
Zane ran with me in his arms, still in his human form. Because we were in the middle of the street, in broad daylight, with countless people around us, he couldn’t turn. The restaurant that night had emptied before the Hounds had shown up. But right now, shifting would expose his kind to too many humans.
Zane didn’t stop running.
His breaths came hard, arms locked around me like steel as he navigated through traffic, barely dodging terrified civilians and collapsed vendor stalls. People screamed and ran past us, some filming on their phones-of course they were. The entire block was being shaken, and some idiots still wanted footage.