Confessions of a Killer

3 Rats

Charlotte:

Cringing inwardly as I pull the t-shirt over my head, fingers slightly shaking with the effort to reign in the flood of tears threatening to release. The smell of sex lingers in the air, the breeze shifting slightly bringing the scent downwind to Jasper's position. The crinkle of his nose and the slight turn of his head as he sniffs the air has me shuffling from foot to foot nervously.

He's never been the resentful, or jealous type, yet his rigid posture paired with the clench of his jaw states otherwise for this moment. His narrowed glare scorching through me has me feeling small, absolute contempt in the gaze he leveled on Damien confuses me.

"How... are you alive?" I ask tentatively, hands wringing the bottom of the shirt barely reaching my thighs. I never expected to see him again, and the times that I had lost myself thinking that he'd returned... the scenario never played out like this. I don't want to spook him, or piss him off further, but I need to know.

His grey eyes turned that condescending glare at me. Handsome face contorted, lips curling in a snarl, browns furrowing as he seethed. "How am I alive? How the fuck are you alive?! Where the fuck have you been?"

He did a full body turn, rounding on Damien, large fists bunching with the effort not to strike. I've never seen him lose his temper before, that in itself is frightening.

"What the fuck are you playing at?! You mated with her and didn't tell anyone she is alive? What the actual fuck Alpha?" His voice rose in timber, growling out the last words vehemently, scorn marring his features into a person I don't recognize. His giant figure loomed over me as his deep voice echoes through the trees.

A few seconds of silence is met with the accusation, Jasper's ragged breathing the only sound. Damien's features shifted, looking remorseful, eyes downcast only snapping up and meeting Jasper's accusing gaze with challenge when his words penetrated. Hell, it took me a moment to fully register what Jasper had said too.

"I hadn't meant to mate with her. I was going through my own shit when we met." Damien snapped back. He's not shouting but his voice is sharp and cut through the air like broken glass. His spine straightened, muscles bunching making him seem bigger than the marginally taller man before him. His very presence demanding submission with posture challenging Jasper to retaliate, ready for a fight. "Arlene wasn't the person I thought she was."

"Arlene?" Jasper's eyes widened, shock playing across his face. "Roman had said that you'd had to kill her." His eyes shadowed. "I'm sorry for what you went through."

Damien's stance relaxed, though he turned away from me slightly, trying to hide the pinch of anguish in his eyes. Though through our bond I felt the sharp sting of Arlene's betrayal. In that moment I understood that Damien hadn't wanted to hurt Jasper, hadn't wanted to hurt me by keeping information from us. The events of the past few weeks overwhelming even him.

Killing Arlene had injured him internally, her treachery fracturing the trust of new people almost irreparably. He'd loved her. She'd been small, seemingly helpless, things men like Damien worked hard to protect, not only had he failed, he'd been the hand that dealt the killing blow.

...Oh my lord. What a fucked up situation. It feels like a sad sitcom, but it's fucking reality and blows fat fucking donkey dicks. No wonder Damien hadn't wanted to complete the Knowing right away, I hadn't been the one he'd actually wanted.

Sadness settled over me like a cold blanket making me shiver and hunch over. Being second choice to anyone is never a good feeling. Damien had known about Jasper but hadn't told me, he hadn't had a chance to. Killian had kidnapped me before we could finish the Knowing.