Or Maybe He’s a Jerk

*Tristan*

The other guys are likely hanging out in Eli’s room. That’s where we spend our evenings most of the time. I take a quick shower in my own chambers, get dressed, and then rush off to meet them. I can’t help the huge grin that’s on my face.

Rose is amazing–that was some of the best sex I’ve ever had in my life. And it was obvious she had an amazing time, too. She’s so delicate and sweet. Getting to rock her world like that was a thrill, and I can’t wait to share how awesome it was with the other Alphas.

I don’t bother to knock because I can hear an action movie playing on the TV, and I hear Reece’s voice, so I know Eli’s not in there alone. I open the door and walk in, a triumphant smile on my face, my shoulders pushed back. I am the conquering hero.

“Tristan?” Eli asks, picking up the remote and turning the television down as I walk in and take my place in one of the chairs. “What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean?” I ask him. “I came to tell you all how fucking amazing that was!”

They exchange glances again, and I try to figure out what the problem is.

It’s Mark who speaks next. “Why… aren’t you still with Rose?” he asks me.

“Hey, I was in there for a couple of hours.” Is that their problem? They can’t seriously think I didn’t last that long, do they? “She got her fill, believe me.”

“No, Tristan, it’s not that,” Reece says. “It’s just… you didn’t stay with her?”

“Stay with her?” I repeat, confusion washing over me. “What do you mean? I was in there plenty long enough to do what needed to be done. She liked it, too, believe me.” I grin, and a low rumble of joy escapes my throat.

No one else thinks it’s funny.

“Don’t you think it would’ve been polite of you to spend the night with her? I mean… sleeping?” Eli asks. “This is only her second time, and she is probably scared.’

I scowl at him. “She’s not scared. She had a good time. Why would I want to go to bed now? I’m on cloud… eleven!”

“Two steps above cloud nine?” Reece clarifies, and I nod. He shakes his head at me. “You’re such a prick.”

“Hey!” I interject. “I am not! You’re just jealous that you haven’t had a turn yet!”

“I’m not jealous, believe me.” Reece continues to give me a disapproving look, but he’s not worked up.

I try to settle back down. “Well, excuse me for wanting to share my success with the people I thought were supposed to be my friends!”

“Maybe we don’t want to hear about you boning the girl we are all going to be with!” Mark spits. He does, in fact, look perturbed. He folds his arms across his chest.

I can’t help but poke the bear. “Oh, don’t worry, Marky,” I say. “I’m sure she hasn’t completely forgotten about you, now that she’s had me. Not yet anyway.”

I laugh, but Mark takes it personally and flies up off of the couch. “Stop being an asshole, Tristan!”

I spring to my feet, ready for a fight. It’s been too damn long since I had the chance to punch someone in the face. He won’t be so pretty when I’m done with him.

“Hey, knock it off!” Eli says as he and Reece both get between us. “We need to be calm about this. It’s not like any of us are happy about the situation, but it is what it is.”

“That’s right,” Reece continues. “We can’t beat each other up every time someone else sleeps with Rose, or we’ll all be bruised and battered. So calm down.”

I keep the grin on my face as Mark takes a step back and yanks at his hair in frustration. “We shouldn’t be discussing what happens with Rose! This is supposed to be respectful… not a contest.”

“But it is a contest,” I remind him. “And I intend to win it.”

“Well, if you’re going to win and keep your so-called friends, you’d better figure out a way to do it without being such an asshat,” Reece tells me.

I figure he’s probably right. These guys are my friends, my allies, and I shouldn’t be jeopardizing what’s best for my pack just because I have a smart mouth. “Fine,” I concede. “Goddess, I was just having some fun. You guys are lame.”

I wave them off and head for the door, thinking they can go back to watching their movie again in peace. Obviously, they don’t care to hear how things went with Rose and me the same way everyone wanted to know about Mark earlier this morning.

Maybe if he’d been keen to tell them, they would’ve realized they didn’t want to know that either.

I walk out into the hallway and head for my room, but I hear hurried footsteps behind me and stop. Turning around, I see that it’s Mark.

“What? You still wanna fight me?” I ask him.

He shakes his head. “No. I just… I wanted to talk to you in private,” he mutters quietly.

“About what?” I fold my arms and lean back against the wall.

“About… Rose,” he begins. “I know what you do in there is your business, but she–” He stops talking, his eyes widen, and I turn to see why.

It’s Rose, walking down the hallway, wearing a dress–an actual dress, not the little pink nightie she had on before–and Shelby, Beta Adam’s wife, is with her.

“Hi,” Mark greets first.

Rose’s face is a little pale, and I wonder if she’s okay. “Hey,” she greets back. I see that she’s wearing my necklace, and I can’t help but grin at her.

“Hi there, little flower,” I say.

She smiles back at me, but Mark grimaces.

“What are you guys doing?” Shelby asks us. “Tristan, I figured you must not be feeling well with how quickly you took off out of Rose’s room!” She sounds angry, and I see Rose elbow her.

My forehead furrows. “I, uh… I’m fine. Rose, did you want me to stay with you?” I’ve never spent the night with a woman before. I always leave or kick them out of my bed. I like to sleep alone. It hadn’t even crossed my mind that she might expect me to act differently.

“No, I’m fine,” she admits with a shrug. “Just thought it might be a nice night for a stroll in the garden. The moon is bright.” Her smile doesn’t reach her eyes, and when she looks at Mark, I see her eyes move back and forth slightly, like she isn’t sure what to say to him.

“Rose, are you sure you’re okay?” Mark asks, his tone soft and calm, but I can hear concern in every syllable.

This dude is starting to really fall for her.

I’m not sure how I feel about that, but I don’t think I like it. She’s my little flower.

“I’m fine.” Her forced smile grows. “We just… did our job, and it’s over. For now. So… everyone can go on about their day.”

“Our job?” I ask her, feeling a little bit like a tool in more ways than one.

“Yeah, sure,” she sighs with a shrug. “That’s all this is, right? No need for tricky emotions to get involved. Just… do our job, fulfill the obligation, and get on with our lives, right?”

Does she really feel that way? If so, it makes me sad and confused. I realize I already have feelings for her, and I want her to like me, too.

Mark must agree with me. He starts to answer her. “Rose, that’s not–”

“You know what?” Shelby says in her assertive tone, “I don’t think either one of you has a right to tell Rose how to feel, especially after the way you’ve both treated her!”

“Shelby,” Rose scolds, tugging on her arm. “Stop!” Her face is turning red, and I think it might be from embarrassment.

“They need to know!” Shelby exclaims. Looking at Mark, she says in an accusatory tone, “You, telling everyone how disappointed you were with her. She was a virgin! How was she supposed to know what to do?”

“Whaaat?” Mark nearly shrieks, and I am baffled, too. He definitely didn’t say that.

Turning to look at me, Shelby says, “And you! Drilling into her like you were looking for oil only to get your fill and then abandon her, leaving her on the bed in pain from fucking her so damn hard! You animal!”

“Pain?” I repeat. “No, I didn’t–” but I stop talking as I see tears in Rose’s eyes.

“Come on, Rosey,” Shelby cajoles, calling her by a nickname. “Let’s go.”

Rose is shaking her head as she walks away, leaving Mark and me flabbergasted.

“Did I hurt her?” I wonder.

“I’m sure you did, you sicko,” he attacks, glaring at me. “We warned you.”

“No, but… I tried to be gentle….”

“Why does she think I would say anything like that?” he questions. He turns to look at me again. “Did you… tell her I said that?”

“Me?” My eyes are wide. “No! I didn’t mention you. Why would I?”

“To make her not like me anymore,” he says with an accusatory tone. “So she’ll like you more.”

I guffaw. “No, I didn’t say that, Mark. It wasn’t me. Do you really think I’m the kind of guy who thinks I need to put other people down to make myself look better? I’m already the best.”

He stares at me hard for a moment before he says, “That’s a good point, except for you being the best part…. Well, who the hell was it, then?”

I think back to the conversation I had with Rose before we had sex, earlier today. “Oh, I know exactly who it was,” I relay to Mark as the revelation hits me mid-sentence.

“Who?”

If I tell him, he’ll go crazy and yell at her, which could make the king mad, so maybe I shouldn’t.

“Emily,” I blurt out, without regard to the consequences.

“That little bitch!” Mark yells, and he takes off down the hallway.

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry about Mark, but I have more important matters to think about.

Does Rose hate me now?