Chapter 4: Misunderstanding
Meredith's POV
"Can I have her?" his voice stabbed my heart, and it ripped them apart at the same time. I wanted to growl at him to stay the fuck away from her, but I chose to keep silent. I take a step towards the door, pulling the knob, but the fucker is not giving up, "c'mon, say something, she is no..."
"Riley can you stop. You should be reasonable sometimes." Austin reprimanded him.
"Oh please, how am I being unreasonable? It's obvious he doesn't want her, that is the reason he rejected her, someone will have to..."
I stop on my track, tilting my body toward him, as my fist clenches beside me, I know the last words that will end his senseless sentence. Seeing my expression, he swallowed hard, as my burning eyes almost consumed him before I shut my eyes, "You can have her, you don't have to ask me that..." I said not looking at him, before I walked out of that door, but I am not going to give Riley the chance to chase her as he boastfully said he would, and he knows she was going to fall for his charm. Riley is handsome, but I think Roe stands a better chance with her than with him.
All of that is none of my business. She will be gone soon, and I won't see all the nonsense she does with men and how many of them are in line for her hand. They will all fall for her charm, I know, because she is beautiful.
I tried to avoid her all morning since she arrived with Akira and Logan. I wondered while she decided to come here, instead of going to her house but Austin called to tell me that alpha Logan needed me at the living room, and now I am sharing the same space with the one woman, I want to forget and remember at the same time while I tried to focus on the game that I was playing on my phone.
"What is taking her so long?" Akira asked suddenly and I wondered what I had missed, I was so carried away that I didn't pay attention to what was going on when my eyes wandered to where Vida was, she was no longer there.
I shrugged my shoulders as I continued playing the game on my phone, ignoring them. Alpha Logan still hasn't told me the reason he called me here.
"Go check if she can't find it, Meredith." My eyes snapped to my Alpha.
"What?"
"Didn't you hear me, I said go check on Vida."
"But Austin..."
"Meredith..." Logan called softly and I know he was trying to suppress his anger, since last night he found out that I rejected Akira’s best friend, who is almost like a sister to her. I swallow hard as I stand from the couch.
"Fine," I said with gritted teeth, yet he paid no attention to my tantrums, like he wanted to punish me for my actions. I sauntered into the kitchen, parted my lips to call out to her, but my words died down my throat and my body felt numb.
Frozen in my spot.
She was leaning against the kitchen cabinet, with her back to me, her phone pressed to her ear. She was wearing a gown that clung to her in the right places. The gown she wore was definitely not hers, it was Akira’s, and I knew that because she never wore anything like that. Not around me. Not around anyone. This isn't her style.
It was soft, silky, and short. Too short.
The way it hugged her hips, how it barely covered the curve of her ass, made my mouth go dry. Her bare legs crossed at the ankle, casual and effortless, but everything about her screamed temptation. Mine.
She looked… hot. No, not just hot...irresistible.
Her voice floated through the air, low and sweet, laced with warmth. That tone she hasn't used on me for once. She was smiling, completely absorbed in her conversation, and I hated how much I wanted to be on the other end of that call, even after the rejection, I still wanted her, maybe, because I was attracted to her the very first day, I saw her fighting. Her fingers absentmindedly played with her hair, twisting the strands like she didn’t have a care in the world.
And I stood there, watching, feeling that familiar pull in my chest and lower thighs. Tingles ran through my abdomen, tightening everything inside me. I wanted to walk over, close the space between us, wrap my arms around her waist, and pull her back against me. I wanted her to feel just how much she affected me. How badly I needed her.
She was right there, glowing in someone else’s clothes, smiling for someone else’s words and I hated it. Hated the distance. Hated not knowing who had her attention like that.
And still, I couldn’t look away.
Maybe, I should just tell her everything and end this madness, I take a step closer and then her voice comes up, "Stop that Roe..." She said playfully while giggling and all the blood in my veins ran out, and my face turned pale, as anger surged within me, my nostrils flared.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I growl, making myself visible, with fire in my eyes.
She spun around, startled, phone still in hand. “What?”
My jaw tightened, “Are you for real? They are waiting for you and here you are making a senseless call.”
My words took her apart, I could feel her heart drop. She knew that tone. Sharp. Accusing, she glared at me, “Were you listening to my conversation?” she asked, disbelief blooming in her chest.
“I didn’t have to try, Vida,” I snapped at her “You were yelling like you wanted the entire house to hear that you are a cheap whore.”
Vida scowled, tossing her phone on the cabin. “Oh really? But I don't see how that is your business.”
I scoffed. “So you admit it?”
“Admit what, Meredith?” she fired back, stepping toward me. “That I have a life outside of you? That I talk to people, who don't abuse me? That I raise my voice when I’m upset? That I am a whore? Wow, arrest me.”
“You were talking with a boy when you were supposed to be bringing juice for your sick friend that you claimed you love so dear and will do anything for her but here you are whoring yourself away.” I thundered, taking a step forward.
“Still none of your business,” she said coldly.
"Of course, it's my business because you were shouting and you weren't the only one in this house."
"Get the fuck off my way." She snarl.
My nostrils flared. “Don’t tell me what to do.”
“Oh yeah! I shouldn't tell you what to do but you can't stay away from my business?" She folded her arms. “What's up with you? Can't you just avoid me? I really don't know why you kept meddling in my business.
“You’re stupid, you needed a guardian”
“And you’re being controlling!”
“I’m being real! You’re talking to a boy while your friend needs you.”
“For crying out loud, Mr. Mouthy Wolf, nothing is wrong with my friend, if something was wrong, I would know and even if I wanted a guardian not someone like you," she shouted.
My jaw clenched. “Even I don't want to be with someone like..."
“Like what?” Her voice dropped low, laced with venom. “Go ahead, say it.”
I hesitated. "Go on," she snarled
“Like a cheap prostitute.”
The slap echoed before either of us registered that her hand had moved. Her palm stung. My cheek turned red.
The silence that followed was unbearable. I stared at her lost
Vida's chest heaved as tears burned behind her eyes. “Don’t you ever call me a prostitute.”
“You hit me,” I said slowly, in disbelief.
“And you deserved it,” she hissed, voice trembling. “I’ve put up with your condescension long enough. You think just because you’re strong, just because you're ranked, you get to control what I say or who I talk to? I am not one of those subjects of yours, I am not packed, I am only here because of Akira and I will be gone for here soon, so don't tell me what to do.”
“So you admitted that you are a whore,” I growled.
"Meredith..." She shouted, her voice cracking, as she grabbed the glass of juice, the one made for Akira, and she hauled it straight at me.