A ferocious growl ripped from George. "What did you say!?"
Owen frowned at George. "Did you think that enjoying with a woman is reserved only for you?"
George's whole body twitched as his muscles rippled and his aura burst in anger.
George's vision narrowed at Owen who was recoiling from George's aura, but Owen managed to pull Zina to stand behind him.
George tensed in preparation to jump at the bastard in an apron when he felt a splash of cinnamon scent and a small body clinging to him.
"Not me!" Dawn exclaimed. "He is talking about Zi!"
George looked at Dawn with a deep frown. "What!?"
Dawn smiled helplessly. "Can you calm down and see what's going on? Owen and Zi are mates."
George closed his eyes and released a sharp breath while retracting his aura. "What the hell!? Is this a joke? It's not funny."
"Why are you acting like this impacts you in any way?" Owen asked angrily and then he turned to check on Zina who assured him that she was fine.
"This is between me and my mate," Owen said.
George's nostrils flared. "You talk big for someone who is cooking in MY kitchen!" And Owen was wearing George's apron, damn it!
Owen sneered. "Me in your kitchen is the least of your problems right now. Was that Alpha aura you hit me with? How come you have it?"
Zina felt George's Alpha aura also, but she was levelheaded enough to know not to bring it up in this situation.
"Owen, can you focus on what's important?" Zina asked.
"Do you expect me to focus on anything other than my attacker?"
"Attacker!" George seethed. "You are making yourself at home in MY house with MY mate, and I am the bad guy?"
Zina stood in front of Owen and faced George. "George, I understand that your relationship with Owen is not the best, but can you try to tone down the hostility? I'm sure this can be resolved with a talk."
George had difficulty controlling his temper. "You want me to play house with a guy who is sabotaging me for years!? Should we kiss and make up? Or do a pinky promise to be friends?"
Dawn put her palm on George's cheek. "No one is asking you to be friends. How about just talking? There must be a way to settle this without a fight."
George looked at Dawn and he realized she was right. It's not that he wanted to be civil with Owen, but he knew that if he hurts Owen, he will enrage Zina, and that will make Dawn not happy, and Dawn always came first.
"Maybe we can talk about this during dinner," Dawn suggested.
"Talk about what?" Owen asked. As he saw this, everything was fine until George came and started a ruckus. George should apologize. Why was Dawn looking at Owen?
"For starters, you can explain why you turned on George," Dawn said. "I heard that the two of you were friends and then things changed. What made you hate him?"
Owen paused. Should he just admit that he was jealous? He worked hard, but he couldn't catch up and everyone talked highly of George while Owen became invisible and he channeled his helplessness into anger. Owen knew that it was not fair, but he couldn't help it.
"I don't hate him," Owen said.
"Why are you on his case then?" Dawn asked.
Dawn's head snapped to George as she sensed that something was off. And sure, it was, his eyes were out of focus. Someone was mind-linking him, and only a selected few had that access.
Three long seconds later, George pressed his lips into a line. "I need to go."
"Where?"
"It's Alpha Edward. He wants an explanation why Ana was detained for the afternoon."
Dawn's brows came together in worry. "Will he punish you?"
"I don't think so." Normally, Alpha Edward wouldn't bother with these pack-squabble things, and even if he wanted some information, he would do it through the mind-link, or request a report in the morning, unless… George's attention went to Dawn and his mark on her neck. Ana definitely went to tattle on what happened, which meant that Alpha Edward found out about Dawn and Zina. Damn it!
George looked at Owen. "You are coming with me."
Owen was alerted. "Why me?"
"Do you want to save your mate?"
"Save her? From what?"
"Come with me and you will find out," George responded.
Dawn hugged George and turned to speak to Owen. "George has a plan. If you want this to work, you better collaborate with George, or all of us will be in trouble."
George was touched by Dawn's trust in his abilities. He didn't have a plan. Not yet, at least. He will come up with something on the way. He had to.
Owen's anxiousness skyrocketed when he realized that they were going toward the packhouse.
"Are we going to meet Alpha in person?" Owen asked George.
"Yes."
"Are we in trouble?"
"Probably."
Owen swallowed a mouthful of air. "You can't use me as a sacrificial lamb. I can tell Alpha about your mate and your aura and…"
Owen groaned when George's Alpha aura pressed on him.
What the hell? Owen was issuing empty threats to remind George that he was not without weapons. Why did George resort to violence?
"If you rat on me, what do you think will happen to your mate?" George squeezed through his teeth and then he retracted his aura. "I will end her before Alpha Edward gets a chance to put a finger on her."
"You won't harm Zina. She is Dawn's best friend."
Of course, George wouldn't harm Zina, but Owen didn't know that.
"Expose my secrets and see what I will destroy to stay alive."
Owen didn't want to argue. With George's aura, he had no chance of winning anyway. But why was George making him go to meet Alpha Edward? "If this is about the incident at the market, Ana was after Dawn. You should thank me and not drag me into this. I'm sure you can talk it out with Alpha Edward and I can go back to my mate."
George snorted. "Dawn and Zina are best friends since childhood. I'm sure you understood that I didn't rip your head off only because that would upset Dawn. By now, you should be certain I can defeat you without lifting a finger."
Owen's displeasure skyrocketed. He already had an inferiority complex. George and he were about the same age, they started at the same time, yet George was a Commander while Owen was just a Lieutenant.
Only a few years back, both of them were Lieutenants. Now, George was a Commander, while Owen's career stagnated
George had a villa and Omegas serving him, and a mate, and even Alpha aura, while Owen… he only had a mate he still didn't claim as his. Was he even a man?
Owen was tempted to peer into his pants to confirm that his meat whip and twins were still there or did he lose those also.
Owen pushed his grievances down. "I won't tell Alpha about your secrets."
"What caused this change of heart?"
Owen didn't feel like explaining.
