Arrow Inferno
Chapter 51: Jeremy Stanton vs. Ryan Hicks ~ Feral attraction in the midst of hatred… Jealous rage!

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Jeremy hadn't even heard the ping of the elevator because he was too engrossed in what he was doing...compelling Isabel to leave his mate alone. When he heard Ryan's angry growl, he felt his blood turn cold in his veins because he knew how the scene of him and the naked Isabel must have looked to his mate. Fuck! But before he could even speak, Isabel was torn forcefully from his grasp so fast it was almost a blur. He heard her terrified whimper and turned his head to see Isabel, held against the wall by an invisible force. She couldn't break free. Jeremy turned his eyes on his mate. This time, his hand wasn't even up as it had been with Katie. Ryan was holding Isabel with his mind. "Ryan, it's not what you think," Jeremy said gently. "Let her go."

"What am I thinking?" Ryan asked with dangerous softness, his eyes on Isabel.

"I...I don't know." Jeremy gasped when it finally dawned on him. Ryan had blocked him out. Though they were linked, he couldn't read Ryan's thoughts because his mate had finally figured out how to block people out of his head. And just when he needed to know what his beautiful mate was thinking too. Just great! "I don't need to read your mind to know what you're thinking Ryan."

Isabel's whimpers turned into painful groans. "Ahh...he's crushing my bones Alpha." She cried in pain.

"Ryan let her go now." Jeremy breathed, getting extremely worried. "If you hurt her, you'll never forgive yourself." He took a step towards Ryan.

"Do I look like I care?" Ryan asked quietly. All he wanted to do was destroy the woman who had dared come after his man.

"You do, Ryan." Jeremy began to panic when Isabel's cries of pain increased. "Please don't. I'll explain what you saw. But only after you trust enough, to let her go. You can do it, baby. Please." The alpha didn't even notice the endearment that fell naturally from his lips.

"But I know what I saw," Ryan growled, his breath coming out harshly.

"And you know me," Jeremy answered. "Go with your gut."

Ryan suddenly looked like he couldn't catch his breath. He began to pant harshly through parted lips. Isabel fell to the ground and moaned her relief. Ryan finally turned his head to look at Jeremy with terrified eyes. He couldn't believe what he'd done. Jeremy quickly closed the distance between them, cupped Ryan's cheeks in his palms, and covered his mouth with his. The alpha's intention wasn't to kiss his mate. He breathed with him. When Ryan got his breathing back under control, Jeremy wrapped his arms around him and just held him.

"What have I become?" Ryan whispered against Jeremy's neck. "I could have killed her. I wanted to kill her. Oh my god. What's happening to me?"

"You were angry." Jeremy soothed. "She'll be fine." Then Jeremy raised his head to look at a miserable-looking Isabel. He'd never thought someone like Isabel would feel compelled to attack Ryan too. She was an omega for fuck's sake. They were not violent. Besides, she was a really gentle person...nothing like Jeremy's usual preference. "Are you okay, Isabel?" At her nod, Jeremy gave a sigh of relief. "Get out of here."

"She's naked Jeremy," Ryan said, stepping out of Jeremy's embrace. He took out his keycard and opened his door. "Come in Isabel. I'll give you something to wear."

The girl looked shocked. She looked up at her alpha with wide eyes. At his encouraging nod, she stood up and followed Ryan into his room. Jeremy entered too and closed the door behind him. Then he watched as Ryan took a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt out of his closet and handed them to Isabel who quickly pulled them on.

"Thanks," Isabel said in a small voice when she finished dressing. "I'm sorry I came to fight you." Her shaky voice was barely above a whisper. It was obvious she was close to tears.

"I'm sorry I hurt you," Ryan said quietly. "But know that he's mine. And I don't want to share him with anyone."

"No one would want to if he were theirs," Isabel said quietly. Then she turned to face Jeremy but wouldn't even meet his eyes. "I'm sorry alpha."

"Take care of yourself, Isabel," Jeremy said softly.

They both watched Isabel hastily leave the room. Then Ryan folded his arms across his chest and glared at Jeremy.

"Care to tell me why you were all over a naked woman?"

"What do you mean I was all over..." Jeremy sighed. "She wanted to attack you too, Ryan. I was only compelling her to forget about you and go home."

"With her naked and you in fucking boxer briefs?" Ryan stared pointedly at the ridiculously large bulge at Jeremy's groin. At least he didn't look hard. "Was that the only way you could compel her?"

"You know being naked in our world is not really a big deal Ryan."

"Well, put yourself in my shoes, darling." Ryan's sarcasm wasn't lost on Jeremy. "She's naked, you're like that, you're staring into each other's eyes like you're about to lock lips..."

"The only lips I'd like mine to be locked with are yours, Ryan," Jeremy said softly. "And the sooner you get that into your head the better for all of us." He fixed his intent gaze on Ryan for a moment before explaining; "Her brother called to tell me she was going into the woods to...deal with you." Jeremy couldn't suppress his amused smile at the thought of Isabel dealing with his mate. "Mum would have killed her, Ryan. She's an omega. Well, she has a gift of copying but she's still an omega and therefore of lower rank. And the thought of her attacking someone like you would have pissed mum off royally. Philip too would have killed her if he'd gotten wind of it. So I had to act. I opened my link to her and asked her to come here."

"So you have links with all your lovers." Ryan couldn't believe how jealous he was. It was a shitty feeling.

"I have links with everyone in my pack," Jeremy said slowly and loudly as if he was talking to someone who was dumb.

"Don't." Ryan bristled at his mate's patronizing tone. "Don't do that."

"Sorry." Jeremy had the grace to look guilty. "My plan was to meet her downstairs and compel her out of whatever plan she had. But the silly girl tricked Clara. She entered as you, making Clara think it was you coming up. I was waiting for Clara to call to tell me she was here so..." He pointed at himself, referring to his state of undress. "Then I smelt her...right out here, and rushed out. When she saw me, she panicked and shifted into her wolf, destroying the clothes she...you...she was wearing." Jeremy groaned. "Her plan was probably to wait for you to come out of the elevator directly into a full attack. I commanded her to shift back and compelled her...just as you came out and found us." He sighed. "I can never cheat on you Ryan. You should know that by now. You said it yourself. You own me."

Ryan snorted. "That just came out. I don't know why I said that."

"Because it's true and you know it." Jeremy went to stand in front of Ryan and drew his head to his chest. "Are you okay?" He pressed a kiss against his silky white hair.

"You make me crazy," Ryan growled softly, making the alpha smile. "You could have compelled her in her wolf form. She didn't have to be naked in your arms."

"Trust me, that would have been more intimate," Jeremy explained. "I didn't want that."

Ryan nodded. "We need to talk." He sighed.

"You're too tensed up. Come on, we'll sit in the Jacuzzi and talk. It will soothe your tense muscles." Jeremy started towards the connecting door.

"I'll just brush my teeth and..." He could still taste the deer he'd shared with Gloria in his mouth. "Jeremy?" Ryan called softly.

"Yes, Ryan?" Jeremy stopped and turned his head to look at Ryan.

"I'll appreciate it for you stop barking orders at me," Ryan said quietly. "I'm not your servant or some troublesome kid who needs to be ordered around. We're the same age in case you've forgotten. I didn't like what you did at the hospital. It was humiliating and...annoying. I may question your directives, state my opinion...it doesn't mean I'm disrespecting you. I'm a teacher, Jeremy. I research. I ask questions. Why do we have to do it this way and not that way? I want to

understand everything. That's just the way I am. Though you are the alpha and all, I expect to be accorded some respect just as I'm sure you expect to be respected. I hope that's not too much to ask."

"No, it's not," Jeremy said in a low voice as he turned fully around. "I'm sorry for how I acted earlier." Jeremy didn't think it was necessary to outline his reasons. "It won't happen again."

At Ryan's nod, the alpha turned around and disappeared through the door.