The Viking's Mate Hunt

CHAPTER 112

Eir's POV

"Oh, please."

Lydia managed to add her eye rolling perfectly into the tone of her voice before continuing,

"We all know you know nothing about this world! You have no idea how to survive here alone! When you're flying lizard crush leaves you here, you are all alone and without any remarkable skills to give you any advantage at all. So, stop acting like I am the freaking bad guy! "

She screeched, still defending herself and trying to put the blame on me after a long, heated yelling session that had finally calmed down. Her cheeks had red-stained spots, like the warm spots spreading on mine, as the temperature between us had been blazing for a couple of minutes. Just looking at her made my anger reach a boiling point in my chest, my hands clenched so hard that my nails dug into my palms. Lydia had the freaking nerve to look as angry and wronged as me.

"Ladies, ladies... Little Fly-fly, Little wolfy. Let us take a break and cool down."

"A break?!"

I didn't even try to hold back the disdain in the scoff that hissed between my lips.

"Why? So, she can figure out another way to sell me to the highest bidder? "

"You rude bi... Child! I didn't do that, and you know it! "

And with that, the bickering, arguing and yelling started all over again. Lydia is throwing badly hidden insults my way, doing her best to camouflage it as a critique only meant to help me, yet again working hard to portray me as an ungrateful and ignorant brat. I, on the other hand, had no reason to sugarcoat what I meant about her so-called attempt to help and pointed out the obvious: that she wanted me out of the picture. That I saw her as a two-faced bitch, and that I would bet money on that, my mother agreed.

At least this seemed to leave her speechless for a couple of seconds before her mouth tightened and her nostrils flared, and I embraced to take her next insult. I could see anger and her response build up, rushing up to spew out of her tight lips.

"That's enough!"

Out of the blue, my father's voice roared, and I could feel the alpha command tickling on my skin. I had no need to comply or submit to it, and it didn't look like the twins were affected at all. His sudden outburst stopped Lydia's build-up and flew right out of her like air from a balloon.

However, their guards and Lydia cowered and bared their necks in submission before they let their gaze fall to the ground. Nobody said a word. Only my father was breathing heavily, looking at his mate-to-be and me, flanked by the twins staring at him with surprised faces.

" There you go, the big chief's word is law. "

My father's eyes never left Lydia while Ezra snuck his arm around my shoulders, steering me around and away,

"So now you can show us around!"

" You know as well as I how stupid that idea is! I've never been here before!"

Hissing the answer annoyed, I let him take me away but still let my eyes linger on Lydia and my father until they disappeared in the corner of my eye.

"Oh, look at you, little wolfy! So blatantly picking a part of my socially accepted offer to get out of an unwanted situation. Now tell me, have you no training, or are you what they call inner hostess?"

"Inner what now?"

"inner hostess? You know, awkward with people and likes being alone and talking too much and so fast nobody really gets what you say and all that? Maybe even excessive sweating, uncomfortable bladder, and heavy breathing when people look at you?"

A long, awkward silence followed, well, for me at least. He smiled his million-dollar smile, looking down at me while leaving Lydia behind.

"Introvert.. is that what you are trying to say?"

"Yeah, into or inner whatever, sweaty and uncomfortable people. Are you one of those?"

"No.. No I am not!"

I have no idea why I felt so offended by this and why I felt the need to refuse it because I knew myself. I've preferred my own company for as long as I can remember, but that didn't make me awkward and sweaty! It just meant I could have had a much better time on my own, like right now.

"Of course, you are not! Now, let Jacob and me show you around instead. We have been here many times before!"

Then and there, my body realized the situation had changed, that the anger and adrenaline had left my body. His arm weighed heavy on my shoulders, and I didn't feel comfortable at all. Doing a strange wiggle-wiggle dance, I tried to get his arm off me without being too obvious, only to bump into Jacob. He was not walking right there seconds ago, and suddenly, I felt herded by the two. Leading us away, seemingly towards the village further ahead, no threats or muscles were used, but there was something in the air between us.

"Maybe later. I think you were right, and I need a little break. I'll just go up to the dragon king and find you later."

It took me more energy than I expected to keep my voice steady, and still, I could feel the trembling anxiety of the uncertainty as I spoke. He was still trying to get his freaking hand off me, and it was apparent he knew it but decided not to, and instead, he adjusted his arm back in place. Tightened the grip and pulled me closer, and the hair on my neck tingled as he leaned down and spoke into my hair, and I swear he was sniffing it!

"Let the royal prune be! We have something to show you!"

The light push forward made it clear that he was not asking.

"Relax, mutt, let us have some fun!"

I almost jumped straight up, feeling Jacob's hot breath on my ear right before his hand weighed Ezra's arm around my shoulders.

With rapid heartbeats thumping up my throat, I laughed nervously back at their smiling faces as I looked back and forth between the two men caging me in the middle. They kept talking, but it was more like a buzzing sound in the background as I zoomed out. Taking deep breaths, Drifta stirred in the back of my head, and just like that, the haze and fog that cluttered my head cleared up. The force of their muscled arms pushed forward when I stopped mid-step, and they didn't notice.

Quickly, I shook their hands off me in one swift move; I took a couple of long steps before I turned and faced them. Our eyes met, and the tension between us exploded. Both Jacob and Ezra changed; like a mask fell, and the energy holding their shield up turned off. A wicked smile crept on his face at the same time as Jacob straightened up and rolled his neck and shoulders. Drifta still stirred, but for some reason, she felt so far away, like a fading shadow slowly creeping away as the sun set.

"Thanks for the offer, but I am going to find Seb."

The insecurity that had crippled me to now was gone, and I stared back without wavering. Jacob arched a brow, but besides that, none of them moved, just watching me as I wanted to go around them. Weird enough, they kept still as I walked past them, and I breathed out just as Jacobs had shot out and grabbed my wrist.

"Cut the crap. Let's not pretend you believe we are giving your spoiled ass a personal guided tour."

His hand tightened around my wrist as he spoke, and a metallic click snapped me out of the shock. My eyes looked down as he let me go, and a thin silver bracelet was left on my hand. Turning my hand around, the solid ring had no lock or visible edge.

"What the hell is this!?"

I busted out without looking up, still studying the ring bracelet.

"Jacob,"

Ezra uttered his voice in a playful scolding.

"Manners, remember we have a little lady at our hands. There is no need to rough up our little pet."

Anger boiled inside of me, and my fist clenched as I watched him snicker. But no matter how my anger and energy level seemed to push against the edge, Drifta didn't come forward and let me shift. It was not like I couldn't reach her, but it felt like she pulled back and forcefully worked against me. She didn't even answer when I called for her, yelled even at the end. Instead, I got a feeling she just shook her head and pulled even further back.

"Dear, dear. No need to act up; let us go. Like Jacob said, let us have some fun."

Without breaking his smile or sweet tone when he reached out and grabbed my throat.

"Now stop fuzzing around and come before I have to find my leash."

His grip tightened, squeezing just a little before loosening his grip, and his palm slid around to my neck. His fingers tangled into my hair, almost like he was playing with it, before he grabbed a fist full and forced me forward. But I had enough, grabbed his wrist, and spun around. I clenched my teeth, trying not to cry out when it felt like he ripped hairs out of my scalp. Without thinking, all my muscles tightened, and I swung my hand around. Placing my fist right over his nose. He let go of my hair after a harsh pull, and I didn't even take time to blink before slamming my fist in his face again. He cursed, stubbled back, and my feet began working on their own. Running past Ezra with both hands over his face, blood dripping on his shirt, yelling in a language I did not recognize.

Crisp air brushed past me, making the burning sensation in the back of my head soothe a little as I ran faster and faster. An echoing roar rumbled behind me, but the force made energy waves in the air, pushing on my back, and suddenly, I stopped. So abruptly, I fell backward, the fall knocking the air out of my lungs, and the thug around my wrist made my entire arm ache. Gasping for air, heaving, and involuntary squirming in the ground. My back burned, my lungs burned, and the sweet metallic taste laced my tongue with every gasp of breath.

A pulsating pulse filled my ears with my rapidly beating heart, and heaving breath was all I heard when Jacob's half-disappointed smile turned up right above me. He shook his head, giving me a fake disappointed smile; I didn't care, didn't want to see him, had more than enough with trying to fill my body with oxygen. Letting my head fall to the side, I began to take it all in. Running, shouting, and chaos interrupted the overwhelming rushing sound.

"Tsk, tsk. What a misbehaving little pet. I will have to punish you when we come home."