Behind The Alpha Book 4 CASS

Chapter 10

(Chapter Song ‘Hey Jealousy’  Gin Blossoms)
CASS

I watch her carefully as she takes a sip while her big blue eyes watch mine.  I’m hoping she truly starts to feel like I do.  I think we connected in that moment last night. 
“Where does your friend live?”  She asks.
“Phoenix City.”  I says as I drink mine.
“Great.”  She smirks, grabs my arm and in an instance my ears are flooded with cars revving, horns honking and 30, 000 people everywhere.
“Whoa!”  I’m almost pushed over by a crowd walking by.  I look at her and scrunch my brow.  “Really?”
“Sorry.  We don’t have time for pleasant entries.  Now.  Where are we going?”  She slams her hands on her hips.
I look up and down the main street then up at the tall skyscrapers that make Phoenix City the beacon of the Alliance.  I was here for the games, but never found out where the Alphas lived.  I scratch my head.  “Um…I don’t know…”
“What?!”  She throws her arms out.  “Cass!”
“I was going to work that out on the drive out here.  I didn’t know you’d just flash us here.  Anyway.  Don’t worry your beautiful head, ok.  I know someone who does.”  I look at my watch.  “Good.  He’s at work.  Come on."
“Where are we going?”  Ember says as she follows me up the street. 
“Phoenix security.  My friend Deacon is a trainer there.  He’ll know where Nala lives.”  I break into a jog up the main street to the top of the hill where the turn meets the road to the pack house. 
After a 10 block run, we get to the gates.  I announce myself and we’re led into the Security Unit building.  From the grand front lobby, on the right is the dining area.  We walk through it and the training unit is on the other side. 
They called Deacon to meet us.  I see him walk in wearing black shorts and a black cut off.  He’s wearing his classic skull cap and sporting some new ink.  He’s all smiles.
“Hey, buddy.  Long time, no see.”  He side claps my hand and pulls me into a bro hug. 
“Hey, Dea.  What’s happening?”
“Nothing much.  Living the dream.  I’m on the council now.”  He slaps my chest with the back of his hand.
“Really?  That’s cool.  I know you wanted on Falcons council.”  I slap his arm.
“Yeah.  Me and Oliver tried.  Well, Ollie’s still trying.  He’s such a dick though.  Me, on the other hand, I think they have their club and just don’t want new members.  They’re a little more open here.”  He says.
“I can see that.”  I respond.
“Who’s this?”  Deacon reaches out his hand to Ember.
“Ember Rose.”  She says.
My jaw drops.  “Really?”  I question her.
She turns to me and folds her arms.  “Yes.”
I blink a few times.  Her pink glow got brighter.  “That’s even more beautiful.”  I mumble. 
She arches a brow at me. 
“Uh…Cass?”  Deacon looks at me weird.
Deacons voice jolts me out of my love haze. “Yes…uh…right…Anyway…We need your help to find Nala.” 
“Nala?”  He scratches his temple.  “She’s in meetings with Jake and Zander all day then I think she’s off to Helena tomorrow.”
I furrow my brow.  “Helena?”
“Yep.  Seems Curtis and Nala hit it right off and they’re off the meet his pack.”  Deacon grins. 
I cross my arms and tilt my head to him.  “He knows he’s Jesse right?”
“Apparently.  Curtis doesn’t care.  Nala gorgeous and Jesse’s cool and manly.  Curtis is one happy man.  I’m actually jealous.  With a shape shifter, damn.  Curtis can get a new guy or girl every night if he wants.  Plus wolves!  I think a lot of guys would beg for that."  Deacon chuckles. 
“That’s actually pretty sweet.”  Ember says.
I turn to her.  “Was that a gush?”
She frowns.  “I can gush when it’s warranted.”
“About me?”  I turn my head slightly.
“No.”  She turns away.  “Deacon.  The address to this Nala person.”  Ember steps to him and again, I feel the faint sting of rejection.  This is really starting to get annoying. 
“I can give it to you, but the meetings are closed door and they won’t be out until later.  So if you want, we got a training session if you guys want to sit in.” 
I grin.  “Wanna?  It could be fun.”  I nudge Embers arm. I think this might be a good way to get to know each other.
“I really just want to get this…”
I move in front of her and lower myself to her eyes.  “Come on.  You can kick my ass.”  I kind of sing and bounce my brow.
She thinks about it.  “I do want to kick your ass.”  She mumbles. 
“Come on.  I’m a great trainer and Deacons loads of fun.”  I wrap my arm around her shoulders and we follow Deacon out. 
She shrugs my arm off.  “Please, don’t touch me.”  She arches her brow as she side eyes me. 
I hang my head, chuckle and shake my head. 
“What?” 
I look at her and smile.  “Absolutely nothing.  Let’s go.” 
We follow Dea out to the field.  There’s all kinds of groups sparring, doing circuits. The super wolves are tearing up the track and Quinn is off in a back corner with a bunch of kids to do their own training.  I heard he was doing great with his troubled youth treatment center.  It’s grown a lot from what I hear from Gideon.  It’s wonderful when your life makes others better.  I hope to do that with Ember.  I want get past the wall she clearly has up.
Deacon stops.  “We still have about an hour before instruction starts.  We usually group up.”  He looks around the field and points to the Alphas. 
We join the huddle.  “Hey guys.  This is Cass Raven and Ember Rose.  They’re waiting for Nala.  Cass, Ember.  This is Mateo, Ash, Brody  Peter and Darcy.  Phoenix trainers.”  Deacon introduces the guys and I shake their hands. 
“Brody, I know.  How’s the brat?”  I smirk and fist bump him.
“Which one?  Emilia or Lucy?”  He laughs. 
I laugh too.  “You must have your hands full.”  I grin. 
“Oh yeah.  The only good thing about it is Alexi is so hard up for babies, she has Luke come and steal Emilia for a week.  Luke loves her, but he’s glad he can give her back.”  Brody removes his ball cap and rubs his blonde hair.  He looks like he likes the breaks from the munchkin.
“In all honesty, Luke Jackson is the last person I’d picture as a dad."  I smirk.
“He’s great with her.  Deep down, I think he’d like one of his own.”  Brody crosses his thick arms.
“So what do you guys need Nala for?”  Darcy pipes up, fixing his messed up ponytail.
“We need her to find someone for me.  She the only one with the skill considering she can track my kind.”  Ember says.
“You’re a shifter?”  Ash asks in a deep, baritone voice.
“No.  A nymph.  Nala can track them.”  I supply.
“Nymphs man.  They’re weird ones.”  Mateo shakes his head. 
“We’re not that weird.”  Ember grumbles.
“He didn’t mean you, baby.  Right?  Mateo?  You didn’t mean her?”  I say, probably a bit more excited than I should have.  Deacon picked up on it right away.
“Calm down, Cass.”  He says.
“Yes, stop it.”  Ember grits.
“Anyway, once Nala is free, I’ll send her to you.”  Deacon offers.
“Thank you, Deacon.”  Ember says.
I was about to thank him too, until I saw something that got my blood boiling.  “Hold up!”  I point to Darcy.  “What was that?”  My brows furrow as I eye him.
He smiles.  “What?”  He looks at all of us, trying to look cute.  It ain’t working with me.
“Your eyes.”  I slowly approach him.  My jaw ticks as my mood shifts.  “You…You checking out my girl?  While I’m standing right here?”
He shifts in his spot.  “No.”  He nervously chuckles and tries to avoid my eyes.
“Cass…He wasn’t…”  Ember starts. 
I throw up a hand behind me. My glare never leaves his face as my Alpha chest puffs out.  “No.  I saw you check her out.  You got some balls."
“Cass!”  Deacon yells as he stands beside us.
“Listen, buddy.  I’m mated to a drop dead gorgeous woman.  I don’t need to check out yours.”  He smirks.  His showboat attitude increases my heart rate.
I thump my chest into his as I push on him.  “You saying my girl isn’t good looking?”  I growl and my eyes flash blue as my wolf makes his presence known.
“Cass!!”
“No!  She’s good looking!  Very good looking…”  He starts to back up and puts his hands up in surrender.
“So, you were checking out my female.  I should shove your ass down your throat!”  I grab his shirt and shove my face in his.  He starting to sweat and so am I because my heart is completely racing.
“DARCY! JUST APOLOGIZE!”  Peter yells. 
“Cass!  Let him go!”  Deacon throws his arms between us and tries to push me off him. 
Darcy flashes blues eyes at me.  His wolf surfaces.  “Let go!”  He grits.
“MAKE ME, PRETTY BOY!” I pull him to me and throw an arm back for a punch to the head.
“NO!  CASS!”  Mateo grabs my arm.  We’re shoving on each other. 
“No!  I’m teaching this asshole a lesson!”  I grind loud. 
Ember runs to our side.  “Cass!  Let him go!” 
“I’m not letting this bitch disrespect you!”  I flare my eyes as I fight Mateo and Deacon.
“It’s not that, you idiot!  You need to calm down before your heart…” 
Suddenly my chest feels like it’s being squished between two speeding trucks. 
“AHHH!”  I grab my heart and fall to a knee, supporting myself on the ground with one hand.
“What’s happening?!”  I pant as my face drips with sweat from the pain.
“Get a doctor.”  Ember says calmly.  “With a stretcher.”
She crouches to me, folds her arms on her knees and tilts her head to me.  My heart feels like it’s about to explode.  My jaw hurts from clenching so hard.  This is like a heart attack, but a thousand times worse.  “You’re going for a little nap for about 12 hours or so.  See, dumbass, this jealous shit…Your heart doesn’t like that so, it’s kicking your stupid ass.”
My pain filled face rolls to her as my body shakes.  My chest is on fire and I can only breath short, labored breathes. 
She smirks.  “Next time…Use your fucking head.”  She growls.  “Night, night.”
My heart delves out a massive wave of pain.  My body flies backwards, I land on my back and pass out. 
The sound of my pounding heart is the last thing I hear.