Chapter 142: A Bitter Bite
Josie
I was pissed. Absolutely pissed.
I stood there, glaring at Thorne, my jaw tight enough to crack my teeth. Just a moment ago, he’d been perfectly fine, civil even. And now? He’d flipped like a damn switch, his voice sharp, his expression dark, as if I’d offended him by simply breathing.
"How could you change so flippantly?" I demanded, my hands clenching at my sides. "Weren’t we getting along just a moment ago? What’s with the rudeness now?"
Thorne’s lips curled, his eyes glittering with that maddening superiority he carried around like armor. "I’m still the Alpha, Josie," he said, voice like a whip. "And you have to obey me."
Obey. The word made my blood boil.
I glared harder, refusing to back down. "Excuse me? You’re the one who called me over here, whining about being hungry, saying you wanted to eat something. Now suddenly it’s a problem? What the hell is wrong with you, Thorne? Do you have to belittle me every single time, no matter what?"
Before Thorne could shoot back, Kiel stepped in, his tone casual but sharp underneath. "Fine. Then I’ll eat it."
Thorne’s head snapped toward him, eyes narrowing dangerously. "Stay out of it, Kiel. This is between me and Josie."
Kiel gave him a flat look, but his smirk tugged at the corner of his lips anyway. "I said I’m hungry." Then, without warning, he lunged toward the food sitting on the table.
I barely had time to blink before Thorne was faster—of course he was faster. His hand shot out, snatching the plate away just as Kiel’s fingers grazed the edge.
The air between them cracked.
I froze, staring at the two of them like they had lost their minds. Watching them fight over food—my food—was insane. Completely, utterly insane.
"You’ve got to be kidding me," I muttered, taking a step back. "You know what? I’m leaving."
That got Thorne’s attention. His head whipped toward me, his lips curling in annoyance. Still holding the food, he snapped, "You’re not going anywhere. Eat out of it."
I blinked at him, stunned. "What?"
Kiel stepped forward, eyes blazing. "Don’t talk nonsense, Thorne. Stop treating her like she’s—"
He cut himself off, but the heat in his voice was enough. I stood there, watching the silent standoff unravel. Kiel’s fists tightened, his chest rising and falling with restrained fury, while Thorne’s glare only grew sharper, like he dared him to push further.
For a long, tense moment, no one moved. Then Kiel huffed, loud and angry, and folded his arms across his chest. "Fine. Do whatever you want." His voice dripped with disdain, but he stayed rooted in place, letting Thorne have his ridiculous victory.
I let out a long, weary sigh. My heart was hammering in my chest, but the exhaustion hit heavier than the anger. Turning back to Thorne, I said, "Just let me be. I’m serious, Thorne—things won’t end well if you keep pushing me like this."
His expression hardened, and the stubborn set of his jaw made my pulse spike. "Don’t push me to the wall, Josie," he warned, his voice low and dangerous.
I squared my shoulders and met his glare without flinching. "Try me."
I turned to leave, sick of the childish games, but he moved faster than I expected—so fast it made my head spin. One moment, my arm was free, and the next, his hand clamped around my wrist, spinning me back to face him.
Before I could even curse at him, he shoved the plate into my palm.
"Warm it," he ordered. "If you don’t want me to waste it."
My mouth opened, words spilling to the edge of my tongue, but he wasn’t listening. His eyes burned with command, and his tone was final. "Hurry."
I wanted to throw the damn food in his face, but instead I grumbled under my breath, stomping toward the kitchen. My chest was tight with frustration, my skin hot with irritation. Dumping the plate onto the table harder than necessary, I muttered curses at every step.
That’s when Marcy walked in, her eyes scanning me like she immediately smelled the storm on my skin. "Why are you in such a foul mood?" she asked, her tone almost amused.
I let out a bitter laugh. "Because things are getting out of hand, that’s why. And I just..." I threw up my hands. "I just don’t know how to fix it. I’m tired of the way Thorne acts like he’s my damn boss every single second. It’s exhausting."
Marcy leaned casually against the counter, a teasing smirk tugging at her lips. "I think it’s cute. You two... the way you fight. There’s something there."
I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt. "Oh, please. Don’t start with that sappy nonsense right now. I’m burning up with frustration, Marcy, not looking for your romance novel commentary."
She chuckled, but didn’t push. Which was smart.
I reheated the food quickly, still fuming, and stomped back to the table where Thorne sat waiting like a damn king on his throne. The audacity.
He didn’t even let me sit down before he dragged the chair out with his foot and pointed. "Sit."
I hesitated, glaring, but dropped into the chair with a heavy thud.
Then, with a smirk that sent my blood pressure soaring, he said, "Feed me."
I blinked at him. "Are you serious?"
From the side, Varen let out a sharp whistle. "Damn. Kiel, you should take notes. That’s how you spice up your romantic life."
I turned, shooting him a death glare. "Do you think this is romantic?" I snapped. "Because it’s not. It’s ridiculous."
Thorne didn’t flinch. He leaned in, his eyes locking onto mine. "I’m not trying to be romantic." His voice was deep, rough, every word heavy. "I’m claiming what’s mine. What’s fucking mine."
The words slammed into me, leaving me stunned for a moment, my throat suddenly dry.
But Kiel wasn’t having it.
He shot up from his chair, rage practically radiating from his skin. His fists slammed against the table, rattling the plates. "She isn’t yours alone, Thorne!" he shouted. His voice shook with fury. "Stop this bullshit!"
Before I could react, Kiel grabbed my arm, dragging me up from the chair with him. The sudden pull jolted me forward, and in the chaos, the plate in my hands tipped.
Time slowed as the food spilled—pasta tumbling, sauce splattering across the floor in a messy, steaming heap.
The sound of it hitting the ground echoed in the silence that followed.
And everything froze.