I was floating on cloud nine. This night had been amazing so far. They were so thoughtful and worked so hard to make tonight as magical as possible. And once we got home it was only going to get better. I was humming as I left the stall and went to wash my hands. As I was rinsing and drying my hands, the door to the restroom opened and a very pretty red-haired woman strolled in. She came to stand next to me and started to touch up her makeup. She finished as I tossed the paper towels into the trash, and she turned to face me.
"So. You're the one that Asher, Jericho, and Deacon think is their mate."
She looked me up and down and gave me a pitying look.
"Is that a problem?"
"No. Just don't be surprised if they never actually claim you. It makes no sense that you would belong to all three of them. You're nothing but a toy to them, a simple play-thing. Besides, how could you ever agree to be Deacon's mate. Doesn't he disgust you?"
I gritted my teeth at her insinuation.
"Disgust me how exactly?"
"He has such… perversions. No normal man should like what he does. It's not right."
Understanding dawned on me. This was the bitch that hurt my mate so badly years ago. I looked at her in a new light. She saw me looking her up and down and preened, thinking I was admiring her.
"You see, I had expected someone more… attractive. I had thought they would have been with someone that was a real knockout, not just some peasant slob from the streets. Oh well, it just reinforces that you're just a diversion for now. Your only value to them is all between your legs. Poor thing. And to top it off you're stuck at the whims of that freak. Well, have fun while it lasts, I suppose. It won't be long before they come crawling to my door again, begging me to satisfy them in a way you couldn't possibly manage."
I stood frozen in shock as she sashayed her way out of the bathroom. I saw Laurie come out of the other stall. Her anger was clear on her face.
"That bitch."
Her words broke my shock and I saw red as rage swept through me. I wanted blood and I would damn well have it. No one says shit about my mates and walks away.
"Oh, hell no!"
I stormed out of the bathroom with Laurie right behind me and I caught up to that bitch quickly. I grabbed her by the arm and swung her around.
"Excuse me! What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Putting a judgmental, spiteful bitch in her place."
She had just seconds before my fist plowed into her face. Blood spurted as her nose broke, and she let out a shriek. I followed it up with a right hook that hit her in the cheek, and she fell to the floor, off balance from her heels. I heard people start screaming as I knelt down with my knees on either side of her chest and started to hit her face over and over, one hand fisted in her dress and the other destroying her face. I didn't do any of that girl fighting hair pulling slapping shit. I was vaguely conscious of my mates running to my side before they stopped in shock as I did my best to beat her face into a pulp.
"You absolute fucking bitch! How dare you badmouth my mates like that! You don't get to fucking hurt them that way! And you keep Deacon's name out of your filthy god damn mouth! He isn't a freak! He is fucking perfect just the way he is! If anyone is fucked up it's you! You're fucking dilutional if you think anyone in this fucking pack wants your hateful ass."
I felt Ash's arms come around my waist and he pulled me off of her. I fought him tooth and nail to get back to destroying that woman. I elbowed him in the diaphragm, and he dropped me when he lost his breath. I jumped and attacked the bitch as she was trying to get up. I got in a few more good hits and slammed her head into the floor a couple of times before Ash and Jer grabbed my arms and pulled me away. But they couldn't stop my words as I struggled against them, and I was beyond caring who was watching. I would defend my mates until my last breath.
"If I ever hear you say one more word about my mates, especially Deacon, I'm going to find you and rip out your fucking tongue. You're pathetic. You think they want you!? They see you for the pitiful and hateful female you are. You think you can seduce your way into the Alpha's bed? And if that doesn't work you think the Beta is gonna want you? Please! They have such better taste than that. The only way you can feel good about yourself is to put others down, even if what you say is utterly ridiculous. Bitch, I know I'm not perfect but to them I'm gorgeous! If I was ugly to them, they wouldn't tell me every day, several times a day, how beautiful I am. They love me. Your sad ass isn't loved or even liked by anyone. You're the ugly one and you are gonna die alone. And if you ever happen to find a mate, I pity the poor soul stuck with you because he will end up fucking miserable! If he's smart, he will reject you and consider it a close fucking call."
Everyone gasped at my words and turned evil eyes on the female on the floor. Her shifter healing had already kicked in and the damage I'd done was already healed. But she recoiled from the venom in my words and the fury and hate in my eyes, as well as the dark looks she was getting from everyone around us. Laurie came storming past where Ash and Jer were still holding me back. I was still struggling to get to that woman and continue to fuck her up like she deserved.
"You filthy whore. You're in here every week with a new guy simply because no one can stand you for long. And you dare come in here and insult our future Luna?! Tell her she is just a worthless toy?! How dare you insult them and her like that! Just because you are miserable and jealous that she has something you covet doesn't mean you can get away with insulting our pack leaders. Get out of my restaurant and don't you dare ever come back! If you do, I will fuck you up myself."
Laurie spit on her and moved to slap her when Jacques wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back to the edge of the crowd. I saw him whispering in her ear and she calmed down even as she started arguing with him.
"Stop."
Silence descended in the room as Ash's voice rang out loud and clear. I stopped struggling and looked over my shoulder at him.
"What exactly happened here?"
I took a deep calming breath. They let me go as they felt me relax in their hold.
"I was washing my hands in the bathroom when she came in. She proceeded to tell me I was just a plaything for you guys, a distraction, and to not be surprised if you never actually claimed me. That I was unattractive, and she asked how I could stand to be with Deke. She called him a freak! And then she told me it would only be a matter of time before you guys threw me aside and went crawling to her because I couldn't possibly satisfy you as good as she could. That you would be begging to be with her. She did everything she could to try to make me doubt that you were my mates and doubt your love for me. She thought she could insult me, and then expected me to just believe her so that I would leave you. Then she could move in and have power in the pack because you obviously wouldn't choose a weak and pathetic peasant slob like me to love and be your mate. That you were only calling me mate was so you guys could fuck me but that you had no intentions on marking me and keeping me. That you would throw me aside once you got what you wanted from me since my only value was what was between my legs."