Chapter 18 – Strength
–LIA’S POV–
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I went to school with butterflies swarming inside my stomach.
A part of me couldn’t believe what Zane had done. At first, I kept doubting his intentions, but after seeing the album, all negative thoughts had simply melted away. The gesture was really adorable, and I couldn’t ignore it no matter how hard I tried.
I approached my locker, a gentle smile on my face as I thought about him. I could almost feel the weight of the album in my bag as I placed it inside the locker, unzipping it to get my books out.
“Someone looks happy,” Blake said, making my heart jump.
I turned around to find him standing behind me, a charming
smile on his face.
Instantly, guilt pulled at my heart.
“Hi,” I said, smiling back at him. “How are you?”
“I am great, now that you’re here.” He grinned.
“What time do you come at anyway?” I asked, closing my locker and starting to walk with him.
“Early,” he replied. “I wanna be here in case you show up.”
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“Why?” I laughed.
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“To protect you, of course. What if you come to school and The Pounds are here and they try to bally you?”
“The Pounds?”
“They’re no hounds, just little puppies barking up trees.”
“Are you calling me a tree?” I teased.
“You’re a honey locust, cause you’re sweet like honey.”
I snorted, as we entered the cafeteria. “Honey locusts are known for their thorns, Blake,”
“So?”
I gaped. “I’m thorny?”
Blake smirked, putting his arm around my shoulder and leaning in to my ear. “I’m the thorn, babe. The thorn that’s gonna prick anyone who dares come too close.”
A shiver went through me, heat spreading through my body.
“Okay,” I whispered, “look, there’s a table.”
Blake laughed, proceeding to pull my cheek. “You’re so cute
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Chapter 18 – Strength
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when you blush.” He began leading me towards the table I’d pointed at.
“I’m absolutely not blushing,” I replied.
“Sure, sure, Lia. You’re not.” He poked my waist.
I squealed, then glared at him. “Hey. First of all, I am not too ticklish, so these things won’t work on me. Secondly, that is not cool.”
“Oh yeah?” he challenged, then proceeded to poke my side.
I almost jumped, biting my lip to keep myself from laughing.
“Aw,” a voice sang, and immediately, my stomach twisted with
anxiety.
The Hounds stood a small distance away, watching us. My eyes fell on Zane, and my heart raced. He looked gorgeous in a black t–shirt.
“How cute,” Ajax said, his usual mischievous smirk on his lips. “We have competition for Aaron and Sheila.”
“Yeah, right,” Sheila mocked, rolling her eyes. “There’s no comparison.”
“Exactly,” said Blake, “we have no comparison with the likes of you.”
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I glanced at Zane, waiting to see if he’d say anything. But he remained silent.
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I remembered his promise from the previous night. He’d said he wouldn’t let his friends bother me anymore.
“Likes of us?” Warner said, stepping closer. Immediately, Blake stepped forward as well, making sure to shield me with his body. I took a step back, my face falling completely. I didn’t want them to get into another fight. My eyes flew to Zane once more, but he wasn’t even looking at me.
“Yes, the likes of you,” Blake challenged, clearly ready to punch him.
“Guys,” I said softly, “please don’t fight again. Let’s just all mind our own–”
“Shut up,” Warner snapped, cutting me off.
Blake grabbed his collar. “Mind your tongue with her, Hale.”
Warner laughed. “Why? Is yours roaming around her body yet?”
Without missing a beat, Blake punched him across the face.
I covered my mouth, immediately glancing at Zane. He still had a laid–back expression, watching the two of them fight without any emotion at all.
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Warner tackled Blake to the ground, and slammed his head on the floor, straddling his body.
“Let him go! Please,” I cried, now deciding to interfere. But before I could move towards them, Sheila blocked my way.
“Stay here, doll. Let boys fight, will you?”
“Get out of my way,” I snapped, trying to push past her, but she shoved me back, smiling.
I took a few steps away, surprised by the force. She’d never touched me before, so this was new to me. Sheila was stronger than she looked.
I heard Blake grunt, and watched as Warner grabbed his face, digging his nails into his cheeks.
“Cry now, Blakey.” He seethed.
I managed to push past Sheila, reaching them just as Blake flipped them over, trapping Warner underneath him. A hand grabbed my arm, and I was pulled back, much more than it was necessary. Before I could do much about it, I was dragged out of the cafeteria.
Iyanked my arm free fron his hold, glaring up at him. “What is wrong with you, Zane?” I snapped, giving him a hard push to his chest.
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“You’d get hurt, Lia,” he said.
“I don’t care! You said your friends wouldn’t bother me anymore.”
“And they’re not. They didn’t say much to you.”
“Blake is my friend, Zane,” I said through a clenched jaw.
“Friend or boyfriend?” Zane asked, stepping closer to me.
“That is none of your concern,” I replied, putting my hands on his chest to push him back once more. But it didn’t affect him at all, and Zane took my wrists insetad.
“Except it is,” he replied. “You said you don’t feel the same way for him as you do for me. And then you lied about your feelings for me. You’re giving me very mixed signals,
Lia.”
My eyes narrowed. “I’m giving you mixed signals? You’re the one who acted like I was invisible for ten years, and then turned around and gifted me a photo album.”
“Did you like it?” He smiled.
“Yes, but that’s not the po–”
“Which was your favourite picture?” Zane asked with a smile. “Mine is still year one’s. Loved your dress.”
Chapter 18 – Strength
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“The dress that Warner ruined by getting cake on it?”
“Yes. The one.”
I rolled my eyes. “Let go of me now, Zane. I need to return to Blake. I need to stop their fight,” I insisted.
“How will you stop it? You’re just a tiny little bird, Lia. You can’t do anything.”
“I have to try! They’re going to kill each other.”
“Nah, they won’t. You don’t think your friend fights well?”
“He roughed you up,” I mocked.
Zane smiled. “You really think that’s what happened?”
“Of course. I bet you’re not much of a fighter.”
His smile widened, and he grabbed my wrist and dragged me back inside the cafeteria, towards where Warner and Blake were throwing insults and punches at each other. Zane, let go of my hand a small distance away from the fight, and walked up to them casually. Then, in the most relaxed manner he could come up with, he grabbed them both by the backs of their necks and pulled them away.
“Enough, boys. Lia’s gonna call the principal now.
Mated to Two Bad Boy Alphas
Chapter 19 – Safe–1
–LIA’S POV–
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After a minute of struggling, Blake managed to push Zane’s hand off his neck, anu gave him a hard push. He immediately stepped between Zane and I, grabbing my arm and pushing behind himself.
“Stay away from her, Adams. Last warning.”
“Or what?” Zane asked, meeting his glare.
me
“Stop!” I yelled, shoving Blake’s hand off of my arm and stepping away from both of them. A crowd had gathered around us by now, watching us as though we were putting up a play for them. “Both of you, all of you, enough.”
“They started it, Lia. Let me end it,” Blake said.
Zane laughed mockingly. “You’re gonna end us?”
“I said, enough,” I snapped. Then I glanced at Blake. “You wanna fight them, Blake? Go on and do that. But stop making me a reason for it.”
“Stop making you a reason?” Blake asked, staring at me incredulously. “You are the reason, Lia. They were and are jerks
O you. That is the whole point of this. To get them an
alone.”
to leave you
