She backs up a step, or at least tries to, but I grab the back of her neck and slam her face down onto the wooden table two times before holding her face to the wood of the tabletop, “Talking shit about me or speaking with disrespect to my face will get you a black eye or two. But speaking those disgusting words to my best friends, or anyone else in this pack, will get you an unmarked grave. You are a deplorable cunt, Loanie. I’m queen of this motherfucking castle now; you have just earned yourself your final warning.”
I use my alpha power, as I pick the whimpering and bleeding bitch back up so she can look into my eyes, “You even look at the Knix and Knox with anything other than respect, I will make sure you’re put on silver cell cleanup duty for a year. If you can’t come to terms with Roman belonging to me, I suggest you leave Cutthroat right fucking now because if you ever speak about my man’s dick again, I’ll make you choke on your own tongue. You got me, CP?”
“Y-yes, Alpha,” she whimpers, her face covered in blood.
“Good, get the fuck out of my face.” I shove her away from me and watch her rush out of the room before speaking to everyone else.
There's about three hundred, give or take, people in the room. Most are prospects who don’t have access to church until they’re giving their full memberships into Cutthroat MC. Others are the club Sweets, Old Ladies, girlfriends, and children.
“Everyone,” I raise my voice above the den of voices. Most were already looking my way since I caused a bit of a scene with Loanie, but I want everyone’s attention at the moment, “I know I haven’t gotten the chance to formally introduce myself to you all before becoming a high ranked member here but let me do that now.” I look down at Knix and Knox who both give me encouragement in the form of a wink, “I am Jaz Monroe. I was exiled from my last pack because I rejected the mate bond with the Alpha. I am a warrior first; a top ranked fighter who helped train and lead soldiers.” I watch a few of the men huff at that. Men, am I right? Seeing is believing as they say, and I have no doubt I’ll soon be showing these boys how a real woman fights, “I am also a master mechanic. I have thirteen years of experience under my belt and motorcycles is where my talents lay. So, if any of you need a repair, I’m more than capable to take care of you. I’ll be coming around to visit you throughout the coming weeks, but for tonight, I’d like to throw a feast! Do we have any musicians here?” I shout above the cheers.
I hope Roman and his band of bros will be okay with this, either way, this party is happening.
“Hell, yeah we do!” someone shouts from the crowd.
“Great! We’ll have a good party tonight and we’ll get to know each other over drinks!”
Everyone cheers and it sounds as if I’m in a stadium, only closely packed and hella louder. This pack really loves a good shindig.
***
I’ve never felt something as ominous as this door before me. I know it’s crazy but knowing that my sister is on the other side has me feeling some serious fears. Even with the True Alphas at my back and my bestie, Knix, beside me, trepidation fills me to the brim.
“You got this, babe.” Knix whispers, giving me a smile of encouragement. I can’t tell you how fucking grateful I am to have her as a friend.
What if she hates me just as she seemed to when she was possessed?I mentally ask Roman.
Then it’s her fucking loss. If that is the case, we’ll figure out what to do with her later. Right now, you just need to go in there with your head high and show her you're the queen around here.
He and Knix are right. I’m the queen of Cutthroat, time to put my fucking crown on. I look up and give Roman, my Alpha, a shaky smile. We may not have been looking for a mate, nor were we looking to become one soul with each other, but he’s pretty damn good at this.
“Come on, already. I need to get on the road.” Fucking Atticus has been in a damn mood. Roman thinks it’s because Atticus hates sharing his space, but his attitude says its more than just an irritation. No, it’s something else entirely.
“You don’t have to be here, you overgrown child,” Case jokes, slapping Atticus on the back, but the man just stays.
Even with an out, he stays.I quirk a brow at Roman.
He shakes his head,Focus, little wolf.
Throwing up my mental block, I take a deep breath, square my shoulders, and twist the doorknob. Before stepping through the threshold, I hear the song‘Legs’ by ZZ Top. It seems to be playing from somewhere, but I can’t seem to spot its source. I take a step, passing the threshold, and the music abruptly cuts off as if the needle of a vinyl player was pulled from the spinning record. The room is mostly dark with a small lamp glowing on the dresser in the corner of the room. Across the room is a king size bed and sitting completely quiet in the middle of it is my sister.
Roman and I step closer to the bed while Atticus and Case stand behind us, and Knix remains by the door.
“I wondered if you’d come to see me,” Her melodic voice is slightly higher in pitch than my own, “I didn’t think you’d have the courage or thepermission.” Her eyes slide over Roman and I.
Her sarcasm isn’t lost on me and apparently it’s not lost on Roman either, “Permission? No, my mate doesn’t need that from me. Courage, however,” He snarls loudly, stepping forward with a sneer on his beautiful face, “She has that tenfold. It was courage that freed you, it was courage that led her through the flames you forged, in order to save a child. It was courage that had her killing two beasts created to kill. That’s courage, sweetheart, have you got any?”
The girl drops her head, her fingers twisting through the silver chain connected to her cuffs as she completely ignores the sizzling of her skin.
“Perhaps I do, but I have none to speak for me. If I say it myself, it's only a self-proclamation and not a proven truth” She’s mumbling as if speaking to herself, “What is courage?”
“Who are you?” I ask, tired of waiting for answers that never come on their own accord. In this life, you have to get shit done yourself, take life by the balls and demand compliance. Otherwise, you’ll be sitting on your thumbs all your life, waiting for opportunities to present themselves.
She looks up at me, her face like a mirror image of my own but her hair is reddish brown, similar to Atticus’. She also has tattoos on her face, like symbols or runes. A small row above each eyebrow and down her temples to the corner of her jaw. They accentuate her beauty rather than take away. Her body is also covered in similar tattoos, but I do see artistic designs like the three roses across her chest with the moon phases down her throat.
“I am Zatrina Monroe,” her words have my eyes snapping up to her face, “I’m one of your sisters.”
It’s not really a surprise, but color me fucking shook. Sure, looking at her is like looking at my reflection, but hearing the confirmation straight from her mouth is something I feel horribly unprepared for. How can you even begin to prepare for such life altering news? You’d think I’d be a little more used to the crazy in my life, but apparently, I’m not.