Break Yours

Break Yours
Wedding Reception

Watching their mates being fawned over by other women, Brenda and Ericka fought the urge to rip the women to shreds. “Eri, I’m about to fold them hoes like a fitted sheet,” Brenda said, and fumbled her hands dramatically, making Ericka chuckle. She stood and extended her hand. “Come on. One of the besties just got married! Let’s celebrate with her.” The two made their way to the dance floor and joined in on the fun. Swaying in sync, they laughed as Essence cheered them on.

“You’re twerking the hell out of that chair, E,” Ericka said, grinning widely.

“Prepping for tonight,” she replied, winking at Kano, who wagged his finger.

“Nope, tonight rest. Tomorrow, if you’re up to it, then you can have some,” he sneered.

“Damn, they said that’s how marriage goes. You start off constantly getting some, then as soon as they lock you down, they close up the shop,” she said, giggling as Kano gently pinched her arm.

Enjoying the couple’s playful banter, Ericka and Brenda moved away to give them some privacy. As they moved, Ericka paused, feeling a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see two men looking at her and Brenda.

“We’ve been hoping to dance with you all night,” the taller of the two said as he reached in and moved a piece of hair from her face.

She backed away. “Don’t touch me again without my consent,” she said, glaring at him.

Grabbing Brenda in his arms, the other man laughed when she jerked away. “Are you insane? Don’t fucking touch me,” she seethed, her fists balled at her sides.

He grinned and reached out to touch her again. “Small and feisty, I like that. The fun we could have—” His voice cut and his eyes bulged the moment he felt a massive hand on his neck. “Woah!” he screamed as Stephan picked him up.

“Did you not fucking hear her?” Fontaine said, steaming with eyes deadly gold.

Brenda shrank. “Okay, now wait because—” She heard another shrill. Turning, she watched as Ericka shrank in the same fashion as her while Phil held onto the other man’s throat. She stomped her foot. “You cannot kick ass at a wedding! It’s inconsiderate as hell, and rude to tear up people’s stuff!”

“What?!” Stephan shouted before pointing the man at her. “So, we’re just supposed to let them touch you?”

“We had it under control!” Ericka replied, and Phil threw up his hands, causing the man momentarily to fly into the air like a doll.

“Well, excuse the hell out of us for wanting to protect you. I guess we can’t do that either since technically you rejected us.”

“Don’t you dare throw that in our faces!”

Grabbing the man from Stephan, Fontaine held him by the top of his head and shoved him in Brenda’s face. “Oh! So what? You wanna be with this? Hm?” He turned the man and fumed. “And what fucking fun were you suggesting that y’all have?”

“I-I was talking about dinner, I promise!”

“The fuck did you just say?!” His eyes darted wildly towards Brenda. “How does this motherfucker know you like dinner?! You out here telling people you eat food?!”

“Fucking hell, I don’t even know how to address the level of crazy that is happening in front of me right now,” she said, rubbing her face.

Closing his eyes, Phil’s grip tightened around the man’s neck, making his eyes bulge. “OhmyGodIwanttomurderyousobadlybutIcan’tbecausesomeofmystudentsarehere,” he said through a clenched smile. He waved at his clearly traumatized students. “Hey guys, no worries! It looks aggressive, but we’re just chatting.”

“O-okay, Mr. P,” Chris replied nervously.

“You’re still not setting a great example by choking me, and lying,” the man squeaked out to Phil.

Phil sneered. “Eri, will you please tell your boyfriend to mind his raggedy ass business.”

She cut her eyes at him. “Beth told you what I said that day, didn’t she?” He grinned sarcastically, and she cut her eyes smaller. “Don’t be immature. It’s not like the three of you weren’t parlaying with those three women over there.”

Stephan grabbed the man from Fontaine and pointed him at the other women before cocking his head back. “Them? I know you aren’t talking about them. They were asking us about you two!”

“Wha—”

Phil grumbled. “Yeah. Apparently men and women alike want some of”—he waved the man’s body around her dramatically—“this! They want all of this, Eri, and I’m really peeved about it. I know you can tell!”

Trying her best not to laugh in their faces, Brenda folded her lips momentarily. She knew the situation wasn’t funny, but she couldn’t help but find dark humor in the way they were torturing the strangers. They were much bigger than the two men, and it showed as they continued to fling them haphazardly around in the air. She sighed.

“Can y’all please stop using them like their pointer sticks? You’re going to make them shit themselves, and this is a really nice place,” Brenda said. Muttering under their breaths, they dropped their victims, who quickly darted from the scene.

Phil folded his arms to his chest. “I’m not apologizing for looking out for my mate, even if she doesn’t want me.”

Ericka’s eyes widened. “But I—”

“You what, Eri?” He shook his head. “You make me feel insane. I’ve had to see you almost every day during the wedding planning, and not once did it look like not being with me phased you at all. It’s like I’m more of a nuisance to you than anything.”

“To both of you,” Stephan interjected as he and Fontaine looked at Brenda. “You broke our hearts, and you spent every day since making it clear you felt nothing towards us.”

“I swear, it’s not like that,” Brenda whispered.

“Then tell us what’s it like? Stop clamming up, and just be honest with us for once. We can take it,” Fontaine said angrily, seeing her face crumble as a response.

She looked away. “Just leave me alone….”

Her words immediately frustrated him, and he grabbed her shoulders, locking their eyes. “Is that really what you want? Because I don’t think that it is. Stop running away from us. What the hell are you so afraid of?!” he raged.

“You! Stephan! Everyone!” she screamed so loudly, the room silenced. Pulling away from him, she looked at the ceiling. “God, I can’t do this anymore, Eri. It hurts too much.”

“I thought it was rather dramatic myself, but then again, I guess showing up to a wedding reception unannounced is on the same spectrum,” a woman with a big grin said as she effortlessly made her way through the growing crowd and walked towards Essence and Kano.

“Agatheia?” Essence whispered as she stared at the woman in front of her.

Agatheia gave her a sinister glare. “Oh, there you are, you little bitch.” She pouted. “I’m a little disappointed. I thought I was going to get a decent fight.” Her eyes reddened, her rage coursing through her veins. “I was praying for it. I needed the alpha to see your life drain from your eyes.” She took a step closer. “You killed my Johnathan.”

“No, I didn’t! Emo—”

“I don’t care! As far as I’m concerned, it was you… it’s always been you. From the very beginning, like a fucking plague in my life. Your father, Johnathan, my clan members—you destroy everything that comes near you.” She seethed at her. “Did you really think I would let you get the beauty of a happy ending, Luna?”

Ericka looked at Brenda before hurrying to Essence’s side. She placed her hand on Essence’s shoulder.
“Luna, stand,” she murmured. Essence’s legs wobbled as the feeling in them returned, each nerve impulse seeming stronger than the last. Ericka nodded. “It’s time. Alpha broke his; break yours.”

Shaking in fury, Essence’s breath was ragged, her eyes boring into Agatheia. “I’m a plague to you? No, you’re a curse to me. My curse! My Emon.” Her eyes blued. “And if you think bringing that tired ass speech and interrupting my wedding reception is about to fly, you’re crazier now than back then. I’m not who I once was, and I will happily show you how true a statement that is.” She turned momentarily to Anastasia, who grabbed Kanon close while Cayden shifted and stood in protection of them. She rubbed her belly, hearing her wolf howl in matching fury.

“Protect our pups... protect our mate... protect our pack.”

Her eyes scanned the shadows around the room, and she shouted, “Come out the rest of you. Remember how well that sneak attack shit worked out for your other clan members last time? We can all sense you’re there! Stop being fucking cowards and come get your asses beat!”

One by one, vampires appeared from the shadows; their hisses and the growls of Blood Moon lifting to the blackened sky. Kano leaned down and used his claws to tear the lower part of Essence’s dress. He kissed the top of her head, feeling the heat permeate from her skin. In a low, deadly voice, he growled at her. “Luna, break every one of her bones, and leave nothing behind.” Nodding, Essence shifted, and darted towards Agatheia as the rest of Blood Moon followed her lead.