The Claiming by Cooper Book 6
The Gamma Tournament by Cooper (Ezekiel & Gianna)
Chapter 8 Ezekiel
If D*ickwad Daniel wasn’t a human and I didn’t have Zeke attached to my c*hest, I might have broken his wrist, or better yet, broken his arm.
He tries to yank his arm away from me, but I hold t*ight.
“I am one of the best Aikido fighters in the world, Daniel. I suggest you walk away before you embarrass yourself,” I tell him, releasing his arm.
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He yanks his arm down, glaring at me. His woman, though, has the opposite response and I can tell that Gianna is getting angry. I’ m not sure if she can smell the woman’s arousal, but if not, it’s only a matter of time. “Are you ready baby? I believe you wanted to go ride the Ferris Wheel,” I say, not taking my eyes off of D*ickwad.
“What kind of a father are you? Risking your child like that?” he says loudly.
I move Gianna ahead of me, away from D*ickwad.
“The kind of father who knows that an easy ride won’t hurt my fiance, my son, or my daughter,” I tell him and watch his teeth snap together. “I recognize that my fiance is stronger than most people give her credit for, and because she is, my children will be the same. So, we’re going to ride the Ferris Wheel and have a great night as a family,” I say, and turn, taking Gianna’s h*and.
As we walk, she wraps her arm around my waist, and smiles up at me.
“What?” I grumble.
“Is it bad that I like how protective you are of me?” she asks me.
I sigh, brushing off the encounter with D*ickwad. This night is all about Gianna and giving her the night she never had as a child.
“I will always be protective of you and our family. There may come a day that you don’ t like it as much as you do now,” I tell her.
She snuggles against me. “I went over two decades of my life never feeling like anyone was there to protect me, not like this. I’m pretty sure that I’ll never dislike it,” she says as we get into line for the ride.
She looks up at me again, her sweet smile melting my heart. “But I will say this, it’s a good thing that we left when we did.”
“Why is that?” I ask, keeping an eye on our surroundings while still focusing on my mate.
“Because I was about one second away from punching that b*itch in her drooly m*outh,” she says, making me bark out in laughter.
I pull her to me and k*iss the top of her head. “Goddess, I love you,” I say, still chuckling as we step up to the entrance of the ride.
When the person manning the ride opens the gate, Gianna squeals and tugs me along to sit beside her.
“Keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times,” the man says in a monotone. He closes the door on our passenger car. “Have you ever done this before?” I ask Gianna as the wheel begins moving us upward.
“Nope!” she says excitedly, leaning forward. I frown, watching her as she looks out, apparently not at all afraid of heights. It’s not that I’m afraid of them, but I prefer to have my feet firmly on the ground.
When all of the lower cars are filled, the entire wheel lifts up, and then it feels like we’re on top of a mountain. This is apparently what you call a double ferris wheel.
“It’s beautiful,” she says, looking out over the city. I wrap my arm around her, the air up here cool and breezy.
“Is this what you wanted to do, have a moment with your mate on the Ferris Wheel?” I ask her.
She turns to smile at me. “Do you know what would make it perfect?” she asks. “What’s that?” I ask.
“I’ve always wanted to make out, or at least k*iss at the very top,” she says.
“Oh, I can definitely oblige that one,” I say, leaning in and sliding my h*and in her hair. I take her m*outh in a slow, dominant k*iss, taking my time and not stopping, even when she presses against me, whimpering with d*esire.
It’s not until I hear someone clearing their throat for the third time and feel a tap on my shoulder that I finally pull away, smiling at my mate’s dazed expression.
“Sir, I’m sorry, you have to get off the ride now,” he says.
“Wha…” Gianna says, looking around.
“Sorry, baby, I didn’t want to stop k*issing you. We can go again if you want,” I tell her. “No, that was perfect,” she says.
I step out of the car and take her h*and, helping her out. When we turn, the crowd begins cheering, and even though they aren’ t the wolf-whistles of a pack, they’re still pretty impressive.
I help my mate off the walkway, seeing her pretty blush. From the corner of my eye, I see D*ickwad watching us.
I’ve seen the face of regret and jealousy before, and right now, D*ickwad is feeling both.
I move to stand in between D*ickwad and Gianna, blocking his view of my mate.
“Where to now?” I ask her.
“Now, let’s get that elephant ear,” she says. “Ohh, the carousel. Let’s do that first!” she says, pulling me toward something that has fake animals and goes around in circles. I watch as the next group begins their spin on the ride.
“What animal do you want to ride?” I ask her.
“A horse. Oh, we have to get two side by side so we can ride together,” she says, bouncing on her feet again.
I realize how incredibly lucky I am to have found my mate. She’s an Alpha female, sure, and I love that about her. But she isn’t presumptuous and doesn’t have any expectations of me or our bond, other than wanting me to love her. I’m not sure I deserve such an easy mate, but she’s as easy to please as they come.
“Two horses, side by side, coming up,” I say.
When it’s our turn, I find a horse, lifting her up onto the seat, and then climbing up on the one beside her. As we start to move the horses go up and down. I guess it’s supposed to seem like you’re riding a horse, but our wolves run much faster than this. Honestly, it’s weird, but Gianna is loving it.
Afterward, Zeke begins to squirm around. “I think he’s getting hungry, and he definitely needs a diaper change,” I say.
“I’ll change him,” she says.
“I’ll do it. You go get your ear thing and I’ll meet you at the tables once our son is clean and fresh smelling,” I tell her.
“Do you want one too? They’re so good!” she says.
“Do they have a toffee tasting one?” I ask her.
“I’ll see what I can do,” she says, as I h*and her some money.
“That reminds me, I need to close my bank account tomorrow before we pack up.”
“We can do that first. Packing the truck won’t take any time at all,” I say, holding her h*and as she heads to the food stand. I hold it until I have to let go and then I watch her for a moment as she makes her way into a line. Then I turn to go to the bathroom that is on the outskirts of the food court.
I get Zeke’s diaper changed, telling him how much fun his mom is having before putting him back in the carrier and heading out to find Gianna.
I look at the line where I left her and see that she’s already through. I look around the tables and when I don’t instantly see her, I begin moving forward quickly. I lift my nose, finding her scent and following it.
There are a lot of sounds, but I know her voice the moment I hear it.
“Daniel, let me go!” she says.
“Gianna, he’s no good for you. He’s controlling and possessive. He growled at me earlier. I made a mistake. I want you back,” D*ickwad says.
“Daniel, let go!” she says, and I turn the corner to see her pulling against him.
D*ickwad has her by the wrist and he’s trying to drag her away.
I snarl, and in an instant, I have his wrist in my h*and, and I begin twisting until he cries out, releasing Gianna. I twist until he falls to his knees at my feet.
“Gianna, are you okay?” I ask, not taking my eyes off of D*ickwad who is now screaming for me to let go of him.
“Yes, Ezekiel. It’s fine.”
“No, Gianna, it’s not. I warned him not to t*ouch what is mine. Take Zeke, he’s hungry.”
“Ezekiel…”
“Gianna, take Zeke,” I say firmly.
Gianna comes over and unhooks Zeke from my c*hest. D*ickwad’s eyes go wide.
“Gianna, no! Don’t leave me alone with him. He’ll kill me!” he says and begins screaming for help.
It attracts the attention of several people. “What’s going on?” someone asks. “He attacked me,” D*ickwad says.
“That’s because you tried to drag me away from here against my will, Daniel,” Gianna says, immediately turning the group against D*ickwad.
“Well, well. Daniel was it? Did you know that this young lady was just down at the police station today, giving her statement about being kidnapped. And now, here you are trying to drag her away from her fiance and a public place. If I were a Detective, oh that’ s right I am, I might think that was too many coincidences to happen to one person,” Desmond Simmons says, walking up. “Are you okay?” Desmond asks Gianna.
She nods, clutching Zeke to her c*hest. “Mr. Battles, I’ll take it from here,” Desmond says. “You can’t kill him. I’d have to arrest you. You can’t even injure him, not with all these witnesses,” he says quietly.
“Baby, he’s not worth it. Come with me while I nurse our son. I don’t want to be alone after that,” Gianna says and that’s what snaps me out of my rage.
I look at Desmond. “Deal with him, or next time will be his last time,” I tell him, low enough that the humans can’t hear.
I release D*ickwad and turn to Gianna. She reaches to take my h*and, but I pull her arm up, seeing the f*ingerprints still on her wrists.
I growl angrily before gently k*issing them.
As I lead her away, I hear D*ickwad calling out to her. “Gianna! Gianna please! I’m sorry, I made a mistake!”
“I’m okay, Ezekiel,” Gianna says.
I don’t answer, I’m still full of rage for the man that tried to take my mate and daughter from me.
She turns and places her h*and against my cheek. Zeke is really starting to fuss now, but she takes this moment to calm me, soothe me.
“Come on, our son is hungry,” I say as he cries out, getting louder.
We find a private spot and Gianna begins nursing. She takes my h*and and wraps my arm around her, pulling me to her. I focus on my mate, stroking Zeke’s head as he nurses hungrily.
As I let the calm of the moment settle over me, I k*iss Zeke’s head, then k*iss Gianna’s.
“I’m sorry he ruined your night,” I tell her, almost angrier that he took away the night I tried to give her.
“He didn’t. You gave me the perfect night, the night Daniel never gave me. I’m not going to let him ruin it. I’ve had the best night of my life. One crazy hour isn’t going to change that,” she says.
I wrap my arms around her and Zeke while he finishes eating.
“What else do you want to do tonight?” I ask her.
“I want to go home and make wild, passionate love to my mate on our balcony in our last night in that fantastic hotel room,” she says, making me smile.
“You know, I’m positive I don’t deserve you as a mate. You’re too perfect, but I’m not giving you back. Not now, not ever,” I say to her.
“Good, because I love you, but there is one more thing you can do for me before we go home,” she says.
“Anything,” I say.
“Get me a damn elephant ear!”
“Done.”