NOT A TYRANT

Chapter 8 | Muscular and Beautiful

March 24th, 2013

Cronus Lycoris

He hadn't taken his eyes off her for even a moment.

Brontes was giving him shit all day over text. The best way to describe his relationship with his father was to say he was his teacher and he was the student. 

Every day, Cronus would leave his business lessons early to visit a small hamlet called Milwaukee. His grandmother lived in this homey town, which was run mainly by humans. Unfortunately, that meant he had horny teenage human girls trying to get in his pants.
The only person he wanted in his pants was Riot. His glazed-over emerald eyes watched her adoringly like she were a nearly extinct bird in the wild. A black tank top hugged her muscular body, tight around her breasts and giving him an effortless vision of her hardened abs.

With dirty jeans and work boots, she dug her heel into the soil and propped her hands under a large tree log. It had to have been as tall as he and her combined.

The sun made her sweaty muscles glisten. Droplets traced down the curves of her body as she propped up the massive log on her shoulder. It was like watching a goddess bless the land.

She was nothing like he expected his mate to be. Cronus expected a mate who needed protection, a woman as beautiful and fragile as glass. Instead, he got the most badass woman he's ever seen. He wasn't afraid to admit she'd kick his ass in a fight.

Cronus felt like a teenage girl fanning herself over a hot guy. Watching her shoulder muscles tense and butt clench every time she threw the log onto a large truck. 

Riot's hardened glare passed over him. "What?" She spat as she waltzed back over to the log pile. He leaned against a nearby wall and shrugged his shoulders, "Just watching." He hummed, "Need any help?" Cronus offered.
A scowl made her features scrunch up. "No." That is all she said. He expected brutal insult, but she only pursed her lips and continued her work. He furrowed his brows, "I didn't mean to imply you needed it." He said as she lifted another log onto her shoulder.

Again, though, she only made a thinking face and continued working.

From her short and brutal answers earlier, he learned she was doing this work for money. This only made Cronus wonder; where were her parents? He didn't have to worry about making enough money to eat that evening or clothe himself.
He was seventeen years old, and she was sixteen. When he tried asking about her parents, she got pissy and defensive. Talk about a tough she-wolf. If Lucifer were here to meet her, he'd blow a fuse, trying not to strangle her for her disrespect. 

"She'd be a powerful luna for our pack," Midas spoke.

That's right. She'd be excellent. Riot would give much-needed confidence to many females in the pack.

Cronus decided to try and get some answers out of her. When Riot walked back toward the log pile, she beat him to the punch. "You're going to ask me shit." She groaned annoyingly. He lifted an eyebrow, "How'd you know?"

"Your expression."

Interesting. She was observant. 

"Well, how about it?" He tilts his head at her. She placed her hands on her sculpted hips and stared him down. Riot scowled, "Just don't be annoying."

That was gonna be hard. He didn't know what her definition of annoying was.

"Why're you a rogue?" He began strong. She tapped her boot irritatingly before huffing out, "I'm from France." She said. That wasn't anything he didn't already know. "But you sign papers to enter packs when you cross countries." He prodded.
Riot's scowl began fiercer. She didn't respond to him. Alright, seems he wasn't getting anything else out of her. Cronus slightly shifted the topic, "I'm worried about you being a rogue in these parts." He told her with a concerned expression.

She lifted an eyebrow at him.

Cronus sighed, "A wolf called The Tyrant is running around. They might hurt you. How will I know you're okay-"

"It's none of your fucking business." 

Well, that got somewhere.

He watched her pick up the last log and chucks it onto the truck angrily. Cronus could tell his prodding irritated her, which was the last thing he wanted. Her hard-headedness and sailor mouth were sexy, but he wanted to know more about her.

A scruffy man by the truck loosely handed the woman some dollar bills. Cronus could only imagine how much he might fear her. You fear what you don't understand.

But Cronus didn't fear Riot at all.

She stuffed the bills in her pants and walked away from the man. He could still see the scowl implanted on her beautiful face. Cronus pushed himself off the wall and effortlessly caught up to her. 

They headed toward the exit to the lumber mill. "You want some lunch?" He offered. Before being snarky, she glanced at him and studied his face for any jokes or lies. "Who's paying?" She asked. Damn, this woman is too honest for him to compete with.
"Me." He said without reluctance. She stuffed her hands into her pockets as they walked along the road. "I can't pay you back," Riot muttered hesitantly. Cronus noticed her scowl turn into a glum expression. Was she upset she didn't have much money?

"Irrelevant." He blurted, "You won't and don't owe me anything."

Riot glanced up at him. He could tell she didn't believe him.

Cronus smiled, "Fine, you'll owe me." He hummed, "I only accept love as a currency, though."

This flirting was utterly unlike him. He never flirted with women; they were the last thing on his mind. Her usual stern glare returned, and a slight pink hue flooded her cheeks.

"Piss off." She spat as she cleared the sweat from her forehead.

A grin forced itself on his face victoriously. He'd rather her be pissed off at him than be sad. "Never." He chuckled, this scenario reminding him of the first time they met.

Riot quickened her pace, "I'm only going with you because I'm hungry." She cleared the air of any suspicion first. Cronus would've felt hurt, but he found it funny. Was she saying that so he didn't think she liked him?

She was a lousy liar.

"Uhuh."