The Alpha (The Pack Book 3)

by Kristin Coley

  He’s not going to hurt me, I huffed silently to Dom. I flipped my hand to the man child standing there with a fistful of cookies wearing a pair of borrowed baggy shorts. Looking at him, he didn’t look like he would hurt a fly and I knew he wouldn’t hurt a soul….in this form.

  He’s unpredictable, Dom answered. I’m not taking any chances. His tone was resolute and I knew he wouldn’t change his mind anytime soon. Monster eyed us warily, his gaze switching from me to Dylan.

  Well, big guy, looks like we’re at an impasse, I told Dom as I gave him a flinty eyed stare and attempted to cross my arms over my chest. Attempted being the operative word since he still held my wrist hostage. I’m going over there, I warned him. You can decide if I’m missing a hand when I do. I forced myself into motion, feeling a flicker of resistance along my arm that quickly disappeared as a low growl filled my head.

  You are impossible, he muttered and I refrained from any gloating thoughts as we shuffled over to Dylan, my wrist still clamped firmly between Dom’s jaws.

  “Hey, Dylan,” I called as we approached him and his head turned toward me, but he kept his eyes downcast. “We were worried about you,” I continued, keeping my voice low and gentle. He nodded, his gaze flickering to mine for an instant before dropping again. “I’m glad you came back.” My words were genuine and Dylan’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “Monster thought a trail of cookies might lure you back to us,” I nodded to his hands full of cookies and the crumbs around his mouth. “Looks like he was right. You smelled the cookies?”

  Monster hovered by my side, his normal exuberance gone as he stared at Dylan.

  Dylan nodded at me and then shook his head as his gaze switched to Dom. I could tell he was confused and starting to get upset.

  “It’s fine, Dylan,” I soothed. “We’re glad you’re back. Aren’t we, Monster?” Dylan’s gaze sharpened at Monster’s name and he stared hopefully at him. I whispered softly to Monster, “It’s still Dylan. You don’t need to be scared.” A grumble filled my head, which I ignored, and when Dylan offered the cookies in his hand to Monster, he stepped forward.

  “Were you going to hurt Sissy?” Monster demanded, pointing at me imperiously as he faced Dylan. “Theodore James,” I hissed at my brother as I felt tension ricochet through the group.

  Dylan shook his head frantically, some of the cookies crumbling in his hand as he denied Monster’s question. “No, no, no, no,” he kept repeating, tears welling in his eyes.

  “Okay,” Monster said simply, reaching for Dylan’s hand. “Don’t crush the cookies. This is all of them,” he told him, taking some of them from Dylan. “Help me get the rest?” Dylan nodded, his frantic movements easing as Monster forgave him in classic Monster style. They bent down, picking up the trail of cookies still on the ground and I debated telling them not to eat the cookies, but decided it wouldn’t kill them.

  “See, all’s well that end well,” I stated, not really speaking to anyone in particular. Trent stared at me, then held up half a sucker stick for my inspection.

  “I literally chewed it in half when that wolf lunged at you,” he accused, like it was somehow my fault. “There aren’t enough suckers in the world,” he continued, muttering under his breath. “Nowhere near enough.”

  “Glad you’re alive,” Liam offered, giving me a chin lift.

  “That was….” Leah shook her head. “Intense. The wolf….and then,” she pointed at Dom, “He ripped him away, and there was…..growling,” she waved her hands, trailing off as I nodded.

  “You’re okay?” I checked since she seemed a little flustered. She nodded, glancing at Liam.

  “Liam pulled me to the wall. He kept me safe,” she answered, a little breathlessly.

  I narrowed my eyes as I pinned Liam with my stare. “Yeah, it was so noble of him,” I muttered, not forgetting his first reaction was to protect Leah and not me. Not that it mattered but I was his Alpha’s mate. That was a thing, wasn’t it? If not, it should be.

  It is, Dom answered, causing me to jump since I hadn’t realized I was projecting the thoughts. His first instinct should have been to guard you.

  It’s not that big a deal, I said hastily, not wanting to get Liam in trouble. Dom was a little overprotective at the moment and that didn’t bode well for anyone.

  I’m not mad, Dom replied, the amusement in his voice relieving me. He had a good reason.

  I sent a questioning thought toward him as he finally released my wrist and he yipped, startling me. Liam smiled sheepishly at me.

  “I should have pulled you to safety,” Liam said, “But I was compelled to protect Leah.”

  “Okay, yeah. It was a good call,” I muttered, my eyes darting between them in confusion. Liam shook his head as Dom chuffed and Trent shoved the chewed off sucker stick back in his mouth.

  “No, you don’t understand. I had to protect Leah. She saved my life. I’m bound to keep her safe.” My eyebrows hit my hairline as Leah made a choking noise. What the hell? “It’s a bond between us. Not so different than the mating bond.”

  “Whoa, now, pup,” Trent yanked the sucker stick out of his mouth. “Let’s not go crazy here. We aren’t comparing this to the mating bond. That’s a totally different thing.”

  Is he for real? I inquired mentally to Dom.

  Which one? He asked grumpily and I buried my hand in the thick fur of his neck, massaging it as he leaned his heavy head against my side.

  Both? Either? “Is this seriously a thing?” It was impossible to keep the incredulity out of my voice. “Why am I just now hearing about this? I don’t want to accidentally owe my life to one of you fuckers.”

  “Doesn’t work that way,” Trent answered wryly. “It’s more a wolf thing.”

  “So Liam owes his life to Leah and now he’s bound to protect her?” I asked, making sure I had this correct.

  “Yep.”

  “Do I get a say?” Leah raised her hand, glancing between us and I gave a lopsided shrug. Hell, if I knew.

  The guys traded sideways glances and then Trent made a show of looking at his watch, except he didn’t wear a watch. “Don’t you have that meeting, Dom?” He asked and I felt Dom’s head move under my hand.

  Don’t think I’m gonna forget this, I muttered to him and there was no mistaking the sensation of him internally squirming.

  “I need to go home,” Leah said faintly, pointing to the parking lot for emphasis.

  “I’ll escort you,” Liam replied, eager as a puppy. Pun intended. Leah glanced at me helplessly and I shrugged. He was her problem, I had a dozen of my own. “It’s dangerous,” he continued. “I can make sure you arrive home safely.”

  “Just make sure you come back. No stalking,” I told him, giving him a beady stare which he flinched back from.

  You are magnificent, Dom murmured and I blinked at the unexpected compliment. You are a true Alpha’s mate.

  Yay me, I replied, enthusiasm failing flat to his amusement.

  I’ll explain later, he assured me as he turned to trot back toward the woods.

  “I’ll get your bag,” Liam told Leah, running to where it rested on the ground. She sent me a wide eyed stare and I chuckled. “Text me later,” I mouthed and she nodded before wandering over to where Liam waited.

  Trent stared at me as they left and I rocked back on my heels, bemused by his grumpy expression. “You seem to get stuck with babysitting duty a lot,” I told him and he nodded, his back molars grinding on the chewed sucker stick. “I know something that will make you happy,” I added and he arched a single eyebrow. “About a certain she wolf.” Interest glinted in his eyes but before I could say anything else Monster was running toward me. Trent tensed, his gaze scanning the edge of the forest for any threat as Dylan lumbered behind Monster.

  “We got all the cookies,” Monster yelled and Trent relaxed next to me. “But we’re hungry.”

  “How could you be hungry? You ate half the cookies,” I accused them and they gave me innocent stares as Trent sno
rted next to me. Monster gave a helpless shrug, his hands suspiciously empty of cookies. “Fine, I’ll cook dinner, but you need to wash up and put a shirt on,” I muttered, before catching Trent’s hopeful gaze as I turned back to the motel. “Oh, you too.”

  We walked back to the motel as Dad came around the side of the building. His worried expression eased when he saw Dylan walking next to us.

  “Don’t mention,” I started to say when Trent interrupted.

  “Not a word,” he promised me. “He’s got enough on his plate.”

  “Dom told you,” I said resignedly.

  “Uh huh and I can’t wait to meet the woman that birthed you,” he replied, his lips tilting in a half smirk that was meant to ease the anger that had spiked inside of me at the mere mention of my mother’s arrival.

  “I’m my father’s daughter,” I assured him with a tight smile as Dad met us.

  “Dylan, it’s good to see you on two legs instead of four,” Dad said, smiling, and I could tell it was genuine by the crinkles that formed in the corners of his eyes. He’d taken an interest in Dylan and it wasn’t just because he was Wren’s younger brother. Dad rivaled myself when it came to adopting strays, hence the fact our motel resembled a halfway house more than a place of business.

  “S-s-ir,” Dylan managed to force out, the word conveying several emotions. Dad clasped him on the shoulder, giving him one of those manly squeezes guys did, and I could see Dylan’s eyes shining. It wasn’t often he’d experienced a friendly touch, especially from another man. I noticed that all of the bruising that had covered Dylan’s face was gone, magically healed from the shift and I was grateful. He’d had layers of bruising from the abuse he’d taken from his father and the Hanley Pack, and I was glad the reminders of that were gone. This was a new start for Dylan, Wren, and all the others who had managed to escape the Hanleys.

  Dad glanced over at me, “Wren?” My eyes rounded and Trent let out a curse. We’d forgotten all about Wren. In fact, I had no idea where she was, but when Trent started to yank the shirt over his head, I took a wild guess.

  “She’s still in the forest searching for Dylan,” I answered as Trent tossed me his shirt. I caught it automatically, my nose wrinkling as his hand went to the snap on his jeans.

  “Whoa there, son,” Dad cried, waving his hands. “No need to strip down.”

  “I can track her faster in wolf form,” Trent stated, his hands hovering over the zipper of his jeans.

  “Or, I could call her,” Dad replied, tugging his phone from his own pocket. He wiggled it. “Either way.”

  I tossed Trent his shirt. “Let’s go with calling,” I told him. “Dad, I’m going to get Monster cleaned up and Trent will get Dylan some more clothes.” Trent gave me a look but didn’t protest as he jerked his head, indicating Dylan should follow him. Dylan gave one last wave to Monster before trudging after Trent. I was slightly surprised he hadn’t resisted my command, but shrugged it off as Monster slipped his hand in mine. Dad raised the phone to his ear as I heard a faint ringing come through and then a woman say, “Hello?”

  It didn’t take Wren long to arrive back at the motel. She was only steps behind Trent as he came over with Dylan. I counted the steaks I’d drizzled with olive oil and hoped there were enough for all the big mouths I had to feed before shoving the two pans in the oven to broil. It would just have to be enough.

  “Dylan,” Wren cried with relief as she hugged her brother. He stood there as she squeezed him, his hand coming up to pat her back. She held him away from her as she studied him, her gaze sharp and questioning as she scanned his head to toe. “You shifted back,” she said, a note in her voice catching my ear and causing me to turn and look. “What happened?”

  Her question was directed at Trent and he shot me a hunted look, his hands going to his pockets in search of a sucker as he shrugged. I grabbed a handful of suckers out of a drawer and handed them to him, as I answered Wren.

  “Dom guided Dylan back to the motel and Dylan was able to shift back,” I told her, glossing over pretty much everything. Monster’s head came up, but a subtle shake of my head had him closing his mouth. Wren’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, clearly she knew I wasn’t telling her everything, but really she didn’t need to know how close her brother had come to biting my head off.

  “Cookies,” Dylan said, distracting Wren, and I exhaled. “Monster had cookies,” Dylan moved his hands to indicate a row. “Cookies in line,” he added and Wren nodded encouragingly.

  “Even I’m not buying that story,” Dad whispered next to me, making me jump. “What aren’t you telling us?”

  I shrugged, my lips pursed, as if I had no idea what he was talking about. He studied me for a moment, then sighed. “So long as whatever you’re keeping secret doesn’t affect any one’s safety, you can keep your silence, but, Jess,” I glanced up at the serious note I detected in his voice. “If you or Monster’s safety is in jeopardy, I need to know.” My gaze drifted to Dylan and the wide smile on his face and it was with complete honesty that I answered Dad.

  “You don’t need to worry, Dad. I promise.”

  “Okay, Bunny,” he replied, kissing my forehead. “But you might want to change, you have dirt all over your backside.”

  I spun around trying to see what he was talking about and in the reflection from the refrigerator, I could see a wide smear of mud along my side and butt where I’d curled in the dirt. “Ugh, I’m gonna change. Take those out when it beeps,” I told him, pointing to the oven. “And I do mean, take them out. Don’t leave them an extra minute thinking they need more time. We’ll have over done steak,” I warned, walking away as he made a cross over his chest.

  It only took me a few minutes to change, but I took extra time to comb my hair out and braid it. It was getting long, but so far I hadn’t found time to go get it cut. I wondered if Anna and Leah wanted to make a trip to town for a girl’s day, and then thought twice about it. I wasn’t sure Anna could play nice that long. I finished and opened the bathroom door to find Trent poking through the stuff on top of my dresser.

  “That’s considered an invasion of privacy,” I informed him and he shot me a look as he rolled the lollipop in his mouth.

  “What did Anna say about me?” He asked instead, completely ignoring my words.

  “I don’t remember saying she said anything,” I countered, smiling sweetly.

  “You implied she did,” he retorted, his fingers slipping under an old photo I’d stuck in the edge of the mirror. He tugged on it until it came loose. “That’s your mom?” He tapped the picture where I’d folded it over her face, using that edge to hold the picture in. I nodded, walking to the bed and sitting down with my legs folded underneath me. “You look like your

  Dad,” he offered, studying the picture. It was a couple years old and the last one I had of the four of us together.

  “Yeah, I know,” I answered, tilting my head back to look at him as he brought the picture over to me. “Why are you poking through my stuff?”

  “To understand you,” he answered simply, crouching down so I didn’t have to crane my neck. “You’ve managed to form friendships…relationships with quite a few of the Navarre Pack. You have a way with shifters and humans alike,” he straightened and turned away after dropping the picture in my lap. “Dom’s a lucky guy.”

  “I know,” I replied, not hiding my questioning gaze from him. “I consider myself equally lucky, but what does this have to do with anything?” I lifted my hands and the picture fell onto the quilt.

  “You make him better,” Trent answered. “Stronger. The sign of a true mate. You complement him.” He moved around the room restlessly, picking up things and setting them down almost immediately. “I want that.”

  “With Anna,” I stated.

  “With Anna,” he echoed, nodding slowly. “But I’m not sure I make her better,” he ducked his head, gazing at me through lowered eyelashes. “I’m afraid….I frighten her.”

  “So?” I shrugged a
nd his shocked gaze flew to mine. “A little fear is good for us. It means we’re alive, Trent. Shakes things up.” I reached for the picture, smoothing the crease that cut my mother’s face in half. “And I think Anna is starting to see the benefit of change.”

  “What do you mean?” Trent’s gaze was full of fragile hope and I sucked in a breath.

  “You really do love her,” I breathed and his gaze dropped. “I didn’t really think you loved her. I wondered if it was a game or you just were trying to stir things up.”

  “No, I care very much for Anna,” he corrected, as he wandered toward the window, his gaze focused inward. “I felt the pull the first time I laid eyes on her. I’d heard it spoken of, seen it a little through Dom’s eyes with you, but to actually feel the burn –” He stopped, more serious than I’d ever seen as he slipped the sucker from his mouth and twirled it between his fingers. “It changed me,” he paused, correcting himself. “She changed me. Just as you’ve changed Dom.”

  “I didn’t change anybody,” I denied, lifting my hands in my innocence and he grinned, the old Trent coming back.

  “Oh, yes, you did,” Trent replied, “Dom was a regular ass before you.”

  “Again, not much has changed,” I responded with a cheeky grin and he laughed. He sobered quickly with my next words though. “Seriously though. Don’t give up with Anna. She sees you and she likes what she sees.” I chewed my bottom lip as I considered if I should say the next part.

  “Spill it before you make yourself bleed and Dom comes after me for it,” Trent muttered, the sucker poking against one side of his cheek.

  A sigh gusted out of me and I set the photo Trent had brought me on the nightstand. “You change her perception of herself and that’s a good thing. You see her as she is, completely separate from the Pack, and I don’t think she’s ever had that.”

  Trent’s forehead wrinkled at my words and I wasn’t sure if I was explaining it properly.