Page 7 of The Renegade Mate

I glanced around the room. Everyone was looking to me to make this decision. They’d already made Ryan and me the Alpha pair, whether we wanted it or not.

How were they all willing to just trust Michael on this? I’d trusted Ryan to look out for me, and he’d rejected me. I’d trusted Seth, and he’d beaten the shit out of me. I’d trusted Hayley, and she’d killed Jem.

I felt a pulse of concern come down my bond with Ryan. He knew what I was thinking, that I was dredging up these memories.

He stepped close to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He felt warm, and I eased into the heat. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Mai. And we won’t let anything happen to them.” Ryan nodded to the others. “Michael is our best shot of a safe place to recover while we work out what to do next. If we don’t go there, we’ll have to go on the run instead. It’s your call, Mai. Whatever you want, we'll do it.”

I’d run before, when Ryan had rejected me. And I’d run again when Seth hit me. I was done running.

“Alright,” I conceded reluctantly. “We’ll go to Bridgetown.”

Chapter four

Ryan

Ipeered out of the car window as Bridgetown unfurled before me, a pulsating hub of urban life nestled in the middle of Shifter territories. Unlike the untouched wilderness of Three Rivers, this was a place where old-world charm met modern sophistication. Two and three-story buildings lined the streets, their modern lines softened by an architectural style that echoed a simpler time.

It wasn’t our territory, though, and it set my senses on alert, my wolf pacing inside of me in apprehension. My mind whirled: a storm of worry for Mai, sitting next to me in the back seat while Derek drove; wariness of our new surroundings; and the constant, throbbing undercurrent of our loss of Jem. I couldn't believe he was dead. He wasn't blood, but he was my brother. We'd been through everything together—the death of his parents and my mom, taking care of my brothers when my dad checked out on alcohol, Mai disappearing, challenging Oliver and his enforcers, Jem and Hayley taking over the Pack—we'd done it all together and now he was just gone. I should have seen it. The signs were there, but I'd failed to connect the dots. Hayley's increasing instability, her growing discontent with Jem and the Pack, the way her eyes would darken with a dangerous glint whenever Jem brushed her off. I'd ignored it, convinced that Jem could handle her, that their bond as mates would keep her in check. But I was wrong.

The guilt gnawed at me, a relentless beast tearing at my insides. If I'd paid more attention, if I'd intervened, maybe Jem would still be alive. But beneath the guilt, beneath the grief that was threatening to consume both me and Mai, there was a simmering rage, a fury that burned white-hot in my veins. Hayley and Brock had taken Jem from us. Hayley had betrayed her mate, but they'd both betrayed their Pack and everything we stood for. And for that, they would pay.

The buildings were closer together now, their facades a mix of old brick and modern glass. The streets were dotted with people going about their business. And elderly couple strolled hand in hand, their steps slow but sure. A young mother pushed a stroller, her eyes flicking down to the babbling infant nestled inside. None of them had any idea of the battles that we'd fought, or the ones that were coming. They didn't know our pain, the depth of the betrayal we had suffered, or the lengths we would go to get justice for Jem, for all of us.

With all these people, we had to be near the heart of Bridgetown. It had taken us most of the day to finalize plans and head over here. Then we took the long way around, making sure we weren’t followed. It was almost eight in the evening now, and I knew Mai needed sleep soon. Her ordeals from the last week, plus the grief of losing Jem, had drained her. I could feel her exhaustion through our bond, and my wolf was getting annoyed with me for not finding her a place to rest. As Mai’s fingers danced over the screen of her phone, I caught a glimpse of her expression, tight with concern and determination. She was texting Sofia, filling her in on our decision to go to Bridgetown, and telling her that she and Jase should keep out of sight for the time being.

While Mai was occupied, my thoughts spiraled inward, my wolf unsettled. I was grappling with the responsibility my brothers had sprung on us—challenging for the Alphahood of the Three Rivers Pack. The notion was as electrifying as it was daunting.

Could I really be an Alpha? The word itself seemed too grand, too heavy, for someone like me. But then again, hadn’t I been playing a similar role for years? Flashbacks of my childhood rushed back … Mom died when I was ten. After that, Dad had been as useless as he was drunk, and my brothers and I had gone without clean clothes, without food to eat. I’d stolen food, ditched class, and gone hunting each day just to make sure they had enough to eat.

Jem had helped, slipping me food and clothes when he could. Then Jem had made the Beta spot under Oliver. I’d been his number one enforcer, watching his back, making sure we were all safe. It came with a regular paycheck, and life got a bit easier for my brothers. Those years had shaped me, honed my protective instincts, and kicked my Alpha tendencies into high gear.

I glanced at Mai, her face, and that cute frown she got when she was concentrating, illuminated by the phone screen. What would it mean for her, for us, to step into such roles? I couldn’t let Mai down. Not again. Being an Alpha pair wasn’t just about leading; it was about setting an example, forging a bond that would be looked upon as the epitome of what a partnership could be. Did we have what it took to be that example? Our Pack needed that desperately, especially after the shitshow that Jem and Hayley had descended into.

And then there were the others—our packmates, our friends. They’d already lost so much. The last thing I wanted was to bring them more pain or uncertainty. But could we bring them something else? Hope, maybe. A fresh start. Justice for Jem.

Mai’s phone buzzed, the sound jarring in the silence of the car, and she read the reply, her brow furrowing deeper. “Brock’s enforcers were at Thomas and Wally’s house,” she informed me, her voice barely above a whisper.

Fuck.

“Did they get in?”

She shook her head. “No. Thomas refused to let them enter.”

Thank the Goddess for Thomas. “Good. Brock will be reluctant to go against the only Pack doctor. He needs Thomas for now, but it might only buy us a few days. Tell Sofia and Jase to stay hidden for now,” I said, my mind racing as I considered our options, “and not to leave Wally and Thomas’s house.”

Mai nodded, her fingers flying over the keys once again. I could see the strain in her eyes, the worry that was eating at her. I wanted to take it all away, wanted to make sure she never felt like this again. Without thinking, I reached over to hold her hand. As soon as I touched her skin, a bolt of electricity shot through our bond and her eyes widened.

"What was that?" she whispered.

"The mate bond is still new. Until it settles down, it's going to flare up randomly." I trailed a finger up her bare arm, and watched the pulse in her throat quicken. "And sometimes not so randomly."

I could feel my wolf stir, driven by the need to protect and comfort her. The mate bond was powerful, demanding, but it also gave a sense of calm and reassurance. Seeing Mai respond to my touch, the way her tension eased slightly, made my wolf chuff in satisfaction. He loved that we could do this for her. I loved just how responsive she was to my touch. Images of Mai naked in my bed while I explored just how responsive she could be flashed into my mind. I trailed my finger slowly back down her arm to clasp her hand again. It was fucking hard holding myself back. Our bond being this new was driving me on but she needed comfort right now not multiple orgasms.

“We're here," Derek announced as he pulled up in front of the Alpha’s residence.

Mason, who was driving the other car with the rest of our little Pack in it, stopped next to us.

"You ready?"

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