Page 21 of Forced By the Alpha

Emma slapped his hand away. “Then when is the time? I’ve worked my ass off for this pack and she just waltzes in and suddenly we all have to bow to her? She’s a fucking Rosewood! I deserve to be in charge! Not her, and not him!”

Silence descended on the room with her words. It was one thing to know she wanted to be alpha that she wanted to shove Dev aside and take his role. He had always wondered what she’d planned to do about it. Take over with a coup? Embarrass him so he had to back down? Kill him? He wouldn’t have put it past her.

Now it was out there. Open. She couldn’t take it back. Dev saw a lick of fear in Emma’s eyes when she realized she’d said out loud the thoughts she’d been keeping buried, but she chased it away with a defiant look.

“You need to go. Go calm down somewhere. We’ll talk.” Devon choked the words out, conscious of Beth behind him. He wouldn’t prove her right with a brutish display. Wouldn’t strike his own sister down, even if she deserved it.

Emma laughed, cold and harsh. “She’s already turning you into a bitch. Pathetic. You’re pathetic, Dev. This pack is going to crumble because you can’t even handle your own sister.”

Dev grabbed her by the throat. Restraint only went so far. He pushed her up against the wall until her feet dangled above the floor, her fingernails scratching the back of his hands. Beth inhaled sharply behind him.

“I’ll snap your neck if you say one more word today.” He tossed her aside. She landed in a heap among the broken glass, Caleb rushing to her side. “Get her out of here, Caleb, before I kill her.”

Caleb dragged Emma out of the room, leaving Beth and Jonah there, stunned looks on their faces. Blood raced hot in his veins.

“I can handle my own fights,” Beth said, shaking off her dazed look.

Jonah grabbed her arm. “Not the time, Beth.”

“Is that what you call handling it?” Devon waved his hand at the broken painting. “Getting knocked around? I don’t need you getting hurt by my psychotic sister. Stay out of her way.”

Beth’s eyebrows rose. She was afraid of him; he could smell it on her, but she wasn’t showing it. Her eyes flashed as she met him toe to toe.

“They won’t ever respect me if you fight all my battles for me. They already think I’m weak because I’m not a White Winter; don’t make it harder for me.” She pressed her finger into his chest.

Devon caught her hand. “You’re too precious to risk. I’ll protect you for as long as I have to.”

Her cheeks splotched red, and she turned on her heel, storming out of the room. Devon sighed.

“She’ll come around,” Jonah offered, rubbing the back of his neck. “She just needs some time to cool off. They both do.”

He wasn’t sure Jonah believed that any more than Devon did. Beth was right—the pack didn’t respect her, and Emma ensured they never would. With that kind of pack attitude, she’d never feel welcome here. She’d never be his luna in more than name.

“Stay with her, make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid,” Devon directed Jonah.

“Where are you going?” Jonah asked, his brow creased with concern. “Look, I know Emma was way out of line, but…”

Devon snorted. “Not the time to question me. After Beth, now.”

This time, Jonah listened, the bite in Devon’s voice driving him out of the room. Devon took a minute to breathe. He was too old for this shit, but here he was, having to deal with it anyway. Emma was on her last strike, and he had to make sure she knew it.

He passed Caleb in the hall, his face pale apart from three deep red scratches across his cheek.

“Good luck with her. She’s something else today,” Caleb said, clutching a hand to his cheek. “And tell her I went to see Amy, would you? Going to need antibiotics, that girl is toxic as fuck.”

He went off down the hall, mumbling to himself, but Devon knew he’d be back at Emma’s side the second she snapped her fingers or batted her eyelashes. Toxic or not, she had a hold on him.

Devon knocked on Emma’s door. He heard her movements inside, a drawer sliding shut, and a muttered curse.

“Go away,” she called.

He opened the door. “Fat chance.”

She didn’t turn around from her vanity, where she was stooped down, applying lipstick. He caught her eye in the mirror.

“I thought you were Caleb.”

“No, I don’t think he’ll be sniffing around for a while. What did he do to deserve that?” Devon could think of a million tiny slights that would get that reaction from her. She was as prickly as a hedgehog.

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