Page 26 of Forced By the Alpha

He could feel her anger ebb away and longed to wrap his arm around her waist, pull her back against him, and kiss away the last of it. The need was so strong in him to possess her.

She turned to face him, close enough that he could count the freckles across her cheeks. Close enough to kiss.

“What if there’s another way?” Her eyes were red-rimmed from her tears but they were shining now, determined.

Unable to hold back another second, Devon let his hand move to her hip, his finger finding skin beneath the hem of her shirt. She didn’t shove him off, or shy from his touch, but she didn’t encourage it either.

“What other way? It’s territory; we fight for it, we earn it, and then we fight to keep it.”

She shook her head. “That’s what you’ve always done, right? And it hasn’t worked, clearly. Look at the little scrap you’re on.”

He moved his hand up higher, to the curve of her waist. “Excuse you, it’s gotten us everything we have. Without that, we’d have nothing at all.”

But she wasn’t listening, really, she pulled away from him to bend down and gather the papers she’d thrown across the floor. Devon groaned at the loss of her so close to him, of her skin beneath his fingertips. She didn’t know she was driving him mad with need, which made it all the more difficult to focus.

She grabbed a photo and slapped it down on his desk. “This is Spencer, our alpha. I’m sure you know that already, with all this frankly disturbing surveillance.”

Devon nodded. He liked watching her like this, determined, unafraid.

“He can be reasoned with. Especially now. He’s got a family, a child, a mate, and he doesn’t want conflict any more than you do. Well, probably far less than you do,” she added ruefully. “I think if we go to him and try to strike a deal, I think he’ll listen.”

“Beth, I think you’re looking at this through a very optimistic lens. He’s an alpha. He’s not going to willingly give up territory. it’s against his nature.”

“We have to at leasttry.”She looked up at him, pleading. “Please. What’s the worst that can happen if we just try? You say you want to change, that you want this pack to be more than its reputation. Well, it starts here.”

She had a point. If they had to murder every last Rosewood to get their fair share of territory, it would not be the most auspicious start for the White Winter’s new way of life. But there was no way the Rosewood alpha would go for it.

Beth was a dreamer. She thought the best of people, he could see her trying to find the good even in his pack of misfits, even in him. Her alpha was kind and generous to those in the pack, Devon was sure, but he would have no reason to extend that to the pack that had been nipping at his heels for all this time.

Still, he couldn’t crush that hope in her. As long as she held on to it, she might soften toward him, might give them a real chance. So he’d do it. For her. He’d give diplomacy a try and even let the rest of his pack laugh in his face when he proposed the plan.

“Fine.”

She clapped her hands together with a squeal of delight, then threw her arms around his neck. Startled, he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the ground. Beth gazed down at him, then pressed a quick, darting kiss to his lips, her legs tight around his waist.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she said, leaning her forehead against his. “You won’t regret this, Devon, I swear. I know that Spencer can be reasoned with. I know we can find a way through this. Together.”

With Beth in his arms, her kiss still hot on his lips, Devon could almost believe it. At that moment, he knew he’d do anything for her, anything to keep that childish hope alive in her. The White Winter pack had stolen her away, but she was determined to save them.

He wanted to help her try. Holding her close, clutching something good and light for the first time in his life, he swore he’d try.

“We will,” he said, kissing her back. “I promise.”

Chapter 11 - Beth

Out in the garden, Beth stopped to watch a turtle scramble onto a rock. The pond water left the stone slippery, and the turtle’s legs worked and scratched as it tried to climb aboard.

“Should we help him?” She asked, leaning forward across the water. Lily pads in bloom floated lazily on the surface.

Devon gave her a look. She was getting familiar with that one, bemused like he was indulging her. “Let him work for it. He’ll get there.”

“He’ll be exhausted by then.” She frowned, watching the turtle swim around the other side of the rock to begin his attempts again.

“He’ll be stronger for it.” Devon insisted.

“Probably grumpier, though.” Beth crept around the pond until she was close enough to grab hold of the turtle. She lifted him gently up onto the rock, and he settled in to bask in the sun.

Satisfied, she sat back on her heels, flashing a smile up at Devon. He rolled his eyes, holding his hand out to help her up.

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