Page 60 of Forced By the Alpha

“He’s gone soft!” One of the wolves jeered.

“Maybe you’re getting too old to be alpha,” another agreed.

Caleb was silent, his jaw working as he mulled it over. At least he wasn’t adding to the insults. Devon would take that as a win. He looked to Beth. She gave him a small nod of encouragement to go on.

“Enough, all of you. There will be no more bloodshed. We’ll have our land, they’ll have theirs. We won’t let them bully us into a bad deal—we’ll make sure we have the resources we need to build up the town. We’ll come out of this stronger,” Devon said, meeting the eye of everyone in the room.

“And if they force a bad deal? Do we just take it lying down now that you’re a pacifist?” Emma again.

Devon clenched his fists at his sides. Before Beth, he would’ve silenced the room by thrashing every one in it until they had no choice but to respect him. This called for a different tact.

“Ifthey don’t play fair, we’ll discuss repercussions. I’m not against fighting if we need to, I just want to avoid it if possible.” Devon held up his hand to stop the uproar. “If you have a problem, you can take it up with me one at a time. I’ll remind each and every one of you why I’m alpha.”

He darted a sheepish glance at Beth. Surely she couldn’t blame him for a few reminders of his strength. They weren’t threats, really.

It hinged on Emma. His sister was watching him, sitting on the table with her elbows on her knees. Did she remember the coffee they’d shared that night? The kindness she’d shown him?

“Fine. I’m into it. So long as we get the good half of the land,” she added, shrugging as if it was nothing to her.

The rest of the pack fell in line, one by one. Devon didn’t even have to lift a finger. As they filed, he collapsed into a chair. It’d left him more shaken than any fight ever had.

“You did it,” Beth said, kneading knots from his shoulders. “I know you could.”

He drew her down onto his lap, needing to hold her. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Chapter 21 - Beth

Everything hung on that day. Beth woke early after a fitful night’s sleep, tormented by dreams of the Rosewoods and White Winters at each other’s throats, tearing each other apart while she stood helplessly on the sidelines, caged in iron bars. She slipped from the bed without waking Devon and rinsed the sweat from her chilled skin, but the fears of the day stuck to her.

Today, she would face Adria and Spencer again. Would they understand her decision to stay with the White Winter pack, or would her betrayal cut too deeply? She agonized over it as she dressed, choosing a long, linen dress and tying her hair into a braid over her shoulder. All she wanted was for the two packs to get along, so that her heart did not feel wrenched in two, torn between the warring groups.

When it neared the time of the meeting, she woke Devon. He blinked up at her, groggy, and she couldn’t help but smile and push the mess of hair from his face. There was reason enough to stay with the White Winter, and it was there in that bed. Her love. That love that had snuck up on her, wedging its way into her heart despite the walls she’d built against it.

“You look lovely.” He stroked his hand down her cheek. “Is it time already?”

“It is, we leave in thirty minutes.”

She waited impatiently as he showered, shaved, and dressed. Despite Beth’s protests, they met Jonah and Emma in the kitchen. Emma was in athletic clothes, slim fitting, hair slicked back into a ponytail. The closest thing to armor, Beth thought. Jonah was more relaxed, graphic t-shirt and bright blue shorts, hair brushing his shoulders. He belonged on the beach of California.

“Ready?” Beth asked. There was time to spare, but she couldn’t wait a second longer, ready to burst out of her skin.

She didn’t wait for an answer, bustling out of the kitchen and down the stairs, where she shifted into wolf form and led the way to the meeting spot. In wolf form, at least, the anticipation dulled. She focused on the wind tugging through her fur and the scents it brought: deer, blackberries, and fireweed.

Devon ran next to her, head swiveling, and she knew he was anticipating an attack. He couldn’t trust, not yet.

They were early, arriving at the meeting spot before the Rosewoods. She shifted, as did Devon and Jonah, but Emma remained as a wolf, pacing around the outskirts of the area. She barked a warning when the Rosewoods approached.

Beth’s stomach somersaulted. Adria and Spencer. Her heart soared at the sight of her friends, but something held her back. Fear.

“Beth!” Adria cried, running toward her with her arms wide. “You’re okay. I’ve been so worried.”

Devon reached for Beth, maybe to stop her, but she shrugged away and ran into Adria’s arms. “I’m okay, I’m okay. I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine what you’ve been going through.”

Tears streamed down both their faces as they drew back to take each other in. Time and worry had aged them both. Adria’s eyes widened as they reached Beth’s stomach.

“Oh my god, you’re pregnant,” she said, bringing her hand to her mouth in surprise.

“What?” Spencer snapped, coming up beside Adria. “That bastard.”

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