Page 39 of Cruel Alpha Bully

I look at Gina as I pass, and she nods slightly, telling me she’s okay.

None of this is okay.

I take a deep breath as I head up the stairs, wondering what I’ll find inside. I’m half-expecting it to be a death trap, and my senses are on full alert, waiting for an attack.

To my surprise, there is only one person inside, a tall, wiry man with silvery hair sitting on the floor behind a low table. He gestures for me to sit.

“I am very honored you agreed to speak with me—” I begin.

The alpha holds up a hand, shaking his head and closing his eyes. This wasn’t what I was expecting at all. It looks like he’s listening to the forest outside, but my senses aren’t picking anything up.

Maybe it’s the rest of the pack closing in.

I didn’t need that thought in my already anxious state. It’s bad enough that Gina is being held out front by a group of dirty bikers. I don’t need to think about more pack members showing up.

Finally, the alpha opens his eyes and stares right at me. His eyes are pale yellow, glowing in his thin face. He looks thin, but well-muscled and extremely strong. His long white hair makes him look old, but that could be deceptive.

“Why have you come here?” he asks. His voice has a deep resonance to it, as if he and the wolf in him speak at once.

“My scouts reported a nearby pack had withdrawn, and your wolves had been seen in the territory. As alpha, I wanted a meeting with you to discuss sharing the territory.”

The other guy smiles suddenly. An extremely wide, creepy smile. His teeth look stained red.

Is that fresh blood?

“They… withdrew?” he repeated. “That’s what you think?”

“My scouts reported that the other pack was no longer in the territory—”

“Yes.” The guy’s smile somehow gets wider. “That part is true, but they didn’t withdraw. They didn’t get a chance to.”

A very bad feeling is beginning to creep through my bones. I can hear the bikers outside starting to get restless, cat-calling and making cracks about me, trying to upset Gina.

They are dishonoring my woman out there while I’m stuck inside with this maniac!

“So, you killed them.” I keep my voice flat. There’s no point beating around the bush with this guy.

He nods, still grinning. “We started by picking off their scouts. They knew they couldn’t stand against our numbers and pulled back into an old mine.”

He leans forward, still showing his teeth. His breath is foul, as if he’s been chewing on rotted roadkill. “We pinned them in there and slaughtered them.”

“Why didn’t you claim the territory right away?” I ask.

“Ah, we were waiting for you, dear boy,” the alpha says. “I knew once the territory emptied out, someone would send in scouts. We wanted to test you and get an idea of your numbers. I have to tell you, those scouts of yours are impressive. They are almost impossible to track.”

“I know,” I answer, allowing myself a small smile and a burst of confidence.

“I didn’t expect you to come walking straight into my den,” the alpha laughs. “I thought we’d manage a few skirmishes before we understood your ways and moved in to finish you off. What insanity possessed you to walk into my territory like this?”

“Not insanity,” I counter. “Honor. I came to negotiate fair trade and alliance. I came alone; I brought no pack, no weapons. I made it clear I had no desire to fight you.”

The alpha keeps up his creepy smile, even as his eyes become cold and lifeless. “That was your mistake. You have exposed your pack and left them vulnerable. Tonight, we will claim the middle territory. I expect we will slaughter some of your scouts. They will pull back to the main pack and lead us straight to them. We can then move on to your territory… since we know the alpha is not there to lead them.”

“My elders will not go down without a fight!”

“Still, my boy, they’ll die. Every last member of your pack will die. Except that wonderfully delicious den mother you have out there.”

I clench my fists in anger, thinking fast.

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