Page 17 of Bullied By the Alpha Wolf

Shaking my head, I tried to defend myself, to explain that I was just furious over the loss of life that was continuing to plague my pack, but Kit wouldn’t have it. She held up her hand in the air, pointing a finger as her brows shot to her hairline.

“No, you fucking don’t. You’re going to let me talk for once.”

I didn’t respond, so Kit lowered her hand back to her hip as she continued.

“You and Grayson bullied me every damn day in Jet’s pack, but it was nothing compared to the ‘welcome’ I received from the Williams pack. And don’t fucking start with that 'you could have left' bullshit. And gone where? I was lost, found the only other wolf pack in the area, which was the only life I knew, and I was eighteen. I didn’t think for a second it would be better anywhere else, so I dealt with it.

“Eli was more than a little suspicious about a human coming from Jet’s pack. I had to detail everything I knew to him while strapped down to a wooden board. I wasn’t allowed to eat or sleep for longer than an hour at a time until I gave him every bit of knowledge I had about you. And still, I didn’t tell him what I knew mattered. I protected your dumb asses because I cared about my friends there. So don’t. Don’t act like I don’t know what it means to suffer to keep a pack safe. Because I do.”

The room hung in silence as I let Kit’s words wash over me. I couldn’t believe what Eli had done, and yet, part of me knew there was more to Kit’s story. That the little nugget she’d just shared was only the beginning, the tip of the iceberg.

My wolf howled inside me, furious that another pack had treated our mate so terribly. My skin itched at the back of my neck, and my fingernails began to ache. I was going to shift if I didn’t calm down, and as much as that wouldn’t be a surprise to Kit, it would be highly inconvenient.

I couldn’t talk as a wolf, and the feral urge to protect and…claim Kit would be really damn difficult to ignore.

“You’re right, Kit. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed…well, anything. It’s the pack.”

My shoulders slumped as I sighed heavily, hanging my head like it was just too hard to lift.

“I’m a new alpha. I didn’t inherit this position, either. I killed the previous alpha because he attacked Jet. This pack…was in shambles when I arrived, and most of them took off to become mutts. They were too indoctrinated in his bullshit for them to give it up. Things had just settled down a bit when we found the first dead wolf.”

Through the quiet, I looked back up at her, and Kit studied me with that penetrating, blue gaze.

“He was a kid, just had his first shift, and he died—under my watch. Everyone is thinking I can’t hack it as alpha. Hell, I’m thinking it. If I can’t get this drug situation under control…”

“What does it do?” Kit kept her voice low, tilting her head as she looked up at me through her lashes.

“It’s a bit tricky to say, but as far as we can guess, it ramps up wolf aggression and strength. The wolves we’ve found alone have had their hearts just give out, and the ones together…well, it looks like they tore each other to pieces. I’ve had Kenzie coming by to run analyses on the bodies, and Grayson comes by every now and then to give the information to Jet, but…”

I hesitate, my eyes falling to the floor. As I glance back up, Kit raises her brows at me, stepping forward.

“But what?”

“But aside from them, I’m on my own in this. So I got a little—”

“Pissy?” Kit smirks, and I clench my jaw as I glare.

“Frustrated. Look,” I take my own step forward, locking my eyes on Kit’s, “I didn’t tell you all this for pity or sympathy. I told you because I want you to understand the gravity of the situation. Can you tell me anything else about Eli and his compound?”

“I can tell you a lot, Kaiden, but I don’t think it’s going to help you.”

Her voice was flat, and I could sense the challenge behind her words.

“I’ll be the judge of its usefulness, all right? I’ll take anything that I can get.”

She sighed again, her head falling to the side as she turned away from me and walked closer to my bed again.

“Fine. You want the gory details. You got ‘em.”

Chapter 8 - Kit

My chest felt tight as I looked at Kaiden. He just stood there waiting for me to deliver my experience to him on a silver fucking platter. We hadn’t seen each other in over a decade, I was not in this pack or even a wolf that he might compel with his alpha status, and yet, here I was, ready to spill the proverbial beans.

It was just something about what he’d said.

I did know what it was like to protect a family, a pack, and I could see that dedication to them in his eyes. He’d openly mentioned how new he was at this, which was definitely a change from his previous “untouchable jock” vibe that he gave off when we were teens.

Goddamn. Fine, Kaiden. You win.

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