Page 39 of Bullied By the Alpha Wolf

“You seem real damn happy about taking down Kaiden. Sounds…personal.”

Leon, I assumed, made a snorting sound. “I got out of Jet’s fucking pack, and putting his little pup in his place—six feet under—sounds great to me, yeah.”

Fury coiled through my blood as I heard the asshole speak so glibly about killing Kaiden. He was always a bit of a jerk, if memory served, but it was clear that Leon was not just an ass but a murdering traitor as well.

“We’re just like you, Eli,” another voice replied, and I pinned it to Reggie. “We want to command wolves that we can trust to get a job done. We’ve both served before, and we’re done with that shit. So, we’ll keep helping you with your little drug ring as long as you hold up your end of the bargain. Our enemies dead and our own crew of wolves.”

My hazy brain started to piece together what he’d said, relating it to how Eli had been drawing in more rogue wolves over the past year. They were forming their own little packs, packs of killers and thugs at that.

Nausea crawled through me in a wave again, and I shuffled on the floor, my ass bones aching as I tried to sit differently.

I was so damn tired again. Whatever these fuckers had done to me was pulling me back down into the darkness again. As my eyes shut, all I could see behind my lids was the glow of Kaiden’s yellow eyes.

“Kaiden,” I whispered, a sob sneaking free.

He was so far away now, and we’d never had that talk we needed to. Would I ever get the chance now? Was it even worth it?

Right before we stormed the castle, as it were, Kaiden had been keeping me at arm’s length. Being alone with him had been a no-go, and he wouldn’t say anything about what had happened between us.

I’d been on the fence before all this, and now I was even more confused. I was a human in a wolf’s world, and Kaiden was an alpha. There had to be stipulations for him, and what’s more, he hadn’t been particularly clear about how he really felt.

Saying “mine” while you have sex does not make a relationship.

But my thoughts scrambled again, the tiredness too much, and I drifted off somewhere else.

***

Sunshine. Bright and warm yellow streamed through the curtains. I was bathed in comfort, my muscles lax, and happy. Heat bloomed through me and around me, soothing away…something I couldn’t remember.

I could stay lying there bundled up in warmth for as long as I wanted. I knew I had no responsibilities today, and the slow, unhurried pace calmed me down to my bones.

“He’ll be hungry soon.”

Kaiden’s voice was quiet as I kept my eyes closed, smiling blindly up at him. My head was in his lap, and I knew if I reached up, I would feel Kaiden’s crossed arms. I did, patting the firm muscle of his forearm as Kaiden held him.

“He’s got a little bit yet.”

I felt an overwhelming sense of contentment. The entire world existed in this little bubble of stillness, and I was okay. I was safe.

Still closing my eyes, I knew that Kaiden was smiling down at me. I knew it. He was there, and I could smell the fallen leaves and dew scenting the air around us. He’d said lilacs once. That I smelled like lilacs when we were…

My heart rate ticked up.

We’d had sex when he told me that. Kaiden had…the warmth around me faded slightly, and I stirred in his lap, my eyes struggling to open.

“Kaiden, why….” My stomach twisted, and then I was sitting next to him. “Wait. This isn’t…”

“Come on, hun. He’s going to be hungry. You can’t keep him waiting like that. It’s cruel.”

I shook my head. I was staring at Kaiden, his dark hair hanging in his face, but I couldn’t make out his face. It was all…blurry.

“Who are you talking about?” My spine hummed with tension as my teeth chattered. “Kaiden, why did it get so cold?”

Without really seeing it, I knew he frowned at me, and another layer of darkness smoothed over the world.

“How can you say that, Kit? What’s wrong with you?”

It was like being kicked in the chest. I looked forward again, now standing, and Kaiden was there, holding something in his arms. I couldn’t see it. It was small.

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