Page 12 of The Alpha Wolf's Bullied Bride

Valerie takes my hands and stares into my eyes. “You are important, Lila. And I’m not gonna let you imprison yourself in this cabin again.”

I raise a skeptical brow, having heard those words before. Two years ago, to be exact.

When I sobbed my heart out in bed and swore that I’d never go outside again, Valerie was the one who patched up my courage and prompted me to become strong enough to face the pack again.

After Cynthia’s sneak attack yesterday, I’d much rather wait for my brother’s arrival before going out again.

“I don’t wanna go out there, Val,” I practically plead when she pulls me toward the front door.

“You’ll be fine, Lila.” She tosses a smile over her shoulder as she throws the door open. “Your brother is on his way, and you’re gonna be the first to meet him in the woods.”

A smile tugs on my lips when Valerie informs me that Miles sent her a mind link requesting we meet him on the south end of the Zafra forest. It hardly fazes me that I’m not able to receive such a special message since I’m not connected to the telepathic waves shared by the Blood Moon members; all that matters is that I’ll see my brother soon.

Valerie and I arrive at the spot behind the cabin that was once special to us. Before the incident at the pool of water, when Flynn deftly caught me and steadied me on my feet, and before I muttered the word “mate” when I stared at him in awe, we’d come out here to swim and hide away from the others.

Ever since that fateful incident, I’ve been avoiding this spot to dodge the memory of my humiliation. Even now, as Valerie and I linger near the body of crystal water, I have to mentally guard myself so that the memory remains tucked into the far recesses of my mind.

The crushing of leaves beneath heavy paws signals the arrival of the group of male werewolves. Valerie glances at me with a grin, giving my hand a gentle squeeze of excitement.

“They’re here,” she beams, but the tiny voice in my mind mentally corrects her statement with an affirmation of my own.

He’s here…

Miles is here, I think with anticipation brewing in my chest just as the front row of trees sway their branches like a curtain on a stage that opens up to their entrance.

My gaze flits around in search of the familiar chestnut brown wolf when a pair of piercing honey-golden eyes glow in the shadows. The eyes are so intense that they grab my attention and keep my gaze pinned as if I’m spellbound. I can’t break away from the eyes of that particular wolf, even when it reveals its glossy armor of jetted, sleek fur.

The black wolf is none other than Flynn Lycoan, the future leader of our pack.

“Lila! Come on!” Valerie urges as she tugs my hand and pulls me forward toward the woods.

I’m snapped out of my daze, having to focus on my footing until we approach the group of werewolves just as my brother breaks away from the group to meet us.

He doesn’t stop walking forward, first on the brown paws of his wolf, then shifting mid-step and continuing on human feet. Valerie releases my hand and I’m propelled into a sprint, the weight of not seeing my brother for almost two years overwhelming me.

“Miles!”

“Lila!” he opens his arms and rushes forward, lifting me off my feet as he spins me around in the air.

I wince from the pain on my chest when he embraces me, but give nothing away when he sets me back on my feet and I smile widely at him. It’s almost as if he’s grown taller; I have to crane my neck to stare at his face.

“Wow!” I marvel, reaching out to touch his creamy cheek. Everything about my brother is different, like his buzz-cutblonde hair that spikes like stubble on his head, and the pair of blue eyes that appear firmer and more distinct. “You look so…different.”

“So do you,” he muses with a grin, patting my head and fluffing out the shorter locks of my hair. “I guess I’m not the only one who got a new haircut.”

I giggle as I blow away a stray hair that’s fallen into my face. His voice and cheerfulness haven’t changed, and the spirited big brother I always knew still exists as he greets my best friend with a hug and playful jest.

The smile I’m wearing slips off my face when I breathe in the scent of jasmine that carries through the wind. The sweet fragrance pulls my attention from my brother, and I turn my head just in time to catch the black wolf shifting into Flynn’s human form. My heart skips a beat, my breath snatched from my lungs when his amber eyes meet mine.

Behind him, the group of soldiers shifts in a blur as if the lenses of my eyes have focused only on Flynn. I notice that Miles isn’t the only one who dons a buzz-cut. It only adds to his allure, Flynn’s sharp facial features prominent without the veil of dark hair sweeping across his temple. Brows like blades tighten into a frown, his plump lips forming a precarious line as he stares at me with solemn conviction.

With every step he takes to come closer, the thrumming in my eardrums grows louder until Miles and Valerie’s voices fade away. Flynn stares back at me through glowering depths like golden fireballs, and for the first time, I fear he might ridicule me in my brother’s presence. But then he blinks as he approaches, turning his attention to my brother.

“I thought we agreed that our arrival would be a surprise.” Flynn narrows his eyes suspiciously at Miles.

My brother chuckles, playfully patting his best friend’s shoulder. “You know I couldn’t resist the urge to see my sister first.”

Flynn doesn’t spare me another look, giving me time to press a finger to my left ear in an attempt to wiggle away the humming inside. The last time I had ringing in my ears, my mind became muddled enough to make a complete fool of myself in his presence.

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