Page 25 of The Alpha Wolf's Bullied Bride

Missing only my signature, it’s my father who’s been against me signing it just yet. He strongly adheres to every rule set out by our forefathers and won’t accept that I’ve fully stepped into my role without the mating ritual completed. It’s not like the other werewolf packs in Oklahoma are waiting for me to complete this worthless rite. They’re only waiting for me to sign the damn contract.

It’s a silly rule, while somehow the founding werewolves of the Blood Moon Pack forgot to mention that an Alpha should not pick a wolf-less Omega as his mate.

That would have saved me all this trouble. Even if my inner wolf sprung out to call her name that night, I could have mended the situation if there had been a loophole in our book of rules.

Even then, I’m not sure that I would have really backed out.

It’s only the withering look she’d given me in the foyer of my home that has me regretting what I’m about to do.

“This is bullshit, anyway,” I grumble with a grunt, lifting the binder and tossing it back toward Miles. “Technically, I’malready the Alpha. What’s the worst that could happen if I just signed the damn thing?”

I huff as I step out of my seat and march to the window, where I can get a better view of the house.

“Um…you might get cursed,” Howard offers, to which I scoff.

“Cursed?!” I chuckle. “I’m of Alpha blood, Delta. Why would the Moon Goddess curse me?”

“Rules, I guess,” the Delta shrugs. “We’ve never broken them.”

I roll my eyes and turn back to the outside view, muttering, “Rules schmules…shoulda had a rule about the fucking Ome—ah!” The exclamation thunders out over my muttering of complaints as I keel over and a hand flies to my chest. A pain slashes through my heart, feeling as if it’s being sliced beneath my ribcage. The pain is unbearable, and I have to brace a palm on the windowsill to steady myself from caving to the rippling ache.

“Flynn!”

“Alpha!”

The Beta and Delta come rushing over to offer me support to straighten up. Even when I lengthen my spine, my body quakes from the impact of another gripping lash.

“What’s going on?” Miles asks with urgency. “Are you having a heart attack?”

“No…” I shake my head, the pain only receding when I hear a mind link beginning to enter my consciousness.

It serves as a welcome distraction from whatever that was. It’s the closest thing to a heart attack I can imagine, andI strain my mind to focus on the telepathic communication coming in.

“Alpha Flynn! We have a problem!”

“What is it, Jasper?”I groan as I soothe a palm over my chest. My Beta and Delta remain sturdy at my side as they listen in on the mind link from one of our border patrol soldiers on duty.

“It’s Dorian Walker, Alpha of the—”

“I know who he is.”I grunt furiously under my breath. “What is the problem, Jasper?”

“He’s on the border, demanding to see you.”

“I’m on my way,”I bellow mentally, pushing aside the residual ache in my chest to deal with the matter at hand.

Rushing out of the pack den with Miles and Howard on my heels, my inner wolf bursts through the seams of my human and propels me forward in wolf form through the woods, the trees turning to a blur in the sides of my vision, until we get to the east border where Dorian growls at my soldiers.

It’s just the Alpha representing the Nightclaw Pack, alone as he snarls and snaps his wolf mouth threateningly.

Since he’s alone, I know I have nothing to fear with my soldiers spread around in their defensive formation. As I move closer, I shift into human form to face the Alpha of Nightclaw as he does the same and faces me with a clenched jaw.

“What brings you to Zafra, Alpha Dorian?” I ask in a level tone, remaining calm while facing my late brother’s friend.

Hardly a friend, when he left him out in the valley to die by himself. A growl reverberates in my chest as I’m reminded of that tragedy, and all that Dorian could have done to save Finch.

“The rest of us are waiting on you to proceed with the details of the alliance, Flynn.”

“AlphaFlynn,” I correct with a snarl.

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