Page 2 of The Alpha's Bullied Mate

“I finally made her see the doctor but he can’t pinpoint anything wrong with her. It’s like her body is breaking down without any cause.” Mica wrapped her arms around her waist.

She thought being the only human member of a wolf shifter pack was the worst thing that could happen to her. Yes, she was ashamed by the thoughts that she wished Echo had never adopted her. It would have been better for Mica if she had been adopted by a human family, where she would have felt like she belonged.

But this was even worse than feeling like an outcast.

Watching the mother she loved slowly disintegrate made her wish she could believe in the Moon Goddess. Then, at least, she could pray for her mother’s recovery. Then, she could feel like she was doing something rather than just waiting.

Tess put an arm around Mica’s shoulders, squeezing lightly. “At least you’re not alone anymore, right?”

Mica’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, since Ryder’s back.” Tess stared at her, her blue eyes widening. “Wait. You mean he hasn’t come by the house?”

“Where did you get the idea that Ryder is back?” Mica asked. Her voice started to rise.

Tess nodded across the room.

Mica twisted in her seat. Her heart dropped, the air disappearing around her. Oh, Ryder was back. She quickly found her adopted brother, standing near the other entrance alongwith a handful of other tall men. But Mica didn’t spend long wondering why he hadn’t come to see her and Echo yet.

Her eyes were drawn to the man standing at the forefront of the group. Hayden.

He was just as handsome as Mica remembered. Tall, with muscular arms folded across his chest as he spoke to Alpha Monroe’s beta. He wore a black T-shirt that stuck to him like a second skin, showing off his toned body. Mica’s mouth went dry as she stared.

“You really didn’t know that they were back?” Tess whispered. “They came in last night. I heard they’re in Hayden’s old house on his parents’ acreage. I would have thought for sure… but I guess Ryder doesn’t care about anyone but himself; why would he visit his sick mother?”

“Shhh,” Mica told her, forcing herself to turn toward the front of the hall. Her heart thrummed in her chest, her hands twisting into each other.

No. She was not going to dwell on how handsome Hayden was. She wasn’t going to think about him at all. And as for Ryder, well… when he finally came around the house, Mica would hold her tongue for Echo’s sake. That didn’t mean she’d forgiven her adoptive brother for running out on them years ago.

“He’s got Blayke, Maverick, and Kai with him,” Tess continued in a whisper. “But I don’t know those other two. That one man has hair as red as yours.”

“Shhhh,” Mica hissed again. “Stop staring.”

“Everyone’s staring. They’re not going to pay attention to me,” Tess answered.

Mica sent her another glare.

Tess shrugged and turned to the front of the room.

Great. This day just kept getting better. First, this stupid pack meeting had to happen. It wasn’t as though any of the announcements would be for Mica anyway. No, it didn’t matter what festivals or celebrations were planned. It didn’t matter what work orders there were or if there were any improvements to the pack infrastructure.

That was the thing about being an outcast like her and Tess. Things would never get better for them.

But Hayden was back. There was a time when she would have run over to him right away to welcome him home. But that was before he broke her heart and humiliated her in front of the entire pack. It had been the best day of her life when he left the pack to join the special ops.

If only he had stayed gone!

Alpha Monroe took the podium. Mica tried to focus on him. He droned on about some construction project he planned near the town center, but Mica’s head kept twisting away from him, and toward the one person in this hall she didn’t want to watch.

Hayden and the group of wolves around him remained standing near the entrance. He leaned against the wall, a smirk on his face. It was too far to see his eyes, but Mica could imagine the arrogant gleam in their liquid brown depths.

She jumped as someone slipped into the chair next to her. Elin tossed her hair.

“Looks like Hayden’s back,” she purred. “Echo was just telling me that Ryder hadn’t come to see her yet. You think it has anything to do with you?”

Mica’s hands clenched in her lap.

“It must be hard for him, to have his little sister crushing on his best friend. Especially when he’s so obviously out of her league—”

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