Page 25 of The Alpha's Bullied Mate

Hayden dropped to the couch and kicked off his shoes. “For what?”

“Coming back. Trying to help the pack.” Mica wrapped her arms around herself. “Everything, really. We’d be fucked without you. So thank you.”

Hayden’s eyebrows furrowed as he studied her. “I’m not the only one from this pack. And if it weren’t for them, I might not have come back.”

“Do you really believe that?”

He grunted, stretching his legs out in front of him. “Whatever. You’re welcome, I guess.”

Mica took a deep breath, then sat on the couch next to him, close enough that their hands brushed. The touch was electric and she withdrew, unwilling to distract herself. “I thought you were just trying to become Alpha for the power of it. But that’s not what you’re doing. You actually want to help the pack. You want to drive out these demons. Even though it’ll make you the Alpha.”

“I am an Alpha. I’m the Alpha of my team,” he answered swiftly.

“But you don’t want to be the pack's Alpha.”

He narrowed his eyes. “What makes you think that?”

That was a good question. Mica cocked her head, trying to pinpoint where those feelings were coming from. He had alwaysbeen a natural leader. Whenever the kids in elementary school were going to play games, he was the one to step up and organize it. Even when there were adults around, they often deferred to him.

To Mica, it had always seemed like everyone put that expectation on him. He had never said anything about it. Still, she remembered a handful of times when their group was trying to decide what to do, and everyone looked at him. He’d stared back, as though demanding to know why they assumed he’d take care of all the planning.

He always did, though. Everyone naturally followed his lead. Yet, even though he could have made them do anything he said, he never took advantage of that natural inclination. It was one of the things she loved so much about him back then. He always made sure he watched over everyone, and would adjust their activities to suit the weakest link among them. Usually, that was her, but not always.

The Hayden she knew as a child was one who always stepped up to do what needed to do, even if he didn’t want to do it. And from what she had seen from him so far, that hadn’t changed. Oh, it was hidden beneath a rough exterior but she still sensed that innate compassion from him.

Finally, she shook her head. “I don’t know. I just…know.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to be the Alpha. It’s just that it was never something I actively wanted. But you are right—I care about the pack. I care about you, Mica. I want you to be safe.” He touched her cheek, his eyes darkening as his thumb swept over her cheekbone. “Even if you can’t see it.”

Her skin tingled beneath his touch. Mica leaned into his hands, craving more. She drew nearer, reaching to cup his face with her hand.

Hayden pulled away from her.

The movement scorched her insides. Her shoulder slumped as she berated herself. It didn’t matter if Hayden said he cared; that didn’t mean that he—

“If we start, I won’t want to stop.” Hayden’s voice was husky. “That kiss was almost more than I could take. Do you know what I’ve wanted to do to you all day? But I told you we’d take our time—and after everything, you’re in no state.”

Mica froze. What did he mean? Slowly, she started to understand. He wanted her. He wasn’t pulling away out of disgust. It was because he was being, what, honorable? She searched his gaze, trying to find any sign that he was mocking her, that he was just being polite.

“What… what do you want to do to me?” she asked, her voice barely over a whisper.

Hayden grunted. “You need sleep. You can have the bed tonight.”

He was beinghonorable.

He picked her up without asking, even though he just assumed that she’d be okay with being his mate. He was waiting for permission all the same. That care touched her. She just didn’t know what to say. Part of her still doubted whether he actually wanted her or if it was just the mate bond doing things to his wolf.

“How is your injury?” she asked. She didn’t want to leave him but could not push the issue. At least, not yet.

A fire burned in her core. She wanted Hayden to touch her. But more than that, she wanted him to want her. For real, and not because of any of this wolfy nonsense. Everyone always talked about the mate bond and how it made everyone elsedisappear. She needed to know if he’d thought about her at all over the years he was gone.

“My injury?” Hayden repeated.

“When the beast-demon attacked us in the forest. I suppose I need to apologize for that,” she added reluctantly.

His lips twitched into the ghost of a smile. Goddess! Why was he so fucking sexy? Mica had to look away, heat scorching her all over.

“Well?” Hayden pressed.

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