Page 4 of Betrayed By the Alpha Wolf

“Go away.” I had no intention of opening that door.

“Kenzie, please. We need to talk.”

Grayson. Great.

My blood boiled, and I strongly considered lobbing something at the door to drive home the point that I didn’t—nor would I ever—want to talk to Grayson. But I didn’t have anything around I’d be willing to destroy, so snark would have to do.

“Oh, sure,” I replied, rolling my eyes to myself, “now you want to talk. Get lost, Gray. I’m not speaking to you anymore.”

“MacKenzie, please. This isn’t about us. It’s about giving that pack an Alpha. One they can trust.”

I scoffed, squeezing my hands into fists and imagining wringing that fucking wolf’s neck. Furious, I flung the door open, jabbing my finger into Grayson’s chest.

“Not about us? Are you serious? You have to be kidding me.” I glared, locking onto Grayson’s furrowed brow, seeing the way he darted his gaze to the side. “I was declared your mate, you jerk. And now,now, after rejecting me months ago, you want to pretend like it didn’t happen? So that you can be Alpha.”

Pulling myself back, I gripped the door, ready to slam it in Grayson’s smug face.

“As I said,Beta. Get lost.”

Before the door could close, however, Grayson planted his hand against the wood, keeping me from that wonderful slam I was looking forward to. He pushed against it, and even with how angry I was, I couldn’t stop him from holding the thing open and stepping inside.

“Ugh!”

I spun around, not willing to look at him anymore, and I threw my hands up as I walked to the far end of the room.

“You can’t even let me enjoy the solitude in peace, can you?”

I was griping. I knew it, but I didn’t give a rat’s ass right now. All I wanted was to be left alone in my misery.

Well, it’s not all you want. But that other shit ain’t happening, MacKenzie.

“Kenz, I—”

Facing him in a quick turn, I forced him to halt his steps with just a look, my fury spilling over.

“You do not get to call me that.” My throat was tight, my tongue sandpaper. “Never again.”

Grayson nodded, ducking his head in a way that was almost sheepish, except that I knew he was faking.

“I know that I…” He exhaled hard, giving up on whatever lie he was going to spew and going with the truth instead. “This sucks for you. I know that. I don’t want to drag you into any more than necessary, but I genuinely believe that I can be a good Alpha for that pack.”

I still wanted to distrust his words. I wanted to hear only lies and send his handsome wolf ass packing.

But I couldn’t.

Scenting him, that swirl of frost and clove hit me like a day tucked inside during a winter storm, and there was no astringent burn to it. Grayson wasn’t blatantly lying to me. Char blistered through his scent, the sting of annoyance and guilt making it turn sour like stale eggnog. But he was telling the truth.

“God, I hate you.” An aching sting claimed my eyes, and even the pill I’d taken wasn’t strong enough to completely wipe out the hurt that rocked me with each heartbeat. “You know that?”

“Yes.” Grayson’s voice held no emotion as he spoke. “I do. I also know that I need your help even to perform the trials to be Alpha. I would like to propose a deal. So that we can both get what we want.”

“A deal? With you?” I laughed, tossing my head back in an exaggerated cackle to drown out the pain. “You’ve got to bekidding. The only deal I want to make with you is one that keeps me from having to see you taking home every wolf that passes your way before sending her packing like all the rest.”

When I looked his way again, I could see the muscles in Grayson’s jaw work. A sign that he was fighting his desire to snap at me.Yeah, well, screw you, buddy. I’m not the one sleeping around right in front of your supposed mate.

“Done.”

That threw me for a loop. I stared at Grayson, very much like he’d grown two heads, and the second one actually had half a brain cell in it.

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