Page 53 of Bully Alpha's Secret Baby

Chapter 19 - Damien

A demon on my lands.

It’s the kind of thing that makes my skin crawl and every muscle in my body tense up like I’m about to fight for my life—because I might be. I sit at the head of the table, drumming my fingers on the wooden surface, trying to keep the frustration in check. But damn if it isn’t hard. There’s a demon lurking in my territory, and I have no idea where it’s hiding or when it’s going to strike next. The three packs bordering Glory Town may have cleared their differences, and the other two aren’t blaming me for Patrick’s death, but the pressure hasn’t let up. If anything, it’s worse.

I glance across the table at Alec, who’s taken over Patrick’s alpha duties for the East Hills pack since Patrick’s death. Apparently, the demon zeroed in on their senior members, and they didn’t have any left. The shifters who remained were in no shape to lead, so Alec stepped up.

He has family who married into East Hills, a couple of cousins. He grew up visiting their territory and learning their traditions, their politics, and, more importantly, he’s one of the few people they trust to lead them through this mess.

He looks just as worn out as I feel, but he’s handling it like he always does—cool, collected, and about as reliable as they come. It’s the reason I wanted him as my beta.

Gary is sitting next to him with his usual scowl plastered on his face. If Alec is the calm in the storm, Gary’s the guy holding the lightning rod, always ready to challenge every decision. Not that I don’t appreciate the honesty, but sometimes, I just need a damn break.

“We’re sure it’s a lesser demon?” I ask the two.

Alec nods and glances over at Gary before meeting my gaze. “Yeah. We’re sure. The markings on the shifter it attacked, the way it moved—I’ve done my research, and it all points to a lesser demon. Kind of like a pet to something… bigger.”

“Bigger?” I lean back in my chair, rubbing my temples. “So, what? We’re dealing with a demonic lackey while the real threat is still out there, waiting for the right moment to strike?”

“Basically,” Alec confirms. He’s calm, which is good because I sure as hell don’t feel calm right now. “It’s common. Lesser demons do the dirty work for the more powerful ones. It explains why it was so erratic during the attack—following orders but not necessarily thinking for itself.”

“Great,” I grumble. “So we’ve got a mindless monster tearing up shifters, and now we’re supposed to sit around waiting for the boss to show up?”

Gary lets out a low grunt. “I don’t like it, either, but it makes sense. If there’s a bigger demon out there, it’s going to be smart. It’s going to use the lesser one as bait to wear us down before it goes in for the kill.”

“And we’re just supposed to sit here and wait for it?” The frustration bubbles up, and I can feel the edge creeping into my voice. I hate waiting. Hate not having a plan of attack.

And more than anything, I hate that I have to factor Jade into all of this.

Because she’s not going to sit by and watch this happen. She’s already pushing herself too hard, trying to make up for Patrick, trying to save everyone. It’s like she thinks the world will fall apart if she doesn’t carry the weight of it on her shoulders. And if she keeps going like this, it’s only a matter of time before she gets hurt. Or worse.

Alec reads my mind like he always does. “Jade’s going to be a problem, isn’t she?”

I shoot him a sharp look. “Your sister is not a problem.”

“That’s not what I meant. You know she’s going to take this on herself, and she’s already exhausted. If we go after the bigger demon, she’ll try to lead the charge, whether or not she’s ready.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. He’s right, and we both know it. “She’s been pushing herself too much,” I say. “I’ve tried talking to her, but you know Jade.”

Gary snorts, clearly amused. “She’s stubborn as hell, that’s for sure. You’ve got your hands full with that one.”

I glare at him, and he raises his hands in mock surrender. “Just saying.”

“It’s more than just stubbornness,” I add, trying to ignore the knot tightening in my chest. “She’s feeling guilty about not saving Patrick. And now, with this demon on our doorstep, she’s convinced she has to be the one to stop it.”

Alec leans back in his chair, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “Then we need to find this thing before she does. We can’t let her take it on alone, especially if she’s running on fumes.”

“And how do we even do that?” Gary asks, his voice laced with skepticism. “The damn thing’s hiding. We’ve got no trail, no leads.”

I let out a slow breath, trying to rein in the frustration that’s been boiling under the surface for days now. “We’ll start with the lesser demons. If they’re pets, like you said, then they’re bound to slip up eventually. We keep an eye on the borders, get scouts out in force, and as soon as one shows itself again,we take it down. Maybe then we can trace it back to whatever’s controlling it.”

Gary shrugs. “It’s a plan. Better than sitting around waiting for it to attack again.”

“Right,” Alec agrees. “But Damien, you need to keep Jade from running herself into the ground. She’s important to this, yeah, but not if she’s dead.”

I grit my teeth. “You think I don’t know that? I’m doing everything I can to protect her.”

“Then protect her,” Alec demands. “From herself, if you have to. She’s powerful, no question. But she’s got to be smart about it. We all do.”

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