Page 65 of Escalating Alpha

“Queen of the wolves,” Demi chuckled darkly. “I’m not so pompous no matter my last name. I’ve never officially been an Alpha but only stepped in to help and secure a pack as I will for Seraphine. Demi or Ms. Dorcus is fine—whatever your customs.”

That was refreshing when the Dorcuses were normally such sticklers.

“Incoming,” Freddie warned us when two vehicles pulled up.

“Their emotions are all over, but there is a lot of greed coming from these people,” Demi added.

“Shit,” I sighed. “Let this play out. I want them to dig a hole.” I nodded when Freddie growled, probably guessing who it was.

“Sera! You’re here! Why didn’t you call us or—I can’t believe you did all of this and didn’t let us know,” a woman said too loudly, her excitement not the good kind. It was hostile like she knew she wouldn’t get her way but wasn’t giving up yet.

I ignored her and focused back on Demi. “I didn’t get to ask how you knew to come here or—”

“Sera, are you seriously going to ignore me?” the woman gasped, putting on an act that ignored me… And almost mocking her by asking where her pearls were. “How can you behave this badly when we’refamily?”

Oh, this bitch.

I saw Demi’s eye twitch, but she kept her cool. “I was already headed to you. I was delayed and should have come last week. It was unavoidable but when I contacted my sister to say I was finally coming from California, she asked me to divert here with my consorts and people.”

“Sera, you’re being too rude,” the man grumbled. “This doesn’t leave a good impression with us and our relationship going forward.”

“No, it really doesn’t,” Demi drawled at a volume the other wolves wouldn’t be able to hear.

“She’s probably testing me as the new Alpha to take control of the situation and step up,” the other man chuckled, turning to the rest of the group like he was ready for them to pat him on the back.

But that was what I’d been waiting for. I slowly looked over at him like he was the tool he was. “I’ve already killed one wolf of this pack today for being crazy; don’t make me add others because you sound that fucking unhinged.” I stood and facedthem. “I was ignoring you because you don’t fucking matter and are being ridiculous.”

“What?” the man—Hagan and Reagan’s uncle—growled. “How can you—”

I was in his face in a flash and he got scared and jumped back. “A senior councilman is here and you don’t fucking greet him? A team from the council. The director of theFBIis here—you have no idea the situation, and you waltz up and demand attention like toddlers. Yeah, you benuts.” I turned to their cousin and studied him.

I didn’t even say anything and simply snorted before heading back to my party.

“That’s it?” the aunt demanded. “Hagan and Reagan will besodisappointed especially after Reagan promised this for his cousin and—”

I grabbed her around the throat and threw her against the house. “Do noteverlie about my consort again or they will be the last words you speak.” I let my power flare until she whimpered and bared her neck to me. “He didn’t eventell meabout you fools or your pathetic attempts to reconnect when you wanted something.” I nodded when she couldn’t hide her shock.

“Wait, are you really saying I won’t get to be Alpha?” the cousin demanded. “Who are you to say that?”

“Theactual Alpha,” several people snapped.

“Clearly, this one isn’t of the same caliber or intelligence as the Cooney twins,” Antony said, several people snorting in agreement.

Yeah, that was the understatement of the year.

16

“You are lucky that I’m not tossing you all out now that I’m Alpha,” I sneered at him as I shoved the aunt to the ground. “We’refamily?Yeah, right. You left the twins high and dry when they became orphans. You didn’t call them when they got out of the military or came back to Chicago. You didn’t call them when I wasmissingor they were drowning—constantly under threat and could have used help.

“You didn’t call them when they adopted ason. Nothing. All the chances to reach out and reconnect and be afamily, but you didn’t do any of that. You only contacted them when you wanted something. A ridiculous ask and you have the gall to—you’re fucking nuts. You’re not even a Beta and you think I’ll just name you Alpha? You greedy fucks are—”

“I think it’s time you leave before you leave in pieces,” Freddie suggested, not hiding his amusement. “And I would be very careful what you say going forward because kicking you out is absolutely on the table after you walked in here and lied to us like we’re too weak to sense it or too stupid to check. Either way, the twins will befuriouswhen they—”

“They already know,” Dain interjected, holding up his phone. “They’re on mute, but I can only guess what they’ll say when I take it off. Which one of them do you think will be here first to rip your heads off?”

I was with him until that last part. “They’re not coming here to bother with this bullshit. We have piles of everything to deal with and a son who needs them. If theywantto get something off their chests, I’m sure the ancients will gladly drag these stupid asses to Chicago so the twins can smack heads from asses.”

“No, I don’t accept this,” the cousin blasted. “The pack won’t allow this! They’d much rather have me than—”

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