Page 5 of Destined Mate

This was a conversation I’d never dreamed of having. “Pack hierarchy. I’m the weakest of us all, so…”

His eyes glowed, and his voice turned gravelly. “Wait. This behavior isnormal? They’ve done this bullshit to you before and gotten away with it?”

More power radiated from him, and I lifted my chin, not liking the way he was speaking to me.

The blond and brown-haired men joined us.

“Bodey, chill,” the blond said. His hair was longer than Bodey’s, with waves that fell into his eyes. He had a similar build, just a bit smaller and shorter, but his cobalt eyes were jarring. “She’s been through a horrible experience at the hands of her own pack members, so back off, douche canoe, and don’t freak her out more.” He winked at me. “I’m Jack, by the way. And you are?”

My face warmed. “Callie.”

“Flirting with her won’t help.” The second dark-haired man rolled his eyes and lifted his hands as he approached me like I was a timid animal. He was almost as tall as Bodey but leaner. His dark-brown eyes matched the shade of his goatee, and they were full of concern. He gently touched my arm, my blood-streaked pale skin contrasting with his tanned hand. He sighed. “We need to clean your wounds before they get infected.”

I hated the attention and, worse, that they were treating me like a delicate flower. I didn’t know how to react, especially when my own pack treated me with malice. “I’m fine. I should head back home. I need to tell the alpha my version of tonight before he won’t listen.”

“Just link with them.” Jack tapped his head. “Tell him you’re with the royal advisers from the other four territories. We’ll back your story.”

Shit. Now it made perfect sense. These four were none other than Bodey Valor, royal adviser of Idaho, Jack Landry, royal adviser of Washington, and Miles Harper, royal adviser of Wyoming, who had just gone to change, and that meant the man trying to take care of my wounds was Lucas Barret of Montana. They were each the strongest alpha in the state they represented. I hadn’t thought all four of them could be from the same pack, but I hadn’t expectedthis. They were supposed to be self-absorbed troublemakers, per Zeke, but they were the only ones who’d ever helped me in my entire life.

Zeke was the fifth royal adviser, based out of Oregon, but considering how close-knit these four were, he was the outsider.

I wrapped my arms tighter around myself. “I can’t link with them.” Now the four of them would decide I wasn’t worth the effort. They’d realize how weak I was and finish what Charles had started.

Bodey tilted his head. “What do you mean, you can’t pack link? The alpha shut down his connection with you, and you can’t communicate with him?”

I wished that was the problem. I shook my head. “I’ve never been able to pack link, at least from what I can remember. I don’t remember much from before my pack took me in when I was a young girl.”

Lucas mashed his lips together. “Well, you have to submit and acknowledge the alpha as yours.”

“Dumbass.” Jack snorted, but it lacked humor. “I’m sure they made her.”

“They did, fairly soon after I came here. When I couldn’t pack link with them immediately, they thought I needed time to adjust, but it never happened. Then with my not shifting…” I trailed off and shrugged.

Bodey’s eyes widened. “That’s why you didn’t shift when they attacked you. We were wondering.”

My face flamed, and I averted my eyes to the ground in embarrassment.

Silence descended until the fourth guy—Miles—joined us. The moon shone down on him, emphasizing his gorgeous bronze complexion. He was two inches taller than me and thicker than the others. He ran a hand through his short ebony hair, and his dark-green eyes were full of kindness.

But I wasn’t foolish. These four menseemedkind, but they could take me down and anyone else who stood in their way. My wolf could feel it.

Nerves buzzed hard under my skin. The breeze picked up, and I shivered.

Bodey held out his shirt. “Here, do you want to go somewhere and put this on? Your shirt is ruined.”

“Thank you.” I had no clue why Zeke hated him so much. He was kind and helped me, even though he didn’t have to. “But I need to get back before it gets worse. They’re gonna want to know where I am.”

My cell phone dinged. Grimacing, I removed it from my back pocket and glanced at the message.

Theo: Where are you? I’m at your house, and you aren’t here. Charles is telling Dad what happened. He’s livid that you were in the canyons and attacked them. Get home now, and I’ll protect you as much as I can.

I lowered my phone and turned to the trees. “Thank you for everything, but I have to go.”

I’d taken only a few steps when a gigantic, calloused hand gripped my upper arm.

Bodey growled, “You aren’t going anywhere.”

CHAPTERTHREE

---