Page 53 of Ruthless Alpha
With a fleeting kiss to the top of my head, he was gone, and I was making a beeline for the bonfire. There were only a few gaps left, and I squeezed in between a Telaxis woman and—terrifyingly—a member of the First Pack.
She was considerably taller than I, with hair that fell in disheveled waves almost down to her bottom. Her face was arrestingly beautiful, and beneath her rabbit pelts, I could see that every inch of her pale skin was covered with brown freckles.
I flushed, embarrassed, when she caught me staring, but she said nothing.
“So,” I blurted, because I couldn’t think of anything else to do, “where will you be moving on to?”
The woman looked at me as if I had just drooled on myself.
“We do not yet know,” she told me, speaking slowly and clearly as though to a child. “The moon will lead us to our new resting place this evening.”
“Of course,” I said. I desperately wanted to knowhowthe moon would lead them to a new place, but I didn’t dare ask for fear of embarrassing myself again. I may be Alpha Female of my own Pack, but whoever this woman was, she exuded more poise and authority than I would ever possess.
It was surprising, then, to see her tense as a large hand landed on her shoulder, a male from her own Pack leaning in close to her.
“Are you making a friend, Imogen?” he asked. His tone was light, but something sinister lay beneath it, and the woman—Imogen—did not respond. Instead, the new male addressed me. “I think your Alpha will not miss us.”
He wasn’t wrong about Sam wanting them gone—if only so he could step down as Alpha and enjoy his twilight years in peace—but I was hardly going to tell him that.
“I am not from Telaxis,” I told him, because ignoring him would be rude. He was the kind of male I would have instinctively shown my neck to, not so long ago, but now he only set my teeth on edge. “My mate is the Alpha of Ensign.”
“Ensign,” he repeated, his smile growing wider. His teeth were sharp and pointed, as if he had never fully shifted back tohis human form. “Your people are true to the old ways. Wolves respect strength.” His grip on Imogen’s shoulder tightened—it must have hurt, but she did not flinch.
I doubted that the First Pack had heard about the overhaul that Ensign had undergone over the last few months, and I was certain I knew what this particular shifter would make of it. Before I could reply, there was a hand on my own shoulder. This hand wasn’t controlling or possessive, but gentle and supportive. Xander.
“When the moon next leads you to our shores, I will be pleased to show you the changes we’ve made recently,” he said. His voice was friendly enough, but there was a hint of Alpha authority in his words. He might not be bending anyone to his will, but he was happy to demonstrate his power.
The First Pack shifter clearly recognized the tactic for what it was, taking a step back, his hand still firmly on Imogen’s shoulder.
“I will look forward to it,” was all he said before he dragged Imogen away from the fire and back toward a larger group of their own Pack.
“Sorry, angel,” Xander said, depositing another kiss on the top of my head. “I shouldn’t have left you on your own.”
“It’s fine,” I told him, leaning back against his chest and pulling his arms around me. As much as I’d disliked the First Pack male, he hadn’t sent fear coursing through my system. It was a new feeling, and one that still took me a little by surprise. “I’m just sad for her.”
We both glanced over to where the First Pack was standing, Imogen still tense and quiet under the male’s hand. Was he her mate? I snuggled closer to Xander, grateful beyond words for the generous hand fate had dealt me.
“How much longer do we have to stay?” I asked. I was immensely proud of what Xander and Jace had created, but I was cold and uncomfortable and ready to leave.
“Not long,” he promised. “This celebration is really for Telaxis and the First. We can dip out whenever we want.”
“Now?” I ventured, and he chuckled.
“Sure, angel. Let’s say our goodbyes.”
The saying of goodbyes predictably took far longer than it should have. Sam thanked Xander again for his work, insisting on a brief introduction to the First Alpha before we left. He was not nearly as objectionable as the male I’d met by the bonfire, and Xander glowed as the First Alpha praised his craftsmanship. I could feel the warmth of his pride through our bond, and I fed my own back to him.
Saying goodbye to Jace was easier—there were no manners to consider, and we’d see him again soon at any rate. He saw us to the truck with an easy hug and an ironic salute as Xander helped me up into the passenger seat.
The moment we were inside, I turned the heat up as high as it would go, rubbing my hands together.
“I love this thing so much,” I said fervently, and Xander snorted in agreement.
“I still can’t believe Bart challenged me over it,” he said.
That had been a ridiculous few days. After the upheaval of the new rules being set in place, Xander figured it wouldn’t hurt to buy the Pack a truck in case anyone needed to travel long distances or carry big loads. One of the older fighters had decidedthat,not any of the other new rules, was the final straw. He was recuperating well in the med center, with a broken collarbone and significantly wounded pride.
I’d go and check in on him when we got back, I decided. He was an ornery old guy, but it was nothing a few sweet smiles couldn’t soften, and I’d had him eating out of the palm of my hand since I brought him a batch of pity cookies two days ago.
