Page 10 of Wolf Trapped
I scan the still forest, the hair on the back of my neck rising, and a chill sweeps down my spine. Am I being watched? And why am I the target here? Is it because I mated the alpha?
The pack's females didn’t think I would last this long. They thought I would end up like the others. They were wrong. I am much stronger than them. Thoughts of Rochelle and how she acted when I met the pack fill my mind, and I shiver, shaking myself and returning to the stove.
It’s nothing. They don’t matter. I can handle anything, even if I desperately want to see my family. “I was asking if you are staying for dinner?”
“Alpha asked me to protect you until he comes back.” She shrugs, hopping up to sit on the counter.
“Damn paranoid alpha. He does know I am a wolf and can protect myself, right?” I grab a pair of tongs and grip one of the steaks with them, smacking it on the grill rack. It sizzles, making steam rise from the stove.
“You are important to him, Jara, even if he doesn’t know how to express himself most of the time. It makes him a moody asshole.” She chuckles.
That’s the problem, though, right? I mean, I didn’t expect him to love me right away when he made the deal, but he’s always so hot and cold. He is soft and tender when we mate, but he's cold and hard every moment of the day.
“I get that, and maybe one day he will be able to express himself. I can wait for that time. It will be worth it.” The words ring with truth in my mind. He is worth it if he could change how ridged and overprotective he is all the time.
“I think it will get easier once the danger has passed.” She pats my shoulder. I hope she’s right, but I have a feeling that the danger isn’t passing anytime soon.
It’s been one thing after another since we mated. Will the crazy ever end? I hope so. I would love to have a quiet life with my mate and possibly cubs one day. I sigh. It’s a dream and nothing I want any time soon, but it’s nice to dream about it.
“Why don’t you chop some veggies and make yourself useful.” I chuckle at her scoff.
“I am being useful. I can’t split my focus.” She says but hops off the counter and strolls to the fridge pulling out the bell peppers and mushrooms.
“Well, if you are here to protect me, I might as well put you to work,” I say as I move to the small device that pumps music through the built-in speakers. I still have trouble remembering what things are called because I have only been here a few weeks, and we didn’t have things like that in my old pack.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m cutting them.” She rolls her eyes and starts chopping the bell peppers.
Loud banging on the door nearly has me dropping one of the steaks, and I curse. “Wasn’t everyone told to go to their homes? Who the fuck is that?” I wipe my hands on the kitchen towel and stride to the front door with Angela hot on my heels.
“Stay back. I’ll get it.” Angela instructs, and I take a step back, raising my hands in surrender.
“I need the alpha.” Rochelle’s annoying voice comes from the door, and I relax slightly. The red-headed woman glares passed Angela and right into my eyes, her green eyes glowing with anger.
“What do you want, Rochelle?” I sigh.
“I need to talk to the alpha, not you.” She sneers.
“Disrespecting your alpha female is a good way to get kicked out of the pack, Rochelle.” Angela widens her stance, ready for a fight.
“She is not my alpha female.” She scoffs. “Where is Alpha Archer?”
“He’s not here, dumbass, or he would have answered the door instead of his mate.” Angela puts extra emphasis on the word mate.
“You dare disrespect me that way?” Rochelle roars. She rolls her shoulders back; hands clenched into fists at her sides. Does she seriously want to challenge Angela? Angela will kick her ass in seconds flat. That is something I would love to see.
“I am the beta. Watch your fucking tone.” Angela takes a threatening step forward, staring the woman down until she looks away in submission. “That’s what I thought. What do you want?”
“I saw a strange wolf in the woods.” She finally gets to the point. Something seems off about her admission, though. Her eyes shift to the sides as if she is lying, and something about her scent is off. What is the woman up to?
It doesn’t matter; I have no proof, and no one will listen without it because her parents are important to the pack.
“What did it look like?” I ask, but the dumb female ignores my question. My hands ball into fists at my sides. “Do you want to challenge me? I guarantee you will lose. My wolf is ten times stronger than yours.”
“Answer your alpha female, or Alpha Archer will hear about this.” Angela bellows.
“It was a large gray wolf with green eyes.” Finally, understanding this disrespect will not stand. She doesn’t look up at our faces. How the hell did she get close enough to see the wolf’s eyes? He was almost feral when he cornered me.
“Alpha is on a run. If he smells anything strange, he will find it. Go to your home and stay there. We know others are encroaching on our territory.” Angela reaches out, shutting the door in the woman’s face. A frustrated growl sounds on the other side of the door, and I grin.
