Page 29 of Wolf Unleashed
The corner of Hayden’s mouth kicked up. “I haven’t seen you in years, Maddox, and that’s the first thing you say?”
“Just answer me, Hayden.”
“Abrupt as ever. No, I remain Damien’s second. You might say I’m on loan here for a while, helping Drake stabilize the pack.”
“We need a place to go,” Alyssa said. “We thought we could stay here, but Drake —your brother, if I understand correctly—won’t permit my other two mates to stay.”
“Other mates?”
“I have three. I’m blood-bonded to Maddox.”
“That’s interesting,” Hayden said, not condemning any of them for their unconventional relationship. Hayden had always been the level-headed, open-minded of the two brothers. And he was the rightful heir. If he’d take over the pack, then Maddox was sure Hayden would allow Alyssa, Rafe, and Tiernan to stay.
“Maddox stays here,” Drake interjected. “And the three of you have an hour to get off my land.”
Hayden took a deep breath and released it slowly. “This is what I was talking about, Drake. You can’t promote loyalty through bullying. It’s a false loyalty. You need to earn their respect.”
‘I can’t lose another guard.”
“And you can’t keep blood-bonded mates apart.”
“Fine. The female can stay.”
“She’s Woodrow Monroe’s daughter,” Maddox spoke up, reminding Drake. “If he tracks her here, it will mean more trouble. If I leave with her, I’ll make sure we never come near the pack.”
Drake laughed as his deep black eyes swirled with an intensity that put Maddox’s wolf on edge. “You think I couldn’t handle him, cousin? I’d like nothing better than for Woodrow Monroe to come here looking for her. You’re staying here, Maddox. The female can stay, but the other males leave.”
“I’m mated to them as well,” she spoke up.
Drake lifted a brow. “I guess you’re going to have to choose then, because they’re not staying and Maddox is. How’s that for you, Hayden? I’ve given the female permission to stay, but if she decides to leave, that’s her choice.”
“That’s not what I meant, Drake, and you know it.”
“What would you have me do? Take the scout? Then I’d have to explain to Liam why I have his favorite scout.”
“Hardly his favorite,” Tiernan spoke up. “But that’s between me and Liam. I make my choices, not him.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, scout. Alphas make the choices. And while your alpha would be better off without you, I’d be doing him a favor letting you stay here. And doing favors for Liam is against my nature. And you, Rafe of Montana, you’re unquestionably an alpha. I can smell it. I’m not inviting another alpha into our pack, especially from a pack I don’t know.”
“You know my pack. My father is Soren Anderson.”
“Oh, that Montana pack.” Drake glared at Rafe with narrowed eyes. “You must be the spare. Not nearly as dangerous as Eero. Now there was a strong shifter. He never wouldn’t have let a human female lead him around by his dick.” Drake chuckled. “Perhaps I should allow you to stay here, make you pledge your loyalty to me. I bet that would upset your alpha.”
“I won’t pledge my loyalty to any other alpha.”
“Then the female has a choice to make,” Drake said, laughing as he walked away. “You have one hour to be out of my territory, scout. And take the spare with you. If the female stays, she will pledge her loyalty to me.”
Chapter Eight
ALYSSA
“Please, Rafe. Trust Maddox. Trust me,” Alyssa said.
“I just need some time alone with her,” Maddox said as he escorted Rafe and Tiernan east over the border to Tiernan’s pack’s territory. “To say goodbye properly.”
“We should wait with her,” Rafe said. He didn’t trust easily, even less, given Drake’s warning.
“I’ll bring her back here in a few hours.”
