Page 21 of Brutal Alpha Beast
The curse is definitely not gone—and I know, in the place where my Alpha intuition lies, that things are probably only going to get worse.
This morning, I meet Danielle, a few coven witches I’ve never seen before, and some of my closest advisors in Roseville. It’s strange having witches just show up at our pack grounds,invited. I suppose it’s how they felt when I showed up at theirs. It feels wrong.
“Good morning,” I say sternly.
It’s me, my closest advisors, Danielle, a whole chunk of empty space, and then them. They’re dressed mostly in black. Cheery.
Danielle, as though intent on declaring where her true loyalty lies, walks over to stand with them. Without Penelope there, I’m not sure who I’m supposed to address.
“Hello,” one of them speaks. “Penelope told us that you had someproblemsyou wanted to show us today.”
I feel my guys tensing beside me.
“Witch created problems,” one of them mutters under his breath.
A witch on their side raises her eyebrow.
“Yes, a problem created after a witch’s heart was broken by one ofyourkind.”
“A witch-created problem that we’re helping you solve,” another says.
Aaron, my closest and best Beta, who sometimes finds it tricky to hold his tongue, speaks again.
“The least you could do, really.”
“All right,” I snap, tensing my jaw as I turn sharply to him at my right. “That’s enough.”
Danielle rolls her eyes. I understand where Aaron is coming from. Yes, this whole Willow problem is technically a curse createdbya witch, but that’s beside the point.
They’re here to help. I don’t want them to feel unwelcome.
“I’m sorry about that,” I declare, staring each of them directly in the eye. Even Danielle, who I’ve successfully been avoiding at home. She makes me feel all kinds of things I have no business feeling.
“We appreciate you coming to help us as a first step in this alliance. We want to get along. How about we introduce each other first—Aaron?”
He’s silent.
“Aaron,” I say this time, as a command.
As we go through, introducing each other, Monroe, Danielle’s twin, sparks my curiosity. She looks dissimilar to Danielle, she has straight hair, differently shaped eyes, less cat, and more circular, but still shares a similar essence with Danielle.
I can tell they’re close. What is it about Danielle that draws me into her and not her twin? Is it just the curly hair, the way she holds herself? Why do I feel a pull to her and not Monroe?
“So what’s happening now?” Danielle asks.
I snap back to reality at the sound of her voice.
“Now I show you all our problems, and you tell me if there’s anything you can do.”
As I lead the group across town, the way we walk reminds me of my and Danielle’s wedding. Witches on one side, wolves on the other.
I show them some trees, which have decayed so rapidly, they look as though they’re on the brink of death.
It’s strange. It’s not as though they’re all clustered in one place. It’s not like I can find an actual cause.
One of the dying trees is by the cabins, a couple are in the woodland area, and one is right in the center of our town. That one’s the worst, displayed clearly for everyone to see. For everyone to be concerned.
“So,” I say, standing in front of the group as they all eye the tree with its decrepit leaves. We’re at the shameful one in the center of Roseville. “I can’t pinpoint where or why this is happening. As you can see, it’s all random, sporadic, and in different places, but there's definitely decay. Is there anything that can be done?”
