Page 9 of The Weakest Wolf

She deserved it. And if my wolf is being protective, it’s just because she’s a submissive wolf. That’s all.

He lifts his gaze to mine. Yet after a few seconds of him holding my eye, he lowers his to my chin. “You haven’t chosen a beta, and I—”

I turn away. “I have someone in mind. You can leave.”

But he doesn’t. He doesn’t take one step outside of the house he entered without permission. “I’m the best person for the job. The rest of the pack respects me.”

I snort. “This pack respects nothing or no one.”

“I don’t understand.” Although this shifter’s voice is full of just the right amount of respect, it's false. He wants something from me and he doesn’t have a problem kissing my ass to get it.

Since he’s not going anywhere, and I wouldn’t mind an excuse to gut him, I turn back to him, folding my arms across my chest so he can’t see that the tips of my fingers are now claws. My wolf is close to the surface now. Too close. “I said this pack doesn’t know the meaning of respect. But that’s okay.” I smile. When he blanches, I realize it isn’t just my hands that aren’t completely human anymore. “I can teach them.”

His gaze darts to my eyes before quickly returning to my chin.

How the fuck is Sierra Stone able to meet my eyes, when this guy who Iknowis more dominant can’t hold it for two fucking seconds?

“No doubt the fault lies with the previous alpha's failings.”

Yep, the guy loves to kiss ass. Called it.

“Was there a reason you’re here? Because I’ll be honest, I don’t like being told what to do, and I don’t like attempts to manipulate me. That might have something to do with me being alpha here, not you.”

The silence stretches out long enough for me to guess he’s busy working out another way of getting what he wants. I save him the trouble.

“So leave. Now. While you still can.” I show him a claw-tipped hand, sharper than a blade. A partial shift isn’t all that impressive. Most alphas and betas can do it, but not many can do it with as little effort as I can.

Without a word, Bowen swings around and slinks away. My instincts warn me this won’t be the last time he comes sniffing around. My wolf's growl tells me he agrees.

3

SIERRA

Someone is watching me.

I peel my eyes open but don’t move. Not just yet. Instead, I focus on my cabin wall and take a long moment to steady my nerves for yet another confrontation.

After Bowen shoved me to the floor and Tera followed up with a gut punch when I was still getting to my feet, I spent the rest of the night sleeping with one eye open.

By that, I mean I didn’t get sleep—not true sleep—until morning light was bleeding through the thin lace curtains that cover my window. I’d be surprised if I managed more than two hours.

I lost count of how many times I nearly talked myself into slipping away in the middle of the night. If it was just Leo, maybe I might have. But it’s Bowen too. He served as beta to the alpha who killed Dad. I’m not walking away until he’s lying dead at my feet.

“You know, sneaking into a woman’s room uninvited is something only a creep does,” I say, my eyes still on the wall.

“I’m alpha here. That means this land, and everything on it, is mine.”

His words shouldn’t affect me the way they do, but I feel the impact of them deep inside me. A part of me likes the idea of belonging to him. I’m hoping it’s a tiny part that’s easy to ignore.

“Well,” I murmur as I sit up, “you might have claimed everything else as yours, but I’m not.”

Turning, I discover Galen Hunt leaning against the wall of a cabin so small that if you tripped, you’d headbutt the other side. He has his arms folded over his chest, just as he was back in the farmhouse.

The tiny part of me that didn’t mind belonging to him sighs in disappointment because he’s not naked this time. He’s dressed in a pair of blue jeans, black boots, and a navy v-neck sweatshirt that emphasizes his muscled arms, looking more than a little hot.

Who the fuck am I kidding? It’s more than a little.

Hot enough for you to have forgotten what he did to Eden?

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