Page 17 of The Weakest Wolf

Leo reaches for his glass of orange juice. Finding it empty, even though the jug is right next to his fucking hand, he peers over his shoulder at Sierra. “Sweetheart?” He turns back to me when she moves. “Maybe revenge? Maybe love? Don’t know. Don’t care.”

“Any reason he didn’t stick around to be alpha himself?”

As if I don’t know why. Five minutes in this pack told me anyone with a lick of sense wouldn’t want to stick around any longer than they had to. It’d be like playing alpha to a pack of piranhas just waiting to eat you alive the second you turned your back.

“Afraid of the top job,” Bowen murmurs. “There are some forceful personalities in this pack. Takes a strong man to lead them.”

Like you, you mean?

He’s going to make a play for the job soon. Not directly. No, he’ll want to know he’s going to win before he moves, which means he’s taken my measure and realized I don’t like him much. Or at all.

He also knows he can’t beat me in a fair fight, so he’ll find another way. A sneaky way.

“Good to know. Thanks for the advice.” I incline my head a touch. “Now—”

“You were asking Sierra about Eden when you told us to get out of the dining room. We heard you.” A red-headed man with powerful arms and suspicious dark eyes glances over at Bowen.

That one glance is enough to tell me how Bowen intends to play this, especially when I take in the man’s sweats. All the other men are in jeans and sweaters, but not him. He’s here to fight, but not as humans. He wants to shift fast, which means I’ll be facing down an alpha challenge before breakfast is over.

When Bowen doesn’t respond, the man refocuses on me. “So you must’ve known her before you came here.”

I nod. “I knew her. What was your name again?”

He blinks at me. “Kaylen. Why?”

I like to know the name of the men I kill. Especially the ones who deserve it.

“Just curious. But, yes, Eden and I spent some time together years ago. Once we were even close.”

I was the big brother she trusted would always have her back. Right up until I wasn’t.

Leo’s smile turns sly. “Oh, so that’s how it is, huh? You wanted to pick up where things left off?”

I stare at him until his smile fades. “Something like that. Anyway, I’d heard she was Luna here.”

Sierra could reveal that Eden is my sister, but I doubt it. No one would believe her after she’s spent years lying about what she is.

“Well, she’s dead, so if that’s the only reason that brought you here…?” Bowen’s voice trails off, but I can hear what he’s not saying: Then you can hurry up and leave.

I smile. “I didn’t say that was theonlyreason.”

Bowen narrows his eyes. “And that reason is?”

“Known only to myself and my new beta.”

“And that beta is?”

I point my chin at Sierra. “Her.”

Silence fills the room. Then there’s an explosion of sound as all the men talk at once. But it’s Bowen who hushes them, and to my surprise, they all fall silent.

Interesting.

And I didn’t even need to have Sierra Stone order them to bark like a dog to see the way the wind blows in the Stone pack. Which means killing Bowen will probably make the others turn on me if he’s won their loyalty.

Bowen narrows his eyes. “She’s a woman. And a submissive. One you exposed yourself. Sierra is no beta.”

I shrug. “I’ve made my mind up.” With the mood in the room darkening, I get to my feet. “Now, I have—”

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