Page 22 of Stealthy as a Wolf

Burke pursed his lips, then nodded, though I could tell he was getting impatient.

“What do you mean that your word was law?” Grady asked, drawing my attention.

“As an alpha, you can make people do what you want, correct?” I waited patiently for him to reply.

“It’s not that simple, but yes.” Grady nodded almost reluctantly, clearly not liking where this conversation was going. “We have to put intent behind the words, and our wolves have to be dominant enough to enforce it.”

I nodded, then glanced down, twisting my fingers together in my lap. “Imagine being so dominant that everything you say must be obeyed. I grew up among prey animals. If I told them to leave me alone, they must obey. If my ten-year-old self tells bullies to go fuck themselves, what do you think happens?”

All the guys winced at that, Boone going so far as to adjust the pillow in his lap. “I’ve been learning control, but the commune wanted me gone. They saw me as a threat.”

“What about your parents?” Grady interrupted.

“It’s a commune,” Matty answered for me. “Most of the kids are raised by the group. They want to be seen as one big family, and it’s frowned upon to have smaller groups. It’s supposed to make the commune stronger, give people a sense of belonging. It ensures that their loyalty is to the commune alone.”

“Unless you don’t really belong,” I muttered. “My parents saw the commune as family, and they wanted what was best for the family. So the commune contacted the local wolf pack and asked them to take me.”

“That’s not uncommon.” Grady smiled gently. “Wolves need a pack to fully come into their abilities. Living among prey animals would be hard for any wolf, especially a newly turned one.”

“Maybe.” I conceded the point, giving him a small, bitter smile. “I had no choice in the matter. I was sent there to be trained. Unfortunately, my wolf was more dominant than the alpha and his son, and neither of them were happy about it. When they couldn’t break me or bend me to their rules, it was decided that I would be mated to the alpha’s son.

“He was a fucking asshole and got off on being cruel to those who were weaker than him.” I grimaced at the memory of how he tried to dominate me—then raged when he failed. “I not so politely rejected their offer, but didn’t realize until too late that they weren’t asking. When I refused, they collared me.”

I unconsciously rubbed my neck, my skin feeling tight as memories of my stay with them clamored in my mind. “Only their plan backfired. Being collared only pissed my wolf off more. I wore the collar for four years, my beast fighting it every step of the way. Four years of never being allowed to shift. It damaged my bond with my wolf and drove her feral. It’s almost like she’s a separate entity in my head.” I tossed a bitter smile at Burke, not taking any pleasure when he blanched. “Even the prison system allows inmates to shift once a week, depending on the schedule agreed upon by the court.”

I took a deep breath, struggling to keep my heartbeat even, my lungs feeling tight in my chest. “At sixteen, I was deemed a hopeless case. It was decided that I was too powerful to be given to another pack, and I was too dangerous to be allowed free, and they weren’t wrong. I would’ve killed every one of those fuckers.”

When I became lost in my thoughts, Matty slipped his hand over mine and gave a comforting squeeze. “What happened?”

“When I turned sixteen, they decided my abilities were too powerful for them to give up. If I didn’t want the honor of being his mate, then they would find another use for me.” I clung to Matty’s hand, struggling to keep my claws from slicing through the tips of my fingers. A growl rumbled in my chest, my wolf still furious about what happened.

“Since they couldn’t control me, the alpha decided he would breed me. Thankfully, I managed to get the collar off before they could finish their reconditioning.” I turned toward Burke, unable to stop myself from rubbing my throat as memories of years of pain came back to haunt me. “I know what it feels like to wear that collar. Intimately. And I know what happens when you fight it.”

He had the grace to wince at that.

Grady’s expression went blank, but rage turned his blue eyes electric. Boone looked at me like I was a broken doll, and I hated it. Matty was different—he understood.

“I also know that a person can get used to pain when they live with it for years on end.” I lifted up my hands and flexed my damaged fingers. Tiny electrical burns snaked up the tips of my fingers, curling along the backs of my hands. “So yes, I removed Matty’s collar, because I know exactly what it feels like to be trapped. No one should have to go through the horror of wearing one of those collars when I have the ability to save them.”

* * *

MATTY

Maggie’s pain was like an open wound, and my cat paced restlessly in my head. Seeing the damage to her hands, the injuries she received for helping me, drove me fucking crazy. I clenched and unclenched my hands while she talked, her story breaking my heart.

When she finished speaking, glaring defiantly up at Burke, my control snapped. I leaned over and picked her up, depositing her on my lap. She let out a startled squeak, squirming to get away, but I only wrapped my arms tighter around her. My cat gave a stuttering purr, my beast unable to resist the impulse to comfort her.

“Release m—”

“Your wiggling is reopening the wound in my side,” I quickly interrupted before she could alpha me to let her go. “If you keep moving, you’re going to make me bleed.”

She went still in an instant, concern clouding her golden eyes. She glanced down at my injury, then she clucked her tongue and studied me from under her lashes. “You’re bleeding again. We need to get you cleaned up.”

When she wiggled in an effort to get off my lap, I tightened my hold, afraid that if she walked away, she would wall herself back up.

“I don’t understand.” Grady got to his feet, wrath darkening his face. “The collars are supposed to be closely monitored. How the fuck did something like this happen?”

Maggie stiffened, then slowly lifted her head and glared at him. “You think I’m lying?”

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