Page 47 of Bound

“Why was she injured?”

“We don’t know,” Maddox says, at the same time Chase says, “That’s none of your business.”

Alpha Kane decides to ignore Chase’s statement as he asks Maddox, “You don’t know? Haven’t you asked her?”

“She can’t shift,” Maddox tells him, and I can sense everyone holding their breath, waiting for the alpha’s response.

Kane’s eyebrows slowly rise as he looks at me. “Are you telling me you brought a feral rogue onto my land? Into my home?” He takes a step back as anger fills his face.

“Does she look feral to you?” Chase asks in exasperation.

“I don’t care,” Alpha Kane says, shaking his head as he eyes me warily. “I don’t want any rogue here. You should know that better than anyone,” he says to Maddox. “Now get rid of her before I have her killed.”

A whine voluntarily escapes me as I drop my head, fear filling me. Bain stands and steps in front of me, blocking me from Kane’s view.

“If you touch her, I’ll kill you,” Bain says as the other three join him, forming a solid wall of muscle in front of me.

“She’s a rogue,” Alpha Kane seethes.

“I don’t care,” Maddox says with more venom than I’ve ever heard from him. “She’s part of the Silverstorm Pack now.” I hear Alpha Kane’s sharp intake of air at that declaration. “If anyone tries to lay a finger on her, they die.”

He just claimed me as part of his pack.

If I was in my human form, my jaw would drop open. I didn’t exactly understand how the five of them could run their own pack within Westgrove, but I was starting to understand they had much more sway here than I initially thought.

“You can’t just add some little stray wolf to your littlepack.” The way he says that last tells me he doesn’t think much of them.

“We can do whatever we want,” Hunter says in defiance.

“Not while you’re part ofmypack, and living inmyterritory,” Kane growls back.

Chase huffs out a laugh. “We all know the only reason you’re still alpha is because Maddox doesn’t want it yet.”

Is that true?Could Maddox run this Westgrove if he wanted to? Why would he let his uncle do it instead?

“I know nothing of the sort,” Kane says, and even I can tell he’s lying at this point. “Besides, why would your pack of five alphas want to keep some pathetic, tiny, broken rogue?”

I try not to let another whine out as I press the top of my head into the back of Bain’s leg. A torrent of emotions floods me. Is that how everyone sees me? Do the guys see me that way too?

Several low growls fill the room, although I’m not sure which of the men they’re coming from.

“Insult our pack mate again,” Chase seethes. “I dare you.”

Kane is silent for a few moments before he scoffs. “Look, son, I understand you feel something for this tiny wolf, but she can’t even shift. She’s clearly not strong enough to be in the only all-alpha pack, let alone the Westgrove Pack.”

“You’re wrong,” Maddox argues. “She’s the strongest female I’ve ever met.” My heart fills with warmth as I try to peek around Bain’s leg to see him. He’s standing between Kane and the others, his hands resting casually in his pockets as if he doesn’t even see his uncle as a threat. As if he knows he could beat him easily in a fight.

“What if she never shifts? Did you ever think of that?” his uncle asks in exasperation.

“I don’t care,” Maddox fires back, surprising me with his sharp tone toward his alpha.

“What about Juliet?” Kane asks, making my hackles rise at the mention of another female. “You know she’ll marry you in a heartbeat, and she’s perfect for an alpha’s wife, but she won’t be happy to find out you’ve adopted thisrogue.”

I try to restrain the growl that wants to come out at the thought of Maddox with another woman, but he beats me to it.

“I have no interest in her or anyone else, you know that.” The way Maddox phrases it makes me think it’s half for my benefit. Or maybe that’s just me hoping.

“So you’d choose a rogue wolf as a pack mate over the strongest female in our territory?”