Page 45 of Starting a New Life

An intruder. A threat to his pack. And threats had to be eliminated, one way or another.

“Answer my question. Why did you have to reinforce the barrier?”

If I answered truthfully, if I admitted that I’d brought them nothing but trouble ever since I got here, they’d… I didn’t know. But it sure as shit wouldn’t be good. Then again, they’d make the connection sooner or later. And if they realized I was responsible for the wolves intruding into their territory… I shuddered.

That wouldn’t be good either.

What was I supposed to do?

“Answer me,” my mate growled, the words rumbling in his chest like thunder. As if he were about to unleash a storm on me.

But that storm was coming one way or another. I was utterly trapped, and I was just digging a deeper hole with every word I said. So I kept my mouth shut and lowered my head even further, trying to shield myself from the Alpha’s burning eyes. From the anger simmering just below the surface, from the outburst that was about to come. I pulled up my legs, using my shins as a shield.

“Uhm… maybe we could all use a break,” Levi said, his voice too cheery and bright for the tense atmosphere. “Nix is probably beat, and I am too. How about we all go to bed and try again tomorrow? Some people get really cranky when they’re tired and say things in a way they don’t mean.”

I sucked in a breath. Was… was that a dig at the Alpha?

Oh god, he was about to…

His mate snorted.

I carefully raised my head until I could peek at the shifter standing in front of the window. He was biting his lip, trying his damnedest not to laugh out loud.

And the Alpha?

He had his lips pressed into a thin line, but he ultimately nodded.

“Fine.” He levelled me with a firm look. “You’re to stay in this room until we’ve determined if you’re a threat or not. Do not try my patience.”

I shrank back, my eyes fixed on my knees, as I gave a short nod.

Where would I even go?

He was my mate. He might not acknowledge it in front of Levi and his mate, but he had to be aware of the truth. Had to be as aware of the pull as I was. If I ran, he’d simply follow the pull. He’d just have to let his wolf out and he’d find me.

And I wasn’t sure I was ready to find out all the ways this pack punished outsiders.

As the room cleared and Levi gave me one last smile, exhaustion and desperation slammed into me like a tidal wave.

I was dry and warm, but somehow felt more lost and at the end of my rope than I had in the forest.

Chapter 10

Gray

“He’s keeping something from us,” I ranted, my wolf and I both seething. At least we agreed on something. Though the reasons for our anger were totally different. I was seething because our mate kept things from us. My wolf was seething because I’d left him on his own while he was terrified.

I ran a hand through my hair until I found one of the many small braids, this one adorned with a small metal bead I rolled between my fingers. It was the wolf’s head Jasper had gotten me as a Secret Santa gift last year.

“He’s afraid,” Levi said.

Rhett snorted. “I think everyone noticed. He’s stinking up the whole room. Hell, I can still smell him here.”

A growl slipped past my lips. My mate wasn’t stinking up anything. And even if he was, it wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t like he could just turn off his scent or his feelings. I just wished…

Why wouldn’t he talk to us?

Why not get it all out in the open? Clear the air?