I approached the Pack as a wolf, my ruff standing straight up. I bared my teeth, a silent snarl filling the air.
Tessa cowered behind Miranda who stood next to Baron. Miranda and Baron were my Alpha pair. I had contacted him so he would be ready for this. He knew I was livid for what she had done.
Tessa was my Alpha’s mate’s sister. Which was why she thought she could do whatever she wanted and wouldn’t get disciplined. It was also why she had her eyes on me since she had arrived and became Pack.
I was Baron’s second. His Beta.
I growled and then changed, standing naked in front of them and others in the Pack. Nudity was common among us, and I didn’t want to waste any time looking for clothes right now.
Baron rolled his eyes and threw a pair of sweats at my chest, which I caught and pulled on.
“What did you think you were doing, Tessa?” My voice was low and deep.
Baron looked at me confused. He knew I was angry, but he didn’t know why. “What’s going on, Shane?”
I didn’t look at my Alpha, just stalked forward another couple of steps, my eyes glued to the woman cowering behind her Alphas.
“Tessa came to the compound. Which I told everyone not to do. She jumped into the enclosure with the pups and challenged Holden, who is human.”
“She was just curious, Shane.” Miranda interjected, protecting her sister like always.
“No.” My silver eyes went icy cold, causing those who saw them to shiver. Baron was Alpha only because I was not at all interested in challenging him for the Alpha spot. I could take it. I had always been the strongest wolf, even before I had gone off to war. I never wanted to be Alpha. Or at least, not of this Pack.
The others knew. We ignored it and let Baron be Alpha.
I knew, though, it took more than strength to run a Pack. It took wisdom and discipline. Baron’s only blind spot was Miranda. And, by association, Miranda’s sister.
Miranda was always protecting Tessa. I was so over it. Tessa was not high in our Pack. If Miranda hadn’t been the Alpha female, we wouldn’t even be here discussing this. They should allow me to punish her for interfering with the pups’ progress. Heck, she shouldn’t have gone near them at all. It was well over time to discipline this self-serving, egotistical bitch.
Baron eyed the woman in question. “Why did you disobey his command, Tessa? You know Shane had declared it off bounds because of the pups. Those were his brother’s pups. He knows best how to bring them into the Pack.”
Tessa stood up a little, still staying behind her sister. “They looked okay to me. That male pup attacked me.”
Baron’s head swung back to me, as Miranda gasped. “Is that true?”
I growled, my wolf wanting to take over and defend my new Pack. “Yes. She jumped into their area and challenged Holden. Soren defended both his space and his sisters. And Holden. Tessa threw him against a tree, knocking him out. Holden got between her and the pup before she could do any more damage. Except she is human and didn’t know she was challenging Tessa by not looking away. She was, in her mind, protecting her charge that she was trying to bring back from death. Tessa was wrong. She shouldn’t have been there.”
Tessa sobbed. “You are never here anymore, Shane. I don’t understand what takes up all your time there!”
“My brother’s pups!” I roared, my Alpha powers rising with my anger. Many of the wolves went submissive, dropping to their bellies if they were in wolf form. Those who looked human dropped their eyes, and some fell to their knees.
Tessa dropped to her knees, while her sister barely stayed standing. Baron dropped his head, shaking it, watching Tessa from the corner of his eyes. I knew I was pushing this issue for him, but he needed to take a stand.
Tessa wouldn’t stop.
“I could be their surrogate mother, Shane. We could, between us, take care of them, and make them whole. You don’t need that human!”
“Tessa, you know nothing about caring for pups.” Max melted into sight from the shadows, his voice stern. He must have followed me, knowing that I was coming here. “Soren has gained five pounds since Holden has been with them. The pups are still wary of other wolves, given how Soren reacted to you. They are not communicating via the Pack bonds yet. They are not acting like Pack with us. Yet, they protected her. They are acting like Pack with her.” His gaze traveled to others there. “Holden has created a miracle with those pups. In just a few days. We will introduce them to the Pack gradually, but there is a bond forming between them and her. A bond built on grief.”
Guilt flooded me. I don’t think I had told Max I had talked with Lexi via our fledging Pack bonds. Of how strong my Pack bonds with the pups were becoming. I wasn’t sure why I withheld that information, but I didn’t want to bring it up now, with Baron standing here, glowering.
Baron looked at the doctor, his eyes narrowing. “Grief?”
Max nodded. “Holden is grieving for her husband, who had died in the last year in a car accident. The pups are grieving the loss of their parents and whatever had happened in that lab. Like is connecting to like. They are healing.”
Tessa foolishly stood up and took a step towards me. “I would like to help. Let me help. Perhaps they would bond with me.”
I looked at Baron, my eyes growing darker. Baron knew that I wouldn’t allow the other woman near my nieces and nephew, even if she hadn’t broken my decree. It was Max who answered her.
“You know nothing about grief, Tessa. You are selfish. You are a spoiled brat. You don’t even recognize your place in the Pack.”
The words were sharp, cutting straight to the point. Several of the wolves surrounding us nodded. It was a true assessment of the Alpha’s sister-in-law. The wolf wasn’t even beta quality and yet she schemed and lied her way to things she didn’t work for. The Pack knew she was scheming for me, for no other reason except my standing in the Pack. Because I was Beta and could be Alpha if I wanted the position.
Baron knew this. He chose a more diplomatic approach than Max, though.
“No, Tessa. Wait until they introduce us to the pups. Do not go to the compound. Do not challenge Holden. Ever. I will let it go this time, but Shane will determine your punishment if you disobey and go there without permission again.”
Baron sounded tired. I wondered if being Alpha was tiring him out, or if it was just dealing with Tessa and the issues she brought to our group. Our Pack was huge. It was a huge responsibility.
Baron turned and walked into his cabin. Miranda put her hand up to her mouth, turning to follow him.
This was different. It was always the Alpha who meted out punishment. Here, though, he had given it over to me, his Beta. She knew her sister had crossed a line that she may not get back over.
“Shane!” Tessa cried out, taking another step towards me. She was oblivious to what she had done.
Miranda whirled around and grabbed her arm, stopping her. For the first time, she showed her displeasure with her sister. She shook her, Tessa’s mouth falling open as she stared back.
I took another step towards them, my voice low. “I will never mate with you, Tessa. Find another wolf. Leave my pups alone. Leave Holden alone. Leave the compound alone. Leave. Us. Alone.”
Miranda’s eyes went wide. She heard the possession in my voice. She heard the beginnings of a mate bond in how I spoke Holden’s name. She pulled her sister behind her, rushing into the cabin, her sister stumbling after her. As they went through the doorway, though, Tessa glared back at me, her face ugly with anger.
“I think you just made an enemy of that one, Shane.” Max commented beside me.
“She had no right. She could have done a lot of damage to those pups today.”
Max studied me. “And to Holden.” He paused and then continued. “Soren is okay. Limited bumps and bruises, but nothing major. Impressive weight gain, though. I thought he looked a little bigger, given how he had attacked, but it was surprising how much he has changed in just a few days. I will weigh and measure the girls tomorrow, but whatever Holden is doing has been a miracle. I think they are thriving because of her.”
I nodded, still staring at the cabin door. The rest of the Pack dispersed, melting into the village and the surrounding trees.
Max added softly, “I think the cubs are taking her as their surrogate mother. She appears to be Pack to them, even if she isn’t a wolf. I think they will protect her as a Pack would.”
Max studied me as I relaxed. I could see the small smile, his suspicions obvious but unspoken. Darn. I wasn’t doing a good job hiding my connection to Holden.
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Yes, Holden has been a miracle. I suspect part of it is because the pups can see she is hurting just as much as they are, albeit for a different reason.”
Max nodded, not pushing his point.
I turned and melted into the forest. Max knew I needed to shift and run to get rid of some of my angry energy. I hoped to hunt, because I needed to feed my wolf, both physically and mentally.
