I get out of their grip and stumble to my feet. I grab a hold of them and throw them to the ground like they weigh nothing. As my hand gets tighter around their throat, I can hear them gasp. Questioning if I should even give them a breath to speak.
I then ask, “who are you and what do you want?” As I slowly release their throat enough for them to speak.
“Please don’t hurt me. I’m only doing my job. I didn’t realize who you were until I already grabbed you.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m one of the watch Warriors of the pack, my name is Tye.”
“There has been so much activity in the past couple of days that I didn’t think I’m sorry. I didn’t want to take a chance to endanger the pack.”
“What do you mean increased activity, why wasn’t I informed?”
“There have been wolves trying to come into the pack. We are not sure why some seem harmless, but others seem dangerous. With all that has happened, we have not been allowing newcomers to join.”
As I listen to him, I become irritated. I am the alpha. I should decide who stays and who goes. I need to know who gave him these orders. It’s not there responsibly, it is mine. “Who gave you the orders to send people away? What if they are just in need of some food and water?”
“We have never accepted newcomers. You and Landon are the first ones in a very long time. It has always been the rules. We just continue to live the way we always have. I believe that Landon was just the exception because he was the son of Mary.”
“I am your alpha, and I am telling you that not all new covers are bad, ask them if they need help, if they seem innocent, help them. If they come off dangerous, then send them away. But why not help those we can help?”
“I understand not all people are bad, but sometimes people aren’t what they seem, we left somebody in that seemed to be Innocent. And it resulted in us losing everything in return.”
“But once you lose that faith in people, you never get it back. There is good. Sometimes it’s just harder to find.”
‘There is more evil than good. Hasn’t that been proven to you yet, especially all that you have suffered?”
I feel sorry for him that he has lost all sense of hope, that he thinks there is no good out there, that a life of happiness isn’t possible without living in fear of others. Crazy how fast the world we live in can just change in a blink of an eye.
“What I have been through isn’t your concern. We all have suffered, but we need to find a way to get through it together. Turning people away is wrong, especially if they are good. They could make us stronger.”
“I understand that you’re the alpha, but I’m falling orders. I don’t know you to follow you.”
I become angry I grab him by the throat and lift him from the ground like he weighs nothing showing my strength “I’m your alpha you will follow me and if you don’t, there will be consequences for your actions when people approach I want to be a notified I will determine if they stay or if they go are we clear.”
I watch as he nods his head, agreeing to my words. I don’t want to be forceful, but I want my point across. I want to be followed, not insulted. Who does he think he is? I am his alpha? He needs to follow me? “I release him to get back to work.”
I let him go with no repercussions, just putting fear in him. I don’t want to be feared, but I want to be respected. I begin to run again, trying to relieve myself of some of this stress. Surprised that the pack doesn’t even respect me. Why would they point me alpha, but shut me out? Something just is not right.
All this time I was so concerned about Jayden that I hadn’t paid any kind of attention to what could be happening. Now wondering if Jaden’s kidnapping was a way to distract me from what is really going on. I become worried knowing that something is about to happen, and I am in no way prepared for it, not knowing what it could be.
As I am returning to the pack, I see that Ivan’s light is on. As much as I can’t stand him, I wonder if he knows what is happening. As much as I hate him, I might just need his help. He wants to earn my forgiveness. Maybe, maybe, he would be my spy and help me figure out what is really happening here.
I decided to go to his cabin and just try. Even if he chooses not to, it’s not like it would be a surprise to me. I walk up to his door and I knock. I become nervous, wanting to leave, but I plant my feet to the ground, not allowing myself to run. As I watched the door slowly open, that’s when I became surprised.
I see who, I think, is Ivan, but he has his shirt off and where Ivan’s mark should be. It’s not. I become nervous. Not being able to speak, I watch as a smile approaches his face. How is this possible? He is not my mate. Star tricked me. Why would she do that? The whole time that I didn’t feel any connection was because there wasn’t any. This wolf is not my mate, who is he.
“Hello Lilly, it is so nice to see you again. I have missed you. To be honest, I’m surprised I got about away with it for this long.”
“Who are you?”
“Well, that’s disappointing. You don’t even recognize me Lilly, after all I was your first.”
“Sam,”