Fear threads down my spine, and I force my feet to move. I make my way around the island and past the couch, keeping my eyes on the trees along the cliff. It was probably a deer, but Beth’s damn missing posters have me on edge. More so than Bosco showing up out of the blue. That alpha is up to something, but Killian will handle it. He always does.
It’s Beth’s family that really scares me. If her father is willing to hurt his daughter, then what would he do to me? To my alphas?
A shutter cuts through me and I tense.
“There’s nothing out there,” I mumble under my breath, staring at the still trees. “You’re being silly.” I force myself to turn, making my way back through the house.
The fact is, Bosco may be a real asshole, but he’s not dumb enough to attack our house. Not with my alphas here. And while the townsfolk love my pack, the other rough alphas out here know the truth. They know what kind of monster Tristan is, and how vicious Killian can be.
Even Basil commands their respect.
No. We’re perfectly safe.
No one is out there waiting to attack our little family.
The Living Room
Killian
Someone foreign has been stalkingmy land. I can smell their unfamiliar aroma every time I step onto the porch. There are overlapping scents, but one stands out against the rest. It’s an alpha. One that is very pissed.
Tristan and Basil smell him too, but none of us have discussed it much. We can’t, not until we’re out of Beth's earshot. She’s in a delicate condition right now. We spent three days fucking her. The omega is freshly mated and thoroughly bred.
She needs calm. Not chaos.
“Oh my goodness!” Beth gasps loudly, pulling my attention away from the window. Our little omega sits at the dining room table, head back and eyes closed as if she just ate the greatest thing of her life. “This is amazing,” she moans, chewing slowly. “What’s it called again?”
“Maple syrup,” Jeremy giggles as he sits down next to her. He’s in Basil’s seat, but I doubt the alpha will care.
“I’ve had the hotcakes before,” Beth cuts up another big bite, “but the maple syrup is new.”
“Hotcakes?” Jeremy takes a sip of his coffee. “We call them pancakes.”
“Pancakes,” Beth repeats the word before taking another bite. “Pancakes and maple syrup.”
“Do you want some?” Basil asks me. He lifts a hot pancake out of the pan, sliding it onto a plate. “I’ve got plenty.”
I should eat. After three days of fucking and knotting, I’m sure my body could use the extra calories. But I’m too amped.
“No, thanks.” I give Basil a thankful nod.
The front door opens, and I move. I march straight to the hallway, greeting Tristan at the door. The alpha’s dark eyes widen when he sees me. He doesn’t look angry or alarmed. It brings me a small bit of comfort.
“Find anything?” I ask, keeping my voice down so Beth won’t hear.
“There’s someone new out there.” Tristan rubs the back of his neck, clearly agitated. “And…I think…”
“What is it?” I ask.
“I think he’s a kid.” His eyes narrow as if still trying to figure it out. “They’re definitely an alpha, but a young one. His scent hasn’t fully developed.”
My gaze drifts to the little window next to the door. The frosted glass makes it so I can’t see anything outside of green blocks of color. But then a patch of green shifts, and a black shape appears in the distance.
“Fuck.” I smack Tristan’s bare chest, and he immediately looks through the peephole.
“Who the fuck is that?” Tristan places his hands flat against the door.
“Move.” I grab the doorknob and he shifts, allowing me to open it.
