The intense alpha freezes in place, staring right at me. Once again, I feel like I’m in danger of being mauled or killed. My heart beats in my throat, but I stand my ground.
“I can help you claim her,” I say, softer now. Trying to keep him calm. Keep him thinking.
He doesn’t reply right away. Just studies me. It’s hard to tell if he’s considering the offer—or trying to decide where to hit me. Finally, he takes a step closer. His height becomes something oppressive, his shadow swallowing mine. “What exactly do you want?”
Say it!
“I want to join your pack.”
Rhett’s stern expression shifts, and a wide smile fills his face. “Right,” he laughs. “Let me guess. You fucked her afew times and now think you’re soulmates?” His words are ugly and bitter. Almost too shocking to respond to.
“I’ve never—” I grit my teeth, fists shaking. “We’ve never done that.”
“Just because you’ve had her body before, doesn’t mean you have any rights to her now.” His voice drops to a warning growl as he takes a single step, closing the space between us. “She’s not your omega.”
“I worked at the boarding house,” I say, trying to explain our connection. I don’t know if it’ll matter to him, but I need him to know that my intentions are pure. “Autry showed up a few months ago, very malnourished and with a broken arm. We became friends. We haven’t…” I trail off, hating that I have to tell him this.
“She broke her arm?” Rhett’s expression instantly changes from anger to concern. “How?” I can hear a trace of possessiveness in his tone. The mental image of this alpha tracking down the assholes that hurt Autry flits through my mind. He looks like the kind of man who would rip the world in two to protect someone he loves.
Maybe he is a good guy?I hope that’s the case.
I straighten. “I was one of her caregivers,” I say clearly. “We’re friends. That’s all.”
That catches the alpha off guard. His eyes narrow with something closer to concern. “And what happened to her arm?” he asks, voice low and rough.
“I don’t know,” I admit. “I didn’t want to push. She’s still healing.”
He breathes out slow and long. Nods once. His whole demeanor shifts—less alpha-on-the-edge and more... protector. “I assume she cares about you?” he asks, his voice softer. Maybe even curious.
“She does.” I hesitate. “I think. She kissed me today.”
That brings a faint smirk to Rhett’s face. “She kissed you?” he repeats, almost fondly. “That’s kind of sweet.”
Anger immediately settles over me. I can’t tell if he’s making fun of me or not, but either way I don’t like it. “This isn’t a joke.”
He sobers instantly, eyes narrowed and posture tight. “So what the fuck is it that you want, exactly?” He sounds angry again.
“This is what I’m proposing,” I say, forcing my voice to stay steady. “I want to join your pack and help you claim Autry.” I don’t know where this courage is coming from, but I cling to it like a rope. “I won’t be a burden. I can take care of myself. I’ll follow your command—no questions asked.” My shoulders sag a little. This is it. My last shot. “I just want to be near her.”
Rhett’s frown deepens. Thinking. It feels like he takes forever, before finally saying, “You’re prepared to walk away from your entire life—for her?”
“Yes,” I say without hesitation.
“And what if I never let you touch her?” he asks, testing me.
Excitement blooms in my chest. “I can live with that.”
“What if my beta hates you and makes you sleep on the damn balcony?”
“I’ll do it,” I say with a shrug, like it’s no big deal. And truthfully, it isn’t. I’d sleep in a drainage ditch if it meant I got to see Autry’s smile every day.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Rhett mutters. His disbelief is like a slap. “No sane person would agree to any of this.”
I stand a little straighter. “Wouldyousleep on the balcony if it made your beta happy?” I cross my arms. “Because I would. For someone I love, I’d do that and more.”
His expression shifts, but I see the hit land. He might not be a romantic, but he’s an alpha. His kind show love through fire and fury, through battles won and sacrifices made. He understands this language.
“I want to be clear,” Rhett says, jabbing a finger toward my chest. Hope grips me once more. “If I agree to this, you don’t lay a finger on Autry without my say-so. You don’t flirt. You don’t play house. You act like a fucking friend. Or a damn assistant.”
