Page 44 of Fated to the Alpha

The truth of why she freaked out on him definitely pissed him off, but it didn’t do the other thing she expected. He didn’t see her as another poor creature to pity or protect. He was on board with her plan to stop playing the victim. He supported her. He wanted her to win this battle with herself and her ghosts. He wanted her to be strong enough for once in her life.

“On the ground.” It came out in such a whisper that, even with their keen hearing, she wasn’t sure she could be heard.

It had been the final moment of Nathan’s attack before Levi burst in to help her, but it had been the most frightening. It was the moment she wasn’t sure she’d make it out alive, or if she’d ever see the dawn again. That moment, looking up into Nathan’s manic, golden eyes, had haunted her sleep for too long.

Alpha rage flashed in his eyes, but only for a second before he ordered, “Show me.”

With all the humility she could muster, she lay on her back and directed him to pin her wrists as he did against the wall, her legs pressed against his hips as he straddled between her legs. If they were naked, this position would have been incredibly compromising but absolutely exhilarating.

That thought made her breath come faster and rougher, and her cheeks burned with her blush.

“You can do this, Kim.”

Shane’s reinforcement was so soft and a drastic change from earlier. Before, he looked like he wanted to crush a skull between his large, powerful hands. Now, those hands took hold of her heart for the first time in ten years. Then again, maybe he had it all along. Something electric and fizzling passed between them, a tense, breathless moment of expectation as emotions she could hardly name filled her chest and spread through her limbs. Under Shane, even like this, she felt so safe. He would never say it, but by the look in his eyes, she knew he would want to have her this way for real. Raw and wanting beneath him.

Kimberly nodded in agreement to his statement. She could do this, but only because she was with him.

He started to give her directions on how to twist her arms and legs to get out from underneath him. But he didn’t get far.

The door opened behind her, and a familiar scent made her utterly aware that they were not alone anymore. She tilted her head up to get an upside-down view of Declan in the doorway; a look of confusion and unfiltered hate plastered on her packmate’s face.

Declan was the only other member of Gage’s pack and one of her friends from college. It was Declan who introduced her to Michael, their late alpha, and recommended that she join their pack. Between Declan and Gage, she knew that he had a particular sweet spot for her. It was hard to tell who was more murderous that night she was attacked, Nathan, Declan, or Gage.

It all happened so quickly that Kimberly hardly had time to react. The door slammed shut. Declan growled and charged forward. Shane was off her in an instant to counter Declan’s assault. In a casual move of redirection, Shane threw him halfway across the room. Dominance blasted through the air with such destructive force that it was like getting punched in the nose. Her eyes watered and, for a moment, she could barely get her bearings, disoriented and dizzy.

The alpha and subordinate shifter clashed again, but all she heard were animalistic growls and snarls, and the thud of their punches. This time, fangs, claws, and golden eyes emerged, and Kimberly wondered if they would spill blood on the foam mats. Their fight could definitely be heard outside in the workout area, and she was thankful that the late hour deterred the casual gym-goer or their cover would be blown.

Declan was dressed in shorts and one of those oversized shirts that were cut down the sides to show off more hard muscle and ribs. It was then she remembered that Declan liked to go on runs, a real run on two legs, to help him go to sleep. The shifter suffered from insomnia and had to come up with creative ways to settle his mind and body so he could get his rest. He ran on the treadmill at the gym a few nights a week, but she hadn’t even thought about that when she planned this meet-up with Shane.

She could only guess what Declan must have thought when he walked in, seeing Kimberly and Shane like that. He might not have known who Shane was or even taken a second to realize what was really going on. If she had been in danger, she would have been screaming and yelling like she did that night in her apartment.

Kimberly burst to her feet and went for Declan first, begging for him to stop, but it was useless. He pushed her off like she was nothing more than a bothersome puppy. Both wolves were seeing red and practically incapable of calming down.

By the time she came to her feet again, Shane had him in a tight headlock, cutting off his air supply. Declan clawed at Shane’s forearms, scouring long, bloody gashes into his skin, but the alpha didn’t let go. Declan had no chance of matching Shane in a fight. She knew Declan couldn’t come close in dominance or strength, but he’d die trying to protect Kimberly. He had confessed something similar earlier in their friendship, before they came to Tolstone. That was how she knew she was the only one who could stop this fight. Or at least keep Shane from killing Declan. After everything he had been through in just the last several minutes, Shane was ready to take his anger out on someone else and rip his head off.

“He’s part of my pack!” Kimberly insisted. “Let him go!”

Shane didn’t comply but turned his wolfish snarl toward her, the sign for her to butt out. Declan, on the other hand, stared with wide brown eyes, clearly shocked that she took Shane’s side.

“He wasn’t hurting me. He was teaching me self-defense.”

Declan seemed to believe her, then stopped struggling. Shane responded in kind and loosened his hold just enough so the lesser wolf could breathe again, but not enough to let him escape.

It was a massive offense to attack an alpha, especially one from another pack. Gage and Shane would have to have words, and Declan would likely be punished. And it was all her fault.

Kimberly never wanted this.

Her pleading eyes turned from Shane to Declan and back again, wishing for the violence to end. Maybe that was why Shane finally let Declan go and shoved him to the ground.

Declan jumped to his feet and immediately put himself between Shane and Kimberly, probably out of reflex rather than a genuine attempt to protect her. If only he knew that was the least safe place for him. Shane’s injuries healed before a drop of blood ever touched the ground, showing just how powerful and indestructible he could be.

“Self-defense? On the ground like that?” Declan asked, eyes fixed on the alpha and the growl still prevalent in his voice.

Shane sneered. “If you’re part of her pack and you don’t know the answer to that, then at least I’m not the last to know what that bastard did to her.”

Declan glanced over his shoulder at Kimberly’s bashful expression and softened.

Before he could give some comeback, Shane stormed toward his bag against the wall, snatched it up, and marched for the exit. “We’ll talk later.”