Taking Down the Alpha

31 Longer Than I had Known

After leaving my parents house, I took my mate and showed him around Huntstone's pack lands. They weren't anything special, and it probably didn't seem like much for someone who grew up in the royal pack, but Alard did not look bored. More importantly, every person I introduced him to responded warmly or seemed duly impressed. Taller than most wolves with considerably more muscle, he was definitely a sight for sore eyes.

When we reached the training facilities, he really got into it. Walking around curiously, inspecting everything carefully, he commented, "Pretty basic. Not too bad, but it could use some updating, especially if there's been rogue troubles on the border."

"And what business is that of yours?"

Instant irritation slammed into me at the interruption. I turned around to face the beta who was looking at us suspiciously. Alard turned along with me. "My mate lives here, so naturally I'm concerned about her pack's security. Weren't wolves injured on the border recently, or did I misremember?"

Beta Nate folded his arms. "Everything's been taken care of."

Easy for him to say when it wasn't his father lying unconscious in a hospital bed. Poor Liana.

"Excellent to hear." Alard smiled as if the beta wasn't being obnoxiously pretentious.

Beta Nate wasn't done, however. He looked Alard over suspiciously. "And who are you, really?"

"Didn't your alpha tell you?"

"Yes, but there's almost no information. What pack are you from?"

Alard smiled wider. "You'll see it on my pack transfer documents after Alpha Hudson allows me to join."

Beta Nate stalked forward. Was he really stupid enough to challenge Alard? Next to Alard, Alpha Hudson looked like a pale copy, but Beta Nate looked even worse in comparison. Had he always been that weak?

He didn't seem to recognize his obvious inferiority, his wolf flashing in his eyes. "We don't need more rogues around here. That scummy rogue the slut brought back is more than enough of a risk. A suspicious musle—"

I didn't mean to do it. I really didn't, but it was like my hand moved on its own accord, flying through the air and connecting with his face in a loud slap that echoed off the gymnasium walls.

Alard's eyes widened, but he looked more amused than bothered. Beta Nate's mouth dropped open in shock before he shook it off and focused his attention directly on me. Strangely, I wasn't as intimidated as I once would have been by the beta's fury. It was likely a combination of the fact my wolf no longer respected our alpha's authority combind with Alard's reassuring presence beside me.

"How dare you? I am your beta."

I should have pretended. I should have laid low according to plan, but my anger had pushed all rational thought aside. "My beta? You're a failure as beta. You've done nothing to help guide and support our alpha, all you did was enable him. And I don't ever want to hear another slur against Denise from your dirty mouth!"

His face grew red with agitation. "I'll say whatever I—"

"You absolutely will not. I know everything, Beta. Everything."

He scowled, but the step he took backwards demonstrated that he was shaken under his bravado.

"I know you rejected her. I know you ordered her not to talk about it, a disgusting abuse of your position. I know you tried to force mark her."

"How did you find out?"

"She told me."

"She—"