Little Red and the big bad Alpha

Chapter 6 - Threats

Edmund felt sick.

He knew she expected him to stop this. And he knew that, if Kale was right, he couldn't. The Alpha had to follow the law religiously. If this was the truth, if the law stated this, then he couldn't stop it. He couldn't do it for anyone.

But he could delay it. He knew Kale would expect him to consider his loyalty to Kale over everything else, over bond of blood, but Kale didn't understand the point of a mate-bond. Lilia was now bonded. She was his to protect, as he was hers to protect, although it'd be some time before she could step into that role.

If Kale threatened his mate, he would protect her, and this was the thing about mates that Kale had never understood. He breathed in, refusing to sit up as they came closer, letting her hide herself under the sheet as he removed all that was Edmund and gazed at Kale with the gaze of an Alpha. An Alpha protecting his family.

“I will discuss this with my Beta.”

“This is your Beta and he's given-”

“No.” He met Kale's eyes square on. Kale was threatening the life of his mate and his future child, if the mating had been successful. In this circumstance Edmund had all the authority in the world to do this without Marianne's agreement. Gently, he detached Lilia, and she slid off him to sit there. Her stench of fear just made his anger worse. “No. He is not the Beta. The Beta is David. Kale is no longer of that Rank.”

Maybe he saw it, hurt, anger, he wasn't sure. But it was done. The rank was stripped from Kale and he no longer had authority. He turned his back and left without a word. Edmund turned calmly to the Alpha. Another man, just a few years younger, who he'd never really liked much. Now he was starting to understand why. From Lilia and Emilia's attitudes, from the way they expected to be treated, he was starting to understand why this man's Pack had always set him on edge.

“You will find guest accommodation beside the gate, with a sign on it for guests. I'd ask that you remain there until I inform my Pack that you're remaining with us for a few days.”

“A few days?”

“There's a blizzard. Everyone is snowed in.” Or they should have been. How the fuck did Kale get them through it? The man was a stubborn bastard when he set his mind to something. “The home is stocked for the next few days. My Beta will discuss this with me when they're able to come here safely.” Edmund fixed his eyes into the Alpha. They may have been the same rank here, but as this was Edmund's land, it was curtsy to go off his 'requests'.

“Fine. She's co-”

“She's remaining. If you're unable to smell, she's just completed a mate-bond, and she'll be resting.” He refused to budge. Refused to let them past at her. Didn't care that they found that strange, the human-bound mated to him, Edmund was increasingly hating their customs. “So please. Wait there.”

It wasn't a request.

Only when they were gone and Edmund had shut and locked the door did he turn back to kneel beside her. She was freaking out. This was the reason she was always afraid. He gritted his teeth, holding onto her, as she barely focused on anything but blind panic.