Alpha Will

15. Will

Was he kissing her?

I shake my head, chasing away the thought but it's pointless, it just comes circling right back, more insistent than ever. Nothing I did could make the question go away, I went hunting for food but even while eating the three rabbits I'd caught, the thought was a flashing neon sign in my mind. I drank some water at the lake. It continued to flashed. So I stalked the woods in human form, all the while fighting with my own body, which wanted to break out in a sprint and get Kiara (my Kiara) away from that clown that didn't deserve her.

But neither did I.

I had to keep reminding myself why: she hadn't wanted me before, how could she possibly want me now? I'd only be a crutch to her already unstable life, with nothing to offer but endangerment from power-hungry werewolves that wanted to finish me off for good. I couldn't go back to her like this. It was best I stayed away.

But, were they kissing?

"You make a breathtaking picture sitting on that rock, alpha," a voice said. "I hope you don't bite."

I lifted my head as she stepped out of the trees, approaching me as if she were merely strolling through the mall.

A witch. Not like Audrey.

I stood up -ignoring the almost strangeness of it- when she didn't retreat from my glower. "I do worse than bite." Although I didn't want to kill her, I wouldn't mind it either if it would mean not being seen in this weakened state by a stranger.

She stopped, smiled as if she hadn't heard my threat. "I don't mind rough play."

"I'm going to kill you in a few seconds if you don't get going."

She pouted. "I didn't fix your foot yet."

I narrowed my eyes at her, nostrils flaring when the wind sent her scent drifting in my direction. Not just a witch. Incubus.

"I've been hungry for a long time now you see, Mr. Alpha, and I thought we might have something to give each other, if you know what I mean?" She folded her arms, shaking back long black hair. "I'll heal you, if you'll sate my hunger."

***

When I was nine, Dante eleven and Robert seven, Mom lectured us on the dangers of female charm. There were several levels of it- the worse of which was the kind that leeched off you, turned you into a more efficient version of their own little yellow minion, tying you to them forever. She had slides. We were more interested in the pictures of the supposed she-devils than what she was saying but we pretended to listen- otherwise a book came sailing at us. She still throws books at us when she's angry but those large encyclopedias hurt a lot more when we were smaller.

The real reason for the lecture was she was a single mom raising three boys, two that were quickly reaching puberty, and she was terrified we'd end up being led by the nose by a woman. In the end, I still ended up getting led by the nose with Kiara, but I had a feeling what this incubus was offering me would be more akin to what Mom was so adamant we avoid falling for.

Yet...

"I'll help you catch the Alpha Eater as well," she added. "I know her."

I couldn't hold back my curiosity at the mention of the hateful woman who had began this entire predicament. "Who is she?"

The incubus shook her index finger at me. "Tsk. Not so fast, I'll only feed you information after you've fed me."

My stomach twisted. It wasn't that she looked revolting but simply because she wasn't Kiara. I'd been going out with all kinds of women over the years, at first to make her jealous, then to try and assuage the urge to exert complete control over her. Now, after almost losing her, I didn't want to play games anymore. I didn't want to take what I didn't want.

The wolf snorted. Childish, irresponsible.

I know.

It wasn't just about what I wanted anymore, it was also about protecting Kiara as well. If I was healed, I could protect us both from the Alpha Eater, could finish her off before she tried to hurt Kiara again. In the state I was in, I didn't stand a chance- if my pack mates didn't get to me first.

All I had to do was accept her. And reject the one I really wanted.

We need to protect Kiara.

"You have a deal," I told her.

She smiled. "You won't regret it."

I was already doing a lot of regretting.