Filed to story: The Alpha She Chose Instead (Serena & Ethan)
“Gael?”
“Yes, Alpha.” Everyone searches for the voice. I’d have thought he’d be in the infirmary, but he’s in his usual seat at B-roster table, though considerably worse for wear. His face is black and blue and swollen past all recognition. He’s upright, but he’s cradling his right arm to his chest.
“There’s a seat open in A-roster.” Ethan points to the metal folding chair across from Finn where Lochlan always sits.
The pack mutters. For a moment, nothing happens. Then Gael’s seat screeches back, and he drags himself the few feet to resettle at the table of honor. Tye claps him on the back. He winces, but he smiles. He’s missing a tooth.
I figure that’s the end. It has to be. But then Ethan raises his arms to his side like the statue of Jesus on top of that mountain in Brazil.
“Well? You wanted your shot, Lochlan. Take it.”
Lochlan’s gaze shifts. Finn. Alfie. Eamon. His aunt. You can see his mind racing, getting nowhere. He’s backed into a corner. He either falls to his shattered knee, or he swings.
Quarry Pack are fighters. If he doesn’t want to sink lower than me in rank, he doesn’t have a choice. He has to swing.
He draws in a ragged breath and throws a left hook. Ethan flickers, the flip-shift so quick it’s almost invisible to the eye. Lochlan’s fist meets nothing but air as Ethan casually extends his leg and drives his foot into Lochlan’s good knee. A bloodcurdling scream echoes from the rafters, and bone tears through flesh, a rain of red spurting through the air.
My stomach heaves. My wolf howls in delight.
Behind me, an elder, maybe Nuala, says, “He should’ve taken a knee. At least then he’d still have a working one.”
“You don’t mess with defectives,” an old male opines. “That’s just plain wrong. Everyone knows that.”
My wolf falls quiet, her glee deflating like a punctured tire.
That’s me they’re talking about again. Us.
Fuck this shit.
Suddenly, a weight descends on my shoulders. I didn’t ask for this.
Am I supposed to be impressed? Vindicated?
‘Here, Serena, stand right here all alone by the elderly, and I’ll remind everyone not to pick on weak folks like you.’
Thanks, Alpha.
My leg aches. Given, not as bad as Lochlan’s must right now, but I’ve had enough. I’m going home.
Ethan’s talking to Tye, gesturing as if he’s dissecting the match, while Lochlan’s friends get the stretcher down from its hook on the wall.
No one seems to be paying attention to me, so I shuffle toward the door. I have no pants on, my hair is wild, and I’m so damn tired.
I’m focusing on my balance-at this point, my bad leg is close to giving out-so I’m at the entryway before I glance back and notice Ethan. He’s standing on his dais, arms folded, face severe and unperturbed, Ivo and Tye at his sides. The males are talking to him, but he’s staring straight at me.
My belly flutters.
I force my spine to straighten, hike my chin, and give him my back as I leave the lodge.
If I sway my hips-and I never sway my hips on purpose-but if I do, it’s my wolf. She’s smug as hell.
She’s not the least bit humiliated.
Good mate. Avenge. Protect.
The little idiot. She’s got it all wrong.
SERENA
After texting ShroomForager3000 to confirm the time for tomorrow’s meet, I shower off the lingering scent of potato salad, braid my damp hair, and put on a plain, white cotton nightgown.
I’m moving painfully slow. My bad leg throbs. There’s an ugly bruise on my hip from where I hit the floor, but it’ll be gone by morning. I flip off the overhead and plug in the fairy lights strung across the ceiling. The room fills with a soft, mellow glow, and I climb in between the clean, crisp sheets of my twin bed and exhale.
I’m home. Safe. Surrounded by my people. My things.
My fancy custom label maker. The rose petals, lavender, and orange peel I’m drying for potpourri. I’ve got Mari sewing some cute sachets with wolves on them. I’ll probably be able to sell the lot to the souvenir stand for at least two hundred bucks.
My trunk sits against the wall under the window. After Ma died and the Murphys claimed our cabin on the commons, I lived out of that trunk. Now I keep my jars and other supplies in it.
Everything feels different after the past few days, but it isn’t, really. I’m still a lone female. Bottom of the pack. And that’s good. I can do what I want. Make my own way. Nothing needs to change.
Annie is going to do the run into town tomorrow, but honestly, I bet I could get away with going myself. Despite the present weirdness, I can’t imagine anyone would come looking for me during the day. Literally no male ever has.
I really want this deal to work out. Crafts and such are a great side hustle, but mushrooms could be a real business. Everyone sells honey these days, but morels-they don’t grow on trees.
I smirk at my own joke.
My brain’s whirring. I fluff my pillow and turn on my good side so I face the window. The curtain is slightly parted, and I can see the moon. It’s high tonight. Waxing gibbous.
Why is the moon sometimes high and sometimes large and close? I’d search it on my phone, but I’m stingy with my data at the end of the month. I need it for work.
If I use the mushroom money to get us unlimited plans, I could search whatever I want whenever I want. Moon facts. New herbs to grow.
I could watch videos of the shifter fights.
Ethan was brutal tonight. He took every bit of punishment Lochlan dished out as he waited for an opening. His face was totally intent. His eyes were pure blue. No gold. His wolf had nothing to do with it.
When he kicked, the control in his body, the force and fluidity-I shudder. He’s a powerful guy. He always has been. I’ve never had the urge to watch him fight before.
But I want to watch him do it again.
So does my wolf-she whines in agreement. I want to watch. I want the slow motion replay, to watch frame by frame, see Ethan’s head snap back as Lochlan drives a fist into his jaw.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?