Page 23 of Brutal Alpha’s Sold Mate (Starfire Hollow Alphas #4)

I kick the punching bag again, testing the explosive strength that’s come roaring back after so many weeks of being half a ghost in my own body.

The dull thud reverberates against my shin, but it doesn’t hurt, not in the slightest. My wolf pulses inside me, brimming with the vitality she’s been denied for too long. I’ve never felt more alive.

Tara, my most eager student who has become something of a friend here in Black Cauldron, squeals in mock alarm when the bag swings dangerously close to her. “Easy, Kai! We don’t all have your reflexes.”

I grin, catching the bag with one hand. “Sorry. Guess I’m a little excited.”

“A little?” She laughs, folding her arms while a few other shifters gather around. “You just about tore that bag off its chain.”

I give the heavy cylinder a pat, then turn to the onlookers. “Everybody pair up! Full-contact drills. No pulling punches, but respect your partner’s limits.”

The group breaks into pairs, and a surge of pride warms my chest. They’ve listened, believed me, and discovered their own strength.

Meanwhile, I rediscovered mine. My wolf is no longer that faint presence cowering behind a wall of potions.

She’s right here with me, lending her instincts and reflexes.

The sense of personal victory makes my heart pound in the best way possible.

“Three-minute rounds!” I call out. “Switch partners when I say.”

They scramble to follow orders, some stumbling at first but quickly regaining their rhythm.

I let them work and pace the field, offering corrections or encouragement.

Tara lands a perfect right cross on her partner’s raised forearm, and I give her a nod.

Rhea executes a neat takedown that leaves her sparring partner flailing.

“You all right there?” I tease the partner, extending a hand to help him up.

He chuckles, rubbing his shoulder. “Yeah, just recovering my dignity.”

“Could be worse. At least she didn’t slam you into the fence.”

He laughs and shakes off the mild embarrassment. I step aside, letting them resume. The sight of them thriving, building confidence, fuels my own good mood. This is what I’ve always wanted—to make a difference for those who thought they couldn’t protect themselves.

A shadow falls across the training area, making me glance up. Theo approaches from the edge, wearing an expression I can’t quite read. It’s not the cheerful glint he had when we went to town a few days back. Something else is swirling in those eyes.

“Kai, got a minute?” he says.

My gut twists, though I’m not sure why. “Sure.” I wave to the group. “Keep going, folks!”

I follow Theo out of earshot, stopping near a cluster of barrels. “What’s up?”

He huffs out a breath. “I’ve been thinking about something.”

The tension in his tone sets me on edge. “Spit it out.”

He glances around, then settles his gaze on me. “I’m going after Jacob first.”

My eyebrows lift. “Going after him how? In a sparring match, or…?”

“In a real confrontation,” he clarifies. “Jacob lost credibility after those underhanded attacks. If I can get Reed to back me, we can take Jacob’s territory. Then, when that’s done, Reed and I face each other. Last man standing claims all territories.”

The words hit me so hard, I have to hold onto the fence to keep from falling. My wolf bristles, sensing the looming danger. “With the way you three are, you’re talking about a potential bloodbath.”

He shrugs. “It might not come to that. If Jacob surrenders, we’ll minimize the damage.”

“Jacob? Surrender? He’s not exactly the type to roll over. He’s cunning—you know that better than anyone.”

Theo’s jaw sets. “I’m ready for that. But the pack needs stability. Reed’s ambitious, but he respects open combat. If we work together against Jacob, we solve half the problem. Then it’ll be me and Reed, fair and square.”

“You think fair and square matters to Reed?” My pulse races at the thought of Theo stepping into a ring against his own brother, especially one who’s just as driven. “You can’t be this naive.”

“I’m not naive,” he snaps. “I’m realistic. Reed respects direct challenges. Jacob does not. So I’ll handle Jacob with Reed’s help, then Reed and I settle who’s alpha once and for all.”

My stomach churns. This is the same man who apologized to Reed in town, who seemed ready to find a less violent path. Now, the obsession in his eyes makes me shudder. “You’re risking your life. For what? Pride? Control?”

He exhales, looking away. “For the pack. For unity.”

“Don’t feed me that line,” I shoot back. “I know you care about your pack’s future, but there has to be another solution that doesn’t involve risking everything.”

His gaze snaps back to mine. “I’ve thought this through. This is the only way to ensure we’re not constantly undermined by my brothers. The pack deserves one leader, and it has to be me.”

I swallow hard, fighting the panic clawing at my throat. “What if you lose?”

He scoffs. “I won’t. You’ve seen what I can do.”

“That’s not an answer. You’re ignoring the possibility that Reed or Jacob might catch you off guard. Or that an all-out war could destroy the pack entirely.”

“I’m not ignoring anything,” he insists, his voice rising with frustration. “But I can’t just sit and let them keep challenging me forever. Once I beat them, everything settles. No more daily threats, no more watchers turning up with dire news. We’ll have one territory.”

I stare at him, my gut roiling. “You’re letting your ambition blind you, Theo.”

He steps closer, close enough for me to see something tortured behind his eyes. “Kai, I need you to trust me. This is for the good of everyone.”

I force myself to keep my voice steady. “I trust you enough to know you believe that. But that doesn’t make it true.”

He flinches at the doubt in my tone, then masks it with a stubborn set to his stance. “If you don’t want to watch, then don’t. But I’m doing this.”

My wolf snarls internally, torn between wanting to protect him and wanting to shake him until he sees reason. “Fine,” I say. “Do whatever you want. Just don’t expect me to clap when you drag yourself home half-dead.”

His expression twists, but he says nothing. I turn on my heel and storm back to the training area, my heart pounding with anger and dread. He must sense my turmoil because he doesn’t follow.

***

The next few days are a waking nightmare.

I can see the intensity building in Theo’s eyes each time we cross paths.

He’s holed up in the cabin for hours, poring over maps, sending watchers on scouting missions, probably planning how to corner Jacob.

I knock on his office door more than once, trying to talk sense into him, but each conversation spirals into the same circular logic: he must do it.

No alternative. The pack’s future demands it.

My wolf howls inside me. This is the same man who apologized to Reed, who took me to town, and acted like we could have a normal life. Now he’s consumed by the need to dominate his siblings, no matter the cost.

Watching him unravel is killing me. Every day, he returns from clandestine meetings with watchers, and I see new excitement in his eyes, new fervor.

If I didn’t care so much, maybe I’d let him crash and burn.

But I can’t. He’s the man who quietly showed me kindness when I was battered and lost. The one who shared a bed with me, who listened to my nightmares and never judged.

I realize with a jolt that I’m falling for him, and deeper than I ever intended. It makes my chest ache because I know what’s coming: a war. A confrontation that could leave him dead.

I try one last time to reason with him. Late one evening, I slip into his office, where he’s bent over a table covered in scribbled notes. “Theo, you need rest,” I say.

He doesn’t even glance up. “I’m fine.”

“Tearing yourself apart with planning isn’t going to make you better prepared.”

He stabs a finger at a piece of paper. “I have to figure out how to corner Jacob’s main camp. Reed might help, but I can’t trust him fully. I need contingencies.”

“Contingencies,” I echo, sinking into a chair. “What about the watchers who don’t want to fight in a personal vendetta? Have you considered their morale?”

He shakes his head. “It’s not a vendetta. It’s a step to unify the pack. They’ll do what I say because they trust I’m leading them right. Or they will, once I prove I can finish off my brothers.”

“ Finish off ? You’re talking about actual killing?”

His silence speaks volumes.

“That’s barbaric! You can’t just kill your way to peace.”

He finally looks at me, and I note the exhaustion etched into every line of his face. “I wish there was another way.”

My anger wavers, replaced by a surge of heartbreak. “Then find one,” I plead. “I’ll help you, but not like this. I don’t want to see you turn into a monster, Theo.”

He lifts a shoulder. “It’s a risk I’m willing to take. Reed and Jacob won’t yield unless forced.”

“Then force them politically,” I argue. “Use alliances, talk to allied packs. People respect you, you know that. Why go straight to bloodshed?”

He closes his eyes. “Because it’s the only language they understand. Especially Reed.”

I bite back a curse. He’s too far gone. He genuinely believes this is his only path to victory, to peace.

The realization hits me like a lead weight. I can’t stop him. Not alone.

I leave him there, my hands shaking with leftover fury and sorrow. I cross the cabin, slip outside, and lean against the wall, breathing fast. My wolf paces within me, distressed. If I stay and watch him do this, I might lose everything—him, the pack, my sanity.

That’s when a spark of an idea flares: Quincey, my brother, and East Hills’ beta. I’m certain he’d help if he knew how close Theo is to sparking an all-out war. If anyone can talk sense into Theo or at least help me stop him from going too far, it might be Quincey.

But leaving… the thought makes me ache all over. I’ve grown attached to these novices who look at me like a mentor, to the routine of daily training, and the sense of belonging I’ve somehow found here. And, of course, to Theo.

Except if I remain, I might just watch him march straight to his death.

That night, I can’t sleep. I lie in bed, staring at Theo’s sleeping body next to mine. He stirs occasionally, furrowing his brow, likely dreaming about battles and strategies. My heart cracks at the sight.

You can’t let him do this alone , my wolf growls. But he won’t listen to me , I argue back. And that leaves only one option: get reinforcements.

By dawn, my decision is made. I’ll find the right moment to slip away, head to East Hills, and track down Quincey. Let him know I’m alive, let him know the dangers Theo is courting. Maybe together, we can stop Theo from plunging into a pointless war.

I sit on the edge of the bed, watching Theo’s sleeping figure.

Memories flood my mind: the day he carried me like I weighed nothing, the first time we shared a bed, the whispered confessions in the darkest hours of night.

My wolf whines softly, torn between wanting to stay by his side and the reality that we can’t shield him from himself.

My entire body trembles with the choice, but I know it’s the only path left. Because if I do nothing, Theo might pay the price in a showdown that’ll break us both.

And that’s a risk I can’t take.