Page 23

SIMON

I leaned against a tree trunk near our borderline with my arms crossed. Rick smacked a branch out of his way, causing the bush to rustle. My plans went to shit, and it all started with Beaumont rushing the mating. It left me no choice but to pause my plans. I should be angrier than I was, but I only wanted to return to my mate.

Instead, I had to handle the fallout of this bullshit plan going to shit.

“We can attack in the middle of the night while everyone is still reeling about that Omega bitch.”

I was off the tree with my next breath, lunging to grab the back of his hair. I snarled and yanked back until his neck craned.

The whites of his eyes shone, but he avoided looking at me directly. He whined, clearly wanting to get away from me.

Fur sprouted down my arms and my body popped with a delicious burn. My body grew until my clothes ripped.

“My mate.” The words rumbled in my chest, coming from my elongated muzzle half-snarled. “Is no bitch.”

His eyes flicked side to side. Rage made my elongated fingers clench, and my claws punctured his scalp. Blood dripped onto the ground.

“Alpha, you’re going to kill him,” Adan warned. I whipped my head toward my Beta, and he lowered his head more than it already was. Two more of my pack dropped to their knees from the force of my growl.

Rick’s whine became choked.

Omega bitch.

I saw red. My other claw arched, and I sank them into his throat. Blood burst from the injuries and caught the beaming moonlight. Rick gurgled and he thrashed. I grappled to regain control before I lost it and tore all of them to shreds.

“No one disrespects my mate.”

I released him, dispassionately watching him writhe on the ground.

“Sid!” One croaked, dropping next to the body.

“That wasn’t Rick?” I forced back my shift until I was fully human. This new form would serve me well.

“I’m Rick, Alpha,” the wolf kneeling next to my victim said, remaining submissive. An ache throbbed in my temples. It’d been days, the longest I’d gone without alcohol, and I’d been suffering the consequences.

Adan kept his gaze fixed on the ground. “Dispose of him.” I would not play when it came to my mate.

“Yes, Alpha,” he murmured.

“No one moves against Beaumont unless I say.” With that final order, I shoved through the foliage. Leaves smacked at my chest.

I had no doubt there was no one around overhearing our conversation. My wolves were ordered to ensure that the patrol wouldn’t overlap with this area.

After a bit more trekking, I broke through the barrier of the woods, single-mindedly focused on getting to Violet. My little female.

All I knew about her was how she affected me, but I wanted to know everything. She recently switched to Beaumont Pack, where had she been before?

Amber was suddenly in front of me, her hands on my chest.

“Simon,” she cried. “It’s not true. Please tell me it’s not true.”

I smacked her hands from me and curled a lip. Striding around her, I didn’t deign to give her a response. She had always been nothing but a means to an end, and my true mate had seen messages I’d sent the slag. If she saw me with her, it would be harder to make her understand that Amber meant nothing.

She shoved at my chest and clasped my arm as I tried to move around her again. I snarled, preparing to break her neck.

A gasp dragged my attention to a passing male and female holding hands. They were heading toward the pack house.

I forced myself still. Killing one of Beaumont’s wolves in front of witnesses would not serve me. I gritted my teeth and popped my neck.

Violet’s sweet eyes flashed in my memory. Each one was a different shade of brown. One lighter while the other darker. It caused such a striking effect.

“You can’t just ditch me. I betrayed?—”

“Shut the fuck up,” I hissed. She whined and lowered her eyes, her shoulders hiking near her ears. Another male passed, frowning. Nosey bastards.

“You can’t be her mate,” she whispered, blocking my path again and reaching for my arm. I avoided her grip, disgust curling my lip. Just the thought of another’s touch was repulsive.

“Not right now,” I warned, pushing as much force in my voice as I could. Her head lowered and angled to the side as she bared her neck in submission. I scoffed with disgust.

“Please,” she croaked. “I’ve done everything for you. I gave you information on my pack?—”

I lunged at her, and she skittered back with a frightened yelp. She dropped to her knees, whimpering pitifully.

I reached deep, deep in-fucking-side for the patience I’d used when I’d seduced her to do my bidding.

“Give me time,” I drawled, making sure my voice was low enough for only her ears. “We’ll talk.”

What I meant was that I’d get rid of the bitch, I just had to do it without witnesses, but her eyes lit up like I’d offered to fuck her right this moment. She sniffled and nodded, hugging herself.

Watching her shiver, I felt nothing. She was a means to an end. Something to use and discard, but it bit me on the ass. My mate believed I loved her. I couldn’t explain to her that I’d been manipulating the cunt into doing my bidding, because then she would know my plan to kill Beaumont.

Son of a bitch.

I would handle her after I checked on my mate. My skin itched with the need for her. I’d whored myself out for my cause—to end Beaumont—yet we ended up sharing a true mate.

Fucking Moon Goddess.

I loped up the stairs and shoved through the entrance. The door smacked into someone. He turned with a growl, but upon seeing me, he backed up, sputtering apologies.

I stalked into the pack house. Werewolves hung around the living room, curiously peeking toward the wing harboring my mate. None were allowed other than Beaumont and me. I sneered at a male hovering near the hall with a bit too much interest in his gaze. He lowered his head.

Omegas would bring that attention, and I didn’t want my mate to be a target. If any of them tried anything, I would slice a claw through their throat as easily as I had my pack mate.

I turned the corner of the obnoxiously long hall. I preferred living on my own. A pack house was fine as a communal space, but living around everyone? Fucking no, thank you.

Beaumont hovered near her door. He stiffened, turning to eye my approach.

“Don’t you own clothes?” He sneered. Low whispers came from the bedroom and suddenly a loud laugh.

“Who the fuck is in there?” I snarled in his face. He met me with the same aggression.

“She needs someone to talk to.”

I scoffed.

“I’ll talk to her if she needs someone.” I grabbed the door handle, preparing to yank it open. A sliver of light seeped through the crack we’d caused to her door.

Beaumont shoved my shoulder. I staggered and turned on him. My wolf didn’t react with the same aggression I was used to.

“Don’t fucking touch me.”

“I can’t stand you either, Whitlock, but we’re stuck together.” On a visceral level, I understood the bitterness coating his words. I didn’t like this situation either. Sharing a mate? Fucking ridiculous.

And over my corpse. That female was only mine, but I had to tread carefully, she already viewed me in a negative light. I could always force her to submit . . .

I crossed my arms and leaned next to the door. The muffled voices from the bedroom were too low to make out.

He stepped closer and I didn’t give space. My wolf perked up, readying to meet his challenge, but there was no true desire to slaughter.

“All you’ll do is upset her.” I thinned my lips as Beaumont kept going. “She’s young and emotional, our next steps can’t be rash. If we don’t take care, she will reject the bond.”

I hated how right he was.

“I’ll never accept the rejection.” Eventually, I would convince her to accept the bond.

“Neither will I,” he said dryly. “But I’d rather she give in sooner than later.”

“Good luck with that.” I smirked. “I wasn’t the one about to claim and fuck a chosen mate in front of her.”

Rage contorted his features.

A growl built in his chest, and he poised to attack. The door swung open. My attention was immediately on the room, but the door shut too quickly for me to see more than a bundle in bed.

Maggie squealed, pressing her hand over her eyes.

“My god, don’t you own clothes?” She palmed the wall as she walked past carefully. She stopped and turned, her eyes tightly cinched. “Listen, you both fucked up. Give her time and for Goddess’s sake, stop arguing. We could hear you through the door.”

With that, she hurried away.