Page 12 of Bully Alpha’s Pregnant Mate (Starfire Hollow Alphas #2)

When it comes to how I enjoy spending my mornings, deciphering visions and hidden threats with a seer wouldn’t usually make the top of my list. But here I am, flipping through notes and maps alongside Jade while her toddler, Penny, finds her own chaos nearby, happily spilling colored pencils across the floor.

Jade glances over at me with a knowing smile as Penny attempts to grab every shade of purple in one hand. “Thanks for helping with this. Alec said you have a knack for research and… well, everything, really. I think he just wanted to keep you busy.”

I snort. “I’m sure that’s exactly what he meant. Gotta keep his luna from causing trouble, right?”

“Something like that,” Jade laughs, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she sorts through her vision notes. “But seriously, he trusts you, Isadora. He wouldn’t have mentioned your skills if he didn’t think you could make a difference.”

Trust. Not a word I would’ve associated with Alec a few weeks ago, but here we are.

The past few days of working alongside Alec, finding him waiting up with a smile when I got home, offering his help without expecting anything in return—all of it is slowly working through my defenses. And now Jade’s pulling me further into their circle, making it harder to keep that distance.

“Trust is a strong word,” I argue, moving my gaze back to the maps, trying to keep the skepticism out of my voice.

Jade catches my glance and shrugs, an amused gleam in her eye. “Maybe. But you have a way of pulling things out of people. Like, tell me you don’t know exactly where to look next.”

I stare at the notes, considering the mix of locations where demon energy might pool. “I mean, the typical spots aren’t producing much. We need to focus on places with high energy. Somewhere the portal would be less obvious but still sustainable. Waterfalls, caves, natural structures that might mask anything demonic…”

As I ramble on, Jade nods along, pinching her brows together thoughtfully. “You’re right. Water sources—strong, natural energies, places that would help mask the portal but also feed it. We need somewhere it would be hard to detect without getting close.”

Penny breaks into a chorus of “up, up, up!” until Jade scoops her onto her lap. “Hey, Penny,” she says softly, smoothing down Penny’s hair before glancing at me. “You’re good at this.”

I wave off the compliment, trying to deflect. “Just common sense. You don’t need a magic bone in your body to put two and two together.”

Jade chuckles, adjusting Penny’s grip on a rogue crayon. “Alec would agree with that. You know he’s always respected people with knowledge over title. There were times in Starfire Hollow that, if it weren’t for him, I would have—” she stops, biting her lip as if she’s said too much.

I look up, curious. “You don’t have to say anything. I know your history with Starfire Hollow was… complicated.” Complicated, as in exiled for her magic, though she didn’t deserve it.

“I don’t talk about it much,” Jade admits. “But I think it’s important for you to know. Alec isn’t perfect, but he’s sacrificed a lot. When I was cast out… well, you can imagine. He was there for me in a way nobody else was. Since both of our parents died when we were still pretty young, he’s been looking out for me.”

A strange knot twists in my stomach. “He really did that?”

“More than that. When I was on my own, he checked on me, made sure I had a safe place to go, even helped me connect with others like me who’d been… misunderstood. He kept it quiet, too. Told me he’d rather they think he was the one causing trouble instead of me. When he moved to East Hills and took on the role of alpha, it basically changed his life, all so Starfire Hollow could stay together and not have to disband.”

The image I have of Alec—the cocky, irritating alpha who rarely lets me have the last word—begins to shift, reshaping itself into something harder to fit into my narrow expectations.

“Not exactly the guy who used to steal the library from me for his team meetings all summer long,” I comment with a weak smile.

Jade laughs, shaking her head. “Trust me, he’s grown since then. And I know it’s easier to remember the past, but Alec’s changed, Isadora. He’s earned his place and then some. He fought for it, not just for himself but for everyone in this pack. And he’d do it all over again if he had to.”

Penny starts to wriggle in her lap, finally managing to escape with a triumphant squeal. Jade and I both laugh, watching her make a mad dash toward the abandoned pile of crayons. But my mind is only half on Penny’s antics. The rest is stuck on Alec and the nagging feeling that maybe, just maybe, I’ve misjudged him.

“So,” I start, trying to sound casual, “how long did he keep tabs on you when you left Starfire Hollow?”

Jade shrugs. “Until they came begging for me to come back. He caught a lot of hell for it, too. Damien was pissed. You know how close those two are. I think my husband felt betrayed that Alec didn’t tell him, but my brother did what he had to do to look out for me. You know how persistent Alec can be. He wasn’t going to just let me deal all alone.”

“Persistent” is an understatement. But there’s a softness to his persistence now that’s hard to ignore. Every time he looks at me, every time he goes out of his way to help me, there’s a sincerity that’s starting to wear down the walls I’ve spent years building.

Penny comes trotting over with a drawing, all scribbles and lines, proudly holding it up for us to admire. Jade coos at it, placing it on the table as if it’s a masterpiece, and I lean forward, pointing out the random shapes and lines to make her giggle. But part of me is still tangled up in thoughts of Alec, the side of him I’m only now discovering.

“He must be pretty close with Penny, then,” I say, eyeing the little girl as she clambers back onto Jade’s lap.

“Oh, you have no idea,” Jade confirms with a laugh. “He adores her. Every time he comes by, he spoils her with books, toys, you name it. Honestly, it’s like watching two kids play together. Alec would do anything for her.”

I take that in, watching as Penny babbles happily in a language only toddlers understand. There’s a warmth spreading through my chest, an unfamiliar feeling I’m not entirely sure I want to name.

“Sounds like he’s become quite the family man,” I remark.

Jade grins, nodding. “He has. And he wants to build that same trust and support for the entire pack, not just his family. That’s why he’s so invested in keeping things safe. It’s not just about him—it’s about everyone, especially people who’ve been cast aside. Like you and me.”

“Me?” I let out a soft, skeptical laugh. “I’m hardly cast aside. I’m just the reluctant luna dragged back into a world I thought I’d left behind.”

“Maybe. But Alec sees something in you, Isadora. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed to all this in the first place. And believe me, he wouldn’t go through all this trouble for just anyone.”

A spark of doubt flickers in my mind, but it’s met by a different feeling, one that feels a lot like… hope? Or maybe trust. A fragile, tentative trust I’m not ready to admit to yet. But Jade’s words stay with me, and for the first time, the idea of letting Alec in doesn’t feel quite so impossible.

Penny grabs onto my hand, her tiny fingers gripping mine with surprising strength. I glance down at her wide, curious eyes, a little spark of joy lighting up her face as she babbles something about “fishies.”

Jade laughs, ruffling Penny’s hair. “She thinks everyone should come to her tea parties, even the fish.”

“Well,” I say with a smile, “I guess I could make an exception for her.”

Jade smiles, squeezing my arm. “See? It’s not that hard to let people in.”

***

A few hours later, Jade and I make our way to the park in the middle of town, where the pack is having a get-together. The open area, lined by trees, is a casual hub where everyone seems to gather to unwind. There are picnic tables, fire pits, a few hammocks strung up between trees.

Today, the air smells like wood smoke and fresh grass, and there’s a warmth that seems to settle over everything, comfortable and easy.

Jade settles in beside me on one of the benches, Penny happily tucked on her lap, reaching for Jade’s necklace with all the tenacity of a tiny, adorable tornado. My attention keeps wandering, though, pulled across the grounds to where Alec’s holding a training session for some of the pack’s teenagers. He’s clearly in his element, focused and commanding, moving with that quiet intensity that’s so frustratingly magnetic.

“Someone in town told me that Alec’s been doing this every week for them,” Jade explains after she catches my eye with a knowing glint. “Thinks it’s important they learn how to handle themselves young. And, of course, he’s gotten a fair bit of attention for it.”

“Oh, really?” I try to keep my voice light, uninterested, but my gaze keeps darting back to Alec.

He’s sparring with Kai now, laughing and dodging her hits. His shirt clings to his shoulders, taut across his back, showing off the play of muscle beneath. I’m horrified by how intently I’m watching him, but holy hell, does he look sexy out there, all sweaty and buff.

Jade nudges me, smirking as if she knows exactly what’s going on in my head. “Enjoying the view?”

I clear my throat and focus on Penny, who is now attempting to chew on Jade’s sleeve. “Oh, please,” I say, but it sounds weak even to my own ears. “I was just, you know, admiring the technique.”

“Technique… sure,” Jade laughs, her voice laced with mischief.

Across the grounds, Alec meets my gaze and lifts an eyebrow, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. Heat flares in my cheeks, and I look away, suddenly intent on Penny, who’s got a tiny fistful of my sweater now and seems determined not to let go.

“Isadora!” Alec’s voice cuts through the chatter around us, pulling me back. “You’re just gonna watch, or are you ready to get in here and show us what you’ve got?”

I don’t take the bait. “Unlike some people, I don’t feel the need to show off,” I call back.

His laugh is low, carrying across the space. He brushes a hand over his hair, and the whole motion is maddeningly natural, like he’s just standing there, being… effortless. “You sure?” he retorts. “From where I’m standing, it looks like you’ve been watching plenty.”

“Oh, so you were paying attention, too?” I fire back, rolling my eyes but unable to hide the smirk tugging at my lips. But he’s already weaving his way over to us, and the closer he gets, the more my pulse stirs, drumming a painful beat.

As he approaches, the last few kids disperse with laughter, and his niece runs over, grabbing onto his leg with a grin. Alec leans down, ruffling her hair as he talks quietly to her. There’s something so genuine in the way he looks at her. I know I should turn away and give them their moment, but I can’t.

Quincey ambles over. “Well, well, looks like our alpha’s got an audience today.”

Alec gives him a lazy smile, and his gaze flits briefly to me. “Hard to blame them, isn’t it?” His eyes meet mine, and there’s something heated in his gaze, a slow-burning confidence that sends my heart stuttering.

“Confidence isn’t a replacement for actual talent, you know,” I mutter, fighting to keep my face straight.

“Is that so?” he responds, stepping close enough that I catch a whiff of that woodsy signature scent lingering on the breeze. “Tell me, Isadora. If I’m such an unskilled alpha, why do you look like you’re enjoying the show so much?”

I cross my arms, pretending to shrug off the flutter in my chest. “Because it’s like watching a puppy try to impress everyone at the park. Cute, but not exactly ground-breaking.”

His smirk widens, and he leans in slightly, dropping his voice low enough that only I can hear. “And yet, you’re still watching. So tell me, does that make you a fan of the cute, or the impressive?”

I roll my eyes, though my pulse is far from calm. “Maybe I just enjoy a little entertainment on my otherwise quiet day.”

“Quiet day, huh?” He raises an eyebrow, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “How about we change that? A little one-on-one sparring? Unless, of course, you’re worried about keeping up.”

It’s the challenge in his voice that gets me. “Oh, I can keep up.”

“Good. Because I’d hate to think I scared you off.”

The words send a thrill through me, as unbidden as it is infuriating. “Just… don’t get too confident,” I say, struggling to keep my composure. “One day, someone might actually take you down a peg.”

He laughs softly, stepping back, but his gaze holds mine for a lingering second, like he’s daring me to follow through on my words. “Looking forward to the day,” he says, his voice a smooth, easy tease, but I see the unmistakable flicker of heat in his eyes. And it’s enough to send my mind reeling, to make me wonder just what game we’re playing at.

I try to act unaffected, settling back down beside Jade as Alec rejoins Kai and Quincey. But I can feel his gaze drifting over every now and then, and every time our eyes meet, it’s like a spark igniting something I don’t have a name for.

Jade nudges me, hiding a grin. “So, still just ‘admiring the technique,’ right?”

I let out a breath, trying to ignore the warmth lingering in my cheeks. “I—yes, obviously. That’s all.”

But my voice sounds hollow, even to my own ears, and Jade’s knowing smile doesn’t help. Because, deep down, I know she’s right.

And the worst part? Alec knows it, too.