Page 7 of Bully Alpha’s Pregnant Mate (Starfire Hollow Alphas #2)

“Well, don’t just stand there looking pretty, Alec. If you’re going to hover, at least pay attention.”

Isadora’s tone is biting, like I’m the one dragging her out here instead of the other way around. I cross my arms, giving her an unimpressed look as she kneels beside one of the older traps on the western boundary. We’ve been at this for all of ten minutes, and she’s already talking to me like I’m some clueless newbie she’s been saddled with. This, after practically demanding I tag along so she could “show me” the pack’s weak points.

“Alright, then,” I say, trying not to sound sarcastic. “Enlighten me.”

She glances over her shoulder with a sigh. “The wiring here is old. The trip mechanism isn’t sensitive enough, so anything with a trace of magic—say, a demon slipping through the boundaries—could go unnoticed, especially if it’s in its true form. With the state these traps are in, they wouldn’t catch anything but the most obvious threat.”

I follow her line of sight to the wiring, faint scorch marks and all. I open my mouth to say something—probably sarcastic—but she’s already pulled out a sleek black device from her bag that I don’t recognize.

“This,” she says, holding it up with a triumphant glint in her eye, “is a thermal-and-energy-modified sensor. It can pick up traces of demon magic or any paranormal activity from fifty feet out.”

I tilt my head, genuinely curious now. “Ironclaw pack?”

“None other,” she replies with a smirk. “I trained with their best strategists. They take defense very seriously.”

She crouches down again, attaching the sensor to the wiring with a swift flick of her wrist. A faint hum tells me it’s live, and a small screen on the device displays energy readouts.

“This sensor will catch subtle energy shifts,” she says. “The kind associated with demons or other supernatural threats. Much more reliable than hoping something steps in the exact right spot.”

A grin tugs at the corner of my mouth. “Alright, that’s impressive.”

Isadora straightens, brushing off her hands. “Oh, I’m just getting started.” She takes a few steps ahead, scanning the area for the next trap.

I follow, intrigued in spite of myself. “Not bad for a luna.”

She raises an eyebrow, not even breaking stride as she scans the perimeter. “If that’s supposed to sound surprised, just wait.” She gestures for me to kneel beside her by the next trap, which is barely visible under a cover of brush. “This is an old charm-based pressure trap. It releases a standard charge if something heavy enough steps on it.”

“Right. Standard defense,” I say, wondering where she’s going with this.

“Except the activation lag on these older charms is pathetic,” she points out, brushing aside some dirt to reveal faded runes carved into the plate. “A quick-footed threat would be long gone by the time this thing even released a pulse.” She digs into her bag and pulls out a thin, fresh charm plate. “This one’s designed to activate the second it senses magic. It’s set to emit a warding pulse that doesn’t just warn—it’ll actually repel.” She connects it to the existing wiring.

“Most lunas spend their time planning banquets, not setting up warded traps,” I comment, watching as she rewires the entire plate.

Isadora rolls her eyes, snapping the last connection in place. “And most alphas don’t assume their lunas are only good for seating charts.” She motions toward the trap with a challenge in her eyes. “Go on, try it.”

I give her a wary look, but I press my boot on the plate, expecting a lag. This time, there’s a near-instant surge of energy, enough that I feel a faint pulse pushing back against my boot.

I glance up, feeling something close to respect settle in. “You’re right. That’s… efficient.”

Her gaze softens just a little, like maybe she’s pleased, though she’d never admit it outright. “See? Trust me, Alec. If we get these defenses in place, our borders will be more than ready.”

We move along the boundary, and I can’t help but take in how seriously she’s assessing every weak spot. She stops at a cluster of trees where another old proximity sensor is wired. Its casing is cracked, and its runes are faded.

“Looks like it hasn’t worked in years,” she mutters, bending down to inspect it. “If a demon were to cross this area, it’d get through without a hitch. This thing might as well be a welcome mat.”

“So what’s your fix?”

She smirks before reaching into her bag again and pulling out a thin metal case with several small discs. “Soundproof, energy-reactive proximity alarms. These are designed to detect supernatural energy fields, so if a demon’s around, it triggers silently and alerts only those we link to it.”

“Silent alarms? High-tech,” I remark, studying the disc as she hands it to me. “Didn’t realize the Ironclaw were so, uh… modern.”

“They’re forward-thinking, and they don’t take chances,” she explains, attaching the discs around the perimeter of the trap. “This way, we get notified, but the intruder doesn’t. The alerts are silent and can be picked up by anyone we link to the system. Perfect for when you want to know about a threat without giving it the heads-up.”

I’m honestly impressed. It’s not just the equipment; she knows what she’s doing, clearly trained and prepared. “And you really think these upgrades will make the difference?”

She doesn’t look up, just remains focused on securing the discs. “Alec, if Jade’s right, we’re not dealing with ordinary rogues or pack rivals. We’re talking demons, things that don’t think twice about tearing through territories. These modifications will give us the upper hand, or at least a warning. Right now, that’s our best shot.”

Her voice has a new seriousness, and it’s not lost on me how easily she could be off elsewhere, away from East Hills and our problems. But here she is, working to secure a pack she barely knows, and I have to admit—maybe I was wrong to think of her as just another reluctant bride.

“Alright,” I begin as we head to the eastern boundary, where the land slopes into a dense forest. “if you say these will help, I’m listening. But let’s see if they hold up when things get intense.”

Her smirk returns, confident as ever. “They’ll hold up. The Ironclaw wouldn’t have used them otherwise.”

We reach the last boundary point. She stops, frowning at a section where the usual markings fade out entirely. She shakes her head and scoffs. “This gap is basically an invitation.”

I raise an eyebrow. “And you have a fix?”

She nods, reaching into her bag for a final piece of equipment: a small black box with an intricate set of dials. “This is a frequency jammer,” she explains, adjusting the settings. “It’s programmed to disrupt any unrecognized magical frequency. Even if a demon gets this far, this’ll scramble its energy just long enough to alert us.”

For someone I assumed would be indifferent about East Hills, she’s putting her all into this defense.

I lean against a nearby tree, half-smiling despite myself. “You’re full of surprises, Isadora. Can’t say I ever pictured you out here wiring traps.”

She laughs, a dry, humorless sound. “Oh, I’m sure you thought I was all etiquette lessons and book clubs. And don’t get me wrong, I did plenty of reading. But I’m here now, and I’m more than capable of protecting what’s mine.”

Something in the way she says “mine” catches me off-guard. There’s a fierceness I didn’t expect. A claim to this territory, to this pack. Maybe even a claim on me, though I doubt she’d admit it.

“Well, let’s see what you can do, then,” I say. “Because if these defenses don’t work, you’re the one explaining it to the council.”

She rolls her eyes, packing up her bag. “Trust me, Alec. When it comes to protecting this pack, I won’t be the one doing the explaining.”

As we finish setting the last jammer, Isadora straightens up, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face, looking more self-assured than I’ve ever seen her. She surveys the trap with a faint smile, that small, smug look of satisfaction that’s somehow satisfying to witness.

I step beside her. “I’ll admit, I didn’t know you had this in you. Where’d you learn so much about traps, anyway? I can’t imagine you picked all this up in the short time you were on your little vacation.”

She gives a little shrug, glancing toward the tree line. “Well, when I was younger, I used to spend most of my time in the East Hills library. Not much else to do for a kid who didn’t exactly have friends knocking on her door.”

There’s a note of something unreadable in her voice—something I recognize but doubt she’d want me acknowledging. “I remember you were the library’s most loyal patron,” I comment. “But what, you went through all the books?”

She smirks, glancing at me like I’m missing something obvious. “Every single one. Got to a point where I’d finished all the novels and local history, so I moved on to whatever else was left—including a lot of reading on security systems, traps, and a few other… less conventional topics.”

I chuckle. “Not the average girl’s reading list.”

“No. But I was never exactly average, was I?”

I chuckle again, nodding in agreement. “Fair point. I can’t see you sticking to book club reads. But you must’ve done more than just read about them—those techniques you showed me were sharp.”

Her gaze flicks downward. “Once I got to Ironclaw, it felt like the research had a purpose. They take security pretty seriously, but seeing how they protected their pack taught me a lot. They’re advanced—high-tech, adaptable. Even their alphas aren’t above training the way the rest of the pack did. I wanted to learn more, so I did.”

I sense something more there—another reason she buried herself so deeply in learning about security. Something about the way her jaw tightens and her eyes take on that guarded look makes me wonder just what prompted her to dive so deeply into protecting herself.

“Did you feel like you had to know it?” I ask, my voice softer. “Like you’d be safer in Ironclaw if you knew those things?”

She pauses, and I don’t miss the flash of surprise crossing her face before she hides it. “Alec, I was fine,” she replies, waving me off as if it’s nothing. “I didn’t spend my nights trembling in some alleyway. I’m a big girl, believe it or not.”

I take a step closer, holding her gaze. “I do believe it. But it doesn’t mean I won’t ask. I’m the alpha, remember? Looking out for the pack is in my blood.”

She holds my stare, lips pressing into a line like she’s holding back from saying something biting. But then she just shakes her head with a half-smile. “Your concern is noted, Alpha. But I was fine. I’ve moved past the days of being the quiet, nerdy girl everyone liked to shove around.”

I feel that pang of guilt again, realizing just how much she had to change because of what people like me—people exactly like me—did to her. But more than that, I can’t ignore the sense of pride that surfaces seeing her now, confident and capable. The way she carries herself, the fire in her gaze, the way she commands a situation—it’s not something you can fake.

I clear my throat, hoping to shake off the tension lingering between us. “Well, here’s to the grown-up, high-tech, trap-master version of Isadora.” I hold up my hand, trying to offer a truce, or maybe just an acknowledgment of how much things have changed. “Glad to have you on the team.”

She raises an eyebrow but lifts her hand, meeting mine in a firm handshake. “Don’t get too used to it. I’m not planning on setting up traps for East Hills every day.”

I smirk. “I can make it worth your while.”

Her gaze sharpens, and I catch a hint of a challenge there. “Nice try. I already know you’re probably just saying that to get me to finish the job.”

I tilt my head, keeping my tone light. “Fine. I’d still offer, though. Want to get a drink? The least I can do after all your expertise.”

She doesn’t miss a beat before whipping her head from side to side. “I’m busy. Already have plans.”

“Is that so? Here I was, thinking you’d cleared your schedule for more enchanting alpha company.”

She gives me a sarcastic little smile, tilting her head. “Sorry, Alec. I’m not one of your admirers lining up for a date. Besides, I’ve already had enough of your charm to last a lifetime.”

There’s a sting to her words, but I can’t help how my gaze falls to her lips, remembering our kiss at the wedding. It had caught me off-guard—how real it had felt, how right it had felt. But if she also noticed the heat between us, she doesn’t show it now. Her eyes stay cool, locked onto mine, daring me to take a step back.

“Well,” I say, forcing a casual tone, “maybe another time. You know where to find me.”

She offers a curt nod. “Don’t hold your breath, Alpha. But thanks for the assist today.”

Isadora turns, heading down the path back toward the house, leaving me standing there with the faint scent of her lingering in the air. The distance between us may be growing with each step she takes, but something tells me this is just the start.

Watching her disappear into the trees, I can’t help the small, unexpected smile that creeps onto my face. As much as she’d deny it, we make a damn good team.