Page 3 of The Alpha's Forced Bullied Mate

“Gerta will be proud when she hears the horns announce your leadership tomorrow.”

“Nothing could impress that old bat.”

Adrian chuckled knowingly. “At least the easy part is over.”

I eyed the cauldron, the circle of dirt, the fact thatnoneof us, save for Megara, were wearing clothes in the chill of West Virginia weather. “Oh?”

“Your first task as alpha will be to find a mate.”

It felt like a stack of bricks fell on my head. “You must be joking.”

“I’m afraid that’s your most important task, son. You’ll need a mate bond not only to strengthen your body but to steel your mind.” His wise eyes searched the trees. The branches were quiet—for now. “You need to prepare yourself for war.”

I heard the subtlest rustle, and then a sinister chuckle, and then nature came back in full force, crickets and all.

I inspected the darkness for those pesky demons. “I don’t know anyone.”

Adrian grinned. “I have a list of eligible bachelorettes who would love nothing more than to…”

But I didn’t hear another word he said. My mind refused to focus on anything happening in the present. It was stuck in the past, stuck on that moment when I stared into Faye’s shimmering marble eyes and lied to her.

I told her I didn’t love her.

And that just wasn’t true.

***

“Man, that was something. Right, dude?”

Cliff whacked my upper back again, sending me stumbling toward the stove. I rubbed the back of my neck and ignored his sudden burst of strength. “Somebody is high on his wolf.”

He stuffed his face with a few chocolate cookies. “I’m justso stokedfor you.”

“Pig.”

Oinks erupted behind me, causing me to smile as I prepared two cups of tea. Well, he probably wanted hot chocolate. The damn guy was a dumpster that could eat just about anything. I watched him eat a half-gone sub once and not even so much as belch a rotten note. That stomach he had was a tank. My questionable leftovers usually went to him.

I sighed. “Did you see that list?”

“Yeah,wow. Stacy is on there, and uh—” He made a few clicking sounds with his tongue. “—Miranda Berkley. Phew. The rack on her could feed a dozen babies.”

“I see my previous comment is still accurate.”

He laughed. “Come on, man. You have like a whole pack of women to choose from. There’s like twenty women here. You could get laid every week if you wanted.”

“That’s not what I want.”

“So, why did you take the list?”

I kept staring at the electric kettle as it heated up. “I didn’t want to disappoint Alpha—I mean,Adrian.”

“Teacher’s pet.”

I whirled around, chucking the first thing I could grab at him, which just so happened to be a plastic spoon. He smacked it out of the air, sending it skittering across the tile, and then he chuckled like nothing could ever offend him. That was Cliff. That was my best friend. The easy-going guy with the brilliant smile and the goofy personality.

He was such a frickin’ animal.

“I don’t want to date those women,” I complained, then turned back to the electric kettle so I could pour the hot water into two mugs. “ They lack substance.”

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