Page 38 of Bully Alpha's Pregnant Mate

I snort, taking a grateful gulp. “If we’re going to keep everyone safe, this can’t wait. I don’t care if I run on fumes.”

Quincey sips his own coffee, leaning back against the edge of the desk. “Then you’re going to need all the caffeine this pack can muster. Last I checked, you’ve barely been out of the field in two days. Kai’s been keeping the late patrols running while you’ve been running yourself into the ground here. Maybe time for a hand-off?”

I take a deep breath, staring down at the heap of reports on the desk. “I’m handling this one. Can’t ignore what happened on our own borders.”

Quincey nods, but there’s a flicker of concern in his eyes. He knows as well as I do that with the increased tensions at our boundaries and a demon threat still out there, all it would take is one mistake for this to turn into something a lot worse than an isolated attack.

A few minutes later, Kai shows up with a casual grin on her face, but there’s a tension in her shoulders that she can’t quite hide. “Morning, Alpha,” she greets me with an easy confidence, though she glances between me and Quincey with an expression that says she’s been caught up in this storm right along with us.

“Kai. Good timing,” I say, pushing the patrol routes across the table toward her. “How’s the east perimeter holding up?”

She glances over the paperwork, then back at me. “We’ve got an extra set of eyes there, but it’s quiet for now. Doesn’t mean we’re in the clear. This quiet’s too convenient if you ask me.”

Quincey nods in agreement. “Kai’s right. We don’t need to be psychic to see what’s coming.”

I let out a breath, nodding. “That’s why I’m doubling the patrols at night, and each squad gets a second backup on shift until we know exactly what we’re dealing with. They want to test us? We’ll be ready for them.”

Kai’s grin returns, sharper now. “Sounds like a plan I can get behind. I’ll let the night patrols know. They’re chomping at the bit for this.”

“Good,” I say, slapping the route map in front of her. “This’ll keep us covered through the forest trails and the main access points. Quincey, you’re with me. We’re going to check on the north perimeter ourselves.”

Quincey raises an eyebrow, then downs the last of his coffee. “Nothing like a brisk morning run to make sure the peace holds.” He grins, though his eyes are serious. “But you’re still aware that you’ve got a pack to delegate to, right?”

“Yeah, but you know how it is,” I reply. “I’m not going to sit back and trust everyone else to do this without at least checking in myself. If something happens on my watch, I want to be there.”

Kai and Quincey both nod, understanding that unspoken part of my role as alpha. I know they’d back me no matter what, and as much as I trust them, there’s no peace of mind quite like seeing it all firsthand.

We head out into the chill morning air, crossing the open field toward the north edge of the territory. The forest looms ahead, dark and dense, the kind of place that would make any threat near-invisible until it’s practically on top of us. It’s exactly why I keep our patrols rotating through these sections, watching every possible angle.

As we walk, Quincey casts me a sidelong glance. “Not to bring up the obvious, but when’s the last time you slept, Alec?”

“Couple hours here and there,” I respond, shrugging it off.

Kai lets out a low whistle. “The rest of us need to start taking notes. The ‘alpha lifestyle’ looks a lot like ‘sleep-deprived survival tactics.’”

I smirk. “It’s a special skill. You’ll pick it up if you hang around me long enough.”

We reach the north perimeter, and I take a moment to survey the line of trees stretching out in front of us. There’s something off about the stillness, something too perfect. It puts me on edge, makes every instinct scream that we’re walking into something unseen.

Quincey must feel it, too, because he stops next to me, his gaze focused and sharp. “Feels a little too quiet, doesn’t it?”

I nod, jaw clenched. “Yeah. Keep your eyes open. Any movement, anything off—even if it’s subtle—I want to know about it.”

For the next hour, we patrol through the woods in silence, moving quietly as we scan the trees and check for signs of anything unusual. There are no immediate threats, but that tension hangs in the air, thick enough to taste.

After a while, Quincey clears his throat. “Think we’re looking at a trap, or are they just testing our defenses?”

I run a hand through my hair, frowning. “Could be both. We’ll have to cover our bases until we know for sure. Make sure we’re not caught off-guard.”

We’re moving through a section of dense forest when Kai suddenly stops, holding up a hand to silence us. She listens, eyes narrowed, then motions us forward, pointing to a spot in the brush where some of the leaves look freshly disturbed.

Quincey and I follow her gaze. I kneel down, examining the area more closely. “Someone’s been here,” I murmur, spotting a faint depression in the soil. “And recently, too.”

Kai grimaces, her expression hard. “Doesn’t look like one of ours.”

“No,” I agree, standing up and glancing around. “It doesn’t. Whoever it was, they’re testing us. Seeing how close they can get.”

Quincey lets out a low growl. “Damn, Alec. They’ve got nerves, I’ll give them that.”

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