Page 19 of Brutal Alpha's Forced Mate

“Gray,” the brunette greets him with a nod. “This must be Jaslyn.”

“Jade,” Gray says, his tone warmer than usual. He gestures to the girl with the black hair. “And Isadora. They’re the witches from Starfire Hollow and East Hills.”

I blink, stunned. I knew other packs had witches, but seeing them here, standing side by side with Gray like equals, feels surreal.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Jade says, offering her hand.

I hesitate before shaking it, unsure how to respond. “You… work with the packs?”

“Of course,” Isadora chimes in, her grin widening. “Why wouldn’t we? We’re part of them.”

“Because…” I trail off, unsure how to voice the years of prejudice and hostility I’d endured without sounding like I’m accusing them.

Jade seems to sense my hesitation and offers a small, understanding smile. “Things have changed, Jaslyn. The alliance between the packs wouldn’t be possible without witches. We’re not just tolerated anymore. We’re valued.”

Isadora snorts. “Took them long enough to figure out we’re not the bad guys.”

I glance at Gray, half-expecting him to contradict them, but he just watches me with that blank expression of his.

“How?” I ask the women, my voice barely above a whisper. “How did that happen?”

“Necessity,” Jade says simply. “The demons forced us to work together. Once the packs realized how much they needed us, the old prejudices didn’t hold up anymore.”

The words hit me harder than I expect. For so long, I believed there was no place for me here—that my magic made me an outcast, a threat. Hearing otherwise feels like someone’s flipped my world upside down.

“Look,” Isadora says, stepping closer to me, “I know what it’s like to feel like you don’t belong. But you’re here now, and trust me, these packs? They’ll have your back if you give them a chance.”

I don’t know how to respond, so I just nod, though my thoughts are a tangled mess.

Jade studies me for a moment before speaking again. “The energy here—it’s old. Whatever caused it isn’t coming back anytime soon, but it’s a good place to start building wards. Between the three of us, we should be able to reinforce the borders.”

“Agreed,” Gray says, his tone brisk. “We’ll need to coordinate with Damien and Alec to cover all territories.”

As they discuss logistics, I step away, letting their voices fade into the background. My mind is spinning, torn between disbelief and cautious hope.

Valued. Needed. Trusted.

For the first time in years, I wonder if I can belong here after all.

Chapter 7 - Gray

Jaslyn’s magic is something else entirely.

It’s not just the raw power. It’s the precision, the way she wields it like an extension of herself. Watching her now, I’m struck by how much I underestimated her when we were younger. This isn’t the girl who used to struggle to keep her magic in check, who once accidentally sent a tree up in flames. This is a woman in control, focused and sharp, with a level of skill that’s downright intimidating.

Not that I’ll admit that out loud.

We’re deep in the northern part of Red Arrow’s territory, where the trees grow dense and the shadows stretch long. Jaslyn is kneeling on the forest floor with her hands hovering over a set of alarm stones that we’ve been using to monitor demon activity. The stones are simple enough, enchanted to alert us with energy when something crosses their threshold. But they’re no match for what she’s doing now.

“Pass me the quartz,” she says without looking up.

I reach into the pouch slung across my chest and pull out a chunk of rough, cloudy quartz. She snatches it without a word, placing it carefully at the center of the arrangement. Her fingers twitch as she murmurs something under her breath, and I feel the air shift, crackling faintly with energy.

The stones begin to glow. Softly at first, then brighter until they’re pulsing in unison. Jaslyn tilts her head, studying them like she’s listening to something I can’t hear. Then, with a flick of her wrist, the light stabilizes, and the magic settles into a steady thrum.

“That should do it,” she states, standing and dusting off her hands.

I cross my arms, nodding toward the stones. “What’d you change?”

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