Page 48 of Brutal Alpha's Forced Mate

Another shifter walks by with an armful of spears, nodding at me like this is totally normal. I blink, trying to wrap my head around what I’m seeing. This isn’t just a few thoughtful gestures. This is a full-on effort to outfit me for survival.

And it’s… weird. Not bad weird, but definitely unexpected. Most of my life, these people barely tolerated me. Some of them openly hated me. And now they’re sending me off like I’m one of their own.

Like they want me to come back.

“Okay,” I say slowly, dragging my gaze back to Madison. “Who put you all up to this? Was it Gray?”

Madison’s laugh is warm and genuine, the kind that makes her eyes crinkle at the corners. “This is all us, honey.”

“All you?” My eyebrows shoot up, and I cross my arms. “You expect me to believe that?”

She winks. “Take it as a compliment, Jaslyn. You’ve made an impression.”

I don’t know how to respond to that. Compliments from the pack aren’t exactly something I’m used to. Instead of arguing, I let my gaze drift back to the supplies. There’s a small bow and quiver among the weapons, a set of throwing knives, and even a coil of sturdy-looking rope. These aren’t cheap, spur-of-the-moment gestures. Someone put real thought into this.

The warmth in my chest is uncomfortable, and I shift my weight, trying to brush it off. “Well, I guess I should say thanks.”

Madison pats my shoulder like I just passed some kind of test. “You’re welcome, babe. Just make sure you bring yourself back in one piece.”

I’m saved from having to respond by the sound of someone clearing their throat behind me. Turning, I find Tim standing a few feet away with his hands shoved into his pockets and his shoulders hunched like he’s bracing for impact. He looks awkward, which is… new. Tim isn’t usually the awkward type. Smug, sure. Overconfident, definitely. But this?

This is different.

“Can we talk?” he asks, glancing at the others like he’s hoping they’ll suddenly disappear.

I fold my arms and arch a brow. “That depends. Are you about to say something that’ll piss me off?”

He winces, but there’s a hint of something that might be a smile. “I’ll try not to.”

Madison gives me a knowing look before bustling off, leaving Tim and me alone in the middle of the pack’s impromptu supply depot.

“Look,” he begins, rubbing the back of his neck, “I owe you an apology.”

I blink. That was not what I expected. “For what?”

“For a lot of things,” he admits. “For being a jerk when we were kids. For treating you like an outsider when you came back. And for not stepping up sooner when…” He hesitates, and I know he’s thinking about the demon. About Amber.

“I should’ve done more,” he says quietly. “But you, you saved her. You didn’t have to, and you did it, anyway.”

I don’t know what to say. Tim has never been one for self-reflection, and hearing him lay it all out like this is almost disorienting.

“It wasn’t just for her,” I say. “I did what I had to.”

“Well, thank you,” he replies. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for how I treated you. I was wrong.”

I study him for a long moment, searching for any hint of insincerity. But all I see is a man who’s trying to make things right, even if he’s not sure how.

“Okay,” I finally respond. “Apology accepted.”

He lets out a breath like he’s been holding it for hours, and the tension in his shoulders eases. “Thanks, Jaslyn. That means a lot.”

Before I can respond, Amber appears at his side and slips her hand into his. She offers me a shy smile, and I nod in return. They’re a picture of contrasts: Tim, the brash, confident wolf who’s suddenly learning humility, and Amber, the quiet, steady she-wolf.

As they walk away, I feel a strange sense of closure. Maybe things really can change. Maybe people can surprise you.

I glance back at the pile of supplies and brush my fingers over the smooth wood of the bow. For the first time, I feel like this pack isn’t just tolerating me. They’re rooting for me.

And damn if that doesn’t make me want to prove them right.

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