Page 16 of Alpha Bully

I hold Harper close, who is still sobbing quietly, and walk back toward the house, my heart aching with every step. Sarah falls in step with me but says nothing. All my fears come rushing back at once, the fear that Harper will suffer the same level of rejection in life as I have, but for a different reason. It’s not that wolves aren’t used to the idea of magic; after all, the alpha’s family and others have gifts. But I don’t think they’ll accept it frommydaughter. They already hate that I’ve returned. No one ever trusted my family, and now they’ll have an excuse to reject us even more.

Tears well in my eyes as I think back to how happy Harper was playing with the other children. It’s only natural that her powers rise to the surface when she’s scared. It’s all she ever knew with the Collinses, and I’m not sure she knows how to react any other way to a threat, even if it’s just a perceived threat in children’s play.

I pause on the steps and turn to Sara to say goodbye. I need to be alone with Harpers right now. “I’m sorry, I just need to get her settled.”

Sara’s eyes shine with understanding. “It’s going to be fine, Ava. It was just kids playing.” She leans over and rubs Harper’s back. “She has a gift; it’s not a bad thing.”

Sara leaves, and I shut the door behind us, leaning back against the solid frame with Harper in my arms. I pray she’s right. I still intend to leave, but it’s obvious the rogues are still hunting, although I don’t know why. Revenge? It seems unlikely. I never wanted to come back here, but being with Callum, safe in his home, and watching Harper thrive has been like a fairytale. And that’s what I’m afraid of more than anything. Because fairytales aren’t real—and neither is this.

Chapter 10 - Callum

This is not what I was expecting.

Sitting in my office at the pack meeting hall, I scroll through several messages, beginning with the moms involved and then their mates, followed by concerned friends and family. In total, over fifteen messages about Harper, ranging from informative to hysterical, and I have to pause before replying to some: As alpha, I will handle the situation. I remind them all that we will not be dramatic where a child is concerned. I fear that ship has sailed, though, given the tone of some of the messages.

Well, this confirms my suspicions about Harper having a gift, I guess.

I had second-guessed myself after seeing what I thought were sparks when she was playing in the meadow, but it was easy to rationalize with the sun overhead that day. The evidence of Harper’s magic is undeniable from the accounts I’ve read, but I’m yet to talk to Ava about it. If I’m honest, I’ve been putting off going back to the house. Confronting this means asking more questions about Harper’s father. Questions that drive my wolf crazy—even more so since we fucked. Harper’s lineage is a constant reminder that because I rejected Ava, another man had what was mine. It shouldn’t bother me, as I never had any intention of making her my luna, but it does. My wolf seethes every time the thought even arises.

And thoughts about Ava seem to be arising more and more, especially after last night. Sinking into her tight body felt like coming home. Nothing in my whole damn life had ever felt more right—until she ran off.

And now this.

My plan was to go home and fuck her again. And now, I have to deal with my pack having a problem with arguably the sweetest kid I’ve ever met. Unbelievable. The thought doesn’t diminish my desire for Ava one bit, but it frustrates the hell out of me, knowing I’m going to have to address it.

It also pisses me off that they’re making it into a big thing. The gift of magic is agoodthing. I have it, my brothers do, and so do countless other wolves to one degree or another. Witches are more prevalent on the mainland, but we have enough on the island, too. I need to know who Harper’s father is so we can understand the nature of her magic. That will kill any rumors or fear-mongering in the pack.

I’m not stupid—I’ve already considered whether I could be Harper’s father, but there’s no way. Ava would have told me immediately, because that would have guaranteed her position in the pack instantly. There’s no downside to hiding it if I were. Plus, I’ve mentioned who Harper’s father might be, and although it’s clear she doesn’t want to talk about it, she’d never given any indication it’s me. The opposite, in fact.

So, now I have to go and talk about it. The last thing I want to do.

I walk into the house, and the scent of coffee and roasting chicken wafts through the air. Ava is in the kitchen, stirring something on the stove. Her shoulders look tense even though she turns and offers me a small smile. Harper is asleep on the window seat, curled up under a quilt, breathing softly. The sight warms me, but I can’t relax. Not yet. "Hey," I say softly.

Ava’s smile fades when she sees my expression. "Hey," she says. She hesitates for a moment, returning her attention to the pot before asking, "I’m guessing you heard?"

"People like to talk," I say, walking over to her and pulling out a chair at the table. "But you tell me what happened at the park."

She nods and starts telling me her side of things, trying to keep it brief while also ensuring I understand everything that went down. It's not an easy task, but she manages it well enough while stirring whatever it is she's making for dinner.

I listen intently as she quietly explains, occasionally asking a question or two but mostly just letting her talk. She talks in a hushed tone and clearly doesn’t want to wake Harper, who seems calm now but is obviously very upset by what happened. It's clear Ava's worried about Harper, and I can understand why. Her powers are still developing, and I know myself how scary that can be. My brothers and I got into all sorts of trouble when we were young, but the difference is that our place in the pack was secure. That doesn't mean she can't learn to control her powers or be accepted.

The question I have to ask hangs heavily until I know I can’t put it off any longer.

"What do you know about Harper's father’s powers?" I ask when she finishes.

Ava shakes her head, looking back down at the pot on the stove. "Not much," she admits. "There was magic, but it wasn’t discussed with me…" She trails off, obviously not wanting to go into details. "But I know he’s powerful."

I nod, trying not to show how much that pisses me off. I make a mental note to reach out to my brothers about anyone with such powerful magic on the island. My gut tells me he’s not bothered about Ava and Harper, or he wouldn’t have let them go. He’s probably not a danger to the pack—not on purpose, anyway—but we need to be sure. Especially with the rogues who continue to stalk our borders and the intel that they’re looking for a child. A child that has to be Harper. That must be related to the fact she has the magic.

I sigh, attempting to ignore my feelings about Harper’s father. "Can I give Harper some lessons in controlling her gift tomorrow?" I ask hesitantly. Ava looks up at me, surprise all over her face, before she nods slowly.

"That might be a good idea," she says after a moment of consideration. "I don’t know how to help her, and I don’t want any children to get hurt. I just—”

Her voice cracks with emotion, and I step forward, pulling her into my arms. We stand there for a moment in an intimate embrace, something I don’t think we’ve ever done. I don’t want to dwell on the way it turns me on—not the time or place. “For what it’s worth, my take on it is that Sam overstepped, and Harper bit back. He’s a fun pup, but he’s a lot and needs to be put in his place sometimes.”

Ava sniffles against my chest, shaking her head. “But not by Harper. Those moms will turn on her now. I don’t want her to feel even a moment of the rejection I have felt.”

My heart hammers in my chest at her words, knowing that I am at the center of those feelings. Not only for my outright rejection of her that day, but my family has led this pack for generations while her family lingered as misfits on the periphery. There’s no doubt Ava’s parents were troublemakers and criminals, always causing problems. So, why was Charlie more readily accepted than Ava? I already know the answer: Charlie has a powerful wolf. He was willing and proved useful to the pack. Ava’s wolf has always been weak, and now, it appears to be nonexistent. I don’t even need to tell her what that means in terms of being accepted here.

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