Page 29 of Brutal Alpha

Clean, dressed, and determined, I stepped out into the sunshine, the warmth like a balm on my skin. This was what I needed, not another day of bed rest. As beautiful as Argent Town was, I slipped away from the path as soon as I could, making my way to the outskirts, where cobbled streets turned to grass and then forest. The cool grass tickled my bare feet, and I could breathe again.

“You sure you should be out here?” A voice behind me made me jump, but when I turned, it was only Cody, a teasing smile on his face. He really was cute, in a boy band kind of way. By the looks of him, he’d been on patrol; his blond hair flopped into his face, and his skin was a little flushed, a light sheen of sweat covering his bare chest.

“I’m fine; Sybil fixed me right up,” I said, giving my newly healed ribs a little poke to demonstrate. His eyes followed the movement, lingering on where my borrowed sundress hugged my breasts.

“I see that. Your Alpha gives you the all clear?”

I scoffed.

“Okay, first of all, he’s not my Alpha,” I told him. “Second of all, even if he was, he’s not the boss of me.”

“That’s literally what an Alpha is, but okay.” His blue eyes twinkled with mirth, and I couldn’t help smiling back at him. I might not really want him, but it was nice to talk to someone who didn’t treat me like a child or an inconvenience, someone who so obviously desired me.

“He doesn’t scare me,” I said.

“He scares me, though,” Cody replied. He stepped forward, voice lowered. “You sure he isn’t lurking around one of these corners? I don’t think he likes me.”

“I can take him, don’t you worry,” I assured him. Without thinking, I reached out to squeeze his bicep—part comfort, part gentle mocking. His eyes flickered down to my lips, and I realized my mistake too late.

“Oh yeah?” he said, taking another step forward into my space. “You gonna fight for my honor?”

Before I could push him playfully back and create a safe amount of space between us, my name was fired like a bullet into the calm of the morning.

“Julia! What the hell are you doing out here?”

I knew it would only be a matter of time before Ethan noticed I was gone, before he came charging after me like a bull at a red flag, but I had hoped for a little more time.

“Walking,” I said. “I can do that, you know.”

“I’m keeping an eye on her, Alpha Cain,” Cody piped up, like an idiot. Ethan’s canines flashed long and white as he turned his attention to the hapless Beta.

“I can see that,” he snarled, and I was pretty certain that it was only Ethan’s respect for Leo that was holding him back from ripping Cody to shreds.

“Ethan—” I started, but he paid me no mind.

“Get back to whatever you’re supposed to be doing,” he snapped at Cody. “Now.”

Cody didn’t hesitate, didn’t even spare me a glance as he jogged away back toward town, and I felt a rush of pity for him. He didn’t deserve to be used as a pawn to make Ethan mad, and he definitely didn’t deserve Ethan’s ire. Ethan, at his own insistence, wasn’t anyone who had a say in who I flirted with.

I wasn’t going to let him take me back to the house. He wasn’t going to confine me to bed for another day or more before he declared me well enough to make the journey to Ensign. Before he could turn his attention back to me, I began striding toward the forest. I hardly made it ten yards before I heard him yell,

“Julia—Julia, get back here.”

I wanted to ignore him, but I was too angry.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I threw at him, refusing to slow my pace. Ethan caught up with me almost immediately, but I wasn’t going to stop unless he made me.

“Are you trying to embarrass me?” he asked, which was not an answer. “I get that you’re mad, but—”

“But what?” I snapped. “I’m not allowed to go outside? I’m not allowed to talk to people?”

“You’re not allowed to talk to him.”

That made me stop. At least we’d reached the tree line. I didn’t want to have this argument in the open.

“Excuse me,” I said, flat and emotionless. He must have realized he’d fucked up because he didn’t fight back.

“You know what I mean,” he said. He wasn’t going to get away with it that easily.

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