Page 4 of Brick

Jade returned to where she’d left her clothes in the woods and dressed, and as she listened to the sounds of the night around her, she heard low voices and, against her better judgment, she’d followed them.

Creeping through the woods, she’d followed the voices to the alpha’s house, where she’d seen Alpha Holloway standing on the back patio with two of his high ranked males and speaking to three other males she didn’t recognize.

She couldn’t explain it, but there had been something devious about the whole thing, something secretive. They were meeting while the pack was hunting, and even though it was out in the open where anyone could see, no one ever went back to the alpha’s after the hunt; they simply went home.

Except for her, apparently.

See? This is why he thinks you’re rebellious and a troublemaker.

She didn’t dare get close enough to catch every word of their conversation but picked up enough to hear words that chilled her to the core.

Arranged mating.

It’s not up to her.

Punishment.

Her wolf let out a worried whine in her head. Her stomach churned as she turned back and made her way silently to her house, where she tossed and turned all night.

By the time the sun rose the day after the full moon, Jade was certain that Holloway was talking about her. There were several unmated females in the pack. Perhaps the group was talking about more than just her, but one thing she could feel deep in her bones: her days of remaining unmated were coming to a close.

Suddenly, the way the alpha had been treating her recently made sense. He was perhaps trying to break her spirit, get her in a mental place where she’d welcome an arranged mating if it meant leaving his pack.

Which, hello, she would like to leave. But she’d like to make the choice herself.

She’d never heard of the alpha arranging matings without the consent of the parties involved, but the way he’d met with those males under cover of darkness? It seemed highly likely that the scenario that filled her with dread was going to come true.

She was going to be forced into an arranged mating.

Considering Holloway didn’t like her, she could guess he wouldn’t pick the nicest, most handsome male to pair her up with.

While she guzzled her second cup of coffee and stared out the window over her kitchen sink with a mixture of terror and anger, she tried to figure out what to do.

Could she escape? Where the hell would she even go? If she got in her car, she’d be stopped for sure since the town was routinely patrolled by pack members loyal to the alpha.

Sadie came to mind.

The rumors about her mom, Evelyn, helping her to leave flitted through the train of thought of the only person Jade knew who’d ever escaped the alpha’s wrath.

Finishing the coffee with two large gulps, she shoved her feet into her tennis shoes and hurried out the door, not even bothering to brush her hair or put on clean clothes.

Making her way to Evelyn’s tiny home, she was about to knock when she heard someone approaching and spun around.

“Jade? What are you doing up so early?” Evelyn asked. She held a basket filled with wild blackberries and a small bouquet of flowers.

Jade stared at the woman who’d been kind to her over the years, more so after her father died, sharing treats and sweet words with her.

As she stared into Evelyn’s kind eyes, she broke down, too exhausted to hide the fear that coursed through her.

Evelyn hurried her into the house, shushing her gently. They sat on the couch and Evelyn set her things on the nearby coffee table.

Evelyn gave her a hug and rubbed her back. “You know, don’t you?”

“I…heard things,” Jade said, explaining what she’d witnessed between sobs.

“I was going to come find you today,” Evelyn said, brushing the hair from Jade’s face with a motherly touch. “Yesterday morning, I was tasked with cleaning the alpha’s house before the full moon. Around lunchtime, Holloway bellowed to me that he needed drinks served in his office for guests. By the time I gathered a tray of refreshments, there were a handful of males in his office along with several high ranked males from our pack.”

“Did you know who they were?”

---