Page 18 of Brutal Alpha's Sold Mate
She folds her arms, halting any attempt I make at continuing this farce of a dance. We stand there in the middle of the floor, the other couples giving us a wide berth as they realize something more interesting than a waltz is unfolding.
“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t think you’d care,” Kai admits. “You bought me—literally—so for all I knew, you were in on it.”
Anger spikes, half of it aimed at myself for giving her that impression and half at her for jumping to conclusions. “I’m not involved with those scumbags. My father kept us isolated, remember? I only recently heard the names Malcolm and Wiley because of Leonard’s contact. If I’d known—”
“If you’d known, what? You wouldn’t have done business with them?”
“Exactly.”
She lifts her chin. “Then prove it. Release me from this arrangement.”
Heat flushes the back of my neck as I glare at her, ignoring the sidelong glances from the crowd. “It’s not that simple. I’m not a monster, Kai. I have to protect my pack first. That’s my job. If Reed and Jacob won’t let me protect it without bloodshed, then this is the only choice I have.”
“Listen to yourself,” she whispers. “You really believe one of the only ways to save your people is by forcing a she-wolf into marriage and then going on a rampage through your own family.”
“Family?” I huff a humorless laugh. “Reed and Jacob haven’t acted like family in years. Reed’s so full of anger, he’d tear down everything just for the sake of it. And Jacob? He’s cunning, manipulative, and thrives on stirring the pot. You seehim all smiles, but trust me, behind your back, he’s plotting the next big betrayal.”
Kai holds my gaze, and in that moment, I can see the conflict in her eyes. She despises me for my willingness to go through with this plan, but she has doubts about her own assumptions. “They’re still your brothers,” she insists, as if that alone should make me see reason.
I want to tell her she’s naive, that she doesn’t know these men like I do. But the hint of sorrow in her voice shackles my anger. Instead of lashing out, I draw a slow breath and lean in. “I’m not proud of what I might have to do, but if you knew Reed and Jacob the way I do… what do you propose, a family therapy session?”
“At least talk,” she suggests. “Lay out a plan that doesn’t involve burying people. Or is that kind of discussion below your pay grade?”
I want to snap back, but something behind her catches my attention. The crowd ripples like a shift in the wind, and the band’s tune stutters as if even the musicians sense a disturbance. People move aside, some with worry etched across their faces, others looking eager for drama.
And then I see him.
Reed Hunt.
He steps into the ballroom with the grace of a predator, shoulders rigid, eyes moving across the crowd until they land on us. A hush rolls outward in a wave, thinning the noise to a low hum. Reed’s presence alone ratchets the tension up to suffocating levels.
Kai turns, following my line of sight. When her eyes settle on Reed, I can feel her posture tense. He’s not as tall as I am, buthe’s bulkier, with coiled muscles straining against the sleeves of his shirt. There’s a faint scar above his left eyebrow, and a perpetual scowl that makes him look one insult away from going berserk.
He prowls forward, his gaze bouncing between Kai and me. Without warning, his lip curls. “So, this is the infamous new addition to the Black Cauldron.”
Kai glances at me, and I see the question in her eyes: is this the same brother we’ve been talking about? I give a slight nod.Yes. This is him.
Reed doesn’t wait for me to speak. Instead, he jabs a finger in my direction. “You waltz in here, throwing a party like we’re one big happy family, but I know what you’re doing. She’s just another tool to help you claim the rest of the territory, isn’t she?”
A growl builds in my chest, but I keep it at bay for the moment. “This is a celebration,” I grind out. “Something that used to matter to our pack.”
“Don’t lie to me. You think I haven’t heard the rumors? You’re looking to unify the pack, sure, but unify it under you. And anyone who doesn’t fall in line?” His nostrils flare. “You’ve already made it clear how you plan to handle that.”
Kai stiffens beside me, and I sense her about to speak. She does, in a voice that cuts like cold steel. “Oh, he’s made it crystal-clear. And maybe if you two took a second to talk, you wouldn’t be ready to kill each other.”
Reed’s eyes snap to her. “Who the hell do you think you are?”
Kai stands her ground. “The one who’s not impressed by your little displays of dominance.”
He lets out a humorless chuckle, a sound that makes a few watchers inch backward. “Brave words for someone who’s new here.”
“I’m not interested in being polite,” Kai fires back. “I’m just calling it like I see it: all you Hunts are more focused on carving each other up than worrying about the pack.”
“You don’t know me,” Reed barks, and his eyes flash amber for a split second as his wolf edges close to the surface. “And you sure as hell don’t know what this pack needs.”
“She knows enough,” I butt in, not liking the way Reed’s eyeing her. “Back off, Reed. This isn’t the time or place.”
“Because it’s never the time or place to confront you?” He squares his shoulders. “You always were Father’s favorite, the one who got everything handed to him.”
