Page 42 of Brutal Alpha's Sold Mate
His jaw ticks. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“No. You deserve to know. Especially since I’ve dragged you into my mess just as much as you’ve dragged me into yours.”
He leans back in his chair, ready to hear whatever I have to say.
“My pack hit one of Malcolm and Wiley’s operations,” I begin. “It wasn’t just some random strike. We had intel, and we went in with everything we had. Our beta led the team, and we managed to free a dozen people that day. But it wasn’t withoutcasualties. The beta took a bad hit, and the rest of the team was barely holding together by the time it was over.”
Theo leans forward.
“That’s when we got word of another location and a second group of prisoners being held nearby. But the team was spent, Theo. They couldn’t handle another fight, and nobody else was in any shape to lead.”
“So you went,” he says quietly, already piecing it together.
“I told myself I could handle it. I’ve taken down rogues twice my size. I’ve fought off ambushes. I thought this was just another mission, just a few more people to save. But it wasn’t just another mission,” I continue. “It was a trap. They were waiting for me. Malcolm, Wiley, their lackeys—hell, they probably knew it was me before I even walked through the door. I didn’t even make it to the prisoners before they had me chained and drugged.”
Theo’s hands curl into fists on the table. His voice is low but furious. “And your pack? They didn’t come for you?”
“They didn’t know. I didn’t tell anyone where I was going. I thought if I was quick enough, I’d be back before they even noticed I was gone. If they know where I am now, it’s probably just through word of mouth.”
His silence is heavy, weighted. I glance at him, half-expecting pity, but what I see instead is fury. And not at me, but at them.
“Malcolm and Wiley made sure I was untraceable,” I go on. “They pumped me full of that poison and sold me like I was nothing. My pack probably thought I was dead.”
I pause as the memories claw at my chest. “And honestly? Part of me wished I were. Because what they did to me… itwasn’t just about breaking my body. It was about breaking my wolf. And they came damn close.”
Theo pushes his chair back with a sharp scrape and crosses the room in two long strides. Before I can process what’s happening, his hands are on my shoulders, grounding me. “You’re not broken, Kai.”
The conviction in his words hits me harder than I expect. I blink, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I feel like I am sometimes. Like I’ll never be what I was.”
“You’re wrong. You’re still that fighter. You’ve proven it every day since you’ve been here. To me, to the pack, to yourself. What Malcolm and Wiley did to you doesn’t define you.”
For a moment, I can’t speak. The weight of his words sinks deep, filling cracks I didn’t even realize were there.
“Thanks,” I manage.
He releases me, stepping back just enough to give me space. “You didn’t deserve any of it, but you’re here now. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they never touch you again.”
I look up at him and realize he means it—I can see it in his eyes. And for the first time in a long time, I feel safe. And I don’t even know what to do with that feeling.
Chapter 16 - Theo
I’m grinning like I’ve just conquered a kingdom, and it’s all because Kai agreed to go to town with me. It’s the most mundane thing—running errands, picking up essentials—but something about it feels fresh, almost like a break from all the drama I’ve been swimming in.
We head out in a beat-up truck that’s somehow survived more border scuffles than I can count. Kai sits beside me, fiddling with the radio until she finds some random station. A faint tune crackles through the speakers. I keep my eyes on the road, trying not to think about how close her knee is to mine.
“So,” she says, glancing at the paper in her lap. “We’ve got some toothpaste, a new pair of shoes, maybe a jacket since mine’s basically in shreds… anything else on your list?”
“Nothing urgent,” I reply. “Might grab a spare set of clothes, but I’m easy.”
She snorts. “You say that, but I’ve seen your closet. Half those shirts have holes.”
I laugh. “We’ll see if we can find something in my size.”
The drive to the town center is smoother than usual. I notice a calmness in my chest, a sense of relief. No watchers tagging behind me for once, no urgent business about packs and borders. Just Kai, me, and a few errands.
When we reach the town’s small parking area, I hop out and offer her a hand. She ignores it and jumps down on her own, which makes me smirk.
“Independent as ever,” I remark.
