Page 149 of Claimed By the Rival Alpha
“Tavi, okay, okay.” I laughed. “Even if that does happen, we’ll have a backup plan in place. I won’t make you do anything you can’t do.”
“Right.” She nodded and seemed to steel herself. “Thank you for talking to me, Bryn. You’re my best friend, too, and…and I trust you.”
Those words swirled around and around in my heart, warming me from the inside out. I pulled her in for another, gentler hug, and she hugged me back. For just those moments, I could forget that I was about to become the temporary Alpha of the Kings. As far as I was concerned, it was just me and my dearest friend, and the rest of the world could wait a while for us to finish our hug.
59
NIGHT
Finally, it was the day of the Alpha ceremony, and I was a bundle of nerves. Bryn left a note that she would be busy, and not being able to see her when I woke up only worsened my worry. I hadn’t been anywhere near this antsy when I was named Alpha of the Wargs, but because it was my mate’s turn this time, I couldn’t get out of my own head. The only thing I could do to distract myself was take a walk and see how the repairs were going.
My wolves had arrived that morning. There had been a few light skirmishes that were easily squashed before they became all-out brawls, but other than that, they were settling in smoothly.
The extent of the destruction that Troy had allowed on his own grounds evoked memories of the raid that he and his goons had headed on the Wargs’ compound. Buildings were burned, earth was scorched, and I’m sure there were more than a few injured occupying beds in the infirmary. The difference between the Kings’ lands now compared to what they’d looked like when I first infiltrated the compound over a month ago was stark.
I’d always believed that the persistent beauty of the Kings lands was one of the few constants in life, but now all I saw as I looked around were patches of dry, dead grass, shriveled flowers, and torched buildings. The forest surrounding the grounds was unkempt and riddled with weeds. It was physically painful to see how far the grounds had fallen in just the few weeks since Troy had taken over for his father.
I observed the people, too, some of whom were limping or sporting casts from whatever torture they’d endured at Troy’s (or his men’s) hands, and others who seemed eager to scurry away from the attention of their peers.
I had spent so much time telling myself that the reason I wanted the Kings pack was because it was my birthright, but as I took in the current state of things, shame once again burned through my gut. Now, I wanted nothing more than to be the Alpha of both packs so I could make sure these innocent wolves had the chance to live a good life.
I walked a bit farther, following the path that Bryn had showed me earlier, and found a group of six Kings men beginning reconstruction on a cabin. Each of them had planks of wood, nails, and other tools to get it done. Sitting to the side were four other Kings who were chatting with each other while the rest worked. I assumed those not working were on break until one of those who were sitting threw an empty can of beer at a man sawing a plank of wood.
“Cut straighter!” he shouted. “Or is that the best you can do? Maybe your mate would be better suited to this kind of work?”
The man said nothing. He just rubbed the spot on his head where he’d been hit and resumed sawing, this time attempting a straighter cut.
Ah. Now I understood. Those who sat around were higher-ranking members of the Kings. Given the fact that they were bigger than those working, they were likely among Troy’s elites. They were probably there with the responsibility of “supervising” the progress, but really, they were just hanging out and heckling those who were actually working.
My upper lip twitched, and I reached out for Dom.
“Hey,” I sent, “you busy?”
He replied immediately. “No. Why? What do you need?”
He’d apologized for what he’d said to me back on our own compound, and we hadn’t had another fight like that one. But he still wasn’t back to his usual self and he hadn’t told me what was bothering him. I wondered if it might have something to do with Tavi, but I didn’t think it was time yet for me to try to broach the subject.
“I want you and the others to meet me on the north side of the Kings’ compound where the worst of Troy’s destruction is. We’re going to do some reconstruction.”
“Roger that.”
While Dom gathered the team, I approached the group of workers. They hadn’t seen me from where I stood, at their backs, so all ten men looked up in surprise as I neared.
“Need some assistance?” I asked those who were working.
“What the hell is this?” one of the elites asked. “Night Shepherd offering to help rebuild a cabin? I don’t believe it.”
I glanced at him where he sat in a lawn chair, made a point of assessing him, and then deliberately turned my back to him.You’re not a threat to me. Fuck off.That was the message I was sending.
“Well?” I asked the working men. “Seems like you could use a few extra hands.”
The man who had been hit with the beer can looked from me to the elites and back again. “W-we wouldn’t mind the help?—”
“Don’t talk to him!” I heard the creak of a wooden lawn chair followed by footsteps headed toward my back. “We don’t need or want your help, Shepherd.”
“You wouldn’t,” I said, looking at him over my shoulder. “But about half of you aren’t helping. You must be too busy to offer your own assistance.”
His lips pulled away from his teeth. “I don’t need this from you. Some man you are, letting your woman fight your battles for you.”
