Page 29 of Alphas Never Hide

“That’swhatI’mdoing, but you’re staying here,”Isaid.

“OfcourseI’mnot.”Heshook his head. “Don’tyou watch horror movies?Youshould never, ever separate from the people you’re with.”

“Wearen’t in a horror movie.”

“No, this is worse.”

Ifrowned.Becauseof course he was right.Icouldn’t leave him out here on his own.WhatifRobbieor one ofRobbie’sfollowers found him out here?He’dbe vulnerable.Wereally should go back to town.

Istared longingly into the trees.

Robbiewas out there somewhere.Rightnow.Iwas so damn close.

Ryleyscanned the trees, too. “Youtold people we were coming out here, right?”

“Why?”

“Oh, for the love ofMagic.Youdidn’t, did you?”Herolled his eyes.Again.Hedid that a lot. “Robbie, or whatever his name is, comes out every day, first thing in the morning.Goingout there with no backup plan is like delivering ourselves to him.Wemight as well put a red ribbon in my hair and call me a present.”

AndnowIwas imagining him as a present, waiting to be unwrapped.

Whatthe fuck?Ididn’t lust after strangers.Ididn’t lust after anyone.Ipreferred it that way.

Ialso hated the idea ofRyleygoing anywhere nearRobbie.Butat leastIunderstoodthatemotion;Iwas protective by nature.Thatwas whoIwas.I’dfeel the same about anyone from my pack—er, whatever.

“Hewon’t touch you again.Ipromise.”Thewords came out on a growl. “ButIdon’t think it is safe for you tobe out here, so just go back to town.”Ipushed my keys into his hand.

“Noway,”Ryleyprotested as he tossed the keys back at me. “Iam coming with you.Butyou will also do the whole ‘phone a friend’ thing before we leave this road and lose cell service.”

Iscowled at him.Usuallyhaving an alpha scowl at a person was enough to make them cower and obey, but of courseRyleyhad to be different.Hejust stared right back at me.Theseconds ticked by, becoming minutes.Whywouldn’t he do asIwanted?

Ididn’t sense any discomfort from him, so maybe he wasn’t uncomfortable about going into the woods with me.Besides, how much danger would he be in?Icould takeRobbie.Imight not have sparred with him in over a decade, butRobbiehad always been a lazy shit.FromeverythingI’dheard from his former pack mates, he hadn’t changed.

“Well?”Ryleysaid, challenging me.

Igritted my teeth but pulled out my phone.Peoplerarely told me what to do.Mostof them came to me, expecting me to tellthemwhat to do, not the other way around.ButhereIwas, texting—texting, for fuck’s sake!—Vanto let him know we were picking up where they’d left off last night, or earlier this morning,Iguessed.

Isent the text and showedRyleythe screen, so he’d knowIhadn’t lied.Whenhe nodded,Ishoved my phone in my pocket.

“I’mshifting,”Isaid.Withoutwaiting for a reply,Itransitioned into my wolf.

“I’mnot.”Ryleyfrowned at me.Hispupils reverted to their human shape as he put his glasses on his face.

“Fine.Tryto keep up.”

Ididn’t have to look at him to know he was rolling his eyes at me again.Imight be an ass, but it looked like we both knewIwouldn’t leave him behind.

Chapter Eleven

HAYDEN

ThetrailVanand the others had followed was easy to find.Ryley’sscent still lingered under the others.It’dbeen a long time sinceI’dgone for a run with someone else, not that we were running exactly.Buthaving a bit of companionship while traipsing through the woods was surprisingly nice.Onceupon a time, running with my pack had been one of my favorite things to do.

ButIdidn’t have a pack anymore.Bychoice,mychoice.

Van, the son of a bitch, always saidIdidhave a pack, saying it included every damn supernatural in the town but thatIwas too stubborn to admit it.Butthat wasn’t true, no matter what he believed, which he must have because hellhounds couldn’t lie.So, that meant he was a deluded asshole.Thebastard had even mangled aShakespearianquote a few months back, saying, “Thealpha‘doth protest too much.’”

Buthe was wrong.