Page 93 of Alphas Never Hide

“Anotherone?”Ashgrumbled. “Wejust finished one.That’salready two this week.”

“What’syour name?”JeremyaskedConny.

Jeremythen asked about his mate’s name.Afterthat, he started muttering. “Hmm…ConnyandGretchen,ConnyandGretchen.Operation:RescueGretchen.That’skind of boring.Whatother information do you have?Whatcan you tell me about her?”

Connywas eyeingJeremywarily, but he still answered. “She’spregnant?”

“You’rehaving a baby?”Jeremysmiled and clappedConnyon the back. “That’sawesome!Weneed more babies around here.”

“Oh,Idon’t…”Connystammered. “I’mnot from here.”

Jeremytalked right over my brother’s protest. “Withmagical werewolf jizz off the table, all you straight supesneed to pull your weight.Although, there are lots of ways to get around the same sex thing.AdrianandIhave been talking about surrogacy, but we aren’t there yet.Andit isn’t like we need to rush since we literally have forever to do this.Andwho knows, a hundred or two hundred years from now, when we are ready, mpreg might be possible.”

Jeremycontinued to ramble aboutMagicknew what, asConnyshot a look my way.Iknew how he felt.Ididn’t know what the guy was talking about, either.Whatwas important, though, was howJeremywas treatingConny, like he’d already accepted him as someone who belonged inWillowLake, someone they would fight for.

IdoubtedConnyunderstood that.Iwouldn’t have in his position.

“You’remy brother,Conny.Ofcourse you and your family will be welcome in my mate’s pack.”

“AftereverythingIdid?”

“Didyou hurt anyone?Killanyone?Maimthem?Trafficthem to some other asshole?”

“Well, no, but…”

“Thereis no but,Conny.Thisis all onRobbie,”Isaid. “Hecoerced you into doing things.Andif anyone says any differently, they’ll get to meet my hooves, up close and personal.”

Connywiped tears from his face as he averted his eyes.

Shoutsahead of us spurred us to move faster, because those shouts could only mean one thing.They’dfoundRobbie.

Westepped into a strange clearing in the woods.Itdidn’t look or feel natural.Infact, the area reminded me a lot of the place whereHaydenandIhad found that othertunnel opening.Ipushed up my glasses and wishedIcould see better through the shattered lens, butIcould still see we’d arrived at another hatch on the forest floor.

ButRobbiehadn’t had time to jump down it like a rabbit diving into its den.Instead,HaydenandRobbie, both still in their shifted forms, were circling one another, while all the other shifters formed a ring around them.Haydenhad a gash in his side that was dripping blood andRobbiewas limping.Theysnarled, baring their sharp, lethal teeth at each other.

Itwas like one of those old documentaries about wild animals that families used to watch every week on prime-time television.Youknow the ones.Animalswere always getting killed and eaten by other animals.Asa faun,Iwas not a predatory supe, so that show was fuel for nightmares that woke me in the middle of the night for weeks after.Icouldn’t understand how humans enjoyed watching that with their children.

Seeingmy mate in one of those fight-to-the-death situations,Iwondered ifI’dever sleep again.

Iwanted him to win, of course.Buthow would he cope if he killed his brother?

“Surrender.Idon’t want to hurt you,”Haydensaid.

“Likeyou tried last night?Screwyou.”

“Ifsomeone tried to hurt you last night, it must have been one of your own people.”

“Ifelt it,”Robbiescreamed. “Whenyou tried to take more of my power from me last night.”

“Ican’t take power from you or anyone,”Haydengrowled. “Ifyou were a true alpha, you’d know that.”

“Isthat what you think?Thatyou are a true alpha?Allyou do is hide in your little dumpy trailer behind your dumpy business.”Robbiesneered. “Andyou can’t lie to me.Ifelt it.Yousent your magic after me.Youthought you could trick me and make me submit to you.Well, who is the smart one now?Youcan’t fool me like that.”

Haydenstumbled. “No,Inever.”

Thatmust have been whenHaydenaccepted his role as alpha.Somepart ofHaydenhad still considered his brother part of his pack.Mymate had too soft a heart.Ofcourse,Iwould do the same for my brother, but that was easier to justify.Minewasn’t a murderous nostril dildo.Butnow what?Icouldn’t let him killRobbienow.HowwasIgoing to stop this?

Robbielunged forHayden.Haydenmet him halfway.Theycollided in a blur of teeth and claws and fur.Thesmell of blood infected the air.Haydenwas incredibly large now, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t vulnerable, particularly since he was holding back.Robbiecould kill him.Moreblood splattered across the ground.Haydenroared in pain.