Alphas burden

31CADEN

As much as I’ve wanted to face my cousin from the minute I found Avery injured at the cottage, I wait a few days after he went for her before calling him out in front of the pack before a run. His arrogant swagger when I watch him around the packlands grates on me. My wolf views everything about him as an act of insubordination.

He won’t ever touch my mate again.

I’m knocking him down as low as he can get in the pack without me kicking his ass out in exile at the mercy of Wanderer’s Canyon or killing him.

No one messes with what’s mine.

The commons are festive tonight. The fire is going and the tables are laden with food. Avery and Beatrix are dancing to the fiddle players’ tune. I watch, drinking beer with Liam and Gabe.

Taryn and Callie sidle up to me. Taryn tries to goad Liam into giving her his beer. Callie has a poorly hidden smile. She elbows me, nodding to the female I haven’t taken my gaze off all evening.

The corner of my mouth lifts. “Are you talking to me again?”

“Well, you’re not an idiot with your head so far up your ass you can sniff your own balls anymore. I can’t believe you’d be so stupid to reject your own fated mate.” She smacks my arm. “What’s wrong with you?”

Gabe snorts, covering it with a cough. Liam smirks, whispering to him. He chokes on a sip of beer and Ford jogs over from the other side of the clearing. My heart stirs with understanding, constantly moored to Avery no matter which direction she’s in.

I squeeze my nape, pushing off the stab to my gut. “You said it yourself, Cal. I was an idiot.”

“Good, I’m glad we cleared that up.”

She grins, tugging me to the dancers and Beatrix swaps seamlessly with me, holding my beer. I gladly pull Avery into my arms, basking in her beaming smile. Her joy is everything. I’ve missed it, a hole carved from my heart of my own making.

“Hi.”

I pull her against me, touching my nose to hers. “Hi. Ready for tonight?”

She pretends to mull it over. “That depends. Are you pla

I growl, gathering her in my embrace. “Fuck no. None of that. I’m going to shift with my beautiful, stubborn mate who has my entire heart, and we’re going to run with our pack.”

Her brilliant smile returns, lighting me up. I kiss her, gri

“You’re also learning to hunt tonight,” I add.

“Am I?” Her brows jump. “I can hunt.”

“Tell that to your wolf. She’s too eager. Gives herself away with no strategy.” My face dips, mouth at her ear. “I’m going to teach you.”

She shivers, leaning into me. “I can’t read your mind. How are you going to teach me?”

“I can feel what you’re thinking,” I remind her in a smoky tone. “Our wolves communicate well. She’ll understand by watching my wolf.”

“You shouldn’t let him teach you,” Liam cuts in. “Callie and I are better at guiding the shifters that come of age to navigate it.”

I rumble. Avery pats my chest. When she gives him her attention, I wind an arm around her waist.

“I’m teaching her.”

She drives her elbow into my abs. “What if I want to hear Liam’s advice?”

“His advice is shit.”

Liam grins. “Yeah, that’s why you made it one of my duties. If you don’t like the alpha teaching you, come see me or Callie. You’ve got other packmates who have your back.”

“Like me,” Taryn chimes in. “Don’t listen to him either. I know the best hunting spots.”

Liam sighs. “Doubt it.”

“Try me.” She sticks her tongue out at him. “But for real, Avery. If you need pointers, let me know.”

“Great. Thanks,” Avery says.

“Not great,” I mutter.

She laughs and presses on tip toe to tuck her nose against the crook of my neck. “Relax. You get to teach me first.”

I crush her into my arms, quelling my mild irritation with her scent in my lungs. I have bigger problems to handle tonight than my beta baiting me into jealousy as a joke.

Beatrix hands me my beer and surveys the lively bonfire. “I can’t wait to join the runs as my own wolf. I’m going to be so fast, I know it.”

Avery chuckles at the sparkle in her sister’s eyes and strokes her hair affectionately. “You’ll be magnificent.”

“And we’ll run together.” Beatrix hugs Avery, then loops an arm around Lena to pull her in.

Callie joins in from behind Beatrix. “All of us. When you’re older, Lena.”

“What if I don’t have a wolf?” Lena points out.

Avery’s eyes shimmer. I put my hand on Lena’s back. Her health has seemed better in the last few weeks compared to when I first saw her the night I followed Avery back to the old settler’s cabin. She has color in her cheeks and her eyes are bright.

“Then we’ll get you a dirt bike or a quad. Something to make it easy for you to get around the mountain.”

“I get to drive? You’ll teach me?”

Lena lights up and the three sisters laugh. Avery shoots me a grateful look and traces the edge of the claiming mark I left on her.

“Can we paint dragons on it?” Lena claps, bouncing in place.

This pack never should’ve held so tightly to the old views that being Wolfless is a sign of weakness. I should’ve put an end to it long ago. Shifters are strong no matter what, and Lena’s strength is in the kindhearted peacefulness she exudes.

It’s almost time to start. I search the crowd, locking on Lorne holding his own court behind the picnic tables. My lip curls.

“I’m going after Lorne tonight,” I tell Avery. “Before the run begins.”

She pulls me away from the bonfire, lowering her voice. “Caden, just drop it. If you do this, it’ll make things worse. What if he comes after my sisters next?”

“I’d never let that happen,” I vow fiercely. “I protect what’s mine, and you are mine. That includes your family.”

She licks her lips, swaying into me. I want to whisk her out of here, toss her over my shoulder and take her back to the lodge. Spread her on my bed where she belongs, waking me at all hours as hungry as she was for me when I finally claimed her as mine.

I can’t believe I once thought I didn’t need a mate by my side. I was beyond wrong. My life was nothing without her in it.

“If I do nothing, he gets away with yet another liberty and he’s taken far too fucking many. He wants to challenge me for Alpha, but he’s a fucking snake about it.”

“What do you mean? If he wants to challenge you, he needs to face you. He can’t take the pack without beating you first. It’s the law.”

“He’s been undermining me. Swaying people to think he’s got better ideas to run the pack. That incident I left you to handle the other day? He’s behind it, and it isn’t the only one lately. He wants to ensure he’s got the pack fractured before he faces me. It’s one of the reasons I’ve made so many rules over the years trying to keep their scheming in check.”

“If you know they’re behind it, why not exile them?”

“They’re being smart about it. I can’t exile them without proof they’re doing all this to cause a revolt. They know it. I know it. They stick to getting under people’s skin to cause minor acts of defiance, just enough to make me feel the pressure of them clawing at my back. None of the people involved in these incidents give up their names. Until they make a move openly, I’d be viewed as too extreme, acting for my own gain instead of the good of the pack. It’s written into the accords to prevent alphas from becoming power-hungry like they were in the Original Pack.”

“That’s ridiculous. If you know they’re causing trouble and it’s putting the pack at risk, they need to answer for it,” she huffs.

“I look forward to the day I can put an end to it.” I exhale roughly, caressing her cheek with my knuckles. “But tonight, after I’ve a

My wolf paces restlessly, ready to unleash his rage on my cousin.

Liam stands at attention when I nod. He herds the pack into order, gathering them for me. I kiss Avery, then stride to the front of the group. My gaze sweeps over them as they quiet. The majority show deference quickly. I don’t like how many take longer to do the same.

“Before tonight’s full moon run, there are two important matters to bring before the pack.” My booming a

I hold my hand to her in invitation. She hesitates before joining me, taking her rightful place and slipping her fingers into my waiting palm. Several murmurs spread through the crowd. She wears my mating bite proudly, eroding any question that she’s mine.

“Avery Morgan is my mate. I claim her before you as mine.”

Reverence carries in my words. A fervent glow fills me from our bond, her happiness echoing with my own.

The pack breaks out in applause and happy cheers.

Tobin cups his hands around his mouth. “Congratulations, Alpha!”

She laughs airily, leaning into my side when I draw her into my embrace. I drop a kiss on the top of her head.

“Thank you,” I say.

Avery returns to stand with her sisters, accepting a hug from Alisha and more well-wishes from Alma. She tucks Lena against her front. Beatrix and Callie are at her side. Taryn on the other. Gabe and Ford position themselves near them, guarding them.

“Liam.”

He makes his way through the pack with Hodge and Tobin, the three of them bringing the five culprits before me. The two on the end shift their weight nervously, glancing at Lorne. He’s unbothered, amused by my stony expression.

“Kneel.”

Two collapse to the floor immediately. Dane goes next, fighting the Alpha command with a grimace. A thundering growl builds in my throat.

“Why have I called you five before me?”

Lorne bares his teeth, fighting my power pi

“Alpha Blackburn asked you a question.” Liam clamps Lorne’s nape, forcing his head to bow until it’s shoved into the grass for his brazen display of disrespect. “Answer him.”

“We messed with Avery. She’s a traitor,” the weakest of the group blurts.

My scowl swings to him. “My mate is no traitor. Watch your fucking tongue.”