Chapter 102

Quirin

F*cking Jasper was attacking my pack. Again. When was this asshole going to realize that he couldn’t defeat me? This time, he must have gotten some friends to help him, but they weren’t the scrappy fighters that my warriors and I were. Other than me, my pack was made up solely of rogues, the misfits that the other packs kicked out. Okay, yeah, some of them were dangerous, and I had to keep them in line, but they were deadly, and Jasper needed to learn that no amount of money was worth your life.

When I claimed my father’s pack at eighteen, I learned just how hard he’d worked to ensure my financial stability when I took over the pack. I knew a lot of the wars that he fought were to obtain better pack lands, easier and cheaper access to water, electricity, and other necessities. He did it all for me. And now, I was by far the richest Alpha I’d ever met. I was richer than Henry and richer than Warren. You’d never know it to look at me and my pack members. We didn’t dress like we were rich; we didn’t strut around like we were high and mighty like the rich did, but my pack wanted for nothing.

More than anyone, the rogues understood protecting what was theirs. It was another reason that I took them all in. They were fantastic fighters to have lasted in the wild on their own, which was the primary reason that I allowed them into my pack. Not only that, but they also understood the value of protecting what they had. And what they had was this pack, a home, and me as their Alpha.

I don’t know how f*cking Jasper got away again, but I knew that I practically ripped his leg off this time. I’d chase after him and kill him, but I had a birthday party to attend tonight.

Connor and Kennedy Hill turned eighteen today. Connor would take over the pack from his father, Alpha Warren, whom I despised with every bone in my body. I’d refused to create an alliance with him because the man killed my father. I watched him do it. That memory was burned into my brain and was one of the worst moments of my life.

My father was a great man. Alpha Harold told me that he was greedy, that he was responsible for most of the pack wars that occurred back then. But I knew that he did it all for me. My father loved me. I definitely knew that. My father loved me more than his own life, giving his life for mine. My mother wasn’t that way. She protected me, but once she realized that I was safe and she lost her status in the pack, she let herself wither away and die. In the end, she loved her status more than she loved me.

‘Alpha, what should we do with the dead?’ Kier, my Beta, asked.

I looked around, pleased that my warriors killed so many of Jasper’s pack or the pack members of those he recruited to attack me.

“Pile them up and dump them outside Jasper’s pack lands,” I growled.

Kier smiled. “With pleasure, Alpha.”

“I have to go get ready for this f*cking party. Are you good?” I asked.

He snorted. “That should be fun.”

“An Alpha’s duties never end,” I said.

“Do yourself a favor, Alpha. Find yourself a sweet little p*ssy to bury yourself in.”

I grunted in response and headed up to my room. While I didn’t shy away from a woman who wanted me, I’d never f cked anyone in Alpha Warren’s pack. It wasn’t because I cared what he thought about me. I couldn’t give a sh t what Warren thought of me. It was her. That little witch of a woman who had always seen way too much.

I climbed into the shower, letting the blood and guts wash off of me as I thought about her. Kennedy. I’d watched her grow into a woman who far outshone her mother. Luna Yara was beautiful, no one could deny it. But Kennedy? That girl was something to behold. I guess today she was technically a woman.

I smiled as I thought about her. She hated it that I still called her ‘pup.’ I’d long since stopped thinking of her as a pup. That ended the first time I woke up, having a wet dream about that beautiful woman. Maybe because of that, I became even more antagonistic about calling her pup when I saw her.

And her scent, her sweet citrus and mint scent, had only gotten stronger and more mouthwatering as she’d gotten older. What hadn’t changed was her watchfulness and her insightfulness. The woman saw everything, far more than she should. And for some reason, her focus seemed to be almost entirely on me.

I should despise it; I should be mad or irritated that she was constantly watching me, noticing me in ways that others didn’t. But from her, I almost craved it. I loved that such a beautiful girl, a beautiful woman, watched me.

I’d seen the others falling all over themselves to get to her. Kennedy, being Connor’s twin sister and the oldest of the Alpha females in Warren’s pack, was much sought after by other Alphas. I knew that even Henry, who had yet to find his mate, wanted her. But I’d seen her ignore their advances just to watch me. I wasn’t sure that she knew how often I saw her watching me, but every time I was in the room with her, I kept an eye on her, watching her watching me.

And every time I saw her, that golden glow around her, that beautiful light of sweet and delicate inner beauty, glowed brighter and brighter.

Part of me hoped that she’d find her mate tonight. The other part of me wanted to kill anyone who came close to taking her from me. That part came from Raif, my wolf. He’d been enamored with Kennedy since she was a pup. He’d snubbed every other female we’d ever seen, and Goddess forbid that I talk about taking a chosen mate. He’d snarl and throw such a tantrum in my head that I couldn’t sleep, and it made my head throb until I relented.

Not that any woman was dumb enough to accept me as her mate. I’m not stupid. I’m an Alpha, and women want the prestige of being a Luna. But being mated to me wouldn’t be easy. I’m too dark, and eventually, I drag anyone who gets too close to me into the darkness that surrounds me.

It’s another reason that I hoped that Kennedy would find her mate tonight. She deserved better than the darkness that someone like me could give her. I told her years ago that she should be afraid of me, but for some reason, that little pup never heeded my words. A part of me, deep down in my heart, was glad that she didn’t.

I was distracted as I got out of the shower, so I didn’t smell his scent until he barked at me.

“What the f ck, Q? You were in a battle today? Why the f ck didn’t you call me?” Henry said, glaring at me from across my room.

I frowned. “I’m going to have to tell my patrols to start letting me know when you enter the pack lands.”

“They know I’m your brother, and don’t change the subject. Your pack smells like blood, death, and war. Why didn’t you call?”

“Because I didn’t need you. We were fine. F*cking Jasper was after my money again. And let’s be honest, you take a lot more time to get ready for these parties than I do,” I said to my best friend and brother. Okay, he’s my only friend.

He rolled his eyes at me and threw himself on the loveseat in my room. “I don’t take a long time.”

I looked at him, realizing that he’d taken a bit longer tonight than he usually did. He was dressed in an expensive cream-colored linen pantsuit that was casual but on him also looked very chic. If I tried that, I’d look like a mob boss trying to pretend I was on holiday at the beach. He crossed a leg over his knee, and I saw that he had new loafers to go with the nice linen suit.

“Did you buy all new clothes for tonight? What the f ck, Henry? Are you hoping that Kennedy is your mate?” I asked, joking. I turned to go into my closet to get dressed, but when he didn’t answer me, I turned back. “Are you f cking kidding me?”

Something dark inside of me threatened to push forward. I loved Henry, more than anyone in the world I loved this man who was like a brother to me, but at the moment, thinking of him with Kennedy, I was ready to rip him to shreds.

“Would that be so bad, Q? She’s gorgeous, she’s smart, she’s about the sweetest woman I’ve ever met… she’d make a good Luna,” he said, shrugging and looking away from me. I could tell that he was seriously hoping that she was his mate.

Honestly, he’d be the perfect mate to her. He’s exactly the kind of man that she should end up with. But the thought of her ending up with anyone had Raif thrashing around in my head.

‘Knock it off,’ I told my wolf.

‘I’ll kill him if he touches her.’

‘No, you won’t. He’s my best friend. She’s nothing but a pretty pup,’ I said, but I knew I didn’t mean it. She was one of the few people that could put a warm glow into my dark and angry heart.

‘Mmhmm, keep telling yourself that,’ Raif said.

I noticed that Henry was watching me, so I did what I always did when I didn’t want others paying attention to me. I got snarky. It usually worked, except with one little brunette with intelligent grey-green eyes.

“Who knows, maybe Connor is your mate, and you can become his Luna,” I said, chuckling as I went into the closet.

“You’re such an asshole, Q. I don’t know why I even bothered to come over here to get you.”

“Yeah, why did you?” I asked.

He looked at me. “I wasn’t sure you’d come otherwise.”

Normally, he’d be right. But I couldn’t miss that little pup’s birthday. I even got her a present. I got one for Connor too, but his gift was money. He was the incoming Alpha, so if he was smart, he’d put it toward the pack.

But for Kennedy, I wanted something special. Raif insisted that I get her jewelry, preferably something with a wolf’s head that looked like him. So, I had a wolf’s head made in pewter and onyx, since Raif’s fur was midnight black, and then I had diamonds put into his eyes, since April was her birth month. I was nervous to give it to her, but I was pretty sure, knowing her like I did, that even if she didn’t like it, she’d say she did and that she’d wear it anytime she expected to see me.

I finished getting ready, wearing black pants and a form-fitting black button- down shirt with black dress shoes. I rolled the sleeves up, hating to be this formal.

“You sure you want to do that?” Henry asked as I rolled up my sleeves.

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I?” I asked him.

“Luna Yara and Alpha Kennedy are going to see those marks on you. They’ll know you were fighting today.”

I stopped and looked at my arms. He was right; they would notice, and neither woman would let it go. Dammit!

I rolled my sleeves back down, feeling even more grumpy now than I did before.

“Are you ready?”

“I was waiting on you, brother,” he said, smiling and slapping me on the back as he stood.

I glared at him, then we headed down to his car and began to make our way to the party.