Defying the Alpha

Chapter 4

Isabella’s moonflowers flickered on the windowsill, lighting up the room. I shut off the lights and crawled into bed with her, listening to pack members howl on their midnight runs.

“What was that?” Isabella asked, pulling the blankets over our naked bodies.

I brushed some hair out of her face. “What was what?”

She rolled her bright blue eyes. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. Did you ask that wolf to come and watch?” she asked, gnawing on her lip. “Because everyone in our pack knows not to come here, especially this late at night to watch us.”

to watchThere wasn’t anything I could get past Isabella.

My lips curled into a small smile. “He’s a beta in a nearby pack, someone I used to train with. I asked him to come. Did you enjoy it?”

Cheeks flushed, she looked down at my chest and gave the slightest nod. “I just never thought you’d like that.”

I turned onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. There were many things Isabella didn’t know about me yet even though we were mates and once good friends. So much had changed between us once my father started training me to be alpha.

“I enjoy it,” I said.

“Have you done it before?” she asked me.

“Yes,” I said hesitantly, all the bad memories coming back.

She widened her eyes and sat up. “Really?” she asked, actually curious. “With who?”

“I don’t think you really want to know, Isabella. It’s in the past,” I said, yet she continued to stare down at me with those big eyes. I sighed and pulled her down with me, holding her in my arms. “My ex–best friend and my ex-girlfriend.”

Somehow, her eyes got even wider. “With that Scarlett girl?” Isabella asked, scrunching her nose in disgust. “I only heard rumors about her, but I hated her with my entire being because she took you away from me.” She paused, the moonflowers glowing off her eyes. “Who was your friend?”

I shook my head. “His name is Kylo. Kylo Marks.”

“Kylo of the Moon Ridge Pack?” she asked with wide eyes. “What happened between you two?”

I clenched my jaw, thinking back to my mother and my father, back to Scarlett, back to the days I’d vowed to kill Kylo if I ever saw him on my property. That man had had it out for me for over four years now, and tomorrow would be the first day I’d see him in years.

“A falling-out,” I said, refusing to go into any more detail than that now.

Isabella sat up in bed again, shaking her head. “Kylo has been one of the most outspoken alphas after the world found out that Ryker had betrayed the Lycans. He’ll be at the meeting tomorrow.” She curled her knees to her chest and chewed on the inside of her cheek. “I’m nervous that I won’t be able to settle the alpha down.”

Trailing my fingers across her hip, I sat up and placed my lips on her mark. “Don’t be nervous, my dear Isabella,” I said, feeling her relax under my lips. “Kylo won’t be a problem for you. I’ll take care of him. What we should be nervous about is the unrest between some of the warring packs.”

“Unrest?” she whispered.

“Cayden told me earlier that wolves have been more feral than usual lately,” I said, tucking some hair behind her ear. “And I don’t want you to get roped into it and willingly put yourself in more danger.”

“I’m the leader of the Lycans, Roman. Danger comes with the job.”

“And you’re my mate. Protecting you comes with mine.”