Fat-Free Alpha by Angelique Voisen Page A

Reed’s fervent hope Carlos would grant him his wish made him all the more
angry.
    Reining in the temper of his wolf
was the hardest thing Carlos had ever done. He leaped off Reed in disgust.
Without another word, Carlos began to run across the cemetery. He didn’t care
where he was going. He just trusted his paws and his beast to lead him. The
wind felt wonderful on his face and fur.
    Memories of Bonnie giggling,
gripping his fur, and trying to catch up to him on her
wobbly human legs painfully resurfaced. He thought of the long hours he kept,
working his human job during the day and attending to pack business at night.
The thought of coming home to his daughter and his mate were the only things he
looked forward to.
    Now, those things were gone.
    So Carlos ran until the hours
passed and his sharp memories of Bonnie faded to a dull ache. By the time he
returned to the house he shared with Reed, it was dark. There weren’t any
lights in the house and that alarmed him.
    “Reed? You here? I’m ready to talk. I’m sorry for the way I’ve
reacted.”
    No answer. Heart thumping, he
maneuvered through the silent and empty house. His heart nearly gave out when
he arrived at the master bedroom.
    After being injured severely with
the bar fight with another pack, the fight where Bonnie died,
his heart couldn’t take much stress any longer. Now it thumped
agonizingly slow against his chest. The bedroom was a mess. Clothes and items
were carelessly strewn around. All Reed’s belongings were gone.
    Only his mate’s lingering scent was
left, and even that too would eventually fade. Carlos wasn’t aware of sliding
against the wall. He stared into the mess of his bedroom.
    “Fuck you, Reed. I swear , if I ever see your face again, I’m going to kill you.”

 
    Chapter One
     
    “Alpha, the representative from the
Starr Mountain Pack just arrived in town.”
    Carlos Medina’s fingers trailed
across the inscription on the tombstone and lingered there for a few seconds.
He steadied his breathing at the same thing, and snuffed out the urge to strike
at the wolf who foolishly invaded his private time.
    At the advice of his enforcers,
he’d grudgingly conceded to have one wolf shadow him whenever he went out.
Bonnie’s grave was just one of the places he didn’t tolerate anyone else
trespassing.
    “Fuck off.”
    “Sorry. I just can’t do that,
Alpha.”
    Carlos slowly stood to face the
brave, or rather foolish, enforcer. Donnie Mills returned his gaze evenly. He
was probably the only enforcer in the New Haven Pack who’d dare do such a
thing.
    Then again, he’d known Don ever
since they were kids and unwanted orphans. They grew up together in the same home
and enlisted in the military the moment they got out of the home.
    Don had been by his side when he’d
been bitten, and allowed himself to be bit so Carlos wouldn’t have to go
through the change alone. The man was also there when he’d found Reed and
Bonnie, and he was there when Carlos lost them.
    “Carlos, I know this place is
off-limits, but I need to warn you before you face the representative and the
rest of the pack.” Don scratched at the stubble on his cheek.
    It was a nervous gesture Carlos
recognized whenever the Beta was debating what information to tell him and what
information to keep to himself.
    He narrowed his eyes. “Tell me
what?”
    “The other enforcers don’t know,
and the rest of the pack have no idea. I’m probably
the only one back from that time who knows.” Don licked his lips, and his eyes
grew a little uncertain.
    Carlos found that a little
suspicious. Don was the last wolf he’d expected to watch his words around him.
    “Know about what, Don?”  
    “Well…”
    “Don. If you don’t spit out what
you have to say, I’m going to beat it out of you.”
    “About Reed.”
    Just the syllables of his former
mate felt like a sudden and stinging slap. Hearing it again slowed the tempo of
his heart. Emotions long buried and dead