Rogue Alpha: Wolf Shifter Romance (Wild Lake Wolves Book 1) by Kimber White Page B

long before I
saw him at the store with you. And that’s what I mean. Just that little bit of
contact was enough for me to sense Asher. With the time we’ve spent together,
he can track you the same way. I don’t know what Flood and Asher’s relationship
is or what Flood’s getting out of it. But, Asher and his pack need a lot of lands
to hunt while they’re here. A sort of home base. It would make sense that he’d
have someone connected with either the rangers or your outpost watching out for
the pack.”
    I nodded. Quickly as I could, I recounted what I
remembered about the argument Flood and Asher had. “They were talking about you
only I didn’t realize it at the time. And Flood said something about helping to
keep the rangers off Asher’s back. So, he does that and Asher basically agrees
not to rip Flood’s throat out?”
    Mal nodded. “If I were in Asher’s place, it’s what
I’d do. We’re strong, but we’re vulnerable this far south. The pack needs a
safe haven, and it looks like Flood’s helping to provide it.”
    “Now I get why Flood tried to blow me off after that
day in the woods when he shot at you. Told me I was seeing things. That you
were a coyote.”
    Mal scoffed and started pacing again. “There’s only
five of them, but even a pack that size can’t sustain themselves in a place
like this without drawing attention. We have outposts of our own down here, but
Asher’s had help from I some packs down in Kentucky and we’ve had to abandon
them. In addition to his vendetta against the Wild Lake packs, he wants to
claim lands all through Michigan. It looks like he thinks he’s got a foothold
in Manistee now.”
    “Why were you exiled?”
    Mal stopped pacing. He clenched his fists at his
side. “It’s a long story.”
    “Give me the highlights.”
    “I was born an Alpha. There wasn’t room for two of
us in my pack. I made a challenge. I lost. The Alpha I challenged could have killed
me. It would have been his right. But, someone intervened on my behalf. Some of
the wolves in Asher’s pack are very important to the people in Wild Lake. I’ve
been given a chance to bring them back and claim my place among the Wild Lake
packs for good.”
    I raised a brow. “That’s a pretty simple story, Mal.
So now you’re down here trying to claim a pack of your own. I get it. What can
I do to help?”
    Mal took a step back. He looked at me as if I’d
grown a third eye. “Why would you want to help me?”
    I stood up and went to him. “I have no idea. I
really don’t. Except that fucker Asher sicked those wolves on me. I was there.
They had a kind of bloodlust. And if they’re working with Flood, all the more
reason to hate them. I’m not one to uh . . . pardon the pun . . . . turn tail
from a fight. Flood’s going to try to discredit me with the university. Seems
to me hurting Asher means hurting Flood. So, I’m in. Also . . .”
    I didn’t know how to give voice to what I was
feeling. It was Mal. His fight felt like my fight. Like I belonged at his side.
I put a hand up. I meant to lay it on his chest but my fingers fluttered in midair
a few inches from his skin. If I touched him again, I didn’t know if I could
stop. The pull between us was that strong.
    I closed my fist and brought my hand down to my
side. “What’s happening to me? To us?”
    Mal’s face turned hard. I saw something pass through
his eyes as if he warred with himself. Finally, he reached down and took my
wrists in his hands. His fingers burned hot against my flesh. My heart raced in
time with his as I watched a pulse beat in his temple.
    “No,” he said simply, but the force of the word
seemed to strike me in the center of my chest, making my heart ache. “This
isn’t your fight. Get your things. I’m getting you the hell away from me.”
    Then, he let go of my wrists and my heart dropped to
the floor.

 
    Chapter Twelve
    Part of me wanted to gather my dignity and storm out
of the cabin on my own. I had