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Alpha Picked 25
*** Manzitti ***I watch my little sister looking out the window as Beta Ivan leaves the pack territory and I am there to catch her when she falls and cries.“He left Manzitti. He actually fucking left,” she says as she howls in pain. “He said he would never leave, but you all do eventually”.“Hey, I’m still here!” I remind her through her uncontrollable sobs. “And you could have asked Ivan to stay. He would have stayed if you had asked him.”She looks at me like I’ve grown an extra head. “I can’t just ask him to stay, he wants me to mark him, Manzitti.”“That’s what we do. We are first and foremost werewolves. We are territorial about what belongs to us. How would you feel about a load of girls coming on to Ivan when he goes to a bar later, since he is unmarked and therefore fair game. He has wanted you to be his for seven years, Slayne, and seven years you have been with him and no other. Who are you trying to kid, me or yourself, Sis? Because you’re fooling no one. Take your time a
Alpha Picked 26
*** Ivan ***Slaynes' hurt and resentment is building up inside me and blending with my own. Why did the Moon Goddess mate me with such a resisting and challenging woman? I have nearly turned back on three occasions and told her it's ok, she doesn’t have to decide but I know that I will end up begrudging her and her unwillingness to be as one with me.I love her, probably too much, and I don’t want to hate her. I cannot hate her because deep down I know it’s not me she’s resisting. What she really fears is commitment and abandonment. I don’t want to leave her, leave my home, leave my friends and family, or my position. I hate it all.Pushing past the desire to turn around, I drive the van to Helen’s house and set up a discrete perimeter for us to maintain, and only ten minutes pass before a dark figure approaches Helen’s house. I stay back, assessing what is happening but I feel giddy in anticipation of a ruckus, and I am amazed that what I thought would be a lazy and pointless babysi
Alpha Picked 27
*** Helen ***It felt so good to tell Alan to leave and I would see him in court. The absolute cheek of him, coming here demanding to see Summer after all this time. He has the audacity to call me names and bring my fidelity into question when Melanie basically told me they have been together for longer than Alan and I have.I am thankful that Manzitti sent Ivan although I think I would have preferred him to be here himself. I have been so nervous all night that I haven’t slept properly and it’s a mix of terror for my baby and anticipation of seeing Manzitti again. I am embarrassed about my outburst; goodness knows what impression that gave him of me.He arrives at my house at 7.15 and from upstairs I hear him asking Ivan and the other two wolf-men to go get some breakfast and return at 8am. He comes upstairs where I am sitting at my dresser brushing my hair, I am already dressed and ready to leave.“Helen?” He calls to me from the landing and my heart melts at his thoughtfulness.“I’
Alpha Picked 28
*** Halle ***“Sal, did you hear what I said?” My ears are ringing and I feel like I am separate from my body. This cannot be happening. This cannot be true.“Bebe, please look at me, I am so sorry. Your mother found him this morning when he didn’t wake as usual.” I hear his words, but they don’t make sense, it can’t be real. I shake my head at Brad, the man my father chose for me and the one I had resisted until last night when we finally had sex and I agreed to marry him. And then my father, the man who orchestrated this very union goes and dies just as it began.He can’t be dead; he is the strongest person I know.Brad had insisted on us getting back into his car when we left Helen’s house and he drove us a short distance away to an empty car park. He shut off the engine and took my hands in his as he told my father had passed away.“No, he is not dead. He can’t die.” I see the torment in Brad’s eyes and the truth starts to dawn on me: my papa is really gone. I hear a distressed cr
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*** Manzitti ***Once I have moved Helen and Summer on to the car to safety, I run back to the people who dared bring harm and suffering to my mate. I tell them in no uncertain terms if they involve Social Services or the police that I would ensure every missing child involved with Carole Barkley would be mentioned and I would ensure they all go away for a very long time.I knew I was on to something when they told me I was on private property, and since I got what I came for, I could leave.“Tell Carole this isn’t over. I will hunt her down, the cruel old hag. She will rue the day she messed with me, with Helen, and with Summer. I will make it my life’s work to ensure she pays for what she has done!” And I sincerely mean it. No one messes with me and mine and gets away with it.I sit in the back with Helen and Summer on the way back to her house, and despite what has happened, Summer does not seem overly affected by it. She is really affectionate and loving towards Helen; in fact, th
Alpha Picked 30
*** Slayne ***I haven’t left my bed today and I haven’t allowed anyone access to my room. Even the Omega assigned to us has knocked on the door several times begging me to eat and drink but I am so down I cannot even bring myself to respond other than to tell them no. I want to be alone.In the past, I have spent weeks not speaking to Ivan, keeping my distance and watching him from afar. Waiting for him to fuck up. I had expected him to start sleeping around again, like he did before we found out we were mates, and I would watch jealously and enviously when he spoke to girls I knew he had fucked before. However, the distance between us this time causes an overwhelming physical pain deep down in a soul. My wolf, Lizzie, whimpers and cries and I feel my strength deserting me.Ivan always said that he wouldn’t break his promises to me, and especially that he wouldn’t touch another she-wolf while we explored our bond, but only six months after my 18th birthday, Ivan did break a promise h
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*** Helen ***I have my baby back home with me and I feel like I can start moving forward with my life. After Manzitti leaves, I contact a solicitor to start formal divorce proceedings and I also call my mother. I need her support right now and although it pains me that I have to ask her to support me, I do it anyway.Her moving to the south of France to be with her latest husband has caused a physical and emotional distance between us and although we were never best friends, we had been close as mother and daughter. I need my mum right now, I need someone to tell me everything is going to be okay, and to help me with my child.“Oh, hello Helen, I meant to call you just last week but I got distracted. How are you and Summer and Alan doing?” My mother’s overly sunny reply feels saccharine sweet, but I push that to one side for now.“Mum, I need you! Please can you come and stay with me for a little while?” I hate the neediness in my voice, I haven’t needed my mother since I was a small
Alpha Picked 32
*** Manzitti ***I settle on my bed before I call Helen. It’s our first phone call as a dating couple and excitement bubbles up in my stomach. I have condemned other men for behaving like this but now that I have found my mate, I will never chastise them ever again because the feeling is immense. I am falling for her.I tap her photo in my phone, and revel at the beauty that will be mine and I send a little message of thanks to the almighty Moon Goddess. She had made me wait but they say the best things are worth waiting for. Only when I’m finished admiring her do I press the call button.I feel genuine nerves for the first time in my life as I wonder what I should say to her? The line rings twice before Helen answers.“Hey, Shortie, did you miss me?” Fuck! I am so lame, why didn’t I just say ‘hey, how are you doing’ or just play it casually?However, I feel like my dreams are coming true when she answers me. “I miss you more than I could ever tell you, Manzitti.”I let out a massive
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Alpha Picked 79
FANEI grabbed another crate of flowers and put them in the cooler. The door to the shop opened and Thorne walked in carrying two more.“Where do you want these?”“Are those the daffodils or the baby’s breath?” I asked.He glanced inside the crate and made a face. “This one is baby’s breath, and this one looks like curly twigs.”I laughed. “They’re curly willow tips.” I pointed to where Liv stood at another cooler. “Let Liv have them. They go in that one.”He walked her way, and I stared at him, still blown away that he was mine. It had only been two weeks since the night at my apartment when I asked him to stay after everything with Brooks happened, but it felt like we’d always been together. There was an ease with Thorne I had never felt with Brooks.Life was magical with him.Liv took the crates from Thorne, and then I noticed her checking her watch. That had to be the tenth time in the last few minutes. When she chewed the inside of her cheek—her telltale sign she was nervous—I kn
Alpha Picked 78
THORNE Nadine had asked me to stay the night, which was more confirmation she wasn’t freaked out by my wolf. This meant everything. My wolf vibrated with triumph. He’d expected things to go this smoothly, though.After all, he had already known she was his mate.He also had high hopes for what would happen between us tonight, and as I walked up the stairs to her apartment, I growled at him mentally. Nothing would happen tonight. Not unless Fane initiated it. She’d been through a lot and I would push for nothing.When we reached her front door, she glanced at me and smiled. I caught sight of the purple bruise shading her cheek and any sexual thoughts fled my mind and my wolf’s.My vision tunneled, and red rage flared through me instead.My teeth gritted together as I tried my damnedest to force my anger away, reminding myself she was safe, and that there was no way Brooks would ever hurt her again. It didn’t help.“What?” she asked, innocently.“You need ice,” I said. “Let’s head ins
Alpha Picked 77
FANE Either Brooks had passed out or he was being really quiet. Goose bumps prickled across my skin, but not in a good way. I gripped my cell tight and shifted my gaze from window to window. Thankfully, my apartment was above my sister’s garage and not at ground level, which meant there was no way for Brooks to climb through any of the back windows. If he got inside, it would be through either of the two windows alongside the front door or through the door itself.Even knowing this, my anxiety was still through the roof.I’d never seen Brooks like this before. Typically, he was controlled while in the public eye, and he rarely let himself get this drunk unless we were home. My heart beat triple time against my ribs, becoming the only thing I could hear. Until the sound of a motorcycle broke through everything.Thorne.Tension melted from my muscles, and my grip on my cell loosened. I pulled in a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, glad he was here. When it sounded as though he’d pulle
Alpha Picked 76
THORNE We walked to where we parked by the light of Fane’s flashlight on her phone. I didn’t need it, but I didn’t say so. Thanks to my wolf, I could see just fine in the dark.As soon as we reached her car, she spun around to face me and I knew what words were building on the tip of her tongue.“Nope,” I said with a shake of my head. “I don’t want to hear you say you’re sorry for the things that happened tonight or thank you to me again.”She smiled. Damn, she was pretty when she smiled.“Okay, so what do you want to hear me say, then?” she asked, and I swore she was flirting with me.I liked this side of her. This flirty, confident side that came out from time to time.It was sexy as hell.I took her hand and brought it to my lips, kissing along her knuckles while staring into her eyes. Her pupils dilated and my wolf picked up on a light scent of arousal. He released a howl and urged me to kiss her like before. I didn’t. A kiss on the hand was what she needed right now.Someone to b
Alpha Picked 75
FANE When Thorne pulled into a gas station, I assumed it was because he needed gas for his motorcycle, but when he parked in a space instead of at a pump, I realized that wasn’t the case. I pulled into the parking space beside him, wondering what we were doing here.“I’m heading inside for something. Be right back,” he said, sliding off his bike, looking sexy as hell.I leaned against my seat and exhaled a slow breath while watching him walk inside. This day had been a roller coaster. My teeth sank into my bottom lip as my thoughts drifted from one moment to another. I glanced at my wrist. It was still wrapped like Thorne suggested. While it was tender to the touch, I was glad I’d gone through with covering up Brooks’ name. I wanted nothing to do with him ever again.Thorne came back, his presence pulling me from my thoughts. There was a six-pack in his hand and a lopsided grin on his face. I smiled back, but narrowed my eyes.What did this guy have up his sleeve? He looked like he w
Alpha Picked 74
THORNE I hated Brooks. He was like a pimple that popped up at the most inconvenient time. Fane and I had been having a good time before he’d rudely interrupted us. Our thank-you drink was becoming a celebratory one. It was great she’d worked out a deal with May and was buying May’s Flowers. It was a beautiful thing when someone knew what they wanted to do with their life and made it happen.And then here was this douchebag tripping her up.Fane was moving forward, but he kept pulling her back.“Can we go?” she asked, looking directly at me. There was fear in her eyes. Clearly, she’d seen this side of him before.“Yeah, sure,” I said without hesitation. Bars weren’t really my scene, anyway.I tossed a twenty on the bar to pay for our drinks, even though she said she would buy, and gave Joe a nod before lacing my fingers through Fane’s and steering us toward the exit.“Holy shit!” Brooks shouted from behind us, causing my wolf to go on high alert. He’d picked up on Brooks’ anger escala
Alpha Picked 73
FANE I walked toward the doors of Last Drop, my mind racing. I couldn’t believe I’d asked Thorne Beckett out for a drink. It was a bold move, but after everything with Brooks and my tire, it felt right. Thorne had helped me more than he could ever know today.“Fane,” a familiar voice called from behind me while I walked through the parking lot.I spun around to see Thorne weaving his way toward me.“Hey, you came,” I said, unsure why.“Of course I did. You offered to buy me a drink.”“Right, that I did.” Ugh. I sounded like a complete idiot!“I’m kidding. I would have come even if you hadn’t offered to buy me a drink,” he said, still sauntering toward me. An adorable grin hung from his lips, one that sent butterflies through the pit of my stomach.Thorne was hot—smoking hot.I scolded myself for the thought. This wasn’t a date. It was me buying him a drink because he’d helped me with my shitty Brooks issues more than once today. I shouldn’t feel butterflies while in his presence.“Re
Alpha Picked 72
THORNE Nadine was scared. I could tell. And it was driving my wolf wild. He didn’t like smelling her fear saturating the air around us. All he wanted was for me to fix it. To comfort her and make her feel better.The problem was, I didn’t know how.Talking to her and getting her mind off her asshole ex seemed like the way to do it, but I didn’t know what to say. My mind was drawing a complete blank, and it didn’t help that my wolf was pulling me in multiple directions. While he wanted me to stay here with her, to protect her and make sure she was okay, he also wanted me to track Brooks down and make him bleed for hurting her.I had an internal battle waging inside me, tearing me in two.I outlined the last petal of her lotus and then cleaned her skin. The shop door opened as I covered her tattoo with plastic wrap and secured it. I didn’t have to look over my shoulder to know who had entered. I could tell from the way Fane’s fear intensified in the air and how her body tensed.Brooks
Alpha Picked 71
FANE I found a parking space on Main Street and cut the engine of my car. To say I was excited to get Brooks’ name covered with a lotus flower was an understatement.However, I was also excited to see Thorne.As I thought about the conversation we’d had on the phone the other night when I called to book my appointment, I wondered for the millionth time if he’d cared that I had shortened his name to Cal.I hoped not.I exhaled a slow breath as I slid out of my car and made my way down the sidewalk toward Inked Wolf. When I spotted Ms. Lynette on the bench beneath the clock tower in town square, I smiled and waved at her. She motioned for me to come over, so I headed in her direction. There was still ten or fifteen minutes before my appointment with Thorne. It was enough time to say a quick hello to her and then make my way back across the street.“Hello, Ms. Lynette,” I said when I reached her.She held up her index finger. “I have something for you,” she said, before rummaging throug
