Un.Bridled (Claimed Series #2) Read online

  Addie was hardly open to any humor Blake might have enticed from her. She slammed her palms on the table, causing dishes and glasses to jump and clatter. Clearly, she’d reached her breaking point.

  “Do you think this is easy for me?” She stood up, a hard line to her mouth. “With Devan gone, I’ve been expected to carry a full burden. No one has stepped up and asked if I needed help. You’re all conveniently gone until dinner and then you go to your rooms. Contrary to popular belief, cooking and cleaning for four male werewolves is not a simple chore.”

  Hayden swallowed guiltily, never realizing Devan had been of such assistance.

  “I can’t do this anymore,” Addie trailed off, her anger turning way to sorrow. She slumped back to her chair and placed a hand against her face.

  “As the other female in the house, you’re expected to step up and help, Hayden,” Nathan quickly pointed out.

  “Excuse me?” she whispered coolly. “Because I’m female?” Amber eyes narrowed on an impassive Nathan. “And what is your duty as male? Sitting on your ass all day and having the women serve you dinner?”

  “Hey,” Blake complained. “Don’t lump us together in one category. Nathan is an entirely different classification of male.”

  Fergus jumped to defend his twin brother. “It’s not like you’ve been doing much around the house. You’re downtown chasing tail all day.”

  Hayden’s anger cooled into surprise at both the revelation and Fergus’ uncharacteristic tone. The omega was never cruel and crude like this, especially to Blake.

  Nathan cleared his throat and stood up. “I might as well address this now.” He looked at each member of the pack, making certain he had their undivided attention. “I’ve done a lot of thinking these past few days—”

  “Lucky us, we get to hear about it,” Blake mumbled.

  “I’ve seen the way this pack is regressing. Consequently, I decided I didn’t want to be stuck in my position any longer. I’m tired of being third ranking and being held back from advancing.”

  “Fourth ranking,” Hayden corrected simply.

  Nathan raised an unimpressed eyebrow at her petty interruption. “Before I make my announcement, I’d like to point out a few things I’ve observed. As Addie already stated, she’s being stretched thin by Devan’s absence. Besides myself, no one has been helping her out. And Blake and Fergus are downtown quite frequently and have slipped on their duties to the pack.”

  Here, Nathan turned to a stone-faced Cole. “I understand you need to work, Cole.” He inclined his head submissively under the Alpha’s hard look. “Your father left you with debt, but you should know that your beta hasn’t been taking his job seriously as second-in-command.”

  That was news to Hayden. With how large Cole’s house was, she thought he was wealthy. She knew he had inherited a company from his father, but then, just because he owned a company didn’t mean it was profitable. She’d just assumed it was.

  “Hayden leaves during the day as well. I have no idea where she’s been going,” Nathan enlightened. “Seeing as she’s an unmated female, I hardly think giving her free reign across town is appropriate. Look at where that got Devan.”

  Hayden bit her tongue and endured Cole’s sharp observance.

  “Asher?” he asked her quietly with an undertone of threat.

  She stared into his dark eyes, feeling the senseless urge to hurt him. “A couple times,” she replied honestly. She watched as his chiseled jaw clenched and the muscles in his forearms shifted. “But I usually just spend time by myself.”

  He continued watching her with a deep, fathoming look.

  “I’m leaving. I’ve accepted the position as Alpha to Falco’s old pack,” Nathan announced, tearing Cole’s attention away from Hayden.

  Everyone stilled at the announcement, unsure whether to take him seriously or not. Blake made a spluttering noise, halfway between disbelief and wicked amusement.

  “I know you underestimate me, Cole. I understand that you respect Blake as your beta more than you could respect me. But I feel like I can offer more to the werewolf community and I can’t do that standing in Blake’s shadow.”

  “I don’t underestimate you,” Cole reasoned. “I know your potential—”

  “But you’d rather have muscles enforcing your orders as opposed to a level head.” Nathan nodded once. “I want a chance to prove myself and this is the only way to do it. Timothy is too young and inexperienced to lead a pack of such magnitude. I might not be up to standards myself, but I had your father, Xavier, as a good example.”

  Hayden grimaced at the subtle insult. In so many words, Nathan had just insulted Cole’s ability to lead a pack. She knew Cole always strived to live up to Xavier’s standards; it was a sensitive topic for him.

  Looking sideways at Fergus, Hayden wondered if he knew about Nathan’s intentions. Judging from the omega’s crestfallen expression, Fergus hadn’t known either.

  As much as she found it hard to get along with Nathan, she couldn’t imagine him not being a part of the pack. They all had their roles within the pack dynamic. Without Devan, they were unraveling, without Nathan, they would unravel further.

  She turned back to Nathan, pondering his reasons. Did he really want to prove himself? Or was he still affected by Devan’s betrayal? Hayden knew Nathan had held Devan in a place of endearment. It had been hard on him when she’d left.

  “Because Fergus is my twin brother, I want to take him with me,” Nathan continued.

  At the proclamation, Hayden jerked, having the crazy notion of jumping on the table and telling him off. She couldn’t lose Fergus.

  The omega straightened and looked between his brother and a silent Cole. “I—I can’t betray Cole, Nathan,” he whispered. His face was pale and grey. “This is my pack. My family. And Cole is my Alpha.” He gazed around the table. “I can’t imagine leaving all of them, especially at a time like this.”

  “We’d be down the road,” Nathan insisted firmly. “You can see them every day. You’re my real brother, my real family. I’d appreciate your support in this.”

  Fergus shook his head, speechless for a moment. When he finally spoke, he sounded distraught. “But they’re my real family, Nathanial. I’m staying here.”

  “You’re more than welcome to take the position as Falco’s successor,” Cole began darkly. He gazed levelly at Nathan, challenging the other man with his eyes. Nathan tried to hold the stare, and he did a valiant job, but he succumbed in the end. “But Fergus will stay here.”

  “Cole!” Addie stood up. “Tell Nathan he belongs here.” She looked imploringly at her grandson. When he stared obstinately back at her, she turned to Nathan. “We love having you here, Nathan. You’re a wonderful influence around the house. I would like it if you’d stay. We need you here.”

  Hayden felt almost ill at the desperation coming from Addie. Next to her, Fergus had his head bowed and his hands were trembling in his lap. Blake was no better. The beta was slouched in his seat, giving off the impression of carelessness, but his eyes were clouded as they studied the table.

  And Cole…

  The Alpha sat at the head of the table, his curled fist resting against his mouth. He said nothing to sway Nathan’s decision. But oddly enough, his dark eyes were focused on Nathan, glimmering with something akin to challenge.

  Hayden suddenly realized that Cole respected Nathan’s decision and was only stepping aside to let the man accomplish his goals. She wondered if Cole had always intended Nathan to leave and start something bigger.

  Cole glanced at her, his gaze confirming her assumptions. He was testing Nathan, she realized. Nathan had the potential to be more. But did he possess resolution?

  “I’ve already talked things over with Timothy, Addie,” Nathan explained calmly. He cupped her wrists and gave them a reassuring squeeze. “I will be leaving tomorrow morning. As long as Cole allows it, I will come back to visit. Thank you for everything.”

  With an air of aloof profess
ionalism, he nodded sharply to the rest of the pack and exited the room. Addie floundered for a moment before quickly following at his heels, flashing Cole a look that would freeze hell over.

  “Excuse me,” Fergus whispered. He hid his face from prying eyes and followed his brother out the dining room.

  Hayden hoped Cole knew what he was doing. Whatever he was aiming for by testing Nathan, he was also risking the pack’s shaky stability.

  “So…” Blake trailed off, glancing at a stiff Cole and a bemused Hayden. “Garbage pizza for three? Donnie’s?” He held up his hands defensively when Hayden glared at him. “What? Werewolves need to eat, no matter how unfortunate, or in this case, fortunate, the circumstances are.”

  “Why do you want to go to Donnie’s?” Hayden asked suspiciously, remembering Fergus’ earlier comment. “Did you want to chase tail downtown before picking up the pizza?”

  Blake leaned towards her, his face gradually darkening. “Stay out of it, Hayden. I mean it.” Without another word, he got up and left the dining room.

  She sat back, surprised at his defensive reaction to her teasing.

  Suddenly aware that she was now alone with Cole, Hayden stood up, intending to leave. Only, his hand curled around her forearm in a vice-like grip, keeping her in place and forcing her to sit back down.

  “Stay,” he ordered. “I’m sure there is something here we can salvage.”

  With her heart in her throat, Hayden sat back down, though she had little choice. For the second time that night, Cole took his time releasing her, his warm fingers stroking her skin as he withdrew. She tried to suppress the shiver, but her skin prickled with pleasant goose bumps.

  “Do you think he can succeed as Alpha?” Hayden asked quietly, needing to preoccupy her attention elsewhere. It seemed like forever ago since she’d talked privately with Cole.

  He offered a grim smile, as if pleased she had been able to see his underlying intentions when no one else had. “We will see. He is very inexperienced, but he does possess the necessary obligation and willpower.”

  “Will the pack suffer because of it?” Hayden watched as Cole grabbed the basket of rolls and the bowl of salad.

  Cole was silent as he dropped a generous amount of salad on top her plate. He appeared tired but his broad shoulders remained proud. “I anticipate that we will only get stronger.”

  She had her doubts, but she also had faith in Cole’s leadership. Somehow, she knew Cole would never let his pack deteriorate in front of him.

  2. Chapter Two

  The correlation never dawned on her before, but Adolf resembled the elves from the old folklores. He was unmarked by age, his features both flawless and immaculate. His silver hair, which fell past his shoulders, was currently tied at the nape of his neck, exposing the solid column of his throat.

  If it wasn’t for the predominant scowl he wore, or the way he constantly insulted Cole and the rest of the pack, Hayden might have considered Adolf handsome. He was muscular, but in comparison to Cole, he was lithe. His agile stature could explain why he preferred daggers as opposed to fists.

  Her anticipation heightened as he charged from his house. However, one look at his livid expression abruptly dissipated Hayden’s earlier perceptions. She wondered how she’d considered him handsome when he currently resembled a wild boar.

  “Get off my property!” A wolfish snarl entwined his words, giving his order more bite.

  “But I’m not on your property,” Hayden replied innocently. While he intimidated her just the slightest, her excitement over a face-to-face conversation overshadowed any hesitancy. “In fact, I made sure I stayed behind the territory line.”

  He moved fluidly over his territory and grabbed Hayden’s arm. “Whatever game you’re playing at will stop now.” He half carried her, half dragged her down his property. “I am personally going to escort you to your Alpha.”

  “Cole is working,” she supplied flippantly. “He always works during the week. You should have known that.”

  Granted, she was ecstatic at finally having Adolf in front of her, but she hadn’t formulated a strategy to convince him to teach her. Not yet anyway. She’d been more preoccupied with waiting outside his house until he came out.

  “Then I will bring you to Addie.”

  “Probably not the best idea, considering she’s out shopping.”

  Adolf stopped abruptly. He shook her once, as if torn between tossing her aside and crushing her arm. “What do you want, Mutt?”

  Mutt was a term Hayden hadn’t heard for quite some time. Ever since she’d stepped foot in Albertville, with a rogue as a Sire and Nicolas as her ‘declared mate’, Adolf frequently tried to banish her from town. However, after realizing Hayden hadn’t been responsible for the killings in Albertville, Adolf had lost much of his ammo for convicting her.

  Hayden tugged her arm free from his grasp and stared at his spiteful face. “I was wondering if you could teach me how to fight with a dagger.”

  Adolf appeared genuinely surprised at the request, never having expected to hear those words coming from her lips. It didn’t last, however. His scowl was fixed just seconds later.

  “What kind of joke is this?”

  “Not a joke. Please,” Hayden begged.

  She was suddenly frantic at the notion of Adolf turning her down. His possible refusal had briefly crossed her mind, but her determination to learn how to fight had prevented her from formulating any backup plans if he said no.

  He squinted down at her, amused and vindictive. “You’re a female, a Mutt female from another pack. Your Sire is a rogue who will easily take over your mind with a few simple orders. Why would I teach a potential enemy how to fight?”

  She tried not to think about her Sire, Tracer, or the situation she had found herself in when he’d invaded their pack house those many nights ago. The things Hayden had done to Addie while under Tracer’s control still made her sick.

  “I understand there is a risk,” Hayden conceded. “But I’m asking you out of respect—”

  He snorted and turned his back. “I will never train you. Ever. You will cease this… ridiculous ruse.”

  Hayden stood in the middle of the road, her shoulders slumped, and her eyes wide as she watched Adolf walk back to his property. She had to try something.

  “You know the rogues won’t always wait until we’re the most vulnerable. Someday, they may just attack us at full force. Having as many fighters here as possible will be to our benefit, even if one of those fighters happens to be a woman.”

  Adolf stopped abruptly, but he remained facing forward. “If you’re so desperate to learn, ask your Alpha to train you. He’s a Slayter. Combat is what they are bred to excel at.”

  Hoping she was on the right track in garnering an eventual acceptance from Adolf, Hayden pressed further. “He would be too easy on me and that would be counterproductive. Besides, he’s better in hand-to-hand combat.” She took a step closer to Adolf, her expression hopeful but her tone firm. “I asked Blake, but he said he didn’t know how to use a dagger. He said you were a master.”

  A little flattery couldn’t hurt, could it?

  Adolf turned his cheek and calmly deliberated her from over his shoulder. “A female should take on more reasonable tasks, domestic tasks. There are too few female werewolves as it is. It is absurd to think of losing them in battle, a place where only men should inhabit.”

  Hayden adopted a tall and proud stance, keeping her eyes locked on Adolf’s criticizing stare. Any form of submission would only prove him right. “My primary duty as female Alpha is to protect my pack.”

  He grinned suddenly, as if she’d said something humorous. “Old traditions are derived from wolf behaviors in the wild. A female Alpha’s primary duty is to carry the male Alpha’s children.”

  Her whole body flushed at the mention of having Cole’s children, but she refused to react outwardly. “That’s the old traditions,” she insisted levelly. “Having children may be in my future, bu
t right now I want to protect my pack. I hate feeling defenseless and I don’t want to rely on others to protect me.”

  Grey eyes scrutinized her closely. “You have a remarkable amount of pride and authority for a female, but I will not teach you. It goes against everything I believe in.”

  Without another word, he walked back to his house, leaving Hayden standing solitarily in the street. Instead of feeling rejected, she only felt fierce determination. There was a small crack in Adolf’s resolve. Hayden vowed to go after it with as much force as she could muster.

  * * *

  “I apologize for my behavior these past few days, Hayden.”

  Hayden glanced at Addie from the corner of her eye. The other woman was cutting a green pepper with monotonous repetition. Her blue eyes were dim, almost hollow in their emptiness. She may have been apologizing, but she was hardly back to the old Addie.

  “I understand that things are difficult right now,” Hayden responded carefully. “I don’t hold anything against you, Addie.” Hesitantly, she placed a reassuring hand on the woman’s shoulder. Usually it was Addie who initiated the consoling. It felt odd switching roles.

  “With Devan gone…” Addie shook her head, her face twisting with poignant angst. “What she did was terrible, yes, but I still love her. And miss her.”

  Times like these were especially difficult for Hayden. Her interactions with Devan had been strained at best and she hadn’t known the other woman very long. It didn’t help matters that Devan had delivered her straight to Nicolas.

  She knew Addie didn’t mean to hurt her, but it still made her uncomfortable when the pack mourned so heavily for Devan.

  “I knew her since she was a child. Devan’s mother, a human, died from complications of childbirth. Cole’s mother and I used to dote on Devan as if she were our own child.” Addie offered a strained smile. “We’d always wanted a daughter.”

  Hayden dropped her hand from Addie’s shoulder, deciding silence was better than giving false reassurances. What was she supposed to say in a situation like this?