Shattered Pack

Aidan

~“Let’s go.”~

~“What? We can’t leave here, Alpha!”~

The hurt in Angela’s voice was hard to take in, but I needed to pull back.

If I stayed a moment longer, the Kendrick family would die.

~“Back off! All of you. She’s made her choice.”~

I looked at the horror in Kiarra’s eyes. I did the one thing that Alpha James and his luna had accounted for.

I’d walked straight into a trap.

Now, I was the monster.

I shifted, and the four of us headed to the pack house. No one had anything to say, but the sadness and confusion of what happened was enough.

It wasn’t that she was there without me. I’m a big boy; I’d get over that.

What pissed me off was how the Kendricks had weaved this web of deceit. From the very start, they had a game plan. The fact they have gotten one up on me had pissed me off.

Kiarra was right about that.

I’m afraid for my mate. She’s so passionate, and she has no fear. I loved that, but she couldn’t see the danger that stared her right in the face.

~“Alpha Gold?”~ Is it advisable to allow the Kendricks to stay any longer?”

I’d given the command, but the argument went in so many directions with so many tempers flaring my point may have been missed.

~“Let the dust settle; we need to get our heads in the game if we’re going to beat these assholes at their own game.”~

As we approached the pack house, I felt my heart break. I wondered if Kiarra could feel it, too.

I hated myself for what just happened. It was all action and reaction. It was a fucking mess.

I shifted and took a seat on one of the bench tables. Michelle and Angela sat with me, but Jack was too agitated. We were forced to endure his pacing back and forth.

It was a small price for such a loyal wolf.

I knew he didn’t care for Kiarra. It wasn’t that he didn’t like her or she’d done something incredibly shitty to him. They just never clicked.

Now, I could bet my life on it; he loathed her.

“I think that this means war, Alpha,” he began. His excitement was intense. Jack loved a good fight.

“Jack, be realistic,” Angela piped up, “Luna was having a breakfast meeting with her parents. It’s hardly cause for war.”

“And the breach?” Jack pushed, “That’s not cause for war?”

“No, Jack, no,” I said. I wanted him to calm down; he was usually the clear-headed one of us.

“I think that Kiarra is confused,” said Michelle, “I think that she’s never had parents, and it looks fancier than it is.”

I looked at Angela, but she had her head down. I could see that this had killed her. She loved Kiarra from day one.

“Yeah, well, she needs to make a choice,” Jack shot back, “She’s either committed to Aidan and the pack, or she’s not.”

I hated myself for agreeing with him, but it didn’t seem my mate knew what she wanted.

Without another word, Jack walked out of the kitchen; the door slammed behind him.

“So, ladies, what’ll it be? How do we fix this?”

I had never asked for help in this way. Kiarra was right about another thing: my way or the highway.

“I don’t know what to say,” Angela replied. I believed her, and I felt wrong pushing for more.

Suddenly, Jack returned, his tablet in hand.

“Okay, I have some plans I keep just in case,” he said before sitting beside me.

“In case of what?” Michelle whined, “We’re not fuckin' killing them all, Jack; it can’t be done.”

“Never say never, Michelle!” he yelled back.

I growled, and they all went silent.

“One thing that James was right about,” I paused, considering hard what I was about to say, “we do sound like bickering children.”

“Sorry, Alpha,” Jack said.

“I need a plan, Jack; you’re right, but it has to be low impact. It’s not my goal to get anyone hurt or killed.”

“So, what can we do?” Michelle asked with a shrug, “I mean, they have her pretty convinced.”

“They sure do!” Jack added, “And if she’s going to Apex territory, Alpha, I’m sorry, but she’s probably not coming back.”

I stayed quiet. We all did. The thought of losing the love of my life made me want to die.

But, after the shit I’ve pulled off on her in the last twenty-four hours, why would she want to stay?

It made no sense.

I was the bad guy now, like it or not.

“If they take this matter to the council, Alpha, the result will be the same, just with more of a bullshit headache,” Jack continued.

“What the fuck? Careful, Jack, she’s my mate!”

“I know, Alpha, I know, but...”

“But nothing! If I have to go down that road, I will! Until then fucking simmer down!”

“Jack, come on!” Angela finally spoke. I didn’t know why, but it made me feel better that she was still on board.

“What are you saying here? Kiarra is our luna. That’s not up for debate; we aren’t like them.”

“Purists?” Michelle said before she rolled her eyes.

“No, but they seem to think she can be easily swayed. I’m inclined to agree.”

That stung. I couldn’t flip out on him; he wasn’t wrong. I just hated to hear the way his words made sense.

“Kiarra has been nothing but an asset to us, Jack; you need to show her some respect and loyalty! What the fuck, dude?”

“Loyalty?” Jack replied, his eyes nearly bugged out of his face, “You’re not serious, Angela! She threw you under the bus so hard you must have bumped your head!”

The room filled with silence again.

Finally, Michelle got up to make tea, “I think we’re looking at this the wrong way.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, hoping she would break this dark fortune that had fallen on us.

“I mean, Kiarra isn’t our pack wolf. I love her, Aidan, but at the end of the day, her parents aren’t wrong.”

Angela nodded, “She’s one of them, not one of us? Is that what you’re saying, Michelle?”

Her sister didn’t reply, but she didn’t have to.

None of us had thought we had an audience, but suddenly, there was a slight cough from the opposite door to the kitchen.

It was my mate.

She’d heard everything.