The Alpha Triangle

Finders Keepers

My body screamed inside, and Ridley said the word I’d been searching for. It was spoken clearly in my mind: Mate.

“Let him go!” I yelled with every fiber of my being, a snarl ripping from me at the sight of Liam struggling to breathe.

“Did I stutter?” I shouted again, stepping forward. Before I could reach Liam, his body was released, crashing to the floor with a sickening thud.

The scent hit me then. Rain on concrete and eucalyptus. It flooded my senses, making me weak at the knees. My legs gave out, but before I hit the ground, an arm slid around my waist, steadying me. I looked up, reluctant but unable to resist.

It was Wes.

My mind raced a million miles an hour, the room spinning.

Mate, Ridley whispered again, firmer this time. He is our mate.

He doesn’t have blue eyes, I argued.

We must have gotten it wrong. This is definitely our mate, Ridley snapped back.

Where his arm held me, electricity burned through my skin. Sparks shot in every direction, cold yet inviting. My heart hammered, my body trembling, words lost on my lips.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Liam rushing toward me.

A sound tore from Wes. animalistic, dangerous, and Liam froze in his tracks.

“Let her go,” Liam managed, voice strained and shaking.

Wes’s aura was heavy, powerful. He didn’t move his arm, but he shifted me upright, his hold firm, unyielding. His chocolate-brown eyes locked on Liam’s, sharp enough to cut through him.

That snapped me out of my haze. I squirmed free from Wes’s grasp and instantly placed myself between him and Liam. The hate etched across Wes’s face melted the second I did.

Wes tried to pull me closer, but I instinctively stepped back toward Liam. Confusion flickered across Wes’s face, quickly replaced by rage when Liam grabbed my hand for reassurance.

“No one gets to touch my mate besides me,” Wes roared.

He stormed toward us, and I shoved Liam back, closing the distance myself before things could escalate further. Fire burned in Wes’s eyes. I reached out and touched his arm.

His gaze tore away from Liam and landed back on me.

“You’re mine,” Wes said.

The dizziness hit again, sharp and consuming. Every part of me wanted to melt into him, to taste him, to claim him with my own mouth.

“That’s Liam,” I said quickly. “He’s my beta and my best friend. He meant no disrespect.”

I guided Wes’s hand away from Liam by sliding mine from his arm to his chest. His heartbeat steadied under my touch, and I wondered if I made him feel the way he made me feel.

Without warning, Wes wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me flush against him. Not even a dime could fit between us. He towered over me, his size overwhelming compared to mine, and somehow he maneuvered us so my back pressed against the very wall where Liam had almost been choked out.

Then he stepped back, just a few inches, and my body immediately ached for his return.

His arms braced on either side of my head, caging me in. His breath washed over my lips, hot and intoxicating. I wanted him. No. I needed him to kiss me.

Time seemed to stall. But reality came crashing back, and I ducked down, slipping to the side and out of his hold.

That’s our mate! Ridley scolded, her voice sharp in my head. Kiss him! You’ve been holding out for this exact moment!

I know, I shot back. But this isn’t the place.

“Are you playing hard to get, love?” Wes’s voice dripped with lust, sending a shiver through me. “I’ve always enjoyed games.” He stalked toward me, deliberate and predatory.

“Liam and I have business to take care of. We have to go.” My words tumbled out as I backpedaled toward my beta.

The door was only a step away. My eyes flicked to it and that was my mistake. Before I could move, Wes was there, blocking my escape. A sly smile curved across his lips.

“I’ve been searching for my mate for over three years. You really think I’m letting you out of my sight now?”

“Yes, I do.” My tone came out cockier than I intended. “This is my pack, and as the future alpha, I have business to attend to.”

“I was just on my way to meet with Alpha Alex and I’d love to attend this business with his daughter.” Wes responded.

My breath hitched. My pulse skyrocketed. The surge of bravery I’d found vanished as quickly as it had come.

Worry shadowed Wes’s expression.

Liam stepped in smoothly, lowering his voice so the whole pack house wouldn’t overhear. “You must not have attended Freya’s shifting ceremony. They’re… not on the best terms. If you want an alliance with Alex, you’ll need to stay away from her.”

Wes’s gaze snapped back to me, sharp and searching. “What happened? Are you okay?”

His eyes roamed over me, head to toe, until they stopped at the small cuts and abrasions scattered along my arms. His jaw tightened, and he pressed his lips together firmly.

“Alex did this to you?” Wes roared, fury shaking the air. “He hurt his own daughter?” The anger radiating off him was suffocating.

I saw my chance and bolted. Grabbing Liam’s hand, I yanked him with me through the front door. My steps quickened as gravel crunched underfoot, and then I lunged into a sprint. We didn’t stop until we’d crossed the threshold of Liam’s home.