Rise of the Underdogs: (Book 1) COLTON

Chapter 5

Kaden and I stood frozen as John paled several shades, his swagger draining fast as Neil stalked up the path from the school building. He didn’t look thrilled to see us — not that he ever did — but now? Now he looked like he was ready to bolt.

Idiot.

If there’s one rule carved into the bones of our pack, it’s this: you don’t mess with Neil’s friends or family. John had been working overtime doing both, and the bill was about to come due.

Neil stopped beside Kaden, our youngest pack member, and I kept my eyes locked on them. Kaden didn’t waste time. His voice was low, steady, and packed with information. He laid it all out — what Dreson saw, what we saw, and all the sick, twisted things John had been saying to him. Every word hit like a hammer.

Neil’s eyes darkened hard and fast. Chocolate brown bleeding into black, like a storm cloud rolling in with no intention of passing quietly.

“Let me go, stupid!” the girl sobbed, trying to wrench her arm free from John’s grip.

“We’re going on a date,” he said, like that wasn’t the most delusional thing he could’ve said right then.

Yeah, nah. She was definitely not going with him.

I glanced over my shoulder and caught sight of Kaden’s phone — still on a call, screen lit. I smirked. The kid had my back. Smart move keeping a line open. We had a witness now.

I mouthed Dre? at him. He shook his head.

My eyes widened. I shot him another look — Alpha Henry?

He nodded.

He freaking nodded.

Double s**t.

“John,” I said, stepping forward, “do yourself a favor and go find someone else to date. This one’s off limits, man. Don’t you follow the Bro-Code? Don’t date a friend’s family members?”

Too bad I was already about to break that rule myself. I’d get forgiven for it, though. Mates were a whole different story.

See, most of us found our Mates young — around sixteen — and spent a few years figuring each other out before going through the ritual. When the attack happened back when we were kids, we lost a massive part of our pack. Ever since then, Alpha Henry made it law: no one was allowed to utter the words rejected Mate. Our numbers were too low, and being picky wasn’t an option.

Besides… this girl was absolutely gorgeous.

Before Neil could reach them, I stepped in. I grabbed John’s wrist and twisted it just right — not enough to break anything, but enough to make him let go fast. He yelped and stumbled back, clutching his hand.

I had time to stop myself, to do the damage clean — but her arm was already bruising.

Too slow. Too damn slow.

“Are you okay?” I asked softly, inspecting the damage. Her wrist was already turning blotchy, pink bruises blooming across pale skin like warning signs. She winced when I tilted it gently.

Holy Goddess — the tingles were Electric Avenue level. My whole arm lit up like she’d touched a live wire. I tried to hide the shiver, but I knew Neil saw it. Hell, it was probably obvious to half the school yard.

“I am now,” she said, voice shaky but steady enough to make my heart stutter. “Thank you. Uh… I’m so sorry, but I’m new here and don’t really know anyone. What’s your name?”

“Brake. Colton Brake,” I said, channeling my best James Bond impression with a half-grin.

“And you are?”

“Um… Daisy Westerly. I’m Neil’s cousin. On his mom’s side.”

Oh. Oh, oh no.

I didn’t know whether to dig my own grave or drop to my knees and beg Neil not to rearrange my face. Begging was safer. Worst-case scenario, I’d end up with a busted lip and a couple cracked ribs. I could heal that in under an hour.

But losing the chance to know her? That would take a hell of a lot longer to recover from.

I glanced at Neil, swallowing hard. His eyes were locked on mine, already narrowed in that way that said you crossed a line. Yeah, dude. Your cousin… and my Mate… happen to be the same girl.

Too bad for him — I wasn’t about to back off. Not when the universe handed me a gift like her. This wasn’t a crush. It wasn’t some passing thing. It was fate, written into my bones. I had no choice but to tell him the truth.

Kaden walked Daisy back toward the front office, his phone still in hand. He was talking low, probably still on that call with Alpha Henry. Smart move. At least someone was making sure this mess got documented. If John tried to twist the story, we had proof.

I shoved my hands into my pockets, trying to keep my posture relaxed, even though my heart was hammering like a drumline. Neil kept his gaze on me, waiting for whatever disaster was about to fall out of my mouth.

“She’s off-limits, Colt,” he said, voice low and sharp.

“No can do, Neil.” I kept my tone calm, steady, but there was no backing down. “I know what you’re thinking. And yeah, I get it. You want to protect her. You go right ahead and add me to that detail, because I can’t leave her alone.”

His jaw clenched. “Do it or else.”

I snorted. Classic Neil. Always defaulting to threats when emotions got too loud.

Shaking my head, I said, “Neil, I really can’t leave her alone. She’s my… she’s my Mate.”

His eyes narrowed further, confusion flickering behind the anger. “Your Mate?” he repeated, like the words didn’t make sense. “My cousin is your Mate? I heard that right?”

“Yes, dumbass,” I said, voice cracking just a little. “And John almost got his perverted claws on her.”

The heat behind my ribs was rising fast, bubbling up like lava. I hated that I couldn’t rip John apart — hated that being human gave him a layer of protection I couldn’t legally punch through. But I wasn’t letting him anywhere near her again. Not ever.

I was actually shocked at how convicted I sounded. But when push came to shove, protecting my Mate wasn’t a choice. It was instinct. It was coded into my DNA.

Neil stared at me for a long moment, then exhaled through his nose. “There’s not much I can do about you being her Mate,” he muttered, shooting me a sideways look. “Honestly, I’m glad it’s you and not some i***t who’d hurt her.”

That hit harder than I expected.

“Daisy’s not exactly a social butterfly,” he added. “So take it easy with her — or you’ll be answering to me, Brake.”

Oh boy.

Absently, I started thinking about how the hell I was supposed to tell my parents about this disaster. I mean… I’d only gotten my wolf last week. One minute I was just Colton. Next minute, boom — Mate, bruises, Alpha-level mess, and a cousin-shaped complication.

Yeah. I’m screwed.