After Abandoning My Fated Alpha, I Built My Own Wolf Pack and Ruled

Chapter 3 The Glasshouse

The cold snap was bearing down on the northern frontier, and our patrols didn't even have solid roofs over their heads. Meanwhile, Lily had taken their military supplies and built herself a heated greenhouse right next to the Alpha's residence.

By the time I got there with Frostblade, the workers were fitting the last section of the heating into place. Inside, it was warm as a spring afternoon. Lily sat there among the flowers in a thin little dress, a steaming mug cradled in both hands.

Up on the frontier, soldiers were bundling under threadbare blankets just to make it through the night.

And she was burning their fuel to keep her flowers alive.

I handed the transfer order to Orion. "Strip out the heating. Every last bit of fuel and lumber goes back north. Lock down everything else until the investigation's done."

Lily threw herself in front of the door. "Kyle gave this to me. You've got no right to tear it down!"

"This is military supply. It's not Kyle's to hand out."

"The two of you are already at each other's throats. Why do you even care what he gives me?" She had a white-knuckled grip on the doorframe, and she couldn't keep the smug look off her face. "You're just jealous he treats me well."

I wasn't going to waste breath arguing. I waved the soldiers on.

A worker had just pried the first heating panel loose when Kyle showed up. He planted himself in front of the supply wagons and ordered everyone to stop.

"Five patrol officers have already suffered frostbite." I slapped the transfer order against his chest. "You diverted fuel meant to repair the northern outposts."

"I'll send another shipment."

"By the time it gets there, the cold snap will be over."

Lily came to stand beside him, her eyes immediately filling with tears. "I'm only afraid of the cold. It was winter when my family died. Kyle said the glasshouse would make me feel safe."

"If you're cold, use another blanket." I turned to Kyle. "But the people standing watch over Shadowpine don't even have roofs."

He did not so much as glance at the accounts. Instead, he accused me of abusing my military authority to persecute Lily.

"You don't need any of this, Sarah. You just can't stand to see me treat someone else well."

"I can't stand watching you betray your pack and steal military supplies to please her."

Lily tucked herself behind him. "She's just like her father. Always using the pack's safety as an excuse to seize power."

My head snapped up.

Kyle knew my father was the deepest wound I carried. Yet he did not tell Lily to stop. Instead, he picked up the same blade and drove it deeper.

"Your father disobeyed his Alpha and got my family killed. You would do well not to follow in his footsteps, Sarah."

The wind swept through the unfinished glasshouse, stirring petals across the floor.

Years ago, when the other children surrounded me and called my father a deserter, a young Kyle had fought every one of them. He lost half a tooth, but when he came back, he told me he still believed my father was a good man.

Now he was using that same accusation to wound me worse than any of them ever had.

I pulled the battle-axe from my back and cleaved through one of the glasshouse's supports. Glass crashed down, and Lily screamed as she threw herself into Kyle's arms.

Kyle unleashed the full force of his Alpha command. "Sarah, stop!"

The crushing pressure blanketed the area. Workers and guards bowed their heads. I alone remained upright, axe in hand, walking toward him one deliberate step at a time.

"Military supplies are not gifts for the woman you want to impress. If you insist on giving them to her, then fight me for them."

Kyle's face hardened. "You're challenging me?"

"If you win, the supplies are yours."

I drove my battle-axe into the snow.

"If I win, you return every last item—and agree to end our engagement."

Whispers rippled through the crowd.

"Has she lost her mind? Kyle is the Alpha of Shadowpine."

"She hasn't even had the silver removed from her shoulder. She won't last one move against him."

One of the Alpha residence guards laughed. "Commander has never beaten the Alpha in training. Did a few battles really make her think she could challenge her own Alpha?"

The laughter was quiet, but not quiet enough.

Lily raised her face from Kyle's chest. Tears clung to her cheeks, but satisfaction gleamed in her eyes.

"There's still time to apologize, Sarah. Kyle doesn't want to hurt you, but don't let jealousy push you into a fight you can't win."

Kyle did not silence her. He took off his coat and handed it to a guard.

"Since you're injured, I'll give you a three-move head start."

Someone snickered, as if they could already see him pinning me facedown in the snow.

I rolled my still-healing shoulder. "No need."

Then I met Kyle's gaze.

"You go first."