The Alpha Who Stole My Christmas

14

KADE

By the time we arrived at the pack, Isla still hadn't said a word to me. She was awkwardly silent.

Not even a single word.

She walked beside me through the gates, past the guards who bowed their heads at her, past the courtyard where the torches burned low and headed straight to her room down the hallway. I followed a step behind her hoping foolishly that she would turn or say anything to me.

Anything at all.

But she didn't.

She reached her door, opened it and stepped inside, shutting the door right in my face.

The sound echoed in the hallway.

I stood there, staring at the closed door like it had struck me. I tried to knock, my hands lifting on its own, my fingers hovering inches from the wooded door. I wanted to tell her about everything, about the old man and the library, about the book. About everything.

But I couldn't. The words refused to come.

What do you say to someone who looks at you like you're a monster and a stranger?

I lowered my hand, with my head bowed and walked away.

The next day, I stood outside her door again. I told myself that I was just passing by. That I needed to check the guards, that I had other important matters to attend to.

But my feet stopped in front of her chambers. I stood there longer than I expected. I listened to her movement, to the sound of her heartbeat, to her voice. For anything that told me she was doing okay.

Nothing.

I walked away.

And that became my routine.

Every day, I found myself at her doorstep. Every day, I failed to knock. I failed to aapologise Apologizing felt too small for the damage I had done. Explaining things to her felt too late and admitting I didn't know how to be what she needed felt like a weakness.

A week passed. Seven long, miserable days.

I still hadn't set my eyes on her.

Then one evening, I called the guard I had placed in charge of her safety. He bowed when he arrived, his posture stiff.

"How is she?" I asked, keeping my voice steady.

The guard hesitated. "She...stays indoors, Alpha."

My chest tightened. "Has she gone for a walk?"

"No, Alpha."

"Does she eat?"

"Barely," he admitted. "And she doesn't speak much. Sometimes not at all."

My chest tightened. The room felt smaller.

I dismissed him with a nod, but the moment he left, I clenched my fists. My wolf stirred, restless, angry at me.

It wasn't my fault, was it?

The moon goddess was to be blamed for matching me up with a mere human. One with uncontrollable emotions. A she-wolf would have been better than this trouble I found myself in.

My mate was slowly fading right under my roof, and I was too much of a coward to face her. With a she-wolf, it would've been different, she would recognise my authority and position as Alpha. But with a human, things were different.

No matter how angry I was, I still cared. I wanted to see her. I needed to see her.

But I knew I couldn't fix it alone. I needed help as shameful as it sounded.

There was only one option left.

My brothers.

The thought of it alone made my jaw tighten.

They were everything I wasn't, sweet talkers, loud, confident, charming. Women in and out of the pack flocked to them like they carried magic in their smiles. Going to them meant admitting I had failed. Worse, it meant giving them the opportunity to mock me endlessly.

Still, I swallowed my pride. Isla was more important.

My brothers were in the training yard when I found them laughing loudly as they sparred. Rafe knocked Leon flat on his back while Dain clapped and cheered.

I cleared my throat, announcing my presence.

They all turned to look at me.

Rafe's grin widened. "Well, I'll be dammed. The great Alpha seeks company."

Leon sat up, brushing dirt from his shoulders. "Did the pack burn down or are you finally bored?"

I cleared my throat again. "I need your help."

There was silence.

Then....they burst into laughter.

"Did you hear that?" Rafe asked. "He needs our help. The great Alpha of Winterfang Pack needs our help. I knew today was going to be a great."

"So, with what?" he continued. "Paperwork? Fighting? Or..." his eyes lit up with wicked interest. "....a woman?"

I glared at him. "Don't start, Rafe."

"Oh, we're starting, Kade," Leon said, getting to his feet. "This is historic."

I sighed. "Are you helping me or not?"

"Unless you tell us what it is, how can we help?" Dain said.

"It's Isla."

That shut them up.

Rafe tilted his head. "Your mate? The human girl?"

"Yes."

Dain crossed his arm. "What have you done, Kade?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I snapped. "I didn't do anything."

They continued to stare.

Leon snorted. "That's the problem, isn't it?"

I exhaled slowly. "She won't speak to me at all. She won't leave her room and I don't know what to do to fix it."

Rafe walked closer, studying my face. "You look like shit."

"Yeah. Thank you."

"No, really," he said. "You look like someone who messed up badly. I wonder what you did to that poor girl."

Dain chuckled. "Tell us, Kade. Did you command her? Threaten her? Lock her up?"

"I didn't," I said, my tone rising.

They exchanged glances.

"Oh," Rafe said softly. "You ignored her, didn't you?"

"I was protecting her," I said. "I gave her space like she wanted."

They sighed.

Dain shook his head. "You don't give space to someone who already feels alone."

"She's human, Kade," Leon added. "Not one of us. You can't treat her like a wolf."

"That's the problem. I don't know how to treat her," I admitted, my voice low.

That surprised them.

Rafe's teasing tone faded. "Alright," he said. "Then listen. We'll only say this once."

They led me to a bench near the edge of the yard. Leon sat first, leaning forward.

"You want to win her back, right?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Then stop being an Alpha when you're with her," Dain said. "Be a man. A human."

Rafe nodded. "Show up. Knock on her door. Sit with her. Even when she doesn't talk."

"What if she asks me to leave?" I asked.

"Then you keep coming back. Come back the next day," Leon said. "And the next. Humans notice effort."

Dain smirked. "Also, apologise. No excuses. A proper apology."

"I don't know how," I said quietly.

Rafe leaned closer. "Then tell her the truth. That you're scared of failing her."

I frowned. "That would make me look weak."

"No," Dain said firmly. "That makes you real. More human."

"I'm not human," I protested.

Leon continued, ignoring me. "Bring her food. Humans like that."

I blinked. "What? Food?"

"Yes," Rafe siad. "Something warm. Something she likes."

"And don't order her to eat them," Dain said. "Just offer."

Ridiculous, I muttered. But then, I thought of her pale face and sighed.

"Spend time with her," Dain continued. "No guards. No pack talk. Just you."

"And touch," Rafe said. "If she allows it. A hand. A brush of fingers. Women feel love through touch."

My chest ached.

"I thought claiming her was enough," I said.

Dain shook his head. "Not like you've claimed her anyway. But claiming doesn't replace caring."

Rafe stood and clapped my shoulder. "You're not hopeless, big brother. You're just painfully clueless."

Leon grinned. "Go knock on her door, Alpha."

I rose slowly.

This time, I wouldn't walk away.

This time, I would knock.