In the Alpha’s Arms

“Are you actually some type of sick psycho fan?!” she said harshly, tears in her eyes like she was genuinely hurt by James‘ photo. The two were obviously close. Had they been together? The way Stace pranced about around the other men, it had never occurred to Lita that Stace might have had something more with James.

“ANSWER ME?!” Stace yelled.

“C’mon Stace, calm down,” Cole stood between the two women, putting his hands up though Lita could see his muscles bunching with tension. “I’m sure she has a good reason…” He didn’t sound sure at all.

“NO! Just ‘cause she’s your mate doesn’t mean she’s innocent! How else does she have this?!”

He growled harshly, “Stace!” It was more like a sharp bark, one that sent chills down Lita’s spine,

Lita’s panicked mind knew she needed to clear things up, but she wasn’t sure it would help. It could even make it worse. James always wanted her to stand up for henell. And she tried, she really did, but the last time she tried, well, she was still covered in bruises from the last time she tried. It could go badly again. If prople were using some kind of power to control her, did Cole have that same power? Would he use it next? She needed to weigh her options quickly.

Even knowing that more and more of her private life was becoming public within the group, her old anxieties still had a hold. She wasn’t supposed to tell these people who she was or how she knew James! Why? Because if they knew who she was, they could use it against her, exploit her powerful family. The more she thought about that, the more ridiculous it seemed. These were good people, even when they didn’t take her seriously, they were never cruel. They hadn’t needed to intervene in her life but they did it anyway. She didn’t think they would use her. And if Cole really owned this whole industrial park, he had to have his own money, right? It seemed he actually preferred the more industrial, worn in look of his gym. And if James had been his business partner, he was used to being around someone with money. Someone with her name’s legacy. So, no, that wasn’t a valid reason,

What

was another anxiety? That they would find out about James being her brother and hate her for it. That, tos, didn’t seem likely. The more time

Come ed

spent with them, the more she’d realized that their disdain was for people who were attempting to use his memory to their advantage. They gave every sign of having cared for him the same way she did likely, if they knew, they would sympathize with her. But that was another issue altogether. Did she really want her only friends walking around feeling bad for her? She looked at Stace once more

do something left her feeling low. She couldn’t fight back and she couldn’t say no, not to them. That was the whole reason she wanted to join the gym. Get stronger so she could start

trying to take her side, though not sounding too convinced himself. He’d always thought she was a psycho fan. Seeing him try to stick up

down her face in thick little streams. It was as if she’d finally uncorked all the feelings she’d been bottling up all this time. All her pain suddenly crashed down on top of her and there

back at Lita, who was now hunched over. “I’m so sorry. Moon above, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know. I didn’t- I never saw a picture of you. He was so private about his family, Lita. I never put the pieces together.” Suddenly, her arms

he always talked about. There’s no resemblance- Cole and he shared a look. They would figure the rest out

his parents about you. He wanted you to

scratched his jaw, “I feel like

I–I didn’t s–say

Lita wheezed,

m–much to

Stace asked quietly, still holding her tight.

“And

has just disappeared and you have nothing left? No motivation?” Lita nodded again, crying

about wolves who become rogues,” she soothed, running her hands down Lita’s hair, “If your parents always kept you separate, then you couldn’t find comfort in them. But

mother probably hoped you would find a new pack in Brian. But when that didn’t

didn’t say anything, just continuing to cry. Her mind couldn’t process what