In the Alpha’s Arms

Can’t Live With Them, Can’t Live Without Them

“Well, that was probably the worst, most entertaining dinner we’ve ever had, Alex sighed angrily, leaning against the outer wall of the packhouse. “I’ve never been a fan of Erica and it damn sure ain’t a secret. No love lost between me and her. But that was hard to sit through. Somehow I don’t remember her being so

Enca had taken off in her luxury car thirty minutes earlier, ears probably still ringing after Cole told her off. And Lita was still upstairs with Dr. Morgan. Alex saw an opportunity to set Cole straight, so he seized it.

“Yes,” Cole admitted, blowing a tense breath into the night.“I should’ve told Brody to take Lita out to eat instead. Or maybe” Cole ruffled his hair, shaking it out as his words trailed off.

Alex crossed his arms and watched Cole pace the gravel pathway that led from the packhouse to the gym.

“That’s not what I meant,” he snapped. “Lita wasn’t the fucking problem, Alpha. And you know it. Everyone knows it. That shit Erica said to Stace doesn’t get to happen again, Cole. You hear me? I stop holding my tongue if she takes another dig at Stace.”

Cole growled, throwing his hands in the air, “Erica’s just on edge. I think she’s having problems with her father. The Stace thing was too far, but I think the talk of mates must have her on edge.” Alex rolled his eyes. Cole making excuses for Erica was as predictable as Cole claiming he would reject

Lit

“There were a lot of things that went too far and it wasn’t just the comment about mates. You need to set her straight. Lunas don’t treat their future packs like that.”

“I’m not going to be able to do this much longer,” Cole admitted quietly. “This back and forth is too much. When it comes to Erica and this pack, need to make a decision and stick with it.”

Alex grunted his agreement, swiveling his attention to Brody and Mark as they headed for the gym.

“Lita probably hates me now,” Cole said, like he didn’t know how to feel about it.

“It’s fine, that’ll smooth over, Just tell her the truth, Erica has a key, and she just popped up. It’s not like you purposefully invited her here just to fuck with Lita,” Alex said, offering it as a simple solution.

Cole glared at the ground and continued to pace.

“Right?” Alex stood back up, suspecting he wouldn’t like whatever he heard. “You didn’t purposely invite her here to fuck with Lito, right? Tell me you’re not that much of an asshole, Cole.”

The growl of a response told him everything he needed to know, but Cole admitted, “I thought it would help put some distance between us, what I was like earlier. I nearly mauled her in the hallway all because she wanted to check on me.”

You saw

“You’re a real piece of shit right now, Alpha, and I say that as someone who loves you like family. I say that as someone who respects you to lead this- pack. I knew that you were an asshole, but tonight was fucked up on a different level. You need to–shit, I don’t even know. It was foul, man. Just fucking reject her, I don’t get it. Stop dragging this out.”

“Yea, I know! I hated every fucking second, don’t you get it? I feel more of her feelings as time goes on Fuck, last night I might as well have been Lita for how much her confusion and pain ran around in my own head. That’s why slept in the damn room with her while she was out. Midnight wouldn’t let it go. And tonight? I felt like absolute shit, but what the hell else am I supposed to do?”

“What do you mean, what else are you supposed to do? Anything! Do anything other than the shit you pulled tonight! Did Erica know about you two bring mates or was she just extra bitchy in a coincidence?”

“I didn’t tell her yet. I don’t know what the hell was wrong with her tonight. She said she was fine when I pulled her aside, and then said she just gets bad vibes from Lita, whatever that means.” Colle brushed it off like he did every single red flag that Erica waved

“Means she’s fucking jealous, abviously. When are you gonna learn to read women man? That one in particular is an open book. Selfish. Manipulative.

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Can’t Live With Them, Can’t Live Without Them

pulled at his hair, “It wasn’t supposed to be that bad. It was supposed to be like a cold

she took at Stace and fax, but anyone could see her real beef was with Lita. If you’re gonna reject her, then you gotta do it already. I never thought you were a chickenshit but, something’s going on with

“It’s complicated-

up–that Alpha wouldn’t have brought in a lion to fight a kittens what gives?” Alex studied the distant stars, “She’s already been

but me and my wolf are not on the best terms right now and he’s CONVINCED that we have to mark her. And she’s fucking ovulating, so I’m crazed out of my fucking mind right now,” Cole had a point. He was a little on edge, wild–eyed and fidgety. Alex could see his wolf

not an excuse to kick a person while they’re down.

can’t have her so at this point, making her hate me is all I’ve got. I told Stace and Jaz to set her up in the dorms tonight. I thought I could make it a few more days like this, but I

you just reject her, Cole, damn? She’s not going to die, the infatuation hasn’t settled in for her yet. Just do it already! Nobody takes this long to reject someone. I mean, you should’ve done it that first day. Itold you to do it the second I found out! Told you not to sleep in the bed last night too,” Alex said under his breath, annoyed as hell that his Alpha was playing stupid high school games. He was putting himself and everything be’d built at risk. “You’re playing a dangerous game

Cole didn’t answer.

when you let Stage introduce her as a fucking bunny. I mean, come on Alpha, how

no longer anything to hide behind. He slid to his butt against

“Of course you

give him a little of her, he would be satisfied, you know? But he’s unreasonable. He’s convinced himself she’s perfect and won’t fucking

human.

sooner, Cole?” Alex slid down the wall to sit beside his best friend. This went beyond Alpha duties, this was down to a hard line between a man and his wolf. It was rare for the two to split so hard on anything. The wolf was just as much a part of the rejection proces the human. It was two souls meant for each other, splitting. That had to occur on

It was spiritual and wolves just instinctually knew how to put themselves in that headspace. It wasn’t

could make him, you know, deny him runs. Lock him away until he relented, but “he hasn’t changed his mind. And at this point we’re playing chicken to see who breaks first. And Alex, I’m really fucking worried it’s

“I crave her so badly I feel like it’s

a shaky

siy–fuck. It’s hard enough to get her out of my head as it is,” Cole laughed hoarsely, his wolf finally retreating

her?” Alex said suddenly,

anyway. I know you two met through your parents when you were young and I know you both have baggage, but… this kind of thing could

Cole. Or

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With Them, Can’t Live

you a

not that simple. You weren’t there,

across the park,” they laughed Alex put his hand on Cole’s shoulder reassuringly, “It was fucked up, for sure, but you’re not a kid anymore

put space between. us for the time being. I’m not strong

to have to make a decision soon because you’ve basically told the whole pack you’re rejecting her and

look darkened tentold, and

not. And you know it. Either claim her or she’s not yours. That’s how this works. Do you really want that? To watch her with someone else? Someone from your own pack? Don’t think I missed the look you gave Brody today, and all they

full well he had no

it? Seeing her liking

bonding. But it’s done now. She’s going to keep her distance. Anyway, I need a favor,” Cole stood, dusting himself

“Yea, anything, what’s up?”

need a fight,” he laughed, jogging off

fight Mark, I don’t care. I like my head where it is at,

Cole yelled

head, “Which word?

groaned loud enough to wake the dead