Whisk'er Away: Cruising with Alphas (Meet Your Alpha Book 4)

by Gwen Knight

  Rage spread through me in a glorious rush of heat. I wanted to kill him right now. My wolf tore through my mind, howling to be set free if only to sink her teeth into this shithead’s throat. How could I have ever loved him? How could I have ever cared for someone so…heartless?

  “Did Benjamin know?”

  Daniel’s silence was answer enough.

  So, he’d had help from the current alpha. I dug my fingers into my hair and pulled. I wanted to scream, to rant, to hurt Daniel like he’d hurt me. It’d all been a game to them. And now, all the pieces were coming together.

  They hadn’t let me see the body after the fight. Benjamin had insisted on a closed coffin, due to the extensive injuries. You don’t need to remember him like that, he’d said. And I’d listened. My God. Lost to grief, I’d never considered that they’d planned the whole thing.

  “Benjamin agreed to help me but with the condition that I keep my distance from the pack, including you. He didn’t want me interfering with anything. I agreed, I thought this was what I wanted. But then word reached me yesterday that you…” Daniel cleared his throat, his gaze darting between me and Leo. “That you’d found someone else and were moving on, and I…I couldn’t handle that.”

  Couldn’t handle that? He’d left me! He’d abandoned me! And now that I was happy, and finally moving on, he came back?

  And who the hell had told him? Benjamin, it had to be. My parents would have told him I was leaving the pack, and he must have contacted Daniel—the bastard.

  “Kendra, I’m here now,” Daniel continued, his eyes thawing. “I wanted to come find you so many times, but I was afraid how you’d react, how the pack would react. Afraid you’d hate me. But I can’t stand idly by and watch you make a life with someone else. I still love you. We can be together again, like it was before. Just give me a chance to make this up to you.”

  Manic laughter spilled past my lips. He had to be kidding. Nothing in this world would convince me to take him back, to pretend the past year hadn’t happened. Like I would ever choose him over Leo. Not a chance in hell, buddy.

  He took a step toward me. “I know you still love me, Kendra.”

  “Touch me,” I growled, “and I’ll kill you myself.”

  Surprise widened his eyes.

  I dragged my hands down my face, suddenly exhausted. He’d stolen so much from me, and now he thought he could just walk back into my life and pretend like everything was perfect? I’d lost a year of my life, my husband, my child, my pack, all because of him. And he wanted to, what? Kiss and make up?

  Killing him wasn’t good enough. I wanted to hurt him like he’d hurt me. But what would that accomplish?

  I turned to Leo. He stood next to my bed, his eyes aglow with his lion, and his hands fisted at his sides. I knew how he felt—I felt it, too. My wolf wanted to rip the lying bastard to pieces, but I had to put that anger aside and think about what was best for me.

  “Let’s go,” I said to Leo. “I can’t stay here another minute with him. If I do, I might kill him.”

  Leo’s eyes narrowed. “I can help with that.”

  As gratifying as that might have been to watch, it wasn’t what I wanted. I reached out and laid a hand on Leo’s tense arm. His expression softened, and he unclenched his fist to take my hand. I hated everything about this, and especially hated what this had to be doing to him.

  “He isn’t worth it,” I said. “Let’s go. All I want is to start our life together and put this whole mess behind us.”

  The leonine light in Leo’s eyes faded until only the midnight blue remained. He released a heavy sigh, then nodded and led me toward the door.

  “Are you kidding me? Get the fuck back here!” Daniel suddenly shouted. “You’re my mate, Kendra! Not his.”

  I froze, fury broiling beneath the surface. “No, Daniel. You have that backwards.”

  “So, what, you’re gonna walk out that door with him?”

  “Happily,” I growled. “And believe me when I say I’ll kill you if I ever see you again.”

  “You can’t walk out on me! Not for him. He isn’t even a wolf!” When I didn’t respond, Daniel changed his tactic and started laughing. “Fine. Enjoy her while it lasts, Leo. We all know it’ll be me she’s thinking about when she’s fucking you.”

  Leo’s body vibrated with restrained violence.

  “Ignore him,” I cautioned, though my words were laced with rage. “All bark and no bite, just like every other coward out there.”

  A deep, threatening growl thundered through the room. Maybe I should have anticipated Daniel’s attack—our backs were turned, after all—but once again, I’d misjudged him. I felt a slight shift in the air, but before I could turn and confront him, a flash of searing pain stabbed my back. With a sharp cry, I tumbled to the ground.

  18

  Leo

  The instant I heard Kendra cry out, I saw nothing but a red haze. Her bastard ex-husband had attacked her, and the smell of her blood sent me into a mindless rage. I flew at Daniel, the violence I’d trained my whole life to contain spreading through my body. I wanted the bastard dead. I’d held back before because of Kendra. But there’d be no holding back this time. He’d laid hands on my mate, hurt her. And now, I intended to repay the favor.

  Daniel’s eyes narrowed on me and a sadistic grin curled his lips. He wanted this. The idiot actually thought he could kill me. Well, I’d happily prove him wrong.

  He met my attack with one of his own, his fist flying toward me. A disappointed laugh rose in my throat as I caught his fist in my palm and squeezed. The sound of his knuckles breaking was music to my ears. He gasped and staggered back, clutching his fist to his chest. The man was an alpha, but he didn’t rank anywhere near me. Unfortunately, he was too stupid to realize that.

  I stalked toward him, eyes blazing. I wanted him to see his death coming—wanted him to fear it. I wasn’t cruel, nor was I sadistic. But Daniel had pushed all my buttons tonight. His pack deserved so much better than him. As did Kendra. To think that he’d fooled them all into thinking he was their savior…his actions filled me with disgust. True alphas never abandoned their people, and would never fake their own death as a means of escape. If he hadn’t wanted to lead anymore, there were protocols in place to handle that. Much like my father, Daniel could have stepped down and appointed a new alpha. But he hadn’t. The only thing he cared about was himself.

  The idiot paced toward me, no longer grinning. He shook out his hand, then lunged at me. His weight smashed into my center and threw us to the ground. He rose above me, and unleashed a flurry of punches.

  I grunted and tensed my body, blocking the blows as best I could. Eventually, I managed to slip my arms between us, and I boxed his ears.

  Howling in pain, Daniel stumbled away from me, gripping his head, his face twisted in agony as blood trickled down his cheeks. He shot me a terrified glance, as though finally realizing he didn’t stand a chance against me.

  The sound of Kendra’s moan distracted me. I stole a glance in her direction to find Brittany kneeling next to her, her hands pressed on Kendra’s back. Brittany’s ashen face rose to me, her fingers stained with her sister’s blood.

  Daniel took advantage of my distraction and, with a furious howl, bolted toward me. I caught the flash of his claws seconds before they shredded my chest. Pain roared through me, but it wasn’t anything I hadn’t experienced before.

  Unfortunately for Daniel, his attack had brought him close to me, a mistake I intended to take advantage of. My arm shot up and I grabbed the sack of shit by the throat. His eyes popped wide and he dug his claws into my hands, hoping to tear himself free.

  “You should have let her walk away,” I growled.

  Without another word, I snapped his neck.

  I threw aside his lifeless corpse and rushed back to Kendra. She was so still that for a second, I feared the worst, but as I crouched next to her, I caught the sound of her breath.

  “Okay,” I crooned, hoping the
sound of my voice would help calm everyone down. “Let’s take a look.”

  I touched the back of Brittany’s trembling hand, and nodded. She removed it from the wound, giving me a glimpse of the extent.

  “Jesus,” I whispered. The bastard hadn’t sliced her, he’d stabbed her with his claws. “Is there a first-aid kit anywhere?”

  “The b—bathroom,” Kendra replied.

  Brittany rose from the ground and darted into the adjacent room. I kept pressure on Kendra’s wounds and listened to the sound of her sister rifling through the cupboards.

  “Got it, got it, got it,” Brittany chanted as she dropped onto her knees next to me.

  She flipped open the lid.

  “She’ll heal,” I assured them both. “But it’ll take a little time. Brittany, can you get us a wet cloth, so we can clean up the blood?”

  Her sister nodded and dove back into the bathroom.

  “Your sister doesn’t handle injuries well,” I murmured to Kendra with a gentle laugh, hoping to lighten the mood. The wounds weren’t fatal. They were deep, and doubtless they hurt like hell, but they were far from fatal.

  “She tends to pass out at the sight of blood,” Kendra wheezed. “Guess we’re lucky she hasn’t yet.”

  I brushed her hair back from her brow and stroked her cheek. “You really are going to be fine.”

  “Is he dead?”

  The smile slipped from my face. “He is.”

  “Good,” she growled. “Saves me from doing it myself.”

  “That’s my girl,” I laughed.

  “Are you hurt?”

  “Just a scratch. Don’t worry about me.”

  She reached out and brushed my knee. “I’m so sorry about all of this. You shouldn’t have had to deal with his insanity.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I’m just glad you’re all right. Let’s not think about him anymore, okay?”

  She sighed. “Leo?”

  I hummed a gentle response, still combing my hands through her hair.

  “Can we get the hell out of here, now? I don’t want to spend another minute in this hellhole.”

  Yeah, the feeling was mutual. “Once I bandage these wounds, you bet.”

  Brittany reappeared with three soaked washcloths and a lost expression. The sight of them made me laugh. She really didn’t handle medical situations well.

  I took one from her and set to work, carefully wiping away the blood. “The wounds are already starting to close.”

  Once clean, I taped a few pieces of gauze over the stab wounds and slowly helped Kendra to her feet. She cast a disparaging glare at Daniel’s body and shook her head. “I can’t believe he thought he could just walk back into my life. Hell, he set our bedroom up like he remembered it. Tell me that isn’t creepy.”

  Brittany surveyed the mess and shook her head. “It’s disturbing as hell.”

  “Why don’t you wait outside,” I offered. “Brittany and I can pack a bag of clothes and whatnot for you. Does that sound good?”

  She nodded, then limped toward the door. Hand on the frame, she glanced over her shoulder and studied the room once more. “So many memories. And all of them, destroyed. I hate him.” Without another word, she left.

  Brittany released a long, shuddering breath and dropped down onto the bed. “Holy hell. What a mess. I…I introduced them. I brought him here. This is all my fault.”

  “Hey.” I sat next to Brittany and nudged her with my shoulder. “This isn’t your fault. At all. He did fix the pack, after all. Which is exactly what you set out to do. We aren’t responsible for other people’s choices. And I can assure you, Kendra doesn’t blame you for any of this. She blames him, as she should. He’s the asshole here. Not you.”

  A weak smile graced her lips. “Thanks, Leo. I’m sorry about earlier today. I just hate the thought of losing my sister.”

  “You’ll never lose her. Moving to South Dakota doesn’t mean she isn’t your sister anymore. It only means there’s a few more miles between you than normal. Nothing would keep her away from you.”

  She sniffled and brushed away a stray tear. “But it won’t be the same.”

  “No, it won’t. That doesn’t mean it won’t be good, though, you know?”

  “Yeah. She found you, after all. But I swear to God, if you ever pull a stunt like this…”

  I chuckled. “I’m not stupid enough to try.”

  “You’ll take care of her, right?”

  “Till my dying breath.”

  She winced and glanced at Daniel.

  “Okay, maybe not the right choice of words.”

  She sighed and threw herself back onto the bed. “This’ll be good for her. She needs a new start. I need to remember that. And you won’t hurt her, not like he did. I know that.”

  “Come on, let’s get her things packed so we can get her out of here.”

  Brittany rolled out of bed and set to work, gathering her sister’s clothes while I handled the bathroom. It didn’t take much time at all to gather the necessities. And whatever we missed, we could pick up for her in South Dakota.

  With a bag in hand, Brittany led me out of the cabin and back to the car.

  “Ready?” Kendra asked.

  I wrapped her in my arms, mindful of her wounds, and kissed her. “I am if you are.”

  She sank into my embrace, her fingers brushing the small of my back. “I’m so ready to start my new life with you.”

  “Then, let’s go.”

  She grinned up at me. “Lead the way.”

  Epilogue

  Kendra

  One year later

  I stared down at the plastic stick in my hand and grinned. Two bright pink lines winked back at me, telling me everything I needed to know. I lifted my head and stared at my wide-eyed reflection, excitement bubbling beneath the surface. Leo and I hadn’t been trying, but we hadn’t been taking any precautions either. Which was why I now held a positive pregnancy test in my hand.

  Eager to share the news, I dashed out of the house in search of Leo. I knew his mornings tended to be packed with meetings, but he’d excuse himself for a few moments for me. I didn’t want to wait to tell him—my past had long since taught me that lesson.

  I stepped into his office building, my heart bursting at the seams.

  “Hello, Ms. Phillips,” Risa greeted me. “Here to see Leo?”

  “I am. Is he available?”

  She checked his calendar, but before she could respond, I heard Leo’s mother’s distinctive laugh.

  My nerves fluttered. His mother would scream when she heard the news. How perfect. “It’s all good, Risa. I’ll let myself in.”

  “Oh, but—”

  I didn’t wait for a response, and instead, knocked on Leo’s door before sliding inside.

  “Kendra! So lovely to see you,” Leo’s mother exclaimed. “Come, come. Give me a hug.”

  Laughing, I walked into her embrace and groaned when she crushed me. The woman was a lioness through and through.

  “It’s always nice to see you, too, Mrs. Clapak.”

  “Lena, my girl. How many times must I ask you to call me that?”

  “Probably a few more times, at least,” I chuckled.

  Once she released me, I turned to Leo. The sight of him seated behind his massive desk, clad in a dark suit, did funny things to my heart. Quite the pretty picture he made, the Alpha of The Pride of South Dakota…

  He grinned at me. “Must be my lucky day, getting to visit with my two favorite ladies.”

  “Sweet talker,” his mother purred.

  Chuckling, he rose from his desk and circled it, reaching a hand toward me. “I’m glad you’re here, I have some news.”

  My smile slipped. “What kind of news?”

  “Nothing bad, I promise.”

  Relief loosened my muscles. “Good, because I have something I need to tell you as well.”

  He cocked his head. “Really? Ladies, first.”

  “Nope, you.”

 
Laughing, he reached behind him and grabbed something off his desk. “I was going to surprise you with this tonight, but since you’re here, I don’t want to wait.”

  “I know the feeling.”

  With a grand flourish, he presented what looked like two tickets. “Ta-da!”

  I took them from his hand and read the front. “A cruise?”

  “For our one-year anniversary. I thought it’d be great to go back to Hawaii. You know, the place we met?”

  Emotion overwhelmed me. Tears welled in my eyes as I held the tickets, reminiscing about our first cruise together. “Please don’t tell me it’s another singles cruise.”

  “God, no.” He wound his arms around my waist and drew me close to him. “It’s not with Meet Your Alpha, either. I wanted to go with something a tad fancier. More luxuries, less shifting.”

  “Oh? Why’s that?”

  “Well…” He cleared his throat, then fished something else out of his pocket. “Because I was kind of hoping we could turn this cruise into our honeymoon.”

  He opened his hand to reveal a glimmering ring. I gasped, my hands rising to my mouth. It wasn’t possible, but it had to be. I stared down at the twinkling pink sapphire, shining amidst a circle of glittering diamonds—the exact ring I’d drooled over on the last cruise.

  “How?” I struggled to find my voice. “How did you know?”

  “Brittany,” he said. “She told me she spotted you salivating over it, but you refused to buy it. So, I contacted Meet Your Alpha, they hooked me up with their provider, and I purchased it for you.”

  Oh, my God. My heart. My damn heart was about to explode. “You did all that… for me?”

  “Hey…I would do anything for you. I love you.”

  Tears slipped down my cheeks. I’d never met anyone like him. So caring and giving and wonderful. “I love you, too.”