Un.Bridled (Claimed Series #2) (16 page)

Tobias held his own, just as the others claimed he would. But his dominant arm had been weakened early and he was struggling to gain the upper hand. A strangled grunt escaped the man’s lips as Cole caught his wounded arm in a two-handed grip. The black-haired Alpha then twisted it around entirely, effectively dislocating the man’s shoulder and doing more damage to the already-wounded elbow.

After twisting the arm around the man’s back, Cole put Tobias in a headlock, his thick forearm pressing threateningly against the other man’s throat. One look at Cole’s large biceps and triceps had Hayden wondering if it was possible to tear off a werewolf’s head.

Cole leaned forward and bared his teeth next to Tobias’ ear. “She’s
mine
.”

Flushing head to toe at the possessiveness, Hayden wondered if she was more flattered or insulted. She decided she’d stick with the latter.

Tobias frowned morosely before huffing in amusement. “Silly me, I should have known only a Slayter can claim a creature as delicious as that.” He winked at Hayden. “Now that he knows his place, you can take your pack mate with you,
Hayden.
”

Cole released the other man. With practiced grace, Tobias straightened and adjusted his posture. He scrutinized Cole closely. And just when Hayden thought he’d punch Cole across the face, Tobias smiled roguishly and clasped Cole on the shoulder in a friendly manner.

“Good to see you again, Cole. The last time I saw you, you were but a pup following your big brother around.”

Flabbergasted, Hayden watched as Cole greeted him with just as much civility. It had to be a male thing, she figured. Once they established who the dominant male was, and once Cole proved Hayden was untouchable, they could brush aside any hard feelings and get on splendidly.

They obviously knew each other well. Still, she wondered how Cole could treat him so amicably considering he’d just beat Nathan to a bloody pulp.

“He’ll be furious with you.”

Hayden glanced up at Adolf, who loomed at her shoulder. “I thought
you’d
be furious with me.” She looked back down at Nathan and brushed aside a lock of blond hair. Since becoming Alpha, he’d begun to grow it out. She decided it suited him.

“It is not my pride being wounded.” Adolf grunted. “I have been an Alpha for many years, but even I don’t agree on all the traditions kept. Though, if I were in his place, I would have made the same decision.” 

With his eyes, Adolf found Addie in the crowd and evaluated her wellbeing. Whether Adolf thought the tradition was disagreeable, or was just biased over Addie’s happiness, Hayden was thankful either way. She’d been worried Adolf would be so disgusted with her, that he wouldn’t continue their training.

Before she could properly respond, the rest of the pack approached and Adolf quickly retreated. Fergus kneeled down next to Hayden and nuzzled her cheek affectionately. Addie curled a reassuring hand around her shoulder and nodded her approval.

Blake, displaying a neutral expression, bent down and hauled Nathan to his feet. Fergus was quick to support Nathan’s other side and together, they hobbled off Falco’s—Tobias’s—property.

“I’m so glad he’s back, but I’m afraid he won’t be too happy…” Addie followed the trio of men, keeping a solid hold on Hayden’s shoulder. By now, the majority of the crowd had disbanded, allowing for an easier departure.

“Well, it’ll be like old times then,” Hayden grumbled.

With a quick, backward glance, Hayden noted Cole parting ways with Tobias and following behind them. His expression was hard to read, but Hayden was sure he was angry. In fact, the werewolves who were still assembled looked at her as if she were an abomination.

Apparently, she was back to being the most unpopular female in Albertville. Even if Fergus and Addie, and Adolf by default, appreciated Hayden’s interference, the others wouldn’t have any obligations to think the same.

“I admire you, Hayden.”

The admission took Hayden by surprise. She turned to Addie in question.

Cole’s grandmother smiled. Her blue eyes were far livelier than they had been in a long while. “Even though it frustrates Cole, I think it’s wonderful that you fight for what you believe in, no matter the restrictions or the expectations. It’s a very admirable trait to have.”

“A very dangerous and reckless trait to have.” Cole caught up to them as soon as they crossed into his property. “You are lucky Tobias yielded. He could have easily killed you for your interference.”

“You seemed to get along with him,” Hayden mumbled.

A startled grunt escaped her lips when Cole grabbed her arm and forcibly held her back.

“That does not matter,” he growled. “There is a difference between being courageous and being stupid. You must learn to differentiate between the two if you expect to survive. If Tobias were not a family friend, you would have foolishly flung yourself into harm’s way, not only humiliating Nathan but also putting yourself in danger. I cannot always be there to protect you.”

Dropping her arm, he stalked off, appearing grimmer than he had back at Falco’s property. Hayden watched him go, feeling frustrated and constrained. She could never do right by the pack, by him, by anyone.

“He’s only worried,” Addie tried to sooth. “He cares for you very much.”

Hayden didn’t respond and only followed Cole into the house. She didn’t regret what she’d done. No matter how much Cole reprimanded her, Hayden would do it again if she were given the option.

Of course, a confrontation with Cole was hardly comparable to the insults spewing from Nathan’s lips. Hunched over on a kitchen stool, he endured the alcohol Fergus was trying to pour over his wounds. With his proud shoulders slumped forward and his bright eyes clouded over with unwilling defeat, Hayden thought he resembled a dethroned king who’d been conquered and banished from his own kingdom.

Though Cole’s house had been his home for years, he looked out of place amongst his old pack members. Upon Hayden’s arrival, his turquoise eyes riveted towards her. Once he registered her presence, his pupils dilated and burned with smothering dislike.

She could have easily gone upstairs to avoid the imminent confrontation. Instead, she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the wall across from him. Whatever he had to say, he could say it now in front of the entire pack. She was Alpha, after all. Alphas did not run up to their bedrooms and sulk. They showed those beneath them who was in charge.

Shrugging off Fergus’ attempt of calming him, Nathan turned fully in Hayden’s direction. His rage only heightened in the face of her blasé indifference. “How could you be so
stupid
?”

“I don’t know,” she replied honestly. “I’ve been asked that many times before and still don’t know the answer.”

He stood abruptly from his stool, causing the piece of furniture to clatter behind him. “This isn’t a joke!”

“No, maybe not.”
She pursed her lips and surveyed him with an air of boredom. “Do you want to know what
is
funny?” Pausing, she wondered if this was the appropriate route to take, seeing as Nathan’s pride was already damaged. She forged on anyway, knowing this was the only way to reach him. “What’s funny was your pathetic attempt at defending your position as Alpha.”

Silence, so thick in its force, stilled the room and hovered almost tangibly. Everyone stared at her in disbelief, except Cole, who stood in the corner, determined to stay out of it. Apparently, he had enough confidence that Hayden would handle things appropriately. 

Nathan took an advancing step forward, and then another. His eyes were bright and far more focused than Hayden had ever seen them before. He was trying to intimidate her by using some of the Alpha mechanisms he’d picked up while leading Falco’s old pack.

Unfortunate for him, Hayden was far more dominant.

She dropped her arms to her sides and pushed off from the wall, meeting him halfway. They circled one another, Hayden paying close attention to her surroundings. Before she stopped circling, she made certain Nathan had his back to the table.

“You knew you could never beat Tobias,” she persisted. “You thought you could keep your pride intact by defending your honor until the very end, but it just looked shameful to the rest of us.”

With her body and reflexes honed under Adolf’s careful training, she saw the attack coming before Nathan executed it. Quickly clasping Nathan’s striking fist with both hands, she stopped the punch just inches from her face. He was startled by her reflexes, his underestimation making it easy to bring him down.

Inserting her leg between his unbalanced
stance, she tripped him and swiped his legs out from underneath him. Keeping a solid hold on his arm, Hayden went down with him and slammed his back against the dinner table. She manipulated his arm and pressed it against his throat, creating pressure by leaning into him.

His eyes were wide with surprise, and when he tried to struggle against her, Hayden held him down, matching his strength with unexpected ease.

“
Hayden!
”

Fergus and Addie yelled her name in unison, but she didn’t take her eyes off Nathan. Considering Addie or Fergus hadn’t hurried to push her off him, Hayden figured Blake or Cole had stopped their attempts. 

A few strands of her hair escaped her ponytail, enough to frame her face and veil it from everyone but the man beneath her. Her wolf reared up and purred at the prospect of dominating over someone, a pack member in particular. In response, she leaned further into Nathan, securing her position.

“You—”

Hayden growled, effectively shutting him up. “I’m
sick
of male pride taking precedence over common sense!” It was spoken to Nathan, but it was applicable to everyone in the room. “You’ve been Alpha for only a handful of weeks. You can be mad at me all you’d like, but at least
I
was thinking clearly. You have a brother that loves you and a pack that needs you. Throwing it all away on something so stupid is pathetic.”

Pushing away from his sprawled form, Hayden took a couple steps back, trying to get ahold of her anger. He gradually sat up, staring at her with fury, but a hint of something else, something she was too frustrated to identify.

“Before you left,” Hayden said, “you gave the impression that you didn’t feel as if you had a place in the pack, but you’re wrong. Just because someone doesn’t have a rank, doesn’t mean they aren’t important.” Realizing she was sounding too emotional, she quickly finished. “Most of us wouldn’t admit it, but we were all affected by your absence.”

Blake chortled, breaking the silence. “They say distance makes the heart grow fonder. In this case, it seems to apply for Hayden.”

Underneath the recent dilemma with Nathan, there was still that tingling sense of betrayal from Blake’s actions earlier that evening. When she looked at him, there was no humor on her face, only a great deal of bleakness that took him by surprise.

“I’m going running,” Hayden announced abruptly. She turned on her heel and began answering the questions that would have undoubtedly come from Cole if she hadn’t predicted them beforehand. “Alone. Please don’t follow me. And yes, I’ll stay on the property.”

Her wolf began tearing through her restraints and Hayden barely made it outside before she began transforming. She was restless, irritated with everyone, including herself, and desperate for a distraction. Only her wolf would know how to soothe her restlessness.

* * *

“What are you doing up there?”

“Scouting for a good place for our tree house,” Hayden mumbled quietly. She pressed her cheek against the cold bark and gave Blake a disinterested glance.

She was currently lying on her belly across a sturdy branch, her arms and legs dangling off the sides like a sloth who’d lost its ability of hanging upside down. With her cheek pressed against the branch, she had a good view of the street and a section of Adolf’s property.

The beta stopped at the base of the old oak and gazed up at her. “That’s probably not the best spot for a tree house. Cole could see you perfectly from the foyer. If you built it here, you wouldn’t get much privacy from him. You and Fergus should find a tree in the backyard.”

Hayden grunted. “And did he send you out here? Cole?”

“Considering you
were
running for an hour before suddenly showing up hanging from a branch, yeah, he was a bit concerned.” Blake shrugged. “I volunteered to see if you’re alright.”

“I’m fine.”

Whatever bond she shared with Cole was becoming increasingly bothersome. Experiencing each other’s strong, steadfast emotions was especially inconvenient. Hayden didn’t have much privacy in a pack full of men, so she’d always treasured her guarded emotions. However, even her emotions were on display and she could do nothing about it.

She didn’t want Cole to feel her self-pity or her misery. Standing unwaveringly on her own two feet was a vital trait to possess with a mate like Cole. She constantly felt obligated to be as strong as he was.

“You don’t look fine.”

“I’m meditating,” she hissed back, still peeved with Blake.

Technically, she
was
trying to mediate and flatline her emotions. While she was running, she’d come to the conclusion that she’d been reckless with many things as of late. Most of the time, she was just trying to do the right thing when no one else was inclined to do so.