Alpha Rylan

“This is becoming a habit, isn’t it?”

The men form a half-circle around me, their eyes tracking my every move with caution.

They’re trying to pretend their fingers aren’t trembling on their weapons, their feet poised to retreat if necessary.

There used to be five of them, but I’ve managed to reduce their number to four. Purely by accident, of course.

The leader stands in the center, clutching a staff made of dark wood, its tip sharpened and a metal cuff at the base for grip.

Members of the Purity Pack don’t believe in using firearms or even silver. But right now, I can tell he’d love to break those rules and use such weapons against me.

“Kneel,” he orders, his voice shaky despite his attempt at authority.

I can’t help but roll my eyes at the predictability of his command. Commander Burke never brings any excitement to our encounters—especially not recently.

“And surrender,” we both say simultaneously, causing him to scowl and me to laugh.

He glances at the three men he’s brought along. I wonder if he’s noticed the scar on the forehead of the man to his left. I certainly did... I was the one who gave it to him, after all.

It wouldn’t have happened if he’d just listened to me.

I hate it when they don’t listen.

“Is this the seventh time we’ve done this dance?” I ask, raising my hand with my fingers spread wide.

Commander Burke’s brow furrows, nearly hiding his almond-shaped eyes. He hates the banter. But I do it every time.

Sometimes it gets lonely, and to be honest, messing with Alpha Rylan’s guards is a source of amusement for me.

“We wouldn’t have to if you’d just surrender,” Burke grumbles, his grip on his weapon tightening. So predictable. Has he learned nothing?

He always does this when he’s about to attack, as if he thinks he can catch me off guard. When he sees my raised eyebrow, he’ll relax his grip.

I sigh. “Haven’t we established that’s not an option?”

One of the men at the edge of the group looks to his commander. I have no idea why he keeps coming along.

Every single time, he struts up full of confidence, but bolts the moment I make my move. He’s my favorite.

If I wasn’t Rylan’s mate, a lot of things would be different.

I wouldn’t be on the run. I wouldn’t be poor. My family wouldn’t have disowned me and my sister.

I wouldn’t spend every moment wondering when his guards might come crashing through the underbrush in pursuit of me.

I have to give him credit for his persistence... It’s been almost a year since we both found out. A year since I’ve been on the run.

“Nor would we have to if you didn’t steal…” Burke starts, but I cut him off with a glare. I’m tired of explaining myself. Stealing is a serious crime. So is murder.

I only committed one of those on purpose.

He shouldn’t have thrown himself at me. He practically forced my hand.

“You’re right,” I say flatly. “But you’re wasting your time chasing someone who isn’t your alpha’s precious good girl.”

Just then, one of his guards lunges at me. I’d been expecting it, actually. I thought it would have happened five minutes ago.

The way he’d been eyeing me from behind his cloth mask gave him away.

Every so often, he’d twitch as if he were about to attack, but then he’d change his mind at the last second.

I’d already freed my weapon of choice from the tree behind me by the time he made his move.

A heavy rock—I found it at the bottom of the local river—fits perfectly in my hand, ideal for throwing.

I prefer long-range weapons; it helps me sleep at night knowing I didn’t get close enough to hurt him.

I don’t even have to look at him as I hurl the rock into the air, aiming straight for his forehead.

It hits him, instantly knocking him out. As he collapses next to the rock, I quickly replace the flicker of guilt on my face with anger.

Anger at him.

A heavy silence falls over us, until Burke breaks it with a sigh. “A rock, that’s new.”

Usually, I opt for a sharpened stick, like the ones they carry, but not as long or fancy. I tried a bone once, but it didn’t hold up without proper treatment.

There’s nothing fancy out here in the forest. Burke doesn’t listen when I tell him it’s an unfair advantage.

This isn’t a game to him, like it is to me. It’s his job, which is why I take great pleasure in making it difficult.

Every time he drags injured men back to Rylan, I can imagine the consequences. Today won’t be any different.

“Honestly, I think you need better men,” I say, brushing my hands off on my pants. They’re worn and tattered, but they do the job.

Burke rests the tip of his staff on the ground. “How about a bargain?”

My ears prick up at his words. Did he just suggest what I think he did? Burke and I have crossed paths in the forest many times, but he’s never proposed anything like a deal before.

It’s always been the same old song and dance, so this new tune has me intrigued.

“He wants to talk to you... one last time,” Burke says. “Then he’ll agree to let you go.”

My heart nearly skips a beat. Can he be serious? Burke is an older man, which makes him twice as stubborn as the young guys who usually flank him.

This must be tearing him up inside, knowing I might just walk away scot-free. The thought alone has me grinning from ear to ear.

“Interesting,” I reply, keeping my tone clipped. I’m not sure whether to trust him. “About what?”

He shrugs, a gesture that’s out of character for someone of his stature. Even the two remaining boys look taken aback.

The blond one, who’s always looking for an escape route, still seems uneasy. I’m tempted to say ‘boo’ or something, just to give him an excuse to bolt.

I wouldn’t mind an escape route myself, but I can’t risk leading them back to my sister.

“You think I’m privy to that information? You’ll have to find out for yourself.”

“Gross,” I mutter, recalling every other conversation I’ve had with him. It’s the same garbage, time and time again.

If I have to listen to that insufferable alpha one more time, I might just pull my hair out. Of all the people in the world who don’t get me, it’s him.

He honestly believes that keeping me cooped up within his pack’s territory will turn me into a docile little lamb. At least, that was his theory six months ago.

I haven’t heard a peep from him since.

“You know what,” I say, squaring my shoulders. “I’ll talk to him. If he tries anything, I’ll kill him.”

That’s not an empty threat... well, maybe. Every time I’ve been near him, I haven’t felt the urge, but things are different now. I’m stronger. I’m better.

I’m his personal fugitive. And I plan on keeping it that way.