Alpha Bait(17)

“I’m just taking her over here, ladies,” Scorch said, lifting her up and practically carrying her over to the group he’d been talking to. David had his arms wrapped around Mandy, and she saw several men smiling at them. “We’re talking about the next full moon run. It’s David’s turn to stay behind to keep an eye on the kids while the rest of us go for a run to blow off steam.”

“Do you mind staying behind?” Victoria asked.

“No, it’s my turn. We all take turns. Mandy did it last month, and before that Blake did. We all take turns.”

“Do you take your turn?” She turned her attention back to Scorch.

“Of course. My turn is not next full moon but the one after. I pull my weight. It’s my pack, and I’m not willing to give out orders without doing it myself. I don’t work like that.” His arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her close.

She loved the warmth from his body as they stood in the cold. “Then I’d like to help.”

“You can share Scorch’s day. He could do with the company,” Mandy said, smiling sweetly.

“Sure, why not?”

What about Chain?

He’s going to kill you if you don’t give him what he wants. He wanted Scorch distracted by his attraction to her so that he could kill Scorch easily. What did Chain really want to do with him other than kill him? Scorch didn’t pose a threat to any pack. The old fear her previous alpha had caused rose up.

She stared at the ground wishing there was some way out of what Chain had made her do.

****

Scorch felt her withdraw from the conversation. Her body tensed up, and her gaze stayed on the ground covered with snow. Glancing at Mandy he saw the concern in the other woman’s eyes. All of his pack was concerned with the woman in his arms. He knew they accepted her as his life-mate.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked, whispering against her ear.

She turned her head, nodding. “Of course. Nothing is wrong at all. Everything is fine.”

“Tori, look up,” one of the kids said, calling her name.

A white ball of snow landed on her chest. She jumped out of his arms, collapsing to the ground in the snow. Scorch tensed expecting her to lash out and say something to upset the whole of the pack.

Instead, Victoria spread her arms out creating a snow angel while laughing.

“Tell them they’ve got five minutes and then I’m going to get them back.” Her eyes were glinting up at him.

“You got it.” Turning to the kids, he held his hands up to be heard. “You’ve got five minutes, adults against children. Snowball fight will happen. The main objective of this mission,” he said, looking all around, “is fun. If you’re not having fun, you’ve lost.”

The kids ran around the back of the house, screaming and laughing. He heard them all whispering. The adults banded together, walked out of the gate and stared across the distance waiting for Scorch to announce the beginning of the snowball fight.

He helped Victoria up out of the snow. She brushed it off her clothes and followed him toward his spot. They stood hand in hand waiting. His heart was pounding as the excitement built within. This was his future with Victoria by his side. He knew deep in his heart that they could achieve so much together.

Every now and then he saw the pack watching them together. They were waiting for him to announce his mating with Victoria. Yesterday he’d gotten a call from Lidia demanding a second chance. He refused her offer, not wanting her anywhere near his pack. She was a sickness he didn’t wish to spread around.

“Scorch, are you ready?” Victoria asked.

He was ready for a lot more than a snowball fight.

“Remember, key rules, have fun. Otherwise you’re a loser.” He made sure everyone could hear him as he shouted the words. “Five … four … three … two … one … fight!”

The children screamed as they ran out behind them from the trees. Victoria squealed as they were pelted with snowballs from the children. Scorch had heard the kids coming behind them.

Pretending to be scared, he jumped over the fence, picking Victoria up and over the fence. He rolled up balls, but once his arms left her, she was grabbing snow turning them into balls and pelting them over the wall.

The laughter going on all around them was amazing. His pack was in full flow pelting snowballs and pretending to die as they were hit by a flying ball. The kids were stopping as they fell over laughing.

The snowball fight was carrying on. Grabbing her hand, he led her away from the main fight. He pressed her against the side of the house, staring into her eyes.

“I don’t want you to leave,” he said.