Alphas of Red Moon Ranch(71)

He shrugged her off abruptly. Like she were some irritating horsefly. His eyes were trained on Brent. “Later, Holly.”

And that’s what it was always going to be. Later, Holly. I’ve got to take care of some “Alpha business.” But this wasn’t Alpha business. This was a pissing contest that was going to put both of them in jeopardy.

Holly heard Cassidy shout out Brent’s name, just as the younger brother charged and swung a wide arc at Jacob. Jacob ducked, narrowly missing the hit, and socked Brent once in the stomach, then in the face when the other doubled over.

Everyone backed off, even Cassidy. Like they were afraid to take a stand. Jacob paced, snarling, and his eyes flashed that animal copper. Finally, it wasn’t Jacob, but Holly, who was seeing red. She got right between them, shoved Jacob back with all of her strength, and—

She slapped him. Across the face. Holly had never slapped anyone before, never in her life, and the force behind it surprised her. Even in the dim firelight, she could see the angry red mark across his cheek. Jacob grabbed her wrist reflexively and turned on her. There was raw irritation in his eyes, but now he was looking at her, really looking at her, and she saw some of the steam go out of him. The gold glow in his eyes shimmered and quieted. “Have you lost your mind?” he said, his voice low. Brent, Cassidy, and the rest of the clan all went quiet as well, staring at Holly as though she’d reinvented the wheel.

“You’re always blaming your Beast on everything, but it’s not the bear, Jacob,” Holly said, her words sharp and cutting, flying out of her mouth like razor blades. “It’s you! You’re stubborn and proud and if you’re not honest with yourself, you’re going to tear your family apart.”

Jacob stared at her. The mark on his cheek had faded into a soft human warmth. All the fight had gone out of his voice now, the gravelly Alpha growl depleted, and he sounded concerned when he asked, “Holly, what’re you—?”

“I’m pregnant,” she blurted out. Two words, and it should’ve felt like a relief unloading them from her chest. Instead, Holly felt raw, exhausted, forced into a corner she didn’t want to be in. She’d been pushed to use her last card and now that she had, she just wanted to curl up and sleep and forget this terrible, terrible night. Eyes brimming with tears, but determined not to let them fall, determined not to look weak in front of him right now, she said, calmly, through her teeth, “So maybe think about that next time you sign yourself up for something you might not come back from.”

Holly turned and walked away from Jacob. Away from the fire pit. Away from the clan of bears. She was just tired of this, tired of having to play peacekeeper. She left her heels in the dirt and walked barefoot up the hill, determined not to stop for anything. The dark of the night swallowed her vision, stars sprinkled before her, and Holly couldn’t stop the tears that slipped down her cheeks and she choked on them as she climbed to the top of the hill, towards their house. No way was she going to wait to get a ride from him. She didn’t want to be in the same car—heck, on the same planet—as Jacob right now.

She heard silence behind her (at least they weren’t fighting anymore). Then she heard feet pattering up to follow her. The hairs on the back of Holly’s neck rose; she didn’t want to even look at Jacob right now for fear of what else she might say, things she didn’t mean. Instead, she saw Cassidy beside her, catching up with her quickly. “Let me walk you home, sweetheart,” Cassidy said. There was something warm in Cassidy’s tone, something Holly hadn’t heard from Jacob’s sister before.

“I know, I know,” Holly said, and now she couldn’t hide the shake in her voice. “I emasculated him in front of the clan, I made the clan look weak, I know.” Any other day, Holly would be able to hide the bitterness in her voice, but now…it all came out. Cassidy was the last person Holly wanted to appear weak around. She didn’t want to give the other woman even more ammunition to use against her, proof that she wasn’t a true Alpha’s mate.

Instead of a tongue-lashing, Holly felt Cassidy’s arm wrap around her shoulders, snuggly. “No one stands up to my brother,” Cassidy said. “You’re one tough chickadee, you know that, girl?”

That broke Holly. Fear from earlier, embarrassment, hurt—and now, on top of it, gratitude, relief, Cassidy respected her. That meant more to Holly than she thought it would and, before she knew it, she collapsed into Cassidy’s arms and broke down, crying.

“Shhh, mama,” Cassidy murmured, rubbing the other woman’s back. “It’s okay. We’re family here.”