New Alpha – New Rules(28)

“What kind of chickens do you want?” He asked after a few moments. Harper thought about it. She knew nothing of chickens except fried, baked, and over easy. “I’ll ask Cindy.” He squeezed her shoulders. “I thought you grew up on a farm.” She smacked his chest playfully.

“I know what a chicken is, I just don’t know the varieties. I know how to feed them and fetch their eggs. I am somewhat useful.” He grinned down at her smiling face.

“Ryder, truck coming.” Curtis called from the back door. Harper looked over at him and saw that there were several wolves behind him.

“The washer?” Harper asked.

“Not that fast.” He sprang to his feet and started for the front of the house. When he got to the side of the porch he took the stairs two at a time. Harper followed him and watched Max’s white pickup barreling down the dusty drive. He skidded to a stop and jumped out. He had a few wolves with him who hopped out behind him.

“We have a problem.” Max said.





Chapter 10


“What’s that?” Ryder asked. His wolves flanked out behind him. Max dropped his head.

“I’ve got more than a few out of control males. They’ll be coming for her. I’m offering my help and the help of my remaining loyal wolves.” Harper nodded to them and Harry, an old friend, took his ball cap off and nodded back. He’d always been sweet to her.

She knew he felt like he owed her since she’d saved his boy from drowning a few years ago. Harper didn’t feel like he owed her anything. The pup got in too deep and she’d been happy to scoop him out danger. No big deal. “I’ve called in my alliance to lend a hand, her old pack.” Ryder inhaled sharply. “I’m sorry. I should’ve been paying more attention. My mate just had our third and it’s been hard on her the last few months. I’ve been distracted.” Max looked angry at himself. Ryder nodded.

“Appreciate the help.” He looked over his shoulder at his wolves. “Let everyone know.” He said to Jack who hurried inside, the screen door slammed as he went through it. “What can I expect?” Ryder stepped down off the porch and stood with Max. After a moment, he held a hand out to Harper and motioned her over. She went to him and let him pull her into his side. She liked it there. Max looked at her curiously.

“You aren’t marked.” Harper shook her head. “That’s going to be a problem.”

“My female wants her mating this time to be special. The last time she mated it was…disappointing.” Max exhaled slowly.

“You need to mark her. Right now, they are coming after her and they think she is marked. If they find her unmarked I don’t want to know what kind of frenzy that will put them in.” Max crossed his arms over his chest.

“Max, why are they so interested in me anyway? I’m not the only unmated female in the pack, Sidney, Alice, Maria…” Max laughed.

“You think about those females again and tell me if they are sweet wolves that you would want to trust behind your back. “You were a good mate. You worked hard, did as you were told, you took care of the house and you wanted pups. That’s everything a wolf could want for a mate. You’re already trained. At least that’s they’re thinking. Ellis needs a mate and he has the others worked up into his fantasy that you should be passed to him since you’re already family.”

“Eww.” Harper muttered. “I could never…” She wrapped her arms around Ryder and buried her face in his side.

“Hey, it’s okay. You are mine and I protect mine. You’re safe.” He growled softly and she felt it under her cheek then relaxed. “You don’t pass on to the next family member, you aren’t an heirloom, and you certainly don’t mate with a wolf you haven’t agreed to mate.” He raised an eyebrow and looked at Max.

“Were you Alpha when she was bartered for alliance?” Max nodded. Ryder squeezed her tighter.

“She agreed to it. He agreed to it, her father, her Alpha and I all agreed to it. I can’t help what happened after the mating because she never talked to me about it. I had to assume everything was alright.”

“It wasn’t alright. He raped her, and robbed her of a good life because you didn’t keep watch over her. That won’t happen here Alphas are obligated to watch over new pack members.” There were several growls behind him. “I’m not trying to insult you. I am simply stating a fact.” Max nodded.

“You’re right.” An old rust colored van labored down the drive slowly and she recognized it as her father’s but when it stopped, he didn’t climb out. She saw some familiar faces from her past but it’d been years. Bronson never took her to visit them and never asked them to come visit her. She went to each of them and gave them all hugs. These were old wolves and had no business getting involved in a fight.