An Alpha's Choice (Talon Pack #2)(12)

“Finn and I didn’t talk much about what our plans were, other than meeting for coffee. Again.” She tried to forget the way he’d made her feel when he’d prowled toward her in the shop, the way her wolf went on alert, begging for scraps of affection that would never come.

Fuck this. She wasn’t some damsel in need of saving. If he didn’t want her, then f*ck it all. She didn’t like who she was becoming at the mere thought of him. She pushed thoughts of loss and bonds away once again, locking the key on the vault of Finn.

Fuck.

Him.

“I know the two of you have done the whole be-nice-in-public thing a few times over the past year, and that’s why you were chosen. But I don’t know if coffee will do it.”

“I know. We’ve shopped before. Or rather, I’ve pretended to shop and he’s growled behind me, apparently bored out of his mind.”

Brie grinned. “It’s because Charlotte and I used to force him to go with us when things were…safer.”

Safer. Because now most in the Pack never left the den. It wasn’t safe. The military and government might still be in transition, and they weren’t a hundred percent clear on how they would react in the near future, but that didn’t mean things were easy. The everyday humans were a fear. As wolves, they couldn’t fight back like they should in case a human did provoke them. They couldn’t spill blood and protect themselves. They had to be careful. Everything stood on an edge so thin, Brynn wasn’t sure where it began and the end tapered off.

If they weren’t careful, the humans would fear them more than they already did, and things would go downhill fast for the wolves and her family.

“For now, Finn and I will continue to do what we normally do…just do it more often. We’re planning on meeting tomorrow, and I know we will probably go out each day. We’ll look…normal.” As normal as she could be by his side but that was neither here nor there.

Brie nodded. “I know we’re putting a lot on your shoulders, and you won’t be the only ones that go out. Eventually, we’ll put a few more out. Not too many at once so we don’t make the humans feel as though we’re taking over.”

Brynn snorted. “I wish we could just have it out and throw up our hands. Just tell them that we’re here, we’ve always been here, and we’re not going anywhere. But instead, we have to be careful because the world isn’t like it once was. One wrong move and everything can fall down around us.”

“I hate it, too. I hate that we can’t be ourselves and that we’re always scared. I mean, my parents met outside the den. They were outside in public and were normal. My mom was human and became a wolf because the Centrals forced it on her, but she would have chosen to become one of us on her own like my Aunt Melanie did. Now it’s almost as if we’re forced into our own cages because we aren’t sure who knows which of us can shift.”

Brynn let out a breath. “Thank the goddess they can’t tell from blood tests.”

Brie nodded. That little detail had to be due to the moon goddess because Brynn had been sure medical tests would have revealed who they were. Instead, their blood came up as human. That meant that if the government ever tried for mandatory testing by blood, they would come up empty. There were other ways to find out their true nature, but at least they were safe from that.

For now.

Science was always evolving.

“Just integrate yourself and look harmless,” Brie said with a strained grin.

“Sure. Because your cousin can look harmless, considering he’s the size of a truck.”

“He can grin and look like he’s your best friend. You’re the one I’m more afraid of, honestly.”

Brynn sat up straight. “What do you mean? He’s more dominant that I am?”

Brie shook her head. “Yeah, but you’re not that far behind. He might have shadows in his eyes because of what happened to him as a kid, but he does his best to look carefree. You always look like you’re ready to kick ass and take names.”

“I’ve had to be that way,” she grit out.

Brie held up her hands. “I know. Believe me, I know. Your family grew up differently than mine, and it shaped how we interact with the world today. Plus, you’re a dominant woman without a title in the Pack because the moon goddess was on crack when she handed out roles. You’re constantly fighting dominance challenges because others don’t know where to place you. It’s on them, I know, but because of that, you always look like you’re ready to protect what’s yours.”

Brynn’s shoulders fell. “It’s not my fault others don’t know how to handle me. I’m not a bitch.”

“And I didn’t say you were. I said you’re ready to protect. How is that me calling you a bitch? You saved my life, Brynn. You’ve saved countless lives and never asked for a thank you. The only thing you’ve done is show me how to be the Alpha female of a Pack, and yet not be the most dominant.”

The two of them were in a weird balance. In any other Pack, Brie would have been the most dominant wolf in the Pack. She’d not only mated Gideon and would have inherited some of his strength in doing so, but the moon goddess matched wolves with a purpose. Because Brie was submissive, things were a little trickier. She held the power of the Alpha and ruled with a swift grace Brynn had never seen the likes of, but she wasn’t dominant. She would never be dominant, and that was fine for Brie and most of the Pack.