New Alpha-New Rules (17 page)

Ellis was lying.
He had to be lying. If there was a huge shift in leadership, people would keep
their pups indoors until they knew it was safe. Wouldn’t they? This was all a fraud.
He said that Max was gone and Jake was the new Alpha. She’d known Jake for a
long time and he was no Alpha. Ellis and Jake probably saw Sidney’s car and
followed it. None of this was planned. She hunched over Sidney and felt for a
pulse, strong and steady. “Wake up Sidney.” Harper coaxed.

“She’s fine. Get
your ass back in the kitchen.” Jake growled from behind her.

“How’s Charlotte
Jake? Did she have the pup yet?” Harper asked standing up. His whole face
changed and brightened. She’d spent more than one evening having cordial
conversations with this wolf. He was Bronson’s best friend and since he was,
she knew him well. His heart was in his family.

“Nah, I wish she’d
get on with it. She thinks it’s another girl but I want another boy.” Harper
laughed at that. “What?”

“All of you men
want little boys to carry on your family name. You never hear a wolf say he
wants a girl. Not until he grows up and there aren’t any around to make more
little boys. One male can repopulate a territory but not without she-wolves. Do
you follow?” Jake smirked and shook his head.

“You got me there
Harper.” It was as if she’d never left. She almost expected Bronson to walk out
of the bedroom any second.

“I hope you have a
healthy happy pup.” Harper said. Sidney groaned and snapped Jake back to
reality.

“Get back in the
kitchen.” He growled. Harper squatted next to Sidney and brushed her forehead
with her hand.

“Wake up Sid.” She
whispered. Jake grabbed Harper’s arm and threw her toward the opening that led
to the kitchen. “Easy Jake.” Harper spat. “I was never mean to you. I expect
the same.” She huffed and went back to the kitchen. She saw Evan streak by the
back door. He was behind the truck when she glanced out the window in the back
door. Maybe she could make this easy for her pack.

“Sidney up?” Ellis
asked startling her. Harper shook her head when he looked up. Luckily, he
wasn’t watching her.

“Is it fixed?”
Ellis scratched his head then shook it.

“I think it’s dead
in the water. Damn it.” He bent over further and looked at something. Harper
saw Ryder outside then and shook her head. She held up one finger and he
nodded.

“You should get
one of those big commercial ones so you have plenty of game stored up.” Harper
bent over to see what he was doing underneath it.

“Why do I need all
of that?” He asked.

“You said you were
going to fill the house with pups. Pups eat. We can look on the internet and
see how much room they take, get a price and how much power they need. If they
take extra juice, you can rewire right?” He nodded. “I don’t have my laptop, do
you have a computer?” She didn’t see one anywhere and the internet modem was on
the desk in the living room. She didn’t remember the green lights flashing but
she hadn’t really looked either.

“At home.” So, he
wasn’t living here after all.

“Can you get it?”
His eyes narrowed. “Jake’s here, I’m not going anywhere. Go get the computer
and we’ll look.” She gave him her best smile.

“Glad you’re
coming to terms with our arrangement.” Ellis looked her over from head to toe.

“All I ever wanted
was a house full of pups with a decent wolf that was willing to work as hard as
I did.” That was the truth. He would not scent a whiff of deception in her
words. Ellis nodded and headed out the back door. She heard him yelp a second
later and knew that was the last sound that Ellis would ever make.

“Where’s Ellis?”
Jake stormed into the kitchen.

“He went to get
his laptop.” Harper said trying to push the fridge back into place.

“Here. Let me do
it. You’re not strong enough.” While he was wrestling the fridge, eleven wolves
walked silently into the kitchen.

“I’ll get out of
your way.” Harper said sweetly. She backed as far into the corner as she could
to get out of the way. Not out of Jake’s way but out of Ryder’s way. “He has a
pup on the way. Maybe don’t kill him.” She said.

“What?” Jake
turned around and gaped.

“I said maybe they
shouldn’t kill you because you have a pup on the way. It’s not up to me though.
It’s up to Sidney and Curtis.”

“Where is she?”
Curtis looked sick.

“In the living
room on the couch and she’s okay, just out cold.” Ryder pulled Harper into his
arms and she melted against him.

“Such a brilliant
she-wolf.” He smiled at her. “How’s our little one?” He flattened his hand to
her stomach.

“She’s fine.”

“Good.” Ryder
kissed the top of her head. “Your friend is dead.” Ryder said to Jake now. “My
mate thinks we should let you live.” Ryder pulled her chin up with a finger.
“Why was that again?”

“I don’t think it
was his idea to kidnap us. I think it was Ellis’. Ellis wanted me, but Jake
didn’t want Sidney. He has a mate that is about to give birth. I’m sure that
Jake will go home and be a good boy. If Curtis wants revenge for Sidney though,
I won’t stand in the way. Jake should’ve known better.” Harper finished glaring
at Jake.

“It wasn’t my
idea. I was just helping Ellis.” Jake pleaded. “It won’t happen again. I swear.
Take them both. Nobody else cared except Ellis anyway.” Ryder considered it.
Curtis came back into the kitchen with an angry Sidney.

“She’s okay, just
off her game.” Evan and Eric ducked out the back door followed by Lee, Jack, Will,
Don, Alan, Jasper  and Matt.

“We’re on the
porch if you need us.” Will called over his shoulder. “Littlest kitchen ever
built.” Harper heard him mutter.

“Sweetness, do you
have an opinion on what happens to this piece of shit.” Curtis said in a voice
you would use on an injured child and Harper grinned. Nobody ever talked to
Sidney like that before but she seemed to like it. She melted further into
Curtis’ side and nuzzled him.

“What the hell did
you do to her?” Jake burst out then schooled his face.

“I treat her like
a she-wolf should be treated, with dignity, respect and admiration.” He kissed
the top of her head and Sidney’s eyes slid closed for a second. When she opened
them, they were amber. Uh-oh. Harper thought. Sidney reached into Curtis’
pocket and he grinned. She pulled his pocketknife out and flipped the blade
out. She curled the knife’s handle tightly in her palm then punched Jake in the
nose as hard as she could. His nose exploded with blood. Turning her hand
Sidney stabbed him in the butt not once but twice. He yelped.

“Don’t you ever
touch me again Jake Chalmers or next time I will stab you in the heart. You got
me?” Sidney was in his face screaming at him but Jake just nodded.

“Apologize to the
lady for what you did.” Curtis said low and menacingly.

“I’m sorry Sidney.
I shouldn’t have listened to Ellis. I’m sorry Harper, really. Neither of you
deserved this. I apologize.” Jake stood there with shame and remorse on his
face.

“You square or
should I put him down?” Curtis wrapped an arm around Sidney’s shoulders.

“We’re square but
if I see him again, I want him dead.”

“You got it
sweetness.” Curtis ushered her outside.

“Get out of here
before I change my mind.” Ryder told him. “Go out the front and they might let
you live. We left Ellis outside in the weeds as a warning to you and yours.
Mess with Green Valley and that’s what happens to you.” Jake nodded and headed
out the front door as he was told. “Come on babe, I’m starving. Nobody
delivered that pizza.”

“It’s probably in
the trash by now. I doubt they would hold it this long.”

“Well, we still
need to eat so we’ll stop by and see. What happened to the beans?”

“They weren’t
turned on so we decided to have them for dinner.”

“Good call. Come
on.” Ryder walked her outside and put her in the truck then went around to the
driver’s side. “Jack.” He called across the roof to the other vehicle. “Have
them stop and pick up the pizza and Sid’s car.” Jack gave him a thumbs up.
Ryder pulled out of the yard and followed them on the way out of the territory.
“Give me your cell phone.” Harper pulled it out. “Find me Max’s number
sweetheart.” Harper thumbed through the contacts while bouncing around as Ryder
drove over the potholes.

“Here.” She had it
on the screen and ready for him. He thumbed the button.

“Max. Ryder, Green
Valley. I just put Ellis down. You’ll find him behind Harper’s old house.”
Harper couldn’t hear over the engine noise. There was a long pause. Max was
probably upset that his pack numbers were dwindling. “He kidnapped my mate and
Sidney, snatched them in broad daylight from Joe’s Pizza. They were rough on
Sid, knocked her out cold, and held both females hostage. I will not tolerate
that kind of treatment. If your pack wants a war, just say so.” He negotiated a
turn then grinned. “I thought not. As far as I’m concerned, we’re okay. You?”
Ryder sped along the highway as if they were out for a Sunday drive. “Yeah will
do and she’s fine, we’re headed home.” A second later, he handed the phone back
to Harper. “All’s good sweetheart.” Harper sighed knowing it would be.

That night Harper
researched chickens on the laptop while Ryder finished downstairs. She thought
she would like the big red ones best. When he came in the room, she shut the
computer down and put it on the floor beside the bed. “I thought you’d be
asleep by now.” He said. She shook her head.

“I was looking at
chickens while I waited for you.” He nodded.

“Fried or baked?”
He grinned and Harper laughed.

“Live and egg
laying.” Ryder pulled his shirt off and threw it in the laundry basket. Harper
mimicked his movements. When she finally got down to skin, she climbed up on
the bed and waited for him. Ryder growled playfully making her giggle.

“They didn’t hurt
you?” Ryder asked again. He looked so serious. She supposed that it was for
him. In his mind, he probably thought that he failed to protect her. Harper
didn’t feel that way. She’d never felt more protected than when she was with
him. She’d answered this question several times throughout the evening and
answered the same each time.

“No Ryder. He
didn’t hurt me at all. He barely touched me except to restrain me.” Ryder
snarled the way he had every time she answered the question. “Is that why you
took so long to come to bed? You’re afraid they hurt me and you don’t want to
hurt me again?” She turned and faced him standing up on her knees. He gave her
a solemn look. “Ryder. I’m fine except that…”

“What?” His
fingers pressed along her shoulders and arms examining her. His sharp eyes
everywhere at once.

“Except that I
feel empty and lonely. I need you.” She leaned up to kiss him. Her heart sped
up just as it did every time she kissed Ryder. She felt the strong thud of his
heart under her fingers that lay gently on his chest. He pushed her back on the
bed and climbed over her. “I know you can take care of that though.” Harper whispered
and wrapped her legs around his waist. Ryder kissed her tenderly.

“I love you.” He
said when the kiss ended. “Really.”

“I know.” She
smoothed her fingers over his stubble and smiled. “You’ve made me feel more love
in the short time we’ve known each other than he did in ten years. He wouldn’t
have fought for me today. He may have fought to win but not because he wanted
to protect me or because he loved me.” Ryder kissed her again. She heard Sidney
squeal across the hall then and grinned. “He’s going to make her very happy.”

“He’s a good wolf
and so is she; I hope they make each other happy.”

“Our kids can grow
up together.” Harper grinned.

“Let’s make sure
of that.” Ryder kissed her throat then moved to her ear, down to her clavicle
and onto her breast. He growled again against her skin making her sigh. Ryder
nibbled at her skin then dipped his tongue into her navel. Harper watched him
down the length of her body. He kissed her lower belly tenderly, reverently.
Harper smiled knowing what was on his mind. The pup. She hoped if there wasn’t
one in there already, that there would be soon. Harper reached down and ran her
fingertips over his hair. He gazed up at her.

“I need more.” He
gave her a quick nod and came up over her sinking fully into her. Harper sighed
with relief. It felt good to have him fully seated inside of her. She wasn’t
kidding when she’d said she felt empty and lonely. She’d been anxious all day
and it had nothing to do with Ellis and Jake. She was in heat and it was
becoming unbearable. “Ryder…”She cried against his shoulder. It wasn’t enough.
She wasn’t sure what more he could do but she knew that this wasn’t what she
needed. He reached under the pillow and pulled out a scarf. She recognized it
as one she’d had when they were in style to wear around your collar. Her eyes
lightened and she grinned. Ryder bound her hands together and tied them to the
headboard. She swallowed.

“I get the feeling
that you need more than I’m giving you right now.” She nodded. “If this is too
much after what happened today, you tell me.” She nodded again. “I mean it
Harper, say you’ll tell me.”

“I’ll tell you if
it’s too much.”

“Tell me if any of
it is too much.” He kissed her cheek.

“I promise.” Ryder
pulled out of her and flipped her over then hauled her up to her knees.
Harper’s heart started to pound with excitement and she couldn’t help the growl
that came from deep in her chest.

“Are you okay?”
Ryder moved over her and murmured in her ear. She nodded. “Tell me.”

“I’m okay Ryder
except that I need you.” She wiggled back against him. He plunged into her
then. He was so deep inside of her that when he thrust it took her breath away.
“More.” She managed to say. Ryder thrust harder, giving her what she needed.
Harper pushed against him, clenching around him. Ryder growled against the skin
on her shoulder. She heard Curtis roar across the hall and Sidney’s sigh. She
smiled, happy for her friend but only for a second until Ryder thrust into her
roughly. Her lower muscles clenched down hard and she felt him growl, low, and
deep. Electric tingles shot through her, white and blue pin pricks of light
scattered in her field of vision while the climax turned her wonderfully inside
out. The keening cry she heard, she realized suddenly was hers then Ryder
roared loudly behind her.