Xander, my twin brother, has always been the optimist.
I watched as he stood across the pack house yard, speaking with her. The dwarf, who got barely up to my chest.
Her eyes were too bright for someone who'd likely been through hell. She talked too much, as usual. Her mouth never seemed to stop running.
But Xander was patiently listening and tolerating her. Typical.
I crossed my arms, leaning back against the stone wall. It was obvious what intrigued him.
The way she spoke without fear, despite being in an unfamiliar territory. Despite standing before us. She didn't cower like most people, and that had Xander all fascinated.
He always has had a soft spot for things that are... different.
"You're wasting your time," I muttered, loud enough for Xander to hear.
He glanced over at me, but continued his conversation with her. I caught bits of their talk, something about herbs and healing. Pointless. She was a herbalist. So what? She was nothing special.
But, there was something about her scent… Something that even my wolf couldn't shake off from the moment I laid my eyes on her as she came to help my Beta.
I clenched my jaw. The warm feeling that enveloped my heart had been nagging me ever since she showed up, contiously and
persistently.
I wasn't going to let some random lady, especially one so... small, mess with my head. Mates are a distraction.
Xander is the fool who believed in that sort of nonsensical thing. He liked to talk about love, fate, and how one day we would find our perfect match. A mate who'd complete us.
I had other priorities. Duty. Strength. Leading our pack. There was no place for weakness, no place for getting tangled in emotions. Especially not for me.
"She's not staying here," I said, pushing off the wall and walking towards them.
Xander smiled, his usual laid-back way. "She could help us, Ryker. You know we've been short on healers since the last fight. Her skills are useful."
"Useful?" I repeated, narrowing my eyes at the dwarf.
She stood there, glancing between the two of us, clearly sensing the tension.
"She's a liability. You think she'll stay loyal to us after whatever mess she's running from?"
"I don't run from anything," she interjected, and I quickly looked at her.
Did she just interrupt me?
Her eyes met mine, defiant. A spark of challenge. She didn't back down, not even when I stepped closer.
I had to admit, it was... interesting. Normally, people crumbled when I got this close. But not her.
"I'm not interested in your opinion," I said coldly, my voice lowering to a growl. "This isn't your pack. You don't get to speak out of turn."
She glared up at me, chin lifting slightly. "Maybe if you listened more, your pack wouldn't need a healer."
I blinked. Did she just...?
Xander chuckled, trying to hide his amusement, and I could feel the heat rising in my chest.
Not because of the insult, but because I couldn't ignore the scent of her. The intoxicating pull that gnawed at my control. I wasn't used to feeling out of control.
"Ryker," Xander said, stepping in between us before I could react. "She's just being honest. We need her. The pack needs her."
I clenched my fists, forcing my voice to remain steady. "You're too soft. You always have been. Trusting strangers, believing in fate and mates. It'll get you killed one day."
"And you're too hard, bro," Xander replied, his tone calm, "You think duty is everything, but you're forgetting what it means to lead a pack with heart. You don't have to carry everything alone."
He glanced back at the dwarf, then back to me. "We both feel the pull. Don't deny it."
I stiffened.
Of course, he felt it too. But that didn't mean I had to accept it. The idea of some fated mate had never appealed to me.
Love was a weakness, a distraction from the responsibilities I had to our pack. I was not about to let some stubborn Omega complicate things.
I turned my attention to her, my eyes locking with hers. "You don't belong here," I said softly, though my words were filled with a harsh tone. "You're small, weak, and you talk too much. Don't get any ideas about staying long."
Her lips tightened, but she didn't say anything. For a moment, something shined in her eyes. Something I couldn't quite really pick. It wasn't fear. No, she wasn't afraid of me. But she was supposed to be.
Xander cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "She'll stay. For now," he said, his voice firm but gentle. "I'll take responsibility."
I looked at him for a while, but there was no use arguing with him. Xander could be as stubborn as I am when he wanted to be. With one last glance at the Omega, I turned and walked away, feeling her eyes on my back.
There was something about her. Something that bothered me. Maybe it was the pull. Maybe it was the way she refused to back down.
Whatever it was, I didn't like it.
But deep down, I knew this wasn't the last time we were going to clash.
She wasn't going anywhere.
"Alpha Ryker!" she called me in loud voice.