She gave him a little shove, and he moved back just a foot, but it was enough. Staring at Cassie, he saw the fear in her eyes, but it wasn’t fear of him, or attacking him.
“Why did you leave your pack?”
“They didn’t like that I was fat.”
It wasn’t a lie. He would scent that lie coming. But something else had happened to her too.
“Leave!” He spoke the word, letting everyone know that they were not to argue with him.
The spell that had been wrapped around them was broken as she stared left and right, the sounds of footsteps echoing around the gym.
“Jessica, put Cassie’s things in a room.”
“Sir?”
“We’re going to have a little chat.”
Jessica nodded and turned to leave like the rest of them.
Cassie tucked some of her hair behind her ear, looking like she wanted to leave with them.
Once the door closed with an echo, he paced in front of her, not taking his eyes off her. She didn’t move an inch. Her hands were once again locked together in front of her. She was strong, there was no doubt about that.
“They may have kicked you out with the excuse that you’re fat, but I want to know what else happened. You didn’t put weight on this quickly. What happened?”
She stared at him, and her lips were pressed together. “I’ve been big and have been for a long time. They … they tried many methods that they thought were both amusing and productive. Nothing worked. Every single full moon, they would starve me, and have me run out into the woods near where our pack is based, and then they would attack me. For a long time … I took the attacks. I didn’t fight. I didn’t make it stop.”
Her green gaze was on him again.
“But this last time you did?” he asked, standing in front of her, arms folded.
“I … couldn’t stop myself. I was grabbed around my ankle. They didn’t give me time to turn, and I … everything is kind of a blur. Years of being called things, of being treated like crap, I just reacted. I hurt them,” she said. “I scared them with how easy it was for me. I didn’t even … there was no … effort. I just defended myself, and the next day I was expelled from my pack with the few items with me.”
The wolf inside him raged, demanding that he help her, that he protect her.
“You will not hurt me,” he said. “I am alpha here. I am stronger, and you will do as I ask, otherwise I will fucking—”
He didn’t get to finish as she pushed him hard, and he wasn’t paying attention.
That simple push threw him backwards across the gym, and he landed on his ass. Rolling over, he stared back at her.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” she said.
He smiled. This was the first time a woman had ever challenged him, attacked him like that, and he loved it. His cock was hard as rock, and his wolf was so fucking happy right now.
Chapter Two
“There won’t be many people staying here after today,” Jessica said.
Cassie bit her lip, trying to keep her worried thoughts to herself. After she had shoved Abel, he’d given her this weird smile, and told her that was enough for today. Her strength was always something that scared her.
She’d never shown that side of herself to her pack before, not until they all crowded around her, and she’d known pain was coming. Her reactions scared her, and she was worried that the wrong person would feel her pain.
Abel had looked more amused by her sudden outburst though, which was strange.
“Why don’t people stay?”
“We all have lives and stuff to get back to. We’re here for the full moon, and whenever Abel calls pack meetings, and for training. There will be a couple of people around. You’ll see them. Curt will need to stay because he couldn’t prove himself this morning, and it’s important to Abel that everyone does that. Can you cook?”
“Erm, yeah, a little.”
“Good. Abel likes to have a nice, hot meal every single day, but he doesn’t employ a cook or a cleaner so we as the pack do that. There will be duties for you to complete and then some training. How did you find Abel?” Jessica asked, stopping on the stairs and turning around to smile at her.
“He was intense.”
Cassie saw the dreamy look in her eyes. “I know, right? I mean that man is just, he gets me going every single time, and I just want him.”
“You and Abel are not together?”
“No. Abel has yet to pick a pack female. He refuses to settle down with anyone. Of course, we’d all willingly stand in a line for him to pick who he’d like to spend time with.” Another sigh came from her again.