“This daughter of yours,” he began, keeping the Kings’ attention on him, “what makes her so special that I should consider taking her as my mate?”
Never mind the fact that if he ever took a mate, they would be male. Apparently, the Kings hadn’t bothered to get to know their alpha when they were stealing from the pack. Must have been too busy inflating invoices and pocketing the difference…
“Sh-she is very beautiful, Alpha! And completely innocent,” Mrs. King repeated.
Rick narrowed his eyes, but she hadn’t dared to raise her own from the ground. “So you said.”
“She’s also very smart,” Calvin King muttered.
Mrs. King’s body flinched at his words, but she didn’t contradict him. Curious.
Shouting had everyone turning to the back of the yard where Bennett and Vanessa were backing away from the open shed door. Someone was coming out fast, but they were thin and obviously young.
And definitely not female.
“You stay the fuck away from them!” He was screaming and waving a… rake? He stood in front of the door, blocking Rick’s Enforcers from getting inside.
Them?
“Watch them,” Rick grunted at his betas and strode across the well-kept lawn, Marcus’s fast clip right behind him. He was suddenly glad that he’d brought a handful of betas with him. Usually, when matters like banishment came up, only he and a few of his Enforcers would attend to the matter. Since he was hoping to add to his Enforcers, he’d brought his top betas to see how they’d handle themselves.
But he didn’t have the patience for whatever shit was happening now.
As he got closer, he took in the ridiculous sight of two of the most powerful members of the Kincaid Pack standing back, hands raised and looking uncertain. Rick didn’t slow his stride as he approached. The young man—distressingly underweight, filthy, and shaking in fear—turned the rake toward Rick. Before he could even attempt to swing it, Rick grabbed the tool, ripped it out of the boy’s hands, and threw it halfway to the house.
Without his makeshift weapon, the boy threw himself across the doorway of the shed. “Please, you can take me, but leave them alone. They’re just children.”
“Alpha…” Vanessa’s snarl caused the boy to flinch, but Rick knew she was enraged at the situation, not the boy’s audacity to make demands of his alpha.
“Easy, V,” Bennett murmured.
“What’s your name?” Rick tried to keep his voice gentle, but he’d been told his deep, guttural tone never sounded anything better than slightly annoyed.
Deep, forest green eyes bounced from Rick to his Enforcers and back. The boy licked his chapped lips, and Rick tried not to react to the bruises he spotted on the side of the boy’s face and neck. Who knew how many more were hidden by his dirty clothes.
“You three, go and join the others.” He hoped having his Enforcers step back would help the kid relax.
All three immediately turned and walked back to the front of the house.
Rick held his hands down and slightly away from his body with his fingers splayed wide. “You’re alright, kid. I need you to take two deep breaths, then tell me your name.”
He put a little oomph into his voice, not to intimidate the boy, but to reassure him. His pack tended to find his alpha voice soothing. Watching carefully, he saw the thin chest expand twice and heard his heart rate slow a bit.
“Good boy.”
The boy’s breath hitched at Rick’s words, and his eyes hit the ground. “Kai.”
Rick hummed and let one corner of his mouth tip up. “Good, Kai. My name is—”
“Alpha Garrick Kincaid,” Kai interrupted. “They’ve… mentioned you.”
They being the Kings, Rick assumed. He nodded, pressing his lips into a firm line. “Eyes on me, boy.” Kai’s chin jerked up, their gazes connecting. “I am your alpha and don’t ever interrupt me. Understood?”
Fear and tears clouded Kai’s eyes as he nodded furiously. “I’m so sorry, sir. Please forgive me. I’ll do better, I promise. Please don’t punish them because of my—”
“Easy,” Rick growled. “No one is punishing any of you ever again. Two more breaths.” He waited for Kai to breathe for him and then gestured. “Step away from the door, Kai.”
“Alpha…”
“That wasn’t a request.”
This time, there wasn’t an immediate jump to do Rick’s bidding. While that would have normally infuriated him—his well-known short temper had been ignited thirty seconds after arriving at the Kings’ home—he found a spark of pride lighting up his chest. He was worried about how many children he was about to find in that shed, but the fact that Kai was hesitating to obey because of his need to protect them? That Rick could respect.
So he waited.
This once.
After several minutes of Rick calmly staring and Kai nervously chewing on his plump lower lip, Kai took two steps to his left, head hanging and shoulders hunched so high they practically touched his ears. Rick stepped in front of Kai and gripped the back of his neck firmly.
Scents of fear and longing mingled and burned in Rick’s nose. The touch should have been nothing but reassuring, but Rick could see how close his thumb rested next to a circular bruise. Anger surged through him. The Kings had stolen something precious from this boy: comfort from his alpha.
“Eyes on me, Kai.” His voice was soft but firm. When Kai was meeting his gaze, Rick moved his hand from the back of Kai’s neck to under his chin, cupping it gently and lightly petting another bruise with his thumb. “You honor me with your trust. I’m proud of you.”
A few tears spilled over, making tracks in the dirt on his face, and Kai smiled. It was tiny, but it was there. “Thank you, Alpha.”
Nodding, Rick stepped away from the doorway and clasped his hands behind his back. He made sure to radiate nothing but calmness. “Bring them out.”
Kai’s body jerked forward with how fast he tried to move. “Thank you, Alpha!”
Rick smiled to himself as he stood outside and listened to Kai murmur to his siblings in the shed.
“Come on, Sammi. I promise it’s okay.” A soft, feminine voice responded, but Rick couldn’t quite catch what she said. “No! I won’t let that happen. No one will touch you.” More murmurs. “I don’t care what they said. I’ll keep you safe.”
Hearing movement, Rick tried to make sure his face didn’t show the rage he felt at Kai’s words. Sammi must be the daughter the Kings had offered to him. Bile churned in his stomach at the thought of what they had threatened their daughter with to make her more terrified of him than of staying in that disgusting shed. From the smell he’d been doing his best to ignore, the children weren’t allowed out very often, not even for basic hygienic needs.
He wasn’t really prepared for the sight of Kai and a girl a few years younger coming out, both carrying small children. Both pups and the girl were squinting at the light, and Sammi stayed firmly behind Kai. The child in Sammi’s arms was maybe three, but the one in Kai’s… He probably wasn’t even a year old.
Fury tore through him, instantly dropping his fangs, and he whirled toward the front yard to roar, “Bennett, bring them!”