Chapter Three

Kyle needed to decide what his next step would be. He'd managed to avoid his family for the rest of the day yesterday, but today, they'd want answers. They wouldn't let him gently push them into exploring the town and having fun. They'd want to know what had happened at the pride house, and Kyle couldn't avoid telling them.

Even though he'd failed them. There was no way around that. His goal had been to secure them a spot in the Green Hill pride, and he hadn't. He still wasn't sure why he'd done what he'd done, but every time he thought about it, he wanted to kick himself.

He didn't want to be the alpha, so why had he demanded Gal hand over the pride? He wouldn't have done that if his father had still been in charge—as long as his father had allowed him and his family to settle in with the pride. He could have asked Gal if they could become pride members, but he'd been stunned, and he'd said the first thing that had popped into his mind.

He shouldn't have.

He wanted his family to have a pride or a pack. They'd been born into one, and it was all they knew. Kyle was pretty sure he could survive on his own, but he didn't want his family to have to do the same, especially his grandfather. He was getting older, and he'd spent his life surrounded by shifters and people he could count on. It wouldn't be fair for him to have to live in a human city with no one to support him. Having family was good, but community was, too, especially after they'd lost everything.

Kyle hadn't truly believed that his father would allow the rest of his family to become pride members. From what he knew, the man was an asshole, and he would have used the excuse that Kyle's grandfather and his siblings were wolf shifters to keep them away. That was what Alpha Davis had done. He'd told Kyle he didn't want him in the pack anymore because he was a tiger shifter.

Knowing the answer would be no, Kyle had gone in knowing he'd have to fight his father. He'd thought he might as well do it for control of the pride.

But his father wasn't the alpha anymore. Gal was, and Kyle had no idea what to think of him. After Kyle told him that he wanted the pride and that it should be his to take since he was Alpha Carter's son, Gal politely told him that he wasn't going anywhere. He'd been willing to listen to Kyle, but Kyle didn't trust him, so he hadn't told him about his family. He was sure that Gal knew they were here, anyway, which meant that Kyle needed to do something. He had to protect them.

"You're not eating that?" Christopher asked as he bumped their shoulders together.

Kyle blinked at his brother. He'd torn off half of a croissant and had eaten it, but he didn't think he could stomach the other half.

"You can have it," he said, pushing his plate toward his brother.

Kyle had been tempted to go to the bakery this morning, but Jennifer had wanted to try the coffee shop, and deep inside, Kyle had been glad for that. He wasn't sure why the bakery appealed to him so much, but it had a lot to do with the tall man who'd been behind the counter. Kyle wanted to find out more about him and maybe watch him for a bit.

But Kyle couldn't afford to be soft toward anyone, not even hot guys. He'd made a mess, and now he had to deal with it.

He could do it. He didn't know Gal, but he was his father's son. Being an alpha was in his blood, right? He should be able to fight Gal and take the pride from him.

His stomach turned at the thought. This wasn't going to be pretty.

"You never told us what happened yesterday," Kyle's grandfather said as he leaned forward, his voice soft enough that no one would hear them.

Kyle doubted anyone would hear even if they spoke at a normal volume. The coffee shop was full of customers, of people talking and laughing, and not one of them was paying attention to Kyle and his family.

Kyle took a sip of his coffee, delaying the inevitable. "I found out that my father isn't the alpha anymore."

Christopher dropped the bit of croissant he'd gotten from Kyle's plate. Jennifer stared with her cup of coffee halfway to her mouth.

Kyle sighed. "It seems to be a good thing. I mean, I don't have many memories of my father, but I looked into him growing up. I never found anything good about him, and I guess the pride felt the same way. I don't have details, but someone else took his place."

"Did you talk to them?" Grandpa asked.

Kyle grimaced. "I might have been a little too eager. I thought for sure that I would see my father behind the desk, and when I didn't, I was caught off-guard. I told the alpha that I was here to take the pride."

Kyle's siblings were still staring, and now, so was his grandfather. They made Kyle feel like an idiot, which he suspected he was.

"You didn't even ask him if we could petition to become pride members?" Grandpa asked.

Kyle shook his head. "I know that's what I should've done, but I didn't expect any of this to happen. I'll have to deal with the consequences, but I promise that you won't have to. I'll take care of everything."

"I don't doubt that, but that probably isn't the right way to go about it."

Grandpa's voice was gentle and a spear straight to Kyle's heart. Even though Kyle had fucked up, his grandfather loved him. Kyle couldn't let him down. He couldn't let his siblings down.

He got to his feet, ignoring the loud sound the chair made as it scraped against the floor. "I'll fix this," he promised. "I'm going to take a walk and probably head back to the pride. You should explore the town. We'll live here soon, after all."

"Kyle—"

Kyle didn't wait to hear what his grandfather had to say. Grandpa would never tell him he was an idiot, and he'd never make him feel that way on purpose, but that was how Kyle felt when he looked at him. He was supposed to protect his family, but instead, he was dragging them into what would no doubt become a mess.

He left the coffee shop, wondering if it was too early to head over to the pride. After yesterday, he didn't think Gal would be surprised if he behaved like an asshole and pounded on the door early, but Kyle needed the pride to see him in a good light. They didn't know him, but maybe they'd be more inclined to accept him if he was polite.

Kyle hated the situation he'd put himself into, but there was only one way out of it now.

Forward.

Since he wanted to make friends with the pride, he decided that bringing pastries might be a good idea. Jennifer had raved about the cupcakes she'd had at the bakery yesterday, so Kyle decided to grab some. Maybe he could get some for his family, too. He had to apologize to them for being an idiot.

Kyle was a bit surprised when he found the bakery full of people. Given how full the coffee shop had been, he'd thought most of the town was there, but he was wrong. The bakery was just as popular.

He eyed the glass counter as he waited in line, wondering what he should get. He wasn't one for sweets, but he couldn't deny the Danishes looked delicious. Maybe he'd get one for himself, since he hadn't had much for breakfast.

"You have guts," a voice said. "I didn't think I'd see you in my bakery again after what you did yesterday."

Kyle frowned and looked to the side, where the tall man from yesterday stood. "I'm sorry?"

"I know why you're in town. Why would you believe that it's okay for you to come into my bakery when you're trying to take everything away from me?" The man leaned forward, probably to tell Kyle to get his ass out of the bakery or maybe to kick him out himself.

Kyle took a deep breath. He was ready to fight.

Until the man's scent hit him and he realized they were mates.

* * * *

The only thing Dennis could do was stare. He'd been ready to kick this guy out after what Gal had told him and the rest of the pride yesterday, but now, he was stuck watching him.

Because Kyle Carter was his mate.

Dennis could never have imagined that his mate would be Alpha Carter's son. The man had been a dick, and he probably had plenty of kids in the area, but as far as Dennis knew, none of them were in Green Hill. Alpha Carter had probably been trying to prevent any of them coming to him to attempt to take the pride, and it looked like he'd been right to worry about that.

Alpha Carter's son did want to take over the pride. The problem was that his father wasn't in charge anymore, and if Kyle tried anything, he'd have to deal with Gal.

Kyle leaned forward. "What's your name?"

"None of your business," Dennis snapped. He crossed his arms over his chest and ignored the way Shirley was staring at him. It looked like she expected him to tear Kyle's head off, and while Dennis had been tempted, he would never get blood all over the bakery's floor.

It would be a bitch to clean up.

"I think it is my business, considering I can smell that you're my mate," Kyle said lightly.

Dennis glared at him. "I'm sure it's a mistake. You're not used to all the smells in the bakery, so it would be easy for you to be wrong."

But he wasn't, and no amount of denying that they were mates would make it happen. This was who fate had decided to stick Dennis with.

When he'd thought he wanted a partner to share his life with, this wasn't what he had in mind, dammit. What was he supposed to do with Kyle?

Dennis's loyalty was to the pride and Gal. He didn't want to give up his mate, but if he had to so he could keep the pride safe, he would. Gal had given Dennis everything he could have ever wanted. He was the only reason Dennis's life was so good, and the pride was Dennis's family. No one would hurt them, not even Dennis's mate.

Kyle leaned closer until Dennis could smell his spicy scent. It reminded him of Christmas cookies. It made his mouth water, but he kept his hands to himself, even though he wanted nothing more than to drag Kyle into his arms.

"You're right. The bakery's smells are strong, but yours is stronger," Kyle said with a purr in his voice.

That made sense, since he was a tiger shifter. Dennis could tell that now, too. He was sure the other three were wolves, though, and it made him wonder who Kyle's mother was. She had to be a wolf shifter, right? Why wasn't she there with him and the rest of the family?

Dennis could too easily imagine the answer to that question. There had to be a reason Kyle was here now. He appeared to be in his thirties, so he'd had plenty of time to decide he wanted to take over the pride. Why now? Why had he left the people he'd lived with until now? And why had his family followed him?

They weren't here today, which was a relief considering what was happening. It would have been hard to explain what was going on.

"You smell of vanilla and cinnamon," Kyle said. "I thought it was the pastries, but I was wrong. It was you."

Dennis took a step back and glanced around the bakery. People were looking at them, no doubt curious and eager to get new gossip. Dennis didn't want to give it to them. The news of his confrontation with Kyle would get around town way too quickly, and he needed to talk to Gal about this before it reached him.

He grabbed Kyle's arm and dragged him behind the counter. Shirley's eyes were wide, but she didn't say anything as Dennis pulled Kyle through the back of the bakery to the back door. He could have taken Kyle to his office, but it felt too intimate. Instead, he hauled him out the back door and into the alley at the back of the store.

Dennis kept the alley clean, and he was glad for that now. That didn't mean it was a great spot to have a conversation with his mate, but at least the air didn't smell too badly of garbage.

Dennis didn't mind because it meant he couldn't smell his mate.

Fuck.What was he supposed to do? He couldn't see a way out that would make him happy, but maybe he was wrong.

"Okay, you've got me alone. Why did you drag me out here? I thought for sure you'd have an office or something," Kyle said as he looked around.

"I do have an office. I just didn't want to take you there."

Kyle's eyebrows rose on his forehead. "No? I find it odd that you want to talk to your mate in the back alley, next to the garbage cans."

"I'm going to stop you right there. I know that I smell like your mate, but it doesn't mean we have to be together."

Kyle frowned. "Why shouldn't we be?"

"Maybe because you're trying to ruin my life? I don't care that we're mates, and I won't until you stop what you're doing to the pride. You have no right to it. I don't care who your father is. In fact, I think that Alpha Carter being your father makes you the worst alpha we could ever have apart from him."

Kyle's eyes widened. "You're a pride member?"

Dennis had to resist the urge to reach for him. He wasn't sure he'd do so to hug him or to throttle him, but there was a fine line between the two, and he didn't want to risk it. "Can't you smell that I'm a tiger shifter?"

"It's a bit hard to smell anything that's not your mate-scent."

"Well, I'm a tiger shifter, and I'm part of the pride. Our alpha met with us yesterday to tell us what you said during your meeting. The pride will fight you. We won't bow down to you just because you're Alpha Carter's son. No one in the pride wants you to replace Gal, and if you try, you'll have a fight on your hands."

Kyle stared at Dennis. Dennis wished he could know what was going through his mind, but he was also a little afraid of it. What was Kyle thinking, trying to take over the pride? Why was he doing it? Was he as much of an asshole as his father?

Anything was possible, and Dennis didn't know how to deal with that. He needed Kyle to admit that what he was doing was wrong, but he wasn't sure the man ever would. It depended on what Kyle wanted from the pride. Dennis had many questions, but he doubted Kyle would answer if he asked them.

"A mate bond should be stronger than what links you to your pride," Kyle said.

"Maybe it would be if you weren't a dick. I've already told you what you should do if you want a chance with me. Leave the pride alone. Leave Gal alone."

"Is he such a good alpha? Or are you afraid I might be worse?"

"As far as I know, you could be. Your father is a horrible person. I hope you're not, but so far, it looks like you are, and I don't want anything to do with that. I don't know what fate was thinking, but I'm thankful we don't actually have to be together. You should stay away from me."

"I don't want to." Kyle's voice was soft, but Dennis had to stay strong.

"But I do. You're trying to ruin the pride, which means you're trying to ruin my life. I won't allow anyone to do that, not even my mate."

"You'd choose the pride over me?"

"Without thinking twice about it." Dennis didn't believe that anything he could say would change his mate's mind about taking over the pride, but he had to try.

If it meant Kyle left him and the pride alone, he'd do pretty much anything.

* * * *

Kyle didn't know what to say. He hadn't expected so much venom from his mate, but then, he also hadn't expected his mate to be a pride member.

He wasn't surprised to find out that Gal had talked to the pride yesterday. It was what any good alpha would have done. Kyle was a threat to the pride, which meant pride members had to be aware of him and of what he was doing. Alphas like Alpha Davis would have kept all of this a secret, but Gal hadn't, which pointed to him being a good alpha.

Kyle wasn't sure what to think about that. It would be easier for him to take over the pride if Gal weren't a good person. It was clear that Dennis respected the hell out of his alpha, which probably meant that the rest of the pride did, too. It would make Kyle's job more complicated. The pride would resist if he took over, which he should have expected, but he hadn't thought that far.

He hadn't really thought at all.

The situation had gone from complicated to an absolute mess. Kyle was torn between what he wanted and what he owed his family, and he didn't know how to reconcile the two. He wasn't sure he could.

Just like the pride was his mate's focus, Kyle's family was his. They came before the man standing in front of him.

He didn't even know his name, for fuck's sake.

He cleared his throat. "I'm Kyle."

Kyle's mate snorted. "I know. Kyle Carter, Alpha Carter's son. I wonder how many he has."

Kyle wouldn't be surprised to learn he had half a dozen siblings in the area. He didn't plan to try to find them. The less he knew about his father's messy life, the better he felt. "What's your name?"

Kyle's mate glared. "Why should I tell you?"

"You don't have to," Kyle said with a grin. "I can call you gorgeous, or maybe go straight to baby. What do you think of that?"

The glare deepened, telling Kyle what his mate thought of that. It made him want to laugh, but the situation didn't call for that kind of reaction.

"I'm Dennis," Kyle's mate snapped.

Even in the back alley, with the garbage cans close by, Kyle could smell Dennis, and he wanted to eat him up. The man smelled like his bakery, or maybe his bakery smelled like him. He was sugar and spice, but he wasn't exactly nice. Kyle wouldn't have expected him to be considering the situation.

But this might be good for him. If he could convince Dennis to move to his side, it would be easier for him to take over the pride. Dennis was a member, and if he vouched for Kyle, the other pride members would probably go along with this. They might still be hesitant since Gal seemed to be a good alpha, but things would no doubt go much more smoothly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dennis," Kyle said as he stepped closer. He had to use their bond to convince Dennis to be on his side.

"I can't say the same."

"We have plenty of time to get to know each other. You might find out that you like me when you do."

"I don't need to get to know you. I don't want a mate like you."

That hurt, but Kyle could understand where it was coming from. "What do you mean?"

"I don't want anyone like your father in my life, and it appears you're exactly like him."

It was Kyle's turn to scowl. "I'm nothing like him."

"Are you sure? Because this is something he would do. He wouldn't hesitate to take over a pride just because it's what he wants. You don't care that we don't want you or to hear that we're happy with Gal as our alpha. You don't care that he's perfect for our pride and that we've already been through enough. We don't need this to happen now. We don't need you."

Kyle hadn't expected them to, but it still hurt to hear. He wanted to convince Dennis to be on his side, but he couldn't help but wonder if his mate was right.

Was he behaving like his father?

Kyle didn't want to be like his father. The few memories he had of him weren't pleasant, and neither was everything he'd found out about him since then. If Dennis really thought that Kyle was like his father, it explained why he didn't want anything to do with him. Maybe Kyle had to show him that he was nothing like the man who'd fathered him. They might be biologically related, but Kyle had been raised by his mother, and she'd been a good woman. Everyone in Kyle's family was good.

Except maybe him.

Dennis turned, and before Kyle could stop him, he strode back into the bakery and slammed the door shut. Kyle stared at him, wondering how he could get himself out of this mess.

Or if he even could.

He needed some time alone, and since his family had to be exploring the town by now, he decided to go back to the motel. He stayed careful so they wouldn't see him, but he didn't notice them anywhere.

He was relieved when he reached his room, but someone knocked on the door almost as soon as he closed it. He opened, wondering who it was, not one bit surprised to find his grandfather standing outside when he opened.

"I thought you'd be exploring the town with Jennifer and Christopher."

Grandpa walked in and closed the door. "I told them I wanted to rest for a bit. They're adults. They can be on their own without starting trouble."

"You should go and rest, then."

Grandpa looked concerned. "I wanted to talk to you."

That didn't sound good, but Kyle couldn't say no to his grandfather. "What is it? If you're worried about money, you don't have to be. I have enough to support all of us for a bit."

"That's good to hear, even though it's not needed. I have plenty of money to support you and your siblings, so it's not what I'm worried about."

"You're worried about the pride."

"How can I not be? It didn't sound like it went well when you explained what happened yesterday."

"That's because it didn't. I doubt that will change anytime soon, too. I just met my mate, and he's a pride member."

Grandpa's expression softened. "Oh, Kyle."

Kyle didn't want pity, so he shook his head. "It's fine. He made it clear that his loyalty is to the pride and its alpha, and I get it. I thought I could convince him to move to my side and that he could make it easier for me to take over the pride, but I don't think he'll be on board with that."

"Of course not. Why would he be? You're trying to take over his life."

"I'm just trying to find a safe place for you and the rest of our family."

"And you're going about it the wrong way."

Kyle didn't want to admit that maybe his grandfather was right. Maybe he was going about this the wrong way.

But it was too late to change his path. He'd already talked to Gal. He'd told him what he wanted and had said the same to Dennis. Why would either of them give him a second chance when he was trying to take everything from them?

He rubbed his face. "Everything'll be fine. I swear."

Grandpa didn't look convinced. "I'm sure you think that, but if you continue down this path, I don't think it will be."

Kyle agreed, but what could he do? Even though he wanted to be nothing like his father, he was his father's son. Maybe Dennis was right, and Kyle was just like him. He was certainly behaving like him, and he didn't know how to stop.

Kyle didn't know anything right now except that he was confused and hurt, and he had no idea how to fix his life and the mess he'd created.

* * * *

Dennis had been sulking in his office since he'd left Kyle in the back alley. He'd had the shock of his life. He'd met his mate, but instead of having a joyous moment, he only felt dread. What was he supposed to do with a mate like Kyle?

Kyle seemed intent on hurting Dennis and the people he considered his family, and that wasn't something Dennis could allow. He couldn't be with someone who thought this was acceptable, even though it made his heart hurt. His mate was supposed to be perfect for him, but he couldn't see how Kyle was. All Dennis could see was that Kyle was Alpha Carter's son and that he was an asshole, just like him.

A light knock on the door made him groan. He didn't want to talk to anyone, but it might be about the bakery, so he called out for whoever was there to come in.

The door creaked as it swung open, and Gordon peeked in. "Everything all right?"

"Yep. Do you need anything?"

"Not really. I heard loud voices earlier, so I thought I'd check in on you."

The concern in his expression made Dennis want to cry. Why couldn't his mate be more like Gordon? Well, Dennis didn't want Gordon to be his mate. He was too young and too eager, and Dennis had never felt anything for him. Gordon was like a little brother, nothing else.

But Gordon was good and sweet and gentle, everything Kyle wasn't. That was what Dennis wanted. He wanted a mate who was good and sweet and gentle.

Instead, he had Kyle.

What was he going to do? Even though he didn't want to, it was clear he would have to choose between his mate and his pride. He'd thought the decision would be easy, but it was so much harder than he'd expected. He didn't want Kyle to destroy the pride, but he also didn't want to give him up.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Gordon asked.

"I promise I am. We have a few problems at home, but nothing that won't get fixed quickly. Don't worry about me."

Gordon grinned. "How can I not? You're my boss."

"And your boss is ordering you to get back to work. I'll be right there to help you."

Gordon was still hesitant, but he nodded and left, closing the office door behind himself. Dennis leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.

He needed to talk to someone, but who? He needed someone who wouldn't spill his secret all over the place, someone who would understand what finding your mate meant but would still be removed from the situation. Talking to a pride member didn't feel like a good idea, though. They'd probably tell him to kick Kyle's ass out of town and never talk to him again because of what he was doing. They wouldn't be objective.

That was what Dennis needed. He needed someone to see both sides of the coin and tell him what to do about Kyle.

He slipped his phone out of his pocket and opened his messaging app. He had choices, which was good. His friends would all want to help him.

He stared at the names for a moment before choosing one of them. He hoped he wasn't making a mistake.

He called Eddie. Drake wouldn't have been the best idea. He was enamored with the thought of mates, and he would tell Dennis to choose Kyle because of the bond they shared. Taylor and Jacob were pride members, so it was better not to tell them anything yet, but Eddie lived in town. Hopefully, he'd be able to tell Dennis what to do.

"What are you doing calling me at this time of day?" Eddie asked when he answered. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

"I'm hiding in my office."

Eddie was silent for a second. "Shit. Do I want to know why you're hiding? Never mind. I'll be right there. I'll bring you coffee, all right?"

This was why Dennis loved Eddie. He was taking charge without even knowing what was happening. It felt good not to have to make decisions, even though Dennis knew it wouldn't last.

He would have to decide what he wanted to do about Kyle. His two sides were fighting inside of him. His tiger wanted to claim Kyle, but the pride was too crucial to Dennis's human side. The tiger could live with only Kyle but not Dennis. He needed his pride.

Eddie had already hung up, so Dennis could only wait for him. Thankfully, nothing was very far in town, so it only took him about fifteen minutes. He'd have been here sooner if he hadn't stopped to grab Dennis's favorite coffee from the coffee shop.

Dennis grabbed the cup when Eddie handed it to him and practically inhaled half of it. The caramel flavor was strong, but it did nothing to soothe the pain in Dennis's heart.

Dennis sighed and leaned back in his chair as Eddie settled into the one in front of the desk. For a moment, they stared at each other, and Dennis wondered how he should bring up Kyle and everything else.

"You know I'm not going to push you," Eddie said. "But I'm here if you need to talk. I'll do whatever I can to make your day better."

"Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do, and it's not only my day. My whole life is fucked up."

Eddie frowned. "Why? I thought things were going better with the pride and everything else."

Dennis had to stop beating around the bush. Eddie was human, but he'd lived with shifters all his life. He knew what mates were about, and he'd understand why Dennis was freaking out.

"Remember how I texted you about the guy who demanded Gal hand over the pride?" he asked.

"Something like that would be hard to forget. Is that it? Is he why you're like this?"

"If he was just an asshole the pride needs to deal with, I'd be fine, but he's also my mate."

Eddie gaped. He looked like he hadn't expected that, and frankly, neither had Dennis.

"Wait, the guy who wants to become the Green Hill pride alpha is your mate?"

"He is. He's also Alpha Carter's son, which explains why he's an asshole."

Eddie frowned. "Why do you think he's an asshole?"

"He's trying to take the pride away."

"Yeah, but put yourself in his shoes. If the old alpha is his father, he was probably told he was supposed to become the next alpha, right?"

"That's how things usually go," Dennis admitted.

Kyle hadn't grown up with his father, though. As far as Dennis remembered, he'd never even been in Green Hill. He certainly hadn't ever visited the pride house.

So who would have told him he was supposed to become an alpha?

Maybe his mother, or maybe whoever else he'd been living with. Either way, Eddie could be right. Kyle might have come to Green Hill expecting to become the alpha, only to be surprised when he found Gal sitting in that position. Maybe he'd reacted instinctively and had lashed out. Maybe he needed a little time to wrap his mind around what was happening and accept it.

"What do you think I should do?" Dennis asked Eddie.

"If you try talking to him now, you're probably going to do something you'll regret, like strangle him or something. Maybe you should stay away for a while? Just let things rest, think about what happened and what I said, and give him a chance. You're never going to know how things might have gone if you don't, and I don't want you to regret that. I know how important the pride is to you, but we're talking about your mate. He's just as important, even though you might not realize it."

Dennis's instincts were still yelling at him to go after Kyle and give him a good shake, but Eddie was right. It would be best for Dennis to stay away until he calmed down and really thought about what had happened.

The problem was that it wouldn't be easy to find an explanation for what Kyle was doing. What Eddie had said might be true, but it also might not be. Even if it was, Dennis couldn't be with Kyle if he insisted on being the Green Hill pride alpha.

Hopefully, Kyle would change his mind. If Kyle didn't, Dennis would act accordingly. While he wasn't looking forward to kicking his mate to the curb, he would do it if it meant keeping the pride safe.