the Alpha's redemption (ebook)

Being the alpha isn't always easy.

Keegan McRae is the leader of the Austin werewolf pack. And sometimes, for the good of all involved, a male has to make choices he wouldn't normally abide by. Like allowing the Faerie you're sweet on to be the main attraction in a rodeo. Not as the cowgirl, but as the livestock. Stubborn as a bull and just as fearless, Bitsy caught his interest the first time she flipped him off. But before he had a chance to make things right with her, she got loose. And though his wolf howled in protest at the loss, he had no choice but to let her go.

Bláthnaid (Bitsy) Dunn swore she would never again set foot in the hell hole that was Texas. Or anywhere near the arrogant shifter who was the main reason she hated it so much. The last time she'd seen him, his well-worn boots had stomped all over her hide—and her pride. Yet, here she was again. This time, however, she's here on her terms. Keegan needs her help to infiltrate the Fae world, and she needs him to help her find her father. His green eyes are full of remorse, and his easy smile is hard to resist, but forgiveness is not part of the deal.

However, Keegan is used to fighting for what he wants.

And he wants Bitsy.

This time, she won't be getting away.

With the tip of his index finger, Keegan McRae slid the silver links of the necklace —her necklace—around on the polished oak table, watching as the morning light glinted  off the bright metal. A soft growl rumbled in his throat, and he flattened his palm over the  chain.  

Resting his palms on his jean-clad thighs, he closed his eyes and rolled his head on  his shoulders, trying to ease the tension. Then, with a sigh, he picked up the chain and  refastened it around his neck. The tree pendant settled just below the hollow of his throat. 

It was unusually cool for this time of year in Texas, and Keegan picked up his  coffee, automatically blowing on the surface to cool it off.  

He wondered if the Seattle pack would agree to his terms.  

He wondered if she would agree to them. 

After what had happened to his own father at the hands of a Fae—an obsession that  had ended in his death—he wondered why he should even care.  

Tilting the heavy mug up to his mouth, he took a good slurp. But as soon as the  brew hit his tongue, he spit it back into his cup. The taste was bitter enough to make him  pucker, and he craned his neck around, looking for Corrina. The only female in the pack,  she was also the only one who could brew a decent pot of coffee. 

But the kitchen was completely empty. 

Removing his buckskin hat, he set it on the bench beside him and ran a hand  through his hair. He needed a haircut.  

Stone, his new second in command, closed the door to his room upstairs, and soon,  the heavy tread of his boots thundered down the wood stairs. He pulled his shirt over his  head as he descended and gave Keegan a grin, his teeth a shocking white in his ebony  face.  

“You look like you’re having a bad mornin’, boss.”

“I’m looking for Cor. This coffee is downright awful.” 

“That’s because Corrina didn’t make it. She went on a run last night, and hasn’t  come back yet that I know of. Something must be stuck in her craw.” Keegan had a good idea what that “something” was—him. Or rather, what he was  about to do. Corrina had been a part of his pack for a long time, was one of his father’s  pack before this, and normally they agreed on how he chose to run it. But during one of  their nightly sit-downs on the back porch the previous evening, she’d made it quite clear  she thought he was following in the footsteps of his father. 

But that wasn’t the case. He wasn’t under some kind of spell. It was just a normal,  healthy attraction. An attraction he’d fought for as long as he could.  He picked up his buckskin hat from the table and slapped it onto his head. “Yeah,  she’s not real happy with me.” 

Stone grabbed the OJ out of the fridge and sat down across the table from him, not  bothering with a glass. “Whadya do now?” Lifting the carton to his mouth, he chugged  down some juice, then wiped his mouth with his sleeve. 

Keegan raised one eyebrow as he watched him. “Speaking of Cor, don’t let her  catch you doing that. She’ll skin you alive and use your hide for her new rug.” With another grin and a wink, Stone said, “She won’t know, unless you rat me out.” Keegan indicated for him to carry on as he was before he picked up the  conversation where they’d left off. “I’m putting myself at ‘undo risk’ according to her.”  He was careful to keep any emotion out of his tone. “Being led around by the wrong  head.” This time he allowed himself to smile. “And speaking of—” he waited until Stone  stuck the container back in the fridge and returned to the table—“I’m gonna need you to  come with me tomorrow.” 

“Sure. Where are we going?” 

“To meet the Seattle pack.” 

Understanding dawned across Stone’s face. “Ahh. So, that’s what Corrina’s pissed  about.” He rapped the table with one knuckle. “I have to tell ya, man, I’m in agreement  with her on this here issue, especially after what happened the last time one of those  shifters came to visit. I wasn’t a fan of Jace, as you know, but I respected his position in this pack.” 

“Jace was an ass, and he got himself killed. I’m not holding that against Marc, or  his pack. He was protecting his female. Any one of us would have done the same thing.”  Although not all of them did as good of a job at it. 

Stone considered that for a second. “All right, then. All right. But what about the  rest of it? What changed your mind? I thought you didn’t want to agree to an alliance.  Not until there was proof. Like the soul suckers actually knocking at our door.” He  paused, his sharp brown eyes penetrating Keegan’s skull in that uncanny way he had. “Or  is there something you need to tell me?” Before Keegan could answer, Stone’s hackles  rose, filling the air with tension. “Did you hear something? Is it true? The Dark Fae are  coming?” 

Keegan held up his hand, halting any more questions. “I don’t know that for sure,  yet.” 

“Then what’s this meeting all about?” 

Keegan saw no sense in beating around the bush. “Cedric Kincaid has something of  mine, and I want it back.” He took another sip of his coffee, grimaced, and gave it up.  Getting up from the table, he took his mug over to the sink and rinsed it out before  sticking it in the dishwasher. It took him a moment to notice the absolute silence in the  room. Turning around, he found Stone staring at him with a strange expression on his  face. “What?” 

Stone cocked his head as he studied the Alpha. “You’re going after her. The dark haired one.” 

It wasn’t a question, so Keegan saw no reason to respond. 

Stone released a hard breath of air. “Are you sure you wanna go there, man?” Keegan stilled, lowering his voice. “Go where, exactly, Stone?” 

But Stone wasn’t put off. “This is a mistake, Keegan. The pack will never accept  our Alpha bringing one of them into the pack.” 

He didn’t say it, but he didn’t need to. Keegan could hear the implied like your  father did loud and clear.  

That, if nothing else, was enough to make up his mind. He was nothing like his 

father, and she was nothing like the freak of nature who’d seduced his sire into such  madness his own son was the one who’d had to put him out of his misery. The pack could accept it, or they could find themselves a new pack. Keegan took  off his hat and ran his hand through his short hair before settling it back on his head. “Are  you coming with me, or what?” 

Stone grinned and got up from the table. “Oh, yeah. I’m coming.” 

“Good. Be ready by three a.m. We have a long drive ahead of us.”