Page 19 of Alpha's Claim

Etta laughed out loud. “He’s all kinds of bossy, but that’s part of his job.”

With that, Etta gave a warm smile and disappeared down the hall, leaving Briar alone with the fading light and her tangled thoughts as she traipsed upstairs to her room.

She moved to the window, drawn to the sunset painting the sky in brilliant shades of orange and purple. The wide expanse of land stretched before her, peaceful and undisturbed, the air buzzing faintly with crickets and the occasional soft nicker of a horse from the barns. The quiet beauty of it all settled over her, soothing some of the unease still lingering in her chest.

Briar curled up on the window seat, resting her chin on her knees as she watched the sun dip lower beyond the horizon. The stillness of the moment allowed her mind to drift, and slowly, bits and pieces of her past began to rise from the depths of her memory—shadows she’d been running from since the night she stumbled onto the ranch.

It had all started withthem.Her coven. That brought her up short. She had a coven? She tested it out in her mind. She did. There were dark, bitter thoughts that swirled around that memory, but the memory was there.

With that piece unlocked, more memory rushed in.

They had arranged a match for her—a union with a warlock from a neighboring coven. The mere thought of him and being bonded with him made Briar’s skin crawl. The match hadn’t been based on love or companionship, nor even respect. No, it had been a purely political arrangement, a way for the twocovens to consolidate power. And she had been nothing more than a pawn in their game.

She clenched her jaw, anger bubbling to the surface. It was still difficult to piece everything together—her memories were clouded and fragmented—but the emotions were sharp and clear. The man she was supposed to be bound to had been a monster, though not in appearance. His cruelty ran deeper than anything visible on the surface, hidden behind polished words and false smiles. His eyes had gleamed with malice, and his touch had been cold, predatory, reptilian.

And worse, he had wanted more than just a bride.

Briar shuddered, wrapping her arms tighter around herself. The union would have magnified her considerable magic, making the warlock even more powerful. She had seen the hunger in his eyes the moment he realized what her magic could do. To him, she wasn’t a person—just a tool, a source of power he could claim and bend to his will.

When she tried to refuse, everything had unraveled.

Her would-be suitor hadn’t taken kindly to rejection. He had shown his true nature that night, grabbing her by the arm hard enough to leave bruises and backhanding her into a wall as he spewed ugly threats in her ear. If she didn’t submit willingly, he promised, he’d take what he wanted by force. And her coven—those who were supposed to protect and guide her—had stood by and done nothing.

They had wanted the match. They had needed the power it promised. Her protests had fallen on deaf ears.

She had realized then, with a clarity that left her breathless, that no one in her coven would come to her defense. Not her elders, not her friends, not even the mentors she had once trusted. She was alone.

So she did the only thing she could. She ran.

The memory hit her like a wave, cold and relentless. She could still feel the rain pounding against her skin as she fled into the night, the bruises on her arms aching with every step. She had left everything behind—her home, her coven, her life—knowing she had no other choice.

They would have given her away, handed her over to that monster, all for the sake of power. And she couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t be a pawn for anyone’s gain.

Tears welled in Briar’s eyes, as she wrapped her arms around herself, rocking back and forth. She blinked the tears away, forcing herself to stay grounded in the present. She was safe now. The warlock wasn’t here, and neither was her coven. They didn’t know where she was. Copper Canyon was a big place; Texas, even bigger.

Still, the fear clung to her, wrapping around her heart like a vice. What if they came looking for her? What if they found her here?

She hugged her knees tighter, staring out at the darkening landscape. A part of her wanted to tell Colt everything, to lay the truth at his feet and beg him to keep her safe. But how could she endanger those who had taken her in, healed her mind, body and spirit? A part of her said leaving would be self-preservation, but another part, an even greater part, said staying would threaten the lives of those who had come to mean something to her. Briar wasn’t sure what she should do. It seemed best to remain at least a little while longer—grow stronger, learn more about her own power, and then leave. She needed to keep her thoughts and plans to herself. The less anyone knew, the safer she would be.

Grief for something that might have been clutched at her insides. She’d been starting over. She’d begun to feel happy, hadn’t she? This garden, this ranch, these people, and this strange pull she felt toward Colt—it all felt like a second chance. But even as she tried to convince herself of that, doubt and guiltgnawed at her. Running had bought her time, but how long before her past caught up with her?

The sun slipped beneath the horizon, leaving the sky awash in deep purples and blues. Briar exhaled slowly, resting her forehead against the cool glass of the window.

She didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, but for tonight, she would hold on to this moment of peace. She would let herself believe—if only for a little while—that she could build something new here. Something that wasn’t shaped by fear or manipulation.

And maybe she could learn what it felt like to belong somewhere. Or with someone.

Colt’s face drifted unbidden into her thoughts, and with it came a flicker of warmth, soothing the edges of her fear. His steady presence, the way he looked at her like she wasmorethan a broken thing, had given her hope. Hope that, perhaps, there was something more for her. Hope that whatever had been hunting her would stop. But knowing what she knew now, could she continue to believe that? Maybe for a short time. Maybe just long enough to finish the garden, to leave a piece of herself behind.

Briar’s thoughts drifted like leaves caught on a breeze. She wanted to believe what Colt had told her—that she was welcome here, that she could stay as long as she needed, no questions asked. But part of her knew she couldn’t. Even if she could, she couldn’t do so without telling him everything. He needed to be able to make an informed decision. No matter how kind everyone had been, there was always the looming threat that one day someone might come looking for her. Someone who wasn’t willing to take no for an answer, and if that day came, she wasn’t sure what would happen next.

Would they still let her stay? Would she be forced to leave once they learned what she was? Or would they simply hand her over and be rid of her?

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she watched the last rays of sunlight fade into twilight. So far, everyone at the ranch, save for Elle, had treated her kindly. The other women—despite the occasional covetous glances cast toward Colt—had warmed up to her slowly. Some had even started including her in conversations when she passed by the kitchens or helped Etta. They weren’t exactly friends yet, but there was a growing sense of acceptance that had given Briar a sliver of hope.

Colt’s brothers, Bryce and Landon, had already started treating her like one of the family, teasing her lightly and inviting her to watch them work with the livestock. Their easy camaraderie was infectious, and Briar found herself smiling more in their company. It felt strange to belong somewhere, even just a little.

And then there was Colt.