4

“Flirting with her won’t help.” The second dark-haired man rolled his eyes and lifted his hands as he approached me like I was a timid animal. He was almost as tall as Bodey but leaner. His dark-brown eyes matched the shade of his goatee, and they were full of concern. He gently touched my arm, my blood-streaked pale skin contrasting with his tanned hand. He sighed. “We need to clean your wounds before they get infected.”

I hated the attention and, worse, that they were treating me like a delicate flower. I didn’t know how to react, especially when my own pack treated me with malice. “I’m fine. I should head back home. I need to tell the alpha my version of tonight before he won’t listen.”

“Just link with them.” Jack tapped his head. “Tell him you’re with the royal advisers from the other four territories. We’ll back your story.”

Shit. Now it made perfect sense. These four were none other than Bodey Valor, royal adviser of Idaho, Jack Landry, royal adviser of Washington, and Miles Harper, royal adviser of Wyoming, who had just gone to change, and that meant the man trying to take care of my wounds was Lucas Barret of Montana. They were each the strongest alpha in the state they represented. I hadn’t thought all four of them could be from the same pack, but I hadn’t expected this. They were supposed to be self-absorbed troublemakers, per Zeke, but they were the only ones who’d ever helped me in my entire life.

Zeke was the fifth royal adviser, based out of Oregon, but considering how close-knit these four were, he was the outsider.

I wrapped my arms tighter around myself. “I can’t link with them.” Now the four of them would decide I wasn’t worth the effort. They’d realize how weak I was and finish what Charles had started.

Bodey tilted his head. “What do you mean, you can’t pack link? The alpha shut down his connection with you, and you can’t communicate with him?”

I wished that was the problem. I shook my head. “I’ve never been able to pack link, at least from what I can remember. I don’t remember much from before my pack took me in when I was a young girl.”

Lucas mashed his lips together. “Well, you have to submit and acknowledge the alpha as yours.”

“Dumbass.” Jack snorted, but it lacked humor. “I’m sure they made her.”

“They did, fairly soon after I came here. When I couldn’t pack link with them immediately, they thought I needed time to adjust, but it never happened. Then with my not shifting…” I trailed off and shrugged.

Bodey’s eyes widened. “That’s why you didn’t shift when they attacked you. We were wondering.”

My face flamed, and I averted my eyes to the ground in embarrassment.

Silence descended until the fourth guy—Miles—joined us. The moon shone down on him, emphasizing his gorgeous bronze complexion. He was two inches taller than me and thicker than the others. He ran a hand through his short ebony hair, and his dark-green eyes were full of kindness.

But I wasn’t foolish. These four men seemed kind, but they could take me down and anyone else who stood in their way. My wolf could feel it.

Nerves buzzed hard under my skin. The breeze picked up, and I shivered.

Bodey held out his shirt. “Here, do you want to go somewhere and put this on? Your shirt is ruined.”

“Thank you.” I had no clue why Zeke hated him so much. He was kind and helped me, even though he didn’t have to. “But I need to get back before it gets worse. They’re gonna want to know where I am.”

My cell phone dinged. Grimacing, I removed it from my back pocket and glanced at the message.

Theo: Where are you? I’m at your house, and you aren’t here. Charles is telling Dad what happened. He’s livid that you were in the canyons and attacked them. Get home now, and I’ll protect you as much as I can.

I lowered my phone and turned to the trees. “Thank you for everything, but I have to go.”

I’d taken only a few steps when a gigantic, calloused hand gripped my upper arm.

Bodey growled, “You aren’t going anywhere.”

Bodey radiated power, so much so that I could feel his command sink straight into my bones. Despite being weak, my inner wolf never considered cowering, not even when my brain told me to. Even when Zeke used his alpha will, I wanted to fight back and usually had to resort to biting my cheek until it bled so that I wouldn’t run my mouth.

For the first time ever, my wolf damn near submitted but then decided not to. I straightened my back and faced him. My ribs burned, and I almost whimpered, but I gritted my teeth to hold back the noise and stood my ground. “I have to go. My alpha is looking for me.”

Bodey snatched the phone from my hands and stared at the message on the screen.

“Hey,” I snapped and took it back, returning it to my pocket. “That’s rude. You don’t read other people’s messages without their permission.” I waited for him to put me in my place. I always did this and got myself into more trouble.

“It’s going to get worse.” His eyes darkened to midnight black. “It seems like your alpha has already decided you’re guilty. How is that even possible? He hasn’t heard your side!”

“Dude,” Jack said as he smacked Bodey on the back. “I’m sure she’s well aware of that. Next thing you’ll tell us is that the sky is blue and Nirvana isn’t the best band ever.”

Bodey snarled.

Lucas shook his head. “Not the time, Jack.”

Apparently, Jack liked the sound of his own voice, but I needed Bodey to see reason. “It’s their word against mine, and the longer I stay away, the guiltier I’ll appear.” He couldn’t argue with that.

“She’s right.” Lucas sighed. “We should let her go. This is Oregon pack business. Besides, she needs to rest and take care of herself. He can’t deny they attacked her—just look at her.”

My shoulders relaxed. At least one of them was on my side. “Theo will be there to help me handle his father, the alpha.”

“Theo?” Jack’s head snapped toward me, interest clear on his face. “As in Theo Stark?”

My breath caught, so I nodded. They’d piece together who I was now.