Dixon and Ethan smiled and greeted Echo like the brother in arms he was, giving me a nod of acknowledgment in greeting as they waved down Norik and engaged Echo in conversation about the new training and patrol schedule the warriors had to follow. I sat in my chair and sipped my water, listening with a smile as Silas moved to a pretty girl a seat or two over from me and started flirting with her. I glanced over my shoulder at Jax as I felt him stand close to me, his arm brushing against my back. His dark eyes were on my face, looking me over with a soft frown.
“Young Alpha. Did you need me to move?” I asked evenly, treating him with the respect any pack member would who isn’t close to him. He frowned harder and shook his head at me, taking a step closer and leaning down to talk to me.
“What are you doing here Kara?”
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As the night progressed the bar became more packed, the mix of scents becoming too overwhelming it left you almost nose blind. When karaoke started there were cheers for those that were great, and boos and jeers for those that weren’t. Overall though the bar was thrumming with energy and people were happy and just letting loose. At some point, an impromptu dance area formed and people packed together, dancing and thrumming on the energy that filled the bar. Torrance pulled me with her and forced our way into the mass of moving people, dancing and pulsing with all the other bodies. The accumulated shifter energy calling our wolves close to the surface, adding to the energy that pulled through everyone, the music secondary as all shifters fed off the energy, our animals close.With the number of different types of shifters, the energy was a tingling pulse across our skin, marking us out to our kind. A
If the vampire was telling the truth, then the scouts are still alive, still loyal to Ravenfield and that Orso didn’t kill everyone in my pack, instead he got his son to force them into obedience and link with a new Alpha. If they are still alive and I claim my birthright, I can sever their link to Orso’s son and relink them with me. As confused and overwhelmed as I was with all this new information, I was hopeful. No longer was it just me and Jax plotting. Now we had warriors and a vampire on our side. Now more than ever my chances for success are higher.“I’m sorry babe. I know that can’t be easy. Did you want to head back? It’s almost closing time anyway.” I looked at Echo in surprise before looking at the black behind the bar that said it was 1:45. I did not realize so much time had passed. Now that I was aware of it, I could feel the fatigue in my muscle
“That's a big mall.” I looked up at the building as we walked up to the doors, the number of people surprising as we made our way in. I stopped at the threshold to gain my bearings and looked around, surprised with the people, the stores, the number of smells. I felt so cut off from things having been kept on isolated pack grounds for the last almost 8 years. I used to go out often with my parents and friends, attend school and just generally have a life. When I was brought to Orso’s pack all of that was taken away for the first while. Until Torrance saw me and it was like an instant connection. She was already close friends with Ezra and Echo and they accepted me without a problem. The 3 of them made life in the Richmond pack bearable, well them and Jax.“Come on, let's get food first. I’m starving and I know you must be downright ravenous after training.” she said as s
Over the next few days, the entire pack was in a buzz, a frenzy as our training was doubled and people were appointed to be in charge while some of the pack was gone to the Alpha Summit. True to his word Orso had put the list up the night after his announcement. Out of curiosity I looked and was surprised to find my name on it. I guess what Torrance said was true, no matter how much I didn’t want it to be. I was also happy that Echo and Ezra were also chosen to attend. My hope for them was to find their fated mates, even if that meant my relationship with Echo would be over.Once the names were picked, it was like the entire pack attitude shifted and training was harder, more intense and unfortunately longer. Most days I fell into bed exhausted at the end of the night and was out the moment my head met the pillow. It also meant I had not had any more dreams about the strange wolf. It was a litt
We were able to stretch our legs, took bathroom breaks and got more snacks and drinks for the next part of the journey. The sun was going down and the air had a chill to it. I was about to root through my bag for a sweater when I felt a large oversized hoodie being put over my head. I laughed as I took in Exho’s scent and pulled the hoodie on properly, turning to smile at him as I pulled my hair into a braid so it was out of the way.“I’ll be driving through the night. You and Ezra should try and sleep though so come morning I can switch off with him.” Echo informed as he took an energy drink from his bag and popped it open, taking a sip as he put the rest of the snacks on the seat in easy reach.“Will you be ok to drive all night? I can stay up and keep you company if need be.” I offered as I got into the middle
I stared up at this man in utter shock and silence. I was horrified, angry and yet I could feel the magic of the bond pulling at me, making me want to relax into his hold and take pleasure in the sparks. His brown eyes roamed all over my face, his strong jaw, clenching as he looked at me. I fought the impulse to lift my hand and run it along the stubble of his jaw, to run my hand through his brown waves that looked surprisingly soft and thick. Objectively speaking Silas was a very attractive man. If I had no idea who he really was I could see myself giving in to the bond. But I knew the truth. I knew exactly who he was and what he was capable of. He was there that night, fighting amongst Orso’s wolves. He was the one that brought down my mother and with her death, my father faltered which was the opening Orso needed to kill him too. I watched it all happen and I knew at that moment I would lie to sa
After everything that has happened in my life, I thought I was strong. I’ve carried my grief and my rage all this time, I’ve carried on as if nothing was wrong. I fit into the pack, I acted how I should, I kept my identity a secret. I’ve been strong. I’ve been resilient, I’ve been willful and cunning. I thought for sure I could handle anything that fate threw my way.God how wrong I was. I was not the least bit prepared to fight off the mate bond, to will it away and focus on my rage and my sorrow, my need for revenge and a bloody type of closure. I just was not that strong. And it terrified me. I wanted to harden my heart against the bond, to not be affected, but the longer I was around Silas, the less it all seemed to matter.He led me to the couch and sat with me, my hand still in his as we sat facing each other. His
The forest was dark, with no silver moonlight to illuminate the trees. The air was still, not a single leaf swaying in the breeze. The trees were dense and quiet, the magic heavy as it held the entire area in a darkness so thick and black you could almost run your fingers through it. I turned on the spot, my heart beating erratically as I tried to see something, anything that would indicate where I was. I knew it was the dream forest, it just never felt like this either time I had come here.It was almost hostile, the magic a heavy and painful feeling against my skin. Almost like a coating of a substance that stung and itched the more you were exposed to it. It was never like this before. It was nice and beautiful and the magic felt heavy yes, but never hostile like the aim was to hurt me and get me away from it.I whined and held my arms close to me, peering i