โYour friend is in the basement. Locked in a cell.โโI donโt have any friends.โ The words stung, but it was the truth.โHe got himself captured to try to get to you,โ he said. โThe feral shifter. Alec.โMy chest tightened. Heโd come back for me? How was I supposed to react to that? He was the reason I was here in the first place. He sold me out for the toxin and cash. I was nothing to him. For all he knew, theyโd kill me the moment he walked away. Heโd sold me out. Him coming back changed nothing. โSo what?โโDonโt you get it? He tried to play both sides. Or he grew a conscious. I donโt know what feral wolves do. Either way, they caught him at your window. You were still unconscious.โโHow is any of this helpful to me?โ I demanded. โAre you trying to threaten him in hopes that Iโll fuck your friend?โโSeriously, Lola. Get over yourself. Iโm trying to help you. Canโt you see that?โโNobody helps me,โ I said.He lifted his shirt again. โI am a protector.Youare my alpha. Not Tyler. You.โ
The seconds dragged by, turning into the longest minutes of my life. I didnโt have a clock in here, but I was pretty sure it had been nearly a half hour already.Shit.Iโd totally been played.I shouldnโt have believed Kyle. What was wrong with me? Why was I constantly seeking allies when I knew everyone was just going to let me down in the end?The door opened and I spun on my heels to face the newcomer. Kyleโs hair was a mess, his eyes were wide, his cheeks flush.โWhat happened?โ I had planned on asking more questions, but it was clear by his disheveled appearance that something was going on.He pressed his finger to his lips, then bolted for the bed, sliding under it and pulling the comforter down over the edge to hide him. Before I could figure out what was happening, the door opened again and a huge, bald shifter male peered in. His nose looked like it had been broken a few times and his bushy eyebrows made his eyes look like tiny specks on his squishy, pink face.Baldie stomped
My body protested the running, cramps biting into my sides. Wincing, I slowed down, pushing through the pain, unwilling to stop. I might not be sprinting anymore, but I wasnโt about to ease up until I was in the clear. Iโd gone days without enough food or water. I was exhausted and not at my usual fitness levels.As soon as we got to the cover of the trees in the woods, I stopped to catch my breath. I glanced back at Tylerโs house. Flames were coming from the window of the room Iโd just left and smoke rose in large clouds. In the distance, I heard the sirens racing to put out the fire. Theyโd be distracted for a while.โThis way to the barrier,โ Alec said. โWe canโt stop yet.โโNo. You donโt get to lead the way.โ I turned to Kyleโs wolf. โHow do we get out of here?โThe wolf started walking and I followed without looking over at Alec. For all I knew, Kyle was leading me into a trap. I didnโt give a damn where we were going if it meant I could walk away from Alec and not listen to him.
โWhere exactly are we headed?โ I asked from the back seat. Iโd happily declined the front. It was too close to Alec for my comfort.โCamp,โ Alec replied.โYou canโt be serious. Thatโs the first place theyโll go looking for me,โ I said.โI donโt think so,โ Alec said.โThey know you came back for me. Why wouldnโt they try looking at your camp? Even if not to find me, to ask for information.โโIโm glad you finally acknowledged that I came back for you,โ he said.โThatโs what you got out of that?โ I scoffed.โI got myself caught,โ Alec said.โHe made them think he had a recipe for the toxin so they went after him,โ Kyle said, his tone giving away his disbelief. โSomehow, they think you gave it to him.โโWonder why theyโd think that?โ I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm.โWhat am I missing?โ Kyle asked.โMy grandfather, the one who was cursed, is the same asshole who invented the toxin. Turns out the thing that Wolf Creek uses to maintain its dominance is the same thing that cost me a ch
โThe bond between the two of you is strong,โ Kyle said. โTyler was already changing his mind about forcing the bond. He wanted you to get there on your own. It was Ace who pushed.โโI donโt care. There will never be anything between Tyler and myself. Ever. Do you understand?โ I was pissed. How dare they even suggest such a thing.โWell, once you re-claim the pack, you can do whatever you want with him. Send him to the caves, banish him. The choice will be yours,โ Kyle said.โI want the bond broken.โ I wasnโt even about to go into detail about the wholeclaiming my packthing.โAnd what is all this about my father?โ There was far too much going on right now. โHow does everyone else but me know this information? Does everyone in Wolf Creek know?โโHe told me,โ Kyle said. โAnd trust me, nobody else in Wolf Creek knew or your life would have been very different.โโBut you know now?โ I asked. โWho my supposed father is?โKyle nodded.โMy mom said I should stay away from him. She said the rea
โI tried that before. I was close. Then, I had to leave it all behind to go make Alec some money.โ The pain surged in, as raw and fresh as when heโd turned me over. I guess I did need to think about it. โI hope you got enough for selling me out.โโI didnโt have a choice,โ Alec said. He didnโt even turn to look at me. I should be grateful he was so focused on driving, but I knew it was out of avoidance rather than safety.โI donโt think I can do this,โ I said.โDo what?โ Kyle asked.โAny of it. Go to the camp. Be around all those people who think Iโm a total sucker.โ I liked the feral shifters. Iโd made friends there and it was embarrassing to walk back there after making a fool of myself. โWait, is this how you pay for things at the camp?โโNo, of course not,โ Alec said. โSure, we might get involved in things that are a little shady, but weโd never turn over another shifter for money.โโSo I was just an exception,โ I said.โNone of them know what happened,โ Alec said. โThey werenโt in
Whispers and stares followed me as I made my way to Gretaโs tent. I wasnโt about to stop and chat. How was I supposed to explain what happened? For them to have thought I was captured, it meant that Alec told them that right away. Then, he went and got himself captured. What did the residents think when they saw Alec hauled off? Or had he managed to get captured away from them?I shook my head, trying to make myself stop worrying about the logistics of the strangest failed rescue attempt. And yes, he failed. If he went into captivity with the intention of trying to turn one of my assailants, he was doomed from the start. The fact that Kyle turned was pure luck. Without him hearing about my mark, it never would have happened.I avoided eye contact when I saw Mario walking toward me. I felt awful. We had borrowed his car, but I wasnโt in the mood to talk.โHey, Lola, Iโve got a new car arriving next week. Want to help me build the engine?โ Mario asked.I looked up at him, surprised that
The only way Iโd truly hurt them would be to take the power from them and put myself in charge. I couldnโt deny that seeing them meet a bloody end wouldnโt be a nice addition, but I knew what I had to do. I was going to fight for the pack that refused to fight for me. There was always going to be someone weak theyโd try to break and I couldnโt let it keep happening. I had to stop them. And I had to make sure they couldnโt ever hurt anyone else again.I stood. โThank you.โโDonโt thank me. Youโre the one whoโs doing all the work,โ she said.I smiled and gave her a nod before making my way out of the tent. Kyle was standing outside, waiting for me. He tensed like a soldier standing at attention. Having him around was going to take a lot of getting used to.Trusting Kyle was going to be damn near impossible, but I was going to need help. I needed to know if he really had my back. There had to be a way to test him, at least a little. Kyle was still a mystery to me. Heโd been a fixture of
The entire household was buzzing as they finished preparations for the Solstice celebration. The longest night of the year happened to fall on a full moon, which meant one party of epic proportions.I took a deep breath as I prepared to greet the guests. While having the alphas of the packs for visits had almost become routine, this gathering was different.Alec took hold of my hand. โYouโre going to be great. Nothing bad is going to happen. This is what youโve been working so hard for the last year.โHe was right, of course. And heโd been by my side for every step. I was truly grateful to have such a strong and supportive leader by my side. Weโd found a balance in the last year, working together to improve pack relations and begin the process for positive change for all shifters.Tonight we took that a step further. While weโd been working to break down the years of animosity between us and the witches, our alliance was still in its infancy.Shifter and witches both held sacred conne
While my old pack was busy peppering Kyle with questions, I took Alec aside. โYou doing okay?โโYeah,โ he said. โI know Kyleโs going to deal with this mess well.โโAnd you and I get to deal with the bigger mess,โ I said. โIf my uncle was authorizing Wolf Creekโs use of the toxin to take out their neighbors, what else donโt we know?โโI know Spencer said to give them a chance, but you sure you want a council that enabled that behavior to stick around?โ Alec asked.He had a very good point. โIโm not sure I do want them around. But I do think we need to learn from them and find out what has been going on for the last few decades.โโYouโre not out of the woods yet. Youโre a walking target, you know that, right?โ Alec asked.โI know. I wish I wasnโt used to it,โ I said. โBut at least Iโm not alone this time. Iโve got you, Sheila and Malcom. And the four of us can work together to figure out who we can and canโt trust.โโTheyโre good shifters. Even before Malcom shared his story, I got the
โIf it were me, Iโd have a couple of guards escort him to his home and give him an hour to pack. Then, Iโd kick his ass out.โ Horace took a deep breath. โThat toxin has been the black mark on my time of service. I would be honored if youโd allow me to help you destroy it.โโIโd like that,โ I said.โGuards, escort him to his home. Check the roster for his inner circle, past and present. Kick them all out.โ For once, the strict rules and lists for who was considered the alphaโs inner circle worked to my benefit. All packs had to keep records. As long as Ace has been in power, heโs kept track. The positions were valued but there were shifters whoโd turned them down. Everyone knew working for Ace meant good things for your family, but it might cost you everything.A pair of my guards escorted Ace away. Several members of his inner circle followed him. Wolf Creek deserved a chance at peace.To my surprise, Viki, Aceโs wife approached me. She had yellow and purple bruises on her face, nearl
โAce Grant, I strip you of your title and your role as alpha of Wolf Creek,โ I said.โNo, you canโt do that. You canโt. I earned this.โ He stood, his hands balled into fists.For a moment, I thought he might charge me. My guards moved closer and Alec stood in front of me.Ace took a step back and Alecโs tension eased. He stepped aside, but stayed right next to me.โYou stole the title,โ I said. โYou didnโt work for it. You didnโt earn it. You didnโt prove anything to gain it.โโHe doesnโt even have a mark,โ someone shouted from behind. The gathered shifters cheered in response.โSend him to the caves!โ Another voice called. The cheers grew even wilder.I smirked, knowing I had been correct. I was never alone here, we were all prisoners.โPlease no, have mercy,โ Ace said. โI already lost my son. Isnโt that enough?โโYou donโt want to be trapped in the caves?โ I had no intention of sending him there, but I had to admit I was enjoying hearing him beg.โI didnโt betray anyone. Itโs not a
Wolf Creek was ready to greet the royal family when we arrived. The entire pack turned out, everyone gathered in front of the barn as requested.I could see them waiting as we approached, careful to keep myself hidden from view behind the guards and accompanying council. I didnโt tell them why I wanted to return here, and I was certain they were expecting some kind of happy reunion.Alec was already seething with rage, the emotion far more intense than it should be. My wolf clawed at my chest, wanting to get out to comfort her mate. Thatโs when I realized I wasnโt just sensing Alecโs emotions, I was feeling his inner wolf. And he was pissed.My wolf was distracted by her mate. Her feelings toward Wolf Creek secondary to his discomfort. It was interesting that Alecโs hate toward Wolf Creek was two-fold. I could feel his personal vendetta against my old pack mixed with a need to protect and defend his mate. In a strange way, it was kind of sweet.โLet me take lead on this,โ I said to hi
The four of us stepped through the double doors and the members of the council rose when they saw us. They had been seated at a long wood table, with a dozen chairs. At one end of the table there was a chair twice the size of the others. A crackling fire glowed in a wood fireplace behind it. The floor was dark wood and a red and gold rug sat under the long table. The chandeliers above the table were made of antlers, a very different aesthetic from the crystal Iโd seen in the other parts of the home.โThank you for waiting,โ I said, trying to sound more calm and commanding than I felt in the moment.โOf course, your highness,โ one of the men said.I walked to the larger chair and sat down. The gathered males took their seats. One side of the table was my family, on the other, the four males who made up my predecessorโs council. It was an odd arrangement, but if Spencer thought it was worth hearing what they had to say, Iโd give it a chance.โWe are honored that youโre willing to meet w
Breakfast with my friends felt familiar and safe. Sheila, Malcom, and Kyle had mostly waited to eat until we arrived. The guards stood outside the room, and at my instance, the staff was willing to leave the food and let us serve ourselves.To my friendsโ credit, they all steered the topic of conversation toward random things that were unrelated to our current situation. It was as if they knew I needed a little break before I had to figure out how to do the job Iโd committed to when I took down the old king.We ate till we were all stuffed and laughed at Malcomโs stories about trying to learn how to fix a car and accidentally setting it on fire. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I pictured Marioโs face. โI bet he never let you near his car again.โโOnly if Iโm trying to fix it. Driving Iโm fine with. Itโs when you give me tools that it causes an issue.โโIโll keep that in mind,โ I said.โYour highness,โ a male voice said.I turned and saw one of my guards. Malaki, I think.He was holdin
I stretched out my hand and he took it. The two of us silently followed Spencer. I didnโt need to look behind me to know that my guards were following me. It was one of those things I was going to have to get used to, I supposed.โHave you seen her this morning?โ I asked.โNot yet,โ Spencer said.โYou think Star can help her?โ I asked Alec.โIf anyone has a chance, itโs her,โ Alec said. โShe figured out an antidote to that toxin. And youโve seen what else she can do.โThat was part of my concern. What if Star hadnโt been able to help my mom? If she couldnโt, I wasnโt sure anyone else could.As we continued down hallways lined with doors, and up a few flights of stairs, I considered what I would even say to her. Everything in my mind about my mom was so full of conflict. I wanted to help her, but she was also such a source of pain for me. She might not have been in control, but why did she have to do that to herself in the first place? Why did she flee to Wolf Creek of all places? Why
I woke to the sound of knocking. My eyelids fluttered open as a warm pair of arms pulled me tighter. A smile spread on my lips as the events of last night came flooding into my mind.Of course, the good memories of three rounds of fucking fantastic sex with Alec were followed by the memory of the challenge. I sat up, nearly elbowing Alec in the process.โWhatโs wrong?โ His voice was groggy.โI beat the shifter king last night,โ I said.He chuckled. โYeah, youโre the queen. We already knew that.โโRight, but that means there are people expecting things from me.โ I had ideas. Big ideas. Things I wanted to change, but I wasnโt sure what the protocols were or what hoops Iโd need to jump through. Spencer had said heโd help.I glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was ten in the morning.Holy shit.They must have ended the party without me and nobody bothered us all night.I guess there were perks to being the shifter queen.The knock sounded again and I scrambled off the bed, grabbin