CHAPTER 2-THE NERVE OF HER-ALPHA JONES AND RAVEN

          “Paul, I need you.” Dom called his Beta. Paul sat in the lounge, engrossed in a televised sporting event.

          “Alpha?” Paul Grouse said. He entered the study. “You need something?”

          “I need several Enforcers organized for a hunt. We’ve a wolf on the run, Raven Miller. She’s not to leave my territory. I want her brought to me unharmed.” Dom pulled up the file he had on the Millers.

          “She’s the sister of that idiot Miller, right?”

          “That’s right. He was at the poker game. Liam took losses, and then he offered his sister for forgiveness of his debt to Klyne. He didn’t ask if he could. She’s mine! He showed no respect. When I reminded him, she belonged to me, and I said I wouldn’t give her away. He scoffed. I thought he dropped it. Instead, he waited until I stepped out.”

          “You’re kidding. I’ll get the Enforcers.” Paul went into action, but Dom stopped him.

          “I’m not finished. When I returned, he’d signed the contract agreeing to give her away. Klyne forced me to buy her back. Liam fled by then. I want him brought back. His condition doesn’t matter. He’s a rogue. No one hurts her. I’d rather not see any cuts or bruises. He paused before speaking again. “You know what? When she’s found, I’ll recover her. I sent you, the file. Raven claims we have twenty-four hours to find her. After that, she’ll go rogue. Find her.” Dom knew she’d expect him to hunt her. She didn’t expect him to use the pack’s enforcers. He’d break all the rules and use any loophole to win. He now played for keeps, and he’d teach her a lesson. She’d be his pet before he made her his Luna.

          “Alpha, will we have a problem with the Red River Pack?” Paul asked. He scrolled the file on his phone. Dom’s attention riveted on Paul and his whiskey-colored eyes widened. He’d not thought of trouble from Klyne.

          “I don’t know. We’re talking Red River. You know the trouble we’ve had. We can’t afford war in the streets. The press wants to prove we’re dangerous animals and gone from Toronto.” The Council of Alphas were busy putting out the fires and changing public opinion.

          “They’ll be careful, and I’ll contact you when she’s found. Anything else I should know.” Paul gave his full attention to Dom.

          “Yeah, she’ll be my personal pet.”

          “A pet? That’s a position held by a prisoner Dom. Are you sure? It’ll insult her.”

          Dom’s eyes flashed; he held Paul’s gaze. His frustration, anger, and hurt were clear. “She should’ve given up on him. She’ll learn I’m sick of waiting.”

          “But a pet…”

          “My Pack, my wolf, and my decision.”

          “Of course I’m sorry, Alpha. I’ll rally the Enforcers and enact your commands. We’ll have her for you soon.”

          Paul’s eyes shot to the floor and his head tilted at a subtle angle to signify his submission to Dom.

          He left at a jog when Dom dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

          Three hours later at a rundown shifter run apartment.

          She’d noticed the enforcer tromping up the stairwell. She knew he didn’t live there. Enforcers ran in groups of five. The others would spread out to block alternate escape routes. They must be here for her.

          Raven turned back to her fourth-floor apartment and left through her bedroom window. Even for a shifter, doing it posed a formidable challenge. She’d been smart and added a fire escape ladder to her window long ago when several humans set fire to several shifter known residences.

          Raven didn’t succeed at losing the enforcers. The buses weren’t running, so she had to walk from the area. Her aim was to reach Union Station, where most trains left from. She didn’t want to use money on a cab. Until she found a new job wherever she ended up, she had to be careful with what she had.

          Raven noticed the Enforcers as they followed her. Hunters and fighters, the Enforcers, were an aggressive lot. Their superiors were the only ones who could rein in that violence. They made no secret that they were chasing prey. That prey was Raven.

          She’d taken several random turns and become lost. As the Enforcers closed in, she tried one final desperate act to find a safe haven. She found a small diner open for the early breakfast crowd. Toronto never slept.

          Raven entered the diner and went straight to the bathroom. She barred the door closed. Raven heard Enforcers entering the diner. They didn’t need to ask questions. Wolves were skilled hunters of smart prey, even in urban areas.

          She’d been an idiot in believing Alpha Jones would ignore the bet, and her. Of course, he’d involve his loyal hounds, rather than come himself. The jerk found a loophole.

          He’d have them kill her, ending all his problems from her. How could she have been this stupid? Raven knew she should’ve predicted this.

          Where was Liam, anyway? Why did the coward not answer his phone? She wanted to know why he thought he’d sell her to pay his debts. It’s another reason she knew he’d lost most of his brain cells. If he sold her, who’d pay his debts? Who’d provide him with shelter? Or give him food? He wouldn’t do it.

          The memory of Alpha Jones’s voice interrupted her thoughts. Raven disliked how the thought of him made her feel electrified with awareness. He’d never given her any kind of consideration as her fated mate. Why would the goddess choose a gambler, womanizer, and a criminal as her mate? Wasn’t her struggle enough? Her daddy and brother, miserable failures as gambler. What had she done to deserve this fate?

          She pondered what she knew. Her mind kept returning to Alpha Jones. Raven didn’t have time to ponder him. The door she’d barred and leaned against moved.