“The challenge needs to be done again,” Ryan, my older brother says. “Clearly, Rafael is a legitimate challenger. But everything has gotten so muddled since then, that the challenge needs to be held again.”“I'll never challenge him,” the alpha says. “I'm done with this nonsense. Raphael needs to be executed. “And then we need to go back to the way things were. Our pack has been prosperous under my rule. It’s best for all of us for that to continue.”“It doesn't matter what kinds of benefits you’ve brought to the pack if you're willing to kill an innocent person,” I say. “We're standing against you now. We won't allow this to happen.”“He is your alpha,” Shaye, his mate says. “You can't talk to him like that. He is the rightful alpha, and you have no business in challenging him.“Do you really want to upset the way things are? Do you really want to threaten everyone's livelihood? Do you really want to cause tension within the pack?”Something concerning happens after that. There
The fight continues and it's a nasty one from the start. But it only gets worse as it progresses. As the alpha and Rafael fight, some of the other wolves seem to notice them. And I don't like the look in their eyes. It looks like they might be willing to cut in.Other wolves aren't supposed to interfere in fights like that. It's not the way things are done. But, this alpha has broken so many rules, that I wouldn't doubt if they are willing to break more. I wouldn't be surprised if other wolves got involved to try to save the alpha. So, I stay close to Rafael. We fight alongside each other as I attack any wolves that seem like they might get involved. I won't let him die like this.I feel bad for Rafael. I know he felt like he was alone. But I hope he sees now that he wasn't. So many people rise up to fight against him. But so many people rise up to fight for him.“Just give in,” Rafael says, looking at the alpha as he tries to block his attacks. “People in this pack are dyin
I don't know what else to do aside from to keep running. But eventually I have to slow. Eventually I have to figure out what exactly I should do next.The trees call to me as I find a stream. The thick layers of green absorb my cries. They promise to protect me. They promise that I’ll be okay. I know I'll never be okay again though.I'm lost without a mate. I'm lost without a pack.I don't know where to go. There is nowhere for me to go. I'm lost and I'll never feel whole again.So, I shift back into my human form to forget the memories my wolf form had to witness. But in my human form, this all feels worse. My human form is much more vulnerable, so I can’t easily face this in it.My heart feels like it's being ripped apart. I can physically feel the pain within me. And it's the worst agony. All I want to do is escape it, but I know I can't.Barefoot, I walk into the water. It's cold against my skin. It wakes my senses. And I don't want them to be woken. I don't want to feel an
I want to run. I want to hide. I want to do anything I can to get away from this man.But I don't want to end up killed. So, I don't move. I wait until he walks out into my sight. He’s tall with silver eyes, dark hair, and a muscular body. He's holding a bow and arrow much like the one that the alpha tried to kill Raphael with. Like the arrow I killed the alpha with.“Shift into your human form,” he orders. I don't want to turn into my human form. I feel more vulnerable in my human form. And I already feel vulnerable enough. I don't want to give this man more power over me.I also don't want to be killed right now. So, though I pause, I shift into my human form.“That's better he says. “Now, let's get out of this cave.”“Why are you doing this to me?” I ask as we march back through the cave. “Because I need to do what I need to do to survive out here” he says. “I need to make money to provide for my pack.“I am a mercenary. I take people as a bounty for the rogues. And I su
I'm running and the feeling is incredible. Adrenaline floods through my body as I try to get away.I am getting away. Or at least, I think I am. I look back and he's gaining ground, but the river is up ahead. And I know I can leap across it. I know I can get away.I move faster, feeling this strength in my muscles. I know that if he gets ahold of me, I won't get away. He's stronger, but maybe I'm faster.Adrenaline is my upper hand. He's just fighting to catch someone he can sell. I'm fighting for my life. And that motivation makes me faster. That motivation gives me strength like I've never had before.I reach the river but I don't slow down. Instead, I propel myself forward, hoping to get across the water. If I can get across the water, I can get away from him.If I fall though, I'm within his grasp. He’ll be able to do whatever he wants to me. And I don't even want to think about what will happen if the wrong person gets ahold of me.I leap. My feet leave the ground and I hope
BRIAN’S POVWhen I look at her, something strange and magical takes over completely. And I don't understand it. It's like I'm seeing her for the first time.It's like before when I saw her as just a prisoner, I was able to ignore this connection. But something has changed. Now I can't. Maybe that something was there all along. Because when I saw those wolves attacking her, I knew I had to do something. It felt like I was fighting for my own life. It felt like it was the direst situation I've ever been in.And now, I know why. This lonely, wandering, woman is my mate.No, it can't be. There's no way this person is my mate. There has to be some mistake. I don't know why I feel the way I do, but it has to be a mistake.Still, I can't look away as we stare at each other. She is just so fascinating to look at. I'm too drawn to her. I can't fight it. I can’t look away.“Do you...” Samantha starts but then cuts herself off. She has something to say but she looks reluctant to say it.
The more Brian and I talk, the more convinced I am that he's my mate. As I listen to him tell me about life in the forest, I start to understand why he loves it so much. It sounds so peaceful. It sounds like the kind of life I'd like to live.Maybe I will live that life now. If I don’t get sold of course.I don’t have a pack to go to now. I need to figure out a new way to live my life. And maybe I won't rejoin the pack. Maybe this kind of life is for me.I'm starting to think that any life with Brian is the life for me. I've never been like this before. I wasn't even like this with Rafael. But this is different. I know this man is my mate.“Do you...” I'm scared to say it. I'm scared because what if his reaction is bad? But I need to know. “Do you feel a strange connection to me? I think I feel a connection to you. I know it's strange but...”“I... I feel it too,” he whispers. “It is strange. I don't understand it. But I can't deny that I feel it too.”I can't believe it. It's al
As Brian fights the man in front of him, I free myself from my binds. They aren't tied tightly. I don't think anyone expected us to get free. I think they all thought that everyone there shared the same point of view, so this comes as a surprise to them. They don't think of us as anything more than property that can’t fend for themselves.But my fight isn't over yet. There are other people on sale here, and I'm not going to leave without them. I would never do that.So, as Brian fights the men who would like to trap us, I free those in chains. And those that get free help me free the others. Soon, everyone is fighting. Some people are fleeing. Everything disrupts into chaos.I shift into my wolf form and fight the people I can fight. But I'm exhausted. So, once the captives get away, I look at Brian.“We have to run,” I tell him. “We have to get out of here. We have to run.”Brian looks at me and I worry he'll change his mind. I worry that he'll stay and fight just because of