Chapter 2

I walked back through the mansion hallways in a daze, my mind still reeling from what I'd just learned. Alpha blood. Not just any Alpha blood, but from a fallen pack. The implications were staggering.

The grand staircase loomed ahead, and I gripped the banister to steady myself. My knees felt weak. For seventeen years, I'd been the pack nobody…the orphan Delta runt who didn't belong. Now I knew why I never fit in. I wasn't meant to.

"Hey, bookworm! Did Alpha Maxwell finally tell you to get lost?"

I flinched at Fin's voice. He was leaning against the wall at the bottom of the stairs, arms crossed and a smirk plastered on his face. I hadn't even noticed him waiting.

"No," I said simply, continuing down the stairs and hoping he'd leave me alone. My mind was too full of secrets to deal with his taunts right now.

"What, no comeback?" He stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "Must have been bad news then. Let me guess, he's shipping you off to another pack?"

I looked at him, really looked at him, for perhaps the first time. We were nothing alike, yet somehow we shared the same status: Alpha blood. The thought was almost laughable.

"Move, Fin," I said, surprising myself with the steadiness in my voice.

He blinked, clearly taken aback by my directness. Usually, I'd stammer or look away.

"Excuse me?" His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I said move. I need to get home and...prepare for my ceremony."

A flash of confusion crossed his face before his usual sneer returned. "So it is still happening? What a waste of pack resources."

"Apparently, your father disagrees," I replied, sidestepping him.

His hand shot out, gripping my arm. "What did you say to him?"

“Actually, I told him it was fine to cancel it if he wanted, but he said no, and never mind, I'd better go,” I said, getting closer to the door.

“What did you just say?” Fin said his eyes shifted into his wolf’s.

“That I need to go, and if the Alpha wanted to cancel, that was fine. I’d just go shift for the first time in the woods by myself.” I said my face paled still at what I had read in his father’s office.

Fin's grip tightened on my arm, his claws beginning to extend. "You're planning to shift alone? Are you insane?"

I tried to pull away, but his hold was firm. "Let go of me."

"Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Wolves die during their first shift without pack support." His voice had lost some of its mocking edge, replaced by something I couldn't quite identify.

"Why would you care?" I shot back, finally wrenching my arm free. "You've made it clear I'm not really, pack anyway."

"That doesn't mean…" He stopped himself, running a hand through his dark hair. "Look, you can't shift alone. It's suicide."

“Just fuck off, Fin, you’ve wanted me gone, so what if that got me right?” I challenged.

His face darkened, and for a moment, I thought he might actually hit me. Instead, he stepped back, looking almost offended.

"Is that what you think? That I want you dead?"

"What else am I supposed to think?" I threw my hands up in frustration. "You and your brothers, the great quad Alpha heirs, have made my life hell since I can remember. Why would my first shift be any different?"

Something flickered in his eyes…guilt, maybe? But it was gone so quickly, I might have imagined it.

"Being an asshole doesn't mean I want you dead," he muttered. "There's a difference."

I laughed bitterly. "Not much of one from where I'm standing."

We stared at each other for a long, tense moment. The mansion felt suddenly too quiet, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath.

"My father clearly wants you at this ceremony," Fin finally said, his voice measured. "So whatever you think of me or my brothers, just... don't do anything stupid before then."

Before I could respond, the front door opened, and Liam, the youngest Maxwell brother—walked in. He paused, taking in the scene before him.

"Everything okay here?" he asked, his gaze moving between us.

“Fine, just have one of our usual heart-to-heart conversations, as riveting as they are, I need to go, and I’m sure your girlfriend is looking for you, Fin, if you’d excuse me,” I said, taking that moment to leave before Fin could grab me again.

As I stepped out into the midday sun, I could hear Fin singing something out at me, but it sounded as if it was underwater, so I kept walking. It had to be some kind of cosmic joke. I was the daughter of an Alpha, a fallen one, but still an Alpha. I ran my hand down my face, knowing in a week’s time everything would change, but still I’d be an outsider and always would be.

Meanwhile, back inside the pack house…

“Well, Fin, that seemed heated.” Liam stated, “What really just happened?”

“I confronted her about what father wanted the others, and I thought he was going to cancel. She told me that she had said to our father it was ok if he had, and if he did, and then she told me if he had, she would have just shifted for the first time alone.”

Liam's eyes widened. "She said she'd shift alone? Jesus, Fin, that's…"

"Suicide, yeah, I told her." Fin dragged a hand through his hair again, a habit I'd noticed he had when agitated. Not that I'd been paying attention to his habits or anything.

I was already halfway down the winding driveway when I heard footsteps behind me. Heavy, purposeful strides that could only belong to one person.

"Wait up!" Liam called out.