“Why don’t we find out?” He unbuttoned my shorts. I lifted my hips so he could pull them down. Then I sat up and pulled my tee over my head.“Fuck, you’re gorgeous.” His eyes traveled up and down my body and to my surprise, I didn’t feel self-conscious. It wasn’t light enough for him to see everything, but he was getting an eyeful.Where I grew up, I always worried about how I looked or what I was wearing. Mostly, because I didn’t want to draw attention to myself. I rarely did anything to make myself look pretty. I didn’t wear clothes that showed off my body and kept my hair simple. My whole life, I had the sense that I was meant to hide so if anyone noticed me, I would shut down, find a way to flee.With Alec, I didn’t need to do that. He made me feel like it was safe to be who I was. And I had to admit, it was nice to have someone tell you that you’re beautiful.“Are you going to kiss me or are you just going to stare at me?” I demanded playfully.Alec growled again as he pounced on
Sheila looked at me, then over at Alec. Then her eyes found the broken cot.“I knew it!” Sheila said.“Fine, yes, you were right. Can we get a couple of minutes?” I asked.“This is my tent,” she teased.“Please,” I said.“Fine, I’ll wait outside,” she said dramatically. “Next time put a sock on the door or something.”“Is that even possible on a tent flap?” I asked.“Alec does live alone, just saying,” she said on her way out.I looked over at Alec and the two of us burst into laughter. “I guess we weren’t fast enough.”“What did she mean by that?” Alec asked. “When she said she knew it?”I rolled my eyes. “She’s been saying the two of us should hook up for a while.”“She’s smart,” he said.I pulled my shirt over my head. “She’s pretty great.” When I poked my head out of my shirt, Alec was glaring at me.I looked around. There was nobody else in the tent. That look was aimed at me. “What’s wrong?”His eyes moved down to my still naked hips. “Were you going to tell me?”I looked down an
Curious, I followed her out of the tent. We hurried past the common area and ducked into the woods. My heart beat faster as we approached Alec’s house but thankfully, we didn’t slow down.When we reached the lake, Sheila started to take off her shoes. “The kids will be gone any minute and we’ll have the whole place to ourselves.”She sat down on the sand and leaned her head back, her eyes closed. “Isn’t the sun marvelous today?”I didn’t see how this was going to make me feel better, but I joined her. Closing my eyes, I leaned my head back. The warmth of the sun did feel amazing on my skin.“You know, Alec is my best friend. But he can be a real dick sometimes,” she said. “But he’ll stick to his word. Whatever you two have planned, he’ll follow through. Even if things don’t work out romantically.”I wasn’t sure how to respond to that. I still wanted that bond broken, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to face Alec.The sky was streaked with pink and the heat of the day made the cold lake wa
Sheila turned on a lantern when we reached her tent. My heart sank when I saw that the cot was back to normal. Alec had either had it fixed or found a replacement. Was that his attempt at an apology or was he simply fulfilling his role as the leader of the feral shifters?“You’ll want to get some sleep tonight,” Sheila said. “I don’t know all the details, but I think tomorrow will be a big day for you.”“If it’s still happening,” I said.“You had a fight. It happens. But we never let disagreements take us away from our plans. We have to be careful out here to survive,” she said.I swallowed down the guilt again. I shouldn’t be here. I’d put them all at risk. Alec knew it from the beginning, yet he let me stay. I should have taken my chances walking to town and found a job. Stuck to my plan. Moved on with my life as a human. My wolf seemed to growl at the notion.I sighed. I’m not going to go back to the old plan.I couldn’t now that I’d started to wake my wolf. I had to break the bond
“I’m eating,” I said.The mood at the table around me shifted. It was like I could feel the tension in the air and I was pretty sure my companions were holding their breath.“This can’t wait,” he said.“It’s going to have to wait,” I countered.He growled.“Lola…” Sheila elbowed me.“Unless someone is dying, I am going to finish my dinner.” I wanted to speak to Alec, but his actions weren’t giving me confidence that he was going to react any better to me than he had earlier.I took a bite of my hamburger. After my last experience leaving Wolf Creek and going without food for several days, I wasn’t about to waste a good meal.To my surprise, Alec sat down on the bench next to Sheila. Tension hung thick in the air but I went back to my dinner, pretending I wasn’t bothered by him.“I’m sorry,” Alec said.All heads turned to him, then I felt their eyes on me. My cheeks burned. “You’re sorry?”“I had no right,” he said.I wasn’t expecting an apology. Sure, I sort of hoped he’d see how much
“Lola, it’s time to go.”My eyes fluttered open to see Alec standing over me. My heart started racing and I was excited to see him. Then I remembered why he was here and all of yesterday came crashing in around me.“Shh, Sheila’s still sleeping,” he warned.I wasn’t sure how long I’d slept or what time it was, but this trip down memory lane wasn’t going to be any easier no matter when I went or how rested I was.Tossing the sleeping bag aside, I sat and tugged on my boots. Then I followed Alec to the front of the tent. I paused at the door, glancing behind me at Sheila. My stomach tightened and I suddenly wished I’d said goodbye last night, just in case.For some reason, I had a sinking feeling I might not be returning here. I wasn’t as set on running anymore, but I knew I couldn’t put Sheila, Mario, Megan, and all the others I’d met at risk. If it was too dangerous for me to return, I’d find somewhere else to go.With lingering sadness, I exited the tent. Hopefully, we’d cross paths
I’d never thought about returning here, let alone bringing a visitor so I honestly never asked. It made sense that there was a work around.We drove in silence for a while and Alec turned from the dirt road onto a narrow, paved road. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the trees around us were bright green and the sky was a brilliant blue. Under different circumstances, this would be a fun way to pass the time. If only we were headed somewhere else. Fuck. Anywhere else would be better.I watched out the window as Alec took us onto larger roads, and through a few smaller twisty roads. I had no idea where we were going and I stopped trying to pay attention to the route. With my terrible sense of direction, I’d need to take this exact trip several times before it sunk in.When we stopped, panic gripped me. How could we already be at Wolf Creek’s border?“You know what to do, right?” Alec asked as he killed the engine.It seemed impossible now that I was facing it. “What if I rea
The trailer park was about two miles from the barn. The route was familiar, something I’d done a hundred times or more. A life spent avoiding others had taught me all the less traveled paths and given me an edge at staying invisible.I kept my head down and walked past homes and stores. I knew enough to act like I belonged without making eye contact. My fifth-grade teacher walked past me on the street. My pulse raced, worried she’d stop me and say hello. She didn’t even acknowledge me.Soon, I was out of the shopping area and cutting through neighborhoods and parks. In the distance, I could make out the trailer park that had been my home my whole life.Some of the residents were outside this morning. Ethan McIntyre, a regular of my mom’s, was sitting in a blue plastic kiddie pool with a can of beer in hand. I wrinkled my nose. How my mom was willing to even let him in her bedroom, let alone between her legs was a mystery to me.A dog barked and ran toward me, only to be pulled back by
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. “You’re going to be great. Nothing bad is going to happen. This is what you’ve been working so hard for the last year.”He was right, of course. And he’d been by my side for every step. I was truly grateful to have such a strong and supportive leader by my side. We’d 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 we’d 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. “You doing okay?”“Yeah,” he said. “I know Kyle’s going to deal with this mess well.”“And you and I get to deal with the bigger mess,” I said. “If my uncle was authorizing Wolf Creek’s use of the toxin to take out their neighbors, what else don’t we know?”“I know Spencer said to give them a chance, but you sure you want a council that enabled that behavior to stick around?” Alec asked.He had a very good point. “I’m 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.”“You’re not out of the woods yet. You’re a walking target, you know that, right?” Alec asked.“I know. I wish I wasn’t used to it,” I said. “But at least I’m not alone this time. I’ve got you, Sheila and Malcom. And the four of us can work together to figure out who we can and can’t trust.”“They’re good shifters. Even before Malcom shared his story, I got the
“If it were me, I’d have a couple of guards escort him to his home and give him an hour to pack. Then, I’d kick his ass out.” Horace took a deep breath. “That toxin has been the black mark on my time of service. I would be honored if you’d allow me to help you destroy it.”“I’d like that,” I said.“Guards, escort him to his home. Check the roster for his inner circle, past and present. Kick them all out.” For once, the strict rules and lists for who was considered the alpha’s inner circle worked to my benefit. All packs had to keep records. As long as Ace has been in power, he’s kept track. The positions were valued but there were shifters who’d 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, Ace’s wife approached me. She had yellow and purple bruises on her face, nearl
“Ace Grant, I strip you of your title and your role as alpha of Wolf Creek,” I said.“No, you can’t do that. You can’t. I earned this.” 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 Alec’s tension eased. He stepped aside, but stayed right next to me.“You stole the title,” I said. “You didn’t work for it. You didn’t earn it. You didn’t prove anything to gain it.”“He doesn’t even have a mark,” someone shouted from behind. The gathered shifters cheered in response.“Send him to the caves!” Another voice called. The cheers grew even wilder.I smirked, knowing I had been correct. I was never alone here, we were all prisoners.“Please no, have mercy,” Ace said. “I already lost my son. Isn’t that enough?”“You don’t want to be trapped in the caves?” I had no intention of sending him there, but I had to admit I was enjoying hearing him beg.“I didn’t betray anyone. It’s 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 didn’t 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. That’s when I realized I wasn’t just sensing Alec’s 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 Alec’s 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.“Let me take lead on this,” 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 I’d seen in the other parts of the home.“Thank you for waiting,” I said, trying to sound more calm and commanding than I felt in the moment.“Of course, your highness,” 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 predecessor’s council. It was an odd arrangement, but if Spencer thought it was worth hearing what they had to say, I’d give it a chance.“We are honored that you’re 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 friends’ 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 I’d committed to when I took down the old king.We ate till we were all stuffed and laughed at Malcom’s stories about trying to learn how to fix a car and accidentally setting it on fire. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I pictured Mario’s face. “I bet he never let you near his car again.”“Only if I’m trying to fix it. Driving I’m fine with. It’s when you give me tools that it causes an issue.”“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said.“Your highness,” 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 didn’t 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.“Have you seen her this morning?” I asked.“Not yet,” Spencer said.“You think Star can help her?” I asked Alec.“If anyone has a chance, it’s her,” Alec said. “She figured out an antidote to that toxin. And you’ve seen what else she can do.”That was part of my concern. What if Star hadn’t been able to help my mom? If she couldn’t, I wasn’t 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.“What’s wrong?” His voice was groggy.“I beat the shifter king last night,” I said.He chuckled. “Yeah, you’re the queen. We already knew that.”“Right, but that means there are people expecting things from me.” I had ideas. Big ideas. Things I wanted to change, but I wasn’t sure what the protocols were or what hoops I’d need to jump through. Spencer had said he’d 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