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 wasn’t about to ease up until I was in the clear. I’d 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 Tyler’s house. Flames were coming from the window of the room I’d just left and smoke rose in large clouds. In the distance, I heard the sirens racing to put out the fire. They’d be distracted for a while.“This way to the barrier,” Alec said. “We can’t stop yet.”“No. You don’t get to lead the way.” I turned to Kyle’s wolf. “How do we get out of here?”The wolf started walking and I followed without looking over at Alec. For all I knew, Kyle was leading me into a trap. I didn’t give a damn where we were going if it meant I could walk away from Alec and not listen to him.
“Where exactly are we headed?” I asked from the back seat. I’d happily declined the front. It was too close to Alec for my comfort.“Camp,” Alec replied.“You can’t be serious. That’s the first place they’ll go looking for me,” I said.“I don’t think so,” Alec said.“They know you came back for me. Why wouldn’t they try looking at your camp? Even if not to find me, to ask for information.”“I’m glad you finally acknowledged that I came back for you,” he said.“That’s what you got out of that?” I scoffed.“I got myself caught,” Alec said.“He made them think he had a recipe for the toxin so they went after him,” Kyle said, his tone giving away his disbelief. “Somehow, they think you gave it to him.”“Wonder why they’d think that?” I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm.“What am I missing?” Kyle asked.“My 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
“The bond between the two of you is strong,” Kyle said. “Tyler was already changing his mind about forcing the bond. He wanted you to get there on your own. It was Ace who pushed.”“I don’t care. There will never be anything between Tyler and myself. Ever. Do you understand?” I was pissed. How dare they even suggest such a thing.“Well, 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,” Kyle said.“I want the bond broken.” I wasn’t even about to go into detail about the wholeclaiming my packthing.“And what is all this about my father?” There was far too much going on right now. “How does everyone else but me know this information? Does everyone in Wolf Creek know?”“He told me,” Kyle said. “And trust me, nobody else in Wolf Creek knew or your life would have been very different.”“But you know now?” I asked. “Who my supposed father is?”Kyle nodded.“My mom said I should stay away from him. She said the rea
“I tried that before. I was close. Then, I had to leave it all behind to go make Alec some money.” The pain surged in, as raw and fresh as when he’d turned me over. I guess I did need to think about it. “I hope you got enough for selling me out.”“I didn’t have a choice,” Alec said. He didn’t 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.“I don’t think I can do this,” I said.“Do what?” Kyle asked.“Any of it. Go to the camp. Be around all those people who think I’m a total sucker.” I liked the feral shifters. I’d made friends there and it was embarrassing to walk back there after making a fool of myself. “Wait, is this how you pay for things at the camp?”“No, of course not,” Alec said. “Sure, we might get involved in things that are a little shady, but we’d never turn over another shifter for money.”“So I was just an exception,” I said.“None of them know what happened,” Alec said. “They weren’t in
Whispers and stares followed me as I made my way to Greta’s tent. I wasn’t 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 wasn’t in the mood to talk.“Hey, Lola, I’ve got a new car arriving next week. Want to help me build the engine?” Mario asked.I looked up at him, surprised that
The only way I’d truly hurt them would be to take the power from them and put myself in charge. I couldn’t deny that seeing them meet a bloody end wouldn’t 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 they’d try to break and I couldn’t let it keep happening. I had to stop them. And I had to make sure they couldn’t ever hurt anyone else again.I stood. “Thank you.”“Don’t thank me. You’re the one who’s doing all the work,” 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. He’d been a fixture of
“You need some rest,” Kyle said as he started walking. “First shift takes a lot out of you. I’ll show you where they set us up.”“Technically, it won’t be my first shift,” I admitted.Kyle’s brow furrowed. “Alec mentioned that the curse wasn’t an issue anymore but I didn’t know you’d shifted.”“Well, since I’ve decided to trust you and all, I guess you should know.” I matched his pace and walked alongside him, hoping his sense of direction was better than mine. “After you and your friends threw me in that cave to die, I fell through a hole and thought I did die.”“Not my friends,” he cut in.“Fine. Your former alpha.” It sounded both strange and comforting to say those words. The unsaid was that I was his current alpha. It was a bizarre feeling. Especially since our pack was currently at two members.“What happened?” he pressed.“I honestly don’t remember, but my wolf forced the shift and got me out of there. Alec found me and brought me here.” I winced when I said that part. Another
I followed Kyle up the steps that led to the front door. He opened it and we walked into a cozy, bright, welcoming space. A worn couch covered in blankets sat on one side of the room, on the other was a double bed with a patchwork quilt. A lamp on the bedside table was on, giving the space a warm glow. On the right was a little alcove with a window. It held a small table with three wood chairs around it. To the left was a single door. My guess was that it was the bathroom.No kitchen or other rooms, but it was enough space for the two of us. The cabin was homey and peaceful. Despite the fact it had been Alec’s home, I felt at ease here. It didn’t look like it had even the slightest bit of Alec’s personality. I knew the cabin had once been Greta’s and it looked exactly as I’d imagine a space she’d decorated should look.I walked to the door and opened it to reveal a tiny bathroom complete with sink, toilet, and shower. It sure beat peeing in the woods. “Not bad.”“You sure Alec lived h