Kyle was holding out another sandwich as soon as I walked in the door.“You were watching?” I grabbed the sandwich and took a bite. This time, I was going to make myself actually eat it.“I didn’t listen, but I kept an eye on you,” he said.I probably should have been upset, but it was oddly comforting knowing someone had my back. Sure, things with Kyle were weird, but if he wanted to cause me harm, he’d have done it already.“You okay?” he asked.I wasn’t sure how to answer that. Kyle knew more than he’d shared and largely because I’d asked him to keep it that way. If he was being honest about not listening, he didn’t know what our conversation had been about. For all Kyle knew, it was a lover’s quarrel.My stomach tightened and the food in my mouth tasted like ash. Was it ever going to get easier to sort out my feelings about Alec? Did it matter if I was just going to return to Wolf Creek, anyway?“Do you think I have what it takes to be alpha?” I asked.“You can’t be any worse than
“I still don’t know if I want to know,” I said.“I get that.” Kyle took a deep breath. “Alright, let me see if I can explain without telling you. So, shifter politics 101: The alphas are linked with the higher alphas, right?”I thought back to my high school Shifter Politics class and tried to recall the structure. “Shit. I’m going to need a crash course in all this. I don’t remember this stuff and if I do it, I’m going to do it right.”“That’s not why I’m telling you this. You think Ace is doing anything by the book?” Kyle looked skeptical.“Probably not,” I agreed. “But I’m not Ace. I will do it correctly.”“I know you will but here’s the thing, Lola. If you are alpha, you’ll be connected to the higher alphas.”“You mean the king.”He nodded.“So?” I wasn’t following why any of this would matter. “It’s not like I’m the one who made the toxin or was cursed. They can’t punish me for what my grandfather did, can they?”Kyle blew out a frustrated breath. “Lola, you have to hear this eve
“Well, now you know why Alec said he was dangerous,” Kyle said. “And you know that we have to be careful.”My brow furrowed as I thought about all the new information and what it meant for me. “I can’t be alpha, can I?” It surprised me how much that hurt. Until that moment, I wasn’t aware of how badly I wanted to help the people of Wolf Creek. Even if they never did anything to help me.I looked up at Kyle. “If I won the challenge, the king would feel me. He’d know, wouldn’t he? He’d know we were blood. I’m guessing that’s what all this is about.”“There’s a way to fix this,” Kyle said. “Your father is willing to help.”“Why would he help when he could turn me in to get on the king’s good side? Or kill me himself, even? I remember my history classes well enough to know how murderous and dangerous Spencer was. You think a man like that cares about his kid?” I tensed. “Holy shit, you said he already knows about me. Alec told him about me. I’m already screwed, aren’t I?”“Calm down, Lola
When Kyle insisted I take the bed, I was too tired to put up a fight. I climbed in and snuggled under the sheets. The blankets smelled like Alec. And why wouldn’t it? It was his bed.My throat tightened as I thought about everything I’d learned. Aside from my pack hunting me, there was a chance my father’s family would kill me if they ever found out I was alive. Then there was this new news about Alec. I didn’t know if it was the truth, but if Alec sold me out to earn the cash to help me, where did that leave us?Asshole could have explained it to you.I realized that if he’d told me, I’d have refused to comply. I would have taken my chances with the royal family rather than return to captivity in Wolf Creek. Alec would have known that. But he should have given me a choice.Why would the shifter king even care about me? I was nobody and I had no interest in getting involved in royal politics. Shit, if not for the mark on my hip, I wouldn’t even be going back to Wolf Creek. It was possi
Sheila was sitting in a lawn chair outside her tent. Next to her was a little folding table and another chair. Two mugs sat on the table. “Did I interrupt?”She grinned and jumped from her seat. I was swept up into a bone-crushing hug. “I was so worried about you. I can’t believe they caught you.” She released me from the hug but kept her hands on my shoulders. “Are you alright? Did they hurt you? And please for the love of the moon goddess, take me to Wolf Creek with you next time so I can beat the shit of those assholes.”“I missed you too,” I said.“Tell me you’re not going back there,” she said. “Cause I heard a rumor that I’m not fond of.”“Where did you hear this rumor?” I asked.“I guess it was more of a heads-up than a rumor. Alec says you’re going to go back,” she said. “But he’s mum on the fucking details. Since when does he leave me out of shit?”She sounded hurt and it made me think Alec probably had been honest when he told me that he’d acted alone. “Sit, sit. I hoped you
“You heard me,” I snapped. I wasn’t eager to repeat it.“I’m going to kill that bastard,” he said with a growl.“Get in line,” Sheila said.“Great, you all want to kill Tyler, but it doesn’t fix what I just went through or what he could have done to me. Why did you go along with that? You were the one warning me to keep my distance,” I pointed out.“That was before I knew the details about your history,” he said.“What the fuck are you talking about?” I asked.“It seems you and me have something in common,” Malcom said.“We do?” I lifted a skeptical brow. “Do you have a mate who wanted you dead too?”“No, I’ve never formed a bond,” he said.“What could possibly justify you going along with that plan?” I demanded.“First of all, I didn’t know what Alec had in mind until after he already handed you over. Second, I agreed to help get you out,” Malcom said.“Okay, fine. But why? Why did Alec get you involved and why did you agree to help?” I asked.“I’m not an asshole. I wasn’t going to l
The day went by far too quickly. I was welcomed by the members of the camp. None of them asked about my time away, but I got the sense they were concerned. It didn’t feel like they were ignoring it, but rather they were afraid to upset me. I wasn’t used to others being worried about me. It honestly made me a little uncomfortable.My cheeks hurt from smiling, but I was able to sneak off alone for a few minutes as everyone prepared for the bonfire. Even Kyle was distracted by the ordeal. Like me, he wasn’t used to such spectacle, and I could see the excitement in his eyes.As the day faded into twilight, I could feel my wolf growing more restless. She knew it was time for us to make this thing official. I hoped we connected quickly and that I’d gain control of when I shifted without too much practice. After finding out that wolves shifted as early as thirteen outside Wolf Creek, it made me feel like I was already behind.From the little bench I was sitting on, I watched as the members o
My heart hammered in my chest and my stomach was a ball of nerves. I wasn’t sure if I was going to vomit or pass out. Maybe both. I wanted this for so long, and now it was time.“You got this,” Alec said.Kyle jogged toward me, Sheila, and Malcom at his sides. “You ready?” Kyle’s eyes sparkled in the firelight. He looked happier than I’d ever seen him. Shit, I wasn’t sure I’d ever actually seen him happy.“Just toss the clothes aside and call to my wolf?” It seemed too easy.“Or call to her now and destroy those awful clothes,” Sheila said. “You might be better off naked after this.”“One of these days, I’m going to have a closet of my very own with more clothes than I could ever wear,” I said, “but right now, this is all I’ve got.” I pulled the shirt over my head and tossed it aside. Kyle, Malcom, and Sheila started taking their clothes off too.Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Alec had moved back a little. He was fully clothed, but I could see that he was watching me. It wasn’