ALPHA COLTON I looked away from the training Pack defenders who were training in the heat of the day. My defenders had resumed their training to get ready just in case the Northerners posted troubles. I felt oddly incomplete as my gaze darted around the vast training ground. It wasn't just about Karl not being around to join in the training. My mind settled on Karl. I had left my thumbnails in him when I acted out of rage. This made it hard for his wolf to recover from the injury. Vinny jogged up to where I stood, his tank shirt and face were dampened with beads of perspiration, and his breathings were heavy as he snatched the water bottle from my hand. He took large gulps then he emptied the rest on his head. "How's Karl holding up?" I just couldn't help but ask. "Slow, he's healing quite slowly, unlike his wolf." Vinny shrugged. But he knew just why Karl's healing process was taking longer than imagined. He was trying to guilt-trip me into offering to help Karl. "Not
ALLISON KEELER "I'm sorry!” I mumbled. My voice, although shaky, resonated in the now quiet living room. The pain in my left hand grew numb and it was taking forever for the bleeding in my arms to clot. "You're sorry? That's all you have to say?" Grimsby chuckled but his face was nothing close to humor. Incredulity etched on his face. "You tried to burn down this mansion, you evil daughter of the devil!" Faye's high-pitched voice bellowed. "Let me handle this?" Grimsby barked at her. She opened her mouth to refute but Karla placed a soft hand on her shoulder, she opted for silence. "I only needed a distraction." My head hung forward. I swallowed the heavy taste of blood in my mouth. The pack scouts had found me, they had blindsided me. They almost killed me. The big brown wolf saved me. I didn't know how, but I survived their attack with a broken arm. "To get away?" Grimsby paced the floor before me. He looked troubled, he looked outraged and his eyes shone with gro
ALPHA GRIMSBY EVANSI tossed the papers on the table. This wasn't what I had expected from the border patrol team. This had to be a joke. And I never welcomed jokes. "The Westerners aren't causing any trouble." My Beta, Braun informed me above the sheets splayed on the small coffee table in my executive office. "Fuck what the Westerners do." My blood was boiling just from the thoughts of Colton. Colton was stuffed up with pride, he had all the wealth to gain favors from the high King. He had the bloodline to secure the heart of the king. He could be King Baldwin's son, he could have all the immunity in the kingdom but I had gotten him just where I wanted him to be. Allison. Colton had made a mistake tossing his mate my way. It was time for a payback. Colton wasn't ready for what was coming. I had his mate and heir. A sly smile curled on my lips. "Wonderful. Just how wonderful things are unfolding." I chuckled. "If I may suggest," Braun started, his gaze everywhere but my face,
ALLISON KEELERMr. Smith moved away from me but his eyes not leaving mine. The steel seat was growing uncomfortable and the chains my hands and feet were bound with were growing unbearable.The nurse had suggested he not use the silver chains, for my baby's sake. He for some reason obliged. My back was numb from the whip and the pain surging through my entire being was excruciating. The snarl on his face stung. He had no heart at all. "I want to do an impressive job with your body. I want to impress our Alpha." He picked the whip again. I couldn't stand another round of torment. I just couldn't, my body just couldn't take it anymore. "Please," I begged for the millionth time, spitting out the blood in my mouth. If not for anything, my baby. It hurt me to think my baby was suffering as well. "I want a yes from you!" He muttered with his hand cupping my face, his fingers digging deep into my jaws. "You either accept this the peaceful way or we go about this the unlawful way." His
ALLISON KEELER "I'm gonna need you to sit still and shut your mouth!" Gamma Adrian pointed to the high stool in the middle of the darkly lit room. He didn't seem too gruff and his tones weren't harsh so I obeyed him. It was a relief when he didn't bring up Mr. Smith all the time he had me sprayed with some liquid which had this sweet musky scent. I was unsure why they would spray me with the sweet smelling liquid but I chose to remain silent, counting the stripes from the whip on my arm and legs. "What is going on, I want to see a nurse." I demanded. He acted like he didn't hear me. He remained silent until the spraying was over. His phone buzzed for the hundredth time and he answered. "I'm with the girl." He paused, listened, and shrugged, "Rogues?" His eyes considered me shortly before he moved away from me so I didn't get to eavesdrop. After a while, he returned. "Go wash off," he commanded. "It doesn't matter, I will still get punished." I remained right where
ALLISON KEELER "You haven't written anything," Gamma Adrian sounded paranoid as he returned from freshening up to meet the sheets still blank. His face was white from the shower and his blond hair was brushed nicely. I just couldn't look away from him. "I already told you I know nothing about Colton. That's the truth." I spoke quietly so as not to rile the handsome Gamma up. He glanced at the questionnaire and then to my face again, "The first sheet has to do with you. He growled. "Well I don't know what to answer there," I shrugged. "You fucking don't know your name, age, wolf's name color and weaknesses?" His hardened tone raised with irritation. "Oh!" I gazed blankly at the sheets again. I swiped my sweaty palms on my outfit as I picked the pen up, I went over to scribble something down but what and where? Adrian didn't have enough patience to spare, he slammed his hand on the stool, this quickened my nerves and made me incredibly scared. "I'm dyslexic." I confes
ALLISON KEELER "Can you feel that?" Adrian asked as he poured some more ointment into the palm of my hands. Adrian was running a test to determine if I had a wolf. He didn't fail to let me know the council of elders were curious to know. But why? Was I such a threat to them? Did they imagine I was just playing the role of an Omega to fool the entire pack only to bring down the Pack when they least expected? "Can you?" He raised his bushy brow at me. I listened, paying close attention to my body, when I felt nothing odd I shook my head. He brought out a silicone rod from the box before him in the little room we were in. He placed this silicone rod lightly on my temple, his eyes not leaving my face, his left hand placed gently against my jaw. "What can you feel?" He asked. "Your touch." It was the only thing my body reacted to. The silicone rod had no effects on me but being alone in this little room with Adrian this close to me, his breath fanning my face stirred
ALPHA COLTON Ron placed my coffee on my desk, he didn't look his usual self. His eyes were sullen and his face grim. I never meddled in his private affairs, anything other than work was best discussed outside the office premises if ever he cared to share and Ron was never the type to wear his emotions on his sleeves. The one reason why he fitted perfectly into my executive assistant position. "There's a response from Hornsgate. They accepted our invitation." He announced with an inscrutable tone. "With their plus ones?" I looked away from his face at the computer on my desk. "Yes, my Alpha!" He bowed slightly. "Great. I will need you to have an apartment in the mansion prepared for their stay. An apartment with room enough to contain everyone." "But the hotels are reserved exclusively for the dignitaries..." "I want Grimsby close. I need him as close as possible." I took the phone to my ear, "Grimsby's attending the festival... I'm in my office." I hung up and in no tim
ALLISON KEELER"What's going on?"I asked Alan after it took Dane forever to spill whatever he had in his guts. "We just received an email from the Western territories of the kingdom." Dane went ahead with a tone that sounded more husky than businesslike. "There's bound to be a war."A war? My face conveyed my shock. War was never a good thing especially when my territory was starting to thrive and recoup from bad governance."Our territory is safe." Alan must've caught the dismay on my face so he chipped in. "We're sealed by magic, it would be hard for the Outlanders to strike.""So why then is everyone acting this way?""The westerners solicit our amalgamation." Dane dragged out the words as though it was supposed to affect me. It did.The Western territories revolved mainly around Colton's territories. His territories were the majority. If we amalgamated our territories that meant going for those meetings, running into Colton, and risking the big discovery of the child we had to
ALLISON KEELER "There's a notice from the border," Alan dropped the folders in his hands on my desk, "It's a good thing we were on guard last night.""We would have been swept last night if we didn't take security measures?" I asked to be certain I understood him. "Here's your speech for this noon." Luca dropped a file on my desk. Smiling, Luca took a photo of me on my executive desk and smiled broadly into his phone. "Hmm, look how good you you look!""Delete that!" I growled at him stretching out to snatch the phone from his hand."You will need some executive photos," he held the phone out so I could see the photo. A smile curled on my lips. I looked so good. "Delete that," I said regardless. "We will have more patrol teams on the borders and send spies and trackers to see what they can gather." Alan went back to business. "You will address the entire Pack today by noon."I already knew that. Thoughts of standing before the entire Pack kicked in my anxiety. "Your executive a
ALLISON KEELER"Congratulations!"Evelyn gushed as I descended the stairs the night of the full moon. The silver dress I wore was perfect as the glow of the moon shone on it, and my hair and makeup looked extremely perfect. This was one of the things that kept me smiling all through. "So we get to leave this hole?" Darlene snorted. "I love this place." I did. The size didn't matter to me, all that did was have everyone together. Sir Garfield, although placed in a facility to help him recover quickly, was now an integral part of my life. A bigger mansion was no doubt going to fit everyone but it wasn't what I fancied at that time of my life. The ritual that night was a rare lucid moment. Without a trace of doubt in my heart, I picked Alan as my Beta. He knew so much about the pack and I was unsure why I picked Dane as my Gamma. This caused a stir in my circle but none of them seemed to own up to their thoughts. Was it because of the crown on my head now?"I don't know what's goi
Alpha Colton"Bullshit," I spat with vengeful eyes on Grimsby. All he said to me made no sense at all. "Where the hell is she?""You're not here for war now are you?" Grimsby sounded nervous but he kept a feigned composure. "You give me the girl and we're all good." I tried not to let my fury consume me. "She's not here." Grimsby huffed.My face dissolved into a confused frown. What did he mean she wasn't here?He met my inquisitive eyes and chose to explain things."Allison is safe. Trust me but I'm not the only northern ruler bonded to this deal, we don't want to turn this into some bloodbath." His tone was gravely low, "Let's talk at my office."Vinny released a breath glancing my way. I completely understood the dangers of striking out at the moment. The risk to these innocent pack members' lives was great and even worse, the weaker Western territories were going to feel the heat. The northerners were only going to strike brutally as revenge. This didn't feel right. "It's jus
ALPHA COLTON "I can't sense her," I informed Vinny the second we made it through Hornsgate borders. "You don't expect her scent to waft up your nostrils if she's a million miles away from here." He replied, his gaze on the map on his phone. "Hornsgate isn't that big a place." I inwardly scorned it. I had been to bigger territories, this was absolutely not one of them. "Grimsby will realize we're in his territory in no time." Vinny glanced from his phone. "I want him to as soon as possible. I just can't wait to end this." I hissed and drummed the steering wheel as the car zoomed through the highway. The thoughts of the northerners pooling in on us were now so overwhelming that I gestured to Vinny to get the anti-wolfsbane and anti-silver spray that Haedon had given me. If anything, this barbaric Pac was only going to try to use these two lethal forces on us. I knew just that. From a distance, three trucks zoomed up behind us. There was every possibility they were Gri
ALLISON KEELER"Would you abandon your territory to become Colton's Luna if he wanted you?"Dane typed a few things on his computer making a few edits to the speech Luca had just sent him. My coronation speech."My people are now my priority. So, no." I was unsure why he brought this up. Dane rarely talked to me and lately, he was all bent on asking about Colton. Did he fancy the ruthless ruler as well?He stretched and glanced at his wristwatch before he put his computer away. "I want to grab dinner," he slammed the computer and got to his feet grabbing his keys, "Coming?"Me?I thought he didn't like having me around but what did it hurt? I nodded and got to my feet. I left Sir Garfield's home office to first check on Fihl before I followed Dane out towards his Rover. "I want to see the pack, I want to meet with and get to know my people," I said in the front seat of his car. "You will, in a few more days." He glanced at me and reached out to grab the little fancy gift bag stre
ALLISON KEELER Matt was eerily silent all through the meeting with the pack elders. Alan and Chase did most of the talking. The elders swore their fealty and were more than willing to back me up on my rulership as the Luna of the pack. The day for the official crowning was the next full moon which was in just six days. I was happy. My joy was radiant but Matt's silence caught me even as we were all gathered for dinner he didn't say a word. All he did was cast me weird gazes and toy with his salmon. Something was bothering him and he denied it each time I asked. I offered to help Evelyn clear the table and stack the dishwasher. She was teasing me all over again about Grimsby's felicitations. I rolled my eyes and remained silent. "A diamond ring?" She gasped, "That's an awfully expensive one." She was talking about the ring Grimsby had sent my way amongst other gifts and items which were now in Darlene's possession. I didn't want anything from Grimsby. But what if it was
ALPHA COLTON "This is extremely impulsive," Vinny breathed, "We don't act on impulse." "If Grimsby wants to make this into a war then so be it." "This can cause a lot of damage, this can lead to regret." "I'm already wallowing in both." I hissed, "There's nothing left to lose." "Your territories?" I flail my hand in the air in an attempt to ease the fury inside of me. "I've already made up my mind. Do what needs to be done around here, I'll be back in a few days." "I'd be doomed if I let you off on your own." He met the fury in my eyes and quickly added, "You're a strong Alpha no doubt but the Northerners..." "I want the Pack matters that need my attention to be instantly sorted out, I want you to..." "Fuck it, Colton, I'm coming with you." "You're not leaving my territory unguarded, you're the Gamma of this pack..." "Karl will take care of what needs to be taken care of. We'll find a wolf to track her scent and I..." I hoisted the backpack from the coffee table and hea
ALPHA COLTON "Not that frown again," Shirley clucked her tongue with a broadening smile on her face. "What do you want?" I asked my face, suggesting I was not pleased to have her meddle in my part of the property. I had been unnecessarily liberal when I chose to offer Jace a part of my mansion to live in. Now I had to deal with it. "I miss you." She pursed her lips reaching out to touch my face. I acted instantly to prevent her from touching me. Whatever we had ended a while ago. She was now with my stepbrother. There had to be some boundaries. A lot was going on with me and having to pick a fight over a girl with Jace became a luxury I couldn't afford. "From now on you will speak discreetly. There's nothing between us anymore so I expect a more discreet relationship." The smile on her face faded, and a snort appeared on her face. "There's no gain being with you." She hissed, "Jace had a lot more to offer. I'm happy and content with my small family." "I'm glad to hear t