“Rough night?” she had asked me that morning when she saw my black hair messy with sleep and the crease from my pillow imprinted on my face, just below my cheekbone. “Did you dream of the girl with the ghostly eyes?”
I’d rubbed my face with my hand. It wasn’t uncommon for Mom to let herself into my cabin while I slept. It used to annoy me, but I had given up on telling her to keep away long ago. Besides, her visits didn’t interfere with my duties, so there was no reason for me to fuss about it.
“It’s too early for this, Mom,” I’d said with a sigh.
She had grinned, and her teeth shone in the morning light. Her hair was pushed back from her face; her small hands wrapped around one of my larger mugs. “I disagree. Now is the best time to talk about your dream while it’s still fresh in your mind.”
Reluctantly, I had admitted that yes, I’d dreamed of the girl again, and no, I was no closer to figuring out who the hell she was. As always, it was too dark in the dream for me to make out any details of her face. That last bit was particularly frustrating for me. I had perfect vision during the night as well as the day; why would these dreams take that ability away from me? Just to keep the identity of the girl a secret? Why?
“Ah, well, these things tend to be part of figuring out your divine destiny,” she’d said. “As you get closer to realizing your destiny, I’m sure your dreams will give you a little more to go on than just a beautiful girl whose face you can’t see.”
I’d glared into eyes that were as green as mine—but at the moment, hers were more playful. “Mom, be serious. You know I don’t believe in that destiny shit.”
She’d brushed past me, unbothered by my bad mood. “You’ll understand better eventually I’m sure, my dear. You’re on the cusp of something wonderful.”
I wasn’t so sure. Destiny had dealt me a shit hand a long time ago. There was no way it was making its way back around to grant me something good now.
“I don’t know, Mom. Maybe the dreams are telling me I need to put my plans into action.”
She’d paused, her shoulders stiff. “Maybe you’re right,” she’d said, the smile gone from her tone. “And if that’s the case…well, know that you’re not destined to be the same disaster your father was.”
I didn’t like to argue with her, but that was another subject that we disagreed on. Dreams, destiny, disaster…all of these things held the same negative connotations for me. Why should I let myself dwell on the “could be’s” when I had a pack to take care of? I was the one who had control of my life. Any risk I took, any chance I let slip away, those were my decisions to make. A pair of long legs, smooth, warm skin, and a pussy that tasted like salted honey shouldn’t have been enough to knock me flat on my ass.
Yet there I was, restless and distracted.
It was after midnight now, and I was wired with energy. I began to pace back and forth in front of the mantle. I didn’t have the mind for mysticism, and I didn’t have time to dwell on those dreams, but I could agree with my mom about my being on the cusp of something.
There was a different energy to the air—a tension. I felt it in my bones. Something was about to change for me and for my pack. I felt sure that whatever that change would be, it would finally put an end to the rule that the Kings had held over the land for decades.
A knock sounded at the door, and I whipped around, my wolf snarling inside me. I had very nearly shifted right then. Easy…easy, I soothed, and my wolf began to calm. There was a familiar scent coming from behind the door—my beta, Dominic Slate. As I got myself under control, Dom came inside.
I crossed my arms. “You haven’t learned your manners, Dom.”
He grinned. “Why bother learning them? It wouldn’t stop me from coming in when you need me.”
“Who says I need you?” I scoffed.
He chuckled. “I think we both know how lost you’d be without me, Night.”
I considered the man who was my beta, my right hand, and my best friend. Dom didn’t quite reach my height of six feet four inches, but he was only an inch or two behind. He had broad, muscular shoulders that made him look like a walking boulder and old scars running up and down his arms. He had those scars on display twenty-four-seven. As far as first impressions went, it would be reasonable for someone to assume that he was dangerous because of those scars. But that assumption went right out the door the moment you took in his dark brown eyes, ash-blond hair, and the damned dimples that came out when he smiled.
Dom was a walking contradiction, either pushing away those around him with his snark and his bluntness or pulling them in closer with that mischievous smile. He could befriend anyone, and unless they crossed him, he would never betray them. He was good at throwing people off their game, at figuring out what made them tick.
The worst part was, Dom knew the effect he had on people. When he wasn’t being a snide-ass, I even found those traits useful. We’d grown up together in the poverty of the Wargs’ territory. We fought together for scraps, and we defended each other when larger wolves ganged up on us. Dom was family, and as such, he was one of the few who were allowed to call me by my first name. Everyone else called me Alpha Night or Shepherd.
Dom walked up to me, and I uncrossed my arms. We gripped each other’s forearms and went in for a quick hug before he pulled away again. The smirk on his face had completely vanished—drawn eyebrows and the hard line of his mouth replaced the joking beta I was familiar with.
“Walk with me?” he asked.I nodded. At his expression, I pushed all thoughts of Mom, destiny, and the woman haunting my dreams aside.The cool night air outside my cabin smelled slightly sweet; the blossoms of late spring had released their scent for everyone to enjoy. My pack was encased in darkness, but because shifters tended to keep late nights, torches and lanterns were ablaze within most cabins. It was a rather enchanting sight, but Dom and I turned away from the compound and into the thicket of trees near my cabin. We had something serious to discuss.“I’ve got news,” Dom said.“Go ahead.”“We received word last night that the Kings’ Alpha died.”Stillness fell over me, so total that even my wolf was silent. It wasn’t the silence of dread or sadness—it was more like the calm before a terrible storm.Dom, sensing the shift in me, took a step to the side but continued speaking. “The week of mourning and celebrations has already started. In five days, Troy Redwolf will ask for cha
Neither could I. In fact, at the thought of blood, my wolf was salivating at the mouth. This lust for blood made me think that even if I did end up having a destiny, it would be anything but “divine.” I crossed my arms and began walking again. Dom followed.“I’ll want to pull our best hunters to nail down the details,” I said. “It’ll be five days until the challenge ceremony. That’s less time than I’d like, but we need to have an airtight plan of action for this to work.”“Of course. I’ll get the guys together. Once we know what we’re doing, I’ll put together obstacle courses and practice runs to make sure we move like a well-oiled machine.”“That’s what I like to hear.” My lips pulled away from my teeth as I grinned. “Earlier, I was debating whether or not I should go on another run, but I think I’ve made my decision now.”Dom grinned. “Do you want company?”“No, I’m good. You get things started. We’ll talk again once we have something more in place.”“Understood.”He ran back toward
Finally, Mom and I were so far down the pecking order that we were never given the opportunity to pick from the new goods.Because the Kings’ pack went through apparel so quickly, there was an abundance of wasted fabric. Sometimes that fabric would be recycled into the pack as blankets or home textiles, but the bulk of the fabric was dispersed among other packs in the area, beginning with those most in the Kings’ pack’s good graces. The Wargs, of course, were never given any of the Kings’ resources.My solution to the issue of the worn-out flats was a little spur of the moment, but I’d make do. And maybe I was biased, but I kind of liked the way the black laces looked against the pale skin of my legs. I wondered if I’d ever be able to find someone who made me feel confident and desirable.That question caused me to think about the green-eyed stranger again. Lately, whenever I had a quiet moment to myself, he returned to my thoughts. The only place I felt safe and warm, other than wit
He looked like he could wake up any second, and his dark emerald eyes would survey the crowd. The coffin was made to suit his body, but his large shoulders pressed awkwardly against the walls.Women sniffled and dabbed at their eyes while men stood statue-still, ready to show their respect. Though the atmosphere was heavy, no one was as sorrowful as Gregor’s mate, Nora. Her dark eyes stared dolefully at the coffin, tears pouring silently down her face and dripping from her chin. I couldn’t help but stare at the sad, beautiful woman. It’s hard to believe that even someone like Gregor could be loved so much. So much for a fair world.A few minutes later, the pack Elder parted from the crowd. Forsythe, an old, bald man who used a cane to walk, stood near the body and waited for a raised platform to be wheeled over. Once it had arrived, he mounted the platform, and a woman brought him a burning torch, which he held aloft over Gregor’s body. The orange flame danced and crackled in the cool
I put a smile on my face, but it fell the moment she turned away. I needed to get home as soon as possible. The last thing I wanted was for Troy to find me and make good on his silent threat.I tried to keep my head down as I walked through the crowd. My pace was quick, but I hoped that the uniform crowd of black outfits would allow me to blend in. As I passed between a few trees, a figure stepped into my path, and I almost collided face-first with Tanya’s chest. Dread was like ice filling my bloodstream as I took a step backward. Damn, damn, damn!“She’s going nowhere fast, don’t you think, Trish?” Tanya asked.“I’m surprised she can move at all in those clothes.” Trish snaked around a tree trunk, her red lips lifting in a mocking smirk. “You’re drowning in that jacket, girl.”Tara snickered from behind me. She bumped my shoulder roughly as she walked past me to stand with the other Terrible T’s. This was exactly what I’d wanted to avoid. They had stopped me just out of Mom’s sight.
5BRYNThankfully, the third day of mourning was uneventful for me. All of my time was spent in the garden, the kitchen, or the root cellar. I was constantly washing, cutting, and sorting fruits and vegetables for the grand banquet meals. After the way I had come home—with bloody palms and a ruined dress, Mom no longer made me attend any of the events. Instead, when she got home from the third night’s festivities, she caught me up on everything that was going on. Mom told me about the dance held in the dining hall. All the pack families brought offerings of support and comfort to the Redwolf family, and afterward, the men got together to participate in a fight ring.Some part of me was curious about how these sorts of proceedings went because I was so rarely allowed to be part of them, but a much greater part of me was relieved that I could stay out of the line of sight of Troy and the Terrible T’s. On the third night, I’d gotten little sleep because the wolves were so loud as they fo
“The Camas are far too quiet and peaceful to want to move up the ranks, Bryn. And as for the Wargs, you already know that they are vicious, no better than feral wolves. It would be best for them if they stayed on their own territory because a challenge from them could mean all-out war.”I suppressed a shiver. Mom’s words, combined with such a somber warning…it sounded like an omen. Ferals were wolves without a real pack, sticking together in small groups. Creatures of opportunity, they were wild and territorial over the few scant miles of land they could claim between the pack territories. It was a harsh criticism for Mom to levy against the Wargs.I tried to remember what I knew of the wild Wargs pack and its Alpha, Night Shepherd. He was known as the crazed Alpha, a man who had some sick vendetta against the Kings’ pack because the Kings were on top. Every few months, Night’s hunters staged attacks against Kings’ wolves when they left the compound. It sounded terrifying, but the War
I was so engrossed in the task, immersed in the peaceful quiet of my thoughts, that I didn’t hear the faint sound of shifting soil as someone approached me from behind.Finished, I straightened, dusting my hands off on my work jeans. I could already imagine the vibrant colors that this next harvest would bring to the lot. It was brown and boring now, but in a few more weeks, that would change—I froze as I felt heat against my back. I knew it was Troy even before I turned to face him. My shoulder brushed his chest as I moved, and he shoved me away from him. I staggered but stopped short of losing my balance.“You’re not clean enough to touch me, human bitch,” he snapped.I stared at him, my blood rushing through my veins. “Why are you here?” I asked.“What do you mean? This is my territory now. All of this,” he gestured to the field that he had never put even a minute’s work into, “belongs to me. That includes the land, its resources, and everyone living on it.”I clenched my hands so