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PrologueWhat do you do when you're a human in a wolf pack and your best friend is the next Alpha? You join in that's what. Or you join as much as a human can. Kennedy and Jeremiah have been friends since birth. Their moms were best friends in college and passed on the friendship to their kids. When a tragic accident claims her parents but somehow leaves Kennedy alive and no family members will take on the burden of a teenager with no large inheritance. The one person closest to her mom steps up to claim her.Kennedy and Jeremiah have been inseperable ever since. She has spent the last two years learning pack ways and pack values, but is set on going to college and experiencing human life outside the pack she knows and loves. She’s a human and knows she won’t be a wolf’s mate. She is prepared to leave the pack and live in the human world. She aspires to take over the fitness studio her mom started with Jeremiah's mom. It's a legacy that keeps her parent's memory alive. She has
1 - KennedyThe peeling sound of screeching tires. A loud thunk and an explosion of glass. An invisible force throwing me forward. But no control over anything, nothing to grab as my hands fly through the air. I hit a solid surface and jolted up. I gasp as I blink my eyes open. I’m in my room. I am always in my room. I can still smell burned rubber and gas though. The pungent fumes still burn in my nose. This nightmare will never go away. It’s the same thing every night. It has been for two years. I take another deep breath in, trying to clear the smell from my nose and the sight from the back of my eyelids.My door bursts open and my best friend comes flying at me. At this point I think we should just share a room, with the amount of time he spends with me here. He says nothing, just climbs under the cushiony down blanket and wraps me in his arms, placing my head on his chest. His heartbeat and smell is comforting enough for me to fall back into a dreamless sleep.I have
2 - Kennedy“Hey Kennedy! Looking good girl! I think you get hotter every time I see you.” “Tommy. You saw me yesterday…at training…when I kicked your ass.” I didn’t actually kick his ass. I just didn’t get beat, and gave him a run for his money.“That’s better every time too.” He closes his eyes and smiles and we all just laugh.“You are so stupid!” I say to our future Delta. “Does that line work on any girls?’“I save my best lines for you, until I find my mate of course. Then I won’t need any lines, she will love me no matter what.” He puts his hand on his heart.“Lucky girl.” I pretend to vomit on Jason, who just laughs.“You’re lucky the Moon Goddess is going to force someone to be with you forever. Otherwise, I don’t know if anyone would put up with you that long.” Ben huffs a laugh. I don’t know if I have ever seen our tough-as-nails friend really show any emotion outwardly. He’s actually a really nice guy, when you get to know him, but to the outside world he’s stern
3 - Kennedy“So, the cat’s away. What are the mice going to do?” Tommy taunts.“This mouse has some homework to do and the Beta gave me something to test this weekend so we are playing hide and seek.” They all look up at that? Shocked faces tell me I am going to have to work for my freedom.“Not a good idea, Ken. You heard Jeremiah. He’s going to lose his mind if he finds out we let you off in the woods by yourself.” Ben tries to shut the idea down before we even start.“It was your dad’s idea! Come on Ben! Please?”“Uh, no.” “Jason, help me out. It was an assignment from the Beta, you can ask him yourself.”“I can guarantee that he would not assign you something the same weekend the Alpha, Luna, Gamma, Delta and Jeremiah are all gone. Even he knows what Jeremiah will do if any of us allow that. And he will be too busy running the pack for two days to supervise. Not a chance. I love you Ken, but I like my balls more.” He laughs.“Ugh, Tommy? What do you say?”“If they a
4 - KennedyWalking into the gym and flipping on the lights I, at least, think to warm-up a little first. I crank some angry rock music, grab a speed rope and start jumping to get my blood flowing and my muscles warm, still letting the rampant negative thoughts run wild. Weak, Orphan, Alone, Replaced, Unwanted. Just a repeating loop every time the rope hit the floor a new word would pop up. Once I had a decent sweat going. I moved over to the heavy bag, checked my wrapped hands and started running through our usual hitting warm-up then I just started wailing on the bag adding in kicks and full body movements, until I couldn’t feel my limbs any more. I stopped when I couldn’t push my body any further and leaned my forehead on the bag breathing hard. My weak human self doesn’t have the same natural stamina my werewolf friends do. Another wave of irritation washes over me. Not Enough, my internal voice taunts me.Ben walks up next to me in his own workout gear and hands me a water bo
5 - KennedyOf course a text isn’t enough, Ben has to call with his response. “Are you sure? Have you talked to Jer about this. He’s going to be pissed if you leave and don’t say anything. I do like living you know.”“He doesn’t get a choice, Ben. I don’t want to be here right now and I need a place to go. If you won’t help me I will call someone else.” I’m getting angry the longer he tries to stall.“I’m on my way, just do me a favor and talk to him. You are important to him.”“Um, sure, whatever. I’ll see you in a couple minutes.”“I mean it, talk to him.”“Or what, Ben?” I’m back to being angry. Great. Adding mood swings to the list of new emotions.“I’ll make you.” He grunts and I just hang up on him too irritated for this right now. I walk my two bags downstairs and set them by the front door and grit my teeth. I need to say something to Aunt Beth or she will tear this whole pack apart looking for me. Come to think of it, I didn't see her when we got here to meet Rayna today. W
6 - KennedyMy eyes go wide. “First what?” Still dodging, I’m sure they all talk but it’s not something we talk about out loud as a group.“Yes!! I knew it! Who was your first kiss?”“Huh?!”“Don’t play dumb, any red blooded non-mated woman would be a complete moron for not taking whatever they were offering. And you are beautiful, and they have definitely noticed. Who. Was. Your. First. Kiss?”“Jason.” I covered my face. I don’t know why I was embarrassed to tell her. It was nice and he was so sweet with me and everyone was around for that one. “But just the one, during a game of spin the bottle. Not something any of us talk about really.”“What about Tommy? He doesn’t seem like the type to stop at kissing. But I also don’t get the feeling you slept with him.” I shake my head no. And she smiles like the Cheshire Cat. “Yes! How far did you let it go?”“What are you, a mind reader?” I sit there and she just looks at me expectantly. It must be the alpha blood, she’s just used to gett
7 - RykerI am so sick of all these damn meetings, but I can’t say that out loud, because this was my idea in the first place. I just didn’t expect all of these former Alphas and Betas to be whiny b*tches. They get worse every time we do this. I guess this explains why they couldn’t hold onto their packs.I am supposed to be getting ready for the new Alphas ceremony. I do not envy the three new Alphas coming up. Some of the old pompous assholes like to throw their weight around and try to make these kids bow down and convince them not to make waves, but that is the point of appointing the next Alpha, new blood, new ideas. We get better and learn from past mistakes and triumphs. Some of these guys though, they need to be put out to pasture and not even allowed a seat on the Elders council.We haven’t had new Alphas come of age in a couple years. I’m not the most recent, but not too far off. I am an exception to the rule though. My dad was injured in a huge war and even with his
31 - GretaWalking down the hall, I hear Landon and Ryker. “Yeah, we don’t know what happened exactly. The fire was just too big and everyone was running around. Peyton and I were at training and someone came in and yelled ‘FIRE’ then all the kids went crazy. Peyton and I ran together, cause we’re neighbors but the wind was too bad and there were sparks everywhere. I got burned on the arm and she told me we can’t search anymore. We told you how we found Gabriel and Trinity. Do you think that our parents are still alive?” I finally hear a whisper of the little boy he is in the question.“I hope so buddy. But you are here now and you can stay as long as you want to. In the morning I’ll have my guys start looking into your pack’s situation, now that we have an idea of what happened. You have done a great job protecting your pack. Your parents and your alpha will be so proud.”“Speaking of the littles,” I step into Bennet’s room where they are sitting on the bed. They both look over a
30 - GretaThis little doll of a girl is wrapped in Finn’s arms like a koala. She tucks her face back under Finn’s chin so she can look at me while maintaining full contact with him. Her posture is shy, but the look in her eye is most definitely not. It is almost territorial. My wolf grumbles in my head before I remind her that this baby has been through a lot and isn’t a threat. But she knows my name. That is interesting.“Oh! I am so excited to see you all!” Kennedy gushes unable to help herself. “Are you hungry? Samuel said you hunted before you left your camp. Or are you tired? We’re going to set you up here with us tonight.”“I’m hungry!” The youngest boy says and we all laugh.“Gabriel, you’re always hungry.” The oldest girl laughs at him.“Well Gabriel, you are in luck, I just had the fridge stocked. I’m always hungry too.” Kennedy giggles, patting her stomach. “Let’s get a snack and then you can all get cleaned up and in bed. Sound good?” She reaches her hand out to him. H
29 - FinnI give her fingers a squeeze and shift to follow Landon and Gabriel to get water. I lose count of how many trips we make, but Landon is smart and kept them close to a stream so it wasn’t terrible. Seth and Sameul talk the kids through what they do to process the deer and how we use everything. Nothing goes to waste. We eat and use the deer skin to hold what we don’t consume. Trinity doesn’t leave my side and only breaks contact to eat. Her cute little hand is wrapped around my pinky finger and her warm body is pressed up into my side.All the kids are fascinated with the whole food prep process, asking question after question to Seth as he cooks and hands off finished pieces of meat. After, we all wash off in the stream and head back to sit around the fire, talking comfortably. “You know you remind me of a friend of mine.” I tell Trinity.“I do? Who?” She has gotten more confident around us, but her voice is still strong, but shy.“Her name is Greta and your hair is almos
28 - FinnHe pads over to the opening and crawls in. I can hear muffled talking, but I don’t try to listen in. If she’s younger than Gabriel, she’s just a baby and I have no idea where her mind might be at. Other than my friends we never came across too many pups in our journey and I always thought that was because situations like Sammmy’s and mine were a fluke. But after seeing these kids, I wonder if it’s because they didn’t survive long enough to get help.I hear a little squeak behind me as Gabriel sits next to me. When I turn he shrugs his shoulders. I guess that means I’m up. I chance a slight look and my breath catches. This tiny little thing is huddled in a ball next to the opening, staring right back at me. Her body language says she’s afraid, but her eyes tell me a different story. She has piercing green eyes that are hard and fierce. Her look is almost a dare to go over there and see what she’ll do to me.I keep my ass on the ground and lift my hand in a wave. “Hi.” I say
27 - FinnI hear a grumbled ‘jackass’ from one of them. I try to fight a smile, kind of. “The Luna said you need help, what can I do? The Alpha is already planning how to remove my head from my body for leaving my partner alone to defend the Luna…”“WHAT!?! Why in the hell would you leave her?” The bulkier of the two warriors steps towards me.I throw my hands up. “Because SHE had a pregnant tantrum about rescuing these kids! I chose to piss off the lesser of the two evils! Have either of you dealt with a pregnant she wolf?” Both males stop in their tracks and share a look before laughing. “Wait. What’d I miss?”“I take it you don’t have kids?” Lean man asks.“No?” “The Luna is intense on her own, the hormones are making it tenfold. The name’s Samuel.” The larger built warrior says extending his hand to me. I shake it, a little confused. “Finn, nice to meet you I guess.” That’s it? All I had to do was tell them their Luna scared the crap out of me and they decide I’m not a threat?
26 - FinnWe can’t catch a break. Every time I get Greta to talk to me about this whole mate thing, something interrupts. Neither of us is stupid enough to go against our very pregnant luna though.“What’s up Boss lady?” Greta puffs out. Even she isn’t immune to these f*cking stairs.“Samuel and Seth found some abandoned pups on the border.” She screeches.“I don’t understand.” I step forward, but stay behind Greta’s shoulder. I haven’t been around many pregnant she-wolves, but I have heard they can go from sweet to violent in a blink and Kennedy is still getting used to the heightened emotions of her wolf. She’s less likely to hurt Greta in this situation.“They need your help! What’s not to understand?!” She’s frantically running her fingers through her hair, pacing and I am at a loss. I look sideways at my mate. Greta’s glassy eyed, meaning she’s hopefully getting some insight from the alpha.“Luna…LUNA!” She finally looks at me. “Can you give me more details? Are they being c
25 - FinnDeal. That’s all we were told, to deal. I am now stuck here, for who knows how long with her. I can’t deal witht this right now, I have to get out of here.“I’m going to go look around.” I drop my bag and scurry to the door.“Finn, wait..”I don’t hear anything else she says as I spring like a coward down the hall, down the stairs, past a confused Kennedy and out to the massive patio. I’m panting, my lungs won’t take in air. I can’t do this. I can’t be around her. Her scent in the car was difficult enough to deal with. I am the most relaxed and at the same time the most tense than I have been in weeks.“You need to calm down. This is a good thing.”“How can it be a good thing?! I was just getting used to not being around her.”“You get another shot, that’s why it’s a good thing!”“I don’t want it. She doesn’t want me. I am a rogue with nothing. Just let me reject her and we can move on. The rest of our group is settled and Ryker is going to make them all pack soon.”“NO!
24 - FinnI slide out of the SUV looking around. This feels like a trap, and yet none of the usual alarms are going off in my head. My wolf and I have established a decent radar for bad situations. Avoiding them is our top priority. I’m not sure what it is about Kennedy and Ryker, but I have not had one single instance of distrust with either of them the entire time we have been in the Dark Moon pack.“Greta! Finn!” I whip around to see Kennedy at the top of a ridiculously tall staircase. “Well, don’t just stand there, come on!” She waves us up excitedly.It’s almost strange to have someone excited to see me. Nan was it, as far as I can remember, other than the pups at Dark Moon. But, they are excited to see most people, so they don’t really count. I always have Sammy and some of the other guys. We fight side by side and hope each one makes it out alive. We have had to leave guys behind and move forward, move on to the next location. I couldn’t tell you where we laid those people to
23 - GretaI sit and stare at the door for a long while. There’s no sound on the other side. He’s not showering or anything, just waiting for me to leave. I should feel relieved. He told me to go and I wish I could make my body do just that, but I’m locked here in place, my wolf is willing him to come out. His wolf is blocking her and I can feel her heartbreak. Something’s changed and she’s hurting. Add it to the list of things for me to feel guilty about.I stand, frustrated, and take a deep breath of his lingering scent, then get an idea. I run my hands on the pillows and blankets. Anything soft in this room I touch. At the very least, maybe he will sleep okay tonight. I need to talk to Kennedy, this is something I don’t know how to navigate. I still don’t want a mate. It’s not fair to Finn that I am broken and can’t be fixed. I don’t like the idea of him hurting over it either._It has been weeks and FInn is nowhere in sight. I can feel him when he’s near, but he is avoiding m