**TORA** Instead of running in wolf form, I decide to run the fourwheelers down so Estelle can ride instead of being uncomfortable on Argos. Which he is hating right now. ‘But I want to be closer to her too. You're hogging her.’ Cue another eye roll. ‘Will you quit acting like a pup? You’re supposed to be the Beta of a pack and you’re whining.’ I tease before we round the corner to the crime scene that is taped off and the pack members have been ordered to stay away from the area. ‘Quit acting like a pup? Says the man who is clinged to her side and literally whined when she dropped your hand to hug Adrienne..’ Before I can fire back some smart ass comment, I can feel the air around me shift and my stomach drops to my feet. I pull up to the scene and where the body is laying is covered and Jericho and Cree are standing there speaking to each other with pale faces and a couple of tears. It is always heart wrenching when a pack member is killed, especially when you don’t know who i
***TORA*** A star? What fuckin star? So something was taken from whoever did this? But why her of all people in the pack? Every death here is a tragedy. But dammit. MY MOTHER. ‘We will burn the insides of the person responsible. No matter who it is.’ Argos growls, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I holler for Cree and Jericho to come and read what Estelle just read to me. On top of everything, I feel this growing anxiety and when I look at Estelle she is completely pale with her head dropped. The sight and the exhaustion of dealing with my emotions must be too much for her. The only thing more dreadful than seeing her so heartbroken at the scene is the fact that I am going to have to leave her to investigate this and try to find a trail of whoever did this and how the fuck they keep getting into our pack unnoticed. As Cree and Jericho are discussing the next steps I hear my name being called. “Tora?” I snap my eyes to Jericho. I mumble a Hmm in hopes he doe
***JERICHO’S POV*** One of the strongest women I know is gone and now Tora and Cree are gone to follow the trail before it goes cold and they lose it. I am getting a million and one mind links so I have to send out a massive mind link telling everyone to hold their questions until we get some answers. Tora has been working on this case since it started and his dedication, even now, is showing through. I look over Estelle’s figure, trying to figure out why her presence makes me uneasy. And then I see it, not only is her skin as white as snow, but a single tear has fallen. I can see her mouthing something behind the curtain of her hair but I can’t make out what she is saying. Someone who has never seen a dead body mauled before would have screamed, thrown up, passed out or even just stared in shock unable to function. Ranking members like me and the guys have dealt with things like this before. So I know that this isn’t her first close encounter with this situation before. And becaus
***JERICHO’S POV*** Realization of what is to come and what I have to do and face is hitting me like a freight train. And right when I think things can’t get worse, they damn sure do. ‘Alpha.’ I hear the doctor in charge of Estelle’s recovery come through the mind link, sounding groggy and worried. ‘Yes Doctor Roark.’ I am almost afraid of what he is fixing to tell me. ‘You need to come back to Ms. Estelle’s room.’ He is a little more frantic.. Gods dammit.. Something else is wrong with this girl. I hate to say it but I don’t know if I could put up with the emotional turmoil a mate like this would give me.. They tell you about war. They tell you about running the pack, the finances, the hierarchy. They tell you that being a good Alpha comes with discipline, compassion and strict character. But they do not tell you that your Beta may become a world ending wolf if his rage is unchecked from the evils that are threatening his mate. They tell you how mates strengthen you and how
***TORA*** Running, and chasing, and sniffing and really just letting Argos lead the way and use his primal instincts to find any clue of how this has happened. Not only again, but to my mother of all people. There is an eerily quiet feeling in this forest. The howl of wind that is usually shaking the leaves between the trees is halted as if the earth knows that there was a treachery just committed. The vibration under Argos’ paws really zing through me. Like it is trying to speak to me… Cedric howls in front of me, signaling that he has found a clue or a scent that we need to check out. My heart is pumping so fast, and the weight on my chest is so heavy that I can’t breathe. I had to walk away and leave Estelle alone. Alone in my pack, where she isn’t safe. But I must trust in Jericho. He will protect her. I stalk up to Cedric, the hair on Argos’ back standing straight up. Something is wrong. ‘It was a diversion. Whatever we have been trailing is just leading us further into th
"How do we have nothing?!?! We have been searching for weeks, going over every missing person's file with a fine toothed comb and we still have NOTHING!!" I yelled in frustration. How? How is this even possible?? I exhale loudly. “I am sorry guys. It’s not your fault this is happening. It’s just so fucking frustrating…” I growl and walk over to my office window. Our Alpha, Jericho, is out of town on pack business. I have been looking over the pack and everything has been smooth. But being in charge of this investigation is more stressful than anything I have ever done before. “Tora, it’s not your fault either. You nor Jericho can help that we have pack members going missing. It’s even a miracle that you noticed the pattern when you did. We are a big pack, man. It’s hard to tell who is leaving, or who has just passed away. There isn’t any way to tell that they have been kidnapped or just walked out of the pack.” Our Gamma, Cree, told me. “Cree, we have at the very least 7 pack memb
**TORA** Running in Argos gray form is like a breath of fresh air. The wind blowing through his fur I can feel as if it were my back that the wind was hitting. I have been shifting into him since I was sixteen, which is normally when Alpha’s shift. I’ll never forget my first shift. Everyone was in awe when they saw his big fluffy form for the first time.. Apparently, I am a rare gray wolf. Alpha wolves are usually always black, and everyone else is either sandy blonde, brown or white. I just think the genetics just got crossed when I was born. I never got to meet my dad which is a shame, but my mom. That woman is a saint. She has a brown wolf named Akala. And she’s the wisest person I know. So wise that Jericho’s dad had her as his pack advisor since I was a kid. That’s how Jericho and I became best friends. Since we took over, my mom has retired, and gardens.. But Jericho still calls her from time to time for advice. It’s the smart thing to do, the woman knows everything. But
**UNKNOWN**Completely and utterly sore. That probably isn’t even the best word for it.My body feels broken. But that’s what happens when you literally work your whole life to make sure you survive in a pack that is supposed to take care of you.I moan slightly at the minor movements I am making to get to the hot bath I ran myself just now. My five foot four inch frame wasn’t made for this. My long brunette hair is matted and in knots on my shoulders, chunks of hair falling out. I can feel the bruising starting on my neck from being held down. My arms have visible finger bruises, so a long sleeve shirt it shall be today.Might even need a turtleneck.I feel one small tear fall from my eyes, I have come accustomed to my life. This isn't the one I wanted. I wanted to wait for my mate. I wanted to feel that unconditional love and adoration that came with a mate. But one thing I have been taught my whole life is I will never get what I want. And what I do get is what I deserve.I sweep a
***TORA*** Running, and chasing, and sniffing and really just letting Argos lead the way and use his primal instincts to find any clue of how this has happened. Not only again, but to my mother of all people. There is an eerily quiet feeling in this forest. The howl of wind that is usually shaking the leaves between the trees is halted as if the earth knows that there was a treachery just committed. The vibration under Argos’ paws really zing through me. Like it is trying to speak to me… Cedric howls in front of me, signaling that he has found a clue or a scent that we need to check out. My heart is pumping so fast, and the weight on my chest is so heavy that I can’t breathe. I had to walk away and leave Estelle alone. Alone in my pack, where she isn’t safe. But I must trust in Jericho. He will protect her. I stalk up to Cedric, the hair on Argos’ back standing straight up. Something is wrong. ‘It was a diversion. Whatever we have been trailing is just leading us further into th
***JERICHO’S POV*** Realization of what is to come and what I have to do and face is hitting me like a freight train. And right when I think things can’t get worse, they damn sure do. ‘Alpha.’ I hear the doctor in charge of Estelle’s recovery come through the mind link, sounding groggy and worried. ‘Yes Doctor Roark.’ I am almost afraid of what he is fixing to tell me. ‘You need to come back to Ms. Estelle’s room.’ He is a little more frantic.. Gods dammit.. Something else is wrong with this girl. I hate to say it but I don’t know if I could put up with the emotional turmoil a mate like this would give me.. They tell you about war. They tell you about running the pack, the finances, the hierarchy. They tell you that being a good Alpha comes with discipline, compassion and strict character. But they do not tell you that your Beta may become a world ending wolf if his rage is unchecked from the evils that are threatening his mate. They tell you how mates strengthen you and how
***JERICHO’S POV*** One of the strongest women I know is gone and now Tora and Cree are gone to follow the trail before it goes cold and they lose it. I am getting a million and one mind links so I have to send out a massive mind link telling everyone to hold their questions until we get some answers. Tora has been working on this case since it started and his dedication, even now, is showing through. I look over Estelle’s figure, trying to figure out why her presence makes me uneasy. And then I see it, not only is her skin as white as snow, but a single tear has fallen. I can see her mouthing something behind the curtain of her hair but I can’t make out what she is saying. Someone who has never seen a dead body mauled before would have screamed, thrown up, passed out or even just stared in shock unable to function. Ranking members like me and the guys have dealt with things like this before. So I know that this isn’t her first close encounter with this situation before. And becaus
***TORA*** A star? What fuckin star? So something was taken from whoever did this? But why her of all people in the pack? Every death here is a tragedy. But dammit. MY MOTHER. ‘We will burn the insides of the person responsible. No matter who it is.’ Argos growls, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I holler for Cree and Jericho to come and read what Estelle just read to me. On top of everything, I feel this growing anxiety and when I look at Estelle she is completely pale with her head dropped. The sight and the exhaustion of dealing with my emotions must be too much for her. The only thing more dreadful than seeing her so heartbroken at the scene is the fact that I am going to have to leave her to investigate this and try to find a trail of whoever did this and how the fuck they keep getting into our pack unnoticed. As Cree and Jericho are discussing the next steps I hear my name being called. “Tora?” I snap my eyes to Jericho. I mumble a Hmm in hopes he doe
**TORA** Instead of running in wolf form, I decide to run the fourwheelers down so Estelle can ride instead of being uncomfortable on Argos. Which he is hating right now. ‘But I want to be closer to her too. You're hogging her.’ Cue another eye roll. ‘Will you quit acting like a pup? You’re supposed to be the Beta of a pack and you’re whining.’ I tease before we round the corner to the crime scene that is taped off and the pack members have been ordered to stay away from the area. ‘Quit acting like a pup? Says the man who is clinged to her side and literally whined when she dropped your hand to hug Adrienne..’ Before I can fire back some smart ass comment, I can feel the air around me shift and my stomach drops to my feet. I pull up to the scene and where the body is laying is covered and Jericho and Cree are standing there speaking to each other with pale faces and a couple of tears. It is always heart wrenching when a pack member is killed, especially when you don’t know who i
*TORA*I think what I just heard is wrong.. There is no way my best friend just told me that he and my now ex-girlfriend have been seeing each other the whole time behind my back. I mean around the same time that I started dating Adrianne. Why didn’t they just tell me? I would’ve backed off. I would’ve left her alone so they could be together. How could he ALLOW me to lay a fucking finger on her? I have had sex with her. I have been all over her in front of Cree. Just the fucking thought of someone even checking her out too long and I start to lose my fucking mind. Why would he lie to me? We are best friends. We don’t lie to each other. I have never lied to him. I have never kept anything from him. Can he not trust me? Did he think I would betray him and see her anyway? I mean Adrianne is beautiful and one of the coolest girls in the pack, but I would never toss my relationship with my best friend for her. I squeeze Estelle’s hand and stand on my feet. I start on my path to Cree,
*ESTELLE*He carried me. The whole way to the packhouse. How does someone have enough strength to tote me? And I told him I could walk there but he insisted…“Do you have a favorite food?” He says, his deep voice tearing me away from the fact that I am still in his arms. Looking up to him, his perfect, yet exhausted eyes were fixated on me. “I don’t. I haven’t had my choice of foods.” I need to quit talking.. I can’t keep telling him the things I haven’t had. If I keep talking I will definitely slip up about what happened… Before he can ask any other questions, he tightens his grip on my body, making me wince in pain and a moan of discomfort escapes my lips. I guess I am still in a lot of pain. When he looks down at me, a small tear forms in his eyes. “What’s the matter? What’s wrong?” I say, as I wipe the tear as it falls. “I did not mean to hurt you. Please forgive me..” He says in a whisper as he places his forehead against mine. He’s crying… Because I winced?“I am okay. What
*TORA*“Is she okay?” Jericho asks from the doorway, trying to soothe the hospital. He needs a Luna, even when he is trying his hardest his aura is still so imitating. I look at my beautiful but timid mate. “She could be better, but that definitely didn’t help. I don’t understand. This type of thing happens all the time, why would he attack me like that?” I say to Jericho but my eyes never leave her. “Go get her fed, and you guys will need to meet me in the conference room to talk to Adrienne. I already have her waiting there. I will go talk to Cree and escort him there. This situation will hopefully be squashed today.” He sighs, and when I look at him he is rubbing his eyes. “He is very exhausted, you guys must really put him through the ringer.” I hear her angelic voice fill the room. I just chuckle. “Ms. Estelle, I appreciate you thinking of me. That is very kind.” He says with a smile. “Someone is going to have to, your Luna will be arriving here soon.” I say without another t
*TORA* What the fuck is she talking about rejecting her? For what? Adrienne? Not in a million fucking years. I stand up quickly from the bed. I can feel the rage in me, but I don’t want to scare her. “I don’t understand, Estelle. Why would I reject you?” She looks shocked at my question. Did she want me to? She looked like she was hurt when I was leaving her in her pack. I am so confused. “You have a life here, and you barely know me. You have a rank, friends, and a girlfriend. And I can’t just come into your life and expect anything to change for you just because the Goddess decided to throw me on your doorstep. I appreciate you making sure I am okay. But you don’t have to choose me just because the Goddess told you to. I mean you DID leave me in my pack and then when I came to you are telling your girlfriend you can’t be with her because of your mate.” Her words are like knives to my chest. So she wants me to reject her? I guess it does look bad and stupid. I thought I would h