by M H Soars
She enters my mind with ease, but her presence there feels more like an invasion.
“Not bad for a noob. Let’s see how you handle a run with the pack.”
Lifting her snout, she howls, her call followed by several others. Half the pack members have shifted already, including Tristan, Dante, and Samuel.
I guess I’m running with the wolves. I never thought I’d say that.
Tristan takes the lead, followed by Samuel. Dante stops next to me, then nudges me with his nose. “Come on, let’s go. It’ll be fun.”
Without waiting for me, he takes off. I sprint after them, but they’re faster. Soon, I fall behind. It feels strange to be running on four legs. The group veers toward the forest surrounding the compound, but I get distracted by everything. With enhanced sensorial skills, little noises and faint smells are amplified. I don’t know the way, so I have to be careful where I step.
From my peripheral, I catch a glimpse of a small grey wolf. He slows down just a fraction to let me catch up with him. He barks like I’m supposed to understand what he’s saying. Maybe I will eventually learn to speak wolf. He shakes his head as other wolves join us.
A dark brown one hits my companion on his side, making him fall with a whine. Slowing, I look over my shoulder. If that’s wolf’s play, it’s a little rough. The grey wolf gets up, shaking his head. He doesn’t seem hurt.
Movement to my right catches my attention. I have a new companion next to me—Lyria. Before I have time to understand what’s happening, she jumps on me. She tries to bite my shoulder, but I manage to avoid her attack as I fall.
Adrenaline kicks in. I spring to my feet before she can get to me again. She snarls as she approaches, her unfriendly intentions clear. Other wolves join her, and instinct tells me to flee. I back away as they advance. When my rear paws begin to slide, I realize I’m on the edge of a precipice. There’s nowhere to go. Where are Dante and Samuel? I’m all alone, facing a jealous, mean wolf and her posse. This is clearly an ambush.
I jump to my left as Lyria pounces again. She misses me by a hair, but one of her friends gets me. Claws scratch my side. I try to defend myself, but I’m outnumbered. Fear like I’ve never known freezes me. Even when I see an opening, I don’t run away. I drop to the ground instead, covering my face with my paws. I should be fighting back. Heck, I was able to go against Tristan for crying out loud. Why can’t I stand up to Lyria and her friends?
“Red, what are you doing? Get up,” Samuel says inside my head.
Lifting my head, I spot him farther away, outside the circle of wolves taunting me. Tristan and Dante are next to him.
“I can’t.”
“She’s pathetic. What a poor excuse for a wolf.” It’s a woman’s voice in my head now, and my guess is it’s the odious Lyria.
“Get out of my head!”
Her laughter fills my head, then she shoves me back to the ground when I try to get up. Snarling, she snaps at my throat, clamping her jaw against the sensitive skin. “What are you going to do now, Amelia?”
I don’t move. Don’t answer.
My head begins to throb right before all my muscles cramp up. A loud whine escapes me as the wave of pain renders me useless. Without meaning to, I begin the shift back. It’s only then that she lets go. My fingers curl around the rough ground, dirt getting under my nails as I fight to get air in.
Tentatively lifting my eyes, I realize I’m the only one who has shifted back. At least the wolves are no longer attacking me. Lyria turns to Tristan, and I’m sure they’re communicating telepathically. Tears of shame form in my eyes, but I manage to keep them from spilling. Crying in front of this crowd would be the cherry on the top of this humiliation cake.
Tristan’s wolf howls, and the other wolves answer him. He glances my way for a split second before turning and taking off. All the other wolves do the same, including Dante and Samuel. What the hell! Did they just leave me behind?
I don’t notice I’m not completely alone until the small grey wolf from before nudges my shoulder with his nose. I shrink back, not knowing what he wants from me. His frame begins to shake until he changes into a young man.
“Why didn’t you leave?” I ask.
He shrugs. “I know what it feels like to be picked on by the others. I tried to warn you by the way, but I couldn’t get into your head.”
“So not everyone can do that?”
“If you keep the barrier to your channel up, only the alpha can.”
I open my mouth to say the triplets are also able to invade my thoughts, but I don’t know if I had my barrier up with them or not. Better not to say anything.
“I’m Billy.” He extends his hand, and I shake it. Never mind that we’re both naked.
“My name is Amelia, but you can call me Red.”
He raises an eyebrow, the corners of lips twitching upward. “Red?”
“It’s short for Redford, my last name.”
“Gotcha. Well, we’d better head back. I’m in enough trouble as it is for not going with the others.”
“Doesn’t anyone have free will in this pack?”
“Of course, but there are certain rules we must follow. You’ll learn soon enough now that your place in the pack has been established.”
“My place in the pack? What do you mean?”
“That was what this run was all about—to test you.”
“So you mean Lyria didn’t really want to kill me?”
Billy laughs. “I don’t know. Maybe she did think you were a threat to her spot as the beta. But now she won’t bother you as much anymore.”
“Why is that?”
“Well, now there’s no way in hell you can compete to be Tristan’s mate.”
Crossing my arms, I frown at the kid. “I have zero interest in that jerk.”
“The point is moot anyway. You can’t hook up with him or the other betas; not being an omega and all.”
A shiver runs down my spine as I intuitively realize being an omega is not something I’m going to like.
“Isn’t the omega at the bottom of the wolf’s hierarchy?”
“Yep.”
“What does that entail exactly?”
“Let’s see. You have to put up with taunts from everyone. You get assigned the worst jobs. You’re pretty much a glorified punching bag. It’s peachy.” He gives me sardonic smile.
“Fuck that. I don’t want to be the omega.”
“Not the omega, an omega. I’m your counterpart. Anyway, you don’t have a choice. You were tested, and you folded like a house of cards. You’re an omega whether you like it or not.”
Shaking with anger, I stand. Billy’s eyes drop to my chest, but I don’t care if he’s checking me out or not.
“We’ll see about that,” I say through clenched teeth.
Swinging around, I veer in the opposite direction of the compound. As angry as I am at Grandma, there’s no way in hell I’m going back to the pack to be bullied daily. I didn’t sign up for that.
My decision flashes in my head as clear as day. I’m going home.
Back to Chicago.
Chapter 14
Dante
“This is all your fault, Tristan!” I glare at my brother.
“How is this my fault? I couldn’t stop Amelia from going on the run.”
“You know very well the only reason Lyria challenged Red to it is because of you. You should have never encouraged her advances if you didn’t want to mate with her.”
“That’s not your damn business, Dante!”
“It is my business. You’re not the only beta in the pack.”
Tristan folds his arms, glaring at me. “Oh, now we’re getting to the bottom of this. You’re jealous Lyria picked me over you.”
I roll my eyes, something I rarely do, but this warrants it. “I wouldn’t touch that woman with a ten-foot pole. She’s mean and conniving, not exactly qualities I look for in a mate.”
“So you prefer them blonde and foolish?”
“End of story? She probably hates our guts right now. Never mind that Tristan decided to abandon her in the forest.”
“What did you want me to do? Shift back and carry her in my arms? That would send the right message to the pack.”
I don’t miss Tristan’s sarcastic tone. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I walk to the window of his office and let my thoughts wander. We came here after the wolves were dismissed. Mom was nowhere to be found, but I’m sure by now she knows about Red. As much as I’d like to give Tristan more grief for his decision, he really didn’t have a choice. If any of us had protected Red, it would have messed with the balance of the pack. Our hierarchy is what binds us together; any disturbance in its harmony can be fatal.
A knock on the door has my attention. Sam answers it. In comes Billy, seeming a little paler than usual. He’s Seth’s younger brother. In spite of him being the pack’s male omega, I like him way more than I do Tristan’s best friend.
“You stayed behind.” It’s the first thing out of Tristan’s mouth.
“Yes, I felt like I had to.”
I expect my brother to give the young kid a tongue lashing. Instead, he just nods. Billy’s actions today earned him more points in my book than he’ll ever know. He disobeyed Tristan’s command to comfort a fellow wolf. That takes character and courage.
“How is she?” Sam and I ask at the same time.
“Uh, well, I don’t know.” He drops his gaze, scratching the back of his neck.
“What do you mean?” Tristan takes a step forward, and the kid seems to shrink.
“I told her she was an omega.”
“And?” Sam makes a motion with his hand.
“And I explained to her what that was like. She wasn’t happy with the news.”
“Where is she now? Back in her room?” I make a motion for the door.
“No. That’s why I’m here. She took off.”
I trade a glance with Sam, knowing exactly what’s going through his mind. Red ran away again. My hands curl into fists by my side, but not because I’m angry at her. I’m angry at myself for not explaining things to her better. Maybe I should have asked Mom to postpone Red’s introduction to the pack, get her used to the wolf life first. But I was too eager to discover what Red meant to us. I hadn’t foreseen Lyria’s challenge.
“She must have gone back to her grandma’s place,” Sam says.
“Can I help?” Billy asks as we start to leave
I tap him on the shoulder. “No, Billy. We got it from here, but let’s keep this between us.”
“Yeah, of course. I won’t tell a soul.”
No one argues when Tristan jumps into his truck. It’s parked closest to the manor, and time is of the essence. It won’t bode well for Red if the pack discovers she bailed. They’ll see it as another weakness, and make her life even more difficult than it’s already going to be. Wolf life is savage.
It doesn’t take us long to arrive at Mrs. Redford’s old chalet in the middle of the woods. At first, I thought it was a peculiar location for a sickly woman to live, but now that I know who she really is, it’s not so strange. She defied the Midnight Lily Coven by leaving their midst. It makes sense she doesn’t want to bump into Mayor Montgomery or the other members of the coven too often. We wolves have our hard rules, and we’re considered wild and unpredictable by the rest of the supe community, but at least we have honor. I’m not sure the same can be said about the witches.
“Let me speak with Red first,” Sam says as he opens the door.
“Why you?” I ask.
“Because she’s knows me from before. Besides, my power of persuasion is better than yours.”
Tristan lets out a growl. “You mean your power to make women drop their panties for you?”
Sam places a hand over his heart, faking a shocked expression. “Take your mind out of the gutter, will you? Not everything is about sex.”
“With you, everything is about sex.” I look out the window toward the house.
The door opens, and Red comes out carrying a large suitcase. Her hair is pulled up in a ponytail, and she’s dressed in jeans, a simple top, and sneakers. She’s leaving town. I’m out of the car before Sam, breaching the distance between Red and me.
Her eyebrows shoot to the heavens before furrowing into a scowl. “Don’t even try to stop me.”
“Where are you going?”
“Back home. There’s nothing keeping me here anymore.”
“And where is home?” I ask.
“You’re going back to Chicago,” Sam says from beside me, his stance way more relaxed than mine. He does think he can convince Red to stay without breaking a sweat.
“How did you know—never mind. I’m leaving.”
“No, you’re not.” Tristan jumps into the discussion with his usual Neanderthal finesse.
“Try to stop me. I have the sheriff’s number on speed dial. I’d love to give her a call.”
Tristan a takes a step forward. “Go ahead. Do it. She’ll be the first person to hand you over to the pack if you try to cross the border.”
“What?” Red’s face goes even paler.
“She knows about us, Red,” Sam explains.
Red curls her hand tighter around her purse’s strap, her eyes widening. “Why? Is she also supernatural?”
“Her family was one of the first settlers here. The knowledge has been passed down through the generations,” I chime in.
“Does Kenya know, too?”
“I’m not sure. If she doesn’t, my guess is her mother’s waiting for the right time to tell her.”
Red covers her face with her hand. “I’m not going back to the compound.”
Her tone is no longer defiant; it’s weak.
“You have to, Red. Maybe once you learn to master the wolf, you can move back here.”
She cocks her head at me, blue eyes blazing. “Billy told me what it means to be an omega. I didn’t sign up for a lifetime of bullying.”
“Did he also explain to you the vital role omegas play?” I ask.
“I don’t care!”
Tristan moves again. From his body language, I can tell he’s on the verge of throwing Red over his shoulder and carrying her away. But the sound of an approaching vehicle stops him in his tracks. Red peers into the distance. When the car finally comes into view, she lets out a curse.
“Who is that?” Sam asks, moving closer to her.
“My coworker.”
A young man steps out of the car. He’s wearing some type of uniform—khaki pants and a navy-blue polo shirt. He quickly glances at the three of us before staring at Red. “Is everything okay here?” His gaze drops to her suitcase. “Where are you going?”
“Uh, I’m going to—”
“She’s moving in with us,” Sam answers, earning a glare from Red.
Her friend’s spine goes taut. He glances at Tristan, and I’m not sure what he sees in my brother’s expression, but the guy is suspicious for sure now. Goddamn it. We really don’t need a stupid, curious human poking around.
I turn to Red, taking note of the flush on her cheeks and the hard set of her jaw. I don’t need my abilities to guess what’s on the tip of her tongue. But by some miracle—or maybe it’s the wolf’s self-preservation instincts in her—she doesn’t call Sam on what she perceives as a lie. To be certain she won’t say anything compromising, I reach out to her mind, prying open the natural barrier she has there. It’s much easier to speak to her in wolf form, but I need to communicate with her fast.
“Think carefully about what you’re going to say, Red. Your friend doesn’t know supernatural beings exist. There’s more at stake here than your wishes.”
“Are you going to hurt Pete if I tell him I don’t want to go with you?”
“I’m not. But I can’t answer for Tristan.”
&nbs
p; “You’re all vile people.” Switching her attention to her friend, she replies out loud. “Dr. Mervina hired me to help at the ranch. I’m just going to stay there for a few weeks.”
“Wait. You took another job? What about the hardware store?”
The guy appears genuinely upset, but I sense there’s more to it than merely losing a coworker. He’s in love with Red. It’s obvious in the way he looks at her, and I can also smell it in his scent.
“I only work there twice a week. I can do both,” she replies.
“Oh, okay. Well, I came by to ask if you wanted to go to the movies with me since you weren’t answering your phone.”
Red shifts from foot to foot, the muscles on her face becoming a little tense. She doesn’t care for the guy, not like a lover would. The knowledge gives me pleasure… way too much pleasure.
“Ah, yeah, sorry about that. It’s been a crazy couple of days. But as you can see, I’m busy today. We’ll talk later, okay?”
Red’s friend can’t hide his disappointment, and I kind of feel bad for him. Not that I know anything about unrequited love, but I suppose it must suck. He gets in his car with hunched shoulders, then drives off.
“Boy, that was brutal. You shouldn’t lead that guy on, Red,” Sam says with a laugh.
“I’m not leading Peter on. And that’s none of your business anyway.”
“All right, let’s get moving.” Tristan motions with his hand, pointing at his car.
“I never said I was coming with you. I don’t want to be an omega.”
Tristan surveys her, an arrogant glint in his eyes. “If you don’t want the title, you’d better step up your game.”
He enters the car without a second glance back.
“Has he always been this much of an insufferable ass?” Red asks.
“Oh, yeah, always,” I say.
“And what does he mean about stepping up my game? Can I cease being an omega?” She turns to me with such hopeful eyes that I don’t have the heart to tell her it will be almost impossible to accomplish that.
“It’s complicated, but it can be done.”
Chapter 15
