by Bianca Cole
She shrugs. “Well, an alpha can’t be seen fraternizing with an outcast.”
“That changes from today. No one will be an outcast in my pack, no matter who they are.”
Karl stands. “Well, I’m with you. Whatever you need.”
I stand and clap him on the shoulder. “We will plan our moves after I eliminate my opponent. I’ve got a feeling we may need some help, and not many will help me until I’ve proved my dominance as alpha.”
He nods. “Of course, sir, I’ll see you then.”
I walk toward the door, turning back as I reach it. “I won’t forget your loyalty, Karl. I will reward you.”
He smiles as I exit his cabin. I mean it. Jackson isn’t going to be my beta after his blatant disregard for my authority. Karl will be my new beta for sure, especially if he helps me pull off what I have planned.
I march back toward my home, desperate to be reunited with Anastasia. Too many people here want to harm her. I need to remain by her side until I sort all this bullshit out.
A scream sets my whole world on edge. My wolf breaks out and charges into my home. Red floods my vision at the sound, as I know it’s Anastasia screaming. The rage is so acute. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.
I scent Anastasia and blood. I follow the scent and find her pinned to the floor by Hugh’s wolf. His claws drenched in her blood. I snap, leaping into him and smashing him straight into the wall.
All that is going through my mind is the image of blood—Anastasia’s blood. This asshole hurt my mate. I launch myself at him, tearing at his throat with my canines. He yelps, trying to claw me off, but I hold on. I shake my jaw from side to side, ripping into his flesh. My wolf loves it. I love it.
I’m fucked up, but it’s true. This guy hurt my mate, and I won’t rest until he stops breathing. He manages to break free, but I launch at him again, this time biting into his right leg. The howl that breaks from him has shifters rushing into the house and up the stairs.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Jackson asks.
I drop Hugh’s leg and nod my head toward Anastasia, before shifting back into human form. “I found him attacking my mate.”
Jackson glances at Hugh, who is whimpering in the corner. “What the fuck, Hugh?”
He shifts back to human form but struggles to stand. “I came to see what had our alpha so worked up, and she gave me shit.” He shakes his head. “My wolf snapped.”
I rush to Anastasia’s side, thankful the gash to her abdomen isn’t deep. “You’re a fucking asshole,” I shout, narrowing my eyes at him. “I can’t wait to tear you apart Friday night.”
He pales and hobbles out past Jackson and the other shifters. It wouldn’t surprise me if he doesn’t show after he just got beat up so easily. The other shifters are quick to follow, leaving me alone with my mate.
“Anastasia, are you okay?” I ask, cupping the back of her neck.
Her eyes flutter open, and she licks her lip. “I don’t know.” She tries to sit up, wincing. “It feels like I’ve been cut in half.”
I chuckle. “Luckily not, it’s not that deep. I’ve seen worse.” I lift her in my arms. “Let me patch you up,” I say, setting her down gently on the bed.
All I feel right now is guilt, as I grab the medical kit in my bathroom. I shouldn’t have left her alone and unguarded in my home. I could have taken her with me, but I’m scared to tell her my plan. It involves her father.
Slowly, I clean the cut, which will leave a scar on her beautiful, soft skin.
“Fuck, that hurts.” She glances at the cut and pales.
I kiss her lips softly before pulling back and holding her gaze. “Don’t look at it, princess. I’ll have you patched up in no time.”
She nods and half-smiles, despite the pain. I finish cleaning the wound, making sure it won’t get infected by that dirty fucking dog, Hugh. Then, I pull out the needle and thread.
Anastasia looks like she’s seen a ghost as she turns as white as a sheet.
“Don’t worry. I won’t hurt you. I’d never hurt you.” I glance back at the wound. “It needs stitches, though.” I grab out a potion that a fae once gave me. It is supposed to be like magic pain relief in a bottle. “Sip this.” I uncork the bottle and bring it to her lips.
She tilts her head back, allowing me to pour a drop into her mouth. She swallows, and then seconds later, her eyes widen. “What the hell is that? I don’t feel any pain.”
I smile. “Special potion. Now, sit still and be brave for me, baby.”
She nods her head and glances away as I thread the needle. Without warning her, I thread it through her skin. She doesn’t even jolt. The fae’s potion is magic. I stitch the wound up quickly and carefully.
Once finished, I clean the area again and then bandage it up.
“All done.”
She looks at me as I clear up the medical kit, feeling so guilty it’s killing me. “What’s wrong?”
I shake my head. “I should have been here. It shouldn’t have been possible for you to get hurt. I’m supposed to protect you.”
Anastasia moves forward and grabs my cheeks, forcing me to look her in the eye. “You did protect me, but I don’t need protecting all the time.” She shakes her head. “I was mouthy to a shifter, and now I know that’s a bad idea.”
I laugh at that. “It wasn’t your fault, Anastasia. Hugh is an asshole.”
She kisses me suddenly out of the blue, pressing her lips hard against mine. I groan as she moves into my lap, making me hard instantly.
She’s injured. We shouldn’t, but who am I kidding?
We can’t help ourselves whenever we are alone.
14
Anastasia
Hugh’s attack on me was terrifying. Sure, I was a bit of a bitch to him, never realizing the danger he posed. I quickly found out wolves can’t control their rage. Rhys seems to do a damn good job when he gets angry, but I saw him snap last night. It was eye-opening.
Rhys has been distant all day. I can’t understand why, but it’s worrying me. The first seven days I spent here were the most amazing days of my life. We were shut away from the world, and I got to know him more intimately than I’ve ever known anyone.
I search the house, looking for my mate. When I find him, he’s hunched over a computer screen in a study at the back of his place.
I lean against the door frame. “Knock, knock,” I say.
I startle him as he twists around in his desk chair. “Anastasia, you snuck up on me.” He usually notices me before I get anywhere near him, but he was too engrossed in something.
“Yeah, that doesn’t happen very often, does it?”
He shakes his head before scrubbing his hands over his face. “What time is it?”
I glance at my watch. “It’s four o’clock in the afternoon. You skipped lunch.”
“Have you eaten?” he asks, suddenly concerned.
“Rhys, what is up with you today?”
He releases a long breath before meeting my gaze. “I was challenged at the pack meeting last night.”
I stand up straighter. “Challenged? What does that mean?” I ask, walking toward him.
“It means that in two nights’ time, I’ll be fighting Hugh to the death.”
I feel the blood drain from my face.
To the death.
I’ve always known that shifters have some questionable and barbaric traditions, but this seems ridiculous. “Why does someone have to die?”
He holds out a hand to me. I step forward and take it, and he pulls me between his thick thighs, forcing me to rest my hands on his shoulders. “It’s the way of the pack.”
I find that a pretty piss poor excuse. Why would pack members kill each other? They need to stick together. “That’s the worst explanation I’ve ever heard.”
He laughs. “Don’t worry, there’s no way he will defeat me.”
I bite my bottom lip. “That’s a cocky thing to say.”
His large hands g
rip my hips hard in a warning. “It’s true,” he growls.
I see the flash in his eyes. His wolf hates when I underestimate him. “You may be the strongest, but I know anything can happen, even to the strongest of people.” My throat closes as I think of my mom.
“Who has it happened to that you know?” he asks, lifting his hand to cup my face.
I never talk about my mom. To be honest, I’ve never had anyone to talk to until Rhys came along. Life has been lonely since my mom died, and I’ve retreated ever since. I pushed all my friends from high-school or college away.
“Speak to me,” he says, brushing away a stray tear running down my cheek. His voice isn’t demanding but pleading.
“My mom,” I manage to say, despite the tightness around my throat.
He stands and lifts me, before settling back in the chair with me in his lap. “What happened to her?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know exactly. They found her body mauled. It was so bad, Rhys, I couldn’t even recognize her.”
He turns stiff against me as I start to cry into his chest. “Mauled by a shifter?” he asks.
“Yes, it’s suspected to be the case.”
“Impossible,” he breathes.
“What’s impossible?”
He shakes his head and meets my gaze. “Nothing, it’s just...I’m surprised to hear this. My pack is the only one that enters this territory. If a shifter killed her, then it would be a member of the pack who is responsible.”
I nod.
“That’s why you’ve been holding back on telling me?”
“I guess, and I never talk to anyone about it.”
He holds me tighter. “Once this is over, we will find out who killed your mom, I promise.”
A relief clutches at my heart, hearing him say that. I’ve been battling with the lack of justice for her ever since her death. It has haunted me, not knowing who killed her. I know I won’t be able to rest easy until I find out.
“Really? You will help me find her killer?” I ask, staring up into his beautiful blue eyes. I could lose myself in them.
He smiles and presses a quick kiss against my lips. “I’ll help you do anything, princess. You are my world.”
A blast of fiery heat coils through me because of his words and his lips on mine. It’s impossible to tame the fire burning inside of me for him. “Thank you, Rhys.” I try to ignore the desire for him and wrap my arms around his neck.
The emotional moment is more precious than any sex we’ve had. Rhys isn’t only my mate but my savior.
Three years I’ve tried to fight my father for answers, but with him by my side, I’m sure we can find out the truth about her murder. I’m sure we can finally get revenge on the bastard who stole her away from me.
I can’t control my nerves. Every shifter in Rhys’s pack is here, gathered to watch their Alpha fight to the death with his challenger—the man who attacked me. The only reason this is happening is because of me.
Rhys wraps his arm around me. “Stop worrying. I’m going to be fine.”
I know he will be. After seeing him fight that asshole off me the other day, there’s no doubt he can fight this guy. What I’m worried about is seeing him do it.
“Good luck,” I say, kissing him and trying to dampen down the doubt plaguing me.
He smirks. “Not that I’ll need it.” He nods toward his friend, Karl. “Look after her. I’m counting on you.”
I glance at the guy he has entrusted my safety with, wondering why he trusts him over everyone else. “Anastasia, by the way.” I hold my hand out.
“Karl.” He shakes my hand. “Alicia, my wife, would love to meet you.” He smiles fondly. “She’s so excited there’s another human mate in the pack.”
I did not see that coming. Karl has a human mate.
I thought I would be the only human in this pack, not that I belong here. A pack is no place for a human, no matter who your mate is.
Something has been bothering me ever since I ran off here with Rhys. What about my life? It can’t all be put on hold or abandoned because he’s my mate now.
I had dreams and aspirations. Sure, I worked in a shitty bar to pay my student bills. I was working toward getting a degree in psychology. Rhys may not understand, but even though I’m his mate now, I still want my own life. My own identity.
A man steps up to the podium in front of what looks like a boxing ring. The red stains all over the floor are most certainly unusual for a boxing ring, though. I know this is going to be far bloodier than any boxing match I’ve seen.
“Hugh Kendall has challenged Rhys Verne for dominance and the position of Alpha over the New York State Pack.” He clears his throat. “They will fight to the death, as written in our laws.”
I swallow hard, feeling my knees wobble. Karl grabs my arm. “Are you okay?”
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but the truth is, I’m freaking out. “Not really. I hate that this has to be a fight to the death.”
He smiles. “Don’t worry, there’s no wolf stronger than Rhys, not in this state or damn continent. It wouldn’t surprise me if no wolf in this world could defeat him.”
I hope to hell he’s right. The alternative is too terrible to think about. I’ve known Rhys for only ten days, but they’ve been the best ten days of my life.
I love him more than I can explain. It’s ingrained in us. We’re destined to love one another—no matter what. If he were to die, I don’t think I would survive the loss. He’d take me with him.
Rhys appears at one side of the ring, and the shifter who had attacked me enters on the other side.
Despite Karl’s reassurance, I feel sick. I remember how I felt when I saw him kill those men back at City Hall. I know he was protecting us, saving us, but I can’t seem to get my head around it.
Murder is murder, no matter how you dress it up. These archaic practices of fighting to the death seem wrong, debase, and immoral.
The man standing on the podium speaks, “Alpha and challenger, shift and fight.” He claps his hands, and shortly after, both men howl. I watch as Rhys shifts into his beautiful, large white wolf.
The other man shifts into the jet-black wolf. He isn’t anything like Rhys, whose wolf is majestic, beautiful. He deserves the title of Alpha and king.
I shut my eyes as Rhys pushes into the air, rushing for his challenger.
The shifters around me chant and shout, making me even more nervous. Karl sets his hand on my arm. “Watch, Anastasia. Rhys would want you to.”
I open one eye, seeing him wrestling the black wolf to the ground, sinking his teeth and claws into him. His beautiful pure white coat is marked with blood already—I couldn’t tell you whose.
I bite my bottom lip, flinching as I see Hugh recoil, breaking free of the hold Rhys had on him. He snaps at Rhys, catching him around the throat.
I gasp, glancing away in shock.
Karl just smiles at me, as if I’m amusing—maybe I am. “This has barely started yet, Anastasia. You need to woman up.”
I laugh at that, glancing back at the grappling wolves. Rhys is back on top of him, shaking his head as he keeps his teeth clamped around his throat.
I heard what he said to him when Hugh attacked me the other day.
I can’t wait to tear you apart Friday night.
He meant that literally, and I don’t know how to feel about it. I know he’s trying to protect me but killing a member of your pack is plain wrong. The blood spurting from Hugh’s throat makes me sick, as Rhys continues to gnaw into it.
He moves his attention to his limb, sinking his sharp teeth into Hugh’s back leg and making him howl.
I stand and step forward. “Stop,” I shout.
Everyone glances over at me as Rhys stops dead, staring up at me. A tear trickles down my cheek as I stare at the man who is supposed to be my soul mate. Suddenly, he’s never seemed more of a stranger than he does right then.
Rhys shifts back to his human form, keepin
g eye contact with me.
Hugh isn’t in a state to stand, let alone attack him.
“What the fuck?” someone shouts.
The man on the podium steps forwards. “Why have you stopped? This is a fight to the death.”
Rhys shakes his head. “We shouldn’t kill each other. I won the fight, but what’s the point of killing one of our own?”
A few mutters break out through the shifters gathered at the fighting pit.
The guy on the podium clears his throat. “Rhys, you know the rules. No breaking them because you’re going soft over a human’s wishes.”
Tears prickle my eyes as I stare at my mate, thankful that he understands. This isn’t right. Hugh may be an asshole, but does he deserve to die?
Rhys points at the man on the podium. “Jackson, do you want to challenge me next? It may be tradition, but it’s not what we should do. Killing our own makes no fucking sense, and I’m putting a stop to it now.”
A lot of murmurs break out around me amongst the other wolves. Hugh shifts back into his human form, taking ragged breaths.
“Someone needs to give him medical attention. I’ve got important business to attend to.” As he speaks, never once does he take his eyes off me.
Karl grabs my arm to help me out of the ring. “Not sure that was a good move.”
“Why?”
He sighs. “You made Rhys look weak in front of the entire pack.” He grabs my hand and moves toward Rhys, taking me back to him. “You’ve got a lot to learn about pack life, Anastasia. It’s different from human ways.”
I shake my head. “It doesn’t have to be. Who says you can’t change your ways?”
“Touché,” he replies.
Rhys meets us halfway. “Come with me. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
“What do you mean?”
He grabs my hand and leads me back toward the treehouse. I want to know what he means by a lot of work. There’s no way he’s about to stop and tell me. I guess I will find out when we get back, and from the look on his face, this isn’t the time to press him.
