by Bianca Cole
15
Rhys
“Are you fucking kidding?” she asks, glancing between Karl and me.
I can tell she thinks I’m insane for suggesting taking down the New York City Council, but it makes sense. She’s his daughter, leverage. It’s something I’ve never had before, and even without it, I’ve had enough of that asshole dictating how to live our lives.
We’re outcasts, but there’s no need for it. “We need to make changes to the world we live in, Anastasia.” I step forward and grab her hand. “A wolf caught in New York City earns a death sentence. Don’t you think that’s wrong?”
Her expression softens. I know she will come around to the idea. Other cities have accepted that wolf shifters and humans can live side by side. After all, we’re not much different from them. It’s not like we’re vampires who want to bleed humans dry. Or dragon shifters, who can burn down entire cities, if their rage gets the better of them.
She stares into my eyes. “Yeah, it’s wrong, but what can we do about it?”
I shrug. “I grew up with humans. I don’t know why we need to remain separated when the rest of North America has embraced integration over separation.”
Despite agreeing it’s wrong, she’s no more convinced about my plan. “How are you going to get my father to agree to allow shifters into the city? “
He smirks. “I have you as my leverage, princess.”
A flash of hurt crosses her face, and then she narrows her eyes. “My father doesn’t care about me, so you better not be talking about me.” She sets her hands on her hips, but I can tell her father’s lack of care for her hurts.
“What do you mean?”
She sighs heavily and glances at Karl, before speaking. “Long story short. He abandoned me and my mother when I was ten years old for another woman. He didn’t care when my mom died and has always fought me when I tried to investigate her death. “
Hot rage and a flood of hate pummel me the moment the words are out. I’ve always hated Landon but hearing that he hasn’t cared for my mate makes me hate him that much more. I punch the wall. “That bastard,” I growl.
I notice Anastasia wince at the crack of my knuckles on stone. She doesn’t realize that a broken knuckle for me will heal in minutes. It’s nothing. The pain is good. It helps ground me and control my wolf.
“You need to take a different approach.”
I run a hand through my golden-brown hair. Landon has no real power. All he does is hide away in City Hall. We’ll need quite a few men, but we’ll be able to topple his pathetic council without much trouble. The rest of the members won’t be any bother once he’s out of the picture. “I know how to deal with Landon, don’t worry about it, princess.”
I can practically smell Anastasia’s doubt as she shakes her head. “It’s too dangerous.”
My wolf doesn’t like her doubting him, but I manage to keep my cool. “It’s the only choice, Anastasia, I won’t be caged up anymore.”
Her sparkling, emerald eyes flood with sympathy. “If you want to do this, you need other wolves to help.”
Karl chuckles, the first thing he’s done since the conversation started. I like that he doesn’t talk too much, unlike Jackson used to. “You’ve seen what Rhys can do, why would he need a lot of wolves to take down a human?”
Anastasia raises a brow. “Yes, but I’ve also seen him captured and put in a cage by my father.”
“Is that true?” Karl asks, shifting on the sofa.
I nod. “Yeah, of course, humans have ways of containing us.” I turn my attention back to my mate. “I had no intention of walking in there alone.”
Karl stands. “Do you want me to go and find some recruits? How many wolves will you need?’
Anastasia is about to speak, but I’m quick to talk first, “Ten more men, twelve including you and me.” I need to assert my dominance in front of my beta. Anastasia can’t start giving the orders for me, no matter how much she might want to.
“Okay, will we be leaving for New York tonight?”
I shake my head. “No, in three days. We have some planning to do if we are going to pull this off.” I stand and hold out my hand to Karl. “Report back to me in the morning.”
He takes my hand, shaking it firmly. “Of course, sir. Have a good evening.”
I nod. “You too.” I watch after him as he marches out of my home, shutting the door behind him.
The sofa creeks softly as Anastasia moves off it. Her scent provides a calming release as she nears me. I need her now more than ever.
Before she can lay her hand on my back, I spin around and catch it midair.
She gasps, cheeks flushing pink. “Rhys, are you sure this is the right thing to do?”
I ignore her questioning and pull her into me, wrapping my arms around her waist. My lips meet hers in a hard, punishing kiss. I force her lips open with my tongue and kiss her with all the love I feel.
She doesn’t understand that this is all for her. I need to make this world better for people like us. Shifters and humans that want to be together—no, that need to be together.
We were destined to mate. Hundreds of wolves fated mates will be human.
It’s wrong the way the world is run. People are too scared of the unknown.
I’m going to change it for us. I’m going to change it for our pups. They won’t live in a world where segregation is encouraged.
Anastasia wanders along the path in the small garden of my home, stopping to smell a large red rose. I never believed I’d fall in love. Find a mate and have pups, sure. A mating bond is something that many people experience only on a physical level.
The emotion I’ve felt since meeting Anastasia is beyond anything I ever imagined. The mating bond makes love easy, but I can’t believe I wouldn’t have loved her anyway—without the bond.
My plan is dangerous. It could all go wrong, but I owe it to my pack and Anastasia to try. I owe it to our future children.
Landon Carmichael is a sneaky bastard. He’ll have something up his sleeve for the meeting, but I have to try and unite the residents of New York State, both wolf shifter and human alike.
“How do you think the rest of the North America pack will react to your plan?” Karl asks, entering my office.
I keep my eyes fixed on my mate as she moves further away into the garden. “Badly.”
He leans against the wall next to me, crossing his arms over his chest. “People don’t like change. Have you considered the reaction of the humans?”
Anastasia glances back at the house, but I know she can’t see me. My eyesight is far better than hers. “Rhys?”
I tear my eyes from her and glance at my new beta. “I’m taking a chance, Karl.”
“Is it worth it?” He moves closer to me. “Why not just rule the shifters and leave humans to themselves?”
Maybe I made a mistake thinking Karl would understand. “Humans and shifters are meant to be together. I think your mate and my mate are proof. This world is too divided, and although many states allow shifters and humans to live together, it’s still frowned upon for a wolf to accept a human mate.”
He clears his throat. “The pressure you will be under once the rest of North America realize you accepted a human mate would be immense.”
I nod and clap him on the back. “I’m well aware. Is being my beta during this too daunting, Karl?”
He shakes his head. “Of course not, I just want to be sure you know what you are getting into.”
“Don’t worry about it.” I walk away from him, heading toward the back exit of my home. “It’s almost time. I need to speak with Anastasia.”
I don’t give Karl a chance to speak again, opening the back door and heading out into the muggy midday air. Anastasia is right down the bottom in the orchard, sitting on one of the benches my father carved out of oak w/hen I was little.
I can’t understand the emotion that clutches at my chest, seeing her sitting there. It’s where she belongs—where she
was always meant to be.
If my parents were still alive, they wouldn’t be too pleased. Back in their time, shifters weren’t meant to mix with humans either. It made little sense to me when I was growing up, considering we blended in with them, keeping the secret from them. My first girlfriend was a human to the disgust of my dad. He put a stop to it quickly and introduced me to the pack, hoping I’d find a nice she-wolf to fuck.
Three days of planning don’t feel long enough. Even though the plan is solid, I know how easily a plan can go wrong.
I smile as she looks up and notices me. Her eyes fill with pure adoration—a look I’m never going to get bored of seeing. It feels like my world slows every time she looks at me.
“It’s showtime,” I say.
She glances down at her hands in her lap. “Is there any way I can convince you to change your mind?”
I sit on the bench next to her, grabbing her hand. “Why, princess? What are you scared of?”
She bites her bottom lip and meets my gaze. “Losing you.”
My heart aches at her answer, as I thread my fingers into her hair. All my life, I’ve avoided speaking my true feelings out loud. It’s frowned upon, particularly for shifters. And, yet, the words I thought I’d never say are on the tip of my tongue.
She moves closer to me, kissing me softly and stifling the three words wanting to break free.
I wrap my arms around her, deepening the kiss. Maybe it’s possible to make her know how I feel with a kiss. She’s my everything, my world. I love her more than anything I’ve ever loved before, and yet, I can’t seem to find the right time or way to say it.
I feel it right to my cock as she moans into my mouth, making me harder than I want to be right now. The last thing I need is a distraction. I break away from her, despite my wolf’s single-minded desire to ravage her out here.
My people are waiting to fight.
“Come on, Anastasia.” I lace my fingers into her hair. “You won’t lose me, I promise.”
She swallows hard. “You can’t be sure about that. Everyone I care about either dies or leaves me.”
Her vulnerability cuts me to the core, and I vow to myself that will never happen to us. “I’ll fight for us, princess. There’s no way anything is going to break us apart.” I press my forehead to hers, shutting my eyes. “I promise.”
I believe that promise as it leaves my lips. Many people have wanted to hurt me in my forty-eight years of life. I’ve survived much worse things than Landon Carmichael.
As the son of the most ruthless alpha this world has ever seen, I was always destined for a position of power. I’ve just never accepted my birthright. The leader of all the North American packs. Instead, I let the pack alphas do what they want for a small sum of money every month.
I can’t understand why finding my mate awakens the desire to take that power. Maybe it’s because I finally have a future—the chance to have pups of my own who will one day take over this responsibility.
“I can’t lose you, Rhys,” she says, squeezing my hand as she stands from the bench. “I won’t be able to survive it.”
A growl rumbles through my chest. “When I make a promise, I keep it,” I growl, tightening my grip on my mate. “Don’t make me punish you out here, baby, Karl is right inside.”
Her body quivers in my grip, and she shakes her head. “I won’t.” She bows her head in submission, and it only makes me want her more.
I grind my teeth into my bottom lip, controlling my wolf. There is a time and a fucking place, and this certainly isn’t it.
The pack is waiting for me. It’s time to claim New York City and bring an end to the bullshit council and their rules for a start.
16
Anastasia
City Hall is eerily silent as the guard at the front opens the door to us. A shiver skates down my spine as Rhys comes to a stop, waiting to be directed by the guard.
“This way, follow me,” he says, leading us through the large entrance hall.
My dad isn't the kind of guy anyone should consider trusting, particularly not a shifter. His reputation with the paranormal world is renowned. He slaughters them any chance he gets.
That's why I'm thankful Rhys brought backup. All of them are taking the same route I did into City Hall to ensure everything goes to plan. I don't think it will, nothing ever does.
Nothing in life is easy—no matter who you are. I get the feeling Rhys is used to having everything he wants handed to him. He controls all the packs in North America—every alpha pays him some sort of protection tax.
Rhys is as close to royalty as it gets when it comes to wolf shifters, and I'm his mate. It's hard to believe—a human girl with nothing to give to him other than my love. A love I can't understand.
How can I love a man I've known for less than two weeks?
“Princess, your inner monologue is distracting. Can you dial it down, please?”
I tense, wishing he wouldn't do that. “How can you hear my thoughts?”
He glances back at me, smiling. “I told you, sometimes it filters through.”
The guard whacks the cane he's holding on the ground. “Shut it.” He stops in front of the door.
“Mr. Carmichael will see you both now.” He opens the door to a vast library with mahogany floors and bookcases lining the walls.
My father is sitting in the center at a desk. My stomach twists and heart pounds as I remember the last encounter with him. When I shamefully begged him to investigate my mom's murder, and he laughed in my face.
I try to push the encounter out of my mind. The last thing I want is for my father to think anything he ever did affected me.
“Rhys Verne, you've got a fucking nerve.” He stands and walks toward us. The moment he notices me, his eyes widen a fraction, until he quickly recovers. “What the fuck is she doing here?”
Rhys growls like a wolf. “She is my mate.”
My father's mouth drops open for a split second before he quickly hides his shock. “I shouldn't be surprised. You are dirty little slut just like your mother.”
I try not to let his words get to me, even though it's impossible—anger pulses through me. The anger is rooted in the fact his words hurt, even after all this time.
Rhys growls. “You'll wish you didn't speak about her that way.”
My father laughs. “Will I? And what exactly are you going to do about it, Rhys?”
I grit my teeth together, remembering Rhys's advice. We need to keep our cool with him and buy our time. He thinks we're here to discuss terms of a treaty, but we're here to turn his world upside down.
Rhys folds his arms over his broad chest. “Nothing, let's get down to business.” If looks could kill, my father would be dead right now.
My father's eyes track Rhys's movements as he slips an arm around my waist, pulling me close. I can see the rage burning in his eyes. He doesn't care about me, but he does care that a shifter has defiled his daughter. I know him even if I've hardly spent any time with him. My mom told me so many stories about him—most of them bad.
“Of course, take a seat.” He signals to the sofa against the far-right wall.
A shiver skates down my spine as I glance over at them. I can't understand why, but I've got a bad feeling. My father hasn't asked us here without a plan, and the lack of guards makes me even warier.
I grab Rhys's hand and pull him to a stop.
“What's wrong?” he asks.
I bite my bottom lip. “It's a trap,” I breathe.
He glances between the sofa and my father, who is looking increasingly irritated that we haven't sat down yet. “You know what. I'd rather do this the shifter way. We stand for meetings.”
The blood drains from my father's face. I was right that his plan was hinged on us sitting down. “As you wish,” he says, but his voice is strangled.
He walks toward us, but Rhys holds up a hand. “That's close enough, Carmichael.”
My father stops in his tracks and nods, s
haking a folder he was holding in his hand. “I’ve got the terms here. If you agree to them, then I will pardon you for trespassing on the City Council's territory.”
I squeeze Rhys's hand and then step forward. “I’ll take a look.” The plan is to buy time showing interest in his proposal.
I hold my hand out for the papers, and my father stares at me with pure hate.
I always knew he hated me, but that look hurts. It doesn't matter that he's an asshole, he's still my father—I can't seem to shake that. The only living family I still have left. As I take the paper, I glance over to my new family—my new world. Rhys is my everything now. My past life doesn't matter. Nothing does, but him.
I snatch the papers from his hand and then walk back to Rhys's side. Once there, I scan them. They are pure bullshit. He wants Rhys and his back to leave New York State—good luck with that.
“This is fucking ridiculous,” I say.
Rhys glance at me. “What is it?”
My father is quick to cut in. “It's simple. Leave New York State with your pack and never return. Then, and only then, will I pardon you.”
Rhys's chest puffs out as he glares at my father. “Hmm, why would I agree to these terms, Landon?”
He narrows his eyes at my mate. “Because you broke the law, and it's better than death.”
Rhys cracks his neck. “You don't know shifters. Death is better than cowardice, Landon. Anastasia, provide him with our terms.”
I nod and pull a document out of my pocket, unfolding it. “We've got terms of our own.”
My father laughs. “You aren't in a position to offer me terms.”
I tear up his piece of paper and throw it on the ground. “They seem to be the only ones on the table.”
He shakes his head. “No, I refuse to read them.”
I glance at Rhys and notices his canines lengthen and eyes fleck with gold. He's about to turn. “It's time I taught you a fucking lesson, Landon,” he growls, his voice a few octaves lower than before.
