Alpha Ascending

by Alicia Montgomery

  She nodded, unable to speak.

  “I think he feels the same way about you,” she said. “You wouldn’t hurt him, right? Or expose his—our secret?”

  “Of course not!” If anyone found out Lucas—and apparently, his family—could turn into wolves, the world would be in chaos. And who knew what the government would do. Probably take them in and conduct experiments. She didn’t want Lucas locked up in a cage. “I swear, I won’t tell anyone. I just don’t want …” Don’t want to lose him.

  “You calmed him down,” Adrianna said. “You stopped him from killing that other man. And brought him back from his bloodlust.”

  She remained silent, not knowing what to say.

  “Adrianna, she already—”

  “I said, no, Papa!” Adrianna stood up and poked a finger at his chest. “You don’t always know what’s best.”

  “I am Alpha here,” he warned. “And what I say is law.”

  “What about Lucas?” she retorted. “When he gets back, how will he react when he finds out you’ve erased her memory? Do you think he’s just going to back down?”

  “He will because he’s going to be Alpha soon. Lucas knows his place and his responsibilities to his family and his clan.”

  The door slid open again. “Stop fighting, both of you.”

  Sofia’s head snapped toward the third visitor. It was another woman, also dark-haired like Adrianna, but petite. She made a beeline toward Sofia, ignoring the man’s death-stare. “You must be Sofia. I’m Frankie. Lucas’s mother.”

  She tried to speak, but couldn’t. All she could do was stare at her eyes. Just like Lucas’s and Adrianna’s. “Oh.” She was also drop-dead gorgeous and didn’t look like she had two grown children.

  “Frankie—”

  “Grant,” she warned, then turned back to Sofia. “I’m sorry about my husband,” she said. “He can be very stubborn.”

  “Get out of here, both of you.” Grant gestured to the two women. “I’m Alpha here.”

  Despite the fact that she was half a foot shorter than her husband, Frankie Anderson went toe-to-toe with him. She straightened her shoulders and put her hands on her hips. “And I’m his mother.”

  Grant raised his hands in frustration. “Fine, go on. Do as you please.”

  Frankie turned back to Sofia. “Sofia, I want to believe you, I really do. But what you’ve seen … no one can ever know. You understand, right?”

  “I do. But Lucas … he’s all right, right?”

  She nodded. “He’s somewhere safe. What happened last night, that wasn’t normal, not for our kind. We know how to control our animals, which is why we’ve kept our secret for centuries. But Lucas, he wasn’t in control. And I think it was because he was protecting you. He must care for you a great deal.”

  Frankie’s words slowly sank into her. Lucas cared for her?

  “And I know you care for him too, right?”

  “I do.” It was the truth. The feelings she had for him she’d never had for anyone else. “If … if erasing my memory will protect him, then maybe … maybe you should do it.” It wouldn’t be so bad. She wouldn’t remember him anyway. Not remember all those times together. Of him in the kitchen. Teasing her. Making love until dawn.

  Frankie smiled. “Detective, if we take you to him, do you promise you’ll keep our secret?”

  “Yes.” Hope bloomed in her chest.

  “Frankie!” Grant protested, which earned him a sharp look from his wife. “We can’t trust her.”

  “We can still erase your memory,” Frankie said. “But … I think you and Lucas should talk first.”

  “That’s a great idea,” Adrianna said, her eyes sparkling. “Papa, will you allow Sofia to meet with Lucas first? Then you can decide what to do.”

  “Do I have a choice?” That earned him a hug from his daughter.

  “Can I see him now?” Sofia asked. “Is he here?”

  “He’s far away, but we can take you to him.”

  “Frankie, we need to ask permission first,” Grant said. “You know she can’t just walk into another territory.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” Frankie said. “Will you cooperate, Sofia?”

  She nodded her head vigorously. “I’ll do anything. Please. I need to see Lucas.”

  Frankie’s face shone, her mismatched eyes reminding her so much of Lucas’s. “Then you’ll see him soon.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  “You finally awake?”

  The rough voice was like a saw grating into Lucas’s head. For a second, he thought he was seventeen again. The bed he was in was familiar, as well as the scent of the other man in the room. Sawdust and coffee.

  He opened his eyes, but everything was blurry. After a few blinks, his vision focused into a pair of familiar stark green eyes. “Austin?”

  Austin Forrest’s mouth turned up at the corners. “It’s been a while, Lucas. You never visit anymore.”

  His head pounded like someone had taken a sledgehammer to it. This whole scenario felt like a dream. Or déjà vu. Of the first time he was here after he had shifted in bloodlust when Kevin Hall—

  He shot to his feet, but he overestimated his motor skills and fell forward. Austin caught him and propped him up. “Whoa, slow down. Where’s the fire?”

  “Sofia,” he croaked. His throat felt scratchy and parched. “I have to make sure … she’s okay and—” His wolf was weakened too, but it whined at him, its claws scratching at him and reaching for the surface.

  Austin pushed him down on the bed. “Calm down, Lucas. Take a deep breath. Remember what Pa taught you.”

  Find something to ground you, Jackson Forrest had told him all those years ago. A memory or a scent can help you stay in control of your body. You need to show your wolf who’s in charge.

  It was good thing he and his wolf were both too weak, because the only scent he could think of was Sofia’s and it was making him even more anxious. “Austin, I need my phone. Please. Call my father and—”

  “He says he’s got everything under control.” Austin’s voice was calm, and so very much like his father’s. “Is Sofia your … the friend who was with you when you shifted in bloodlust?”

  Bloodlust. No wonder his head felt like it was splitting in two and he couldn’t remember a damn thing. “Yes. Those men were attacking her, and I tried to help her.”

  “She’s fine.”

  Both of them turned toward the doorway. “Zac.” It was strange to see his friend here, but he wasn’t hallucinating. “Tell me what—”

  “She’s safe, Lucas.” Zac walked toward them, hands in his pockets. “It’s been a couple of hours since Reyes called the security team. Everything was cleaned up, don’t worry. No one will know you were there or that anything happened.”

  “I don’t care about that or that bastard,” he spat. As far as he was concerned, that man who tried to kill Sofia got what he deserved. “But Sofia—”

  “Is still out,” he said. “Reyes had to give her a sleeping potion and they took her back to Fenrir.”

  “To the basement, right?” But it was a rhetorical question. The basement of the Fenrir Corporation building housed a variety of people, but mostly it was those who had sought to harm them. “They haven’t given her the forgetting potion, have they?”

  “I don’t know, I haven’t heard from Astrid yet. She’s busy helping with the cleanup.” Zac said. “But you know what we have to do.”

  Yes, he did. They would have to make sure she didn’t remember seeing him shift into his wolf. Thankfully, the potion they used would only make her forget about the last few hours.

  And then what?

  Could they go on as they had before? Forever hiding what he was from her, and dosing her with forgetting potion whenever he shifted accidentally?

  Then there was his wolf. He had saved her from those guys, but who would save her from him? What if he shifted in bloodlust again and he lost control and went after her?

  His wolf growled
in protest, as if to tell him that it would never do that.

  But then again, he never thought he’d ever kill another living creature, not after what happened with Kevin Hall.

  “Lucas? Do you need to lie down?” Austin asked.

  “No.” His mind was clear. Sofia was safe and she could move on with her life, without him. The thought slashed a knife through his chest and made it hard to breathe. “Why am I here?”

  “Your parents thought that after what happened, this was the best place for you,” Zac explained. “The Alpha agreed and gave you permission to come. I offered to accompany you in case you had any questions when you woke up.”

  So, he was back here in the Shenandoah Valley after thirteen years. After what happened to Kevin Hall and Jeffrey Smith, Frankie and Grant Anderson decided that he needed help controlling his animal, and so they sent him here.

  And Lucas was glad they did. Jackson Forrest, the Alpha of Shenandoah, ran a special program for Lycans who couldn’t control their wolves. He’d been doing it for decades and helped many of their kind, saving them from having to be put down. The months Lucas spent at the ranch had helped him tremendously, and he hadn’t shifted in bloodlust after that. At least, not until recently, when the mages had attacked them and tried to hurt Adrianna.

  “I need to get up. Stretch my legs and …” He glanced around. “Is everyone here?”

  Austin chuckled. “Of course. Grams and Momma are downstairs with breakfast, and Pa’s out with your Grampa Noah checking the fences. Only Jack still lives here, and Katie lives in San Francisco now, finishing up her PhD.”

  “Oh.” It really had been a long time. Katie and Jack had been young pre-teens when he first came here. Now they were both full-grown women.

  “C’mon, let’s go see Grams and Momma. I’m sure they’d both be thrilled to see you.”

  As they filed out the room and headed downstairs, that feeling of déjà vu washed over him again. The two-story country-style house hadn’t changed a bit, even though it had been over a decade since he’d been here. Even the wooden bannisters felt the same under his fingers, as was the smell. Wood, grass, earth, mixed with the various scents of its residents. When he walked through the kitchen door, it was like stepping back in time, as it looked exactly like it did thirteen years ago.

  “Lucas!” Lily Forrest ran over to him and enveloped him in a big hug. “My, you’ve grown so much! I can’t believe you’re here!”

  “You’re looking good, Lily.” She must be in her seventies now, but she looked at least a decade younger, though her hair had gone completely white. “I’m sorry I haven’t visited,” he said sheepishly.

  “Hello, Lucas.”

  He looked to the other person in the kitchen. Jordan Forrest didn’t look like she’d aged at all. She still had the same slim frame, straight dark hair, and laughing hazel eyes. “Jordan,” he greeted as he was once again brought in for a hug. “It’s nice to see you.”

  Her smile was warm. “I can’t believe you were the same skinny seventeen-year-old kid who first came to us.”

  “He’s definitely all grown up,” Austin chuckled.

  “I wish I was here under better circumstances,” he said.

  “You’re here, that’s all that matters,” Lily declared. “Zac told us what happened.”

  “Don’t worry, we’re going to help you,” Jordan said. “Jackson will make it better.”

  “All you need is some fresh air and good, hard work,” Lily said.

  “And for you two to stop coddling him,” added a stern voice.

  Lucas whipped around to look at the man standing in the doorway. Jackson Forrest looked just as he did all those years ago, the only signs of aging were a new wrinkle or two on his forehead. The tall, hulking man strode forward with the confidence of someone a fraction of his age, and his green eyes were as keen as ever. “Hello, Lucas.”

  He grabbed the hand his old mentor had offered, gripping it and pulling him forward in a hug. His wolf recognized the scent and bent its head in respect. This was the Alpha of Shenandoah, after all, and even his broken wolf knew not to cross him.

  As they released each other, Lucas glanced at the small figure by the doorway. “Jack?”

  “Hey, Lucas? What’s shaking?”

  He could hardly believe this girl—woman, he corrected himself—was Jacqueline Forrest. She’d been barely a teen when he got here, and now she was all grown. He smiled to himself as, she hadn’t changed much. She had been a tomboy growing up, preferring the more masculine nickname and wearing pants and sneakers instead of dresses. Now, she was wearing worn overalls, boots, and her long, dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail and hidden under a Stetson hat. A streak of dirt marred her cheek, and she grinned up at him impishly.

  “Noah’s still outside. Said he’s going to finish one more row of posts before he comes in for a break,” Jackson said, referring to Lucas’s grandfather. Noah was a Lone Wolf but found his way to Shenandoah a few years ago and stayed ever since.

  “Jackson,” Lucas began. “Thank you for welcoming me into your territory.” He’d almost forgotten his manners, though he knew the Alpha of Shenandoah wasn’t much for formalities. “However, I can’t stay. I need to go back.”

  Jackson and Jordan looked at each other in surprise. “You know, you’re welcome here anytime,” Jordan said.

  “You’re a grown man, Lucas. And soon you’ll be Alpha,” Jackson added. “I can’t stop you from doing what you want. But I hope you’ll consider staying.”

  “At least until you’re better,” Jordan said.

  Better? The word was like a bitter pill, stuck in his throat. Maybe they were right. He should stay here, far away from New York before he could hurt anyone. Before he could hurt Sofia.

  “Are you hungry?” Lily asked, breaking the tension in the air.

  “I am, actually.” He hadn’t eaten in almost twenty-four hours.

  The older woman’s face broke into a smile. “I made your favorites. Biscuits and sausage gravy.” His stomach actually growled, which made Lily let out a delighted laugh. “I’ll make you a plate now.”

  He glanced over at Zac, meeting his gaze. His friend gave him a weak smile, and sat down on the table as Lily fussed over him too. Maybe food would be good. A full stomach would help him forge out his next move.

  “Sitting in an office for eight hours a day turned you back into a greenhorn, Anderson?”

  Lucas scowled at Austin, who was grinning at him. “Shut up, Forrest. Or I’ll shove this hammer up your—”

  “Hold on.” The other man held his hands up. “You’re the one who wanted to help.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” He tossed the hammer aside. Repairing and building fences had been one of the many chores he did when he had stayed for his own rehabilitation. While most people thought it was just about pounding posts into the ground, there was much more to it than that. If he used too much of his brute Lycan strength, he could bury the entire thing in the ground, but if he didn’t use enough, it would fall over and he’d have to start all over again. It was a lesson in patience, one he had learned over a long, hot summer. Really, he should know how to do this, but it had been a long time since he fixed a fence, and the cold, frozen ground wasn’t making it easy to gauge how much strength he could use.

  “Maybe you need a break,” Austin said.

  “You need a break, old man.”

  “Old?” Austin said in a mock-hurt voice. “I’m not even forty. And you’re the one who’s gone all soft.”

  “Will you two stop yammering and get to work?” Jack waved the metal shears in her hand menacingly at them. “It’s almost dark, and I wanna get home.”

  “So bossy.” Austin ruffled his sister’s hair, which only seemed to annoy her.

  “You heard her.” Lucas picked up the discarded hammer.

  “Need me to hold your hand, princess?”

  Lucas lifted his middle finger toward Austin, which earned him a laugh. Their banter brought back a lot o
f good memories, and he realized how much he missed this place. It had been his sanctuary, a second home to him when he was troubled. Jackson had been so patient with him, even though Lucas had been resistant to the whole rehabilitation thing. Plus, everyone here felt like family. Austin was like the big brother he never had and was someone who could understand the pressures of what it was like to be heir apparent, since he was next in line to be Alpha after Jackson. He never judged him and shared his owns doubts and apprehensions about the responsibilities that came with being future Alpha and the long shadows their fathers cast.

  “You boys done yet?” Noah asked as he approached them.

  He was glad his grandfather had found a place here too. Noah was a man of few words, but the look he gave Lucas conveyed love and concern.

  “Almost,” Austin answered. “Let’s finish up and head back.”

  “Sure.”

  Lucas tried to take his time doing the work, not just because he wanted to do things right, but because he was almost dreading being idle. The work kept him and his wolf busy, though every moment he had to spare to think was spent on Sofia. He desperately wanted to know how she was. She was alive at least. But what would happen now? If he wanted to keep her safe, he would have to tell her they couldn’t see each other anymore. But the more he thought about her, about all the times they’d been together, he wasn’t sure if he had the strength to give her up.

  When they finished their work, they all headed back to the ranch on foot. Jackson, Noah, and Jack had all hurried ahead, probably eager to get cleaned up and have dinner. He and Austin hung behind.

  “So,” Austin began as they trudged across the field, “Who’s Sofia?”

  The sound of her name made him stumble, but he recovered quickly. Putting one foot in front of the other, he just kept walking ahead and remained silent. Maybe Austin would drop it.

  “You were calling her name a lot while you were sleeping.”

  Maybe not.

  Austin continued. “And she was the first person you thought of when you woke up.”

  He kept his stare focused ahead, trying to see if the ranch house was in sight. They were still too far out, and the only thing he could see in the darkness were trees and the rolling hills of the Shenandoah Valley.