by M. D. Butler
“Wow. Noted.” Definitely filing that away for future reference.
“So, Jahla, let’s plan this shopping trip. We’re going to make a day out of it, just us girls.” I turn to look at Kayla. She must see the look on my face because she adds, “Don’t worry, we’ll pry your life story from you as we shop. Right now, we want to take your mind off of your meeting with that alpha.”
Oh, yeah. That.
I still have to go back to my old pack one last time.
***
I’m sitting in between Krix and Mav as we pull up the mansion that is the pack house. I always thought it was such a beautiful place, but that was before I knew that is house sad excuses for what alphas and betas are supposed to be.
So glad that this is my last time coming here. No matter what gets said. I refuse to be attached to this pack for another second. Especially having a glimpse into the comradery of the Gallatin Pack of Montana.
Everyone is silent as we get out of the truck. James, along with Kevin as his beta and Calen as his enforcer, exists the car in front of us. We all make our way up to the front door with the guys getting in their formation around me. I fortify my walls as I, once again, stand before a closed door holding the unknown.
James knocks on the door and waits. I hold my breath as all hear the handle turn, and the door starts to open. No matter who opens the door, it’ll be an asshole.
“Hello, can I help you?”
It’s only the beta’s mate. Still an asshole, but not as bad.
“We have a meeting with the alpha.”
“Oh. Come on in.” she doesn’t seem too bad.
She leads us into the parlor and informs us that she’ll let the alpha know we’re here. No one moves to take a seat, so leaves to go find him. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take him long to show up, and we’re ushered into his office at the back of the house.
“Thank you all for coming. I’m sure you can understand why I feel the need to ensure the validity of your claims,” he says as he sits behind his desk.
Bastard doesn’t offer us the option of having a seat in the chairs.
“Actually, we don’t. Based on the treatment that Jahla has received from your pack, we thought you’d agree to her release.”
“I’m not sure that I know what you mean.”
“Cut the crap, Huntington.” Damn, James. Way to call him on his bullshit! “Your pack doesn’t like her and has physically hurt her on a regular basis. I could call the council in for an investigation for that alone with her being a young female wolf. To save us all the hassle, why don’t you release her from the pack bonds. She has a right to join her mate’s pack based on the regulations regarding the Mate Bond Act.”
The pleasant mask on his face slips a bit at the mention of the council, but he schools is back into place before he speaks.
“That’s what I’m having a hard time believing, Alpha James. Jahla cannot have a mate. She’s a shiftless wolf. How can he recognize her as his mate if she doesn’t have a wolf?”
I go to correct him, but Krix gives me a stern, Don’t.
Why? If I explain, he may let me go.
Something tells me that he knows more than he’s letting on.
How can you tell?
From what you’ve said, your alpha is anything but nice. He’s being fake, like he’s trying to make us think everything you’ve said is a lie so that we’ll let you stay.
Do you think he knows about the prophecy?
It’s possible. It was a big thing when it came to be, so a lot of packs knew about it back then. This pack could’ve been one of them, and it might’ve been passed down through the alpha line.
Fuck, I never considered that. If that’s the case, it would explain why he doesn’t want me to leave. Who would want to give up someone that’s potentially the chosen warrior for the Mother? Why would he try to deny my wolf and mate, though?
Unless…
I think we need to leave.
Why?
I don’t know how to explain it to him, but I have a feeling in my gut that tells me this is dangerous. Like my wolf is trying to tell me something.
You guys said that there’s a war coming, right?
Yeah, and we’re her warriors. There are two sides: the followers of the Mother, and the ones who oppose her.
If he’s known about the prophecy all of this time, why would he try to keep me from my mates? Even if we only told him about one of you, the prophecy said that I would have four who would stand by my side.
Maybe he doesn’t know.
Or maybe he does, but wants me to be on his side.
Krix is silent as he thinks about this, and I phase back into the argument happening between the two alphas. James is still looking calm, but Alpha Huntington is getting flustered.
“There’s no way he’s her mate. He wouldn’t be able to handle her being so close to three other unmated wolves.”
“Look, I’ve tried to give you a chance to peacefully release her from the pack bonds, but you’re being too ignorant for my patience. Jahla, rescind your place withing the pack.”
Before I can open my mouth to say the words that pop into my head, out of nowhere, Alpha Huntington shoots up from his seat.
“No! Jahla, reject your fake mate!”
The guys tense as the command washes over me, but just like always, I don’t feel the urge to obey.
“No.”
Everyone turns to look at me as the word passes through my lips, but no one is more shock than the alpha.
“What?! I said reject your mate and get your ass over here to receive your punishment.”
“And I said no.”
I stare into his eyes as he grows angrier, challenging him. My wolf is alert in my mind, and I feel her power coursing through my veins. Better keep that shit in check before I accidentally burn the place down, or something.
The guys are closing ranks around me, and James is now standing in front of everyone. It’s like they believe a fight is about to break out.
Alpha Huntington is growling behind his desk as I continue to hold his gaze without flinching. His forehead breaks out into a sweat, and he’s shaking with the struggle to hold my gaze!
Wow, my wolf is a badass.
Just when I feel his wolf is about to submit, he launches himself over the desk in my direction. Suddenly, he’s thrown back as I feel a strong gust of wind whip through the room.
“Time to go, babe!” Cash picks me up as though I were a doll, and races out of the room towards the front of the house. The others are right behind us as I hear a roar so loud, it rattles the windows as we pass them.
Someone’s mad.
We hear howling in the distance as we rush through the front door, and down the steps to where the vehicles are waiting. He must’ve alerted the wolves on patrol. Cash opens the door of the truck and gently places me on the back seat. I scoot over to give him room, but he just closes the door. I hear the locks click, so Den must have used the key fob.
What the fuck are they doing?
I scurry over to the window to see what’s going on, and my chest tightens with panic.
My four guys are each standing with their backs facing a door on the truck. James is turned towards the front door of the pack house where the alpha is standing, and Kevin and Calen are spread out on either side of him facing in opposite directions. A glance around the property tells me why everyone has taken up a defensive stance.
The pack has answered the alpha’s call.
Chapter 16
Denahi
Don’t kill anyone.
What type of shit is that? Does James think the pack will just push us around?
They’re going to try to kill us, though. Can we just maim them a teensy bit?
I’m with Cash. This pack obviously blindly follows their alpha. His word is law, and he’s given the order to kill us if the snarls are any indication.
“Snap your pack bond, Jahla!”
We’re all still surpris
ed that she resisted Huntington’s command earlier, but we’ll have to deal with that later. James is right, though. She needs to break that bond so he won’t be able to sense her, or get into her thoughts.
I hear her say the words. They’re muffled but clear enough to be heard by the alpha if he leans on his wolf to heighten his senses. As soon as the last word is spoken, he gives another mighty roar before shifting.
I feel a shadow of pain from her as the bond breaks, but I tell my wolf that it’s for a good reason. We don’t like feeling any type of pain from her.
He’s a pretty big wolf. Blonde like his hair and shaking with rage. He charges down the steps, and James shifts to meet him.
He’s better not come near this truck.
The alphas battle in wolf form, but we stay human as the pack converges. We don’t need to shift.
My arms are covered in flames as the first wave of wolves make their way to me. They stop as soon as they see the fire. It’s usually enough to make people think twice.
I keep my eyes on them, but some dumbass is bold enough to come at me from the side. He’s only there for a second before Mav throws him off with his air, making snow fly everywhere to slow them down. Vines pop through the ground to hold the wolf in place, and an icy water whip is slicing through the air to keep the other wolves at bay.
Teamwork, mother fuckers!
The pack starts to back up, confused at what’s going on. Guess they don’t know about the prophecy.
With them handled for the time being, we all turn back to the alpha fight. You can tell that James is trying not to kill him, just disable him enough for us to get away. Can’t say the same for Huntington, though. He’s going for blood.
Kevin and Dad are standing at the perimeter of what has become a fighting ring, keeping out of the way unless someone from the pack tries to jump in. We fight fair, but this pack has shown that they don’t.
James is a strong fighter, but it takes a while before the other alpha is lying prone in the blood splattered snow. The pack is howling, and a few lunge in a half-hearted attempt to avenge their fallen alpha.
That comes to a swift end when throw a couple of fireballs at them.
“If she doesn’t stay, I’ll kill her!”
I turn back to see that Huntington has shifted back and is standing there… naked.
It’s times like this that I wish we could shift with our clothes. No one wants to see another man’s dick and balls swinging to and fro.
“Get in the truck boys,” says James. He’s a little bloody, but not to a concerning level.
We don’t move from our positions by the doors. I don’t want to unlock the doors until I’m sure all the threats have been pushed back. Dad and Kevin shift back and go over to their car to grab an extra set of clothes.
You learn to stash clothes everywhere.
“Do you really want to do this? Just hand the bitch over, and we’ll leave your pack out of it when the time comes.”
“Forget it, Huntington. She’s not a part of the pack anymore. You no longer have a claim to her, and her wolf has never seen you as her alpha. Couldn’t you tell? She had no problem resisting your orders. Everyone, load up. We’re leaving, and I suggest you back down, Alpha, unless you want Denahi to burn your as to a crisp for threatening his mate.”
I bounce a fireball in my hand for good measure.
“Fine! Get the fuck out of my territory. You better hope you dump her ass somewhere far away from your pack because when I come for her, I’m slaughtering everything in my path!”
“Yeah, have fun with that. Let’s go.”
The pack is still snarling at a distance as I unlock the doors so we can get in the truck. None of them make a move to stop us, many showing a bit of confusion at all that just went down. Their alpha must not have told them who Jahla really is. For them to be ordered to fight a group who have come to take away someone that they’ve always hated has to be unsettling to them.
Not my problem.
Everyone buckles up, and I take a second to glance at Jahla in the rearview mirror. She’s just sitting between Krix and Mavrin, staring out the window at her former alpha like she’s daring him to do something.
I turn to look back at the alpha to see if he’ll actually try another desperate stunt, but something a slight movement catches my eye. I look up towards a window on the second floor of the house, leaning around Cash to get a better look. A curtain moved, I’m sure of it.
The alpha and beta families weren’t involved in this little skirmish, so they have to be hiding out in the house. I wonder if the alpha ordered them to stay away, maybe thinking that he could take us out with his lower ranked member since there’s just a handful of us.
They were watching, though. At least one of them was. I’m still staring at the window when Cash nudges me to start the truck. I crank up and get ready to pull out of the driveway, but take one final look up at the window.
Just in time to see Benson staring directly at us with determined eyes.
Jahla
Not going to lie, I’m a little intimidated by my guys. Doesn’t take away from my attraction, though. If anything, I want them even more.
The fighting only lasted for about fifteen minutes, but it felt like it happened in the blink of an eye. The pack was subdued quickly, though the alpha fight took a little longer.
Seeing the guys’ powers in action was exciting and terrifying at the same time. That whip thing that Krix was using, the vines that Cash popped out of the ground, the fire that covered Den’s arms, and Mav throwing people and wolves around with air?
Hot as fuck.
On top of all of that… I’m free. Yeah, it hurt a little, but nothing like some of the beatings I’ve had from them. I no longer have to pretend to bow down to the demands of a sadistic alpha, or cater to a pack who’s hated me for my whole life.
There’s still a question pressing to the forefront of my mind…
“How did I do that?”
“Do what, angel?”
“With the alpha? I know that I was able to challenge Blythe at the diner, but he’s an alpha.”
Krix is silent as he thinks, the others also quiet as they wait for the answer.
“James thinks you were able to resist his order because your wolf has never recognized him as a worthy alpha.”
“I figured that. I’ve followed his orders before, but only to avoid problems. I’ve never felt forced to do what he said. I mean the eye challenge thing. No one is supposed to be able to hold eye contact with an alpha, Krix. They’re too dominant.”
I know he’s avoiding my question, and it’s beginning to annoy me.
“You’re an alpha, Jahla.” Den doesn’t move his eyes from the road as he speaks, but I know he’s paying attention to the conversation.
“How is that possible? Is this another thing about the prophecy?”
“You leak dominance like crazy, babe. Trust us, you’re an alpha. Your wolf isn’t bound anymore, so you’re both coming into your true badass form. It’s sexy as fuck!”
“Calm down, Cash.” He shrugs, but doesn’t say anything else so Krix continues. “You’ve always been an alpha, Jahla. You could’ve broken away from the pack at any time with an ounce of pain because you’re more powerful than he will ever be. It wasn’t until you were bonded to us that your wolf was free enough for others to be able to tell.”
“So, I stayed in this damn pack for nothing?” now I’m annoyed at myself.
“You didn’t know, sweetheart.”
Mav’s right, but there’s still a little bit of self-disappointment swirling around inside of me. All of these years, biding my time until I felt strong enough to take the pain, for nothing? I could’ve run away years ago.
Would’ve been dumb with no money, but I could’ve done it.
“So, what now? I don’t think it’ll be a good idea to stay.”
“Oh, we’re definitely leaving. Have to stop by the hotel first so James can get you into the pack
, but then we have to get packed up. Mom’s going to be pissed.”
“Why?” Cash is the only one really talking right now, the others seem to be lost in thought.
“Because they wanted to take you shopping! Our moms have been close since we were born, so they’ve known you were out there. The true mate to their beloved sons, the- “
“You’re making her nervous, Cash.”
I’d thought I was hiding it well, but Den must have a tight fist around the bond. He’s always so in tuned to me.
“Sorry, babe. Just letting you know that they’re going to be stealing you away all the time. I’m excited for you.”
Okay, now I’m smiling. He always knows how to make me smile.
We pull up to the hotel, but nobody gets out. We all just kind of sit there, but James and the others head inside.
“Benson was watching.”
I’m wondering why that should matter, but Krix jumps in before I can ask.
“He’s going to be a problem. We’re going to have to watch him.”
“Why does it matter that he was watching?” I don’t understand why this is such a bad thing. So what if he watched the fight?
“It’s the look that was in his eyes, pixie. You saw how mad he was at school. He won’t give you up so easily. The alpha might try to take out the pack, but Benson will be solely focused on you.”
Well, fuck. When you put it like that…
Chapter 17
Jahla
We step onto the elevator, and Krix presses the button for the sixth floor. We have to meet everyone in James’s hotel room again, the guys’ parents already there waiting for us. Krix has his face buried in my phone, setting up my bank account since he forgot to do it last night.
Shit, was it only yesterday when all of this happened? Seems like it’s been longer with everything that’s happened.
I text Delores as we walk down the hallway, remembering at the last minute that I have to quit my job. Surprisingly, she’s not mad. She’s actually happy that I’m getting away from this town, but encourages me to be careful. I promise to keep in contact with her before slipping my phone back into my pocket. I’m going to miss that woman.
