Clare, the alpha female, had joined her mate on Alistair’s tail.
They had spotted him as the biggest threat to their hunt. He had restrained his instinct to kill Ian. That decision was going to literally bite him in the ass.
His legs crumpled as one of them landed on his back. Teeth snapped around his throat, crushing his windpipe. Clawed paws filled his vision as his face was pushed into the deep snow. He couldn’t tell who was suffocating the life from him. It didn’t matter. Dead was dead.
He couldn’t breathe. His limbs scrabbled, pushing uselessly at the snow. He’d failed Penny. They would catch her and tear her to pieces.
Someone yelped. Was it him? Couldn’t be—he couldn’t even draw breath.
The paws at his muzzle were replaced by black military boots and the pressure on Alistair’s throat was gone. He filled his burning lungs and coughed as his windpipe re-expanded.
Pallas’s ugly face filled his vision. “That a boy.” He patted Alistair’s head like a pet dog. “You’ll be fine.”
Chapter Twelve
A high-pitched whistle split the air and had the entire racing pack twisting to a halt.
Clare’s team crumpled mid-step and lay in the snow as if someone had flipped a switch off in their brains. Penny rushed to the closest wolf and sniffed. It still breathed and seemed…asleep.
From the dark emerged Pallas, Ian’s great, unconscious wolf form hung easily over his shoulder and Alistair was at his side. Her hunter’s throat was stained red with blood.
Her heart skipped a beat and she ran to his side and licked his neck to assess the extent of the wound.
Alistair stilled, lifting his chin so she could have easier access to the thick furry throat. His trust in her was warming. They weren’t even from the same pack yet he’d bare his weakest point without question to her sharp teeth.
No pulsing blood or deep gaps in his hide. She released a breath that she’d been holding. It was not a mortal wound. He’d been lucky or some part of Ian had been able to restrain his wolf enough not to kill her hunter. Either way, her relief weakened her knees.
Alistair nudged her muzzle with his own before doing his own assessment of her for injuries. She bumped his shoulder to let them know she was fine.
She finally turned her attention to Pallas’s retreating back as he approached Julia’s team, surrounded by unconscious wolves. Where had the vampire come from? The manor was in view in front of them. It had been their destination, but he’d seemed to arrive from behind their trail.
Oh, who cared? She was so tired and sore and everyone lived. Let the vampire be mysterious and weird. She trotted after him. They were finally safe and she had more pressing questions to ask him.
Like could she keep Alistair?
Ian and Clare had the power to deny anyone membership in their pack, but she doubted they would refuse her choice of mate. She wouldn’t ever ask anything of them but this. Pallas was the real problem. He owned the boot camp and the manor they lived in. This place was his territory. He owed her nothing and he wasn’t exactly empathetic, especially when it came to matters of the heart.
Pallas gestured to the fallen wolves. “Carry them to the manor,” he ordered without pausing to check if they were well. Julia and Darrell exchanged glances, then organized their team to do as ordered. The vampire marched home as if nothing unusual had happened.
A low growl rolled in Penny’s chest. They had almost died. How dare he act as if it didn’t matter? She ran ahead of Pallas and was surprised to find piles of clothes folded on the back porch of the manor, leading to the kitchen. She hesitated on the porch, front foot up, and sniffed. They belonged to the pack. She glanced over her shoulder at the growing figure of Pallas with Ian still slung over his shoulder. She found her garments among the folded piles and shifted to human form.
The vampire must have done this. There was no other explanation. He’d been expecting them. All this time she thought he’d been sitting by the fire, reading a book or whatever he did for relaxation. But it seemed like he’d been watching for their return.
She hated changing shape. Being in her wolf form was fine, nothing spectacular in her opinion. At least, not for the amount of suffering she had to endure to be her wolf. It was the pain she dreaded. All shifters had to deal with the discomfort, including her, but if she didn’t have to shift then she wouldn’t. Claws retracted into nail beds, leaving her fingertips burning. Joints popped and fur retreated, but the worst was the tail shrinking back into her spine. Her lower back ached awfully as she pulled on her jeans. With her tongue, she poked at her sore gums.
Pallas reached the bottom step of the porch, but was no longer carrying her alpha. “Penny.” He nodded. “Good to see you survived. Did your team retrieve their flag?”
She crossed her arms and blocked his path. “Are you kidding? We almost died in that storm and all you care about are the flags?”
He twisted and counted heads as the others passed them on the stairs, shifting and dressing. Alistair now stood at her back like a huge, protective shadow, his presence giving her more confidence.
The vampire looked confused. “Seems like everyone lived unless I counted wrong.” He quirked an eyebrow in her direction.
“No one died,” she shouted. “Would you be happier if someone had?”
He frowned. “I would be happier if someone gave me a flag from the mountain peak.” He climbed onto the porch and held out his hand but no one came forward. “Nobody? Three teams and no one reached the top?”
Alistair set his hand on her shoulder as if ready to hold her back if she attacked. She’d never be that stupid. Pallas would break her with a flick of his finger. “The storm was brutal. We’re flesh and blood creatures that can still freeze to death no matter what you believe.”
“But you didn’t.” Pallas’s gaze tracked over Penny’s pack. “There’s food in the fridge again. Go eat.” He stepped aside before being trampled and glanced aside at her. “Not eating?”
“I’m too angry.”
Sliding his hand under her elbow, Pallas guided her inside. “Alistair, can you bring the half cow I have stored in the freezer out to the barn where the sleeping shifters are being held? Ian and Clare will be waking soon and I don’t want another attempted massacre.”
“What did you do to them?” her hunter asked.
The vampire tapped his head. “Jedi mind trick.”
Penny snorted. He hadn’t been among them very long but was definitely adapting to their lingo. “You used your mind to make them sleep?”
“You can do that?” Alistair fell behind as he came to a stop. “My old pack associates with a lot of vampires. I have never heard of this ability.”
Pallas gave him a mysterious smile. “My clan is different.”
“How?” Alistair asked, his expression mystified and somewhat alarmed.
“We’re the first.” Pallas waved his hand, shooing Alistair to finish his task.
Penny did notice how Alistair had said his old pack. This loosened a knot in her gut. It sounded like he had subconsciously decided not to return to them.
The vampire guided her to his office in the basement and sat at his desk. “You don’t approve of this mission.”
“Of course not.”
“You’ve never objected before and those tasks were just as dangerous.”
She paced the length of his office. “We all failed this one.”
“No one failed.”
She twisted in her tracks. “Nobody reached the flags.” If they had all passed, then they all could remain at the boot camp. Nobody would be sent home. Including her.
“Retrieving the flags was an objective but not the true mission.” He steepled his fingers, elbows resting on the arms of his chair. “I had to push you to your limits. You specifically.”
She sank into the closest seat, which was an uncomfortable metal folding chair. “Me?”
He leaned forward. “Did you lead your team as I instructed?”
<
br /> She nodded, unable to speak.
“Alistair didn’t take command?”
“He tried.” She cleared her throat. “I didn’t let him.”
“Did you like leading?” He raised a nonexistent eyebrow.
“No, I hated it but I knew you picked me as a team leader for a reason.” She had listened to her inner voice and ignored her omega instincts for once.
“But you still did it and the others followed you, right? No one else tried to take over?”
“They followed me.” She still wasn’t sure where this conversation was going.
“Do you want to be an alpha one day?” He leaned back into his chair and it creaked under his solid weight.
“Never.” That would be against her nature. “I don’t like leading.” She enjoyed caring for her pack mates, not making decisions for them.
“Do you care where in the pack hierarchy you stand?”
“I’m omega.” She shrugged. “I’m at the bottom.”
“That’s what makes omegas special.” He grinned as if what he said was clear as mud.
She waited for him to continue explaining what he thought was obvious, but he was oblivious. “I don’t understand.”
His smile faded. “Omegas are the heart of the pack, Penny. That’s a really important role and it seems like one you’ve been ignoring. When someone is acting out of turn, like your alpha, they need to depend on someone, whose mind is clear of dominance, to speak out. Someone they can trust with the pack’s well-being.”
She rubbed her temples, a headache starting behind her eyes. “Alphas don’t listen to omegas.”
“Good alphas do. Ian and Clare will. It looks like Alistair will as well. You needed to find your voice and learn to speak out. Every pack needs at least one omega to keep them sane. The voice of reason that isn’t blinded by dominance lust. When an omega speaks out for the pack, a good alpha will listen.” Pallas sighed, a distant look in his eyes. “I wonder if that’s what has gone wrong with modern packs. So many things have changed.” He blinked as if coming awake and shifted his weight in the chair. “My elite team will need an omega.”
“I’m the only omega at the boot camp.”
“So I had to make sure you are the best.”
“Are you telling me this whole exercise was to teach me to stand up for myself and for the pack?” Nausea made her gut heavy. He had almost killed everyone. Most of the pack had gone feral. If it hadn’t been for Alistair, her team would have done the same.
She felt the blood drain from her face. Julia’s team would have frozen to death and everyone else feral to do damage to anyone who crossed their paths until they were well fed. The small town of Alberg was only a few miles away. What if they had wandered into it as a feral pack?
“You risked a lot of people’s lives. You’re a monster.” The accusation was out of her mouth before she could filter her words.
His fangs glinted in the artificial light as he grinned. “Remember this exercise and how close you came to losing your pack the next time you feel too meek to act.”
She sat stunned as things fell into place in her mind. All those terrible things could have happened but they hadn’t because of the little decisions she’d made following her omega heart. She wanted to vomit but there was nothing in her stomach. This was a lesson she’d never forget. Nor would she ever forgive Pallas for delivering it. The burden of such responsibility weighed heavily on her slight shoulders, but for her pack, she’d bear it.
Pallas tilted his head as if listening. “Come in,” he called out before anyone knocked. She hadn’t heard any footsteps so whoever was outside the office could move quietly when they wanted.
The door swung open and Alistair entered with two plates stacked high with sandwiches, cheese, and grapes. He set one in front of her. “You need to eat.”
She didn’t want food, but her wolf did. Unfortunately, the vampire had annihilated her appetite so she nibbled at some cheese.
Alistair pulled a chair next to hers and met the vampire’s obvious dislike of being interrupted. “Don’t mind me.” He shoved half a sandwich in his mouth and chewed.
How did he manage that without choking?
Rolling his eyes, Pallas watched her hunter for a moment longer. “I was explaining to Penny that she won the mission.”
Alistair swallowed his mouthful with effort. “But nobody retrieved their flags.”
“The true goal was to keep your team from going feral.” He turned his icy gaze on Penny. “I never doubted you. Did you doubt yourself?”
She set her cheese aside, her upset stomach worse. Last thing she wanted was to toss her cookies in front of these two men. “Of course I did. I don’t understand how you could believe that I could keep my team safe. Hello, look at me.” She had no misconception of herself. Her one true strength was being able to see through bullshit and that included her own.
“What are your thoughts on Penny’s performance, Alistair?” asked Pallas.
“I think Penny should eat more. She’s been through a lot.” Her hunter picked a grape from his plate and fed it to her. “I will admit to having doubts about her team reaching the flag. As to keeping her team from going feral? I wasn’t concerned. She had it under control.”
She swallowed the grape that tasted like saw dust. “You believed in me.” That was the best thing anyone had ever told her.
“You’re omega. You place the needs of the pack first.” His gaze softened at her clear confusion. “Look, the first thing you ordered me to do was hunt for your team. You could have ordered me to go for the flag by myself instead. You made sure they were fed, warm, and safe. Those were your priorities. If the other two teams had you, they never would have gone feral.”
“Exactly.” Pallas clapped once. He gave Alistair an appraising look. “You explained that well. Look what happened to the other teams. They came unglued without an omega.”
“But during the other exercises, there was only one omega. That didn’t make a difference.”
“The other missions weren’t as grueling, but I will point out that those who worked with you always came ahead, achieving their goals.”
“Oh…” Her heart suddenly felt lighter than it had in years and her chest swelled with—with what must be pride. “I did do a good job.” She grabbed Alistair’s hand. “With some help.”
He kissed her knuckles. “It was all you, babe. I was just muscle.”
Pallas’s gaze narrowed at the small exchange. “Can there not be a mission without copulating?”
Heat seared across Penny’s cheeks but Alistair’s grip on her hand didn’t lessen.
“Where’s the fun in that?” her hunter asked. He kissed her hand again. “Speaking of fun, what did you do to my car?”
Pallas’s eyes widened. “Your car is still parked outside.”
“Not the Porsche. The car I won in our bet. By your own admission, Penny achieved your goal and by default so does my team, and none of them quit.” Alistair bit into another sandwich, this bite much more manageable so she didn’t have to worry about the Heimlich.
“No flag, no deal.” Pallas’s tone was glacier. She could see frost forming on the walls.
“It’s a draw,” she shouted. The last thing she wanted with her taskmaster killing her new lover over a stupid car. “No car, no personal slave for a year.”
“The car is totaled anyway. Didn’t you just get it back from the garage?” It was like Alistair had a death wish. He just kept poking at the angry vampire waiting for him to sting.
She shoved the other half of Alistair’s sandwich in his mouth. “You’ll need your strength for tonight.” She answered his shocked expression.
He grinned around his sandwich, the shock melting to something more heated. He chewed with more vigor. She hadn’t meant it that way, but okay. She wasn’t opposed to the idea either.
Pallas made a disgusted noise. “I crashed the car in the snow storm and I don’t want to hear anything about karma.”
>
She hid her smirk behind a bite of her own sandwich, her appetite finally resurrecting.
“As the winner, Penny, what would you choose as your prize?” The vampire leaned back.
“I get a prize?”
“Since neither I or Alistair got one, somebody should. I’m pleased with you and feeling generous. It won’t last so pick quickly.”
She gave Alistair a side look.
“No.” Pallas shook his head.
“Yes,” she shot back.
“No,” he repeated.
“It’s my choice. It’s my prize.”
“I don’t want pets in my boot camp.”
She ran her fingers through Alistair’s hair. “He’s not a pet, but he’s mine.”
Alistair’s chewing slowed, his stare moving from her to Pallas then back again.
She fiddled with a few strands of his hair, unable to meet the vampire’s glare. If Pallas denied her, how could she stay if her heart was thrown out? She didn’t want to leave the boot camp, but she would if it meant staying with Alistair.
Pallas dropped his head into his hands. “I can’t believe you just thought that. This is why I’m not a generous person. Every time I try to be nice, I end up adopting another wolf.” He waved his hand for them to leave. “Go and take him with you. Make sure he follows the boot camp rules, but he bunks with the boys, not you.”
She jumped to her feet and raced around the desk to kiss Pallas on his bald head. “Thank you.” She then grabbed Alistair by the hand and led her confused hunter out of the basement.
Chapter Thirteen
Penny and Alistair bypassed the kitchen filled with hungry shifters snarfing down sandwiches. She gave a deliberate quiet exhale as she spotted Ian with Clare on his lap, both laughing at something Darrell said. No hard feelings about going feral seemed apparent. Pallas had stopped them in time.
She paused on the stairs and glanced at Alistair. “I thought they were locked in the barn.”
He shrugged. “When I arrived with the meat, they were already shifting back to human form. Whatever Pallas did snapped them out of being feral. Thought they’d rather eat with everyone else than raw beef, naked in the barn.”
Penny of the Paranormal: Shifter Romance (Vanguard Elite Book 4) Page 8
