“If I didn’t see Astrid survive being burned to a crisp when the mages attacked us at the Waldorf, I wouldn’t have believed it.” Women who were pregnant with their mate’s child were invulnerable, one of the few signs of a real True Mate pairing. “Too bad you missed it, since you were passed out in the bathroom.”
Adrianna stiffened at the mention of the failed ascension ceremony. They had nearly lost their lives when their enemies, the mages, had attacked. Her inner she-wolf, the animal she shared her body with, bristled with anger. It had wanted to attack, to protect them from the mages, but they had hit her with a confounding potion that knocked her out before she could even shift. Apparently, she and her twin, Lucas, were their main targets.
They told her she had been found in the ladies’ room at the Waldorf Astoria after the attack. She couldn’t remember how she got there, but since then, she’d been plagued by dreams of that night. A shiver ran down her spine.
Every night for the past two weeks, she would go to sleep, waiting for the dreams to come. She was sure they did, but as soon as she woke up, they seemed to fade away leaving only small bits like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle coming together to form one picture. A flash of silver. Dark whorls of ink over muscled, taut skin. The image of a bird. A delicious vanilla scent. And last night, it was cobalt blue eyes staring back at her with a heat that made her skin burn.
Her wolf whined at the memory. Whined with what? It felt like a deep-seated need, a longing she couldn’t place. Her wolf, normally pleasant and placated, had been antsy since for some reason. It was restless and clawed at her, begging to be let out. She snorted at the thought. Let out in the middle of the city? No way. Lycans weren’t allowed to shift around humans. It was too risky.
“Hello, earth to Adrianna?”
Julianna waved a hand in front of her face and she snapped out of the trance. “Yes?”
“Jeez, you’re such a head case. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Have you seen Lucas?” she asked, changing the subject.
“He’s fine,” Julianna replied. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how this must be affecting you two, being twins and all.”
The attack at the ascension ball wasn’t the first time the mages had struck. It was actually the second, which was why their parents decided it would be best if she and Lucas weren’t in the same place at the same time. At first, it seemed easy enough. It’s not like she and her brother were joined at the hip, but to actively avoid each other was different. Sure, they could always call and message each other, but it was different not being able to just have dinner or lunch together, or even to ride in the same car to work. He’d even had to move out of The Enclave and was staying at one of the brownstones their family owned on the Upper West Side.
“I miss him.” It had been a tough choice between who would attend the wedding tonight as Zac had been a close friend to both of them growing up. Lucas deferred to his sister, and Zac understood the situation.
“I know. He misses you too,” Julianna said in a somber voice. “But I came over here because Mama wants to talk to you about something important.”
Adrianna bristled. “Now?”
Her sister shrugged. “Hey, I’m just the messenger. Let’s go, before she comes over here and drags us away.”
“Right.”
While she followed Julianna as they weaved their way across the reception area, Adrianna couldn’t help but feel like someone was watching her. She turned her head but didn’t see anyone in particular looking her way. She shrugged it off and continued to make her way toward her mother. Francesca “Frankie” Anderson was talking to a group of guests, but when she spied her daughters, quickly excused herself from the conversation.
“Come with me,” she said, leading them away from the main reception area. They walked out of the conservatory and into the main building where Frankie ushered them into a small room. “The manager was nice enough to lend me her office so we could have some privacy.”
“We really couldn’t have talked at work?” Adrianna tried not to sound too annoyed. “Or at The Enclave? You know I’m only in the next building over.”
“It’s not like I haven’t been trying to get ahold of you, Adrianna,” Frankie retorted. “You seem to be having trouble returning my messages and calls lately.”
“I’ve been busy,” she said defensively.
Frankie sighed. “Look, let’s not beat around the bush. You know this has been coming for a long time. Ascension ceremony aside, you must take your place as Alpha of New Jersey. Which means you need to actually live there. It’s your duty. Your right.”
She bit her tongue, not wanting to say what was really on her mind. The truth that would hurt Frankie so much. That she just didn’t want the position and was perfectly fine with her life. Her job as President of Muccino International was fulfilling, and she loved managing their worldwide chain of restaurants. Her life was here in New York, not in New Jersey.
Unfortunately, she came from a long line of female Alphas or Lupas. The New Jersey clan was matriarchal, one of the few in the world. Her mother was Lupa in her own right, as was her mother before her, and her mother before that. Being Frankie’s oldest daughter, she was next in line, and her mother’s impending retirement meant she would be Alpha sooner rather than later.
“You’ve ruled as Alpha from New York for most of your life,” Adrianna pointed out. “Why can’t we keep doing the same thing? The open border policy between the two territories has always worked.”
Lycan territories were clearly delineated, and members of one clan couldn’t simply cross over to the other unless they had express permission. But, since Grant Anderson, Alpha of New York, and Frankie Muccino, Alpha of New Jersey, were married over thirty years ago, they had declared that New York and New Jersey Lycans could freely travel back and forth between the two territories.
“It used to work,” Frankie said. “But we can’t take chances. Not anymore.”
“Why not?” Adrianna felt that famous Italian temper rise in her. She was still her mother’s daughter after all. “Why can’t I just rule from here? Or why do you even want to retire? Just because Papa is giving up his position as Alpha doesn’t mean you have to as well.”
Frankie let out a deep breath. “You don’t understand. Things are different now. Especially with the threat of the mages. We can’t let them win.”
Her mother’s voice faltered and for a moment, she saw something she’d never witnessed—her strong, tough-as-nails mother looked truly distressed. She had every right to be, of course; the mages, their mortal enemies, had nearly wiped them out back in the day. The Lycans fought and won, but they’d still lost many good people.
She reached over to take Frankie’s hand in hers. “We won’t let them, Mama.” Sucking in a deep breath, she let the air fill her lungs, then blew out the breath to release the tension building in her body. “I promise. But you also need to tell me what’s going on.”
“I’m not just going to throw you to the proverbial wolves, you know,” Frankie replied. “But I’ve also been finding out about things happening in our territory.”
“What things?”
Frankie’s face fell. “You know I love your father very much. And all of you. So much so that I couldn’t bear to just leave you to be raised here in New York while I stayed in New Jersey or force you to be apart from him and Lucas. That’s why we had that open border policy which allowed me to be Alpha of New Jersey even while I lived here. But it seems certain forces have been taking advantage of my absence.”
“What forces?” This time, it was Julianna who asked the question.
Her mother’s brows furrowed together. “A group of Lycans have been banding together in our territory, forming their own organized group. According to my sources, they call themselves The Family.”
Adrianna raised a brow. “And you didn’t know about any of this?”
“I had heard of them,” Frankie said. “But they didn’t seem significant
at the time. Frankly, New Jersey’s population isn’t really that big, and they managed to stay out of trouble. However, it seems their influence has grown in the last decade or so.”
Something told her this wasn’t going to be a fun conversation, but she had to know what she was about to get herself into. “What exactly have they been up to?”
Frankie’s brows knitted together. “Illegal gambling. Larceny. Bribing officials. Kickbacks from road construction. Loan sharking. Extortion. Racketeering.” Frankie looked distraught. “They’ve managed to stay under the radar of the human authorities thanks to bribes and connections. The Lycan High Council has turned a blind eye because they haven’t directly harmed anyone or done anything to expose us to the rest of the world.”
Julianna placed her hands on her hips. “So what you’re saying is, the mob has taken over New Jersey?”
“I don’t know what to say.” Their mother’s shoulders sank and the lines on her face deepened. “As long as they didn’t hurt anyone, I thought it was fine. They’ve also done some good in the community, both human and Lycan. They’ve been known to do charity work and help people during times of disaster, like those hurricanes that devastated the shore.”
“Classic organized crime whitewashing tactic,” Julianna huffed. “You know, Al Capone established a soup kitchen during the Great Depression, right? And the Yakuza helped clean up that nuclear disaster in Japan.”
Adrianna glared at her sister. It was obvious their mother knew she had let things get out of hand, but there was no need to pile it on. Besides, what they needed were solutions, not blame. “What are we going to do about this?”
“I’m glad you asked,” Frankie said. “Because we will be meeting the head of The Family tomorrow. His name is Anatoli Corvinus.”
Adrianna’s jaw dropped. “What?”
“I’ve reached out to him, and he’s agreed to a meeting. And I’m going to lay down the law.” Her mother’s lips curled up into a smirk. “I mean, I’m still his Alpha, and he will have to obey me. And you, Adrianna, once you’ve ascended to Alpha.”
Julianna let out a huff. “Do you really think someone who has amassed great power would just roll over and do what you tell him?”
“He has no choice,” Frankie said. “He can obey me or get out of my territory.”
“I have a feeling it won’t be that simple.” She didn’t want to say it out loud, but her sister had a point.
“That’s why you need to establish yourself as rightful Alpha,” Frankie said. “Consolidate and build your power. The first thing we’re going to do is have you establish your own Lycan security force. I’ve already sent out feelers that we’re looking for candidates. We’ll make it official as soon as we can, no need for fancy balls or ceremonies.”
“I want to help,” Julianna said. “I’ve been part of the New York Lycan Security Force for six years. And I’ve been trained by the best.”
Frankie smiled at her middle daughter. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
“This could be a new era for our clan. We could make things better and get rid of those scumbags.” For once during this entire conversation, Julianna actually sounded optimistic.
“New Jersey has always been led by the strongest women in our family,” Frankie stated. “And we will work together to keep our legacy.”
Adrianna looked from her mother to her sister and knew her fate was sealed. It still felt unfair, this whole deal. She hadn’t asked to be Alpha. Didn’t want to be Alpha. But if she were honest with herself, she knew the real reason why she was so apprehensive. She didn’t know if she could be Alpha. Doubt crept into her mind all the time. It seemed so far away, the possibility of her even becoming Alpha so young hadn’t even entered her thoughts. Her mother announcing her retirement had surprised everyone, most of all her. She didn’t feel prepared. Not at all.
She swallowed the lump in her throat and ignored the butterflies in her stomach. “All right. Where do we begin?”
Chapter Two
What am I doing here?
Darius asked himself this question a lot recently. As he waited outside The Enclave for her to leave to start her day. As he discreetly followed her car to her downtown office. As he sat in his own vehicle, staking out her place of work, anticipating when he’d see her next.
Each time, he told himself, would be the last. However, when he found himself with free time—and even if he didn’t—he drove into the city, waiting for her to emerge from her home or workplace, following her like a lost puppy. It was like he was unable to control the need to see her, even from a distance. It was torturous almost, to watch her from afar, never being able to get too close.
And now he risked being detected by infiltrating another formal occasion, and this time, without an invitation. He had managed to sneak in while the catering staff was switching the space from the ceremony to the reception. It was easy enough with all the activity going on, and it was obvious that the Lycan guards were searching for intruders who were not of their kind. The New York Lycan Security Team was supposedly the best in the world, but they were spread too thin. In fact, these past two weeks, Darius had evaded their notice. While he should be proud of such an achievement, it only angered him knowing that those tasked to protect the Alphas were so incompetent and that Adrianna was being left so vulnerable.
“Excuse me. Do I know you?”
Darius turned around, staring down at the man who dared intrude into his personal space. His inner wolf growled, but he tamped down the animal’s irritation. Realizing who the man was, he knew there was only one thing he could do. “No,” he answered quickly. “You don’t.” He pivoted on his heel and headed toward the exit.
The elevator would be faster but physical exertion could help soothe his agitated wolf, so he chose the stairs, taking them two at a time as he made his way down from the rooftop level to the ground floor.
He didn’t want to leave the wedding reception. His wolf didn’t want to leave. But seeing as the groom himself spotted him, it would soon become obvious that Darius was a gatecrasher. He had to leave now.
He picked up his pace as he burst through the exit door. Instead of heading to his parked car two blocks away, he found a shadowy spot across the street and hid himself in the darkness. The snow continued to swirl around him, but the chill he felt was brief as his Lycan blood quickly adjusted to the temperature.
From his vantage point, he could clearly see who came in and out of the nondescript Brooklyn warehouse. He had prepared himself for the long wait; the revelry was in full swing after all. Which was why he was surprised when he spotted her and another woman leaving the building not even half an hour after he’d left.
Adrianna Anderson held her wool coat tight around her as she stood under the small awning covering the main entrance of the warehouse. The woman beside her looked around impatiently before she turned her gaze straight ahead—right where he was standing. For a second, he feared he had been discovered. However, she looked away when the black town car stopped in front of them. She opened the door and got inside, Adrianna right behind her.
He didn’t wait for the car to pull away before he made his way to where he had parked his vehicle. The town car would most likely be headed back to The Enclave. He was already plotting out his route so he could catch up with them when his phone began to vibrate in his pocket.
“Yes?” he answered impatiently.
“Darius,” came the gruff voice of Alexandru, head enforcer of The Family and technically, his superior. “Where are you?”
“In Brooklyn. On business.” The Family had lots of business across New Jersey and New York, so it wasn’t out of the question that he could be in Brooklyn.
“Finish up and come home. Now.”
That did not sound like a request, and he knew better than to think it was. “Of course. I’m on my way.” He put the phone back into his jacket pocket. He glanced across the street. The town car was long gone now. Even if he caught up, The Enclave was the op
posite direction of where he needed to be. His wolf urged him to follow her, but he just couldn’t. He needed to go back home.
“Home” or the closest thing to a home Darius had, was a small town in the middle of nowhere in New Jersey. Wakefield was a three-hour drive from Manhattan, in the midst of the industrial section of the Garden State. It was the perfect place to stay hidden while still being close enough to where the action happened. As he approached The Family’s compound, the large metal doors swung open, allowing him to enter and head straight for the parking garage.
Alexandru was already there next to his usual spot, his face stony and serious. But he wasn’t alone. Darius let out a snort of irritation when he saw who else was waiting for him when he pulled in.
“Hello, Darius,” came the low, seductive voice that greeted him as he got out of the vehicle.
“Mila.” He nodded toward the female Lycan in acknowledgment and nothing more. He turned to Alexandru. “Is he in his office?”
“Yes.” The enforcer cocked his head toward the door. “We should go now.”
Mila pouted, her red-painted lips pulling down at the corners. “When are you going to give me a ride in your car?” Her nails, which matched her lipstick, scraped down the hood as she approached him.
Darius lived a spartan life, in a single, sparsely furnished room in the compound. However, the shiny, steel gray Dodge Charger was his prized possession. It was the one thing he owned that was of any value, and his first purchase when his share of the business was large enough. It took the dealer a while to track down the exact color, but it was worth it. It had been the fulfillment of a promise, the American dream his father had sold to them before leaving his family in that poor village.
“Well?” Mila said impatiently. “Are you going to do it?”
“What?”
“Give me a ride?” Her hand reached out to touch his chest, her nails like talons as they came upon him.
He didn’t miss her wicked smile or the sensuous tone of her voice. Letting out an impatient grunt, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her away. “Perhaps another time. Anatoli is waiting for me.”
Claiming the Alpha Page 2
