by Jen L. Grey
"What the hell? I didn't do anything to any of you." I couldn't believe what was happening.
"It's nothing personal." Micah's eyes were filled with sadness.
"How is this not personal?" My rage was building inside me. "You've got my brother tied to a fucking tree?"
"It's all your fault because you’re making Liam lose focus. We can't have that right now. Not with what's going on." Simon took a deep breath and stilled. "He claimed you?"
It sounded like a question, but we all knew that it wasn't one. Liam's scent was now a part of me.
"Maybe we shouldn't do this." Micah shook his head. "But it's too late."
"No, it means she has to die. That's the only way to save the council and ensure we reign." Simon's eyes glowed. "Evan's dad, Mr. Rafferty, he told us that."
He was already calling on his wolf.
"But Liam will kill us." Micah shook his head and bit his bottom lip.
"We've worked too hard for it all." Simon's voice turned into a rasp as fur sprouted all over his body and his clothes ripped apart. "He will have to understand when he realizes everything that’s at stake."
"Mia, run." Max yelled the words, but I wasn't going to be able to leave him.
Simon didn't waste any time as he charged right at me.
I forced my shift, and his teeth sunk into my shoulder as soon as I was in wolf form. I'd never been in a fight before, so I had to let my instincts take over. I rolled over on the side he was attached to, throwing all of my weight on him.
He released his hold, and I rolled over on top of him, jumping back to my feet. Liam, I … I need you. I was about to learn whether he truly meant all those words he’d said to me.
What's going on? Liam's voice was full of concern.
Micah and Simon. They have my brother, and Simon is attacking me. I had to stop talking to him and focus on Simon. I'm in the woods behind the school.
I'm on my way. His voice was stone cold.
His tone was emotionless. I was afraid I’d made a mistake, asking him for help, but damn it all. This test of trust would tell me everything.
"Simon, I really don't think this is a good idea." Micah put both hands on his head. "I know what he said, but it can't be as bad as they're making it out to be."
Simon growled at Micah, but his focus never left me. He charged me again, this time going straight for my throat.
I stumbled back and ducked, his mouth just barely missed me. Shit! I had only fought with my brother, and I’d always purposely let him win. While the heirs were raised and trained for this very thing. If I survived tonight, it was going to be a miracle.
He stumbled a few steps, so I knew I had to strike now or never. I turned and jumped as my stomach roiled. I had never wanted to have to fight like this. My teeth caught the upper part of one of his forelegs, and instead of latching on, I thrashed through his skin, tearing it so it wouldn't easily heal.
A howl filled the air as he turned around and limped toward me. His amber eyes were full of hatred that seemed to make his sandy blond fur all the more menacing in the dusky light. "Mia, you need to go." My brother's voice was weak, but his panic made it more audible.
I wanted to say 'Do you really think I would leave you? You’re my brother,' but I couldn't. I could only speak to Liam this way. The bond with your mate was special, a unique type of magic meant for only fated. With your other pack members, you could only mind link with them in wolf form.
Simon bared his teeth with my blood still dripping from them and stared into my eyes.
This was it; I couldn't win. I had to do a lot more than fucking weight lift during endurance. However, I was up for an alpha match. We’ll see who looks away first. I kept his gaze, and his eyes began to twitch.
Not wanting to succumb to me, he jumped right at my body.
I stood up on my hind legs and used my front paws to push him away from me. Somehow, he hit the ground with a thud.
If I didn't take advantage now, there was no way I was going to be able to survive this. I ran over to him and growled, staring him down. I pawed at the ground, ready for him to charge.
As he slowly stood back up on his four legs, he ran toward me at full speed.
I charged him as well, and right before we were about to meet, I crouched down, causing him to land on my back. At the same time, I lifted my body up, making him crash into the ground once more. I turned around and dropped my body on him, making sure I dropped all my weight onto his injured leg. I desperately needed to injure him before he could take me down completely.
Micah just watched the fight go on before his eyes. It was a relief since I knew I couldn't take on both of them, especially at the same time.
Simon pressed his paws into the ground as he ran at me with his head lowered. Before I could react, he steamrolled me across the clearing and straight into a large tree trunk.
It felt like I'd been run over by a truck, but it was his pure alpha strength. I took a deep shaky breath, and a wolfish smile filled his face.
"Shit." Micah ran a hand through his hair. "I don't think this is the way to go. If Liam turns on us, there won't be a council. It's part of the oath after the overseer died. There has to be four, and they have to be the firstborn."
That was long enough to make Simon pause and glance at Micah, so I turned toward him, latching my teeth ever so slightly into his neck.
He tried pulling away, but I held firm, digging my teeth in even farther. The metallic taste of his blood coated my mouth.
He tried jerking away, but I wouldn't let him. He used his legs to try to kick me off, but I’d messed his shoulder up, so there wasn't much strength behind it.
I don't know how long we stayed that way, but soon I heard Liam's footsteps running in our direction.
Simon growled again as he jerked as if he was desperate to try again.
I growled and forced him onto the ground.
When Liam was less than a few seconds away, Simon must have felt it too because he finally stopped fighting. I let him go, ready for him to strike again. Though, he didn't. Instead, he limped over to Micah and shifted back to his human form.
Great, he and I both were going to be standing here naked. Despite that, I couldn't stay in animal form and talk to them.
As I released my human side, Liam stepped into the small clearing, and his eyes went straight to me. He took off his polo shirt and rushed to me. Once he’d covered me up, he inspected my shoulder, and his eyes turned to the scary navy blue. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"
"You know why we had to do it." Simon's neck still had my teeth marks in it, but it was already starting to heal. He grabbed his shoulder and arm that I had injured. "We can't be weak. But fuck, you bonded with her. Why would you do that?"
"Where's Evan? Is he coming in for a sneak attack?" Liam glanced around, expecting him to show up.
"That pussy refused to come." Simon shook his head.
Liam ran over to Simon and grabbed him by the throat. "I'm going to kill you."
"Liam, come on, man." Micah lifted both hands up. "We're only trying to protect the council."
"From what?" Did they realize how stupid they sounded? "From me?"
Even though Liam had him by the throat, Simon still couldn't shut the hell up.
Simon’s eyes locked on mine. “Even though it seems like the world revolves around you, it doesn’t. There is so much more going on that you have no fucking clue about."
"Are you sure it doesn’t?" Micah shook his head. “Right now, everything is going to hell, all because of her.”
"Don't ever talk to or touch her again." Liam's eyes glowed. His wolf was surging forward, and he tightened his hand around Simon’s throat. “Or I will end all of you.”
If I didn't do something, not only would this escalate and get out of hand, but my brother needed help. Power surged through me, and I could feel it flow from my every cell. "Liam, put him down."
Even Liam paused under my command, but his body
shook with rage.
What are you doing? Liam's voice was indifferent, but his anger flowed through our bond. He tried to kill you. This asshole is going to pay.
He isn’t worth losing yourself over. That’s the problem with you four. You think hurting someone makes you look badass and strong, but it doesn’t. Sometimes mercy is the strongest thing you can give someone. I took a deep breath. "I need you to let my brother go now."
"Like hell, we will!" Simon sneered at me.
"Fine, then I will." Liam shoved him so hard that Simon stumbled and fell on his naked ass.
There were some things I wished I could unsee.
"Let her brother go now!" Liam's voice was laced with alpha will.
"Gladly." Micah walked over to the tree and pulled out a small key. As he unclicked the lock, he shook his head. "I knew this was going to backfire."
"No shit!" Liam's face was a deep shade of red, and his body quivered. He was enraged.
"It’s like you’ve forgotten what’s at stake and are choosing to ruin all of our futures." Simon stood with both hands in the air. "We've always been aligned and ready to step into the council members’ seats. We can't do it if there is a group trying to overthrow us."
"She's in, and it’s final." Liam's shoulders tensed as he turned around and punched Simon in the face. "You either accept her or I'm out."
"What the hell?" Simon grabbed his eye as his face took on the shade of a tomato. "We all have something at stake."
I rushed over to my brother and pulled his arm around my shoulders. He leaned into my body.
"Let me make this crystal clear; she's mine and one of us now." Liam stared down both Simon and Micah. "You’d better come to terms with her being a part of us too. No one is breaking us apart. But if you ever pull shit like this again, I'll leave it all."
Silence filled the air, and after a few seconds, Simon lifted his chin. "So how are you going to handle us?" Simon narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms.
"He's not." I had to say something before Liam pushed even more of a wedge between them.
"See, listen to that bullshit." Simon pointed to me as he looked from Liam to Micah.
Mia, we can’t just walk away. Liam yanked Simon by the arm, his fingers digging into Simon’s skin. “What did I say about talking to her?”
"People make mistakes, and I'm more worried about getting my brother to the dorm. He needs to rest so he can heal." I took slow, purposeful steps since he was laying on my injured arm. I needed to distract Liam. “Can you help me, please?”
“This isn’t over.” He released Simon and came over, picking my brother up like a damsel in distress.
If Max wasn't in so much pain, I'd crack up right now.
"But I want to make something very clear." I stared straight into Simon's eyes as my wolf pushed forward. "If you ever hurt someone I love again, I won’t hold back. I’ll come at you with everything I have, and you’ll wish you were dead." I figured they would laugh, but neither one of them said a word. "Do you understand?"
"Yes." Both Simon and Micah said the word at the same time.
"Good." I caught up to Liam, and we headed to the dorm.
Within seconds, we were marching into Bree’s and my living room.
"Hey..." Bree's eyes lit up as she jumped from the couch, but when they landed on my brother, her mouth dropped. "Uh … Is he okay?"
"Yeah. Can you move?" Liam headed to the couch and laid Max on it. "Luckily, they are superficial wounds. He'll be fine, just needs to rest for his healing to kick start."
"What the hell happened?" She walked over and pulled me into her arms. "Oh my God." She pulled back and looked at me and then her brother. "I knew you'd claim each other."
"So that's why you lied and told Max I got home safe?" I couldn't keep the smile from my face.
"We have to look out for one another." Then she glanced back at Max. "Did they do this?"
"They did." Liam frowned.
"I told you things were getting out of control." Bree shook her head as she rubbed a hand down her face. "What are you all going to do? It's not going to get better."
My eyes met Liam's, and a smile spread across my face. They didn't know it yet, but there was a new heir in town. I was going to find out what exactly had happened to my father that night and why. Then, I planned to take back what was mine.
The End
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About the Author
Jen L. Grey is a USA Today Bestselling Author who writes Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Fantasy genres.
Jen lives in Tennessee with her husband, two daughters, and three miniature Australian Shepherd. Before she began writing, she was an avid reader and enjoyed being involved in the indie community. Her love for books eventually led her to writing. For more information, please visit her website and sign up for her newsletter.
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Also by Jen L. Grey
Wolf Moon Academy
Shadow Mate
Blood Legacy
Rising Fate
The Royal Heir Trilogy
Wolves’ Queen
Wolf Unleashed
Wolf’s Claim
Bloodshed Academy Trilogy
Year One
Year Two
Year Three
The Half-Breed Prison Duology (Same World As Bloodshed Academy)
Hunted
Cursed
The Artifact Reaper Series
Reaper: The Beginning
Reaper of Earth
Reaper of Wings
Reaper of Flames
Reaper of Water
Stones of Amaria (Shared World)
Kingdom of Storms
Kingdom of Shadows
Kingdom of Ruins
Kingdom of Fire
The Pearson Prophecy
Dawning Ascent
Enlightened Ascent
Reigning Ascent
Stand Alones
Death’s Angel
Rising Alpha
