ã€ŠEmbracing the Wolf (Anna Avery #2)ã€‹


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    Chapter One

    I leaned against the banister at the back of the deck. Adam stood at the front, our pack in the middle, listening to his every word. An easy smile fell across my lips as I stared at my Chante. His shaggy blonde hair brushed his jaw as he moved his head with his speech. Strong arms cut through the air as he gestured with his hands. Our pack hung on his every word, and so did I. He captivated me, and not just with his announcement about a scheduled summit. Adam was my other half, my soul mate¡ªmy Chante. Every fiber of my being had been designed just for him, as well as he had been for me. As a girl who never kept a boyfriend longer than two weeks, all of this was new to me. I had been thrust into not just a relationship, but also a union. Our bonding tied us together and left me highly aware of his presence. The odd thing was, I wasn¡¯t afraid of it. When I looked at Adam, I felt three things: pride, lust, and love¡ªnot necessarily in that order.Advertisement

    ¡°¡­ to train Anna ¡­¡± His words cut through my mind like a blade, severing all thoughts of love and lust. I snapped to attention and listened to what he was saying.

    ¡°As my Chante, people will use us against each other. All of you will participate in helping me train your alpha female.¡±

    Alpha female. I couldn¡¯t forget how I earned that title. After Adam killed his previous mate while defending me, I took her place. It¡¯s not as bad as it sounds. I am not a home wrecker by any means. Eve was a psychotic bitch who had a taste for human flesh and blood. She tried, and failed, to pin the murders on me. When that didn¡¯t pan out, she and Adam¡¯s brother, Anthony, kidnapped me. Long story short, Eve was dead, and because Adam and I are bonded, I am the new alpha female. The ceremony is scheduled to take place in two days. Each one of my pack members respected me, but I didn¡¯t feel like I deserved it. I was not a purebred like alphas are supposed to be, and I didn¡¯t earn the title. As a werewolf for only five months, I didn¡¯t feel like I put in my dues to be at the top of the pecking order. The most I could do was work at earning my place every day. I wanted my pack to respect me because I had earned it and not because of whom I was bonded to. Adam is purebred and alpha material through and through. Me? Not so much.

    ¡°Meeting adjourned,¡± Adam said. A tingle burst through my veins and his eyes found mine. My wolf quivered, a low growl vibrating through my bones. I watched Adam cut through the pack and stalk toward me. His azure eyes pinned me in my place and promised naughty things. I hoped my brown ones were conveying the same message.

    When he reached me, he rested his hands on either side of the deck¡¯s railing and leaned forward, trapping my body. I watched his mouth slowly come closer, but he did not kiss me.

    ¡°You know,¡± he said, his breath hot against my lips. ¡°As my mate, your place is by my side, not hiding back here.¡±

    Adam had asked me multiple times to stand up front with him when he had meetings. And each time I opted for watching from afar.

    ¡°But you handle them so eloquently,¡± I told him with a small smile. ¡°I would only distract from that.¡±

    ¡°The only thing you¡¯re distracting is my concentration. All my eyes wanted to focus on were the curves of your body.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Adam agreed. ¡°It¡¯s a constant battle: give the pack my undivided attention or imagine the swell of your breasts. If you stood beside me, you would be out of my line of sight and make things a lot easier on me.¡±

    ¡°I had no idea how difficult this was on you,¡± I said with mock sincerity. ¡°It¡¯s only fair, as your Chante, that I put you out of your misery. Next meeting I will take my place up front.¡±

    Adam grinned. ¡°That¡¯s all I¡¯m asking.¡± He pressed a quick kiss to my lips before Joe called his name, and he headed off to take care of whatever business had popped up.

    I was learning that the life as an alpha wasn¡¯t easy. Adam was busy seventy percent of the time with pack business. But I had found stuff to fill my time. I had turned Elle into my sparring partner. After fighting with Eve¡ªand learning Adam and I were each other¡¯s weaknesses¡ªI knew I had to learn to fight. I wanted Adam to be confident in my ability to take care of myself. Should another uprising occur, I would be an asset instead of a liability. Aside from learning to fight, I was also training with Wade. He thought I could be a seer, and I was starting to agree with him. While dealing with Eve, I¡¯d had visions of the past. At the time, we thought it was because she was the one who turned me, and our connection linked us. It was farfetched, but not impossible. However, even after Eve¡¯s death, the visions happened three other times.

    ¡°You ready?¡± Elle asked. Her long copper hair was pulled up in a high ponytail. The sprinkle of freckles over her nose darkened with her tan, and her wide green eyes caught the sunlight and sparkled like emeralds.

    ¡°I¡¯m always ready to have my ass handed to me,¡± I half joked. Elle was a skilled fighter, and it was the reason I chose her for my teacher. The other wolves would help me out, but they were too afraid to hurt me so they held back. Either Adam had warned them to take it easy, or it was their wolves recognizing me as their alpha female, and they didn¡¯t want to hurt me. I needed someone who wasn¡¯t afraid to give me everything they had, and that someone was Elle.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Elle said. ¡°You¡¯re better than you think.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your fabulous teaching skills, sensei.¡±

    Elle laughed. ¡°Come on, young grasshopper.¡±

    We headed down the steps of the back deck. There was a large clearing lined by tall pine and birch trees. Our normal spot was a meadow through the forest, but Adam was gone, so he couldn¡¯t stop us. He was a little over protective of me. It was understandable, but also annoying.

    When I stopped walking Elle smiled and quirked an eyebrow. Though she respected Adam as her alpha, she also liked breaking the rules. She knew he may come down hard on her, but she would leave with her throat intact.

    She began undressing, and I did the same. I could change fully clothed, but I was fond of the capris I was wearing, and if I changed in them, they would be shredded. Though I didn¡¯t care for the lingering looks of my pack mates, I was losing my shyness at the prospect of nudity. That didn¡¯t mean I would traipse around in my birthday suit on a daily basis, but for moments like these, it was okay. Besides, I was the alpha¡¯s mate. If any wolf came sniffing in my direction it would be the last thing he ever did.

    My wolf came to the forefront of my mind. She was anxious and excited to be released. Her power rushed through my veins like a tidal wave, giving me a boost of energy. My skin stretched as my bones contorted and rearranged themselves. White fur began to grow on my arms as my nails lengthened and sharpened like daggers. I fell to my knees, my hands spaced in front of me as the beast overtook my body. Within seconds, my wolf emerged, and she was ready to spar with the ruddy wolf in front of her.

    Whoops and hollers sounded from the deck, causing me to take my focus off Elle. She chose that moment to pounce. She hit my ribs, and I went sailing across the hard ground. I shot up in a fury, a growl ripping through my throat. Elle¡¯s eyes glistened liquid copper as she waited for me to make my move. I circled her, looking for a clear opening. The first to get their teeth around the jugular was the winner. So far, the scoreboard read: Elle-5, Anna-3. I lunged forward, taking Elle¡¯s tail in my teeth and shaking my head back and forth. She snarled and whipped around just how I wanted her to. I used the movement to my advantage and ran for her other side. By the time she realized I wasn¡¯t behind her anymore, it was too late. I tackled her onto her back, and together we rolled down the small incline of the yard in a ball of snarls, teeth, and claws. Her tooth scraped against my muzzle, causing a searing burn in its wake. I snapped my jaws at her as I tried to reach her throat, but her paw connected with my gut and knocked the wind out of my lungs. Elle sprang up, and I did the same. We regarded each other as we circled one another. My wolf was giddy with the excitement of the fight. She dug her claws into the hard earth as she charged toward Elle. Elle went down without so much as a fight. She didn¡¯t move or even snarl, even after I began biting her ear to prod her. My wolf didn¡¯t care, she struck for the throat, applying enough pressure to subdue, but not hurt. When Elle began to whimper I began to worry I had really hurt her. I shifted back in a snap. My wolf disintegrated back within me and left me my old nude self.

    ¡°Elle, are you all right?¡± I pet her fur, searching for an injury that would explain her lethargic state. A throat cleared behind me. I shot up, whirled around, and came face to face with Adam and an older couple. The man had salt and pepper hair with deep-set green eyes and a roadmap of wrinkles across his face. His thin lips were set in a hard, disapproving line. The woman standing next to him watched me as though I were nothing more than a stain discoloring her favorite Chanel blouse. Her blonde hair was twisted up, and not a single piece dared escape its hold. Her right eyebrow crawled up her forehead as her steely blue eyes observed me with distasteful scrutiny. Both of them exuded power. Their presence demanded respect and caused my wolf to whimper in response. The excitement from the fight dissipated and left her nervous. Her instincts to bare her stomach soaked through me and had me on the verge of rolling onto the ground. Something told me that if I did that, it would only lower their impression of me¡ªif that was possible. I knew who this pair was before Adam even spoke.

    ¡°Anna, I would like to introduce you to Maggie and Donald¡ªmy parents.¡±

    Chapter Two

    I walked into the living room to meet Adam¡¯s parents ¡­ after getting dressed, of course. You¡¯d never be able to tell that a fight broke out in here just a couple weeks ago. Adam had his construction crew on the job non-stop and their efforts had paid off. When I returned home from fighting with Eve, the house had been in near shambles. The drywall was busted and crumbling on the floor, and the television had been thrown through the window and broken to pieces on the front lawn. Now, though, everything looked as pristine as Maggie Everwood¡¯s cream dress and coiffed hair.

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    Adam stood up when I entered the room, coming to me to place a hand on the small of my back. We shared a look before he turned me toward his parents and introduced me.Advertisement

    ¡°Mom and Dad, this is Anna Avery,¡± Adam said. ¡°My Chante.¡±

    Maggie and Donald shared their own look, one that would make a cobra cower in the corner. Internally, my wolf twisted with anxiety, causing my palms to sweat and my heart to race. Like the fictitious cobra, she too wanted to cower. I made brief eye contact with the pair before looking at the ground. I didn¡¯t think these two would appreciate my ability to withstand their alpha gazes. And something told me Mrs. Everwood would take it as a challenge and gladly put me in my place.

    ¡°And what of Eve?¡± Maggie questioned, ignoring me completely.

    ¡°Eve was sent to her father in Montana for burial,¡± Adam replied. He squeezed my hand and gave me an apologetic smile. ¡°It is only out of my respect for him that I returned her to her home. She didn¡¯t deserve an honorable burial.¡±

    Maggie gasped as though Adam had just punched her in the stomach, and Donald¡¯s jaw tightened. His power rolled off him and slapped me in face. I could feel my wolf whimpering inside me. Taking a deep breath, I shrugged off the effects of his influence. I hadn¡¯t let Adam¡¯s alpha status intimidate me, and I wouldn¡¯t allow his parents to either.

    ¡°We need to speak to you alone,¡± Donald said. His eyes graced my face before he stared hard at his son.

    ¡°Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of Anna.¡±

    ¡°I do not wish to include her in our affairs,¡± Donald said.

    Adam was about to respond when I spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I said. ¡°I need to speak with Wade any way.¡± I squeezed his hand one last time before turning and leaving the room. Truth was, I was just as happy to leave as Mr. and Mrs. Everwood were to get rid of me. I leaned against the interior wall of the kitchen and took a deep breath. Regardless of meeting my boyfriend¡¯s parents in the nude, they wouldn¡¯t have liked me had I been dressed to the nines.

    ¡°I find it insulting that you¡¯re parading that mutt around and treating her as your equal.¡±

    Maggie¡¯s voice filtered through the kitchen and stung my ears. I cringed, but couldn¡¯t move from my vantage point. I needed to hear what they had to say about me. Call me a glutton for punishment, if you will. I knew whatever came out of their mouths would hurt, but that didn¡¯t stop me from leaning in closer to capture the tiniest of whispers.

    ¡°Mother, I advise you not to come into my home and insult my mate. She is more of my equal than Eve ever was.¡±

    ¡°Adam, do not speak to your mother in that tone,¡± Donald said. ¡°Anna is a made wolf, and therefore not acceptable to be an alpha¡¯s mate. Do you have any idea how much money I had to pay Eve¡¯s father for your betrayal?¡±

    ¡°My betrayal?¡± Adam asked with surprise. ¡°I never asked you to pay him off. And what of Eve¡¯s killings? I suppose we¡¯re to overlook those, simply because she was an alpha? Had we not stopped her, our secret would have been revealed to the humans. And let¡¯s not forget, Anthony was involved. My own flesh and blood mauling humans, yet you look down your noses at Anna.¡±

    The room grew quiet for a moment. ¡°We know that your brother was involved, and when he arrives for the conference, we¡¯ll be sure to talk to him,¡± Maggie said. ¡°As for Eve, it was your responsibility, as her mate, to get her help. Instead, you shack up with some underling and convince yourself that she¡¯d make a good mate. You¡¯ll make us the laughing stock of the packs.¡±

    ¡°You know eavesdropping is childish, right?¡±

    I whirled around to find Wade leaning against the counter. I had been so wrapped up in Adam¡¯s conversation that I hadn¡¯t even heard him come in. He cocked his buzzed head to the side and smirked at me.

    ¡°What?¡± I said with innocence. ¡°They¡¯re talking shit about me. I think I have the right to hear what they¡¯re saying.¡±

    Wade¡¯s eyes slid from my face to the opening of the living room. ¡°What did you expect? Alphas never mate with anything other than other purebreds.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well it¡¯s stupid. What does being a purebred have to do with me loving their son or being loyal to my pack¡ªboth of which I take very seriously?¡± I walked over to the fridge and retrieved a soda. The large window above the sink gave me a clear view of the back yard. Elle was helping Chelsea transform. The first couple weeks of being a werewolf could be scary and painful. Adam had made me change repeatedly until the snapping of bone and thickening of muscle was only a dull ache.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with you and Chelsea?¡± I looked away from the window and toward Wade. He was sitting at the kitchen table flipping through a magazine. I suspected he was sweet on our new addition, and she was the reason why he stayed behind when the other Leaders left.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He looked up from the page he¡¯d been reading.

    ¡°You like her, right?¡± When Wade ignored my question and started reading again I stared back out the window. I had met Chelsea in high school and lost touch with her when everyone else went off to college and I stayed in Wyoming. It was pure coincidence that we ran into her at Wal-Mart. I still felt bad that, because of me, Eve had targeted her and turned her. But I was also a firm believer in fate, and maybe Chelsea was destined to be one of our pack all along.

    ¡°You better snatch her up before one of the others do,¡± I laughed through my nose.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Wade said.

    ¡°What makes you think that?¡±

    Wade looked up, a grin sliding across his mouth. ¡°I made sure of it.¡±

    I smiled wide. ¡°I knew you had a thing for her.¡±

    Wade stood up. ¡°Come on. We have training to do.¡±

    Downtown Buffalo left a lot to be desired. It was mainly filled with hunting, fishing, and antique stores¡ªone strip of road with shabby boutiques on either side. Wade and I had been going to various thrift shops for my training sessions. At first nothing happened. I would pick up an old antique and feel nothing but the dust that had settled on the item. After a week of doing this, something sparked, and I was able to deduce the past of the item. I was my own personal time machine¡ªable to get a glimpse into the past and see what occurred. It didn¡¯t happen every time, though. Sometimes, no matter how hard I concentrated or connected with the item, it would not speak to me.

    ¡°When is everyone arriving?¡± I asked as I slipped down a small aisle between tables. Knick-knacks rested on either side of me, but nothing caught my attention. If I was going to see into the past, then I wanted something exciting. Something told me picking up a vintage coffee cup wouldn¡¯t produce an adventurous vision.

    ¡°They should start arriving any day. Some maybe as early as tonight,¡± Wade said as his eyes roamed over the cluttered tables.

    ¡°And what happens at these conferences?¡± I asked. ¡°They¡¯re every year?¡±

    Wade stuffed his hands in the pockets of his green canvas coat and bobbed his head. ¡°Yeah, every year. It¡¯s a way for packs to mingle and talk business. It¡¯s also a great way to find mates and join packs together. There are games ¡­ of sorts.¡±

    I instantly thought of Elle and Sawyer. Nothing would make me happier than to see them mated. Sawyer had kept his distance from me, only speaking to me when I spoke to him.

    ¡°What kind of games?¡± I picked up a vintage cigarette case. It was made out of pewter and tarnished with age. Floral filigree was embossed on the front. I pushed the snap button that opened it. I imagined some swanky woman from old money had owned it. Maybe she had kept it in her garter belt for safekeeping.

    ¡°Gettin¡¯ anything?¡±

    I looked up at Wade and then back down at the case. ¡°No,¡± I told him. ¡°I don¡¯t know why it works some times and it doesn¡¯t others.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still learning. It¡¯ll get easier in time,¡± Wade reassured me. ¡°As for the games ¡­ they¡¯re the usual sort: fights and hunts. They are more competition than for fun. Just another way for the wolves to boast about their pack.¡±

    ¡°Have you known other seers?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve met all sorts,¡± Wade said. ¡°We don¡¯t know why some wolves are capable of magic, while others are not. Seers are rare, but there are a couple I¡¯ve met.¡±

    I perked up a little. ¡°Will they be at the conference?¡±

    Wade thought for a moment. ¡°Nadia might,¡± he said. ¡°Last time I saw her she was staying with the Utah pack, but if she moved past the borders then no.¡±

    In our world, the packs were divided up by territories. Ours was the Western territory, and then there are the Central and East regions. We did our thing, and they did theirs. The Leaders patrolled all of the packs. I eyed Wade as he studied the contents on the tables. A life of traveling all the time didn¡¯t seem all that fun. I liked having a home where I could settle down. Wade and the other Leaders stayed with various packs or lived out of hotels.

    ¡°How long have you been a Leader?¡±

    Wade looked up at me and noticed I¡¯d been staring at him. ¡°A few years. When my father died, I took his place,¡± he shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s what I was born to do.¡±

    I got the impression he didn¡¯t want to talk about it, so I dropped it. I set the cigarette case back down and walked farther down the aisle. A rack of vintage clothing rested against the far wall. A long, flowing white wedding gown was protected behind plastic. I unzipped the bag and ran my fingers along the tattered lace. Spots began to dance within my vision. The thrift store slowly faded as a vision stepped into view. I saw a large park full of green grass and blossoming trees. An arch decorated with pink and white flowers stood at the front of a long aisle. White chairs were set up on both sides and full of excited family and friends. I looked down to find the white dress. It squeezed my ribs and made it hard to breathe. An older gentleman was standing beside me, my hand placed in the crook of his arm. My eyes traveled the aisle to find a younger man waiting for me. His shaggy brown hair brushed the collar of his tux. His eyes widened the slightest bit as he stared down at me.

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    And just like that, the vision vanished. The thrift store came rushing back, and I had to grab onto the rack of clothing to steady my wobbly legs. As my eyesight came into focus, my stomach rolled with queasiness.Advertisement

    ¡°What was it this time?¡± Wade asked, walking over to me. He braced a hand on my shoulder and cocked his head to the side to see my face. My blonde hair curtained my face as I hung my head.

    ¡°A wedding,¡± I told him. I sucked in a lungful of air to ease the adrenaline¡ªand my wolf. She always got antsy when we witnessed a vision. ¡°When is the nausea going to stop? We¡¯ve been at this for two weeks now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not an exact science,¡± Wade replied. ¡°Everyone¡¯s power develops differently. I don¡¯t remember Nadia mentioning vision sickness. Are you going to get sick?¡±

    I stood up straight and thought for a moment. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± The first couple times a vision had come on, it had always resulted in me throwing up or passing out. The last handful had only left me nauseous.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s something.¡±

    I glared up at my optimistic teacher. ¡°Let me kick you in the balls over and over and see how many times it takes you to withstand crumbling on the floor.¡± Call me crazy, but having my stomach turn into a sea of wooziness was not what I called a silver lining. The thing was, I wanted to hone my craft. It may have left me sick, but it was one of the coolest things to happen to me. That didn¡¯t mean that I was enjoying the side effects. I just hoped that the more I saw, the less of a toll it would take.

    ¡°Save the hostility for the pack games,¡± Wade chuckled, and I reached out to punch him in the arm. He was nice enough to pretend I had hurt him. We both know I didn¡¯t.

    My cell phone rang, giving me something other than my sensitive stomach to think about. I retrieved it from my pocket and instantly smiled when Adam¡¯s name showed up on the LCD screen.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Get home now. Do not stop anywhere or talk to anyone other than Wade.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I asked with confusion. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Anthony just showed up, and I want your ass home by my side where I can protect you.¡±

    I eyed Wade, and he gave me a cautious look. Being a were, our hearing is nearly perfect. I knew he had heard everything Adam had said.

    ¡°Okay, just calm down,¡± I told Adam. ¡°I think you¡¯re¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not overreacting,¡± Adam finished. ¡°He tried killing you once; I won¡¯t give him a second chance. Get home.¡±

    I was saved from having to calm him down further when the click of the phone sounded in my ear.

    ¡°Looks like class is dismissed,¡± Wade said.

    Chapter Three

    When Wade and I pulled up, Adam and Anthony were having a standoff in the front yard. Maggie stood off to the side while Donald stood in between his two sons. My wolf bristled at seeing Anthony. She wasn¡¯t the only one who remembered the week of our kidnap. While Anthony hadn¡¯t physically hurt me, he hadn¡¯t exactly been a savior either.

    Wade and I exited the truck. I hung back, hesitating to get closer to Anthony. I wasn¡¯t afraid of him, not anymore. I was worried if I got too close, though, my wolf would tear him to shreds. We were no longer bound by iron manacles, and were itching to get retribution.

    Adam¡¯s eyes found mine. The familiar sapphires were gone and in their place¡ªcitrines. His wolf was at the surface, ready to fight should his brother attack. Adam came across the lawn to where I stood and grabbed my hand, placing the majority of his body in front of mine as a protective barrier.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want him here,¡± Adam told his father.

    ¡°I¡¯ve come to pay tribute to your new alpha and give my sincerest apologies for my previous behavior,¡± Anthony said. ¡°Love can make you do crazy things. Don¡¯t you agree, Brother?¡±

    Anthony¡¯s eyes slid past Adam and landed on my face. There was no trace of malice in his gaze, but I didn¡¯t trust his poker face. I knew exactly how he felt about made wolves and their place in pack hierarchy.

    ¡°You¡¯re no brother of mine,¡± Adam spat.

    Anthony smirked. ¡°You always were one for theatrics.¡±

    ¡°You tried to kill my Chante,¡± Adam snarled. ¡°Forgive me, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m overreacting.¡±

    ¡°Your brother and I will have a talk,¡± Donald told Adam. ¡°I will get to the bottom of this.¡± Donald began to usher Anthony away, but Wade spoke up and stopped them.

    ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Everwood. As a Leader, it is my duty to get to the bottom of this. Anthony and Eve killed humans. That sort of thing cannot go without the attention of the Leaders. It is our judgment that will define his fate, not yours.¡±

    Golden fire burned behind Donald¡¯s eyes. His lips straightened into a hard line as he glared at Wade. My wolf bristled beneath my skin, ready for a fight. I wasn¡¯t sure if Adam¡¯s father was insane enough to attack a Leader, but his icy glare said he was considering it. What I couldn¡¯t fathom was Maggie and Donald¡¯s complete ignorance to their son¡¯s behavior. Keeping werewolves a secret was not only the Leader¡¯s rule¡ªit was everyone¡¯s. No one wanted the hassle of dealing with frightened humans. It would drum up hysteria, and our mountain would be flooded with hunters.

    Donald¡¯s shoulders relaxed. ¡°Very well, but I request to be present during your questioning.¡±

    Wade nodded. ¡°Accepted.¡± He turned toward Adam and asked, ¡°Is it all right if we use your office?¡±

    Adam tipped his chin in agreement, but didn¡¯t take his steely gaze off his brother. As they turned to head into the house, Anthony smiled and winked at me. Adam took a step forward, but I gripped his shoulder to stop him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let Anthony goad you,¡± I said.

    Adam sucked in a deep breath through his nose and turned toward me. His hand came up and caressed the side of my face. My eyes briefly closed, and my wolf eased.

    ¡°As long as he¡¯s here, you¡¯re not to be out of my sight. Understand?¡±

    ¡°Do you really think he¡¯d try something with everyone around?¡± I asked. ¡°Besides, Elle¡¯s teachings are proving effective. I took her down in record time today.¡±

    Adam laughed and slung an arm around my shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m sure that had everything to do with your viciousness rather than the appearance of my parents and me.¡±

    I nudged him in the ribs with my elbow. ¡°You bet your ass it did.¡±

    We both laughed before Adam¡¯s smile fell, and he stared off into the distance. He looked down at me with concerned eyes.

    ¡°Seriously,¡± I said. ¡°Everything will be okay, you¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°Anna,¡± Adam breathed. His arm slipped from my shoulders, and he stood so that we were facing each other. ¡°Anthony isn¡¯t the only thing we have to worry about.¡±

    My optimistic outlook on Adam¡¯s brother¡¯s visit quickly vanished. What was worse than my boyfriend¡¯s bloodthirsty brother showing up? Not to mention his parents not-so-subtle confession of their distaste of me. I couldn¡¯t imagine what¡ªyet, by the worry swimming through Adam¡¯s eyes, I knew there was something much worse.

    ¡°The conference,¡± Adam began, ¡°it¡¯s a place to interact with other packs, but it¡¯s also a place for the single wolves to find mates.¡±

    I puckered my lips to the side in confusion. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem all that bad.¡±

    ¡°It is when the wolf is already mated.¡±

    Realization dawned on me and punched me in the gut. ¡°You mean other females might want to fight me to take my place as your alpha female?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t happen often, but it does happen,¡± Adam said. ¡°I want you to be ready if it does.¡±

    ¡°Who in their right mind would want to kill someone¡¯s Chante?¡± I asked. ¡°If I¡¯m dead, then you¡¯ll be destroyed.¡± That sounded conceited, but it was the truth. We¡¯re each other¡¯s other half¡ªthe missing link. We completed each other in a way no other man or woman could. And the same could be said for me. If I were to lose Adam, I would retreat to the dark corners of my mind until death eventually came to claim me.

    ¡°Wolves do not have to kill to win a challenge,¡± Adam said. ¡°If they subdue you for a full seven seconds they win. When it comes to alphas, no underling should be able to subdue you for even three seconds.¡±

    He didn¡¯t say it, but I could read it all over his face. He was worried I wasn¡¯t strong enough to win, should I be challenged. Elle had defeated me multiple times, and she wasn¡¯t even an alpha.

    ¡°The ceremony is Friday night,¡± Adam continued. ¡°When a wolf goes through the alpha ritual, power is transferred from your pack mates, strengthening your wolf. If we can get through it without any challenges, then we¡¯ll be in the clear.¡±

    ¡°What? No one will challenge me after I¡¯ve received my new alpha powers?¡±

    Adam gave me a small smile. ¡°Only if they want to check into an early grave. You, my dear, are mated to a man from an extremely strong bloodline. Not only will you receive the power of the pack, but you¡¯ll also gain the power of my wolf.¡± Adam wrapped his arms around my waist and stared down at me with a smirk on his face.

    ¡°You sound pretty sure of yourself,¡± I teased.

    ¡°There are three things I never question: the strength of my wolf, my skills in the bedroom, and the unyielding love I feel for you.¡±

    Adam¡¯s lips found mine and weakened my knees. I sagged against his hard frame, content to stay wrapped in his arms for a lifetime.

    ¡°Besides,¡± Adam said against my lips, ¡°should any wolf challenge you, they best be prepared for me to challenge them. Man or woman, I will kill anyone who threatens what we have. That is my promise to you.¡±

    I was sure if I were to look in the mirror I would see googly eyes staring back. I was a sucker for this man, a fool walking on clouds, a woman suckered into believing in all the mushy things I use to roll my eyes at. I was helpless against the feelings occupying my heart.

 Page 4

    ¡°I find it insulting that you only think someone would challenge me to get to you,¡± I joked. ¡°What if someone challenged you to win me?¡±Advertisement

    Twin rows of teeth glistened in the sun as a large smile spread across Adam¡¯s face. ¡°Those women who try to steal your spot are only after the position of power, not me. If men should want to challenge me for you ¡­¡± Adam shrugged. ¡°They can try, but it will only result in their deaths. No. One. Will. Ever. Take. You. From. Me.¡±

    I nodded, speechless to his intensity. My wolf quivered like an excited puppy. She wasn¡¯t the only one who thought a protective male was sexy. I knew that through whatever obstacles were thrown our way, Adam would knock down mountains to keep harm from coming to me. And I would do the same.

    ¡°Sir ¡­¡±

    Adam and I turned to see Joe standing a few feet away with a clipboard in his hands. I smiled at the thought of him being turned into a party coordinator. He was responsible for event planning and making sure the visiting wolves had shelter.

    ¡°I needed to go over this itinerary with you if you have a moment,¡± Joe said.

    Adam turned toward me and pressed a kiss to my forehead. ¡°I¡¯m going to be busy helping the others get ready for the conference. I want you with someone at all times, understand?¡±

    When I began to open my mouth in protest, Adam placed a finger over my lips to silence me. I was learning when Adam got something into his head it was nearly impossible to get it out.

    ¡°Promise me.¡±

    I nodded and Adam removed his finger. He smiled and began to walk away.

    ¡°I still think you¡¯re overreacting,¡± I called after him.

    He looked over his shoulder and said, ¡°When this is all over¡ªand nothing happens¡ªplease feel free to say, ¡®I told you so.¡¯¡±

    He cut across the yard and stopped where Joe was standing. I watched as he pointed off in the distance and then down at the clipboard. The conference was a much bigger deal than I originally thought. Everyone was busy doing something. Everyone except me. Adam hadn¡¯t given me any orders since our bonding, and it felt bizarre. I was used to taking on every little task, and now I had more free time than I knew what to do with.

    Chapter Four

    ¡°Hey, need some help?¡± Chelsea had taken on the role of mule for the pack. I felt partly responsible. Just weeks ago that was me.

    ¡°Nah, that¡¯s okay,¡± Chelsea said as she snapped a towel to fold. Her wavy brown hair was twisted up into a bun. Tendrils escaped and grazed her long neck.

    Ignoring her dismissal of my help, I grabbed a shirt and began folding. I smiled when she looked up at me. Things between us had been a bit awkward since she was bitten and turned. I couldn¡¯t blame her for how she felt. When I learned I was going to turn into a hairy monster every full moon it did a number on my head, too.

    ¡°How¡¯s changing going?¡±

    ¡°Listen, we don¡¯t have to do the whole small talk thing.¡±

    I stopped folding and stared at her dumbfounded, and a little hurt. ¡°I know we haven¡¯t talked about what happened that night, and I¡¯m sorry for that¡ª ¡±

    ¡°Sorry for what Eve and her twisted band of followers did to me? It¡¯s not your place to apologize. What¡¯s done is done.¡±

    ¡°Still,¡± I continued, ¡°had it not been for me she never would have targeted you. For that, I apologize. I know life up here seems tough at first, but you¡¯ll get used to it and find out this group of ¡°monsters¡±¡ªI bent my fingers in air quotes¡ª¡°aren¡¯t as bad as they pretend to be.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re friendlier than a basket of puppies,¡± Chelsea retorted with a snort. ¡°So nice in fact, that their warm welcome included turning me into a slave.¡±

    My bottom lip curled in as I gnawed on it. It was easy to tell someone not to worry or to look on the bright side. Only, I knew from experience how difficult being integrated into a pack was, and how scary it could be. I wasn¡¯t an innocent bystander trying to make her feel better; I was offering firsthand advice.

    ¡°Listen, I know you¡¯re angry. The hormones of the wolf bring every little emotion to the surface. Things feel more intense now. You¡¯re allowed to be frightened, and even a little pissed off, but I hope you know that if you need someone to talk to I¡¯m here. It wasn¡¯t long ago that I was standing right where you are.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well we all can¡¯t be Cinderella and have our alpha prince rescue us from our prison.¡±

    That stung¡ªa lot. My wolf bristled within me, angry and ready to knock her around a little. I snapped my jaw together so tightly the pressure of my teeth grinding into each other made my jaw ache.

    ¡°Your prince may be closer than you think,¡± I told her before leaving the living room. When I rounded the corner, I leaned against the wall and concentrated on calming my wolf down. She didn¡¯t like when someone picked a fight with us. In her eyes there was only one way to settle it, and it wasn¡¯t through talking.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got company,¡± Elle said, coming in through the sliding glass doors. She carried a pair of tongs and a bottle of BBQ sauce in her hands. Asher had lent us five large grills that they used at his butcher shop. Currently, they were sitting out on our back deck with clouds of meat-scented smoke rising from them.

    ¡°Who?¡± I asked, walking over to the counter and plucking a potato skin from a tray. It was a shame Elle¡¯s culinary skills were wasted on a bunch of werewolves. She could have easily opened a restaurant and made a killing.

    Elle shrugged. ¡°A group of five: three women and two men. Joe is getting them settled in Adam¡¯s old house.¡±

    I shoved the rest of the potato into my mouth and thought while I chewed. Adam had asked me to stay in his house, but I couldn¡¯t make a home with him in the house he shared with Eve. I know that sounds immature, but we wolves are territorial. No part of me wanted any reminder of that crazy woman. I sure as hell wasn¡¯t going to sleep under the same roof she had with Adam. As sick as Eve was, I was sure she cared about Adam in her own twisted way. She may not have loved him like she did his brother, but she cared, nonetheless. Adam hadn¡¯t complained. Instead, he moved into my bedroom in the main house.

    ¡°Earth to Anna.¡±

    I snapped back to reality. Elle was holding a large tray of meat while juggling utensils under her arms.

    ¡°Can you get the door, your majesty?¡± She smiled because she knew I hated that royalty, werewolf politics crap. I could tolerate everyone else treating me differently¡ªexpect Elle. If she started watching her words around me, I was liable to scream.

    ¡°Only if you address me correctly,¡± I said, walking over to the door and placing my hand around the handle. I waited.

    ¡°My beautiful alpha, could you please assist me in opening the door?¡±

    I flipped the lock and crossed my arms.

    ¡°All right, all right,¡± Elle squealed as she moved her arm to catch the pair of falling tongs. ¡°Open the damn door or our dinner is going to be served on the floor.¡±

    I laughed, unlocked the door, and slid it open. ¡°That¡¯s better.¡±

    As she stepped through the door, she said, ¡°Thank you, my alpha,¡± followed by a giggle. I rolled my eyes and joined her and the others out on the deck. The food was still cooking, but multiple people sat at the two patio tables chatting and enjoying longnecks. The sun was falling behind the mountains, painting the sky in sherbet orange and pink. A nice breeze whistled through the tall pine and birch trees, bringing with it the scent of summer. I inhaled deep, relishing the wilderness that stirred the beast within me. These woods and mountains were her playground, an endless smorgasbord of moose, elk, and deer.

    I felt Adam before I saw him. My head instinctively turned to the right just as he came around the back of the house. The wind played with his blond hair, fluttering it against his muscular neck. My tongue snaked out and caressed my upper lip as I stared at his masterpiece. Just then, his head popped up, and his eyes connected with mine. A devilish grin bent one side of his mouth up, and he winked, sending my ever-present desire for him into overdrive. I often wondered if I would ever lose this feeling¡ªgrow tired of him like I did the others. And every time I thought about it, I knew without a doubt I wouldn¡¯t. There was no end to the want I had for him.

    When his gaze fell from mine, I realized he wasn¡¯t alone. Two women, a blonde and a brunette stood next to him. Before becoming a werewolf I had never been a jealous woman. Then again, I had never found a man worth being jealous over. Now, when a woman was around Adam, all I could focus on were the calculations of their responses to him¡ªthe way they placed their hand on his forearm or threw their head back and laughed as though he was the first person to ever tell a joke. My eye twitched as the brunette stepped closer. It wasn¡¯t a huge difference, but the movement had placed her close enough that her breasts brushed against his arm. The blonde bent over in front of him and leaned over the rose bushes growing along the deck. I was all for stopping and smelling the roses, but I never knew it could be used as seductive maneuver. My eyes slid up to see if Adam was appreciating the view, only to find his eyes on me. My cheeks heated, and I whirled around to break our eye contact. The movement was awkward and ungraceful, sending me bumping into Asher¡¯s shoulder as he stepped through the door.

    ¡°Whoa,¡± he said, placing his hands on my shoulders to steady me. ¡°Hittin¡¯ the bottle early, huh?¡±

    I know he was teasing, but it sounded like a good idea. Since becoming a werewolf, I could process alcohol a lot better than I could when I was human. A bottle wouldn¡¯t get me drunk, but it would ease my anxiousness.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± I said, slipping around his large frame and into the house. I headed for the bathroom in a mad dash. Luckily, the only person in the house was Chelsea, and she wouldn¡¯t care enough to ask me what I was doing.

    I shut and locked the door, going to the large mirror over the double sinks. I frowned at my reflection. My blonde hair hung limp against my shoulders, and my skin, though tan, could use a coat of makeup¡ªor two. I looked ¡­ plain. My capris and tank top weren¡¯t sexy in the least, especially with a grass stain streaked across my belly. I hadn¡¯t inspected my clothes after changing back to my regular self. I was in a hurry to dress and meet Adam¡¯s parents. I snorted to myself in remembrance of their opinion of me. Maybe if I would have changed into something more appropriate, their impression of me would have been higher. Even as I thought it, I knew it was wrong. It wasn¡¯t my wardrobe that swayed their minds; it was the blood running through my veins.

 Page 5

    ¡°Since when do you care what people think about you?¡± I asked my reflection. I smiled to myself and shook my head, realizing I was freaking out over nothing. Who cared that our two new visitors were tall and built like Victoria¡¯s Secret models? I had a few assets of my own¡ªand Adam. What else mattered?Advertisement

    Tucking my little green monster away, I exited the bathroom and headed back out to the deck. Just in the short amount of time I was gone more people had arrived. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and wove between the large bodies. I was halted to a stop when someone slung an arm around my shoulders.

    ¡°Have you met our little alpha?¡± Joe asked, squeezing me closer to his chest. ¡°Anna this is Sage. Sage this is Anna, our new alpha female.¡±

    I smiled at the woman standing next to Joe. Her raven hair fell to her waist like an oil slick. Almond shaped brown eyes smiled back at me. Her skin was the perfect combination of brown sugar and cream, and she was tall. I felt very tiny by comparison. She wore a leather bustier and low-slung jeans with a tooled leather belt. Turquoise earrings dangled from her ears.

    ¡°Hi, Anna. Thank you for having us to your home.¡± She held out her hand, and I did the same.

    ¡°No problem, we¡¯re happy to have you.¡±

    She smiled wider, as though amused with my response. Joe leaned in close and whispered in my ear.

    ¡°Classy, very regal response.¡±

    I glared up at him, and he chuckled. I realized then that this week was going to be a lot more difficult than I expected. Our pack was laid back in the manners department. How was I to know there were polite werewolves?

    ¡°I should mingle,¡± I said as an excuse to leave. ¡°I look forward to getting to know you, Sage.¡±

    She bowed her head and smiled. I took it as my cue to escape the discomfort and made a beeline for Elle. She was in the middle of talking with Sawyer and one of the other females in our pack, Rachel.

    ¡°Hey guys.¡±

    Sawyer and Rachel stopped talking as soon as I stepped into the conversation. My stomach rolled with nervousness. It seemed I was the odd man out all of a sudden. In a sea of new faces, I felt like the stranger.

    ¡°I see some of the visitors have already arrived.¡± I was looking at Elle, but slid a sideways glance at Sawyer. He shifted his gaze from my face to Rachel¡¯s. She was pretty in a girl-next-door sort of way. Not much of a talker. In the five months I¡¯d been on the mountain, I think we had only a handful of conversations, though she seemed pretty chatty with Elle and Sawyer. Maybe she just didn¡¯t like me for whatever reason.

    ¡°Yeah, did you see the hot blonde?¡± Elle said with a smirk and a nod of her head. I looked over my shoulder to see the blonde from earlier. She was sitting on the railing of the deck chatting with the brunette and Adam.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve seen her,¡± I said between clenched teeth.

    ¡°Competition sucks, huh?¡±

    I swiveled my head back to face Sawyer. ¡°He¡¯s just talking to them. I¡¯m confident enough that it doesn¡¯t bother me.¡± The lie slid through my lips so easily. Sawyer and I were locked in a stare down when Elle cleared her throat.

    ¡°Anna doesn¡¯t have anything to worry about. That girl doesn¡¯t bat for Adam¡¯s team.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡± Rachel asked. ¡°She looks pretty chummy with our alpha.¡± She looked up at me and then away, embarrassed. ¡°Sorry,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize,¡± I told her and then glared at Sawyer. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about her or any other woman who talks to Adam.¡±

    Elle flipped a couple steaks, resting a hand on her hip. ¡°Because she¡¯s been flirting with me since she got here.¡± She turned and looked past me to the blonde. ¡°All I¡¯m sayin¡¯ is, if the beds a-rockin¡¯, don¡¯t come a-knockin¡¯ tonight.¡±

    I laughed and bumped her hip with mine. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; no one wants to see that.¡±

    ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Asher said walking up to us. His shaggy brown hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, and his normal scruff was shaved clean.

    ¡°Asher ... did you ¡­ shave?¡± My eyes fell to his clothes. ¡°And you tucked in your shirt?¡±

    He rubbed his stubble-free jawline and shrugged. ¡°I figured I¡¯d clean the mug for the ladies to enjoy this week. And I only tucked the shirt in because there¡¯s a hole at the hem.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll bring ¡®em to their knees, you stud muffin.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the idea.¡± He winked and took a swig of his beer.

    I slapped his arm and laughed. ¡°You¡¯re disgusting.¡±

    Elle, Rachel, and I were all laughing over Asher¡¯s comments, but Sawyer stepped away. I watched him head down the porch steps and into the yard. Someone had started building a bonfire for later tonight.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± I told my friends and followed Sawyer out into the yard. I couldn¡¯t stand the awkwardness between us. Just a short time ago, we were sort of a couple, if being forced on dates was considered being a couple. Still, I had grown to like Sawyer and, before bonding with Adam, imagined us being mates. In the end, the undeniable pull toward Adam ruined any chance with Sawyer. I knew it was still a sore subject for him, but ignoring me wouldn¡¯t fix it.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I ruined that back there,¡± I said, coming up alongside Sawyer. He looked over at me and then out at the trees. ¡°I can explain to Rachel that nothing is going on between us anymore. I¡¯m pretty sure she doesn¡¯t like me, but I can make her listen.¡±

    ¡°Rachel?¡± he asked quizzically.

    ¡°Yeah, weren¡¯t you two ¡­ you know, hitting it off before I came along?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. We were just chatting with Elle. Rachel¡¯s nice, but not for me.¡±

    I didn¡¯t question why. I wanted our conversation to stay on safe ground, and I was afraid of what his response might be. Not that I thought he was still hopelessly into me, but it¡¯s never easy to talk to an ex about present or future relationships.

    ¡°So, why did you leave?¡± I sat down beside him on one of the hay bales surrounding the stacked bonfire wood.

    ¡°It¡¯s still a little weird ¡­ being around you. I¡¯m happy for you, but I¡¯m not ¡­¡± He looked over at me. ¡°Ya know?¡±

    I nodded as my stomach churned with dizzy butterflies. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sorry, Sawyer. I wish things would have gone differently.¡±

    He leaned over so that his arms were resting on his legs and looked over at me. His spiky, sandy blond hair glistened in the falling sun. ¡°How do you mean? You¡¯re not happy with Adam?¡±

    My bottom jaw dropped in surprise. ¡°What? No. I just meant, if he hadn¡¯t forced me to date you, then you wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt. I love talking to you, and now things are just ¡­¡±

    ¡°Awkward?¡± Sawyer supplied.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I agreed. ¡°And I don¡¯t know how to fix it.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Sawyer said. ¡°It¡¯s the way of our world¡ªthe strongest prevail.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± I told him. ¡°I didn¡¯t choose Adam over you because he¡¯s the alpha. I didn¡¯t really have a say in the matter. It just ¡­ is what it is. We¡¯re Chantes.¡±

    Sawyer was nodding his head, but not saying anything. I figured I said what I had to say and staying longer would only undo what I had done. I stood up and was on my way back to the deck when Sawyer finally spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s not you I¡¯m mad at.¡±

    I stopped and turned. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Adam knew how he felt about you when he paired us together. He may have been trying to fight it, but he knew damn well he would eventually claim you, and he did. He made me ¡­ and then took you ¡­ just like that.¡±

    His green eyes turned hard as he stared at me. I could see the pain hiding within them, and it made my heart break. In a normal situation, a girl would have a choice between the two men. In my predicament, there was no question, no doubt who I was supposed to be with. It was Adam. It would always be Adam. Since the bonding, every other man fell off my radar. I didn¡¯t see Sawyer, or anyone else, in the same light as I saw Adam. That just made my relationship with Sawyer that much harder. I couldn¡¯t give him even an inch of hope, and my compassion would only make him think I pitied him.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t have a choice either,¡± I told him again, turning and heading back to the group. I hugged my arms to my chest and lost myself to my thoughts as I walked. I could feel familiar eyes on me. His gaze licked my skin and awakened my wolf. I lifted my head to see Adam standing on the steps staring out at me.

    ¡°Everything okay?¡± he asked as I reached him. He wasn¡¯t staring at me anymore. His eyes locked on Sawyer¡¯s back.

    ¡°Yeah, why?¡± I smiled, hoping he couldn¡¯t feel the inner turmoil roiling through my stomach. There wasn¡¯t much we could hide from each other now that we were Chantes, but I still hoped he didn¡¯t pick up on my guilt.

    ¡°You¡¯re upset,¡± Adam stated. ¡°Is it because of him,¡± he nodded toward Sawyer, ¡°or have I done something?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I reassured him. ¡°Nobody did anything.¡± I stepped up the first couple of steps and wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my head on his chest. Closing my eyes, I inhaled his scent. It eased my mind and washed away any semblance of worry I had.

    ¡°Food¡¯s ready,¡± Elle called over the loud crowd. Everyone stopped talking and bowed their heads. Adam bent over, kissed the top of my head, and then grabbed my hand.

    ¡°Come on, my Chante.¡± Together we walked up the steps to join the others. Adam walked over to the front of the deck. There were at least thirty people on the porch and more lingering in the yard. The ones mingling on the lawn began walking forward.

    ¡°It is with great pleasure that the Everwood pack welcomes the Annual Conference to Wyoming. Some of you know my family and me, but have not met my mate, Anna.¡± Adam held our joined hands up to signal to me. I met everyone¡¯s eyes, a smile on my face, and nodded in greeting. A few of the responding faces were not so welcoming. The blonde Adam was speaking to earlier stood in the back with her friend, both of them eyeing me like a hungry cat facing a mouse. My wolf responded with a vibrating growl I hoped no one heard.

 Page 6

    When I looked up at Adam, he was looking down at me. Heat warmed my cheeks and settled in my belly. I don¡¯t know why I was so worried about looking plain; I could have worn a hospital gown, and I would always feel beautiful when he looked at me like that.Advertisement

    ¡°We look forward to getting to know each and every one of you. Our homes are yours,¡± Adam continued. ¡°Now, let¡¯s eat.¡±

    A wave of applause filled the small space, bouncing off the trees and mountains. Adam tugged me toward the table where the plates and silverware were set up. After filling our plates, we took them to the glass patio table. The sky was beginning to darken to a hazy purple. Someone lit torches surrounding the deck. The burning oil was a bit strong for my sensitive nose, but I would get over it.

    ¡°There are a lot of new faces here,¡± I said as I scooped a spoonful of potato salad.

    ¡°These are only a portion of those coming,¡± Adam said, taking a swig of his beer. Joe, Asher, and the two bimbos from earlier joined us at our table. My muscles tensed against my bones as my wolf readied herself for a fight. As much as I tried to convince Sawyer and Elle that I wasn¡¯t jealous of these two, my wolf didn¡¯t care. She saw the way they smiled and eyed Adam and was ready to sprout claws and sharp teeth.

    ¡°Anna have you met Chloe?¡± Joe signaled to the blonde. ¡°And Cadie?¡± he said, signaling to the brunette.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe I have,¡± I said with as much politeness I could manage, all things considered. I had been a wolf long enough that I should have had a handle on my inner beast. The amplified emotions got to me sometimes, especially where Adam was concerned. Chloe and Cadie¡¯s eyes were on Adam. They smiled coyly before looking over to me. My teeth crunched together as I pasted on a fake smile. I would not lose my cool in front of all of these people.

    ¡°Lana, is it?¡± Chloe said with a smirk.

    ¡°It¡¯s Anna,¡± I bit out.¡±

    ¡°Of course. There are just so many people here tonight it¡¯s hard to keep the names straight,¡± Chloe said with a saccharine sweet smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised we haven¡¯t seen you around,¡± Cadie commented. ¡°What clan are you bred from?¡±

    I glanced at Adam briefly and then back at the slut twins. ¡°No clan.¡±

    Their eyes widened in unison. Joe nudged me underneath the table with his foot. When I looked at him, he was silently laughing to himself. Angry, I stomped on his foot, and his knee shot up and shook the table. Served him right for causing trouble.

    Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Tell me, how is the Elson tribe?¡±

    After that, Adam, Chloe, and Cadie chatted as though I wasn¡¯t there. I continued to stuff my face, if for no other reason than to keep my mouth from saying something stupid. Cadie laughed like an excited hyena, while Chloe flipped her hair so much I thought¡ªor hoped¡ªit would catch the flame of the nearby torch. My jaw ached from grinding my teeth so hard, and my muscles were so tight, I half expected them to snap under the pressure. Adam is just being a good host, entertaining them. Did he have to smile so much, though? They weren¡¯t that funny.

    ¡°Anna, may I speak with you for a moment?¡± Elle asked, coming to our table. I looked up from my plate¡ªmy mouth fuller than a chipmunk¡¯s¡ªand nodded. I¡¯d been thinking of an excuse to escape since Chloe and Cadie first sat down. I stood up, excused myself around the mouthful of food, and walked away with Elle.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked, though it came out sounding like, ¡®was pup.¡¯

    ¡°Swallow that damn food before you choke, and I have to give you the Heimlich.¡±

    I chewed a few more times and swallowed. ¡°Sorry, what did you need?¡± I asked as we stepped into the house.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Elle snapped.

    I looked down at my hands afraid I had sprouted claws and fur. I was relieved to find my normal, human hands. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Why are you letting those twats slobber all over your man?¡±

    ¡°I wa¡ª¡±

    ¡°Are you looking for a fight?¡± Elle interrupted.

    I shook my head. ¡°What? No, why¡ª¡±

    ¡°As the alpha¡¯s mate, all eyes are on you. There isn¡¯t one woman who doesn¡¯t envy your position and would kill to take it. Got me? Don¡¯t let a pair of hoochies swoop in and intimidate you.¡±

    ¡°Did you just say hoochies?¡± I laughed, but stifled it when Elle glared at me. ¡°Okay, okay.¡± I held my hands up in surrender. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to appear weak or let them intimidate me. I trust Adam and acting like a jealous girlfriend would only embarrass him ¡­ and me.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re werewolves, Anna. We get off on overprotective mates. If people see you cowering in the corner while other females flirt with your mate, they¡¯re going to either assume you¡¯re an easy take down, or that you couldn¡¯t care less.¡± Elle stepped over by me and placed her hands on my shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re not just an underling anymore. You¡¯re the alpha¡¯s mate, soon to be an alpha yourself. If you don¡¯t assert your position, someone is going to kill you for it. Now, get your little ass out there and show those bitches your grrr face.¡± She turned me toward the door and spanked me on my butt.

    I smiled and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re the best. Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Just get out there and make me proud. Because, as your teacher, it¡¯s my rep that¡¯s on the line. Don¡¯t make me look stupid.¡±

    ¡°You need to work on your manners,¡± I told her before I slipped back outside. Chloe took my seat in my absence and was leaning a little too close to Adam. I flexed my fingers at my side, curling and uncurling them into fists.

    I made a beeline towards Adam¡¯s table. His eyes found mine as I cut through the group of people. Chloe¡¯s head snapped up just as I reached the table.

    ¡°Oh, here, let me get out of your spot.¡±

    I eyed her with disdain and held up my hand. ¡°No need.¡± Stepping around Cadie¡¯s chair, I sat on Adam¡¯s lap and wrapped an arm around his neck. Leaning in, I kissed him and twined my fingers through his hair. I meant for it to be just a quick kiss, but when Adam¡¯s tongue slipped through my lips, I couldn¡¯t stop myself. I pressed myself closer, and Adam snaked an arm around my waist to hold me tighter. My wolf perked up and devoured the lusty sensation Adam stirred within us. The noise of the party faded away until all that I could comprehend was the hardness of his chest against mine, the softness of his lips, and the scent of our mingling arousal swirling in the air. I was just about to rip his shirt when I opened my eyes and reality came rushing back. The noise of our visitors flooded my ears and splashed a metaphorical bucket of cold water on me. I smiled against Adam¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°I missed you too,¡± he said with a chuckle.

    ¡°Why¡¯d you stop?¡± Joe asked.

    ¡°Because I could feel your pervy eyes enjoying the show too much,¡± I joked. ¡°You need to find a woman, Joe. Maybe Cadie or Chloe would be interested?¡± I looked at them in unison. Chloe¡¯s left eyebrow crawled up her forehead as her aqua eyes glared at me with a vengeance. I had a feeling the bimbo twins wouldn¡¯t settle for anything less than an alpha of their own. Unfortunately, they had their eyes on mine.

    ¡°Oh, please,¡± Joe said. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to get me dates. Besides, I have my eye on that.¡± Joe pointed to a woman out in the yard. ¡°No offense, ladies. You¡¯re both very beautiful.¡±

    ¡°No offense taken,¡± Cadie said, her tone snarkier than a hormonal teen girl.

    ¡°Are you going to talk to her or stalk her from afar?¡± Adam asked, nodding to the woman in the yard.

    For as long as I had been living with the Everwood pack I¡¯d never seen Joe with a female. I assumed it was because as Adam¡¯s second-in-command he was always too busy, but maybe Joe was shy when it came to interacting with females he liked.

    ¡°I have it worked out. Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Joe said.

    Adam reached around me and grabbed his beer, bringing it slowly to his lips. Was it irrational to be jealous of a bottle? He winked at me, and I smiled, still riding the high from our kiss.

    Adam¡¯s gaze fell over my shoulder. His smile turned hard as he stared at someone. I followed his gaze and caught Elle watching us. I curled my lip over my teeth and held up my hand to mimic claws to show her I had in fact put on my grrr face. She nodded and smiled. A few people moved out of the way, and I realized what had Adam on edge. Anthony had stepped onto the porch and was chatting with the visitors. It looked like Wade¡¯s interrogation hadn¡¯t gone the way Adam expected it to.

    Chapter Five

    ¡°Anna, may I see you a moment?¡± Wade asked, coming over to our table. Nodding, I climbed off Adam¡¯s lap and stood up.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Wade placed a hand on the small of my back and guided me away from the ears of our guests. Together we walked down the steps and out into the yard. When Wade was pleased with the distance, we stopped walking. We weren¡¯t alone, though; I could feel Adam fast approaching. I turned just as he reached us.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked Wade. ¡°Why isn¡¯t my brother in cuffs and on his way to the Leaders for sentencing?¡±

    ¡°I am a Leader, or have you already forgotten?¡± Wade bit back, clearly annoyed with being questioned. ¡°While your brother was involved with Eve, it was of a sexual matter. He did not partake in the killings or planning.¡±

    Adam snorted and took a step toward Wade. With his pointer finger, he stabbed Wade in the chest and said, ¡°You¡¯re a fool if you believe him. And even if you don¡¯t have proof, he was involved in Eve¡¯s plan, and you have proof he kidnapped Anna. That deserves retribution.¡±

    Wade¡¯s movement was so fast I almost didn¡¯t see him grab Adam¡¯s hand. ¡°I will not cause a scene with you while we have visitors. I understand you¡¯re upset and want payback for him kidnapping your mate, but losing your cool will not help the situation.¡± He released Adam¡¯s hand.

 Page 7

    Adam released a ragged, growly breath. ¡°You¡¯re right, of course, but you cannot trust my brother. He has ulterior motives; you can be sure of it.¡±Advertisement

    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, Adam. I know he¡¯s up to something. Your parents¡¯ presence isn¡¯t making my job any easier. They wish to deal with it themselves.¡±

    I looked up at Wade. ¡°How can they go against a Leader¡¯s wishes?¡±

    Wade shot Adam a knowing look. It was Adam who responded.

    ¡°The Everwood name goes way back, before we ever established the Leaders. Ours is of an olde bloodline, and with it comes a sort of diplomatic immunity.¡±

    ¡°What, like you guys are royalty or something?¡± I laughed and then saw the seriousness on Wade and Adam¡¯s faces. ¡°Seriously? The Everwoods are considered werewolf royalty?¡±

    Adam shrugged. ¡°Not in the human sense. We don¡¯t refer to ourselves as kings and queens. Wolves respect power, and those who have survived through the millennia¡ªthe ones of olde blood¡ªare highly respected.¡±

    I thought about how Chelsea had called me Cinderella earlier. Maybe I had found a prince of sorts. And it made sense as to why the females would want an Everwood as a mate. Female wolves craved a powerful mate, and it looked like I was bonded to one of the strongest.

    ¡°Is the Everwood bloodline the only one of olde blood?¡±

    ¡°There are two more: Blackwood and Ashwood, one in each territory.¡±

    I found it bizarre they all had wood in their surnames, but chose not to comment. ¡°So, what did you need to talk to me about, Wade?¡±

    ¡°I want you to try to get a vision from Anthony. In order to do that, you¡¯ll have to touch him¡ªmaybe multiple times¡ªwithout seeming awkward. Do you think you can pull it off?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°I can try, but it¡¯s not guaranteed I¡¯ll see anything.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still worth a try.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want Anna near Anthony without me, or someone equally powerful, present. He¡¯s already kidnapped her once,¡± Adam said.

    I crossed my arms and shifted my weight, causing my hip to cock out. ¡°I¡¯m not helpless. I¡¯ve learned a lot from Elle, and when he kidnapped me, I had just gotten in a car accident.¡±

    Adam smiled down at me. ¡°I know you¡¯re not helpless, Chante. I simply don¡¯t want you alone with him ¡­ for my own peace of mind. The convention already comes with threats; I don¡¯t want to add to them.¡±

    I thought about the threats Adam was talking about. While I was feeling more confident with my fighting skills, I wondered how much I was going to have to use them. Now that I knew I was bonded to a man from an olde bloodline, I would have to be on constant watch. My and Adam¡¯s relationship was especially sensitive because we¡¯re linked as Chantes. If something were to happen to me, it would end up destroying Adam and vice versa. That was a lot of pressure. I had to keep myself safe, no matter the cost, in order to keep Adam safe. I watched Adam as he talked with Wade and wondered how someone so powerful could put all of their faith in someone like me. Tomorrow night I would go through the alpha ceremony, but I would still not be alpha born. My mixed blood could never be anything other than what it was¡ªmutt blood.

    I looked up at the porch and the new arrivals. Already, Chloe and Cadie had shown interest in Adam, and there were still a lot more people coming¡ªmore females who would take one look at Adam¡¯s mutt mate and assume they could take me down. Fear snaked its way through my body as I thought about the impending challenges.

    Fingers curled around my forearm. I snapped out of my thoughts and met Adam¡¯s eyes. There was so much confidence and love when he looked at me I could almost feel the weight of his gaze against my skin.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting late,¡± Adam said. ¡°How about we head to bed.¡±

    I nodded, taking Adam¡¯s hand and walking away from Wade and toward the house. The sky was as black as a raven¡¯s wing, bejeweled by a million glittery stars. The wind stirred against my face, carrying the coolness from the snowcapped mountains.

    Adam and I headed into the house and back to my bedroom. I began to shuck my shoes and change into my pajamas when Adam grabbed my hand.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been somewhere else all night,¡± he said, pulling me into his chest. ¡°What¡¯s on that crazy mind of yours?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°Nothing of importance.¡±

    Adam brought his hand to my face and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers trailed down my cheek while his eyes searched my face for the truth. It didn¡¯t matter what words my lips spoke, our bond was like a lie detector. Adam could notice my anxiety just as much as I could pick up his worry. No secrets could hide between us.

    ¡°Tell me,¡± Adam said softly. ¡°Are you worried about Anthony?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No, surprisingly Anthony hasn¡¯t crossed my mind. It¡¯s ¡­ well, finding out about your bloodline and how desirable it is ¡­ it¡¯s overwhelming.¡± I snorted. ¡°And here I thought females would challenge me because of your rugged good looks.¡±

    Adam smiled. ¡°I told you it had nothing to do with me as a person. You know how wolves operate: they crave strength and power.¡± He cupped my face. ¡°Nothing will ever come between us, you know that right?¡±

    Except being murdered for my position, I thought to myself. ¡°Yes,¡± I told him. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about the other women. I¡¯m worried that I¡¯ll put your life in danger by not being up to par with those who challenge me. If anything were to ever happen to you because I¡ª¡±

    Adam placed a finger against my lips to silence my panic. ¡°I have complete faith in you. Since when have you ever laid down and admitted defeat?¡± He removed his finger and trailed his hands down my arms. ¡°When the world tries to knock you down you fight back. You¡¯re passionate about what you believe in, and you can believe in us. Everything will be okay.¡±

    I nodded my head wordlessly, thinking about what he said. I wanted to see the strength in myself that he saw¡ªto be as confident of a positive outcome as he was. In that moment, I convinced myself everything would be okay¡ªthat all I had to do was keep an optimistic mind. Adam¡¯s words lent me strength and eased my mind. Everything would be okay, simply because it had to be. I couldn¡¯t accept anything less.

    Around three in the morning I woke up. I stared up at the ceiling while I listened to the party still carrying on outside. Adam was lying on his back, his arms bent under his pillow. I propped myself up on my elbow and watched how peaceful sleep made him. He wasn¡¯t an alpha from an olde bloodline or responsible for managing a pack of rowdy werewolves while he slept. He was just a man¡ªa gorgeous man¡ªlost in a sea of dreams.

    Crawling out of bed, I slipped on a pair of cotton shorts. My mind was too chaotic to succumb to sleep again. Tiptoeing, I slipped out of my bedroom and closed the door quietly behind me. All of the lights in the house were still on, and the television echoed from the living room. I headed down the hall and rounded the corner. Eight men I didn¡¯t recognize and Asher sat on the large sectional watching some action movie. It was right in the middle of a car chase when all nine heads lifted in my direction. I held up my hand in a small wave and an apologetic smile crossed my face for interrupting their movie. One of the men, a guy with hair the color of muddy water and eyes just as dark, appraised me with an unwanted appreciation. His eyes traced the length of my legs, coming up to settle on my breasts.

    ¡°Dibs,¡± he said, popping up off the couch.

    Asher chuckled, reaching out to capture his arm before he could reach me. ¡°That¡¯s not a wise choice. That is Anna¡ªour alpha female. You lay one fingertip on her, and we¡¯ll be having your funeral this weekend.¡±

    Realization settled in the man¡¯s eyes. Asher released his arm, and the man walked over to me, holding out his hand. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to play the political role, but it was part of my game now. I doubted the Presidents of the human world wanted to shake hands and kiss babies either, but they did it.

    I clasped his hand and shook it once before dropping it. Now, more than ever, I would have to keep my shields up, play the game of strong alpha female for two important reasons: keeping the threats at bay and not embarrassing Adam. Finding out he was somewhat regal in the werewolf community made me feel like I was some sort of rebellion he¡¯d decided on¡ªkinda like when a rich girl dates a bad boy just to piss off Daddy. It was a silly thought, I know. Adam and I weren¡¯t merely ¡®hanging out,¡¯ we are each other¡¯s Chantes. Still, I couldn¡¯t help the small insecurity from skipping through my mind. I could feel everyone¡¯s eyes judging me as they decided whether I would succeed or tank as an alpha.

    ¡°Nice to meet you ¡­¡±

    ¡°Anna,¡± I supplied.

    ¡°¡­ Anna. I¡¯m Everett of the Windsor clan.¡± His eyes slipped from mine and traveled down my neck where they settled on the swell of my cleavage. I was used to walking around the house in whatever, without a second thought, until now. I would have to invest in some turtlenecks and parkas until the conference was over. My wolf growled within me, disliking the lack of respect Everett was showing us. Without a thought, my knee snapped up in one swift motion and landed between Everett¡¯s legs. He bent over; his hands went to his crotch and he coughed a few times.

    ¡°Everett, you may be a guest in my home but, while you¡¯re under my roof, you will show me the respect I deserve. Keep your eyes off my chest.¡± I knelt down so I could look him in the eye. With my pointer finger, I tipped his chin up. ¡°As a matter of fact, unless I speak to you, do not speak to me.¡±

    The rush of adrenaline from my anger quickly dissipated and left me breathless. My hands shook, and I looked over at the remaining men. Their eyes were wide, eyebrows arched in shock. Embarrassment caused my cheeks to redden. Without another word, I headed toward the stairs and took them two at a time until I slipped around the corner, out of view. I leaned against the wall, listening to the men below tease Everett about his chiding. I inhaled deep breaths through my nose, holding them for a few seconds before exhaling through my mouth. My wolf calmed down, and the edge of anger disappeared, leaving me confused.

 Page 8

    What the hell just happened? I¡¯d been known to stand up for myself, but publicly attacking someone for just looking at me was a bit extreme. So much for making a good impression. I was sure, come tomorrow, the story of how Adam¡¯s new mate assaulted one of his visitors would be on the lips of everyone.Advertisement

    I cut across the hall and disappeared into the office. A large mahogany desk jutted out from the left wall. Two bookcases rested on the other side of the room, filled with various volumes. An arched window overlooked the backyard and had a swath of hunter green fabric framing it.

    I walked over to one of the bookcases and lifted a pewter statue of a moose. Turning it, I slid a secret compartment open and retrieved a key. Heading over to the desk, I sat down and stuck the key into the center drawer. When the key turned, I opened the drawer and retrieved the Everwood pack book. Adam had placed the book in the main house while guests were visiting because he didn¡¯t want outsiders finding and reading it. Not that it held super-secret information, but packs tended to be protective of their history and heritage. It was in this book that I learned that Chantes were an ancient wolf legend. Elle and I had stolen the book from Adam and Eve¡¯s house just a few short weeks ago, and now it was mine to browse through as I pleased.

    I ran my fingertips over the aged leather and settled into the large chair, pulling my feet up underneath me. Flipping the book open, I examined each page. I wasn¡¯t sure what I was looking for, but I¡¯d know when I found it. The book was hand-written by each prior alpha. Adam¡¯s father had handed it down to him and when Adam had children, he would do the same. I paused and thought about kids. While I didn¡¯t have anything against them, I also couldn¡¯t see myself as a mother. Would time change my mind? If Adam found out I didn¡¯t want to carry his offspring, would he feel differently for me? Now that I was bonded to Adam, so many questions filled my head. Before the only question on my lips was whether Adam would leave Eve. My wish had come true, and Adam was mine, but I was finding out, it wasn¡¯t a walk in the park.

    I sagged against the soft leather of the chair and stared off into space. Though Eve was a psycho, I could now understand where her attitude came from. As the mate of the alpha, she had an appearance to uphold. I frowned as I thought about her and her tough exterior. Could I mimic that attitude to scare off power hungry werewolf women, and would I be any good at it? I had a feeling I would have to work twice as hard as Eve did being branded a mutt. Without alpha blood running through my veins, people would assume I¡¯d be an easy takedown. I had to do everything in my power to prove them wrong. I would train with Elle all day every day if that was what it took. Being responsible for someone other than myself had me almost in a panic, which is where my fear of having kids came into play. I couldn¡¯t allow another woman to take my spot because I knew it would destroy Adam. Being tied together sounded sweet in theory, but it was wreaking havoc on my nerves. I was sure Adam didn¡¯t share my dilemma since he came from one of the strongest bloodlines. Our union was only as strong as its weakest link. Unfortunately, I was it.

    I snapped out of my thoughts and resumed browsing through the book. Elaborate drawings of past alpha ceremonies were charcoaled against the parchment paper in great detail. Every time I looked at them, the pride of my wolf swelled inside of me. There was something magical about being a werewolf. The bond between packs was an invisible force tethering all of us together. Adam and I may be bonded, but I¡¯m also attached to the rest of the wolves. They are my family now, and I would do everything in my power to not let them down.

    I flipped to the next page right when the door to the office opened. My head snapped up, and my eyes met with Maggie Everwood¡¯s.

    ¡°What are you doing in here?¡± she said it as though she found a vandal snooping through her son¡¯s things.

    ¡°Reading,¡± I replied. I decided keeping my responses as minimal as possible was best when dealing with Adam¡¯s parents. They didn¡¯t need any other reasons to hate me¡ªmy dirty bloodline did that for me.

    ¡°Does Adam know you¡¯re reading that?¡± She nodded toward the book in my hands. I looked down at the book and then up at her, stupefied for a response. It dawned on me right then that, though she didn¡¯t like me being mated to her son, she also didn¡¯t think I was even good enough to read a book based on our pack.

    ¡°He¡¯s sleeping,¡± I told her. ¡°I didn¡¯t wake him up and ask, if that¡¯s what you mean.¡±

    Maggie walked farther into the room. Coming around the desk, she rested one hand on her hip and held the other out to me.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s best to wait for Adam. If he wants you going through the book, then he can help you with it.¡±

    I stared at her outstretched hand and ground my teeth until my jaw ached with the pressure. Attacking my boyfriend¡¯s mother was tempting, but I didn¡¯t think Adam would appreciate it. It sucked having to force a smile while biting my tongue. Standing, I handed her the book and stepped around her.

    ¡°Do you love him?¡±

    I spun around and met Maggie¡¯s crystalline eyes, surprised by the question. ¡°He¡¯s the only man I¡¯ve ever loved.¡±

    Maggie walked the short distance to me and reached for my hand. Turning it over, she stared at the upraised scar on my palm. I watched her face as she examined the mark. Her lips curled down in a frown while her jawline stretched tight.

    ¡°You would put him above yourself?¡± Her eyes slid up to meet mine.

    I nodded. ¡°Of course. I would do anything for him.¡±

    Her mouth rose in a small smile as though I said the right thing. ¡°Then you should leave Wyoming.¡± I began to speak, but she held up her hand to stop me. ¡°I know how cruel that sounds,¡± she continued, ¡°and I know you and Adam think this mark is a testament to your destiny¡ªit¡¯s not. It¡¯s a target on my son¡¯s life. When word spreads that an alpha from a superior bloodline is branded by the Chante mark, and to a mutt no less, rivals will come to take him out and claim his spot.¡± Maggie dropped my hand and crossed her arms. She looked away, but I didn¡¯t miss the blur of tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Our enemies will take one look at you and know just how easy it¡¯d be to kill you and, by doing so, ruin Adam. Once you¡¯re dead, what possible threat would Adam be to them? You are his weakness, Anna, the one thing that can undo everything he¡¯s accomplished.¡± Maggie looked at me again. A lone tear slid down her peaches and cream cheek. ¡°If you love him¡ªtruly love him¡ªyou have to let him go. So long as you guys are together, Adam¡¯s life is in danger.¡±

    Maggie gave me one last look before stepping around me and heading toward the door. She turned around and said, ¡°Think about it, Anna,¡± before she left me speechless.

    Chapter Six

    I was wide awake when Adam woke up. After the conversation with Maggie, I had crawled back into bed with Adam, but hadn¡¯t been able to fall back asleep. I didn¡¯t notice he was even awake until he spoke.

    ¡°You look entirely too serious for six a.m.¡±

    I blinked, his voice jarring me from my thoughts, and looked up to find him propped up on an elbow watching me. His hair was ruffled, and his face still held the relaxation from sleep. He was gorgeous all of the time, but mornings he was divine. I tried for a smile, but it felt awkward on my lips.

    ¡°How did you sleep?¡±

    ¡°Really well, considering¡­¡±

    I pursed my lips in question.

    ¡°I woke up last night and felt an extreme case of anxiety.¡± He brushed my hair away from my face. ¡°I knew it was coming from you, but I wanted to give you space. I don¡¯t want our bond to make you feel like I¡¯m smothering you.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°What happened last night? Where¡¯d you go?¡±

    I looked away and stared out the window on the other side of the room. I couldn¡¯t tell Adam about what Maggie had said. He would only try to convince me it wasn¡¯t true, and I knew it was. His life was in my hands just as much as mine was in his. The only difference was, Adam was completely capable of keeping me safe. I couldn¡¯t say the same for him.

    ¡°Just nerves about the conference and the alpha ceremony,¡± I told him. It was half-true and, by the look on Adam¡¯s face, he bought it.

    ¡°You have nothing to worry about,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re tougher than you look, and someone challenging you is the worst case scenario. I doubt anyone actually will.¡± He winked, causing me to smile wide.

    ¡°What¡¯s on today¡¯s agenda?¡± I asked, wanting to change the subject. Though I was nervous about being challenged, it wasn¡¯t what was tormenting my mind at the moment, and lying to Adam didn¡¯t help.

    ¡°The rest of the packs will be arriving,¡± Adam said, rolling over and positioning himself between my legs so that he was lying on his stomach. He peeled my tank top up to expose my stomach and placed a kiss just below my navel. ¡°There will be a group dinner.¡± Adam wound an arm around my leg, his fingers squeezing my flesh as he tugged my thigh closer to his mouth. ¡°Today will be low key. The fun stuff starts tomorrow.¡± He looked up the length of my body at me. A strand of blond hair fell across his hungry eyes. Gold was already starting to bleed through his sapphire irises, a sure sign he was turned on.

    My wolf came alive, revving my own sex drive into motion. I could spend day and night in bed with Adam and never tire of feeling his skin against mine. I held my breath when he hooked his fingers in the hem of my shorts and began tugging them down. He knelt up and drew them off my legs, tossing them over his shoulder. His lips spread into a big grin when he lowered himself back down.

    ¡°It looks like the fun stuff is starting right now,¡± I breathed.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Adam replied, bringing his mouth closer to my sweet spot. Speaking against my center, he said, ¡°Do you have any idea how hard it¡¯s been getting out of this bed every morning?¡± His tongue seared a path all the way up to my clitoris. A sweet shudder worked its way through my bones. ¡°I find myself thinking of the sounds you make when I¡¯m inside of you.¡± Another slow, languid stroke. ¡°How wet you get for me when it¡¯s my dick filling you.¡± He flicked his tongue against my clit and then slid two fingers into me. I moaned as I watched his hand move in and out. My eyes fell to the tent of his boxers, causing another hungry shudder.

 Page 9

    ¡°I want you all the time, Chante,¡± Adam said, pressing a kiss to my inner thigh while his he moved his hand slowly, his fingers teasing my center. ¡°In every possible position. Pounding into you. Making you cry out for me.¡± The thrust of his fingers increased, punctuating each sentence. ¡°Fuck, Anna, you¡¯re so wet for me.¡± Then he did one of the sexiest things I¡¯d ever seen. He withdrew his fingers from me, brought them to his lips, and sucked them into his mouth. He watched me as he licked my wetness from his fingertips, his gaze hungry and predatory.Advertisement

    ¡°Turn over,¡± he ordered. Happy to oblige, I flipped onto my stomach, anxious for more. I felt the bed shift and then clothes hitting the floor. When he crawled back onto the bed, he slipped a strong arm under my stomach, lifting my behind into the air. My legs trembled. A sweet throb pulsed between my thighs, craving Adam¡¯s fullness.

    ¡°Spread your legs for me, Chante.¡±

    I lifted up, supporting myself with my hands while I spread my legs. I felt hair tickle my inner thigh, and then Adam was lying on his back, in between my legs. Curling his hands around my thighs, he tugged me down so that I was poised right over his mouth. I held my breath, realizing what he wanted me to do.

    ¡°Ride me, baby.¡±

    I don¡¯t know why, but my shyness kicked in right at the moment. I¡¯d done virtually almost everything else with Adam, but the thought of riding his face gave me pause. What if I suffocated him? I could just see it now: Alpha female smothers her Chante between her thighs.

    Adam noticed my hesitance and prodded me with a series of kisses, flicking his tongue. His hands gripped my behind, moving my hips back and forth while his mouth enticed me. It took exactly two seconds for my hips to move on their own accord. I stared down at Adam, thrusting myself against his mouth and devouring the ravenousness glint in his eyes. A delicious pressure built, tightening and pulsing with need. My movements became harder, faster. Moans slipped from my lips as I tiptoed the edge of ecstasy.

    ¡°Come for me, Chante.¡±

    As if my body reacted to Adam¡¯s command, the floodgates opened and my body was dizzy with the high of the orgasm shooting through my center. Adam¡¯s tongue didn¡¯t stop until my body slumped, exhausted. I smiled down at him¡ªamazed at the way he was able to work my body into a pile of goo.

    He rested his hands on either side of my waist and lifted, positioning me over his erection. I bent down and kissed him, needing to taste his lips, only to gasp when he thrust deep inside of me, pausing before repeating the process.

    ¡°You feel so fucking good wrapped around my cock,¡± he all but growled. Adam¡¯s colorful language was new to me, and I was surprised to find how much it turned me on. He thrust his hips upward, driving faster and harder into my wetness. Bracing myself on his chest, I dug my nails into his skin.

    Adam sat up, wrapping an arm around my waist to hold me in place. His mouth clamped around my breast, his tongue stroking my erect nipple. I worked my hips against his and moaned when his teeth worried my nipple. That delicious heat was building again, causing exciting tingles in my stomach. When Adam gripped my hips and moved them against his in hard pulls, that yummy heat spilled forward in yet another earth-shattering orgasm. I could feel Adam coming at the same time; the slight pulsing of his dick amplified my own pleasure.

    Our movements slowed, and I rested my forehead against his as we caught our breaths. Adam guided his mouth to mine, kissing me slowly.

    ¡°I will never get used to how fucking good you feel, Chante.¡±

    ¡°You better not,¡± I teased.

    Sounds echoed from the kitchen, alerting us that the house was starting to wake up. Outside my bedroom door, the world was waiting for us. Adam and I sighed in unison, both wishing we could stay wrapped around each other¡¯s bodies instead of dealing with our responsibilities.

    ¡°We¡¯ll pick this back up tonight,¡± Adam promised.

    Chapter Seven

    I¡¯d just gotten into my truck when Anthony stepped out of the house. Our eyes met like two magnets pulled toward each other. My fingers tightened around the steering wheel in a death grip, and my wolf bristled inside of me. I still couldn¡¯t believe he¡¯d just popped up after what had happened. The sun played across his face, highlighting his blond hair and eyes. He started forward, and I fumbled to turn the key and start the truck. My hands trembled with my anger, and the keys fell from my hand to the floorboard. I reached between my legs, retrieved them, and let out a shriek when Anthony¡¯s face appeared in my driver¡¯s side window. This wasn¡¯t Wade¡¯s idea of ¡°playing it cool¡±.

    ¡°Oh, hey,¡± I said, trying to pull off nonchalance. The slight bend in Anthony¡¯s lips told me he wasn¡¯t fooled.

    ¡°I heard you were going into town,¡± Anthony said. ¡°Do you mind if I tag along? I need to pick something up.¡±

    I could learn a thing or two about nonchalance from him. How could he stand in front of me and act like he hadn¡¯t kidnapped me and watched as Eve abused me? His face was slack and free of emotion, but his eyes couldn¡¯t shield the truth of our history together. Silence settled between us as I thought of what to do. On one hand, Adam would flip the hell out if he found out I was alone with his brother, but on the other, Wade wanted me to get close to him and find out the truth. I stared ahead, almost hoping one of the busy pack members would look in my direction, tell Adam, and I¡¯d be saved from having to make the decision. When that didn¡¯t happen, I turned toward Anthony and hesitated to speak. The answer was on the tip of my tongue, but my wolf was wary to voice it. Maggie¡¯s comment about me being the downfall to everything Adam had worked for stuck in my head. If I agreed to take Anthony into town, it could be a ploy to try to kill me. The best way to take his brother down was through me, and he knew it. But how would I know if I didn¡¯t try to get a vision? Maybe Anthony¡¯s sights were set on Adam. I would never forgive myself if I could have prevented his death.

    ¡°All right,¡± I heard myself saying. Anthony smiled and walked around the front of the truck. I watched him in what seemed like slow motion. Had I really just agreed to be alone with him? I was already regretting it, and we hadn¡¯t even left yet.

    He hopped into the cab of the truck and said, ¡°Thank you. I know being around me isn¡¯t easy. That¡¯s part of the reason why I wanted to come. I want to apologize for my behavior.¡±

    I stuck the key into the ignition and turned it. I couldn¡¯t respond, not yet. As I pulled out of the drive, Adam came bounding out of the house. I had one of two options: stop the truck so Adam could haul his brother out, or gun it and ignore the blast of fury radiating into my body through our bond. My eyes volleyed between Adam and Anthony until the decision made itself. I continued to drive, needing to hear what Anthony had to say. I gave Adam my best apologetic look and hoped like hell he would forgive me. I better not have just signed our death certificates.

    ¡°Anna!¡± Adam screamed.

    I looked in the rearview mirror to find him standing at the end of the drive. I quickly tilted the mirror down and away from the look of hurt on his face.

    ¡°He¡¯s a little protective of you, huh?¡± Anthony joked.

    ¡°For good reason,¡± I snapped. ¡°You and Eve tried killing me just weeks ago.¡± Hearing myself say it aloud was like a smack in the face. Realization overwhelmed me. My heartbeat echoed in my eardrums. The truck slowed until we were just idling in the middle of the road.

    ¡°What am I doing?¡± I said to myself, looking over at Anthony. I hated¡ªabsolutely hated¡ªthat he looked so much like Adam.

    ¡°Get out,¡± I said through clenched teeth.

    ¡°Anna,¡± Anthony said, turning in his seat to face me. ¡°I know what I did was horrendous. I¡¯m not asking you to forget about it, but I want you to know that I am sorry, whether you believe it or not.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± I said. ¡°If you had any morals at all you wouldn¡¯t have kidnapped me and watched while Eve beat the shit out of me.¡± I took a shaky breath. ¡°You just ¡­ stood there. What kind of person does that?¡± I never thought I¡¯d rejoice in someone¡¯s death, but I was elated that Eve was gone. If she were buried on the mountain, I would have made a daily visit to spit on her grave. I know how horrible that sounds, and that we¡¯re supposed to respect the dead, but Eve didn¡¯t deserve my, or anyone else¡¯s, respect. Countless families were affected by the murder of their loved ones, all because Eve had more than a few screws loose. And Anthony was right there by her side watching¡ªmaybe even joining in¡ªwhile the humans were ripped apart by sharp teeth and claws. I¡¯d felt the sheer pleasure of her kills through our bond. She not only enjoyed it, she craved it. It was unspeakable and made me sick to my stomach.

    ¡°Love makes you do crazy things,¡± Anthony said, now looking ahead. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it was about her, but whenever I was around her, I lost myself.¡± He looked over at me, his hazel eyes apologetic. ¡°I came here to make amends, Anna. I don¡¯t want to be that person anymore.¡±

    I watched him warily. ¡°A normal person¡ªwith a sane mind¡ªcouldn¡¯t just stand by and allow those things to happen, Anthony. You may have loved her, but don¡¯t for one second think I believe you didn¡¯t enjoy killing as much as she did.¡±

    Anthony was quiet for a long time. So much so that the muscles in my body were beginning to grow sore from readying myself in case he attacked. When he looked over at me again, his face had changed from pained to a stoic calm. He tilted his head to the side just an inch and studied me before he spoke.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t Adam who saved you.¡±

    My mouth hung agape as I struggled for a response. ¡°Yes, it was.¡± I remembered him rescuing me like it was yesterday. I¡¯d been so depressed and hopeless that, when he bust down the door to my prison, I thought he was an angel. I still remembered burying my head against his chest while he carried me away from that hell and the chaos that was breaking out around us. He walked right out, never losing his grip on me.

    ¡°Not from Eve¡¯s lair,¡± Anthony said. ¡°From Eve finishing you off. It wasn¡¯t Adam on the mountain that day; it was I. Eve would have killed you had I not stopped her.¡±

 Page 10

    The day I was attacked and turned into a werewolf was something I would never forget. The pieces slowly came back to me a couple weeks ago. That¡¯s how I learned Eve was the one responsible for my hairy transformation every full moon. It was also the reason why I was able to see her kills through dreams. Whatever my gift, it was the strongest with her because she changed me. Her feelings washed through me and caused my wolf to hate humans just as much. So much so that the Leaders suspected I was the murderer.Advertisement

    ¡°You may not have let her finish me off, but you didn¡¯t save me. You left me for dead on the mountain. If Adam wouldn¡¯t have found me, I would have bled out and died.¡± That he was trying to claim a gold star for something Adam did pissed me off. I remember thinking Anthony was beautiful while I lay dying at his feet. Now that I knew what kind of person he was, there was nothing beautiful about him.

    Anthony let out a humorless laugh. ¡°Everyone thinks Adam¡¯s the golden boy.¡± He opened the truck door and got out, slamming it behind him. He stood beside the truck for a moment, looking off in the distance. ¡°Ask him,¡± he said, bringing his gaze back to me. ¡°Ask him how he happened to miraculously be at the right place and time to save your life.¡± He gave me one last look before he turned and headed back toward the house. I turned in my seat to watch him and gasped when I saw Adam¡¯s truck kicking up dust.

    I hopped out of the truck when Adam stopped in the middle of the street. He raced toward Anthony so fast; they went down in a ball of muscles and blond hair. Adam pinned Anthony to the ground, his fist striking his brother¡¯s face so hard, a sickening crack sounded.

    ¡°Adam, stop!¡± I rushed forward, pulling on his shoulders. Anthony had a cut above his right eye. A small trickle of blood ran down his face. Adam jumped up off him.

    ¡°Stay the fuck away from her,¡± Adam yelled, pointing a finger toward his brother. ¡°If you want to take me down, do it face to face, you coward.¡±

    I took a step back, speechless and a little afraid. I¡¯d seen Adam riled up, but he was downright pissed off. His entire body radiated anger and washed into my own body. I felt just how tightly wound he was. I was afraid that if Anthony so much as spoke, Adam would make sure they were his last words.

    ¡°Adam,¡± I said, coming to stand in front of him. I reached up and cupped his face, forcing him to look at me. ¡°Adam, I¡¯m okay. He just wanted to talk.¡±

    Anthony began to get up behind me, and Adam¡¯s eyes shifted over my shoulder. He started forward, but I shoved against him. ¡°Look at me,¡± I ordered. Adam¡¯s eyes slowly found mine. The edges were tinged in gold, and his body was rock hard beneath my hands. His face softened a hint while he stared at me, but I could feel the volcano simmering beneath the surface.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight with you, Brother,¡± Anthony said.

    Adam stared over me at his twin. ¡°If you mess with her,¡± he nodded down to me, ¡°then there¡¯s going to be a fight. If you so much as talk to her again, it¡¯ll be the last thing you ever do, Brother.¡±

    Anthony snorted. ¡°And I thought I was hard up for Eve.¡±

    Adam shoved forward, and I did my best to keep him in place. Had I not been standing between the two brothers, Anthony would be a smudge on the road right now. Adam wouldn¡¯t tolerate me blocking his path for too much longer. The fury racing through his body bombarded my mind and left me on edge. I had to calm him down before he did something he would regret¡ªand I helped him. So, I did the first thing that popped into my head. I wrapped my arms around his neck and reached up to kiss him. I didn¡¯t bother with taking my time. My tongue slipped into his mouth as my lips worked feverishly to occupy his mind. His mouth moved against mine, but not with its usual vigor. I opened my eyes to find him staring at his brother. Annoyed, I fisted handfuls of his hair and tugged his head. When he looked down at me, I quirked a threatening eyebrow. He smiled against my mouth and snaked an arm around my waist. He bent slightly as he lifted me up so that my feet dangled inches off the ground. When he began kissing me, I could feel his anger ebbing.

    ¡°Better?¡± I said against his lips.

    He took a deep breath and sat me back down. He cupped my face and placed a kiss on my forehead. ¡°Very clever using my affections for you against me.¡±

    I smiled. ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m all about keeping the peace.¡±

    Adam wrapped an arm around my shoulders and held me against his side. Anthony stood just eight feet from us. The cut on his face had already stopped bleeding. I watched him as he watched me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what Dad says,¡± Adam said. ¡°You and I will never be okay.¡±

    Anthony nodded and glanced at the ground before looking back at us. ¡°I could have killed her, Adam. It would have been so easy¡ª¡±

    Adam started forward again, and I groaned, annoyed that Anthony was riling him up after I just got him calmed down. Anthony held out a hand to hold back his brother.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to make a point. I had enough time to kill her, and I didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t even touch her. You may have taken the woman I loved from me, but I¡¯m not here for retribution, Adam.¡±

    Adam snorted. ¡°Right, you¡¯re here to make amends.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what I¡¯m not here for¡ªconvincing your stubborn ass about my motives. Believe what you want. I¡¯ll be gone after the summit.¡± Anthony began to walk away.

    I stepped forward and called his name. When he turned around I said, ¡°We¡¯re even now. You saved my life. I just saved yours.¡±

    The side of his mouth quirked up. ¡°I suppose we are.¡± He turned back around and started walking again.

    ¡°What was that about?¡± Adam asked, coming to my side.

    I watched Anthony¡¯s back. ¡°He told me to ask you how you found me on the mountain, and that he was the one that saved me.¡± I looked up at Adam. ¡°Is that true?¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have needed saving if he didn¡¯t let Eve attack you.¡±

    ¡°But she did, and I would have died had you not found me,¡± I said. ¡°Did he have something to do with you finding me?¡±

    Adam blew a heavy breath through his nose. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I doubt it.¡±

    ¡°What does that even mean?¡± When I couldn¡¯t remember who attacked me, Adam had said he suspected it was Eve. Up until that time, he pretended not to know anything about it.

    ¡°Why would you lie to me about that when you knew I wanted to know?¡±

    ¡°You do know now,¡± Adam said. ¡°Eve was the one who changed you, and she¡¯s dead now. What does it matter who¡¯s responsible for saving you?¡±

    He had a point. The most important thing was that I was found, and I survived. So why did I feel like the pretty picture inside my head was fading? As a girl who never believed in destiny or any of the mushy shit, I wanted to believe it with Adam. I knew we were supposed to be together¡ªthe brands on our hands proved that¡ªbut something inside of me thought it was that bond that drew him into the mountains to find me, like fate was directing us to each other. I snorted at the absurdity of it all.

    ¡°How did you find me, Adam?¡±

    He released a heavy breath, his shoulders sagging. ¡°I got a phone call. Someone said they had seen a woman being attacked and that you were close to death.¡±

    My mouth opened slightly, and I turned to look at Anthony¡¯s fading body. ¡°Was it Anthony?¡± Knowing that he would go through the trouble of calling someone called everything I thought about him into question. While he¡¯d done some very questionable things, maybe we all misjudged him.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡±

    Adam placed his hands on my shoulders and stared into my eyes. ¡°I¡¯d recognize my brother¡¯s voice, Anna. It wasn¡¯t him. Don¡¯t let him play head games with you. He¡¯s not some prince charming riding in to rescue you¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s you,¡± I said. ¡°Only, your horse is a Silverado.¡±

    Adam laughed. ¡°It¡¯s good to know you¡¯ve got your facts straight.¡±

    ¡°The facts you choose to tell me, that is.¡±

    Adam frowned and pulled me into the cocoon of his chest, wrapping his arms around my back. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to keep it from you, Chante. I just didn¡¯t think it was that important. I figured it was a rogue or wolf from another pack giving me a courtesy call.¡±

    I nodded against him. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I said. ¡°If it had been me, I wouldn¡¯t have thought anything about it either. I guess I was just surprised.¡±

    Adam leaned back so that he could see my face. I looked up at him and smiled. How could I ever think he and Anthony looked alike? Their features were the same, being twins and all, but there was an inner beauty in Adam¡ªa passionate confidence¡ªhis brother didn¡¯t have.

    ¡°I¡¯ll never keep anything from you, Chante.¡± He kissed my forehead and clasped our left hands together so the scars met. ¡°We¡¯re one¡ªa team. If you can believe in anything, believe in that¡ªin us.¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± I said a little confused. His speech seemed a little deep for a casual conversation. Sure I had accused him of lying about how he found me, but I knew Adam would never do anything to betray me.

    ¡°You promised me you¡¯d stay away from Anthony,¡± Adam said, and I frowned. I had promised him, and it took exactly one day to break that promise. ¡°I¡¯m only asking you to be just as honest with me as I am with you.¡±

    If he was trying to make me feel like shit, it was working. Adam had always been open about things with me. The least I could do was show him the same respect.

    ¡°I had a good reason for breaking that promise,¡± I told him. He did something I hadn¡¯t expected¡ªhe smiled.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to hear it.¡±

    I proceeded to tell him about Wade¡¯s plan, and that we were doing it to help him. When I was done, Adam turned slightly and looked off into the distance. He shook his head back and forth and his right hand curled into a fist. When he spun to face me, his eyes were as hard as steel.

 Page 11

    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill Wade,¡± he said through clenched teeth. ¡°He put you in harm¡¯s way for his own selfish reasons.¡±Advertisement

    ¡°Um ¡­ no, he didn¡¯t,¡± I said. ¡°We did it to find out what Anthony was planning, and I didn¡¯t even get a chance to see anything from him.¡± I was still annoyed with myself that I hadn¡¯t tried to touch his hand or something to see if could summon a vision.¡±

    ¡°Of course he¡¯s planning something,¡± Adam said. ¡°You think he¡¯s okay with me killing Eve? He¡¯s not going to let that go. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want you anywhere near him.¡±

    We were at an impasse, but I was not going to tell Adam that. I understood why he wanted me to stay away from him. It wouldn¡¯t go against Anthony¡¯s character to kill me to get back at Adam. Still I could not shake my curiosity at finding out if we were right or not. I knew Anthony had his bad moments, but why hadn¡¯t he tried to hurt me in the truck? Did he know Adam was on our tail, and he wouldn¡¯t have enough time? Maybe he was trying to gain my trust in order to fool me later. Not knowing was driving me crazy. I couldn¡¯t continue to walk around with him in our midst and not do anything about it. If he was planning an attack, and I could get a glimpse into his mind, then that¡¯s what I had to do.

    ¡°If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at me. I¡¯m the one who broke the promise,¡± I told him. I slid my arms around his waist, clasping my hands behind his back. ¡°Wade really was just trying to help.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, my adorably frustrating mate, I find it hard to stay mad at you. One look into your eyes and my resolve crumbles, so I have to direct it at the other person involved.¡±

    I smiled up at him. ¡°Well, then, please forgive us for scheming behind your back. It was done innocuously.¡±

    Adam cupped my face and brought his lips down to mine for a soft kiss. He leaned his forehead against mine and exhaled a heavy breath.

    ¡°What in the world am I going to do with you?¡±

    ¡°You have the rest of your life to figure it out.¡± I smiled.

    Chapter Eight

    After the drama with Anthony and Adam, I made it into town. It was my job to pick up enough paper plates, napkins, and plastic cups to supply the arriving crowd. I piled packages of each into my cart, pushing it down the aisle in an uninterested daze. Tonight was my alpha ceremony. Tonight, I would be the first made-wolf to rise to elite status, and all of the surrounding packs would stand witness to it. I felt like vomiting. While my pack had shown me nothing but respect, I wasn¡¯t so sure the visiting wolves would. And now that I knew my Chante was from olde blood, it only made our pairing that much more difficult. Not to mention his mother wanted me gone. Would she interrupt the alpha ceremony tonight, embarrass me in front of everyone? Would Chloe or Cadie challenge me to claim my spot?

    Relationships never used to be this difficult. Why couldn¡¯t Adam be a regular guy with regular parents and regular problems? I¡¯d gone twenty-three years without succumbing to the mushiness of relationships. Most of my dates had consisted of some guy trying to sweet-talk me while I silently prayed for an asteroid to crash into whatever diner we were at. It all made sense now, the reason why none of my beaus worked out before. I¡¯d been waiting for Adam all along. It was like my soul knew he was out there, somewhere, waiting for me, too.

    Two weeks ago we¡¯d been blissfully happy, too engrossed in each other to face the bigger issues. And to be honest, Adam was still in that state. I saw it every time he looked at me. Touched me. Kissed me. The issues were sitting solely on my shoulders. He was the prince in this story and I the waif he¡¯d fallen for. God, it sounded like some bad Lifetime movie¡ªonly with a lot more hair and teeth. Maggie¡¯s words haunted me. I wanted to shrug it off as nothing more than a snooty woman not thinking I was good enough for her baby boy. If only it were that easy. I could deal with bitchy in-laws and their upturned noses. What I couldn¡¯t handle, what tortured my mind, was the fact that I was worse than a poor girl who¡¯d captured the prince¡¯s heart; I was a liability.

    I closed my eyes for a moment and sucked in a deep breath through my nose. When I exhaled, I imagined all of my problems floating out of me. I couldn¡¯t worry about this shit right now ¡­ not when Anthony was in our midst. When Adam rescued me from Eve¡¯s torture chamber, Anthony had promised it wasn¡¯t over between the two of them. For some reason, I wanted to believe we¡¯d all misjudged Anthony. Maybe it was my mind¡¯s way of hoping everything would be okay. I could pretend for only a second, though. I knew Anthony had a motive. I also knew how much he loved Eve, though I couldn¡¯t understand why. I¡¯d never met anyone so disturbed in my life. I still thought of the humans she¡¯d killed. Their screams echoed in my head when I remembered the dreams. With Eve out of the picture, I couldn¡¯t fathom Anthony not wanting retribution for her death. Like he¡¯d said before¡ª¡°love makes you do crazy things.¡±

    I shook away my thoughts and tried to concentrate on the shopping list Elle had given me. Focusing on something so normal was a nice change of pace. I placed more paper plates into the cart, the fancy ones, per Elle¡¯s instructions. She was making a huge deal out of the visitors, as though the Queen was visiting. Maybe it was my young age and lack of pack dynamics, but I didn¡¯t get it. So far, all the new wolves I¡¯d met had been either pretentious or slutty. If it were up to me we¡¯d be eating hotdogs off the grill with cheap beer and generic chips. Adam was impressive in his own right¡ªfreaking royalty. They should be catering to him. Fanning him with banana leaves and shit. I giggled at the thought, and a woman next to me eyed me with wariness. I smiled sweetly at her, and she quickly averted her eyes, feigning interest in flushable wipes.

    I headed down the aisle. Making a detour to the dairy section, I picked up a tub of whip cream. Maybe if I made a bikini out of it like in Varsity Blues, Adam would be tempted to lick each sweet dollop off me. My wolf purred with anticipation.

    Back at the house, I lugged the multiple bags into the kitchen and set them on the table. The house was fuller than before. Wolves occupied every inch of the space. In the living room, the sectional was full of them as they watched EPSN on our flatscreen. Elle stood by the sink, her hip resting against the counter as she talked to a woman with an auburn bob. The woman smiled and laughed at something Elle said, making me smile, too. I wanted so badly for her to find someone to share her life with. She was too great of a person to spend it alone, cooking for an army of wolves.

    ¡°Anna,¡± Elle says, seeing me for the first time. ¡°This is Jill Baker, a wolf from the Nevada pack.¡± Elle stared at her, besotted. Blinking, she remembers herself and looks at me again. ¡°And, this is the slave driver, Anna,¡± she said to Jill.

    I scoff. ¡°Slave driver? Who sent me all the way into town to pick up supplies?¡± I retrieved one of the packages of paper plates from the bag and held it up. ¡°I think you might be a tad OCD, Elle.¡±

    Elle came across the kitchen to pluck the plates from my hand. ¡°These are the strongest ones.¡± She held up the package. ¡°And they¡¯re even pretty to look at.¡±

    I shook my head with a laugh, ignoring her obsession with disposable dishes. I stepped around her and held out my hand to Jill.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±

    Jill clasped my hand and smiled. She was a good two inches taller than I was and had eyes the color of scotch, a perfect balance of caramel and brown. Her thin nose sloped at a flawless angle, and her Cupid¡¯s bow lips were full and as red as a poppy.

    ¡°Anna Avery,¡± she breathed, clasping my hand and giving it a gentle shake. Releasing me, she stared almost in awe. Light sparkled in her eyes, and that friendly smile spread across her lips again. ¡°You¡¯re all the rage back in Nevada. A frickin¡¯ rockstar!¡±

    I laughed, thinking she was joking. She wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°My sisters have been counting down the day until they meet you, and we also get to witness your alpha ceremony.¡± Jill paused to suck in an excited breath. I cast a glance at Elle, unsure whether I should be worried or flattered.

    ¡°The girls in Nevada seem to think because of you, they too, will get a chance at their happily ever after.¡±

    I pursed my lips in confusion. ¡°I hope they do, too,¡± I said. ¡°But why would I have any part in that?¡±

    Jill reached for my left hand and turned it so my palm faced upward. ¡°Because of this.¡± She tapped my scar¡ªa four-leaf clover pattern with an infinity symbol across it. ¡°You¡¯re proof that things are changing in the packs¡ªthat us made wolves can become more than mistresses.¡± She beamed again, as though her excitement was too vast to contain in such a slim frame. ¡°You¡¯ve given them hope that they could one day snag their own alpha.¡±

    My eyebrows arched so high that the skin on my forehead felt like it¡¯d been stretched over a drum.

    ¡°It¡¯s a real life fairytale come true,¡± she all but squealed. I half expected her to clasp both of my hands and start jumping up and down in hopes I¡¯d join in on her merriment. My life just kept getting more and more bizarre.

    ¡°Um ¡­ cool,¡± I said because I couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say.

    Elle laughed. ¡°Jill, you¡¯re lucky Anna hasn¡¯t come into her alpha status yet, otherwise you¡¯d be doing all of that squirming under the pressure of her teeth.¡±

    Jill stilled, her eyes widening in horror. ¡°Oh my God,¡± she gasped. ¡°She¡¯s right, you¡¯re an alpha¡ªor soon to be alpha¡ªand here I am treating you like a regular Betty. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    My eyes darted to Elle¡¯s face, and I scowled at her. She laughed, raising and lowering her arms in a mock bow. I was finding it difficult to keep the smile off my face so I turned to face Jill. I gripped both of her hands and gave her a reassuring smile.

    ¡°Elle is just screwing with you,¡± I told her. ¡°There is no need to walk on eggshells around me. I¡¯m no more important than you and would appreciate it if you treated me as such.¡±

 Page 12

    ¡°Modest and beautiful,¡± Jill almost sighed. Sighed, for the love of God. Was she crushing on me? I unwound my fingers from hers and took a step back. I know I should have been flattered that the girls in Nevada looked up to me, but all I felt was more pressure weighing down on my shoulders. They would be analyzing everything I did in hopes of catching on and snagging their own alpha. Maybe I should write a book titled: How to Bring that Alpha to His Knees¡ªThe Anna Avery Story. Or become the wolf whisperer¡ªa fucking love guru.Advertisement

    I silently wondered how much they¡¯d look up to me if one of the slut twins decided to challenge me, and I lost. Would they want their own alpha and all the drama it entails then? And I hadn¡¯t just snagged an alpha; I¡¯d snagged an olde blood. Mo¡¯ money, mo¡¯ problems, I thought with my own amusement.

    ¡°Jill, if you¡¯ll excuse us,¡± Elle said coming to my rescue. ¡°I have to prepare Anna for the ceremony.¡± She laced her arm through mine, and together we headed toward my bedroom.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jill called after us. ¡°I¡¯ll just ¡­ mingle with the others.¡±

    When my door clicked shut, I released the breath I¡¯d been holding. My shoulders eased, and all of a sudden I felt ¡­ exhausted. I plopped back on my bed, my arms falling over my head. I stared up at the ceiling, my mind awash with thoughts, each clamoring for attention. Find out what Anthony is up to. Adam¡¯s life is in your hands. Train to strengthen your visions. Put on your grr face to scare away the bitches sniffing around. Learn to fight in case you¡¯re challenged. And, above all else, don¡¯t let them know how much all of this is freaking you out.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do this,¡± I said, sitting up. For a girl terrified of commitment, I¡¯d been thrust into the biggest commitment of all¡ªalpha female. I wanted Adam ¡­ without a doubt. Needed him. It was his baggage that had me itching to run away.

    Elle knelt in front of me. ¡°Of course you can.¡± She clasped my hands and smiled up at me. Her copper hair was up in a bun today. Tendrils spilled from its hold, flowing over her bare shoulders. It broke my heart to see how much faith she put in me. Her bright green eyes watched me with compassion.

    ¡°Do you understand how monumental this ceremony is?¡± Elle asked. ¡°Jill may be a little overzealous at times, but she¡¯s right. You¡¯re changing everything. You¡¯re the voice of the common wolves¡ªour hope.¡±

    I frowned at her. ¡°You¡¯re not helping.¡±

    ¡°But you are, Anna,¡± she said, using my words against me. ¡°For Christ¡¯s sake, you even changed the Leaders¡¯ minds. No wolf has ever done that.¡±

    I looked at her dubiously. ¡°What the hell are you talking about? The Leaders hated me, with the exception of Wade. They almost sentenced me to a lifetime of servitude with the Idaho pack.¡± I took a breath. ¡°Had it not been for Adam and me bonding, they would have killed me.¡±

    ¡°The eyes, Anna,¡± Elle said, gripping my hands tighter. ¡°They¡¯d only just met you and already they vetoed their rule about looking them in the eyes. Why? Who were you to them then? You and Adam weren¡¯t bonded yet.¡±

    I stared at her dumbfounded. ¡°I ¡­¡± I¡¯d never really thought about it. From the beginning, I never cowered under Adam¡¯s stare. Why would I with the Leaders? Maybe they sensed that within me¡ªknew that my wolf would not cower under the weight of anyone¡¯s stare.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t change the fact that they wanted to kill me.¡±

    Elle blew out a breath, throwing her arms up in exasperation. ¡°Anna, wake up,¡± she snapped. ¡°All of the signs point to your potential to be great, a wolf for our history books. You were made for this.¡±

    I swallowed around the lump in my throat. What if I failed? What if my failure resulted in Adam¡¯s death? I was no longer just in charge of my own fate. What if ¡­

    ¡°So why do I feel like everyone is just waiting for me to crumble?¡± I saw it every time I met someone¡¯s eyes. My own pack watched me with curiousness, as though they¡¯d betted when I would crack and were just waiting to collect their bounty. Some of the visiting wolves watched me with sympathy as though my fairytale was about to end, while others watched me with contempt. What Elle said was a pretty idea, but it didn¡¯t come with pretty conditions. The phrase thrown to the wolves, held a literal meaning for me.

    ¡°They¡¯re waiting for you to step up and embrace your wolf, Anna,¡± Elle said. I looked up at her. ¡°We¡¯re all waiting,¡± she added, coming to sit down beside me. ¡°You¡¯re the white wolf, the made wolf that captured the prince¡¯s heart. You¡¯ve already made history, and you haven¡¯t even come into your own yet.¡± She laughed to herself. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see what happens once you do.¡±

    A tear slipped down my cheek, too overwhelmed with her assurance to hold it in. Elle slung an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into her. She leaned her head against mine, and said, ¡°You¡¯re stronger than you give yourself credit for. You just have to believe in yourself as much as I do.¡±

    I swiped the tear away, shaking my head. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I told her. ¡°I have to put on my grr face and not second guess myself.¡±

    Elle laughed. ¡°Exactly. Convey with your eyes that¡¯ll you¡¯ll cut a bitch if she even sniffs in your mate¡¯s direction. Make them second-guess everything they thought they knew about you, my lean, mean, alpha-bitch Queen.¡±

    I burst out laughing. ¡°What would I do without you, seriously?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you would be a mess. A complete and utter mess.¡± She bumped my shoulder playfully. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get you ready for the ceremony.¡±

    Chapter Nine

    My lungs constricted, making it hard to breathe. I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, the drag of my long, white silk gown against the grass, and the beautiful man awaiting me up front. Anything but the weight of eyes that was pressing down on me, or the abusive slam of my heart. I wasn¡¯t ready for this, but then, would I ever be?

    Elle spent the last hour and half doing my hair, makeup, and tried her best to make me laugh. Her company had helped, but now that it was time, all of that relaxation left my body, and I was as tightly wound as I¡¯d been before.

    Whoever set up the ceremony had done an awesome job. I walked down an aisle lined with pots of pink and white roses. Twinkle lights crisscrossed over my head, illuminating my face. White chairs sat on either side of the raised stage, too many to count. All of the wolves were here, faces I didn¡¯t recognize or hadn¡¯t met yet. The sky was twilight. Purple and orange smeared across the clouds, lending a beautiful backdrop.

    Two women in midnight blue gowns held flutes to their lips, serenading the ceremony attendees. The music was so gentle, just a whisper of wind instruments, but it soaked through me. My wolf metaphorically puffed up her chest at the Native American tune. Pride leaked through me and helped me down the aisle. Elle and Jill were right; this was history in the making. I was a made wolf on her way to becoming an alpha. I held my chin high, relishing in my wolf¡¯s strength. While I¡¯d been unsure about where I belonged and what I could handle, she¡¯d never wavered in knowing this was right where she was supposed to be. From day one, she thought of herself as an alpha, and now she would be¡ªwe would be.

    I clenched my gown as I ascended the stairs to the stage. Adam was waiting for me with an outstretched hand. My eyes found the mark on his palm, and all semblance of doubt washed away. I clasped his hand and allowed him to lead me to the center. My pack circled around us, knelt on one knee with their heads bowed. My lungs no longer constricted, but my heart did. If there was one sure way to humble a girl, it was this moment. Tears stung my eyes, but I kept my chin high and my face blank. I could not break down, not before the ceremony even started.

    ¡°I am honored to share this moment with you my friends,¡± Adam began. He was wearing ivory linen pants and nothing else. His chest gleamed against the golden hue of the falling sun. When he looked over at me with pride-filled eyes, my own blurred more.

    ¡°To find one¡¯s soul mate is a legend we long thought was lost,¡± Adam continued, looking out into the audience. ¡°As wolves, we breed and mate all in the name of forming alliances. But love rarely fits into the equation.¡± He looked over at me again, squeezing my hand in reassurance. I tried for a smile, but it felt shaky on my lips. I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry.

    ¡°I am not a man who experiences insecurities,¡± Adam said with a smile. A hushed round of laughter circled around the crowd. ¡°But when Anna walked into my life she caused just that.¡±

    Hmm, that didn¡¯t sound good.

    ¡°I was raised with one way of thinking, and this woman,¡± he signaled to me. ¡°This beautiful, stubborn woman knocked me off my axis. The mere sight of her caused me to call everything I knew into question. We are each born with a piece missing, and it¡¯s only through the sheer design of fate that we find that missing link. Anna is mine¡ªthe piece that makes me whole.¡± Adam stared into the audience. Aside from the soft music, silence settled over the ceremony as though everyone was holding his or her breath. I know I was holding mine.

    ¡°To know that sort of love, that completeness,¡± Adam paused. ¡°I wish that for each and every one of you. So when I say that I am honored for all of you to stand witness to one of the most important rituals of my life, I say it with truth and humbled pride.¡± Adam bowed to the crowd. I wasn¡¯t sure if I should follow suit or not ¡­ maybe curtsy? I nodded my head slowly instead, hoping I hadn¡¯t offended anyone.

    Adam leaned into me and whispered in my ear. ¡°I have never seen you look more beautiful, my Chante.¡±

    All I could do was nod. My voice left with my breath. My legs trembled beneath my dress, and a single tear escaped and slipped down my cheek. With a soft graze, Adam brushed the drop away, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    I cleared my throat and managed to whisper, ¡°Yes.¡±

 Page 13

    Adam must have given the orders telepathically because Elle and Joe stood from their bent positions and came to me. I noticed all of the men were dressed like Adam: linen pants and nothing else, whereas the women were sheathed in swaths of steely gray silk. Elle and Joe both smiled at me, but did not say a word. Together they undressed me, slipping the silk gown off my body so that I stood in my bra and underwear. Thank goodness I¡¯d known about this part and had made sure to wear some decent underwear. I kept my eyes forward, not allowing my modesty to ruin this moment for me. At least I wasn¡¯t naked in front of all of these people. Once Elle and Joe were done, they took their places back in the circle.Advertisement

    The drums grew louder and louder, mimicking the rapid beat of my heart. My pack began to fidget around me, their bodies writhing almost sensually. Clothes began to shred from their bodies as their wolves pushed forward. Within moments, a pack of wolves surrounded me. They sat waiting, their heads tipped back so that their noses faced the now dark sky. A cool breeze whipped across my stomach causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end.

    My gaze shifted when a group of women ascended the stage, each holding a small clay bowl. They formed a circle around me and knelt down, placing the bowls in front of the wolves. When each wolf had a clay pot sitting in front of him or her, the women disappeared off the stage. My eyes found the icy stare of Maggie and Donald. They sat in the front row, Anthony beside them. Maggie arched a sculpted brow at me, her displeasure loud and clear. Donald¡¯s face was all hard lines and scorn. His jaw was clenched so tight; I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he cracked a few teeth. Anthony, on the other hand, smiled and winked at me, but there was something mischievous in his eyes that put me on edge.

    ¡°We¡¯re here tonight to pledge our loyalty to you, Anna,¡± Adam said, coming to stand beside me. I smiled down at him, that tingly warmth bursting through my stomach. ¡°Each wolf is here on their own accord. They have acknowledged you as their alpha female and wish to give themselves to you, as do I.¡±

    My smile turned into a cheesy grin, and I had to restrain myself so I didn¡¯t look like a teenager who¡¯d just been asked to prom by her crush. Grinning like a fool wouldn¡¯t help the witnessing wolves change their minds about my ability to rise to alpha status. I had to be serious and controlled. The smile slipped from my lips and straightened into a straight line while I looked ahead, chin held high.

    ¡°Let the ceremony begin,¡± Adam announced. He reached out a hand to me and helped me descend the small stage I stood on. Together, we walked over and stopped in front of Joe.

    ¡°Joe, do you promise to protect and obey Anna Avery, putting her life before yours and others as your alpha female?¡±

    Joe, a salt and pepper wolf, lowered his head in a bow. When Adam nodded toward him, he dipped both of his paws into the clay bowl and stepped toward me. Sitting on his hind legs, he pressed his paws against my stomach, leaving two perfect prints on my skin. I watched in awe as the red liquid slowly faded as though my body had absorbed them. Energy swirled through my body, causing my wolf to bristle beneath my skin.

    Adam moved me around the circle, asking each wolf the same question, and each one dipped their paws in the red liquid and stamped my body with their paw prints, only for my body to absorb them. By the end of the line, I was so amped up, I felt like I¡¯d taken a bunch of speed. Power surged through my veins like I was connected to a live wire.

    ¡°How are you doing?¡± Adam whispered in my ear as he helped me back onto the small stage.

    I had to take a deep breath before answering¡ªafraid if I didn¡¯t, my response would come out as a squeal. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn.¡± He winked, and all of that energy racing through my veins headed between my legs. All of my senses amplified, my sudden desire for Adam caused my panties to dampen. Realizing that there was a huge crowd watching us, I tried to reign in my desire. Easier said than done, especially since Adam was stripping out of his linen pants. A couple females in the crowd whistled, and I growled in response, my eyes zeroing in on the admiring females. The clarity of my vision told me that my wolf was waiting right at the surface. I was sure my eyes were burning orange as I searched out the women ogling Adam.

    When a hand brushed the small of my back, I looked down to find Adam smirking at me, an almost proud sparkle dancing in his eyes. With a wink, he shifted, and an ebony wolf now stood in front of me. He was huge, his shoulders coming to my feet on the stage. Adam dipped his paws in a clay pot, and just as he was about to place them on my body, a whizzing sound caught both of our attentions. Adam faltered, his ear perking up as he looked toward where the sound was coming. A deep growl echoed up his throat as he opened his mouth and roared. Momentarily distracted by his anger, when I looked up, it was at the silvery sharp edge of a broad-head arrow sailing right for me.

    Adam leapt up, knocking me over right before the arrow found its way into my heart. I fell off the stage in a hard thump, Adam¡¯s wolf a mass of fur and teeth acting as my shield. The adrenaline from the pledging part of the ceremony surged through my body making any and all pain I¡¯d feel tomorrow nonexistent. But a tight wrenching in the pit of my stomach told me something was wrong with Adam. When he shuffled off me, I could see the cause of my panic. The arrow meant for me was sticking out of his side, buried at least four inches.

    ¡°Adam,¡± I yelled, crawling on my knees. I ran my fingers through his long, dark fur and tried to move around him, but he nudged me back with is head. He stood at attention, ignoring the arrow and my worry. The surrounding wolves all formed a tight circle around us, and the witnessing wolves all scrambled to their feet. I wasn¡¯t sure if they knew what had happened, but it was evident enough that someone disrupted the ceremony.

    Joe shifted beside me and grabbed my arm, trying to haul me up and away from Adam. I fought against him, needing to help Adam before another arrow found its way into his body. Through our bond, I could tell he was in a lot pain.

    ¡°Adam wants you inside,¡± Joe said.

    Using both hands, I shoved against Joe¡¯s body. ¡°Too fucking bad. He¡¯s been shot. He¡¯s the one who needs to get inside. The arrow could have punctured his organs.¡±

    Adam spun on me and bared his teeth, nodding with his head toward Joe.

    ¡°Uh-uh, not until you go inside, too. Let the pack figure out what happened. You¡¯re in no shape to go running after the shooter.¡±

    Adam¡¯s black wolf made a sort of huffing nose, his eyes cutting to Joe. I didn¡¯t need to know what he was saying to his second-in-command to know it had to do with me.

    ¡°So help me, Joe, if you touch me, I¡¯m going to drop kick you in the balls.¡±

    Joe¡¯s eyes widened as he looked from me to Adam. Now that he was pledged to both of us, Adam couldn¡¯t pull rank on me.

    ¡°Anna, it¡¯s for your safety,¡± Joe said. ¡°Adam wants you inside, please.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t paying attention to him or Adam. Movement in the distance caught my attention. A black figure scurried along the forest edge, disappearing through the trees. Anger coupled with my extra dose of energy caused my wolf to surge forward. Whoever the shooter was, they were still on my mountain and fair game.

    Chapter Ten

    I leapt off the stage and took off running. I could feel two more wolves with me, but my focus was on the forest ahead. Whoever was lurking on my mountain was after me. That arrow was meant for my heart. The fact that they got Adam, instead of me, only pissed me off more. If someone wanted to kill me, fine, but in his or her failed process they¡¯d hurt my mate and, for that, I would make them pay.

    My wolf pushed forward, her nails digging into the earth as she propelled herself onward. The wind whipped across our face and it smelled faintly of smoke and blood. As I reached the tree line, I came to a halt. Raising my head, I inhaled the spot I¡¯d seen the perpetrator. It didn¡¯t take long for my spidey senses to kick in and catch their scent. I edged through the trees, my eyes darting back and forth looking for any semblance of movement. The person couldn¡¯t have gotten far.

    ¡°Anna, get your ass back here now.¡± Adam¡¯s voice penetrated my mind and sounded as angry as I felt.

    ¡°No can do, sugar buns. Whoever shot at me is still on our mountain.¡± A crack of branches sounded just left of me. My wolf let out a low growl. The two wolves that had followed flanked either side of me. With a quick look, I realized it was Elle and Joe. Though the ceremony had been interrupted, their pledge was complete. Trying something, I thought about what I wanted to say and tried to direct it toward Elle. I never understood how Adam communicated with us telepathically. I assumed it was one of those mysteries I¡¯d never understand.

    ¡°Keep your eyes peeled to the left,¡± I told Elle. To Joe, I said, ¡°Eyes to the right.¡±

    Both of their ears perked in surprise of my voice being in their heads, but they bobbed their thick, furry heads in an agreeable nod. Together, we proceeded forward and in the direction of the sound.

    ¡°I swear, if my life wasn¡¯t linked to yours, I¡¯d kill you myself,¡± Adam said.

    ¡°Pft. And here I was thinking we were still in the honeymoon phase.¡± I sent the message back with what I hoped was a humorous tone. It didn¡¯t take much to upset Adam, at least where my safety was concerned. As much as his possessiveness of me was a turn on, I wouldn¡¯t allow it to turn me into a damsel in distress. Sure, I wasn¡¯t the best fighter, but the power surging through my veins made me feel invincible. Whether it was a false sense of superiority, I had yet to find out.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I sent the message to Adam. ¡°Elle and Joe are with me.¡±

    ¡°Only because I ordered them to follow you,¡± Adam responded. ¡°What rational person jumps headfirst into what could possibly be a trap? Just stay where you are; I¡¯m sending Asher, Sawyer, and Wade.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure if wolves could roll their eyes, but I tried. Another sound echoed through the trees, this time to the left. Elle, Joe, and I all stopped and listened. I couldn¡¯t see anything except for trees, a raccoon, and a mouse scurrying along the forest floor. Both animals were too small to create the crack of branches we¡¯d heard.

 Page 14

    ¡°Fan out,¡± I told Elle and Joe. Hesitant to leave my side, they took a couple steps before stopping again. Annoyed with my bodyguards, I sent another message. ¡°Fan out means separate.¡±Advertisement

    A few more lingering moments later, Joe and Elle did as I asked. Together we pushed forward. A small breeze wove around the tree trunks, carrying with it an unfamiliar scent. My wolf inhaled, filling our lungs with the stale smell. I¡¯d been in the forest enough times to know that this thing¡ªwhatever that scent was emanating from¡ªit didn¡¯t belong here.

    A flash of black whizzed ahead of me. That was all the motivation my wolf needed. She lunged forward, leaping over downed trees and around low branches as she chased the shadow. The dark shape moved quickly, blending in with the pockets of darkness of the forest. The staleness in the air intensified. What the hell was that? I could see the shadow just ahead of me. I pushed forward, my wolf sprinting to catch whoever was lurking on our mountain. However, as I neared the shape, it ran up the base of a tall pine tree and disappeared from my view.

    Elle, Joe, and the others Adam sent joined me. We stared up at the tree in shock. What could fly up a tree and move that fast? Annoyed, I sent a message to the wolves to head back. There was no point in chasing shadows all night, plus I wanted to see how Adam was doing. Through our bond, I could feel his emotions, a mixture of annoyance, pain, and worry. It was making it difficult to focus on what I was doing.

    Back at the house, I changed back into myself and strode into the house. Adam was lying on the sofa on his side while one of our wolves, Sunny, worked on removing the arrow from his thigh. Crouching down beside him, I ran a hand over his hair.

    ¡°How bad is it?¡± I asked Sunny.

    She cut the arrow with a pair of tin snips and handed the discarded piece to Wade who was standing to her left. She sat back on her heels and looked over at me. Her hair was as black as midnight, and her almond-shaped blue eyes held an emotion I didn¡¯t want to see¡ªworry.

    ¡°The tip is pure silver, Anna,¡± she said. ¡°I can¡¯t tell how bad it is until I get the head out, but he¡¯s in a lot of pain.¡±

    Someone placed a silk robe around my shoulders. I looked up to see Sawyer just behind me. Smiling my thanks, I threaded my arms through the robe and knotted the belt. I hadn¡¯t even realized I was naked¡ªnot that the pack cared¡ªbut Sawyer knew my disposition to nudity in front of them.

    ¡°Adam,¡± I said. He opened his eyes, relief washing through them. ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine. We¡¯ll get you something for the pain.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t take anything for pain,¡± Sunny said. ¡°Our metabolisms are too high, we burn drugs off too quickly.¡±

    Adam squeezed my hand and tugged me forward until my face was right in front of his. His fingers run up my nape and settled on the back of my head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever run off like that again, understand?¡±

    ¡°Adam, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he growled. ¡°If something happened, I couldn¡¯t get to you, Anna. Your place is beside me always. Do. Not. Run. Off.¡±

    I knew Adam was shaken up from the attack, and his anger was plausible, but being reprimanded in front of my entire pack plus some of the visiting wolves caused my wolf¡¯s hackles to rise in indignation.

    ¡°All right,¡± I said through tight lips. Adam tugged me closer until our mouths met. He kissed me hard, his lips moving against mine vigorously, almost painfully.

    ¡°Sir,¡± Sunny said.

    Adam released his grip on my head and looked at her. I ran a hand across my swollen lips, embarrassed to meet the faces of the surrounding wolves.

    ¡°I have to get the head out now,¡± Sunny said, holding up a scalpel.

    My stomach clenched, and my eyes volleyed between the blade and Adam¡¯s bare thigh. Droplets of blood still trickled out of the wound, increasing my queasiness.

    ¡°Do it,¡± Adam said tersely. He gripped my hand and dropped his head against the sofa. As Sunny got to work at removing the broad-head, Adam¡¯s eyes clenched tight, but his face was devoid of the pain he had to be feeling. His jaw was slack, not even a tick of muscles betrayed the control he was keeping.

    I leaned over him, running a hand through his hair to comfort him. I pressed soft kisses along his forehead and told him everything was going to be okay. I wasn¡¯t sure if I was trying to reassure him or myself.

    ¡°If you keep rubbing those beautiful breasts against my chest, that towel covering my lap isn¡¯t going to stay flat for long,¡± Adam whispered, opening his eyes to look at me.

    I smiled sheepishly. ¡°Sorry, I was just trying to comfort you. I didn¡¯t mean to rub myself against you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to rub yourself against me whenever you want, Chante, but let¡¯s wait until Sunny has the blade out so that she doesn¡¯t get an eye full of something else, yeah?¡±

    I nodded and smiled, leaning back so that I was sitting on my heels. I kept a hold of Adam¡¯s hand, but focused my attention on what Sunny was doing. I could see the end of the broad-head. Luckily, it hadn¡¯t buried itself deep into Adam¡¯s muscles. As a wolf, our muscles strengthen, making it harder for things like arrows and bullets to penetrate our bodies. We¡¯re not impenetrable, though, and the silver head had already done its damage.

    Sunny pulled the arrow¡¯s head out slowly and gasped. The room grew still, the power buzzing through the air.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Donald asked, coming through the crowd to stand behind the sofa, Maggie just behind him. Her eyes weren¡¯t focused on Adam or his wound, though; they were too busy glaring at me. She shook her head, just a slight movement that said she blamed me for her son¡¯s injury. I held her eyes for a couple seconds longer before looking down at our joined hands.

    ¡°The head was tipped in liquid silver,¡± Sunny said. ¡°It¡¯s in his bloodstream.¡±

    I hadn¡¯t noticed before, but Sunny was wearing latex gloves. A small smear of silver tipped her pointer finger.

    ¡°Anna, can I speak to you a moment?¡±

    I looked up, and Wade was standing right beside me. ¡°I need to stay with Adam.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Adam said with a rasp in his voice. ¡°Just don¡¯t leave the house, understand?¡±

    I nodded and stood up, annoyed with his orders, but now was not the time to argue about his overbearing commands. Besides, had it been me that was shot and Adam took off, I would have acted the same way.

    Standing, I leaned over, pressed a kiss to Adam¡¯s mouth, and then followed Wade up the stairs. Once we were in the office, Wade shut the door behind him and held out the discarded piece of the arrow Sunny had cut. When I reached for it, Wade lowered his hand.

    ¡°First,¡± he said. ¡°Did you guys see anything in the forest?¡±

    I shook my head and said, ¡°Not really. We heard noises, like footfalls, but whatever was making them was fast. All I could see was a black blur, and then it disappeared up a tree.¡±

    The muscles in Wade¡¯s face tensed. ¡°Did you smell anything distinguishable?¡±

    By the look on his face, Wade already had an idea of what could have shot Adam. His entire being seemed to be holding its breath as he waited for me to answer.

    ¡°Staleness,¡± I said. ¡°I didn¡¯t recognize the smell of being from the forest.¡±

    Wade¡¯s shoulders fell, and he shook his head. ¡°Dammit. I was hoping I was wrong.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡± I hugged my arms across my chest, suddenly exhausted. The adrenaline from the ceremony was waning. And I was worried about Adam and the silver coursing through his bloodstream.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure what you saw was a vampire,¡± Wade said. ¡°But I don¡¯t know why one would be interested in killing you or us. Vampires and werewolves aren¡¯t enemies like movies suggest, but we keep out of each other¡¯s business.¡±

    Wade was quiet for a moment as he thought about something. I dissected what he told me¡ªjust as surprised to find out I had been tracking a vampire. I was still new to the paranormal world.

    ¡°You think someone hired him or her?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Wade said. ¡°The question is, who and why?¡±

    I snorted. ¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it? They want me out of the picture to either hurt Adam or take my spot.¡±

    My thoughts automatically went to Maggie and Donald, but they knew what my death would do to their son, and they wouldn¡¯t risk his life just to get me out of the picture. There was also Anthony, but something told me he wasn¡¯t the one responsible either.

    ¡°Here,¡± Wade said, handing me the broken arrow. ¡°See if you can get anything from this.¡±

    Curling my fingers around the thin aluminum cylinder, I closed my eyes and concentrated on getting a vision. Sparks of light danced behind my eyelids like an electric snowstorm, making it difficult to discern any one thing. I thought about Adam and how he¡¯d jumped in front of me to save my life, putting his own in jeopardy and about the black mass I¡¯d chased through the forest. Angered determination helped my mind clear the fuzziness away.

    A black gloved hand loaded the arrow into the bow. The person raised the weapon up toward his or her face, getting me in sight. Leaves blew on nearby branches, momentarily obscuring the ceremony from the assailant¡¯s view. Waiting until the shot was perfect, stretching back his or her arm to pull the bowstring tight¡ªshot fired. The arrow sailed through the air like a torpedo, right on track to hit its target. As the arrow drew closer to the ceremony stage, Adam and I quirked our heads, hearing the disturbance in the air nearby.

    The vision disappeared just as soon as it came. I blinked my eyes open, looking down at the arrow in my hand.

    ¡°What¡¯d you see?¡± Wade asked.

    ¡°Nothing really,¡± I told him. ¡°I saw the placement of the attacker and his or her movements as the bow was readied, and then the trajectory of the arrow as it made its way to the stage.¡±

    ¡°No noticeable characteristics of the attacker, something that would narrow it down?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°He or she was wearing black leather gloves. If I had to guess, I¡¯d say it was a woman¡¯s hands.¡±

 Page 15

    Wade took the arrow from me, spinning it between his fingers as he inspected it. I could feel Adam¡¯s pain, though I was sure he was putting on a brave face for the pack.Advertisement

    ¡°How do we get the silver out of Adam¡¯s system?¡±

    Wade looked up, his face softening. ¡°It depends how much got into his bloodstream. If it¡¯s not much, his metabolism will take care of it ¡­¡±

    ¡°And if it¡¯s a lot?¡± I crossed my arms and dug my nails into my palms.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to call in a medicine man,¡± Wade said. ¡°But if there was a lot in his veins, he¡¯d be in a lot more pain than he is now. I think we got lucky this time.¡±

    I wanted to believe that, but it was the ¡®this time¡¯ that made me realize how easily I could lose Adam.

    ¡°Do you need me for anything else?¡± I asked. ¡°I need to be with Adam.¡±

    Wade nodded and said, ¡°No, we¡¯re done. I¡¯ll ask around and see if I can figure out why a vampire would be on your mountain and hopefully find out who hired them.¡±

    When I left the office, I walked over to the log banister and looked down at the living room. Adam was still lying on the sofa, his eyes closed with an arm resting against his forehead. Maggie and Donald stood off to the side talking amongst themselves. As though Maggie knew I was observing them, she looked up and met my eyes. No words needed, I knew an accusation when I saw one.

    Chapter Eleven

    I woke up around five in the morning. To be honest, I hadn¡¯t slept more than an hour at a time. I kept tossing and turning, checking on Adam as he lay beside me. He was sound asleep all night, but I could feel his restlessness. His body was fighting off the silver coursing through his veins. Everyone thought he¡¯d be okay, but I still didn¡¯t like seeing him struggle through the blood poisoning.

    I checked on him one last time before I crawled out of bed. The sheets were soaked as was his hair from sweating so much, but he was still sound asleep. Leaning over, I kissed his forehead and left the bedroom.

    When I exited the hallway, I found Elle, Anthony, and Sawyer sitting around the kitchen table. Their heads all lifted at my entrance, though all of them, except for Anthony, kept their eyes anywhere but on mine. It took me a moment to realize that their strange behavior stemmed from me being their official alpha female now. The ceremony seemed like ages ago.

    ¡°Knock it off,¡± I said, heading over to the coffee pot.

    ¡°What?¡± Elle asked.

    Reaching for a mug, I looked over at the table again and their eyes lowered. I set the cup down a little harder than necessary, clearly annoyed. Cringing at the loudness, I lifted the carafe and poured the coffee.

    ¡°That,¡± I said, ¡°¡­ not meeting my eyes. I¡¯m still Anna, the newbie wolf.¡±

    I knew it was their wolf¡¯s way of showing me respect, but I¡¯d always thought it was a hokey attribute. It¡¯s odd trying to talk to someone when they won¡¯t look you in the eye.

    ¡°You¡¯re a rarity, Anna.¡±

    I looked over to find Anthony watching me with interested curiosity. It still creeped me out that he looked so much like Adam. However, it was their vastly different personalities that made me not associate the two men. While Anthony never struck me himself while I¡¯d been kidnapped, he¡¯d watched as Eve abused me. I have a difficult time putting much stock in a person who can just standby while a misdeed is being committed.

    ¡°How so?¡± I pulled out a barstool and spun around to face the table, hugging my coffee in my hands.

    ¡°Alpha¡¯s relish their power,¡± Anthony said. ¡°You act almost embarrassed by it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because Anna isn¡¯t a pureblood,¡± Sawyer said. ¡°I don¡¯t mean that as a criticism,¡± he added. ¡°Had you been born a wolf, you¡¯d be as stuck up as the rest of them.¡± He slid a sidelong glance at Anthony, but Anthony was still staring at me. The glint dancing in his eyes put me on edge.

    Ignoring Sawyer¡¯s comment, Anthony said, ¡°Adam¡¯s a lucky man.¡±

    I frowned, looking away. From what I understood, Anthony always wanted what Adam had. Had I become one of those things? Just thinking about it made my skin crawl.

    ¡°So ¡­¡± I said, desperate to change the subject. ¡°What¡¯s on the agenda for today, Elle?¡±

    I caught Anthony¡¯s smirk out of my peripheral, but I ignored him. The thing was, I was going to have to talk to him in private sometime soon. I needed to not only figure out what he was really doing here, but also thank him for stopping Eve the day I was attacked. Had he not, I would be dead. Being in that kind of debt to someone like Anthony unnerved me. Still, I¡¯d give credit where it was due.

    ¡°The whole shindig begins,¡± Elle said. ¡°Adam was gracious enough to call in caterers so I¡¯m free to enjoy the festivities instead of slaving in the kitchen.¡±

    I smiled. ¡°That¡¯s great. Maybe we can get in some training this morning?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± Elle said. ¡°I have to help Joe and Asher judge the obstacle course.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Obstacle course?¡± I shook my head. ¡°We¡¯re one camera short of being a dog show.¡±

    Sawyer laughed, choking on his coffee. Elle slapped him on the back so hard his torso flung forward and he had to place his hands on the table to steady himself.

    ¡°You okay, Sawyer?¡± I asked.

    He held up a hand, coughing one last time before he said, ¡°Fantastic.¡± He smiled. ¡°If Elle¡¯s busy, I¡¯ll train you.¡±

    ¡°Big surprise,¡± Anthony mumbled not so quietly under his breath. Looking at me, he said, ¡°You¡¯re an alpha now, Anna. If anyone were to notice a mutt training you, it would cement their judgment that you¡¯re not cut out for the position. There¡¯s already been one attempt on your life, do you really want more?¡±

    Did all the purebred wolves think I wasn¡¯t cut out for the position? One thing was for sure, if they found out I couldn¡¯t fight, they would be more inclined to challenge me. However, there was no way I was training with Anthony.

    ¡°Let them think what they want,¡± I said. ¡°Sawyer, I¡¯d love to train with you.¡±

    A small pang still hit me in my stomach whenever I looked at Sawyer. He was gorgeous after all, but that wasn¡¯t enough to draw me away from Adam. A wrecking ball couldn¡¯t drive a wedge between us. While my wolf and I were in love with Adam, my wolf still remembered that night at the lake with Sawyer.

    Sawyer began to stand, only to be stopped when Anthony stood up, too, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

    ¡°She¡¯s your alpha now,¡± he said to Sawyer. ¡°Do you want to be responsible for teaching her wrong maneuvers¡ªresulting in her death? Now, I don¡¯t know you very well, but I can smell your attraction to her, and I assume that means you wouldn¡¯t want anything to happen to her, right?¡±

    Sawyer looked at me¡ªwell, he looked at my stomach or shoulder, still not meeting my eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re being ridiculous,¡± I said. ¡°Sawyer is an excellent fighter, and he¡¯s my pack ¡­ you¡¯re not. Just because you waltz in here and pretend everything¡¯s peachy, doesn¡¯t mean it is.¡± I paused to glare at him. I stood up and took my coffee to the sink, my stomach queasy all of a sudden. ¡°You kidnapped me while your mate beat me,¡± I said through tight lips. My fingers curled around the curve of the sink basin, and I looked over at the table. ¡°No one wants you here, Anthony.¡±

    The kitchen was so quiet I was sure the slamming of my heart would wake up the entire house. Anthony and I held each other¡¯s eyes, neither one of us willing to look away first. I¡¯d be damned if he started dictating who I trained with and putting down my pack in the process. The tension amplified when Anthony walked around the table. Elle and Sawyer¡¯s bodies tightened, readying for a fight. I turned, squaring my shoulders to face Anthony. My wolf writhed inside of me, anxious for a fight. Her temper coursed through my veins like wildfire, giving me a rush of energy.

    Anthony approached me, resting a hand on the counter. This close, I could see the differences between him and his brother. Anthony¡¯s eyes had more green than blue in them, and the jaded light shining behind them gave him an air or arrogance, whereas Adam¡¯s light was pure confidence.

    Anthony leaned in so that whatever he had to say would remain between him and me. My body tensed, hating how close he was to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m here for you, Anna,¡± he whispered. ¡°And by the end of the week, you¡¯ll be happy about it.¡±

    A snort came out on its own accord. His words sounded important rather than intimate, as though he knew something, but wasn¡¯t saying.

    ¡°You know who tried killing me, don¡¯t you?¡±

    He considered me for a moment and then said, ¡°Maybe ¡­ maybe not.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    I blinked, looking around Anthony¡¯s large body to find Adam standing in the hallway. His hair was in disarray. Pieces stuck to his sweaty forehead, and his skin looked paler than normal, but his eyes were hard and staring at Anthony.

    I moved around Anthony and went to Adam. ¡°What are you doing out of bed?¡± It was a rhetorical question. I knew my anxiousness toward his brother woke him up. Adam gripped my hand, his eyes still on Anthony.

    ¡°I told you not to speak to her,¡± Adam said. ¡°Mom and Dad may buy your bullshit, but I don¡¯t. If you want to bring me down, do so with me personally, and leave Anna out of it.¡±

    Anthony crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. The smirk on his face was as pompous as the glint in his eyes. The power that normally radiated off Adam was just a subtle buzz, though I knew he was pissed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get you back to bed,¡± I said, tugging him down the hall. I made a silent promise to myself that when I found the time, I would punch Anthony in the face for stressing Adam out when he needed to be relaxing.

    Back in the bedroom, I helped Adam into bed and sat on the edge of the mattress. He brought my hand toward his mouth and pressed a soft kiss to it.

 Page 16

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your brother, Adam. I can handle him.¡±Advertisement

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to,¡± he said. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my parents, I would have kicked his ass off our mountain the moment he showed up.¡±

    I smiled to myself. Though Adam was a strong alpha, purebred wolves were taught to respect their parents. As much as he hated their decision to keep his brother around, Adam would not go against their wishes. I could find the humor in the situation¡ªa squabble between siblings¡ªeven though I knew it was much more serious. I also knew that whatever the world threw at us, Adam and I would get through it. He lived for me, and I lived for him. Not even a sibling rivalry could taint that.

    ¡°What did he say to you?¡± Adam asked.

    I ran my fingernails up and down his bare chest in a soothing motion. I loved feeling the ripple of muscle beneath my fingertips.

    ¡°He said he was here for me, and that he might know who¡¯s targeting me.¡±

    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± Adam hissed through his teeth. ¡°It¡¯s either him, or he¡¯s lying. You¡¯re not leaving my side until he¡¯s gone.¡± He began to sit up, and I pushed him back down.

    ¡°You¡¯re in no shape to be out of bed. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Anna¡ª¡±

    I quieted him with a finger on his lips. Leaning down, I replaced my finger with my mouth. My wolf, along with my libido, roared to life. She would have to settle for a kiss, though; Adam wasn¡¯t ready for sex just yet.

    ¡°You¡¯re to stay in bed, understand?¡±

    Adam smiled. ¡°I kinda like it when you boss me around.¡±

    I gave him a quick kiss. ¡°Me too,¡± I said with a wink. ¡°Do you want anything for breakfast?¡±

    ¡°You,¡± Adam said suggestively. He reached an arm up and slipped his fingers through my hair, bringing my head down to meet his mouth. I allowed him to kiss me, opening my lips to welcome his tongue. Heat blossomed between my legs at the thought of him being inside of me again. I had to stomp the lust down, though. What little strength he had needed to be used to heal his body.

    ¡°Easy there, Casanova.¡± I leaned back, resting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll wrinkle the sheets when you¡¯re one hundred percent again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m always ready for you, Chante.¡± He gripped my wrist and placed it over the bulge struggling against his track pants. A delightful shiver skipped its way up my legs, settling in my center. The sheer lust I had for Adam often left me in a greedy haze. Under the right circumstances, I would have been naked already. Being responsible sucked sometimes.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± I moaned. ¡°And I can¡¯t wait to feel it inside me when you¡¯re better.¡±

    Adam let out a heavy breath, releasing my hand. ¡°You¡¯re killing me, woman, killing me.¡±

    I laughed and stood up, walking over to my dresser. ¡°One or two days isn¡¯t going to kill you. Stop being a drama king.¡± I began to take off my pajamas so I could dress for the day. Adam¡¯s eyes seared a path along my body, heating me from the inside out.

    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re plan isn¡¯t to kill me. You want to torture me until I¡¯m mad with horniness. You¡¯re a tricky, tricky woman, Chante.¡±

    I sent him a coy smile over my shoulder before I bent over and tugged up my denim shorts. Adam¡¯s responsive groan was enough to make me smile wider.

    Once I was dressed in shorts and a tank top, I walked back over to the bed and sat next to Adam.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± It was nice pretending things were normal, but the silver coursing through his body might as well have been coursing through mine. His discomfort was my own, and no brave face could fool me into believing he was handling this as well as he convinced the others. I¡¯d only ever seen Adam as the strong, confident alpha of our pack. Seeing him lying in my bed with a fresh sheen of sweat across his brow unsettled me in more ways than one. It reminded me how fragile life was, even for those of the paranormal persuasion. Lifting that veil and seeing the truth behind it scared me more than I¡¯d admit. One silver bullet to the heart, and any one of us could be wiped from this world. Adam had been close, too close.

    ¡°I¡¯ll live,¡± Adam said, giving confirmation to my unspoken question.

    I hadn¡¯t realized I was tense until I felt my body substantially relax. Adam had become something to me that no other man was able to achieve. I knew without a doubt I loved him, even if I hadn¡¯t spoken those three little words yet. Even with my certainty of feelings for the man before me, I still struggled to voice them. I credited it as my fear I¡¯d always had toward commitment, but if I was being honest, it was because the intensity of our relationship left me speechless. Saying, ¡°I love you¡± didn¡¯t seem sufficient, though I didn¡¯t know any other words to convey what my heart was telling me every time I looked into his eyes.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said, reaching a hand up and gripping my chin to turn my face toward his. ¡°What¡¯s going on in that head of yours?¡±

    I gave him a small smile and shook my head. ¡°Nothing,¡± I lied. ¡°I¡¯m just relieved you¡¯re going to be okay.¡± That was the truth. ¡°If something were to happen¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop,¡± Adam interrupted. ¡°This is nothing.¡± He signaled to his leg where the wound hid beneath his pants. ¡°As long as I have you, I have something to live for. Not even a vat of silver will keep me from clawing my way from death to stay beside you, Chante. We¡¯re infinite.¡±

    My lips curled inward, and I bit down on my upper one to keep from smiling like a fool. My eyes blurred with tears from the sincere words he so easily spoke. Where I found trouble voicing my feelings, Adam laid them bare.

    ¡°You know,¡± Adam said, bringing me out of my thoughts. ¡°The ceremony was disrupted before I pledged myself to you. I had a surprised all planned out.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°Mhmm,¡± Adam hummed. ¡°Tonight, we¡¯ll complete the ceremony, low key. I¡¯ll invite the wolves here and finish what we started.

    ¡°It can wait,¡± I told him. ¡°You¡¯re still healing and the conference starts today. It¡¯s going to be chaotic. I just want you focusing on getting better.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense, you¡¯re all I¡¯ve focused on since you came to live here. And this cannot wait.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said bewildered. ¡°We¡¯ll do it tonight then.¡±

    Adam smiled¡ªpleased he got his way. ¡°Now, get out of here. I should be resting, and you¡¯re making it very hard to concentrate on anything but those tiny ass shorts you¡¯re wearing.¡±

    I laughed and shook my head at him. When I began to stand, he gripped my arm and pulled me back down.

    ¡°How am I supposed to leave when you won¡¯t let me?¡±

    A playful glint shone behind his sapphire eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t really think you were going to leave without so much as a goodbye kiss, did you?¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t dream of it.¡±

    ¡°Protect your throat at all costs,¡± Sawyer said, and I nodded. ¡°Fighting is all about instinct. You really don¡¯t have to worry about much. You held your own against Eve. Had Adam not pulled her off you, you might have been able to finish her yourself.¡±

    ¡°I was pissed then.¡±

    Sawyer smiled. The sun glinted off his dirty blond hair and bronze chest. Memories of our one night together flitted through my mind. It should have been awkward, but it wasn¡¯t. I knew he still had feelings for me, but he also knew he had to move on. Most people wouldn¡¯t be able to remain friends after an ordeal like that. I was happy that we were both mature enough to see past it. Sawyer was a part of my pack and I his; the bond that goes with that is stronger than petty jealousy.

    ¡°Pissed off is good,¡± Sawyer commented. ¡°When you¡¯re in a fight for real, those emotions will help, but they can also hinder. Don¡¯t allow your anger to override your common sense.¡± He unbuttoned his jeans and let them slip down his strong legs. I began to shimmy out of my shorts and tugged my tank top over my head. I ignored Sawyer¡¯s heavy gaze. If Adam knew I was standing in my underwear in front of him, I¡¯d get chewed out. Not because he didn¡¯t trust me or because I was almost nude, but because he knew how Sawyer felt. His anger would come from the hungriness reflecting from Sawyer¡¯s eyes. Coveting one¡¯s mate was a dangerous line to toe, especially an alpha¡¯s mate. I just prayed he had enough sense not to cross it.

    ¡°What do you do if your hind legs are attacked?¡±

    ¡°Kick out?¡±

    Sawyer¡¯s head bobbed up and down. ¡°With any luck, you¡¯ll land a blow to the eyes, and the attacker will release you. Just listen to your wolf and allow her to act solely.¡±

    I nodded, and Sawyer fell to his knees. I did the same, happy for the ten feet or so separating us. While I liked Sawyer, the blatant desire he refused to hide made me uncomfortable and guilty. I knew it was illogical to feel guilt, but I couldn¡¯t help it. Had I known that Adam and I would bond, I never would have gotten involved with Sawyer. What¡¯s done is done, though, and moving forward is the only way to get past it.

    I closed my eyes and called my wolf forward.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to pin you,¡± Sawyer said, and I cracked an eyelid open. ¡°I want you to break my hold by any means necessary, got it?¡±

    I nodded and closed my eyes again, concentrating on the beast lying in wait just beneath the surface of my skin. Her power caused my skin to tingle, and a rush of energy to burst through my veins. It was such a commanding high that I would never get used to. A shot of adrenaline raced its way through my body, and then I was on four paws instead of my hands and knees. My wolf relished being released. She hadn¡¯t gotten the chance a lot in the past week. We hadn¡¯t done our nightly runs like before, because my nights were often occupied¡ªtwined around Adam¡¯s body. She liked that just as much, though, I knew she loved to be in nature¡ªrunning and hunting, too.

 Page 17

    There is no realistic way to explain what it is like to transform into an animal. She holds influence over me, a constant dominant voice in the back of my head. I trust her instincts as much as she trusts mine. When she¡¯s at the forefront, I¡¯m tucked firmly in the back of her mind, aware of everything that¡¯s going on.Advertisement

    We watched Sawyer transform. His wolf¡¯s fur was the color of silver with sprinklings of black and white. My wolf¡¯s eyes flicked to the rustle of branches, as a breeze blew through the valley. There was a crispness in the air that hadn¡¯t been there before, a sure sign of an early winter in the mountains.

    Sawyer¡¯s wolf rushed me. My wolf stepped back just in time to miss his sharp teeth. We circled around one another. The playful glint in Sawyer¡¯s golden eyes was full of mischief. I lunged forward and tackled him, sinking my teeth into the scruff of his neck. My teeth had a firm hold, but I made sure to gauge the pressure so as to not puncture the skin. Sawyer thrashed, and my grip broke. I stumbled to the side, trying to find my feet when he attacked. He leaped onto my back, sending both of us crashing to the ground. I used the momentum to roll so that I was the one on top, and I struck.

    ¡°Do you yield?¡± I sent the message to Sawyer¡¯s mind, my jaws wrapped around his jugular. His wolf lay limp beneath me, giving in to his alpha female.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sawyer replied.

    I released my grip and took a step away when he bounced up and pounced. He gripped my tail between his teeth, and my wolf whelped in surprise.

    ¡°You yielded,¡± I said accusingly.

    ¡°Rule number one: never let your guard down.¡±

    ¡°Duly noted.¡±

    I positioned my weight on my front paws and kicked out with my back legs. Sawyer¡¯s grip didn¡¯t lessen. I bent my body and tried to sink my sharp teeth into any part of him, but the angle was all wrong and I was left snapping at open air.

    I was struggling so much that when he let me go, I stumbled forward and nose-dived into the ground. My wolf was not a happy camper. She let out a low growl and whirled around ready to tear Sawyer apart for the humiliation.

    Loud masculine bellows of laughter halted her attack. Sawyer had changed back and was lying on the barren ground, his back to the earth and his hands resting on his taut stomach while he stared up at the sky.

    He looked over at me and burst out laughing again. Through my wolf, I could feel her confusion at his merriment. A rush of tingles washed through my body as I tucked her away and changed back. I stood with my hands on my hips and stared down at Sawyer. I smiled despite his prank.

    ¡°Is that any way to treat your alpha female?¡± I teased.

    Sawyer looked over at me, and his laughter stopped. His lips parted, and his eyes grew hungry as they raked over my nude body. Their path left a shiver in their wake.

    ¡°Stop looking at me like that,¡± I said in a serious tone. I cared about Sawyer as a friend, and if Adam ever saw the look he was giving me now, he¡¯d be dead before the sun could set.

    ¡°Do you ever think about it?¡±

    I bent and picked up my clothes. ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°Our one night,¡± Sawyer said, standing. He made no move to retrieve his clothes. I kept my body angled toward him so that my shoulder was to him, and I kept my attention on my clothes. I worked my shirt so that it wasn¡¯t inside out.

    ¡°That¡¯s a double edged sword,¡± I said. ¡°If I tell you no, it¡¯ll hurt your feelings. And if I say yes, it¡¯ll look as though I¡¯m not loyal to Adam, which I am.¡± I met his eyes with that last statement. Whatever nonsense was going on in Sawyer¡¯s head, he needed to know that nothing would ever happen between us again.

    ¡°So which is it?¡±

    I slipped on my shirt and shimmied quickly into my shorts. My bra and underwear were ruined from the change. I picked the scraps of material up and stuffed them in my pocket as best as I could.

    I took a deep breath as I turned to face Sawyer. Right at that moment, he bent down¡ªass facing me¡ªand picked up his clothes. My eyes fell to the ground so quickly, my vision blurred for a moment.

    ¡°Can we not have this discussion again, please?¡±

    Sawyer stood, fumbling with his clothes. ¡°I think about it,¡± he said quietly, almost as though he was talking to himself rather than me. ¡°I can¡¯t look at you without remembering that night.¡± His head lifted, and his eyes met mine. They were full of heat, but also something else, something sadder. The pain hiding behind those beautiful green eyes made my gut twist in guilt. In a different world, I could see myself very happy with Sawyer. However, there was no point in entertaining a ¡®what-if¡¯ scenario.

    ¡°Sawyer, I¡ª¡±

    He held up his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize for you and Adam. I don¡¯t like it, but I understand. It just ¡­ sucks. I¡¯m not purposely trying to make things harder on you, Anna.¡± He slipped on his jeans. I watched as his fingers slipped the bronze button through the hole and then went to the zipper.

    ¡°I¡¯m working through things and sometimes the shit slips out,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m happy that you¡¯re happy.¡± He paused and locked eyes with me. ¡°I just wish it was with me.¡±

    Sometimes I do, too. I didn¡¯t say it. There was no point in giving him false hope. I just knew that things would be easier with Sawyer. His life wouldn¡¯t rest in my hands like Adam¡¯s did. As much as I loved Adam, our relationship was more complex than anything I was used to. Adam was in a league all by himself compared to the men I had dated in the past. While I could entertain the idea of a simpler life with Sawyer, I knew even if I could change things and not be bonded to Adam, I wouldn¡¯t. I¡¯d take our complex relationship over an easy one any day of the week.

    Chapter Twelve

    Portable bleachers had been brought in for the festivities. Rows of them sat on either side of the open space like a makeshift football field. After sleeping most of the day, Adam was starting to feel better. I huddled next to him, wrapping my arms around his waist and leaning my head against his shoulder. I knew his body was still recovering, and my closeness would keep him warm. The weather in the mountains is fickle at best. It could be sunny and ninety degrees in the plains while a snowstorm brewed at the highest peaks.

    Adam turned his head, and I looked up at him, smiling. He still stunned me every time we made eye contact. He was mouthwatering in so many ways. His blond hair hung over his sparkling azure eyes. I watched as his full lips stretched into a grin that had my panties wanting to drop.

    ¡°Adam, dear.¡±

    Just like that, the spell was broken. I sat up and tried not to frown at Maggie¡¯s intrusion. Her lips steeled into a line when she looked at me. Today, she wore a gray pantsuit with a pale pink undershirt. Her blond hair was upswept and professional, just like her outfit.

    ¡°Hello, Mother.¡±

    Maggie removed her icy gaze from me. Her eyes softened when she looked upon her son. She reached a hand out and rested it against the side of Adam¡¯s face, concern filling her eyes.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Better,¡± Adam said. ¡°The amount of silver must not have been as great as Sunny anticipated.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s excellent news, and I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re on the mend.¡± She smiled, but her eyes cut to my face. ¡°It helps you¡¯re from a strong bloodline.¡±

    The glance was brief, but I knew what she was saying¡ªthat I wasn¡¯t worthy of someone of his stature. That¡¯s the great thing about the heart, though; it doesn¡¯t care about labels, race, creed, or social standings. The heart is blind to the nonsensical bullshit that weighs down societies.

    ¡°Have you spoken with Chloe today?¡±

    ¡°She stopped by to check on me, but I was asleep is what I¡¯m told,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll have to thank her for her concern.¡±

    I looked between Adam and his mother. A glint reflected in her conniving eyes when she glanced at me. So Chloe was the girl she wanted her son to be with? I wondered if that had to do with Chloe¡¯s pure bloodline, or the connections it would ensure for Adam¡¯s parents. I learned early on after joining the Everwood pack that emotion does not play into the pairing of two wolves. It¡¯s all very political and depressing. Aside from Adam and I, there were only three other couples in our pack. Most had casual hookups, but none of them considered settling down unless it benefited their position.

    I was determined not to allow the jealousy of Chloe show itself¡ªthat¡¯s what Maggie wanted.

    ¡°That was very nice of her,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to thank her, as well.¡±

    Adam¡¯s hand gripped mine tighter, and he gave me a secret smile that told me he wasn¡¯t fooled by my faux politeness.

    ¡°Yes, well ¡­¡± Maggie turned. ¡°Oh, here she comes.¡±

    Boy, did she ever. Dressed in a short sundress that barely covered her behind and neck-breaking heels that elongated her already long legs. Her blonde hair was pinned up to expose the length of her slim neck and shoulders. The jealousy I¡¯d been containing burst forward, and all I saw was red. My wolf scratched and clawed at the smile she cast in our mate¡¯s direction.

    Back off, bitch!

    ¡°Hi, guys,¡± Chloe said with a saccharine smile.

    ¡°Hi.¡± I smiled back, making sure to keep my lips pressed tight so it didn¡¯t come out as a sneer.

    She sat beside Adam, a little too close. Adam looked down at our joined hands, and I followed his direction. My fingers were white from the pressure. Smiling sheepishly, I released my grip a little. I hated feeling like this¡ªhated the insecurity Chloe brought out in me. The problem was, Adam was mated to Eve when our thing began. Though I refused to be the other woman, I wasn¡¯t so sure Chloe would. I knew deep down that wasn¡¯t the type of man Adam was, but the small uncertainty still birthed itself inside of me. Adam¡¯s and my case was different, wasn¡¯t it? We were pulled toward each other because we were each other¡¯s Chantes.

    He was the yin to my yang.

    The cheese to my macaroni.

    The jelly to my peanut butter.

 Page 18

    So why was I deluding myself with doubts that he liked what he saw when he looked at Chloe? His eyes weren¡¯t even on her; they were on me. Take that, Momma Everwood.Advertisement

    ¡°Anna, may I speak with you in private for a moment?¡±

    I blinked, retreating from my thoughts. Maggie stared at me expectantly. Having another one-on-one conversation with that woman was not on my immediate to-do list, but I didn¡¯t want animosity with the mother of the man I loved. I would do everything in my power to be civil toward her, and if we didn¡¯t get along, the blame would rest solely on her shoulders.

    I stood and told Adam I would be back. I even smiled at Chloe. Adam still held my hand and tugged me back before I could leave. His hands came up to cup my face, and he stared into my eyes for a moment before he brought his lips to mine. I kissed him slow and methodically, making him feel the pressure each brush of my lips brought.

    ¡°Oh, for Heaven¡¯s sake,¡± Maggie said behind me. ¡°Respectable alphas do not make-out in public, Adam.¡±

    I broke the kiss, annoyed with Maggie for her second interruption of the day. Smiling against Adam¡¯s mouth, I gave him one quick kiss and turned to talk with the she-devil.

    Maggie walked off without another word, and I followed, ready to get this over with so I could watch the games. She stopped at the side of the house, just far enough back that we were blocked from viewers. When she looked up at me, I could see the determination in her eyes. I already knew what she wanted to talk to me about.

    ¡°How many more times are you going to put Adam¡¯s life in danger?¡±

    My eyes widened. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware I put his life in danger before the shooting.¡±

    Maggie crossed her thin arms across her chest. ¡°You¡¯ve put his life in danger since the very beginning.¡± She rested one arm on the other, bent at the elbow, and held up a finger. ¡°The first time was seducing him from Eve.¡±

    ¡°Wha ¡­ I¡ª¡±

    Maggie shook her head and continued, ¡°The pairing of two clans is a very important business deal, Anna. You pranced in here and tempted my son into thinking he should be with you. It¡¯s a miracle Eve¡¯s father hasn¡¯t declared war on us for our betrayal.¡±

    Pranced? She made it sound like I was some floozy with the I.Q. of a toddler.

    ¡°Second,¡± Maggie said, holding up another finger. ¡°You brainwashed Adam into going against our Leaders.¡± At my confused expression, she asked, ¡°Was he not prepared to fight them for your freedom?¡±

    I nodded, my mouth agape. ¡°Yeah ¡­ but¡ª¡±

    She held up another finger. ¡°Were you not the reason why a fight broke out here, and Eve was killed?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re spinning things out of context,¡± I said. ¡°Yes, Anthony and Eve kidnapped me, but it was because they¡¯re psychopaths. Eve was killing humans, risking our secret. Adam rescued me, and that started the fight, but it wasn¡¯t all for me. It was to put an end to Eve¡¯s murdering. I would think as an olde blood you wouldn¡¯t want the first impression of wolves leaked to the public to be that we¡¯re bloodthirsty monsters, and that¡¯s exactly what they would have thought had Adam not taken care of the problem. Eve wasn¡¯t tactful in her killings. She would have been discovered sooner or later.¡± I took a shuddering breath, worked up from the anger Maggie caused.

    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± At her nod, I continued, ¡°Why is it that you see fault in me, a person you don¡¯t even know, yet you¡¯re treating Anthony as though he¡¯s a saint? He was part of Eve¡¯s crazy plan and sleeping with her, I might add. You look down your nose at me for my bloodline, but you¡¯re blind to all the faults of those with what you consider pure blood.¡± I paused and met her eyes glare for glare. ¡°I may not have Eve¡¯s social standing, but I would never treat your son the way she did. Politics play no role in a relationship. I love your son and the Great Spirits have brought us together as each other¡¯s Chantes. Not even you, Maggie Everwood, can undo that.¡±

    We studied each other for a few lingering moments. I¡¯d said my peace, and I was done. There was nothing else to say that would convince her of my worth. This was another odd thing about my relationship with Adam. I¡¯d never met a boyfriend¡¯s parents before. I had never had a boyfriend long enough to reach that step.

    ¡°I believe you love him,¡± Maggie said softly, ¡°but he¡¯s my son, and the love of a mother will never be outdone by a girlfriend. I also love Anthony and see him for who he is, not who he shows the world. I will do everything in my power to protect both of them.¡± She took a step toward me, and I stiffened. My wolf bristled beneath my skin, ready to come to the surface, if needed.

    ¡°I¡¯m about to do something I have never done,¡± Maggie said. She took a deep breath, readying herself for what she was about to say. ¡°I beg you, walk away from Adam. Put his needs before yours and leave him. He will never stop placing himself in harm¡¯s way while you are in the picture.¡± Her eyes changed from conniving to compassionate. ¡°Love is a selfless emotion, Anna. Put aside your personal feelings and think about what it would mean for Adam if you left.¡±

    I opened my mouth to respond, but Maggie held up a hand to stop me.

    ¡°Think about it,¡± she said. ¡°Just because we got lucky this time, doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯ll get a second chance. The next attack could be his last. Will you be able to get over the regret his death would cause?¡± She took another step closer and reached out to me, placing her hands on either side of my shoulders.

    ¡°If the answer is yes, then you do not truly love him. If the answer is no, then do something to prevent it.¡±

    She didn¡¯t give me another chance to speak. With one last look, she walked past me. I spun around and watched her move toward the bleachers. A lot of people walked back and forth, either heading to watch the games or taking advantage of the huge buffet we had catered. Through the gaps of the crowd, I could see Adam sitting on the bleachers. Chloe laughed at something, and Adam kept his gaze on the obstacle course in front of him.

    It struck me then that maybe the reason the purebloods arranged mates was for the protection it offered them from the Chante myth, rather than getting a leg up in their rankings. By pairing two people who did not love each other, there was no risk of them bonding. What Adam and I thought was a testament to our love could also be construed as a curse¡ªa weakness.

    Adam looked over, his eyes searching for me. When he found me, we locked gazes and a pain shot through my chest. Could I really just walk away from him? He stood up¡ªready to come over when I shook my head. I tried for a smile, but it probably looked as fake as it felt.

    I looked away, unable to hold his eyes and think what I was thinking. The idea of leaving him caused an unfathomable amount of guilt. I knew he wouldn¡¯t understand. Hell, I didn¡¯t understand why I was even considering it.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡±

    I looked up from the ground. Elle stood with her hands on her hips. Today, she had her long copper hair braided. A few wisps escaped and played against her neck.

    I swallowed around the discomfort Maggie had caused. ¡°What¡¯d you need?¡±

    ¡°You, of course,¡± Elle said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯ve been M.I.A., and everyone is anxious to meet you.¡±

    I noticed she still didn¡¯t look me in the eye. ¡°Yeah, I trained this morning and just had a ¡­ chat with Adam¡¯s mom.¡± I ran my fingers through my hair. ¡°Everyone probably thinks I¡¯m stuck up, huh? I promise I¡¯m not trying to ignore them.¡±

    She stepped forward and looped her arm through mine, tugging me forward. I laughed when I stumbled over a stick. Elle made it easy to forget all of my troubles, even if they¡¯d be waiting for me tomorrow.

    ¡°This is the infamous Anna Avery,¡± Elle said, holding her hands out in her best Vanna White impression.

    I was standing in the middle of a medium-sized crowd, all eyes on me. I smiled nervously and held up my hand in a small wave. Being on display wasn¡¯t as fun as it sounded.

    ¡°Anna, it¡¯s such a pleasure to meet you,¡± a young man said. ¡°My name¡¯s Leif. I¡¯m the brother of Sage.¡±

    I thought for a minute and then briefly remembered meeting Sage back at the house. Now that he mentioned it, I could see the resemblance. Where Sage had long hair like an oil slick, Leif¡¯s hair was cut short. Both siblings were of Native American descent and absolutely beautiful. Leif¡¯s big brown eyes smiled back at me, and a dimple dented his cheek when he grinned. I¡¯d guess he was in his teens. Once he got older, the ladies would be banging down his door.

    ¡°It¡¯s very nice to meet you too, Leif.¡± That caused him to smile wider.

    ¡°You¡¯ve met Jill,¡± Elle said, pointing to the enthusiastic woman I¡¯d met the other day. I smiled, but made sure not to engage her. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to discuss my relationship with Adam.

    Elle rambled off names, pointing to faces as she did. I nodded and smiled politely, all the while wanting to just blend in with the crowd. I didn¡¯t see what the fuss was about. So, I was a mutt who¡¯d bonded with an alpha. Was that so gossip worthy?

    Elle nudged me in the ribs. I scowled at her, and she widened her eyes for me to pay attention. Apparently someone was talking to me, and I hadn¡¯t noticed. I looked up to find the face of a very handsome man. My wolf perked up and took notice, too.

    ¡°The ceremony was beautiful,¡± the man was saying. ¡°You were beautiful. It¡¯s such a shame it was ruined. I was very much looking forward to Adam pledging himself to you.¡± The man winked, and a slight tremor ran through my legs. His eyes were the color of arctic ice, though there was nothing cold about the way he was looking at me.

    ¡°Anna, this is Ben Jenkins,¡± Elle said.

    Ben Jenkins. Why did that name sound familiar?

    ¡°Alpha of the Idaho pack,¡± Ben supplied and held out his hand.

    I had an ah-ha moment, the name clicking in my brain. So this was the man the Leaders planned to send me to just a couple weeks ago when they accused me of Eve¡¯s murders. I reached out and shook his hand, and my body instantly grew hot. My stomach clenched, and my breasts strained against the cotton of my tank top.

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    What the hell? I dropped his hand and took a step back. Maybe he had a seductive power like Nicholas and was forcing his influence onto me.Advertisement

    Ben smirked, holding my eyes. ¡°I hear you almost became a member of my pack.¡± His eyes raked up the length of my body before they connected with mine again. ¡°I would have loved to have you.¡±

    ¡°Ben Jenkins,¡± a deep voice said behind me, and I visibly relaxed. Adam moved past me so that his body shielded mine. ¡°I heard you wouldn¡¯t be able to make it.¡±

    I moved so I could see what was going on. Adam¡¯s possessiveness could get a little overbearing at times.

    ¡°I rearranged some things,¡± Ben said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t miss the opportunity to meet the woman who captured Adam Everwood, the notorious womanizer.¡±

    Womanizer? Adam?

    ¡°That was a long time ago, Ben, and none of them had what Anna does.¡±

    Nice save, playboy.

    Ben rubbed his chin and shook his head back and forth as though thinking about something. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°You and Chloe looked pretty cozy earlier.¡±

    Red. I saw nothing but red, or maybe it was green?

    Adam snorted in disgust. ¡°I see you¡¯re still up to your old ways, causing trouble for entertainment. It¡¯s not going to work this time. You see this?¡± Adam held his hand up, branded palm facing Ben. ¡°Nothing you say will disprove what this woman means to me.¡±

    Adam lowered his hand and grabbed mine. ¡°Come on, Anna.¡±

    ¡°It was nice meeting all of you,¡± I said to the group. They nodded and smiled, turning their attention back to the wolfy games.

    Adam and I walked to the sidelines, far enough away from Ben, and stopped. Whoever built the obstacle course had done a great job. There was a climbing wall, something that looked like monkey bars, and a lot of other things built to test their endurance.

    Adam stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. Leaning down, he rested his chin on my shoulder. I inhaled his scent, closing my eyes as I allowed it to comfort me.

    ¡°So ¡­¡± I said. ¡°You were a ladies man, huh?¡± I tried to sound nonchalant, but the thought of Adam with another woman made me almost nauseous. I wasn¡¯t a fool; I knew he had been with other women, and it was silly to get upset over it, but when it came to Adam, I was sometimes irrational.

    ¡°That was before I was an alpha of my own pack,¡± Adam said, kissing the side of my neck. ¡°Every teenage wolf goes through a period like that.¡±

    I was silent as I thought about what it would have been like to see Adam in his teen years. Did werewolves go to normal schools? There was still so much I didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Are you jealous, Chante?¡± Adam wiggled his fingers against my stomach, and I laughed.

    ¡°Stop it.¡±

    Adam tickled me again. ¡°Not until you tell me you understand that there is no other woman for me.¡±

    I doubled over, held in place by Adam¡¯s strong arms. I was laughing so hard people were starting to stare.

    ¡°O ¡­ okay,¡± I said through a giggle.

    ¡°Okay what?¡± He eased up his torture.

    ¡°I understand that I¡¯m the only woman for you,¡± I said over my shoulder. ¡°Though Chloe is trying her damnedest to change that.¡±

    Adam turned me around and cupped my face. He stared into my eyes, a sad smile on his face. ¡°It bothers me that you don¡¯t trust me, Anna. I don¡¯t know what I can do to prove to you that you are the only woman I desire.¡± He leaned down and brushed his lips against mine. ¡°Your body is the only one I want to kiss.¡± He pressed a kiss to my lips again. ¡°To taste.¡± He pinned me with his eyes. ¡°To make love to. Understand?¡±

    I was breathless and on fire for him. I nodded, my lips parted. Reaching up, I ran my hands across the span of his broad shoulders and lifted myself up on my tiptoes to reach his mouth. Adam entrapped my body in his arms, yanking me against his hard body. A moan slipped out when his tongue slipped between my lips. The hardness of his erection pressed against his jeans and stoked the fire raging between my legs.

    Then everything disappeared.

    I was no longer in Adam¡¯s arms or standing in the field by our house. I was in a meadow, surrounded by tall pine trees, and Adam was lying in a pool of blood at my feet. I fell to my knees, a scream ripping from my throat. I grasped for Adam, my fingers curling into his shirt as I fell upon him. Blood seeped through his shirt, turning white to red. His head lolled to the side, his blue eyes wide and full of disbelief.

    ¡°Adam,¡± I whispered, my lips trembling. ¡°Adam!¡± I screamed, clutching onto his shoulders. I shook him, guiding his face to mine so I could look into those fading eyes. It was either raining, or I was crying¡ªI couldn¡¯t be sure. All I could focus on was Adam.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t do this,¡± I pleaded, leaning down and resting my forehead against his. I leaned back and kissed his lips. ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine. Just hold on.¡±

    ¡°Chante,¡± he whispered, and then his eyes fell shut.

    ¡°Adam?¡± I shook his shoulders frantically. ¡°Adam.¡±

    I came back to the now, my eyes now focusing on the obstacle course.

    ¡°I think we¡¯ll do that tomorrow,¡± Adam was saying. I must have missed the other part of the conversation. My vision must not have been long enough for him to notice. I whipped around in his arms and hugged him tight, squeezing his neck.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Adam soothed, his hands rubbing my back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Anna? You¡¯re shaking.¡±

    I leaned back and cupped his face.

    ¡°Why are you crying?¡±

    ¡°It was horrible, Adam. I ¡­¡±

    ¡°What? Was it a vision?¡±

    I nodded, though I couldn¡¯t put to words what I¡¯d seen. I couldn¡¯t voice that nightmare. I kept seeing the blood and the light fading from those beautiful blue eyes. Tears continued to stream down my face.

    ¡°I need to talk to Wade.¡± I began to walk away when Adam gripped my arm to stop me.

    ¡°Tell me what you saw.¡±

    I stopped and wiped a hand across my cheeks to erase the tears. When I met Adam¡¯s eyes, another round of fresh tears dampened my face.

    ¡°Your death.¡±

    Chapter Thirteen

    I found Wade around the back of house with Chelsea. They both looked up when Adam and I approached. Adam wouldn¡¯t let me talk to Wade alone. I couldn¡¯t blame him; the vision affected him more than anyone.

    ¡°I need to talk to you,¡± I told Wade.

    ¡°Can it wait?¡± Wade slid a sidelong glance toward Chelsea. I understood he liked her, and she probably liked him, but now was not the time to lay the groundwork for a relationship when there was something wonky going on with my visions.

    ¡°No,¡± I said sternly.

    Wade leaned back in his chair, his arm draped over the back of Chelsea¡¯s. My visions weren¡¯t a secret so I didn¡¯t mind discussing them in front of her, but I also didn¡¯t know whom I could trust. Chelsea and I might have been friends in high school, but she hadn¡¯t been shy in letting me know she blamed me for her change. I didn¡¯t expect her to come to terms with it this soon. I sure as hell didn¡¯t.

    I sat at the table, and Adam took the chair beside me. I explained the vision, making sure not to look at Adam. I could feel his unease through our bond. I couldn¡¯t imagine the look on his face. Once I was done explaining, I stared at Wade expectantly.

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not much to go off of,¡± Wade said. ¡°Did you see how he died? Who attacked him?¡±

    I thought for a second. ¡°No, just what I told you. You said a seer saw the past, not the future. Why am I all of a sudden seeing it?¡±

    Wade sat up and tilted his head. He ran a hand over his buzzed head and then rested his fisted hands under his chin.

    ¡°You¡¯re still a new werewolf, Anna. Our gifts are not set in stone; they¡¯re constantly changing and developing. The good news is, now that you saw it, we can do something to stop it.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± I pounded my fist against the wood table. I couldn¡¯t get the look of Adam¡¯s dying eyes out of my mind, and it had me on edge. I could not stand by and wait while someone was out there scheming to kill my mate.

    I stood up and paced the deck, enraged and frightened at the same time. I felt strong hands come around my shoulders. Adam¡¯s fingers squeezed, and then I felt his hot breath against my neck.

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t happened yet, which means we can do something to make sure it doesn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± I asked, turning to face him. ¡°How am I supposed to figure out who wants to kill you when I didn¡¯t see that part? There are over two hundred wolves here, Adam. Any one of them could be responsible.¡±

    ¡°I say you start living up to your name, alpha,¡± Wade said. When Adam and I looked at him, he explained, ¡°You¡¯re a made wolf and the new alpha female of one of most prestigious packs. You may not have noticed yet, but a lot of wolves here are curious to meet you. A pureblood has never took a mutt¡ªno offense¡ªas their mate. Add to the fact that you guys bonded.¡±

    I flicked my eyes to Chelsea¡¯s face. Wade¡¯s comment about purebreds not mating with mutts didn¡¯t go unnoticed by her. Her pink lips turned down, and she kept her gaze on the table instead of Wade. I slid my eyes to Wade and motioned toward Chelsea. When he looked over, he realized what¡¯d he¡¯d said.

    ¡°But not because purebreds don¡¯t want to,¡± he said. ¡°I mean, they sleep with non-purebreds all the time ¡­¡±

    I shook my head and Chelsea stood. I¡¯d never seen anyone put their foot into their mouth as much as I did. Wade was doing a pretty good job of it.

    ¡°I have some chores to do,¡± Chelsea said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean you guys are only good for sex. I just meant politics always get in the way.¡±

    Chelsea shook her head, bouncing brown curls around her head. ¡°I gotta go.¡±

    Wade stood, but she was already opening the sliding glass door and heading inside. He let out a defeated sigh, sitting back down.

 Page 20

    ¡°Now it¡¯s not such a mystery as to why I¡¯m single, huh?¡±Advertisement

    ¡°Smooth, you are not,¡± I said in agreement.

    ¡°So, getting back on track,¡± Adam said. ¡°You want Anna to walk around and meet the visiting wolves in hopes of what, getting another vision?¡±

    Wade stared at the door Chelsea had disappeared through for a second before bringing his attention back to us. I¡¯d make sure to smooth things over with Chelsea. I¡¯d be helping Wade out, and it¡¯d give me a chance to connect with her again. I hated how awkward things were between us.

    ¡°Anna¡¯s power is linked through touch,¡± Wade said. ¡°All she has to do is go around and shake people¡¯s hands. Maybe she¡¯ll get something that will give us a lead.¡±

    I imagined walking around shaking two hundred hands, and I instantly felt like a slimy politician, smiling on the outside all the while scheming on the inside. If it helped saved Adam¡¯s life, though, I¡¯d do anything.

    ¡°Do you think ¡­¡± I began, exchanging a glance with Adam. ¡°Do you think someone wants to kill you because they know I weaken you?¡± I kept my eyes anywhere but on Adam¡¯s face. Maggie¡¯s earlier pleads resounded in my head. As much as I hated to admit it, there was more truth to her words than I wanted to acknowledge. What if I was the reason for the horrid vision I¡¯d had?

    Adam gripped my face and forced me to look at him. ¡°Anna, there will always be a power hungry wolf ready to take over what is not his. It¡¯s our nature to want to grow our packs for the stability it offers. You do not weaken me, understand?¡± He paused and waited for me to nod. I didn¡¯t. He just didn¡¯t want to believe that I did and was hoping to convince me. Pressure weighed on my chest from the responsibility of our relationship. I¡¯d never been good with responsibility. I¡¯d quit more jobs than I could count because of it. My entire life I¡¯d been searching for something, anything that would make sense. Now that I¡¯d found it, it was on the verge of slipping through my fingers.

    ¡°Anna, tell me you know that. Don¡¯t let our enemies trick you into thinking otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Can we talk about this later?¡± I glanced at Wade, uncomfortable having such a personal discussion in front of him.

    Adam dropped his hands and took a step back. ¡°Yeah, later.¡±

    ¡°Okay then,¡± Wade said, standing. ¡°You should start socializing as soon as possible and if you feel or see anything, let us know right away.¡±

    I¡¯d spent the entire day introducing myself to any wolf I laid eyes on. At one point, I introduced myself to one of my own pack mates. Needless to say, I did not have one vision. By the time the sun started descending, I was beyond frustrated. I viewed our visitors as potential enemies, studying them like criminals in a lineup. If someone approached Adam, I was right there by his side. If someone even mentioned his name, I was butting into his or her conversation to figure out why. I ignored the odd looks and hushed whispers. As long as Adam was safe, I couldn¡¯t give a fuck what our guests thought about me. The vision of Adam dying plagued me all day. It drove me to find the person responsible.

    I was heading over to another group of wolves when someone¡¯s fingers curled around my forearm. Whirling around, a growl vibrated up my throat. I blinked, noticing Elle was my captor. Taking a ragged breath, my shoulders slumped.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, wild woman?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I asked, though my eyes were searching the surrounding crowds. My gaze traveled to the nearby tree line in search for any movement that would alert me to a coming attack.

    ¡°Anna?¡± Elle shook my shoulders, snapping my attention back to her.

    ¡°What?¡± I snapped.

    She let go and took a step back, holding her hands up in surrender. Guilt instantly consumed me.

    ¡°Shit, Elle, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just ¡­ I¡¯m flippin¡¯ the fuck out.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± she said with a small smile. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    I proceeded to tell her about the vision and what I was doing. By the end, Elle frowned and searched the crowds with her eyes, too.

    ¡°See why I¡¯m freaking out?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s ¡­¡± She shook her head, letting the sentence trail off. ¡°But, it doesn¡¯t mean it will happen, right?¡± At my confused look, she continued, ¡°Visions aren¡¯t set in stone. It¡¯s a possibility, but the future is constantly changing, which means it might not happen.¡±

    ¡°The only way it won¡¯t happen, is if I find the person responsible and stop it. Any one of these people could be the one who kills Adam, and I can¡¯t make any visions appear. I have been walking around all day touching and talking to people and nothing. How am I supposed to stop it if my power only works every so often? If he dies and there was something I could do to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Anna,¡± Elle said, gripping my hand. ¡°Working yourself up isn¡¯t going to help anyone. You need to take a couple deep breaths and calm down. We¡¯ll figure this out, and you forget one very important thing.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Adam is one of the few undefeated wolves around. He¡¯s dealt with men trying to take his position, and none of them are here to try again. I know you¡¯re protective of him, but he¡¯s pretty bad ass.¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t that bad ass at the ceremony when he was shot with a silver tipped arrow. I had the vision for a reason, Elle. He can¡¯t protect himself if he doesn¡¯t see the attack coming.¡±

    Elle released my hand and shook her head. I knew I was being bitchy but the fate of your mate can do that to a woman.

    ¡°Being negative about it isn¡¯t going to help is all I was saying.¡±

    Elle and I had hit it off from the start. We never fought, and she¡¯d always been there for me, but in that moment I was beyond frustrated with her. I admit, I was a little crazed and not thinking clearly. After being haunted by the vision all day, I figured I was entitled to freak out. Silver linings are great, but I wasn¡¯t in the right frame of mind to look for one.

    ¡°And telling me not to worry about it isn¡¯t going to help either.¡±

    Elle snorted. ¡°Whatever. Deal with it however you want, my alpha. I just came out here to tell you Adam asked to see you. He¡¯s waiting in the house.¡± She turned and walked away. I stared at her back, the anger dissipating and leaving me feeling like shit.

    Chapter Fourteen

    The house was completely dark and empty when I entered it. Candles on tall pedestals made a path toward the kitchen. Confused, I followed it, only to find it led down the hallway and to my bedroom. My frustrations slipped away, and a smile slipped onto my face. I never pegged Adam as the type for big romantic gestures, and it had me curious.

    I hesitated outside my room for a moment before I opened the door. Adam stood just inside, wearing dark jeans and a button down white shirt that he¡¯d tucked in. The first couple buttons were undone, and I could see the hint of muscles peeking out. My reaction to him never seemed to shock me. He was beautiful, and he was mine.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Remember that thing I said we¡¯d do tonight?¡±

    I smiled. ¡°Vaguely.¡±

    Adam smiled in return, coming toward me. He brushed a finger against my cheek, his eyes penetrating. The glow of candlelight cast shadows against his face.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been stressed.¡± When I began to say something, Adam continued, ¡°I thought you deserved a night where you wouldn¡¯t have to worry about wandering eyes, conversation, or threats. I planned to do this at the ceremony the other night, but this is more fitting. I don¡¯t need an audience to pledge myself to you, Chante. The only person I need to know how devoted I am to you is you.¡±

    Realization set in. Adam was recreating his own ceremony, and it was far better than the original. He stood in front of me and began to work the buttons of his shirt, his eyes still on my face. Mine were watching the reveal of taut skin over hard muscle. Adam could make me forget an apocalypse, so long as he was undressing in front of me and looking at me with that glint in his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie and say that you questioning our union hasn¡¯t bothered me, Anna.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not questioning it,¡± I lied. ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ it¡¯s just complex. I¡¯m not use to being in a relationship, much less one with a royal werewolf. And now we¡¯re bonded ¡­ it just makes it more complicated.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Adam said, un-tucking his shirt and sliding it off his body. He slipped off his shoes and began working the button on his jeans. My eyes tracked each movement as anticipation rushed through my body. My wolf was alive and ready for a night with her mate.

    ¡°I know you have a bit of a commitment phobia¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± I told him. ¡°I am one hundred percent committed to you, Adam. It¡¯s the link we share that worries me.¡±

    He slipped out of his jeans and rested his hands on his hips. A tingle skipped up my thighs as I stared at the ¡°V¡± of his hipbones. I wanted to kiss that spot.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I can say to change your mind, Anna, but I do know this: you are mine. Not just for the moment. You will be mine until there is no me, because death is the only thing that I¡¯ll allow to tear us apart. This thing between us isn¡¯t just a bond or another relationship. It runs deeper than any of that.¡± He stepped toward me and cupped my face. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I lived before you, but I damn sure won¡¯t live without you.¡±

    I was beginning to get nervous. ¡°Why would you think you¡¯d have to live without me?¡±

    His lips straightened into a hard line. ¡°I got curious about what my mother said to you, so I asked her. She didn¡¯t come right out and say it, but from what she told me, I know she¡¯s trying to convince you to leave. And by the way you¡¯ve been acting about our bond and your vision, I know you¡¯re entertaining the idea.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t miss the anger in his voice or the hurt clouding his eyes. He made it seem like it was a done deal and it¡¯d been an easy decision to make. The fact that he thought I could make a decision like that so easily hurt.

 Page 21

    ¡°I love you enough that if you really wanted to leave, I¡¯d let you go, but if you¡¯re considering leaving simply because you think I¡¯m in danger, you wouldn¡¯t get off this mountain before I dragged your ass back here, Anna. I will fight for you¡ªfor us¡ªuntil you realize the only place you belong is by my side.¡±Advertisement

    Tears splashed against my cheeks. Adam swept a thumb across my face to brush them away.

    ¡°Are you planning on leaving?¡±

    I met his eyes, my hands shaking from the mixture of my own emotions combined with Adam¡¯s. We stared in silence for a long time before I answered. While I hadn¡¯t planned to leave, I did have to consider it, especially after the vision of Adam dying.

    ¡°You would be safe, and I care more about that than myself. If I walked away, it wouldn¡¯t be because I wanted to.¡±

    Adam gave me a small smile. ¡°It still bothers me that you even considered it, but I¡¯m happy that it¡¯s because you were thinking of my safety and not because you don¡¯t want to be with me. That being said, if you ever even think about leaving again, I will lock your ass in your room until you come to your senses. Have a little more faith in us, Anna.¡±

    I looked away, guilty and a little angry. Adam didn¡¯t understand where I was coming from, and if I were in his shoes, I might not have either. Adam didn¡¯t look at the scars on our palms as anything other than what they were¡ªa sign we were meant to be together. I, however, could see the curse through the love-induced fog. Being tied to anyone was dangerous. If that tether were cut, the other would suffer. How could he not see the weight of that resting on my shoulders? I knew the answer; it was his pride. It made him believe that he was strong enough to take care of both of us.

    ¡°Have you had anyone check out the forest where I spotted the attacker?¡± In the chaos of our guests and events, no one seemed to bat an eyelash at the attack from the ceremony. ¡°Wade thinks it was a vampire.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this tomorrow,¡± Adam said. ¡°Tonight, I have plans. I don¡¯t want to talk about anything other than the present.¡±

    He walked over to my dresser and lifted a small clay bowl I hadn¡¯t noticed before. Handing it to me, he said, ¡°Let me pledge my wolf to you, Chante.¡±

    I gave him a tightlipped smile and nodded. Being a young werewolf, I hadn¡¯t come to respect the rituals the way Adam did. I could tell this meant a lot to him, so I wouldn¡¯t press the issues that were heavy in my mind. Tonight, I would give him what he wanted and try to pretend there wasn¡¯t a possible vampire trying to kill either Adam or me¡ªthat the scars marring our palms weren¡¯t an invisible tether linking our souls together, and that whenever I looked into Adam¡¯s eyes, I didn¡¯t see the Adam from my visions dying. Sometimes, when you love someone, pretending is the only thing you can do for him or her.

    Adam transformed into his wolf. I envied the graceful transition. He did it with such ease. A large black wolf stood in front of me, its shoulders coming to my waist. Reaching a hand out, I ran my fingers through Adam¡¯s inky fur and bent down to kiss the top of his head. My wolf turned to goo, warming me from the inside out.

    Setting the clay bowl down, I tugged my tank top over my head to expose my stomach. Standing, I picked up the bowl and held it out to Adam. We watched each other in silence. I couldn¡¯t help myself¡ªa smile bent my lips. I loved Adam; I loved everything about him. When I first arrived at the compound, I¡¯d thought I was crazy when I watched a man transform into a beast. Now, when I saw Adam standing on all fours, my heart swelled with an unfathomable amount of all the great emotions: love, pride, lust, and happiness. Knowing you¡¯re where you¡¯re supposed to be is a profound feeling. I knew whenever I looked at Adam he was my home. All the times I felt lost in my life, felt like I was stumbling through life only to find another dead end, it all led me to this moment. It led me to his arms.

    Adam dipped the pad of his paw into the mixture and reached out to me. I expected him to place his mark on my stomach like the others had. He didn¡¯t. He reached up and placed his paw on my chest. I looked down at the mark of his paw print over my heart and closed my eyes. A livewire of energy filled me, rushing through my veins and filling me with power. I took a shuddered breath, opening my eyes to find Adam in human form again. I panted as though I¡¯d just run ten miles and was coming down from the exertion.

    ¡°This is ¡­¡±

    ¡°A pretty amazing high, right?¡±

    I nodded, looking up at Adam. I thought the energy of having my pack pledge themselves to me was powerful. It was weak compared to the power consuming me now. I looked down again and watched as Adam¡¯s paw print dissolved into my skin. Throwing my head back, I closed my eyes and panted. I was alive and on fire, an alpha in a sea of betas. It was exhilarating and amplified every emotion filling me. I locked eyes with Adam and charged him.

    Wrapping my arms around his neck, I dragged my mouth across his and slipped my tongue inside. I moaned as his tongue tangled with mine. His hands were everywhere, roaming my back, my behind, and in my hair, stoking the fire already filling me. My mind was on one track, and the destination was Adam. I worked the button on my shorts and let them fall to my feet. Next were my panties. I couldn¡¯t get naked fast enough, and when my underwear tangled around my ankles, a growl slipped up my throat. Adam laughed, helping me out of my lingerie debacle.

    When I was free, he hoisted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and together we slammed against the wall. Adam fisted my hair and tugged my head to the side, his mouth searing a path along my neck. Thrusting upward, he buried himself in me. I dug my fingernails into his shoulders as he pounded into me relentlessly. One of his hands came up to palm my breast. He worried my nipple between his fingers, pinching slightly. A deep guttural moan fell from my lips as I worked my hips against his thrusts. I was lost in a lust-induced fog, needing more of Adam. My number one priority was finding that sweet release only he could provide.

    Adam leaned in for a kiss, this time slower. He trailed the tip of his tongue along my bottom lip before delving into my mouth. He kissed me with precision, turning my legs to jelly and causing my toes to curl. He slowed his rapid pumps to meet the rhythm of his kiss. Gripping my hips, he thrust into me hard, only to withdraw slowly and repeat the process.

    ¡°God, that¡¯s so fucking good,¡± I said.

    Adam growled, his fingers digging into my hips. Our eyes connected, and then the floodgates of ecstasy burst open, and I was riding another delicious high. My legs trembled around his hard waist as he continued to move inside of me. When he was happy that I was done, Adam walked over to the bed and lay me down so that I was on my stomach. Reaching an arm under me, he lifted my behind into the air and then he was filling me again.

    He leaned over my back, his hair tickling my shoulders. With one hand on my hip, he used the other to turn my face toward him and claimed my mouth. I fisted my hands in the sheet, quivering as he enticed my sensitive folds for another orgasm. That exciting tingle built back up with each pump of his hips.

    Adam stopped, withdrawing himself from me. ¡°Turn over.¡±

    I did as he said and flipped onto my back, my behind at the edge of the mattress. Adam knelt down in from of me, his hands sliding up my thighs to spread me open before him.

    ¡°You¡¯re so fucking beautiful, Chante. So fucking eager for me all the time.¡± He lowered his mouth to me, his tongue replacing the disappearance of his dick. I wanted to wrap my legs around his head but he held them open, spread eagle on my bed, as his tongue licked, prodded, and penetrated my swollen folds. I whimpered, moaned, and was panting by the time he lifted his head. With one last soft kiss, Adam gripped my hips and buried himself in me again. I was on the edge, tiptoeing, and on the verge of falling off. I closed my eyes as I waited for yet another Earth shattering release.

    ¡°Open your eyes,¡± Adam said, pumping into me hard. ¡°I want to see that look when you come for me, Anna.¡±

    I opened my eyes and met his. Locked in each other¡¯s gazes, Adam increased his thrusts, pumping into me harder and harder.

    ¡°Whose are you, Chante?¡±

    ¡°Yours,¡± I breathed, yearning for the pressure to break free.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, baby. You¡¯re mine. You will always be mine.¡±

    I nodded, words failing my foggy brain. Then that sweet release was mine¡ªwashing through me and giving my body what it desired. I stared up at Adam and bit my bottom lip.

    ¡°Fuck, I can feel you twitching around me.¡± With one last thrust, Adam too found his release. He rested his sweaty forehead against my chest, placing a kiss at my cleavage. We took a couple minutes to catch our breath. I ran my fingers through Adam¡¯s hair and along his shoulders. My body was still amped up from his pledge, but sated enough that I didn¡¯t feel like I was going to jump out of my skin.

    Adam moved down my body. Gripping my waist with both hands, he placed a kiss to my navel. He looked up the length of me, his eyes softening.

    ¡°The heat will be consuming you soon.¡±

    I thought he was trying to sexy talk and smiled. ¡°I think it already has.¡±

    Adam laughed and lay beside me, propping himself up on an elbow. ¡°I mean, heat as in ovulation, Anna. Every female werewolf goes through it twice a year, and you¡¯re six months old. It¡¯ll be happening soon.¡±

    My breath caught in my throat. Babies, that¡¯s what he was talking about? My relaxation dissolved, nervousness taking its place. I shot up in bed and took a moment to wrap my head around what he was saying. I made sure to stay on the pill even after turning. I wasn¡¯t ready for a baby at twenty-three.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Chante?¡±

    I half turned, looking at Adam. ¡°Are you saying you want to have kids ¡­ already? We¡¯ve only been together for a couple weeks.¡±

    Adam sat up and held my hand. ¡°I¡¯m twenty-nine, Anna. I always imagined having kids, but never found the right woman to give them to. It would make me very happy to see your swollen belly, knowing it was my child growing inside you. I can see you¡¯re apprehensive, but when the heat is upon you, you¡¯ll want them as much as I do.¡±

 Page 22

    I stood, hugging my arms to my chest. ¡°I¡¯m thinking clearly now, and I¡¯m telling you I¡¯m not ready. When I go into heat, it¡¯ll be my wolf wanting them¡ªnot me.¡±Advertisement

    Adam let out a heavy breath. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was out of anger or contemplation over the discussion. My hands drifted down to my flat stomach. Then a thought occurred to me; if I was on the pill, how could I get pregnant even in heat?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to quit taking the pill, Adam. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t get pregnant.¡±

    Adam watched me, his mouth opening and then shutting. He looked away and then back at me.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Our bodies burn off human drugs quickly, but when you¡¯re in heat, your body will burn through them twice as fast. The best possible way to avoid getting pregnant during that time is sustaining from sex, and believe me, that will be the last thing on your mind. When our mates are in heat, we males become ravenous. I remember Alec and his wife not coming out of their bedrooms for three days.¡± Adam stood and came toward me, placing his hands on my shoulders. ¡°Would it be so bad to carry my child, Anna?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I said, ¡°but it¡¯s only been a couple weeks and ¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The vision, Adam. It freaks me out that you¡¯re not worried about it, and if you were to die, how could I raise a child on my own? I would be devastated, useless.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen. I think you had that vision so we could stop it. It was a gift from the spirits. Most people don¡¯t get warnings and are caught off guard. We won¡¯t be. As for the length of time we¡¯ve been together, I wanted you as the mother of my children from the moment I first laid eyes on you. I knew right then that you were it for me. Whether we¡¯ve been together for a day or ten years, you will always be the one.¡±

    Adam always said the right things, words made to make women swoon and fall at his feet. My anxiety lessened, but my mind didn¡¯t change. I knew kids were not in my immediate future.

    ¡°Would you hate me if I told you I wanted to wait?¡±

    Adam smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand what you¡¯re saying and the intensity to which your desires will be during the heat, but I could never hate you, Chante.¡±

    ¡°Then lock me up in the cage in the basement if you have to, but I will not lose my wits simply because my body is under some kind of baby-making spell. I will endure the torture so long as a decision isn¡¯t made with a horny brain.¡±

    Adam laughed. ¡°I will be in torture, too. My dick will be fighting to fill you and spill my seed into your womb. It will be agony.¡±

    This werewolf thing just kept getting better and better. The cage in the basement was built for new werewolves. It was the perfect solution, but it wouldn¡¯t help Adam.

    ¡°Well, it looks like you¡¯ll be tugging your meat stick until it passes.¡±

    Adam grinned. ¡°I haven¡¯t tugged the meat stick since I was in high school.¡±

    A thought occurred to me and turned my stomach inside out. ¡°How did Eve not get pregnant? If the heat is so overpowering, how is it that you didn¡¯t have children with her?¡± I hated asking about Eve, or even thinking about her with Adam. I didn¡¯t care that he was hers before me. She¡¯d been psychotic and unfaithful to Adam, sleeping with his brother.

    ¡°I ordered her to stay away from me during that time.¡± Adam shrugged and sat down. ¡°I was mated to her so it was my duty to impregnate her during that time, and I knew I did not want kids with that woman. Our union was political, and I didn¡¯t want to bring children into something like that. She disappeared during the heat and came back after it was over. I always assumed she went to Anthony, but I never asked. I didn¡¯t care. She never carried, though. I don¡¯t know if she couldn¡¯t have children, or if Anthony¡¯s wolf refused her during that time because she was mated to me. Our wolves are very possessive¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed,¡± I joked.

    ¡°Anthony could fuck Eve all the time while not in heat, but once it was upon her, his wolf would have rejected what he knew wasn¡¯t his.¡±

    I frowned, thinking for a moment. ¡°But you said even the men go crazy. Why would his wolf reject her when she was out of her mind with horniness?¡±

    ¡°I forget there¡¯s still so much you don¡¯t know,¡± Adam added. ¡°Mated wolves cheat from time to time¡ª¡±

    I gasped, surprised by the confession. Was he saying he had cheated on me because it was a normal werewolf thing to do? Vomit crawled up my throat at the thought of him with another woman.

    ¡°Not me, Anna. I would never do that. You are the only woman I will ever want. I don¡¯t look at any other women in that way. I just meant, some men look outside of their unions for sex¡ªmostly because their pairings weren¡¯t for the right reasons. But during our woman¡¯s heat, it¡¯s in our DNA to produce offspring with our mate¡ªthe woman we vowed ourselves to as a way to grow our bloodlines. We would never want children with one of our mistresses.¡±

    The meaning dawned on me, and anger filled me. ¡°You mean because your mistresses are mutts, right? You wouldn¡¯t want to soil the alpha bloodline with dirty blood. Why the hell do you want a kid with me then? Last time I checked, I was a mutt, Adam.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re a mutt, Anna. You¡¯ve had alpha tendencies since you first turned. You may not have been born alpha, but make no mistake, you are alpha.¡±

    I started getting dressed, pissed beyond belief. Sure, Adam thought I had alpha tendencies and we were paired together, but had we not bonded, he wouldn¡¯t have wanted children with me. Would he have even made me his mate?

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Getting dressed and leaving.¡±

    Adam yanked my clothes from my hands and threw them across the room. He curled his fingers around the back of my neck and held me in place.

    ¡°You¡¯re blowing this out of proportion. You know I don¡¯t think of you as a mutt. I am proud that you¡¯re my mate.¡±

    ¡°Just because you don¡¯t think of me as one, doesn¡¯t mean that isn¡¯t what I am, Adam. Had the Chante mark not appeared, would you even be with me right now, or still trying to make me your mistress?¡±

    ¡°Stop it,¡± Adam growled. ¡°You know damn well I never wanted you as a mistress. I never treated you as such so get that thought out of your head right now. Don¡¯t throw your insecurities onto me.¡±

    I snorted in derision. ¡°Didn¡¯t you?¡± I retorted. ¡°You tried sleeping with me while with Eve. You told me that you couldn¡¯t leave her because it was your duty to be mated to her. How is that not treating me like a mistress? And the only reason it didn¡¯t work was because I didn¡¯t fall at your feet and worship you like every other pack whore.¡±

    Adam gripped my arm and tossed me onto the bed. Spreading my legs, he positioned himself at my center, his erection pressing against my folds. Without warning, he buried himself in me and began moving his hips.

    ¡°I want you to listen to what I¡¯m saying and believe it word for word,¡± he said, thrusting harder, deeper. ¡°I never tried to turn you into a whore or thought of you in those terms. You cannot hold my merit against me. Staying with Eve was just as much for the pack¡¯s benefit as it was yours.¡± Adam gripped my hips and yanked me against him hard so my center met him thrust for thrust. I moaned despite myself.

    ¡°I¡¯ve wanted you by my side since you appeared on my mountain, Anna. I didn¡¯t care who you were, where you came from, or if you had a man. The only reason I kept my distance is because I knew it wasn¡¯t fair to want you while I was mated. Make no mistake that I will never stop wanting you.¡±

    His mouth clamped down on my breast, his tongue twirling around my erect nipple. I writhed beneath him, my hands going to his shoulders.

    ¡°Fucking you is a perk,¡± Adam growled. ¡°Having you by my side is the real reward. Do. Not. Ever. Forget. That.¡±

    We both came at the same time, and boy did that orgasm blow the other two out of the water. It was raw, angry, and amazing. My anger dissipated with my release, my body limp and exhausted.

    ¡°We got way off track,¡± Adam said, standing up. ¡°I didn¡¯t set all this up to talk about babies, or what some purebred men do. I had a plan, and you come in here and made me forget myself. Stubborn ass woman.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± I said, disgruntled. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who brought up babies or mistresses. That was all you.¡±

    Adam turned, grinning while he pulled on a pair of nylon track pants. My eyes absorbed his thick shoulders, and slim waist, and all the ridges of muscles making up his flat stomach. No matter how frustrated or mad I got with him, it all faded away when I thought with the shallow part of my brain. I couldn¡¯t help it; the man was scrumptious.

    Going to my dresser, Adam took out a cotton nightgown and handed it to me. Sitting up, I slipped it on and pulled my hair into a ponytail. It was sticky with sweat. I¡¯d definitely have to take a shower before I even thought about sleeping.

    ¡°So, what was your plan?¡±

    Adam reached into his pants pocket and knelt before me. Reaching a hand up, he trailed soft fingertips along my cheek.

    ¡°You have done nothing but test me since the first moment you arrived. You defied me at every turn, talked back, and made me crazy. I¡¯ve never met a woman with a head as hard as yours.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± I said. ¡°Your plan was to put me down?¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Anna,¡± Adam snapped. ¡°What I¡¯m saying is, despite how frustrated I get with you, I wouldn¡¯t change a single thing about you. I love your strong will and your passion. I love that your left eye crinkles when you¡¯re mad. I love that you crack your knuckles when you¡¯re nervous. I love that even though you put on a brave face, your insecurities show when you don¡¯t think anyone is looking. I love that you don¡¯t back down from me or anyone else. I love every single cell that makes you who you are. And I would love it if you said yes.¡±

 Page 23

    ¡°Huh?¡± I¡¯d been staring into his eyes, engrossed in every single word that fell from his lips. Adam motioned with his eyes, and I finally looked down, and my lungs ceased to work. Sitting in a black velvet box sat a sparkly diamond ring.Advertisement

    ¡°I have you as my mate and my chante,¡± Adam said, taking the ring and lifting my left hand. ¡°Say you¡¯ll be my wife, too.¡±

    I was having a mini panic attack. It was rare for wolves to get married. Most believed taking one as a mate was good enough. Our beliefs in our animals were stronger than human traditions. Adam was giving himself entirely to me. In every possible way, he would own me, and I would own him. I never believed in marriage, not because I didn¡¯t have a healthy example; I did. My parents were very happy and had been married for twenty-five years before they died. I¡¯d just seen too many marriages fail. So why, when I looked at Adam, did I want to say yes?

    ¡°Anna?¡±

    I met Adam¡¯s eyes again and smiled. ¡°Your parents are going to be pissed.¡±

    Chapter Fifteen

    The full moon was tonight, and we were all antsy. I¡¯d slipped away from the house and found myself at the lake I¡¯d shared with Sawyer. I kicked off my shoes and walked through the shallow water, twirling the huge diamond on my left hand. I still hadn¡¯t talked to Elle, and it hurt. I wanted to run to her after I said yes to Adam, but after our fight, I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be receptive to my excitement. As far as I knew, Adam¡¯s parents hadn¡¯t heard about our engagement. I could already hear Maggie¡¯s next speech. I was trying my hardest not to let her voice penetrate my head. I knew the complications and danger regarding my bond with Adam, but I also knew we would both be miserable without each other.

    I turned my hand over and examined the Chante mark. My entire palm was a raised scar. A design that looked like a four-leaf clover took up most of the space while an infinity symbol ran horizontally across it. A circle encompassed the mark.

    A branch snapped just behind me. I whirled around, a growl vibrating up my throat. Since Adam pledging himself to me, my insecurities about fighting had faded away. The power running through me was strong and left me hyperaware of everything around me.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Chelsea said, holding her hands up in surrender. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to sneak up on you.¡±

    Just behind her, Sage, Elle, Rachel, and Chloe stepped through the trees. Now that I was paying attention, I could hear more people coming. I guess I wasn¡¯t hyperaware when lost in my own thoughts. I¡¯d have to learn to juggle the two things.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re all itchy,¡± Rachel said, coming toward me. ¡°Sage suggested we go for a swim, said it helps calm her down during the full moon.¡±

    This would be Chelsea¡¯s first full moon. I remembered how anxious I¡¯d been during mine¡ªfeeling my wolf pushing forward, but not breaking free. It was uncomfortable at first and sensual. The brush of our beast beneath our skin amped up our already sensitive sex drives.

    ¡°How are you doing?¡±

    Chelsea hugged her arms to her chest and then let them fall to her sides, only to cross them again. Yeah, she was anxious and revved up. Her curly brown hair blew back with the breeze.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to get used to it, ya know? I mean, up until two weeks ago, I didn¡¯t even know stuff like this really existed, and now I¡¯m living it.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°I felt the same way when it happened to me. I even refused to believe they were werewolves, even when Joe stripped in front of me and transformed. I was convinced it was some sort of parlor trick.¡±

    Chelsea smiled at me. ¡°How long did it take for you to come to terms with it?¡±

    I snorted. ¡°I think I¡¯m still coming to terms with it, but I accepted it after about two months. It¡¯s scary, I know, but it¡¯s also pretty damn cool. The Everwood pack is great, and we¡¯re lucky to be part of their pack. Some of the other packs aren¡¯t as laid back.¡±

    ¡°Turning me into the live-in maid doesn¡¯t seem that laid back to me.¡±

    I laughed because I¡¯d felt the same way when I was the live-in maid. Everyone pulled his or her weight in the pack. It just happened that newbies pulled a little more.

    ¡°I wholeheartedly agree with you on that one. It sucks, but you have Elle and me to help you out whenever you need it.¡±

    Chelsea¡¯s smile disappeared. ¡°I could never ask one of my alphas for help. This thing inside of me quivers anytime we¡¯re around one of you, like its scared or something.¡±

    I frowned, remembering how I felt being around Adam and Eve. Our wolves respected their alphas, and now I was one. It was bizarre.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I told her. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be afraid of either one of us.¡±

    ¡°Chelsea, you wanna help me with this stuff?¡±

    We both turned to see Elle carrying a big cooler with a radio balanced on top. Our eyes met, and she looked away. The little shun hit me in the gut. Elle was the first wolf to befriend me when I came to the mountain. I hated that I had snapped at her.

    ¡°You stay here,¡± I told Chelsea. ¡°I¡¯ll help her.¡±

    Walking over to Elle, I grabbed the radio right before it fell off the cooler. ¡°Hey, sorry about last night. I was a little moody.¡±

    ¡°A little? You were on the verge of paranoia.¡±

    I gave her a small smile. ¡°Yeah, sorry. Grace under fire, I am not.¡±

    Elle¡¯s eyes widened, and she set the cooler down, reaching for my left arm. She brought my hand up and examined my new ring.

    ¡°Holy shit, he proposed?¡±

    I nodded, a wide smile stretching my lips. ¡°Last night.¡±

    Chloe came up beside us, her eyes glaring at my new, sparkly accessory. My smile grew bigger while my inner voice said, Take that, bitch.

    ¡°Has Maggie or Donald seen this?¡± Chloe asked.

    ¡°Not yet, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll scurry off and tell them the good news.¡±

    Chloe growled, her anxious wolf coming to the surface. Elle gasped, stepping in front of me. As her alpha female it was her job to protect me, but after getting a dose of Adam¡¯s power, I was capable of ripping her head off.

    I stepped around Elle and allowed my own wolf to surface. A menacing snarl ripped from my lips as I stared the jealous Chloe in the eye. It was a challenge. Whoever looked away first bowed down to the other. There was no way in hell I was backing down from this tramp.

    ¡°You have something to say to me, Chloe?¡±

    ¡°You bitch,¡± Chloe snapped. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve an alpha, let alone an olde blood. I was the next in line.¡±

    That brought me up short. There was a line of mates for Adam?

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ll have to keep waiting.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Adam¡¯s voice boomed through the space. Everyone fell silent as he approached us.

    ¡°You¡¯re marrying this mutt?¡± Chloe spit out. ¡°You¡¯re going to taint the Everwood bloodline with this whore.¡±

    All I saw was red. My vision blurred as rage consumed not only me, but my wolf, too. My fist was sailing through the air before I realized I even lifted my arm. My knuckles connected with Chloe¡¯s nose, a sickening crack sounding. She screeched, her hands coming up to cradle her bleeding nose.

    ¡°You bitch.¡± She charged me, but Adam¡¯s arms banded around her waist. He threw her off, and she landed on her ass five feet in front of me.

    ¡°You are a guest on my mountain, Chloe,¡± Adam growled. ¡°And you come here and insult my choices and mate? I want you gone by sundown. Tell my parents their plan backfired.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± Chloe said incredulously. ¡°You¡¯re really going to pick her over me, a pureblood wolf from a respectable clan? You¡¯ve lost your fucking mind.¡±

    One of the scariest growls I¡¯ve ever heard traveled out of Adam¡¯s lips. Chloe had the decency to flinch and lower her eyes.

    ¡°Say one more thing ¡­ I dare you,¡± Adam challenged.

    Chloe shook her head with a snort, turning and running through the forest. Adam turned to face the group. His hands fisted at his side, and his chest puffed up from anger.

    ¡°If there are any other mother fuckers who have a problem with Anna, I¡¯ll give you two choices: leave my mountain, or step up and get your ass beat. Anyone?¡±

    Heads shook all around, people amped up from the fight and the coming full moon. A lot of orange and yellow eyes stared back at us. It was eerily beautiful.

    ¡°Good,¡± Adam said. ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said Chloe batted for your team?¡± I asked Elle. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a gay person having bad gay-dar.¡±

    Elle splashed water in my face. ¡°I have excellent gay-dar, thank you very much. A blind person couldn¡¯t miss the way she eye-fucked me the night she arrived.¡± Elle flipped onto her back and floated. ¡°I think she¡¯s bi, though, and I¡¯m sure Adam¡¯s parents used their powers of persuasion to coerce her into going after Adam. The Everwoods are nothing if not persistent.¡±

    I thought about that for a moment. Adam knew what his parents were up to if his words to Chloe had any truth in them. I guess it wasn¡¯t a secret; I mean, Maggie did dote on Chloe while looking down her nose at me. It didn¡¯t matter that she was a vile woman. Maggie only cared about the blood running through her veins. I was done listening to any plea Maggie threw my way. I would not allow her to make me feel bad about Adam¡¯s and my relationship. Her desperate attempts to get me to run had more to do with getting me out of the picture than it did with the safety of her son. I still had my doubts and still entertained the idea of how much safer Adam would be if I weren¡¯t here to distract him, but I couldn¡¯t fathom leaving him either. Then the vision of his dying body popped into my head, and leaving didn¡¯t seem so bad if it meant he would be safe.

    It was a vicious game of tug-of-war inside my head, one that would only produce losers. If I left, we would be miserable, and if I stayed, I was a liability to his life. If worse came to worse, and another attack happened, Adam would put himself in the line of fire to save me, just like he had at the ceremony. I knew when the shit hit the fan Adam¡¯s mind would be focused on my wellbeing alone. In that state of mind he couldn¡¯t look after and direct the pack like he¡¯s supposed to. And I knew he knew this too, because when the pack was planning to take down Eve and Anthony¡¯s secret bunker, he¡¯d forced me to go to California with Elle. He knew if I stayed, he couldn¡¯t do his job, not with a clear head anyway, and having cloudy judgment in the face of danger is a one-way ticket to the grave.

 Page 24

    I floated in one spot, kicking my legs and swaying my arms through the cool water. The lake was full of people, all rough housing. There were a few people playing a game of chicken and a lot of flirting going on. The full moon brought out our friskiness. I watched the scene, remembering the last time I¡¯d been here. I searched for Sawyer, but couldn¡¯t pick him out of the crowd. Maybe he wasn¡¯t even here. This was our lake, the spot we¡¯d skinny-dipped at before we gave into our desire and slept together along the shoreline, and Adam had witnessed it.Advertisement

    I pushed the thought aside, it was a memory best left alone. My eyes flitted along the tree line. I didn¡¯t understand how everyone could be so blissfully blind to his or her surroundings. Why wasn¡¯t anyone else worried about the attacker from the ceremony? You¡¯d think a pack of wolves would be ready to hunt the son of a bitch down. Then another thought occurred to me; maybe Adam didn¡¯t want to draw attention to it. Was it because it would clarify how fragile our bond was, or because he wanted to appear strong and in control? Either way, I couldn¡¯t see the landscape without looking for movement of a second attack. If what Wade thought was true, and we were dealing with a vampire, then we were safe during the day, right? I was getting my facts from movies and stories; maybe vampires weren¡¯t allergic to the sun or garlic. Hell if I knew. One thing was for sure¡ªas soon as the full moon was over, I was buckling down and figuring this shit out.

    Chapter Sixteen

    With so many wolves, we had to break people down in seven different teams. Each pack picked a designated Leader, and together they took down their meal. The Everwood pack stayed together, and now we feasted on a moose. I lay with my paws outstretched, a chunk of raw meat before me. My tongue slipped out and licked against my bloody muzzle. Adam lay beside me, busy with his own piece of the moose. We were deep in the mountains, tall pine and birch trees surrounding us. The cover of leaves and needles was so thick; the light of the full moon couldn¡¯t penetrate the coverage. The darkness was an opaque shroud veiling us. I knew a human wouldn¡¯t stand a chance of navigating through the inky oblivion.

    In the distance, one of the packs howled. Adam was instantly on his feet, quirking his head to the side. The rest of us followed suit, tilting our heads to gauge their distance. Wolves howl to communicate with each other. Its instinctual and universal for every wolf. When another round of howling echoed through the tall snow-covered mountains, Adam¡¯s voice filled my head.

    ¡°Do not wander from my side, Anna. Stay close, and follow my instructions to the T, understand?¡±

    Whatever had the other pack riled up wasn¡¯t good. Their calls warned of a threat, and I had a sneaking suspicion it was the same person who had shot Adam.

    ¡°Anna!¡± Adam growled when I still hadn¡¯t answered him.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± he replied and then began ordering the rest of the pack. ¡°I don¡¯t know which pack that is, but it sounds like it¡¯s coming from Trigger Lake. Joe, do you agree?¡±

    Just then another round of howling bounced off the mountains and trees, and then another pack joined in, singing their warning to the rest of us.

    ¡°I can¡¯t be sure,¡± Joe said. ¡°It sounds like it¡¯s coming from all around us.¡±

    He was right. With the way the mountains amplified their howls, we couldn¡¯t be sure which direction the pack was.

    ¡°We should split up,¡± I added.

    ¡°I agree with her,¡± Joe said.

    It took Adam a split second before he too agreed with my decision. ¡°Anna, you¡¯re with me. Joe and Asher take eight wolves each. Joe head south, Asher west.¡±

    They got to work at picking their teams. I made sure Elle and Chelsea were with me and because Chelsea was with me, Wade was, too. It gave me peace of mind to know that he was looking out for her. Together, we ran through the mountain. I kept pace with Adam, flanking his right, while the others flanked me.

    Another round of howls filtered through the trees.

    ¡°Stop.¡± Adam¡¯s voice filled our heads, and we all halted. His head swiveled around, his body turning in a circle as he took in the landscape.

    ¡°That one was close, but there¡¯s something else ¡­¡± He lifted his head in the air and sniffed. A deep rumbling growl vibrated up his throat as his lips curled over sharp teeth. ¡°Stay close, Anna. The rest of you fan out.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I¡¯d just asked the question when the stale scent hit my nostrils; the same scent I had smelled the night of the ceremony. There was someone or something close. The hairs on the back of my neck rose as my eyes roamed over the inky darkness. There was a small clearing, enough to allow the glow of the moon to illuminate a portion of trees. The rustling of leaves drew my attention to the left, but I couldn¡¯t decipher if it was the breeze or something else.

    ¡°Up ahead.¡± Wade¡¯s voice filled my head, taking me by surprise. I was still new to this alpha thing. I suspected that only my pack could talk to me while in wolf form, but now that Adam had pledged himself to me, making me an alpha, I was open to all other alphas telepathically.

    Adam and I turned our heads at the same time. A lean body shrouded in darkness stepped out of the forest, its movements unhurried. My hackles rose while my lip curled up in a snarl.

    ¡°Vampire,¡± Wade and Adam said in unison.

    Adam moved closer to me, his ebony fur meshing with my ivory. ¡°Do not make rash decisions, do you hear me? Now is not the time to ignore my warnings.¡±

    Since I¡¯d never dealt with a vampire, let alone met one, I wasn¡¯t about to run off halfcocked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I told him. ¡°I have no plans to die tonight.¡±

    ¡°Such a pretty, pretty wolf.¡± A raspy feminine voice carried across the open space and to my ears. My wolf perked up in anger, itching to charge forward and take down the new threat.

    ¡°Three more,¡± Elle called.

    I spared a glance behind us and found three more bodies emerging from the forest. Why were vampires in the forest on a full moon? I was sure their sudden appearance on our mountain was more calculated than coincidence.

    ¡°Keep a ring around Anna,¡± Adam ordered.

    ¡°Adam!¡± I snapped. ¡°No one person in this group is more important than the other. No one will die protecting me because you are overprotective.¡±

    ¡°I swear to God, Anna,¡± Adam responded. Even his inner voice has a growl to it. ¡°Just remain with the group and let me deal with this.¡±

    Dealing with it was the problem. Since it was the full moon, we couldn¡¯t change into our human forms and communicate with the vampires. Then again, being in our wolf forms offered more protection. We were stronger, faster, and more lethal on four paws, and something told me we would have to be. I didn¡¯t think these bloodsuckers showed up to rub our bellies.

    ¡°Anna Avery?¡± the female vampire asked, pointing a finger toward me. Now that she was closer, I could make out her features: tall and thin with shoulder-length dark hair. She wore skinny jeans with knee-high boots and a cropped leather jacket. I don¡¯t know what I was expecting, but she wasn¡¯t it. If it weren¡¯t for the stale odor coming from her, I wouldn¡¯t have even known she was supernatural.

    Adam growled, pushing into me so that I had to step back. I bumped into another body and noticed the wolves had listened to his orders and formed a circle around me. I might have had insecurities where fighting was concerned, but since transcending into an alpha, those uncertainties had vanished. Now, all I worried about was those around me. Chelsea was barely two weeks old. It should have been her we protected.

    ¡°We can do this two ways,¡± the female vampire said. ¡°You can either surrender yourself, Anna Avery, or we can take you and kill your wolves in the process.¡±

    ¡°Asher, Joe, head back toward us,¡± Adam ordered. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about moving, Anna.¡±

    I thought about the wolves surrounding me, putting their lives on the line to protect me, and it made me sick to my stomach. Knowing I could return the favor and save their lives tempted me to step forward. If the vampires were on the mountain just for me, then I would make sure that no one got hurt on my account.

    Ignoring Adam, I took a step forward. Adam whipped his head around and full out growled in my face.

    ¡°Get. Back. Now. It¡¯s not the time to play the hero.¡±

    My steps faltered only because I knew if something happened to me, it would ruin Adam. Had it not been for our bond, I would have pushed forward and surrendered myself.

    ¡°What¡¯s it going to be puppy dog?¡±

    The vampire was answered with growls, snaps, and snarls. Her cherry red lips curled up in a sinister smile.

    ¡°I was hoping you would say that,¡± she said right before she disappeared. I blinked, staring at the empty space she¡¯d just occupied. A whimper tore through the still night. Whirling around, the other vampires had attacked our small pack. When I began forward, something snagged my tail and halted me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Adam said. ¡°They¡¯re more than capable of taking care of themselves. Just stay close and wait for Asher and Joe¡¯s group to get here.¡±

    I looked back at Adam¡¯s black wolf with disbelief. Another whimper burned my ears, drawing my attention back to the fight. A vampire¡ªa man with a shaved head¡ªhad Wade by the throat and was lifting him off the ground. Another man was taunting Chelsea, tapping her muzzle and then disappearing when she snapped at his hand.

    ¡°We have to help them,¡± I said before ripping my tail from Adam¡¯s sharp teeth and charging forward. My tail would probably have a bald spot, but that was the least of my worries. I couldn¡¯t stand by and play spectator while our pack was being attacked.

    Leaping, I landed on the vampire that had a hold of Wade. My teeth sunk into his shoulder until a warm spray of blood flooded my mouth. He dropped Wade and began flailing back and forth to throw me off, but my teeth were firmly locked into muscle. If I was thrown off, a little piece of this vampire was coming with me.

    ¡°Son of a bitch.¡± I heard the echo of Adam¡¯s voice in my head, but was too concentrated on the vampire. I yanked backwards, angling my paws against the vampire¡¯s back. More blood filled my mouth, its staleness coating my tongue and teeth. The man fell backward right before I jumped off his back. Just as I was about to strike his throat, Adam¡¯s large body shoved me out of the way. With a feral growl, he struck the vampire¡¯s jugular and yanked his head to the side, ripping out his throat.

 Page 25

    I didn¡¯t have time to admire his lethal move; something hit my side hard and knocked the wind out of my lungs. I skittered across the rough ground, my vision blurry for a moment. When I regained my footing, the first vampire was heading toward me. A smile still on her face, she flashed her fangs. My wolf was pissed, her anger causing our entire body to shake with it. She charged and so did the vampire. Right before we hit each other, the woman winked.Advertisement

    I never got the chance to tear her to shreds, though; Adam stepped in and did that for me. I wasn¡¯t sure if I was still reeling from the adrenaline-laced fury, or annoyed that Adam was playing white knight and treating me like a damsel in distress. Either way, I was pissed off.

    My eyes cut to the other wolves and the vampires they were fighting. I was just about to help Chelsea when more wolves broke through the tree line, rushing toward the attacking bloodsuckers. I recognized our pack, but couldn¡¯t identify the visiting wolves. A big silver wolf headed toward me, his paws beating against the dry earth as he surged forward. His citrine eyes burned into mine, angry and determined. He wasn¡¯t a wolf from the Everwood pack, that was for sure. When he reached me Adam¡¯s voice filled my head.

    ¡°Anna, go with Anthony and take Chelsea with you.¡±

    That surprised me, not just because Adam was willingly letting me go with his brother, but also because he wasn¡¯t coming with me. I eyed the huge silver wolf with trepidation, unsure if the sudden vampire population was because of him. They were here for me, and if there was one person who wanted to hurt Adam, it was his brother. Was he going to lead me to safety or into a trap?

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay and help you fight.¡±

    ¡°No you won¡¯t. Go. Now.¡±

    Chelsea appeared by my side, and I had a split second to decide if I was going to ignore Adam or go. What made my decision easy was the idea of Anthony and Chelsea being alone together. If Anthony was up to no good, then I didn¡¯t want her in the middle of it again. She had already been turned into a wolf because of Eve¡¯s beef with me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I sent the message to Chelsea and began to run. She fell into stride beside me. Unfortunately, so did Anthony.

    Once we were back at the house, Anthony, Chelsea, and I paced the front lawn. We were stuck as wolves until the sun rose. I was itchy in my skin, nervous about Adam fighting without me. The man was lethal for sure, but I still didn¡¯t like the idea of him being in danger while I was cowardly hiding at the house.

    ¡°How are you doing, Chelsea?¡±

    Chelsea¡¯s wolf had a mixture of gray and black fur. Her face was lighter than the rest of her body, and her tail was tipped in white. Her wide yellow eyes squinted when she looked at me.

    ¡°Fine, considering. Why are they here for you?¡±

    I eyed Anthony. He was pacing back and forth, his eyes on the forest ahead. He was either anxious with the thought of the vampires following us or keyed up from the attack. He hadn¡¯t stopped moving since we arrived at the house.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good question,¡± I said. ¡°Anthony?¡±

    He turned his head to look back at me. ¡°You think I summoned the bloodsuckers?¡±

    ¡°Fits your M.O. You made it clear the feud between you and Adam wasn¡¯t over. So what¡¯s your plan, to kill me because Adam killed Eve?¡± I mentally snorted, knowing the sound would transfer through my thoughts, and he would hear it. ¡°I think I lost some respect for you for hiring killers rather than having the balls to do it yourself. Not that I had much respect for you before.¡±

    Anthony looked away, a snarl resonating in his throat. ¡°Believe me, if I wanted you dead, you would be.¡± He was quiet for a moment and then resumed pacing. After a long while, he stopped again.

    ¡°You seem to forget I¡¯m the reason you¡¯re even alive. I assume you asked Adam about the day he found you in the mountains?¡±

    ¡°You still left me for dead, so don¡¯t pretend to be a hero. What if Adam hadn¡¯t come out and searched for me? He¡¯s the reason I¡¯m alive, not you.¡±

    ¡°So, I guess I should have let Eve finish what she started seeing as how it didn¡¯t make a difference?¡±

    The ball of nerves churning in my stomach amplified into fury. He seriously thought he was my savior. The idea of this vile man thinking I owed him something revolted me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you are any better than she was. You stuck beside her while she murdered innocent humans. You helped her kidnap me and watched as she smacked me around. You are just as screwed up as she was. You two belonged together.¡±

    Anthony quit moving and stood as still as a statue. My heart slammed in my chest as though it was trying to escape my ribcage. A prickle of energy ran across my skin as I readied myself for his move. I may not have alpha blood running through my veins, but the power coursing through me gave me courage. If Anthony attacked, I would be prepared.

    Slowly, he turned, taking calculated steps toward me. His eyes were aflame as he stared me down. His shoulders were enormous as the muscles worked with his movements. Everything inside of me tensed the closer he got. I felt more than saw movement to my right, and I knew Chelsea was flanking me. As confident as I was, having her backup lent me extra peace of mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m only going to say this once,¡± Anthony began. ¡°I loved Eve before I knew of her shortcomings, and when I learned of them I continued to love her. Love is not particular. It does not favor the good things while hating the bad. Those two emotions cannot dwell in the same heart. You either love or hate someone. I stood beside her, yes, but had it not been for me, your kidnapping would have been ten times worse. You may have trouble seeing my good through all the ugly, but whether you see it or not, it¡¯s there. Eve is dead, and I will not continue to pay for the things she did. I justify my actions to no one. Get off your fucking high horse, Anna.¡±

    ¡°Why did you do it?¡±

    ¡°Do what?¡±

    ¡°If what you say is true, and you stopped Eve from killing me on the mountain and supposedly going easy on me¡ªwhich I don¡¯t think she did¡ªwhile kidnapped, why did you do it?¡±

    I had a theory that I was not comfortable voicing. Just the idea of it made me cringe, but it was the only thing that made sense. Anthony had knocked me out after I crashed my truck, but afterward, he hadn¡¯t laid a finger on me. My subconscious kept urging me to believe he wasn¡¯t as bad as everyone suspected, but I tried to tune those thoughts out.

    ¡°I have my reasons.¡±

    ¡°If you want me to trust you and stop judging you for the things Eve did, then I need to know why?¡±

    Anthony¡¯s golden eyes glinted. ¡°Adam and I are twins ¡­¡± He let the sentence trail off, but it confirmed my thoughts. I had always heard that twins were connected. Some even feel when their sibling is being hurt. Though Adam and Anthony weren¡¯t close, did they share each other¡¯s feelings?

    ¡°So ¡­ are you saying you feel connected to me, and that¡¯s why you stopped Eve on the mountain that day?¡±

    I thought back to the day Eve attacked and changed my life forever. It took me almost four months to remember what had happened, and at first, I thought it was Adam with Eve. I remembered the look of compassion and remorse as he looked down at my bleeding body. Now, I knew it wasn¡¯t Adam at all. It was Anthony¡¯s eyes I saw the compassion in.

    ¡°Maybe ¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Anthony said. ¡°I have a strong urge to ¡­¡±

    The rest of the pack and the visiting wolves broke through the trees. Both our eyes went to them. A rush of relief flooded me at seeing Adam¡¯s large black body running toward me.

    ¡°Urge to what?¡± I asked Anthony, anxious to get the answer before Adam arrived.

    Anthony¡¯s eyes cut to me and then back to the arriving wolves. ¡°Protect you.¡±

    Chapter Seventeen

    After the full moon, wolves tended to sleep all the next day. I lay in bed, running my fingers through my hair as the rest of the house slept. My thoughts kept running from what Anthony said, to relief that Adam was lying next to me. I hadn¡¯t forgotten about the vision of him dying. Sometimes, it feels as though life is picking on you. The only thing I¡¯ve found that kicks life¡¯s ass is standing up and fighting back. I needed to figure out who summoned the vampires and worry about Anthony¡¯s confession later.

    My mind wandered to Maggie. It wasn¡¯t a secret she wanted me out of Adam¡¯s life, but killing me wouldn¡¯t be smart. She knew my death would affect her son¡¯s wellbeing, which is why she had been trying to coerce me into leaving on my own. Giving up on Adam¡¯s overbearing mother, I thought about Chloe. If there was a line of mates for Adam¡ªwhich I still had to ask him about¡ªthen Chloe could be a realistic suspect.

    Frustrated, I turned and faced Adam. After he arrived back home last night he told me that none of the wolves were killed. Some walked away with injuries, but nothing that they wouldn¡¯t heal from. I lifted a strand of honeyed hair from his forehead and ran it through my fingertips. I watched his parted lips as he breathed evenly, lost in sleep. Bringing my hand up, I stared at the big solitaire diamond on my finger. The ring had double bands encrusted with smaller diamonds. Each one sparkled like a star. While a lot of little girls plan their wedding day, I wasn¡¯t one of them. I never got googly-eyed over gowns or diamond rings. A lot of my friends from high school had gotten married, and I remember thinking: suckers. I guess I was the sucker now. I¡¯d fallen head over heels for the man lying beside me and spending the rest of my life with him still wouldn¡¯t be long enough. He had the power to turn me into a sappy mess. Maybe that¡¯s what I¡¯d been missing all along¡ªa man capable of touching my heart. No other man had come close. Then again, none of them were my Chantes.

    Tucking my sappy thoughts away, I climbed out of bed and headed toward the bathroom. When I was done with my shower, I made my way down the hallway in search of food. Two men slept on the large sectional in the living room, their arms dangling off the cushions.

    ¡°You¡¯re up early,¡± a male said.

 Page 26

    I spun on my heel and found Donald sitting at the table with the newspaper in his hands. I immediately went on alert. If chatting with him was going to be like my talks with his wife, then I wanted to be anywhere but in this kitchen.Advertisement

    I shrugged, opening the refrigerator. ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep.¡±

    ¡°Me either.¡±

    I heard Donald getting up, and my fingers squeezed around the edge of the fridge door. Closing my eyes, I sent up a silent prayer than he was leaving, that I wouldn¡¯t have to endure yet another speech about how his son and me weren¡¯t meant to be together. I had never thought of myself as having low self-esteem, but knowing that your fianc¨¦¡¯s parents loathe you will do a number to a girl¡¯s ego.

    ¡°I understand my wife has spoken with you?¡±

    With a heavy breath, I cursed the powers that be and shut the refrigerator. Turning to face my future father-in-law, I crossed my arms and stared across the room at him. He leaned against the counter, his hands hiding in his pants pockets.

    ¡°Yes, we talked,¡± I said. ¡°While I think it¡¯s great you guys want what¡¯s best for Adam, I don¡¯t appreciate being judged based on the blood running through my veins. The Great Spirits are the ones who paired us as Chantes. How can you guys question their judgment?¡±

    In our mythology, The Great Spirits were the ancestors of the wolf. Every legend has a beginning; The Great Spirits are ours. I was never a spiritual person before becoming a wolf, but I felt a sense of pride when I transformed into my wolf, felt their presence every time I felt my paws beat against the earth and the wind in my fur.

    Donald chuckled softly. ¡°I see my Maggie has made an impression.¡±

    Understatement.

    ¡°You must realize, Anna,¡± Donald continued, ¡°We have never witnessed a pairing like yours. I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but alpha born and made wolves simply do not become mates. The wolves are abuzz with the new development. I imagine my wife finds your relationship a tad embarrassing.¡±

    I began to speak, but Donald held up a hand to stop me.

    ¡°¡­ but that¡¯s her cross to bear. Her problems with you two stem from her ego. We are held in high regard with the wolves, and learning her son is mated to a non-alpha is a lot for her to accept. Adam is the alpha of his own pack now, and you¡¯re a baby to our world. You can see why she¡¯s worried, not to mention the bond between you two.¡±

    I was confused. Was he apologizing for his wife, or agreeing with her? Maybe his tactic was trying to get me to see reason. The only thing was, where love was concerned, there was no reason and Adam¡¯s and my relationship was more complex than the average. I wondered, not for the first time, if Adam and I weren¡¯t each other¡¯s Chantes, would we even be together? Sure, we loved each other, and I had a shiny diamond on my finger, but would our story still be the same had we not been marked for each other? After all, it wasn¡¯t like Adam ever proposed to Eve.

    ¡°Have you ever met another couple that bonded?¡± I asked Donald.

    His aging face softened as he thought about my question. ¡°There are stories of the Chante bond, but I have never met a bonded couple. As far as I know, the last bonded Chante couple was over a century ago. If it¡¯s happened since then, the couple has kept it hidden.¡±

    Donald closed the space between us and held out his hand, gesturing toward my own in question. Reluctantly, I placed my hand in his and watched as he turned it over to study my scarred palm. Softly, he traced the upraised pattern. My wolf quivered within me, sending goose bumps along my skin. The power of Adam¡¯s father filled the air around us, suffocating and strong.

    ¡°Such a tricky, tricky gift,¡± Donald muttered.

    My head fell to the side while my forehead wrinkled in question. He didn¡¯t notice my inquisitive look, though; his eyes were locked on the brand.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s more of a curse than a gift, right?¡± I said after a while. ¡°Maggie informed me of that, too.¡±

    After a few moments, Donald met my eyes and dropped my hand. ¡°It can be¡ªa curse, that is¡ªbut it can also be used for great power. It links two people together. It doubles everything: power, strength, awareness. Two become one, making them ¡­ unstoppable.¡±

    I snorted in derision. ¡°For that to happen, your son would have to allow me to fight. He panics as soon as anything dangerous steps into my path.¡±

    Donald gave me a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s in his blood to protect what is his, and you are very much his. Plus, as I said, the Chante bond can also be a curse. If something were to happen to you, it would destroy Adam. While he may be protecting you, he¡¯s also protecting his own life.¡±

    I frowned at this meaning. He was telling me that the reason Adam sent me away when things got dangerous was that he thought I was a liability and could do more good hiding out than helping him fight. It was true, I wasn¡¯t the best fighter before I got my honorary alpha status, but things had changed. I felt strong now, capable of taking on any wolf¡ªor vampire¡ªstupid enough to approach me. At that thought, another occurred to me. I needed to figure out who had hired vampires to kill me, and why. Was it to get to Adam, or to destroy him?

    ¡°You¡¯ve heard about the vampire attack last night, right?¡±

    Donald nodded his head. ¡°Peculiar occurrence. Vampires and werewolves don¡¯t cross paths often. We keep to ourselves and they to theirs.¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t know who might have hired them?¡±

    The lines around Donald¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°Hired them?¡±

    ¡°They were here for me, to kill me. Do you know why a bunch of random vampires would just show up and want me dead?¡± When Donald shook his head, I continued, ¡°Then it stands to reason that someone hired them to keep their hands clean. If a vampire killed me, then none of the wolves would be held responsible. The only thing is, I had a vision that it was Adam who died.¡±

    I normally didn¡¯t offer information about my visions to anyone other than those close to me, but I knew hearing this information would rile Donald up. Having him on my side wouldn¡¯t hurt, should things get out of control. Donald and Maggie may be pretentious and prejudice, but I knew they loved their sons. If someone planned to kill Adam, they sure as hell wouldn¡¯t stand by and allow it to happen. I thought about Anthony and what he had confessed last night, that he had the urge to protect me. Strange, yes, but my whole world had been strange since I turned into a werewolf. I knew I should have told someone, especially Adam, about this new information, but I also knew how pissed Adam would be. Anthony wasn¡¯t honorable like his brother. He had made one bad choice after another, but something deep inside of me could overlook all that. Maybe I, too, was aware of him as much as he was to me. Maybe, just maybe, my theory on the twins was right, and my bond with Adam extended to his brother. Not in the same sense, though, as I wasn¡¯t attracted to Anthony and didn¡¯t feel anything remotely as close to what I felt for Adam.

    ¡°Anna, are you even listening to me?¡±

    I blinked, coming out of my thoughts to find Donald glaring at me. His hands curled into fists at his sides and his lips slanted down into a scowl.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said. ¡°What were you saying?¡±

    Donald stepped closer to me, his alpha power like lightning licking against my skin. My wolf writhed inside me with uneasiness.

    ¡°Who did you see kill my son?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI didn¡¯t.¡± My voice came out as a stutter as I fought off the effects of his anger.

    Donald raised his arms and curled his fingers around my shoulders. His fingers dug into my skin almost painfully. I looked up to meet his eyes, but the storm brewing behind them cowered me. Donald wasn¡¯t just an alpha, he was an olde blood and more powerful than even his son. My wolf whimpered inside me, scratching and clawing to get as far away from that angry stare as possible.

    ¡°What do you mean, you didn¡¯t?¡± Donald snapped. ¡°You said you had a vision of Adam dying. At whose hand?¡±

    ¡°Can you please let go of me and take a step back? I can¡¯t concentrate when you¡¯re frightening my wolf.¡±

    With reluctance, Donald let go of my shoulders and stepped away from me. He crossed his arms and stood with his legs shoulder-width apart. The thickness of the air around me eased a little, and I could breathe better.

    I took one long, deep breath and then explained the vision I had had of Adam dying. When I was done, Donald scrubbed a hand over his aging face and stared at the hardwood floor, as though it held all the answers. He didn¡¯t need to tell me how frustrated my vision made him; it did the same to me. What was the point in having visions if no helpful information could be extracted from them?

    ¡°I planned to investigate further today,¡± I told Donald. ¡°I want to know how to stop it just as much as you do.¡±

    ¡°And how do you plan to do that if you don¡¯t know who¡¯s responsible?¡±

    I thought for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m going back to the spot where the wolves fought the vampires last night. I¡¯m hoping by being there, touching the ground they walked on, another vision will appear, and I can learn more. No secrets stay hidden for very long.¡±

    Donald met my eyes and gave me a curt nod. ¡°If you learn anything new, I want to know about it immediately.¡± And with that, he stomped out of the kitchen. I didn¡¯t relax until the front door slammed shut, and I was standing in the kitchen alone.

    I walked up a dirt trail that would lead to the clearing of the fight last night. Tall pine and birch trees lined either side of me, their limbs shadowing the earth. Thick, gloomy clouds hovered in the sky with the promise of snow. At this altitude, snow wasn¡¯t restricted to seasons¡ªit came year round. Angry blizzards suddenly erupted up here all the time. I eyed the clouds with disdain, hoping they held out until I was done. The cold wouldn¡¯t bother me, but investigating while tiny specks of snow bombarded my face was sure to make it difficult.

    When the dirt road opened up into the clearing, I stopped and took in the scene. Broken branches and upturned grass was the only sign that something happened here last night¡ªthat and ¡­ blood? I raised my chin in the air and took in a deep breath, swiveling my face from left to right. It was blood, werewolf and vampire. The blood of the wolf smelled of rich earth and pine, whereas the vampires¡¯ smelled stale with an undertone of burnt hair.

 Page 27

    Moving closer, I followed my nose to the scent. I knelt down and reached a hand out to a small pile of black ash. Dipping my fingers in the soot, I brought it to my nose and inhaled again. I didn¡¯t know a lot about vampires, but I could guarantee the ash on my fingertips was vampire blood, turned to ash when the sun rose. I watched in astonishment as small flakes danced up off my fingers and disintegrated into the air. The supernatural was amazing that way, erasing all traces of itself from the human world. Worried about losing my evidence, I fisted my hands into the pile of soot and held fistfuls of it in hopes of a vision. It didn¡¯t take long before the scenery before me disappeared and I was seeing the past of the vampire the blood belonged to.Advertisement

    I stood right next to a couple, a tall man with unruly brown hair and round hazel eyes and the woman from last night. From her dominance, I pieced together that she was in charge of the vampires. It was strange to be standing right next to their past selves. I half expected them to acknowledge me. I held my breath, remembering how ruthless the female vampire had been last night. She moved like the wind and hit like a wrecking ball. When their eyes didn¡¯t fall on me, I released the breath.

    ¡°We go tonight,¡± the woman said. Her shoulder-length dark hair swayed to the side when she leaned over and zipped up her knee-high boot.

    I looked around the space, realizing we stood in a hotel room. Two queen beds with floral comforters occupied most of the room. A boxy television sat atop a wooden dresser, and a bathroom was at the back of the room.

    The man moved to the window. With his pointer finger, he drew the curtain back just enough to see a sliver of the outside world. Light filtered into the dark room, and the man hissed and let his hand drop from the drapes. I guess it was true that any amount of daylight was like acid to these bloodsuckers.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t know why we¡¯re doing this,¡± the man said with irritation. ¡°Since when do we work for werewolves?¡±

    ¡°A payday is a payday,¡± the woman said. ¡°I don¡¯t discriminate.¡± She punctuated the sentence with a devilish smirk.

    ¡°She almost caught you the night of the ceremony,¡± the man said. ¡°Plus, she¡¯s a white wolf. Even I know the legends, and they don¡¯t bode well for those who wish her harm.¡±

    The woman scoffed. ¡°You and your superstitions. That little bitch didn¡¯t come close to catching me, and I won¡¯t bat an eyelash at her being a white wolf when her own kind wants her dead. If they don¡¯t respect the legends, then why should I?¡±

    I could feel my lips peel open and my jaw drop. I remember how my pack reacted the first time I transformed into my wolf, and it was white. No one ever came out and said why they were so surprised, but whispers lingered around the mountain about it meaning something great. I had searched the book of our history for the answer, but nothing was written about white wolves. Hearing it was a legend, and that vampires had even heard of it, jarred me to my bones. From the moment my body accepted the werewolf virus, and I¡¯d become one of the monsters that only stories are made of, I¡¯d been different.

    ¡°Besides,¡± the woman said. ¡°I¡¯ve been hungry for a good fight.¡±

    The man snorted as though he had heard the woman¡¯s zeal for violence before. He walked over to the bed and sat, resting his arms on his bent up knees. The woman walked over to him straddled his lap, causing the man to sit back. He rested his hands on the mattress behind him and looked up at her. The admiration in his eyes was unmistakable. A sense of unease filled me at witnessing such a private moment. It quickly vanished as I remembered that these two weren¡¯t two innocent lovers, they were plotting my death.

    ¡°Everything will be okay, Taren,¡± the woman said softer. ¡°We¡¯ll rip that bitch¡¯s head from her shoulders and collect the six figure paycheck. After that, we¡¯ll take our vacation to Europe, devour the townspeople, and fuck while bathed in their blood.¡±

    A smile replaced the worried scowl on Taren¡¯s face. His fingers curled around the woman¡¯s behind as he pulled her tighter against his pelvis. She let out a small moan of pleasure, and a flash of fangs peeked out from under Taren¡¯s lips.

    Unadulterated fury singed me from the inside out. These two were every bit of the monster as their lore depicted them as. To talk so casually about murder caused my stomach to coil with nausea. My mind swam in dark waters as I contemplated all the ways I could kill them first. A small voice in the back of my mind whispered, How are you any better than them? I shooshed the voice¡ªI was ten times better than these two. I would kill to protect my pack, and myself, and with their deaths countless innocent humans would be saved, too. These vampires weren¡¯t innocent and killed for money, not necessity.

    When I looked back at the couple, they were now laying back on the bed. The woman¡¯s shirt was missing, and Taren was kissing a path down her stomach. Her mouth opened with a moan, twin fangs poking out.

    I closed my eyes, wanting to be anywhere but in this hotel room. I did not want to witness these two having sex. Moans and hungry snarls filled my ears, and I clamped my eyes tighter shut, willing myself out of the vision. Only, it didn¡¯t work. I was still standing in the hotel room, still subjected to their cries of pleasure. I whirled around and fumbled with the door handle, but it wouldn¡¯t turn. I flipped the locks, thinking they must be switched, but no matter how many times I flipped them, the door still would not open.

    I kept my back to the couple, bile rising to my throat when the bed started creaking. None of my visions had ever lasted this long. I never felt trapped in the past, or worried about escaping it. I was now. My heart raced in my chest while my mind grappled with what to do. I didn¡¯t know how my visions worked, but surely this part wasn¡¯t important.

    I moved to the corner by the door and rested my forehead against the wall like a child being punished. That¡¯s what it felt like¡ªpunishment. I kept my eyes closed and hummed a song to drown out the endless moaning, squeaking, and flesh against flesh sounds. I kept thinking that at any minute I would be back on the mountain and all of this would be over, but after what seemed like hours, my feet were still firmly planted on the hotel¡¯s aging carpet.

    The sounds stopped finally, and I stopped humming, listening for something other than the sounds of sex. A shuffle of clothes and footsteps caused me to turn around. Taren sat on the edge of the bed again in only a pair of jeans. His bare chest revealed a large tattoo on his back. I walked away from the door so that I could study the design. It seemed it was just a tribal design with no rhyme or reason. My lip curled up at the welts from fingernails, which lined parts of his back. The floral comforter and sheets were in disarray, and twin puncture wounds dotted the side of Taren¡¯s shoulder. I thought about how these creatures had to drink blood to survive and the bile in my throat rose again. Then again, I ate raw, bloody meat while in wolf form. Still, it seemed different in my mind, even if just slightly.

    A cell phone on the bedside table rang out through the room. Taren lifted the phone and pressed it to his ear.

    ¡°Yeah? She¡¯s in the shower ¡­ She¡¯s not going to like that ¡­ Tell Veronica yourself ¡­ Tough shit.¡± He pressed the end button on the phone and set it back on the table. Lowering himself, he lay on the bed and raked his fingers through his unruly hair as his eyes stared up at the ceiling.

    ¡°White wolf, white wolf,¡± Taren whispered, his eyes still on the ceiling. ¡°Better than the rest of tooth and claw. Rise above, take control, it is your destiny to rule them all.¡± When he finished the rhyme, his head lolled to the side, and his eyes found mine. I gasped, going still except for the rapid beating of my heart.

    The room began closing in on itself, white mist filtering in to cloud the space. My blonde hair flew around my face as my body began to move backward. It felt as though I was being sucked through a tunnel. The vacuum drew me back, and everything vanished. I squeezed my eyes shut and landed with a hard thump on my knees. Opening my eyes, I stared at the rough mountain ground with blurry eyes. I was panting, trying to catch my breath and slow the slamming of my heart. I fell back on my heels and threw my head back, closing my eyes again. I was nauseous and the spinning landscape wasn¡¯t helping. Tiny specks of cold dotted my cheeks and forehead. Wind whipped around me, blanketing me in its icy chill.

    ¡°Looks like I made it just in time for the snow,¡± I mumbled to myself.

    ¡°Anna?¡±

    My eyes snapped open, and I swiveled my head toward the owner of the voice. What was he doing here? Anthony stood just to my left, eight feet or so away. He wore faded blue jeans and a long sleeved green henley. His blond hair was brushed away from his light green eyes.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I said, putting a voice to my thoughts.

    Anthony made no move toward me. Instead, he held up his hands in surrender and watched me with clear interest.

    ¡°What are you holding?¡± He nodded toward my hands.

    I looked down to find them still curled into fists. Panicked, I stretched out my fingers and rubbed my palms against each other to rid myself of the vampire ash. Standing, I backed away from the small pile as if it was a huge pile of wolfsbane. I noticed the pile was smaller than before, having disintegrated while I had my vision. The small flecks of pieces I brushed off my hands swirled with the snowflakes, disappearing from view as the daylight ate them up.

    ¡°I heard you had visions,¡± Anthony said, coming closer, ¡°but to see it while it¡¯s happening ¡­¡±

    My eyes cut to his and anger, disgust, and confusion swirled within me like the snowstorm surrounding me.

    ¡°What do you want, and why are you here? Did you follow me?¡± I didn¡¯t hide the annoyance in my voice. I was still keyed up from the vision and the rhyme I¡¯d heard Taren recite. Did it mean something, or did he just make it up? I wasn¡¯t even sure if he was dead or not. Sure it¡¯d been his blood I connected with, but was he just injured last night or killed? If he was alive, maybe I could track him down and ask him. I thought about the hotel room I¡¯d been in. They had to be staying in town, and there were only a couple hotels. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult to find them, though it would be dangerous. They were here to kill me, after all. My death meant a hefty paycheck, and if I showed up at their door, it¡¯d be like serving myself up on a silver platter.

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    ¡°I spoke to my father,¡± Anthony said. ¡°He said you were searching for answers. I figured this was the best place to do that.¡±Advertisement

    I eyed him cautiously. ¡°So why are you here?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but think of his confession last night, though I didn¡¯t want to. I didn¡¯t want to think that I could be connected to Anthony, other than being engaged to his brother. Being linked to him, because of my Chante bond with Adam only tainted it. The mark on my palm was proof that I was supposed to be with Adam. It wasn¡¯t right that Anthony felt something because of it, because of his twin connection with his brother. It was like he was an intruder, stealing something special from me.

    ¡°I wanted to talk to you about last night,¡± Anthony said in a soft voice. He looked away as thought nervous or shy. I wasn¡¯t falling for it. I knew better.

    ¡°What about it?¡± Not only was I annoyed that Anthony was here; I was annoyed that he wanted to have a conversation I didn¡¯t. I wanted to concentrate on the information I¡¯d learned from the vision, not have a heart to heart with my fianc¨¦¡¯s brother.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be a bitch,¡± Anthony snapped, bringing his eyes back to mine. ¡°Do you think I want this ¡­ that I want to have feelings for yet another one of my brother¡¯s women?¡± He ran both hands through his hair and spun on his heel, turning his back toward me. I know I shouldn¡¯t, but a pang of guilt settled deep in my belly. When I learned the story of how Eve was promised to Adam, even though Anthony loved her, I felt sorry for him. It couldn¡¯t be easy loving a woman who was mated to your brother. Even though Eve and Anthony still hooked up from time to time, Eve was never fully Anthony¡¯s. My breath caught in my throat as a thought occurred to me. Was Anthony saying he had those types of feelings for me?

    ¡°What do you mean when you say feelings?¡± God, I could not deal with this atop everything else. I turned my left hand over and scowled at the brand marking my skin. My life had become increasingly difficult since the damn thing appeared on my palm. Adam¡¯s life was now linked to mine, people wanted to kill me because of it, and now my mate¡¯s brother was admitting that he felt something for me. I stared up at the gloomy sky and raised my middle finger to whoever was up there toying with my life. I did not find it as funny as they probably did.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Anthony admitted, turning to face me. ¡°All I know is there¡¯s something about you, Anna. I felt it that day Eve attacked you and again when we kidnapped you. Every time she smacked you, an icy fury consumed me as though I was angry that she was hurting you. I don¡¯t know what it means, but it¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±

    I rubbed my forehead from the sudden pain ricocheting through my skull. I snorted to myself. Adam assumed Anthony was here for me, but we both thought it was to kill me as payback for Adam killing Eve. His confession left me blindsided. If there was ever a time I was truly surprised, this would be it.

    ¡°I love Adam,¡± I told him. I held up my left hand to show my ring and said, ¡°I¡¯m marrying him. I¡¯m sure whatever it is you feel¡ªit¡¯s some sort of weird twin bond you have with Adam. It¡¯s his feelings you¡¯re feeling. It¡¯s not real.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Anthony said with a serious expression. ¡°I tried staying away¡ªreally I did¡ªbut it felt like a piece was missing. I came here to see if it was you causing it.¡±

    I blew out a heavy breath though my nose. ¡°And?¡±

    Anthony hesitated to answer, which meant I wouldn¡¯t like what he had to say. I studied his face, so much like Adam¡¯s it hurt to look at him. They were the same height, had the same build, even the same lips. Anthony¡¯s eyes were a light green where Adam¡¯s were blue, and Anthony¡¯s hair was a tad longer since Adam cut his a couple weeks ago. It pained me to be repulsed by this man, but also find him attractive. It just wouldn¡¯t make sense to find Adam handsome and not Anthony. Their looks were where their similarities ended though; Adam was honorable where Anthony was a rebel.

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel it anymore,¡± Anthony finally said. ¡°The moment I saw you, it went away.¡±

    I wiped a snowflake that had landed on my eyelashes and hugged my arms to my chest. Cold had nothing to do with the motion. I felt exposed as his eyes burned into mine, willing me to admit I felt something, too. It pained me, seriously pained me, to not be able to give him what he wanted. I knew what kind of person Anthony was, but he was also flesh and blood, capable of real emotions, and he had already fallen in love with a woman he couldn¡¯t have. I did not want to be number two. Though I didn¡¯t understand Anthony¡¯s past actions, I couldn¡¯t help myself for feeling sorry for him. I wanted to hate him, to scream at him and even hurt him so he would give up this silly idea of feeling something for me, but I couldn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t make my lips utter harsh words just to sway him from thinking what he thought.

    My parents always told me that words have more power than any weapon. With a lash of your tongue, you could bring someone to his or her knees, and they were right. How many harsh words had I heard in my lifetime that still stuck with me? How many times had I dissected what someone said and watched as my insecurities grew from those words? Life is all about rising above the ugliness that plagues us all. I didn¡¯t want to be that ugliness that Anthony might look back on like I did with those who were mean to me. I didn¡¯t owe him anything, but I owed it to myself to not become a person who allowed insecurities and negativity to rule my tongue. Being negative is easy; it¡¯s being positive that¡¯s difficult. Though I was angry, anxious, and worried, I swallowed those feelings and thought before I spoke.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means,¡± I said. ¡°This whole Chante bond is new to me, but I do know that my feelings lay with Adam. From the moment I saw him I just ¡­ knew.¡± I hoped he interpreted my words for what they were. I didn¡¯t have romantic feelings for anyone other than Adam.

    ¡°And that day on the mountain when I stopped Eve from killing you, did you feel something when you looked at me?¡±

    ¡°What does it matter? I¡¯m with Adam, and we¡¯re bonded.¡±

    ¡°It matters to me.¡±

    I thought for a moment, recalling the day I was attacked by Eve. ¡°I thought you were beautiful,¡± I admitted, looking at the ground. I felt like I was cheating on Adam just by telling Anthony that. I felt sick to my stomach and couldn¡¯t meet Anthony¡¯s eyes.

    Footsteps drew my attention away from the snow-covered ground. Anthony moved toward me, his eyes alight with an emotion I didn¡¯t want to label. As he reached a hand out to me, a low, menacing growl filled the space, and an ebony wolf charged toward Anthony.

    Chapter Eighteen

    A high-pitched screech left my lips when Adam barreled into Anthony. Anthony went down, Adam on his chest. I ran over to the pair and gripped Adam¡¯s inky black fur in both hands to help keep those sharp teeth away from Anthony¡¯s jugular.

    ¡°Adam ¡­ Adam he wasn¡¯t going to do anything. We were just talking,¡± I yelled. Adam continued to snarl and snap at his brother while I tugged on his fur. Anthony¡¯s hands extended up to his shoulders to hold him off. With a hard push, Anthony shoved Adam off him long enough to transform into his silver wolf.

    ¡°Shit,¡± I mumbled. This was not good. I felt like I was standing on the sidelines of a hairy UFC fight. Adam charged Anthony, and Anthony charged at the same moment. They crashed into each other in a tangle of claws, teeth, and growls. In no way was I going to get in the middle of that, unless it went a step too far.

    My breathing became labored as Adam¡¯s fury slammed into me. Adrenaline raced through my veins, amplifying my worry. My eyes traveled from one wolf to another, unsure who was winning. I raked my fingers through my hair with nervous indecision. I knew better than to interfere with fighting wolves, but I also couldn¡¯t stand to just watch them tear each other apart. What really ticked me off was that they were fighting over nothing. Did Adam really trust me so little to think I would cheat on him, especially with his brother? A small ball of hurt settled in my chest at the thought. Then again, hadn¡¯t I gotten jealous over Chloe? This love thing was a tricky, tricky bitch. No wonder I stayed away from it for so long.

    ¡°Stop,¡± I yelled, coating my words with as much authority as I could. I didn¡¯t expect it to work, but I needed to voice my inner thoughts.

    Slowly, Adam and Anthony backed away from each other, walking backward, but keeping their eyes locked on one another. My forehead creased in surprise. They had actually listened. When I was sure they weren¡¯t going to attack each other again, I walked with caution toward Adam. Kneeling, I ran my fingers through his silky fur and leaned my forehead against the bridge of his wide nose.

    ¡°Nothing happened,¡± I whispered, meeting his yellow eyes. ¡°No one can threaten what I feel for you. Do you hear me? No. One.¡±

    Adam had been staring over my shoulder at his brother, but his eyes flicked to mine. He opened his mouth and then snapped it shut, huffing.

    ¡°I never took you for the jealous type,¡± Anthony said behind me. ¡°You sure as hell didn¡¯t care that I was fucking Eve.¡±

    I didn¡¯t turn around because I knew he would be naked and me seeing his nudity would only add fuel to the fire. Though, to be honest, I had already seen him naked that day on the mountain. Adam didn¡¯t need to know that, though. While nudity in the pack wasn¡¯t a big deal, I was sure Adam didn¡¯t want me to see that side of his brother.

    ¡°Ignore him,¡± I whispered to Adam. ¡°Please, just let this go.¡±

    Adam¡¯s body shimmered for all of three seconds before he was crouching on the ground in human form again. He lifted his head to me, his eyes a storm of different emotions. Adam stood and held a hand out to me to join him. He pulled me to my feet and, without warning, kissed me. This kiss was not soft or innocent; it was hard, passionate, and possessive. His tongue slipped between my lips and caressed my own while his lips ravished mine with severity. When his hand snaked around my waist and landed on my behind, a small moan rumbled up my throat. I couldn¡¯t help it; I could feel his excitement pressing against my leg. I didn¡¯t care that we had an audience, or that he may be pissed at me, and this was his caveman way of staking his claim. My wolf surfaced and devoured the pleasurable sensations he elicited, ready to feel his erection buried deep inside of us.

 Page 29

    The kiss ended sooner than I liked. One moment Adam¡¯s lips were fierce against mine, and then they were gone. My lips felt swollen and lacking without his mouth against mine.Advertisement

    ¡°You were right about one thing, brother,¡± Adam said. ¡°I didn¡¯t care that you fucked Eve because she was a heartless bitch. Make one move toward Anna, and I¡¯ll have your dick in my trophy case.¡± Adam moved my hair to the side and kissed up the length of my neck, his eyes locked on his brother. ¡°Go ahead and fantasize about fucking her, but know those moans falling from her soft lips will always be for me. She is mine, and I¡¯ll kill any motherfucker who tries to take her from me¡ªbe it blood or not.¡±

    Anthony snorted and ignored his brother¡¯s threats. ¡°You don¡¯t own her, and that fancy brand on your hand doesn¡¯t only pertain to you, brother.¡±

    Adam stood up straight, his body going as rigid as the mountains surrounding us. His lips straightened into a hard line, and a deep growl traveled up his throat. My muscles tensed around my bones, ready to snap from the tension.

    ¡°It¡¯s not true, Adam,¡± I said desperately. It couldn¡¯t be true. I didn¡¯t feel anything for Anthony other than irritation and disgust. How could a bond only work one way?

    ¡°Explain,¡± Adam said sternly.

    ¡°Well,¡± Anthony said, his voice holding smugness. ¡°If you want to get technical, I saw her first. I came across her on the mountain. I stopped Eve from killing her. I felt the connection long before you ever did, brother.¡± Anthony paused, and I cringed when I heard his footsteps drawing closer. ¡°I have to wonder, if it was me who slept with her first, would that brand be on my palm instead of yours? Is your bond all a matter of opportunity rather than fate?¡±

    I stopped breathing. Anthony was taunting Adam openly, goading him into another fight. Did he really think he could beat his brother? That small, annoying voice in the back of my mind wondered if he could. They were both from the same bloodline, had the same strength and power. I knew Adam was undefeated, but I didn¡¯t know Anthony¡¯s history. The vision of me finding Adam¡¯s dying body popped into my head. I had assumed the vampires were the ones responsible for his death, but maybe it was the man standing behind me.

    Adam was so quiet, so still. I looked up at him while my mind fought for the right words to say. Anthony had succeeded in planting doubt in his mind. I could see his mind working through all that his brother said, wondering if there was truth to any of it. Was what we had so easily debatable? I wasn¡¯t sure if I was more angry or hurt by the doubt racing through his sapphire eyes.

    ¡°If you believe him,¡± I said, reaching a hand up to guide his face down to mine. ¡°He wins. He wants you to doubt us¡ªto believe that the only reason we¡¯re together is because you got to me first. It¡¯s not true, Adam. None of it. I love you.¡±

    Adam blinked as though seeing me for the first time. The storm in his eyes calmed, and the muscles in his face softened. It took me a moment to realize that was the first time I had actually said those three little words to him. I knew from the start that I loved him, but had always been hesitant to say it. This time those words just slipped out on their own accord, no overthinking required.

    ¡°Say it again,¡± Adam whispered.

    I smiled. ¡°I love you, Adam. I will always love you.¡±

    A grin spread across his face, and his eyes flashed to his brother. ¡°You always were a sore loser, brother. I don¡¯t give a shit if there is any kernel of truth to what you say; the only thing that matters is I got to Anna first. You¡¯re too late.¡± Adam smiled smugly, wrapping and arm around my shoulders and drawing me into his chest.

    Elle and I decided to sit in my bedroom and eat dinner. I needed to tell her about my vision, and I couldn¡¯t have wandering ears listening in. We sat cross-legged on the floor with our plates in front of us. I was just about to go into detail when my bedroom door opened and there stood Wade and Adam.

    ¡°Having a slumber party?¡± Wade said with a smile.

    ¡°Yep,¡± I said, ¡°complete with pillow fights and scary movies.¡±

    My eyes slid from Wade¡¯s face to Adam¡¯s. He had been quiet all day, only speaking when spoken to. I knew he was thinking about what his brother said, and that bothered me. Sure, I had thought about it, too, but I didn¡¯t spend more than ten minutes at a time. It was curious and that¡¯s it. I believed it didn¡¯t affect what Adam and I had, and no matter what Anthony said, I knew Adam and I were together because we were supposed to be.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Wade asked seriously. ¡°Avoiding your guests?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Sort of, but not because I¡¯m antisocial. I had a vision while on the mountain today. I was going to tell Eve about in hopes she could help me figure it out.¡±

    Wade¡¯s eyes went to my best friend and then back to me. ¡°You didn¡¯t think to tell me about it? Isn¡¯t that the reason I¡¯m here, to help you develop your sight?¡±

    I smiled. ¡°I thought you were here for a pretty brunette with hazel eyes?¡±

    Wade snorted. ¡°That too, but you¡¯re priority at the moment.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± I said, ¡°Come in and shut the door. I don¡¯t want anyone else hearing this. I still don¡¯t know whom I can and can¡¯t trust.

    Wade filtered into the bedroom, Adam behind him. Wade sat on the floor, his back resting against my dresser. He drew his knees up and rested his arms on them. Adam sat on the edge of the bed, his arms resting on his knees while he stared at the carpeted floor. I proceeded to tell them every detail about the vision, down to the horrid porno to which I was subjected. Elle catcalled and asked for details and frowned when I told her I turned my back during that part.

    ¡°Prude,¡± she teased.

    ¡°Forgive me for not wanting to see two vampires, hell-bent on killing me, going at it.¡±

    I told them about the phone call and how I thought the main vampire chick¡¯s name was Veronica, but I wasn¡¯t positive.

    When I stopped talking, Elle asked, ¡°Is that all?¡±

    I shook my head, my eyes taking a trip around my bedroom to meet their eyes. I was almost embarrassed to recite the rhyme Taren had. What if it was nothing? What if he just made it up to be clever, and by reciting it, my friends and fianc¨¦ would think I was being egotistical.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Wade asked.

    With a deep breath, I said, ¡°White wolf, white wolf, better than the rest of tooth and claw. Rise above, take control, it is your destiny to rule them all.¡± I had been reciting those words in my head all day in hopes of not forgetting them. ¡°What do you think it means?¡±

    You heard one of the vampires say this?¡± Elle asked.

    I nodded. ¡°Taren said it, and when he was done, he looked right at the spot I was standing. It was creepy.¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡± Elle said.

    ¡°Then the vision ended.¡±

    The room grew quiet and Elle, Wade, and Adam all took turns looking at each other, avoiding my eyes entirely. There couldn¡¯t be any truth to it, there just ¡­ couldn¡¯t be. I didn¡¯t feel special or capable of ruling them all, whoever they were.

    ¡°Somebody say something,¡± I finally said.

    ¡°Our kind has many legends surrounding them, as do most supernatural beings,¡± Wade began. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed or not, but white wolves are not common, so when one pops up, people assume they¡¯re the white wolf, the one tied to the legend.¡±

    ¡°So the rhyme Taren spoke is true?¡±

    Wade¡¯s head fell to the side as his shoulders bobbed up and down. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. Yes, that rhyme is an old wolf legend, but no one knows if it¡¯s just a nursery rhyme or a prophecy. There has never been a white wolf rise to that position, so it¡¯s just been a story passed down through the generations. How a vampire knew it is beyond me.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°I think whomever hired them to kill me must have told him. What if ¡­¡± I thought for a moment. ¡°What if they¡¯re not here to kill me for being bonded to Adam, but because someone thinks I¡¯m the white wolf from the rhyme? Maybe someone is worried I¡¯ll take his or her place in power.¡± I glanced at Adam and then away. His parents were of olde blood, very powerful. They were the only ones I could think of that would benefit from my death. Not only would I not be bonded to their son anymore, but they also wouldn¡¯t have to worry about me supposedly rising to power.

    ¡°My parents are vindictive and snobby, but they wouldn¡¯t kill one of their own kind,¡± Adam said. ¡°Not without a threat.¡±

    I gave him a sad smile. ¡°What if they think I am a threat? They could believe I am the white wolf from the poem and want to kill me before the prophecy can happen.¡± I reached a hand up and placed it on his leg. ¡°Just for the record, I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m that wolf, but superstitions have caused people to kill in the past.¡±

    ¡°She has a point,¡± Wade said. ¡°And just for the record ¡­ you could be that wolf.¡± His eyes found mine, and a small shiver skipped up my spine.

    ¡°Then it stands to reason,¡± Adam said. ¡°That the Leaders could be behind this. They also stand to lose their places of power if Anna was that wolf. Last time I checked, you¡¯re one of them, Wade.¡±

    Wade responded with a deep growl, which Adam reciprocated. Men.

    ¡°Growling at each other isn¡¯t going to figure anything out,¡± Elle said. ¡°How many innocents have died because the finger was pointed at them in a state of panic?¡±

    I smiled and nodded at her. ¡°She¡¯s right. Salem Witch Trials? Look how many innocent men and women died because the Puritans believed they were witches. The only way to be absolutely sure is to investigate and figure out who hired the vampires.¡±

    Silence settled over my bedroom, our plates forgotten in the center of us. I hadn¡¯t eaten more than two bites before Adam and Wade interrupted our secret meeting, and now the thought of food unsettled my stomach.

    ¡°Have you gotten anything off Anthony?¡± Wade asked, causing Adam to snort in derision. I ignored the anger that was surely on his face and shook my head.

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    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t really touched him to try.¡±Advertisement

    ¡°You two looked pretty chummy in the mountains,¡± Adam said.

    Wade looked at Elle. Elle looked at me, and I looked at Adam. A flurry of emotions ranging from embarrassment, hurt, and anger roiled in my stomach. He was acting like a jealous teenager instead of the confident alpha I once thought he was. Like I said, love is a tricky, tricky bitch. It can turn grown men into children and women insecure, but all relationships went through times like these, right? I had no clue. I had never dated anyone longer than two weeks. I always chose to leave before things got serious and messy.

    ¡°Can I speak to you ¡­ alone?¡± I directed the question at Adam. It took Wade and Elle all of two seconds to stand and head toward the door. Elle gave me a compassionate look before she and Wade left my room.

    ¡°That was an asshole thing to say in front of them, Adam. You make it sound like you found me cheating on you.¡±

    Adam didn¡¯t respond, which only pissed me off more. He just sat on the bed¡ªhis hands clasped in front of him, staring at the floor. I wanted to scream and punch a wall or wolf out. I did none of those things. Instead, I stood up and crossed my arms. If he wanted to play the silent game then that was fine by me, but he wasn¡¯t leaving my bedroom until he apologized. At this point, I would even settle for a look of apology, just something that told me he regretted making me look like a cheater in front of my friends. I knew as soon as he was away from me, Elle would find me and ask me what he meant by that comment. The fewer people who knew about Anthony¡¯s strange connection through our Chante bond the better. Now was not the time for people to question my loyalty to Adam.

    ¡°It pisses me off,¡± Adam finally said, still staring at the floor.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty pissed off, too.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he said, lifting his head to meet my eyes. ¡°It pisses me off to think of you with anyone other than me. I see the way men look at you, Anna. I see the hunger in their eyes and know what it means, and it makes me see red. I want to rip their dicks off just for looking at you.¡± He took a ragged breath and studied the carpet again. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt this amount of possessiveness before. If I could, I would whisk you away, and we would live by ourselves in the middle of nowhere. I know how crazy I sound, and that¡¯s why I have done my best to keep a lid on my jealousy, but seeing you with him¡ªseeing him reach for you as though he had done it a million times before and had a right to¡ªI wanted to kill him. I would have had you not stopped me.¡± He met my eyes again, and my stomach plummeted to my feet. A tiny sliver of fear coursed through me before I reminded myself that this was Adam and not some controlling boyfriend. Adam would never do anything to hurt me. I knew that.

    I took a deep breath before I spoke, hoping my voice didn¡¯t sound as shaky as I felt. ¡°You don¡¯t have to trust Anthony, Adam, but you do have to trust me. You should know that whether I¡¯m surrounded by a million GQ models or not, I¡¯m always thinking of you. This relationship is not going to work if we don¡¯t trust each other. Had you waited just a couple seconds longer before charging Anthony, you would have seen me bat his hand away. I know what it must have looked like, but you know what they say about assuming things. And you made me look like an ass with your comment. Now Wade and Elle probably think I¡¯m in some twisted love triangle with you and your brother.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll explain to them, and just so you know, I know you would never betray me like that. It¡¯s just ¡­ the thought of men wanting what is mine drives me crazy.¡±

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t,¡± I said, forcing a smile. ¡°If you know for sure I would never do anything with any of them, then you should be proud¡ªeven a little smug¡ªthat you have something they could never have. I can¡¯t do this whole jealous fianc¨¦ thing.¡±

    Adam¡¯s eyes snapped to mine. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. I saw how jealous you got whenever I talked to Chloe.¡±

    Just the mention of her name caused me to scowl.

    ¡°See, that look right there,¡± Adam said, pointing toward my face. ¡°Jealousy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same thing,¡± I said. ¡°Chloe actually thinks she should be your mate. Other than Anthony, no men have come on to me. Speaking of that, what is this I hear about a line of mates you have?¡±

    Adam shrugged as though I had just asked him about a collection of hats or shoes rather than a line of willing females ready to take my place. I glared at him for making me feel like shit when he was the one with the suspicious females in waiting.

    ¡°All alphas have a list of acceptable female mates should something happen to our current ones. It sets a good example for an alpha male to have an alpha female.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°That sounds ridiculous.¡± I now knew why his mother was so against our pairing, not that my mutt-ness wasn¡¯t the number one reason, but also because I wasn¡¯t on the list of acceptable mates. I was sure Mommie Dearest had handpicked them all. It reminded me of some eighteenth century marriage agreement. Not an ounce of romance or love required, just good genes and a powerful family name.

    ¡°It¡¯s our way, Anna,¡± Adam said. ¡°Or at least it was. I obviously didn¡¯t follow protocol when Eve died. Yeah, Chloe should have filled her spot, but I love you. You¡¯re the one I want by my side. I lived through a loveless relationship once; I wasn¡¯t going to do it again.¡±

    A million thoughts raced through my head, all of which would only cause another fight. The loudest thought screaming in my mind was whether Adam would have picked me had we not bonded. Had I not given into him the night before I was supposed to be killed by the Leaders, would Adam have chosen me over Chloe? None of those insecure thoughts voiced themselves, though. Instead, the most unimportant of them all did.

    ¡°But I thought Chloe was gay? That¡¯s what Elle said.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s bi,¡± Adam said in explanation.

    ¡°Well, that clears that up.¡± I turned to leave, but Adam reached out and grabbed my arm to stop me. I kept my back to him, my inner voice loud as it repeated the important question in my head. I was too afraid to ask, because nothing good ever came from asking yourself the ¡°what-if¡± questions. We were together, and that was all that mattered, right?

    ¡°As soon as I saw you,¡± Adam said, ¡°even before we slept together, and the Chante mark appeared, I wanted you, Anna. You were mine from the moment you set foot on my mountain, and I will always be yours. No list or politics will change that.¡±

    I turned and shook my head to keep the tears in my eyes from falling. ¡°How is it you always know exactly what to say?¡±

    Adam smiled, tugging me toward him. He wrapped his arms around my waist and hugged me tightly to his chest. ¡°It¡¯s easy when it¡¯s the truth.¡±

    Chapter Nineteen

    I was not cut out to be a spy.

    Elle, Wade, Adam, and I headed down the cracked walkway of the motel ready to introduce the vampires to a little sunlight. After describing who we were looking for to the chubby guy in the office, he had directed us to Room 16. Now, Elle and Wade stood on the left side while Adam and I took the right. It only took half an hour of arguing with Adam for him to give in and let me come with. What he didn¡¯t know was I didn¡¯t need his permission. I was coming along whether he wanted me there or not, but entertaining his idea that he had some control over the situation seemed to make him happy enough.

    ¡°Ready?¡± Wade sent the message to all of us, his voice filling my head. Adam nodded and I did, too, not that my readiness mattered. Adam made it clear that while I was going, I would not be fighting with the vampires should it come to that. Again, it was cute he thought he could tell me what to do.

    Wade stepped out in front of the door and, in one swift move, brought his leg up and slammed it toward the door, kicking it in. The flimsy door caved in on itself. Pieces flew into the room while other small pieces hung from rusty hinges. Moving quickly, Wade entered the room with Adam right behind him. Elle followed Adam, and of course, I was the last to enter. That had been the designated order they agreed on when we were driving into town. I sat in the backseat, rolling my eyes and ignoring their plans to keep me out of harm¡¯s way. It was sweet, but annoying. The best way to prove you can hang with the big dogs is to prove yourself. I planned to do just that.

    I stared into the room. It had the same matching twin beds and ugly carpet as the room from my vision, but the room was empty.

    ¡°They knew we were coming,¡± I said, and three heads turned to look at me. ¡°Taren received a phone call shortly before my vision ended. Whatever the person told him on the other end, it didn¡¯t sound like good news. I wonder ¡­¡± I pursed my lips in thought, trying to remember exactly what Taren¡¯s responses had been.

    ¡°What?¡± Elle said. ¡°You wonder what?¡±

    ¡°Well, whoever hired them must know I can see into the past. I wonder if the person on the phone called to warn them about my power. They would have to know that after the fight the other night, I would want to find out answers, and there was vampire blood all over. Seeing someone¡¯s past is easier when I have some of their DNA.¡± When I was trying to figure out what Eve was up to, Wade had cleaned hair from her brush and made me hold onto it in hopes of it helping me connect with her, and it had helped a lot.

    ¡°Shit,¡± Adam said under his breath. ¡°How are we going to find them now?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Wade said. ¡°They¡¯re vampires and it¡¯s daytime. They have to be somewhere that would protect them from the sun. I say we knock on every single door of every single hotel in Buffalo. If they¡¯re not hiding out at a hotel, then we start checking empty houses.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s going to take forever,¡± Elle said. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Anna just interrogate all the wolves? It¡¯s your right, as the hostess of the conference, to question the wolves on your mountain, Adam.¡±

    Wade smiled. ¡°And you have a Leader there to enforce your ruling. They cannot defy my judgment.¡±

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    ¡°Yeah, but my parents can,¡± Adam said softly. ¡°If, and that¡¯s a big if, they¡¯re responsible, they¡¯re not going to let Anna read them.¡±Advertisement

    ¡°Which would only make them look guiltier,¡± I said. ¡°If all the other wolves go through the questioning and they don¡¯t, won¡¯t that raise more than a few questions?¡±

    ¡°Or we can steal hair from their brushes,¡± I said with a smile toward Wade. It had worked once, so why not try it again?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, torturing vampires sounded like more fun,¡± Adam said with a devilish smirk. Wade and Elle nodded their heads in agreement. What a bunch of deranged weirdoes.

    ¡°I still say we at least check this motel out,¡± Wade said. ¡°They might have just moved to a different room.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°As if we¡¯re that lucky.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we due for some luck?¡± Elle said with a grimace.

    It was true; things hadn¡¯t exactly been peachy on the mountain. I tried to ignore that it had been since I arrived, but maybe things started going haywire before I showed up, or maybe that was wishful thinking.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I said, ¡°but maybe try knocking on the doors before kicking them in. I doubt the motel will be happy to learn all their doors need to be replaced.

    Wade smiled. ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± With a wink of his eye, we moved on to the next room. He raised his leg, ready to land a blow when I arched an eyebrow at him. Slowly, his leg lowered, and his arm rose. He rapped on the dingy door and raised both his eyebrows at me as if to say, ¡°happy?¡± I pursed my lips and rolled my eyes, hugging my arms to my chest.

    Adam¡¯s arm slunk around my shoulders as he held me tightly against his warm body. I looked up at him and gave a small smile. Things were still tense between us, but also good. A relationship that¡¯s perfect all the time is either fake or not as happy as the people want those around them to think. I could handle a few arguments with Adam if it meant we would bounce back, and we would.

    A middle-aged man with wiry brown hair answered the door. He was wearing a pair of dress pants and a button down shirt, the first few buttons undone. His tie hung around his neck, and just behind him, a woman holding covers to her chest watched us with uncertainty. I held my hand to my mouth as a snort traveled up my throat.

    ¡°And you wonder why I¡¯m cautious about relationships,¡± I whispered to Adam. It wasn¡¯t a secret that seedy¡ªrundown motels such as this one were a cheater¡¯s paradise.

    Adam leaned down so that his mouth brushed my ear. His warm breath sent a tingle tiptoeing down my spine. ¡°If he had woman like you, he wouldn¡¯t even think about cheating.¡±

    I rolled my eyes and nudged his side with my elbow. Adam rubbed the spot, pretending I had hurt him and chuckled.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡± the man said, eyeing the four of us with caution. He was smart to be wary of us¡ªwhat with Wade with his shaved head, leather coat, and scowl, and Adam with his impressive height and build. Not only that, humans could tell there was something off about us. They just didn¡¯t know what; their minds wouldn¡¯t let them believe we were monsters.

    ¡°Sorry to¡ª¡± Elle began, tilting her head to look at the female, ¡°interrupt, but we¡¯re looking for a man and a woman. She has shoulder- length brown hair, pale skin and the man has longish brown hair and pale skin. You haven¡¯t seen them by any chance, have you?¡±

    A wrinkle appeared between the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°No, we just¡­uh got here.¡±

    ¡°Of course you did,¡± Wade said with a smirk. ¡°Lunch break rendezvous? A little afternoon delight, perhaps?¡±

    Red colored the man¡¯s face in anger, his eyes thinning into slits while the woman¡¯s face reddened out of embarrassment. When he opened his mouth to say something, Wade held up his hand and shook his head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t care,¡± he said, and headed toward the next door. The three of us followed him and I caught a glimpse of the woman before the man slammed the door. Her head was down, her face slack.

    That could have been you. My inner voice said. I slid a glance at Adam but his eyes were on the next door. In the beginning Adam offered himself to me, but he was still mated to Eve. Had I given in, I would have become his mistress. I¡¯d fought tooth and nail from lowering myself to that, but I had to wonder if Eve was still alive and Adam and I weren¡¯t bonded, would I have eventually given in?

    I shook the thought away. I knew the reason I finally gave in to Adam was because we were each other¡¯s other halves. We had been drawn toward each other from the first moment we laid eyes on each other. Had we not been chantes, there was no way I would have become the other woman. I knew that just as sure as I knew we were not going to find the vampires are this motel.

    So, I was right, and we didn¡¯t find the vampires, but we found evidence of their presence in the form of two dead bodies. By the time we made it to Room 12 the stench of death was so strong, Wade didn¡¯t bother with knocking. He kicked the door down only for us to find a man and a woman sprawled on the bed with two puncture wounds in their neck and wrists. With all of their blood gone, their complexions resembled a grayish, waxy hue. Their wide dead eyes stared up as though caught in the last moments of their death. Blood dotted the blankets and carpet like macabre confetti, and one of the women¡¯s hands still clutched the sheets.

    ¡°Vampires aren¡¯t normally this stupid,¡± Wade said, walking around the bed to inspect the dead bodies.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°They kill to eat, right?¡±

    ¡°Vampires don¡¯t need to kill to eat,¡± Adam answered. ¡°A few sips here and there will sustain them. What Wade means is that vampires don¡¯t leave bodies with traces of vampire attacks out in the open for humans to find.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a message,¡± I said. ¡°They knew we were coming, knew we would find these two.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Wade said, ¡°but we already knew they wanted to kill you. What¡¯s killing two humans and leaving them for us supposed to convey that we don¡¯t already know?¡±

    I snorted. ¡°You¡¯re expecting me to explain vampire motives? Let¡¯s just agree that they¡¯re insane, and nothing they do makes sense.¡±

    Wade rested his arms on either side of the dead woman¡¯s body and leaned down. In a swooping motion, he sniffed from her stomach all the way up to her matted blond hair. My lip curled up in disgust when he closed his eyes and remained poised over the woman. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one walked by and saw the four of us in a room with two dead people, much less Wade sniffing one of them.

    ¡°We should¡ªuh¡ªleave before someone thinks we did this,¡± I said.

    Wade ignored me and said, ¡°I would guess them to be dead for almost a day.¡±

    A thought occurred to me then. ¡°The vision I had was right before the vampires appeared on our mountain last night. Maybe they picked up these two after the fight to feed off of and heal themselves.¡± I might have been reaching, but I didn¡¯t want these two humans to be dead because the vampires were trying to send some cryptic message.

    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Elle said, hugging her arms to her chest as she stared at the lifeless bodies. ¡°Our best bet is finding who hired them. We find the employer, and we can find the vampires,¡± she added.

    ¡°That means spending all night reading the wolves,¡± I said with a grimace. Of course I wanted to find the person responsible, but my visions were not guaranteed. I was still a little confused as to why it sometimes worked and sometimes didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Elle¡¯s right,¡± Wade said, standing up. He withdrew his cell phone and began scrolling through his contacts list. ¡°Anna, see if you can get a read on these two. I have to call someone to clean this up.¡±

    ¡°We already know the vampires killed them,¡± I said. ¡°Why do I need to read them?¡± Truth was, I wasn¡¯t thrilled about touching a dead body¡ªlet alone two.

    Wade held his phone at his side and took a deep breath. ¡°Because, you know as well as I do that visions tell more than who¡¯s guilty. Maybe the vampires said something that will clue us into who is behind their being here.¡±

    I swallowed around the disgust and nodded. He was right, and finding answers was more important than my discomfort. I walked around the bed, the backs of my knees hitting the opposite mattress. With uneasy steps, I moved closer to the dead couple. They didn¡¯t look older than their mid-twenties. As I looked upon them, I wondered if they had families, and a pang of hurt filled my chest. They would never know that these two died from a vicious vampire attack. I wasn¡¯t sure how clean up worked in these situations. Would their families assume they were just missing, left to wonder where they were or what had happened, or did the clean-up crew have a witch or vampire on their payroll that could alter a human¡¯s mind?

    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Elle asked.

    I looked up at her and noticed her eyes shifted from me to the broken down door. Time was definitely of the essence in this case. I reached a hand out and clasped the woman¡¯s wrist. Flakes of dried blood gathered around the puncture wounds. I ignored how cold she felt, as well as the bile rising in my throat.

    Within seconds, the present slipped away, and I was standing in the motel room from the past. The man and woman sat like zombies on the bed, their legs dangling over the edge. The vampire woman crawled onto the bed and drew the woman¡¯s hair to the side to expose her throat. I stood so that I was facing the horrendous show head on.

    ¡°If you¡¯re watching, white wolf,¡± the vampire said, surprising me. ¡°Their blood is on your paws.¡± And then she sunk her fangs into the woman¡¯s throat. The woman didn¡¯t scream or even flinch as the fangs drove into her flesh. A lone tear was the only sign that she was feeling anything. I watched it slip down her cheek until it splashed on her clasped hands.

    The female vampire withdrew her fangs, her mouth slick with a fresh coat of blood. She closed her eyes and let out a moan that sounded sexual. I cringed, backing up until my back hit the wall. Whatever reservations I might have had about being a werewolf, it could have been worse. I could have become one of these monsters. All in all, sprouting fur and paws was like winning the lottery in comparison.

 Page 32

    ¡°We will leave a trail of bodies in our wake until you turn yourself in, Anna,¡± the vampire said. Her words sounded muffled as she spoke around the two large ivory daggers extending from her gums. When she struck the woman¡¯s neck again, this time harder, I yelped. Taren joined in on the feat, lifting the woman¡¯s wrist and burying his fangs in the soft skin there. Two more tears dripped from the woman¡¯s eyes, falling soundlessly against her pale cheeks while her eyes stared forward.Advertisement

    The worst part about having visions was that I couldn¡¯t do anything. As much as I wanted to help the two humans, I couldn¡¯t. They were already dead, and I was only here as a spectator, witnessing their savage deaths¡ªhelpless. No, not completely helpless; I could help these two by tracking down the monsters and running a stake through their hearts.

    A soft whooshing of air was my signal that the vision was ending. I kept my eyes locked on the two vampires and their feast, allowing all of the emotions I was feeling to surface.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you,¡± I whispered the promise, not that the vampires could hear me.

    I blinked, and I was back in the present. Same motel room, except the two humans were now dead, and the vampires were gone. Nausea swam through my stomach, and I curled my lips inward to keep from vomiting. It didn¡¯t help though; I could feel it rising in my throat. I turned and ran toward the small bathroom, making it just in time to puke into the dingy toilet. I wasn¡¯t sure if the vision caused the sickness, or I was just disgusted by what I saw. Either way, I hugged the cool porcelain until I expelled everything in my stomach.

    A warm hand rubbed my back while another drew my hair away from my face. I knew it was Adam, but I couldn¡¯t acknowledge him while on the verge of spewing again. Just having him there, trying to comfort me, helped settle my unease.

    When I sure I wouldn¡¯t throw up anymore, I stood, turned on the faucet, and cupped my hands underneath to take a drink.

    ¡°Did you see anything useful?¡± Wade asked.

    A rumble reverberated up Adam¡¯s throat. ¡°She¡¯s sick,¡± he growled. ¡°Give her some time before you start interrogating her.¡±

    I splashed water on my face and curled my fingers around the sink¡¯s edge. Looking up, I found three pairs of eyes watching me through the mirror. My thoughts volleyed between keeping the information to myself and telling them. In the end, I decided telling them the truth was for the best.

    ¡°They plan to keep killing until I turn myself into them,¡± I said. ¡°They knew I might be watching and made sure to say that so I knew the repercussions.¡± I hung my head and closed my eyes as the last waves of nausea left my body. ¡°I¡¯m going to do it,¡± I added.

    The room was quiet for a couple moments until Elle spoke up.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to do what?¡±

    I looked up again, meeting her eyes in the mirror. ¡°I¡¯m going to turn myself over to them.¡±

    ¡°Like hell you are,¡± Adam said.

    ¡°Anna, don¡¯t be stupid,¡± Elle added.

    ¡°That¡¯s what they want you to do,¡± Wade said.

    I gave a humorless laugh, knowing this is what telling them the truth would get me. It¡¯s not like I expected them to be like, ¡°Yeah, we think that¡¯s a great idea.¡±

    I turned to face them. ¡°They¡¯re not going to stop, and I can¡¯t let any more innocents die on my account. The quickest way to end all of this is to kill them, and that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m going to do.¡± I pushed past the three of them, gave one last look to the dead couple on the bed, and left the room.

    Chapter Twenty

    ¡°We need to talk about this,¡± Adam said as we got out of Wade¡¯s SUV. A large group of werewolves were clustered around the yard. In our absence, Joe and Asher had made sure the wolfy games continued.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about,¡± I said, pushing through the crowd. As I passed bodies, I realized everyone was looking at me, some with amusement, others with worry or pity. What the heck is going on?

    Adam curled his fingers around my bicep to stop me. I knew this wasn¡¯t easy, his heart was in the right place, but the vampires wanted me¡ªnot him. I kept seeing the dead humans¡¯ eyes staring lifelessly. I knew if I didn¡¯t give myself up, those wouldn¡¯t be the last dead eyes I saw.

    ¡°Anna Avery,¡± a female voice boomed through the crowd.

    Adam stopped trying to talk to me, and all the surrounding wolves grew quiet. The crowd parted as Chloe walked toward me, a smirk on her face. Her eyes were bright with an elation I didn¡¯t understand. When she stopped in front of me, she placed on hand on her cocked hip and smiled wide at me. My eyes wandered to the surrounding faces, and again I saw looks of anxiousness.

    ¡°What the hell do you want?¡± I asked, crossing my arms.

    ¡°Chloe,¡± Adam said, his voice hard. ¡°Now is not the time.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I think now is the perfect time,¡± Chloe said. Looking at me, she said, ¡°Anna Avery, I challenge you.¡±

    Gasps rang out around the yard, while some people cheered. It took me a moment to understand what she was saying.

    ¡°You want to ¡­ fight me ¡­ for Adam?¡± I couldn¡¯t help the breathy laugh leaving my lips. My mind went through stages of shock, disbelief, and then understanding. Chloe was really challenging me to fight, and knowing her, it would be to the death. I stared at her with wide eyes, waiting for her to say it was a joke. Unfortunately, wolves did not joke about fights or politics. The gleam in her eye made sense now; she already expected to win, expected to get Adam. The emotion that hit me in that moment was indescribable, something akin to rage but much, much stronger. I had never been more pissed than I was right that minute.

    ¡°Not for Adam,¡± Chloe said, ¡°to claim my rightful spot.¡± Her eyes trailed over Adam, and my body literally shook with my anger. ¡°Though, he¡¯s not a bad prize either.¡±

    Adam stepped in front of me, his hands fisted at his sides. ¡°You touch her, and I¡¯ll kill you. I don¡¯t care what clan you¡¯re from. I¡¯ll go to war with your family before I¡¯ll let you challenge my Chante.¡±

    A body pressed against my right side, but I couldn¡¯t look anywhere but at Chloe. My wolf was just beneath the surface, ready to maul her and turn her creamy skin into pretty ribbons of flesh.

    Chloe rolled her eyes at Adam¡¯s threat. ¡°You know very well you cannot interfere with an official challenge, Everwood, no matter who your family is.¡± Her eyes slid to me, a devious glint reflecting in her eyes. ¡°What does it feel like to know your mate doesn¡¯t even think you can defeat me?¡± she said to me.

    I rushed forward, ready to tear her apart. Strong arms banded around my waist and held me back. I kicked and thrashed against my captor¡¯s arms, screaming for them to let me go. What really drove my fury over the edge was when Chloe threw her head back and laughed.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get your chance,¡± a man said against my ear. ¡°Don¡¯t let her make you look like a fool.¡±

    I don¡¯t know why, but those words helped calm me down. I stopped fighting and sagged against the arms holding me for a moment before standing on my own and looking up at the person holding me. My mouth opened in surprise as I realized I was in Anthony¡¯s arms.

    I smacked his hands. ¡°Let go of me.¡± He obliged, but not before rubbing a small path against my stomach. I cringed and stepped away from him and toward Adam. I caught Sawyer¡¯s eyes in the crowd. His face was white as his eyes zeroed in on my face. I moved my gaze to other faces, and they all looked the same. Everyone already assumed Chloe would beat me, and that pissed me off more. Okay, so maybe I was a young werewolf, and she was from a respectable clan, but a little bit of assurance would have been nice.

    ¡°If you go through with this,¡± Adam said. ¡°I will step down as the alpha of Everwood. Females cannot be alphas of their own pack. What will you do then, Chloe?¡±

    Chloe blew out a breath and pursed her lips. ¡°If you¡¯re the type of man who could abandon his pack, then I wouldn¡¯t want you as a mate anyway. I¡¯m sure there are more than a few willing fellas here that would take your spot.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t pledge myself to you,¡± Elle said, stepping forward.

    ¡°Me either,¡± Joe added.

    ¡°Or me,¡± Sawyer said, making his way through the crowd.

    This went on until almost every wolf in our pack vowed not to pledge himself or herself to Chloe. Out of twenty-five wolves, only five did not speak up. I didn¡¯t hold their silence against them. From what I heard, changing packs was scary.

    ¡°If a challenge is won, the winner owns the loser¡¯s pack.¡± We turned our heads to see Maggie Everwood stepping through the crowd. Today, she wore a sage green pantsuit, and her blond hair was pinned up in its usual spot. ¡°While it¡¯s nice you all love and respect Adam and ¡­ Anna,¡± she said, coating my name with the disgust she felt for me. ¡°You cannot deny a new alpha. That is our way.¡±

    ¡°But I can,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯ve stooped pretty low, but I never thought you would do this,¡± he said to his mother.

    Her eyes moved back and forth, a sign she was embarrassed her son had talked back to her. ¡°Adam, I only want what¡¯s best for you, and this ¡­ mutt ¡­ is not it.¡±

    ¡°How dare you spout off what¡¯s best for me,¡± Adam said. ¡°You thought Eve was best for me, and she ended up killing innocent humans. Had it not been for us, she would have revealed our secret to the humans. I think it¡¯s safe to say, you don¡¯t know what¡¯s best for me.¡±

    Maggie¡¯s lips thinned, and her eyes squinted. ¡°You will not talk to me like that. I will not argue over that wretched woman.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure if she was talking about Eve or me. When her eyes flicked to me I got my answer.

    ¡°Stop,¡± I said loud enough so my voice would carry. I stepped in front of Adam so that I was only a couple feet away from Chloe and Maggie. I fisted my hands and took a couple deep breaths, eyeing Chloe with derision.

 Page 33

    ¡°I accept,¡± I said, lifting my chin.Advertisement

    More gasps and sounds of surprise echoed through the crowd. Chloe laughed as though she couldn¡¯t hold in her excitement any longer. She wouldn¡¯t be laughing for long.

    ¡°I swear you have a death wish,¡± Elle said. ¡°First, you almost hand yourself over to the Leaders when they accuse you of Eve¡¯s murders. Then, you jumped out of my car to go fight Eve. Just an hour ago you said you were going to give yourself to the vampires, and now this?¡± She worked her long red hair into a sloppy ponytail as she paced the kitchen floor. When she stopped, she placed her hands on her hips and stared at me.

    ¡°Do you realize what you just agreed to, Anna?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Pinning you for the allotted time is not going to satisfy her, Anna. She¡¯s not going to stop until your heart does.¡±

    ¡°Anna, you don¡¯t have to do this,¡± Adam said. He sat at the table with me, along with Wade and Sawyer. No matter whose face I met, their eyes showed the same thing¡ªworry. I didn¡¯t know what was worse, being challenged, or no one having any faith in me.

    ¡°I can do it,¡± I said, not for the first time.

    ¡°I can have her killed in a half an hour,¡± Wade said. ¡°I know people. No Chloe, no challenge.¡± He shrugged as though he was discussing the weather instead of having someone murdered. Even if that someone was Chloe.

    I propped my elbows on the table and rested my head in my hands. Closing my eyes, I tried to drown out their constant babbling about how stupid I was, or the many ways I could get out of the challenge. Right before I exploded on them, a voice saved me.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you guys.¡± I lifted my head to find Anthony leaning against the doorframe. He shook his head as his eyes circled around the room.

    ¡°Instead of encouraging, Anna, you¡¯re all scaring the hell out of her. You all treat her like a helpless child instead of the brave woman she is. When Adam was shot at the ceremony, it was Anna who leapt from the stage to hunt the attacker down, and when the vampires attacked in the forest, it was Anna who saved Wade.¡± Anthony snorted and walked farther into the room. ¡°If you weren¡¯t all flapping your gums, you¡¯d see just how freaked out and pissed Anna really is. She doesn¡¯t need you all breathing down her back.¡± He paused for a moment, meeting Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡°If she were any other wolf in your pack, you would not belittle her. You would be lifting her up with words of encouragement, getting her pumped for the fight. Did you ever stop to think how embarrassing it might be for Anna not to have your support, brother?¡± His eyes met mine, and for a few lingering moments we just stared at each other.

    ¡°You have my support,¡± he said to me. ¡°I have no doubt you¡¯re going to kill that bitch.¡±

    Despite how tense the room was, I smiled. It felt good to have someone in my corner, even if that someone was Anthony Everwood.

    ¡°We weren¡¯t belittling her,¡± Adam said, standing up and blocking Anthony¡¯s view of me. ¡°We just care about her and don¡¯t want anything to happen. We are looking out for her.¡±

    I stood up and slammed my hands on the table so loud, the wolves in the living room stood up on alert.

    ¡°I¡¯m not made out of glass, Adam. I don¡¯t need you protecting me all the time, and Anthony is right, it was embarrassing when you stood up for me out there. The last thing I need is for everyone to know how little you believe in me.¡±

    ¡°Anna, I¡ª¡±

    I held up my hand. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I said and moved around the table. I stopped by the door and turned to face my friends. ¡°Thanks for the vote of confidence, guys.¡± Then I left through the front door. I didn¡¯t know where I was going, but I couldn¡¯t be in that house for another minute, around all those concerned eyes.

    I headed down the dirt drive, no destination in mind. I had been walking for fifteen minutes when I heard footsteps behind me.

    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to talk, Ad¡ª¡± I spun on my heel and swallowed my words when I saw Anthony walking toward me. I grimaced, hating the smile on his face, but most of all, I hated that his presence didn¡¯t elicit my normal response I had for him. You never knew who was going to stand in your corner until your back was to the wall. I sure as hell didn¡¯t expect Anthony to come to my rescue.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I turned back around and started walking again. Anthony walked beside me, keeping a good two feet away from me. I thought that was strange, but decided not to comment on it.

    ¡°Adam made it pretty clear I should leave the house,¡± he said. ¡°So I did.¡±

    I looked up at him. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is what he meant.¡±

    Anthony smiled down at me. ¡°Then he should be clearer next time.¡± He punctuated the sentence with a wink.

    We walked a long time in silence. I always loved nighttime in the mountains. The inky blackness of the sky was so dark the stars resembled diamonds. It was peaceful with the sounds of the surrounding animals scurrying through the forest. A soft breeze blew through the tree limbs, rattling leaves. I focused on the crunching of our footsteps, instead of the awkwardness growing between Anthony and me. When had things become awkward between us? Before, his presence annoyed me, but now ¡­ now, I was hyperaware that he was right next to me.

    ¡°I should head back,¡± I said more to myself than to Anthony. When I spun around, Anthony gripped my wrist to stop me. When I looked at his fingers and then up at him, he released me.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying, you know. I do believe you can take down Chloe.¡±

    I sucked in a deep breath and nodded. ¡°Thanks for that.¡±

    Anthony studied me for a long moment. So much so, that I almost started to fidget under his gaze. What was wrong with me?

    ¡°I know what it feels like,¡± he said, ¡°for no one to believe in you. My family always labeled me the screw up of the family. After a while, they just stopped noticing me altogether.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they meant anything by it,¡± I said. ¡°Adam is just really overprotective, and Elle is my best friend. They don¡¯t want anything to happen to me.¡±

    Anthony tipped his head to the side. ¡°If you believe that, then why were you so upset?¡±

    I shook my head, my answer dangling on my lips. With a serious look, I rolled my tongue over my lips and sucked in a breath through my nose.

    ¡°I do believe that. It just ¡­ gets old after a while. I thought after Adam pledged himself to me, he would start seeing me as an equal, but¡­¡±

    Anthony snorted. ¡°Adam has white-knight syndrome. It¡¯s only one of his disgusting qualities I hate.¡±

    Anger rose in me. ¡°Just because he wants to protect those he loves is not disgusting. It¡¯s brave that he puts himself in harm¡¯s way for others. I bet you¡¯d never do that.¡± His words that night he confessed to wanting to protect me flitted through my mind, but I decided not to bring that up. Things in my life were complicated enough.

    ¡°I¡¯d do it for you,¡± Anthony said. ¡°Just not to the degree he does. I don¡¯t know how he doesn¡¯t see that spark in you. I see it every time I look at you. You¡¯re just as brave as he is. Having a female like that ¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that why you liked Eve?¡± I asked. ¡°Because she was tough?¡±

    Anthony¡¯s eyes hardened. ¡°She wasn¡¯t always like that, and no, that¡¯s not why I liked her.¡±

    I don¡¯t know why, but I felt guilty for asking him about his dead girlfriend. ¡°Sorry,¡± I said.

    Silence settled between us again. We stood in the middle of the road, avoiding each other¡¯s eyes. At the whooshing of air, I looked up just in time to see another arrow sailing through the air toward me.

    Chapter Twenty-One

    Anthony shoved me out of the way, and I landed with a hard thump on my behind. The arrow made a thwacking sound as it buried itself in a tree. I pulled myself to my feet, my eyes scanning the forest in front of me.

    ¡°Come out, come out, wherever you are, bloodsuckers,¡± I cooed.

    Anthony gave me a look that said he thought I was losing it, and maybe I was. How much drama could one girl live through?

    ¡°Go back to the house and tell them I surrendered to the vamps,¡± I told Anthony.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Olly, olly oxen free. I surrender,¡± I called out to the darkness.¡±

    ¡°Anna, what are you doing? You¡¯re not going with them.¡±

    I smiled, bringing my eyes back to Anthony. ¡°Who¡¯s being protective now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not being protective,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m being smart. You don¡¯t just walk off with a bunch of vampires.¡±

    He didn¡¯t know about my earlier vision and that innocent lives were in my hands until the vampires got what they wanted. The woman from my vision, and the other night, stepped out of the forest. She had a crossbow aimed at me as two more vampires stepped out behind her.

    ¡°Get our message, did you?¡± she said with a smile.

    ¡°I did,¡± I said. ¡°A simple email or phone call would have sufficed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought visual displays were more effective,¡± she said with a shrug. Her eyes darted from me to Anthony, and then to the forest behind us. ¡°Only you two then?¡±

    I nodded and quirked an eyebrow at her. ¡°Since I¡¯m surrendering and all, maybe you could tell me who hired you. It¡¯s obviously someone who knows what I can do, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t have been able to leave me that macabre message.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll tell you when I¡¯m burying a silver knife in your heart.¡±

    I noticed Anthony bristle next to me, but I kept my face wiped of all emotion. A thought occurred to me then, and I smiled. The vampire¡¯s head wrinkled as she looked at me.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t know how my power works. I¡¯ll know the answer as soon as I touch you, and then all I have to do is send a telepathic message back to my pack and your boss ¡­ history. No boss, no paycheck, Veronica.¡± Okay, so maybe I was fibbing a little. My visions didn¡¯t work that easily or clearly. I hadn¡¯t been sure her name was Veronica until I spoke it. Her eyes widened in surprise at her name rolling off my tongue. I hope that it was proof enough that I could get whatever information I wanted from my sight.

 Page 34

    ¡°Hello, Taren,¡± I said to the man standing beside her. His eyes widened just like Veronica¡¯s had. She looked at him and then back at me, indecision all over her pretty face. A smirk bent my lips as I watched them frazzled.Advertisement

    Veronica steeled her features and stepped forward. I held up my hands and said, ¡°I¡¯m serious. Without that paycheck, how will you take that trip to Europe?¡± Her steps faltered, and her lips parted.

    ¡°How did you know about Europe?¡± Taren asked.

    I grinned¡ªgiddy I was making them second-guess themselves. ¡°There¡¯s not much I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Except who hired us,¡± Veronica said with a satisfied smile.

    I nodded. ¡°Except that, but I plan on finding out soon.¡±

    We considered each other for a moment, silence settling over us like a veil. I watched Taren and Veronica and they watched Anthony and me.

    ¡°Smart.¡± Anthony¡¯s voice filled my head.

    Veronica looked at Taren as though they were having a telepathic conversation. Hell, maybe they were. I didn¡¯t know what vampires could or could not do. When she turned back to me, a smile lifted her mouth.

    ¡°You want to know who hired us?¡± When I nodded, she took a step closer. ¡°Look to your right.¡±

    My earlier giddiness faded into the pit of my stomach. I slowly lifted my head to look at Anthony.

    ¡°They¡¯re lying,¡± Anthony said.

    I wanted to believe him, but the look on his face looked angrier than shocked. If he were innocent, wouldn¡¯t he have looked surprised or something? I took a step away from him, eyeing the vampires and Anthony.

    ¡°You lying sons of bitches,¡± Anthony snarled before he jumped for them. As he jumped into the air he transformed into his wolf and landed on the vampire to Veronica¡¯s left. They went down in a ball of fur and snarls.

    Something blurred in front of my vision. I blinked and found Veronica standing right in front of me. Before I could get my mind working again, her fist sailed through the air, and all I felt were knuckles against my cheek before darkness consumed me.

    I came to some time later, or at least I was guessing it was later. Wherever I was, it was dark. I couldn¡¯t be sure what time it was. I shifted my body and groaned when a hard throb pulsated through my head. This wasn¡¯t just a headache; it felt as though an earthquake had erupted inside my skull. Squeezing my eyes shut, I winced as I waited for the pain to subside. When I tried to rub my temples, I noticed my hands were held together by what felt like a zip tie. I wiggled my legs, and sure enough, my ankles were bound, too. After a few minutes of deep breaths, I calmed myself down and the pain inside my skull receded to a dull ache. Something hard pressed into my back, and the place smelled like musty earth. Leaning to the side, I moved my hands against the ground only to find it was made up of dirt.

    Closing my eyes, I channeled my wolf. My vision automatically became clearer, and I could make out the features of the room. I took in the rock walls and lifted my eyes to the ceiling that was carved out of rock, too. I was in a cave, probably in the mountains somewhere. I studied the space more and saw shadowed heaps to the left and farther back in the cave. I sucked in a deep breath, and along with the earthy smell was staleness¡ªvampires. If they were sleeping, it must be daytime. I could use that to my advantage, but first, I needed to try and get a message to Adam.

    I concentrated on his face and thought, Adam? Can you hear me?

    I waited a few moments but was answered with silence. Ignoring the pain in my head, I tried again. Adam, please say you can hear me. I tugged against the zip ties on my wrists. I wasn¡¯t sure why the vampires thought plastic strips could hold a werewolf, but I was happy for their mistake. The plastic gave way, snapping and falling off my wrist. Rustling sounded where the vampires slept. I stilled, my eyes going to their bodies. When I was sure they were still sleeping, I bent over to pull on the zip tie around my ankles. With relief, I stood and began moving in the direction I hoped was the exit. There weren¡¯t a lot of deep caves in Wyoming, so the odds were in my favor.

    After a few steps, I stopped and turned toward the vampires. If I left, this would all start back over again. I needed to kill them and end this. As much as I knew that, the thought of tearing these monsters apart with my teeth unsettled me. Then I thought about the vision of Adam dying, and it was all the motivation I needed. My feet began moving in their direction, my wolf ready at the surface. It would be easy with them asleep. I could rip their throats out before they even stirred. Or that¡¯s what I thought.

    I stood at their feet, eyeing their still bodies in the dark. There were only four: Veronica, Taren, and two others I didn¡¯t recognize. I was just about to change when Adam¡¯s voice penetrated my mind.

    ¡°Anna, can you hear me?¡±

    I chuckled to myself, either out of relief, or because we were starting to sound like a cell phone commercial. Can you hear me now?

    ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m in a cave ¡­ somewhere.¡±

    Adam released a relieved breath. ¡°I thought ¡­ It¡¯s been almost twenty-four hours since I last heard from Anthony.¡±

    I crinkled my brows. ¡°Anthony?¡±

    ¡°He sent a message that the vampires arrived and that you had surrendered to them. When we reached the spot where he said you guys were it was empty. I haven¡¯t heard from you or him since, and I thought ¡­¡±

    I frowned, confused. So while I was talking to the vampires last night, Anthony had been sending a message back to the pack. So much for the vote of confidence. Then I remembered what the Veronica had said, that Anthony hired them.

    ¡°Is Anthony with you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he with you?¡± Adam replied. ¡°We figured you were both with the vampires.¡±

    ¡°Nope, just me,¡± I said. ¡°They¡¯re sleeping right now.¡±

    ¡°Good, get out of there. I¡¯ll send hunting parties out to find you.¡±

    I eyed the sleeping vampires. ¡°I have to end this, Adam. They won¡¯t stop otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Anna,¡± I could tell Adam was trying very hard to keep his cool. Though his voice sounded calm, I could hear the anger hiding beneath it. ¡°Just because they¡¯re sleeping, doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t wake up. Vampires can be up during the day; they just can¡¯t step into it. Just get out of there, and together we¡¯ll go back and take care of them.¡±

    I debated on what to do. It would be smarter to escape and then lead the others back to the cave, but what if the vampires moved again? Their still bodies temped me, taunted my wolf to sink her teeth into their pale flesh. I could almost feel her begging within me to be released.

    ¡°If you find Anthony,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t let him get away. The vampires admitted that he was their boss. I will see you soon.¡±

    I wished telepathy worked like a cell phone and that when you were done talking, you could simply hang up. It wasn¡¯t like that at all. I might have been done discussing my course of action, but Adam wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°Anna, do not attack them. You cannot take on multiple vampires.¡±

    I ignored him and began stripping my clothes. I would need them undamaged after I changed back to my human self. Adam¡¯s worry slammed into me like a bumblebee trapped under glass. It hit in my chest as though trying to convince my mind I did not want to do what I was thinking about doing. I faltered for a moment, my fingers lingering on the hem of my capris.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I said. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m leaving and will send you a message as soon as I know where I am.¡±

    The anxious worry subsided, and I could think clearly again. I hated lying to Adam, but I couldn¡¯t think with his voice and emotions in my head. If I second-guessed myself while in the middle of attacking four vampires, I would definitely end up dead.

    ¡°Good,¡± Adam said. ¡°Just get back to me, Chante.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡± I sent them message and prayed those words wouldn¡¯t make me out to be more of a liar.

    Once undressed, I knelt down on my hands and knees and turned my mind over to my wolf. I could feel her elation at being released. A whoosh of energy washed over my bare skin, sending goose bumps pebbling over my body, and then I was on four paws. It amazed me at how quickly my transformations happened now. In the beginning, they had been painful and took almost five full minutes.

    My wolf shook her fur out as though she was shaking the last bits of me off her. Slowly, she padded around the bodies until she stood beside one of the vampires we didn¡¯t know. It was a man with short black hair and a five o¡¯clock shadow. He slept with his arms bent behind his head, oblivious that sharp teeth hovered just inches from his throat. My wolf opened her mouth and lowered it closer to the vampire¡¯s throat. As I thought about her ripping his throat out, a sense of excitement raced through my body. It was poetic justice that a man who had spent his life drinking from the necks of humans was going to die from getting his ripped out.

    My wolf didn¡¯t wait any longer. She clasped the man¡¯s throat between her sharp canine teeth and squeezed. The man¡¯s eyes snapped open wide as his hands clawed at her snowy fur. With just a little more pressure, the man¡¯s esophagus crushed in on itself. Blood coated my wolf¡¯s tongue, but the taste was bitter compared to the richness of animals. When the man stopped flailing, she paused and listened for any sign that her kill had disturbed the sleep of the others. When she was happy that it hadn¡¯t, she clasped the man¡¯s arm in her teeth and dragged him away from the others. With soft footsteps, she moved to the next, a woman with short red hair and a spray of freckles across her creamy skin. She didn¡¯t hesitate this time. She struck the woman¡¯s throat in one crushing blow. The woman didn¡¯t have enough time to struggle or cry out.

    Two down, I thought, two more to go.

    I should have figured Veronica and Taren wouldn¡¯t be as easy as the first two. Veronica shot up, her eyes wild and fangs out. She raised her nose in the air and inhaled, her eyes shooting toward the two dead bodies at her feet. Of course they would have smelled the blood from my wolf¡¯s kills. I should have killed them first. A feral snarl fell from her lips. Taren popped up behind her, his features just as wild.

 Page 35

    With a blur of motion, Veronica rushed me. As my wolf, I could track her a little better, but still not one hundred percent. She looked as though she was made out of an angry cyclone, hurdling toward me while a spray of dust particles whipped up in her wake. Kicking her leg out, she landed a blow to my side, and I flew across the cave where I bounced like a stuffed animal off the hard rocky wall. The pain was instant, but my anger allowed me to ignore it as best as I could. My wolf got to her feet, lip curling over sharp canines, and charged. I slammed into Veronica¡¯s body, and together we fell to the dirt floor. I snapped toward her neck, looking for my opening, but Veronica¡¯s hands blocked her throat. My teeth buried in her palm until I scraped against bone. A sharp hiss broke through her lips and she flung me off her. I flipped over her head, landing on my side, but quickly found my footing. With vampires, I had to be fast. Taren moved toward me, but Veronica held out her arm toward him.Advertisement

    ¡°This bitch is mine,¡± she snarled.

    If I could smile as my wolf, I would have. I was thinking the same thing, I thought. My eyes flicked to Taren to make sure he listened to Veronica. He stood off to the side, his body as ridged as the stone surrounding us. I was confident I could kill both of them individually, but together ¡­ well, let¡¯s just say I was happy Veronica¡¯s pride got in the way.

    She circled around me, and I moved with her, never taking my eyes from hers. I noticed in the darkness of the cave, they reflected like an animal¡¯s. The wound on her hand was quickly healing. I couldn¡¯t get the upper hand if she healed this quickly from every injury I inflicted. My next blow needed to count. Power unlike anything I had ever felt before brushed over my fur, leaving a tingling sensation crawling against my skin. Every emotion I was feeling intensified and left me shaky: anger, disgust, fear, and even excitement. They all flooded me until I felt like my skin would rip from my bones. Footsteps sounded behind me, and I threw a quick look over my shoulder to find Taren inching closer. Whatever he saw in my face caused him to stop. His eyes widened, and he held up his hands in surrender, inching further into the shadows.

    ¡°Veronica,¡± he said in a calm voice as though he was trying not to scare a wild animal. ¡°Let¡¯s just go. Leave her.¡±

    I swung my gaze back to Veronica and tilted my head to the side. The same shocked expression showed on her face in the form of wide eyes and parted lips. As I stared at her, thoughts that weren¡¯t my own filled my head.

    Who are you to stand against me? I am the ruler of tooth and claw. I will shred your flesh from your bones and lap your blood in victory.

    Whoa. Where the hell had that come from? The sudden overtaking of thoughts momentarily dazed me. Was that my wolf? My focus came back when Veronica charged toward me, her eyes alight and bloodthirsty. I feigned left, and when her arms reached in that direction, I whirled around and sunk my teeth into her forearm. Her screams reverberated off the cavern walls, music to my ears. With a sharp tug, her arm popped out of its socket, and I flung it to the floor. She collapsed to her knees, her arm going to her bleeding shoulder. My wolf sauntered toward her, enraged and drunk on the power coursing through our veins. The closer I got, Veronica tried to use her good arm to fend me off. Her fingers arched into claws as she swung them through the air at me. I could feel my wolf chuckling at her feeble attempts.

    You thought you could overpower me? ME? I heard the voice again, laced with anger and empowerment. You threaten my life, my Chante¡¯s? Disgusting parasite.

    With the speed of the wind, my wolf lunged, landing on top of Veronica¡¯s screaming body. With one arm, she couldn¡¯t hold back the weight of my wolf. I saw the defeat in her eyes right before she let her arm fall to the floor, and I sunk my teeth into her jugular. With a jerk of my head, Veronica¡¯s screams cut off. My wolf spat out the chunk of flesh and began scanning the cave for Taren. Somehow, we knew he was gone. He had left Veronica behind, knowing if he didn¡¯t, he would pay with his life, too.

    Smart, for a bloodsucker, the voice said.

    Who ¡­ are you? I thought and then immediately wondered if I was having a conversation with myself. Adam had told me that my wolf and I were not two separate entities after all. He told me that we were one, and I just hadn¡¯t connected with my animal side yet. Was I connecting with it now? Was this how all werewolves felt while they unleashed their beasts?

    I am she. I am you, the beast replied. You and I have been destined since the day of your birth. You are destined for greatness¡ªfor power yet to be seen¡ªas the ruler of tooth and claw, a Leader to rule them all. Now is the time for embracing your wolf, dear Anna.

    Wha¡ªI don¡¯t understand, I sent the thought to the voice, still feeling slightly crazy for having a conversation with myself. I don¡¯t want to rule them all.

    A soft chuckle floated through my mind. You will ¡­ you will. That was the last thing my wolf said before I felt myself changing back. The power rushing over my skin subsided into a gentle throb as my human side emerged.

    I knelt on all fours, hanging my head as I tried to catch my breath. Digging my fingernails into the dirt, I closed my eyes and fought off the waves of dizziness clouding my head. Something felt different, but I couldn¡¯t identify what it was. I wasn¡¯t even sure how I felt about it. Should I be frightened, excited? Indecision caused my mind to blank as the last effects of my wolf left my body.

    I stood on wobbly legs, naked and sweaty. My eyes flicked to Veronica¡¯s dead body. Flaps of bloody skin hung from the hole where my wolf had ripped out her throat. My hand went to my stomach as nausea churned like an angry sea. I lurched forward and covered my mouth with my palm. As I continued staring at Veronica, I noticed the thick pool of blood soaking into the ground beneath her, and that¡¯s when I lost it. I turned, bending over and vomited until I got everything out.

    When I was done being sick, a strange calm washed over me. I glanced at Veronica again and wiped the spittle from my mouth. No emotions occurred when I looked at her. My chest rose and fell heavily as a warming sensation climbed through my chest and settled in the spot over my heart. The oddest sense filled me. I wasn¡¯t sure, but it felt like entitlement and pride. Slowly, a smile crept onto my lips, and I headed toward the mouth of the cave.

    Chapter Twenty-Two

    I walked up the long dirt drive that led to my house. The breeze played along my body, carrying away the heat from my skin. I raised my head and closed my eyes as the sun warmed my face. Birds chirped in the nearby trees and the scent of wild berries and honeysuckle filled my nostrils. I was blissfully happy, fulfilled.

    ¡°Anna?¡±

    I opened my eyes to find Chelsea standing in the yard, gawking at me. I smiled and kept walking. I could feel eyes heavy on me, but I didn¡¯t stop to pay them any mind. There was only one pair of eyes I needed to see. Whispers and whistles sounded behind me and as I climbed the steps of the porch, the door swung open. Adam stared at me with surprise, his blue eyes tinged in yellow. My smile grew as I climbed the steps toward him, but when I reached him, he didn¡¯t greet me the way I wanted him to. Instead, he gripped both of my arms and held me away from him. I furrowed my brow, confused, and tried to push forward, but his grip was steel.

    ¡°What the hell happened, Anna?¡± he asked, his voice steely.

    I tilted my head to the side. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re naked,¡± he said, his eyes taking in my body. ¡°And ¡­ what is that?¡± He nodded toward my chest.

    Looking down, I saw the angry red lines of a design positioned over my heart. Dried drips of blood caked my skin around the design. Looking at it upside down, I couldn¡¯t be sure what the mark was.

    I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I shoved forward again, needing to feel Adam¡¯s arms around me, but he still held me at arm¡¯s length. I glowered at him and slammed my arms down to break his hold.

    ¡°What is wrong with you,¡± I said.

    ¡°Me?¡± Adam said with surprise. ¡°What is wrong with you? You¡¯re not acting like yourself. The last time I heard from you, you said you were leaving the cave. I thought ¡­ I thought you were dead. I couldn¡¯t feel you, and you wouldn¡¯t respond to me, and now you show up naked with a strange mark and your eyes¡ª¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my eyes?¡± I snapped.

    ¡°They¡¯re bright orange, Anna. What happened in that cave, what did you do?¡±

    I huffed and shoved past him, heading into the house. As soon as I stepped foot into the living room, the wolves stopped moving. They stood still, their eyes widening as they watched me walk through the house. I walked through the kitchen, down the hall, and into the bathroom. When my eyes met my reflection, a smile was back on my face. My hair was longer, shinier, and streaked in white. My eyes were indeed orange and bright as though a light was shining from the inside out. I dropped my gaze to the mark over my heart. It still looked a bit messy with the dried blood so I grabbed a washcloth and held it under the faucet, bringing it up to clean it. I could feel Adam¡¯s presence before he shut the door and stepped behind me.

    ¡°Anna,¡± he said in a softer voice. I met his eyes in the mirror. ¡°Please tell me what is going on, Chante.¡±

    I dropped my eyes to the mark and continued washing away the blood. That other voice¡ªmy wolf¡ªsounded in my head.

    Your destiny awaits.

    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± I murmured.

    ¡°What is?¡±

    My eyes flicked back up to Adam¡¯s. I tried to ignore the worry etched on his face and the ¡­ fear in his eyes. It didn¡¯t matter, though; his emotions slammed into me as if they were my own. He was afraid, whether of me or for me was still unclear.

    ¡°The myth, it¡¯s true. I am the white wolf.¡± I brought my eyes back to the mark, now clean of blood and dirt. It was a paw print with a crown hovering over the tips of the claws, but that wasn¡¯t what was odd. A reddish glow seemed to emanate from the tattoo. I trailed my fingertips over the design, and it was hot to the touch.

    ¡°Leader of tooth and claw ¡­¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Anna,¡± Adam breathed, backing away from me. He ran a hand over his face and sat on the side of the tub, resting his head in his hands.

 Page 36

    ¡°Why are you frightened?¡± I asked, turning around. ¡°Do you not think I am deserving?¡± A bit of anger laced the last part of my sentence.Advertisement

    He looked up, his face almost haggard looking. ¡°I can¡¯t feel you like before,¡± he said. ¡°All I feel is ¡­ I don¡¯t even know how to describe it. It feels like emptiness.¡±

    A jolt of awareness shook me. ¡°What do you mean? You don¡¯t ¡­ love me anymore?¡±

    He gave me a sad smile. ¡°No, Chante, I will always love you. I don¡¯t feel you. I can¡¯t sense what you¡¯re feeling or thinking. When I try, I just feel ¡­ emptiness. How did this happen?¡± He waved a hand toward me to signal my changes.

    ¡°I killed Veronica and two others,¡± I said. ¡°Taren got away, though.¡±

    His eyebrows rose as his eyes expanded. ¡°That¡¯s it, you killed three vampires and you turned into this?¡± Again, he signaled toward me as though I was some freak in a carnival sideshow.

    ¡°This,¡± I snapped, ¡°is my destiny. It¡¯s what I was always supposed to be. My wolf told me so.¡±

    Adam¡¯s face contorted into a mixture of surprise and confusion. ¡°Your wolf told you?¡±

    I nodded, turning toward the mirror again. I grabbed the brush and began running it through my hair. ¡°It was unlike anything I¡¯ve ever felt before, Adam. When her voice first sounded in my head, it scared me, but I feel it now.¡±

    Adam stood and walked behind me. ¡°Feel what?¡±

    I met his eyes and smiled. ¡°Power. It¡¯s unbelievable, Adam. It courses through my veins like wildfire, intensifying everything: sounds, touches, scents. Make love to me, I want to feel you inside of me.¡± I moved toward Adam, but he took a step away from me. That hurt more than I cared to admit. The energy racing through my body demanded that I get angry, but seeing Adam step away from me only made me feel sad.

    ¡°I¡¯m still me,¡± I said. ¡°I am just more powerful now.¡±

    Adam released a breath through his mouth that sounded like an exasperated snort. ¡°Don¡¯t you even care that I¡¯ve been searching the mountain for caves all day, that some groups are still out there searching? Doesn¡¯t it bother you that I can¡¯t feel you anymore? How can you stand there and act like everything is okay? Nothing about this is okay, Anna.¡±

    ¡°Why,¡± I shouted, ¡°because I¡¯m not helpless anymore? Are you really so insecure that a powerful woman frightens you? This damsel is no longer in distress, Adam.¡±

    Sadness consumed his features. His eyes softened, and his lips parted slightly. He began to reach an arm out to me, but dropped it before he touched me.

    ¡°I never thought of you that way,¡± he said. ¡°You have never been weak in my eyes, but this ¡­ it¡¯s driving a wedge between us. What I don¡¯t like is that you don¡¯t seem to notice it.¡±

    Something splashed onto my cheek. I brought my fingertips up to find tears were falling from my eyes. This both confused and awakened me. With each teardrop that fell, I started to feel more like myself. It was like a veil had been covering my eyes and, ever so slowly, it was lifting. The rush of power was still strong, but not as overpowering as before. I blinked away the tears and felt that calming sensation wash through me.

    ¡°I¡¯m still me,¡± I said, but I wasn¡¯t sure if I was telling Adam or myself. I repeated those words in my head over and over.

    I¡¯m still me. I¡¯m still me. I¡¯m still me.

    ¡°I can¡¯t undo what¡¯s been done,¡± I continued. ¡°I have a purpose, and I can¡¯t shut my eyes to it, Adam, but,¡± I stepped away from the sink and moved toward him. He didn¡¯t back away this time, and the butterflies swirling in my stomach did a happy dance. I wound my arms around his waist and rested my face against his chest. ¡°I will try to not let it pull me away from you.¡± I looked up at him. ¡°I am still and always will be yours, until you no longer want me.¡±

    They will all want you. A voice remarked in my head. This time, I tried to ignore it instead of relish in the power behind its words.

    ¡°That will never happen,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ll research this, and see if there¡¯s a way to¡ª¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I said, stepping away from him. ¡°Get rid of it? If you love me, you will love every part of me. This is not something I can get rid of. I was meant to be this, the Leader of tooth and claw.¡±

    ¡°Leader of tooth and claw,¡± Adam said with exasperation. ¡°What does that mean, that you¡¯re going to rule all the werewolves?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said, ¡°but I do know that there is no cure for this.¡± I signaled to myself as Adam had done. ¡°Just this once, be on my side. Support me and my new path.¡±

    Adam gave a humorless laugh. ¡°I¡¯ve always been on your side, but I will not let this ¡­ mark ¡­ change the Anna I know and love. You said you¡¯re still yourself, but it scares me how much you¡¯re not. You look like my Anna, but you don¡¯t feel like her.¡±

    We stared at each other wordlessly, the silence louder than any words spoken. My heart jumped in my chest beneath my new tattoo, and while I felt all-powerful and entitled, seeing how tormented Adam was caused all that empowerment to wane. My heart raced not out of anger, but heartache. An internal battled waged inside my head, one side screaming that I do whatever Adam wanted and find a way to fix this, and the other side resenting him for turning this monumental moment in my life into something bad. It didn¡¯t feel bad. It didn¡¯t even feel wrong. I wasn¡¯t drunk with the power or on a rampage to make all the wolves cower at my feet. Why couldn¡¯t he see that the transformation I¡¯d gone through as a good thing? Nobody would ever look at me and mutter that horrible four-letter word again¡ªmutt. I was no longer just a dirty blood or a made wolf; I had been chosen for a coveted spot in our rankings, a ruler among the children of the moon. As my mate, shouldn¡¯t he be proud of me?

    ¡°I can leave,¡± I finally said.

    Adam snorted again and shook his head as though disgusted with me. The butterflies in my stomach dropped dead with his reaction.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m talking about,¡± he said. ¡°Could you really leave me so easily, walk away from all of this?¡±

    ¡°Can you stand to live with me, to love me as though everything is normal?¡±

    ¡°Everything isn¡¯t normal, Anna,¡± Adam shouted. ¡°I want the old you back.¡±

    I was quiet for a moment while I gathered my thoughts. On my walk back to the house I had envisioned our reunion, and thought of all the ways we would kiss and embrace each other. Seeing his reaction now left me stunned and pissed. It didn¡¯t just hurt¡ªit crushed me.

    I held up my left palm so that my Chante brand showed. ¡°This is the only proof you need to realize that we¡¯re still meant for each other. No amount of wishing will bring the old me back. The past is meant to be behind us, not shared with our present or future. I don¡¯t understand why you can¡¯t get on board with this, with me.¡± When he began to talk, I held up my hand to stop him. ¡°I¡¯ll leave, give you time to think.¡± I didn¡¯t wait to see if he would stop me, I knew he wouldn¡¯t. I exited the bathroom and headed toward my bedroom to pack.

    ¡°Knock, knock,¡± Elle said, peeking her head into my room. ¡°Oh, are you okay?¡±

    Since leaving the bathroom, fifteen minutes ago, I¡¯d been a mess. I didn¡¯t feel all-powerful right now. I just kept picturing Adam¡¯s face and how he didn¡¯t reach for me as I told him I was leaving. Some badass ruler I was turning out to be. Then again, that overwhelming power I felt before was now just a dull throb beneath my skin. I felt more like myself now, than I had in a long time.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, waving away Elle¡¯s concerns. When I turned to face her, her lips dropped open in an O.

    ¡°They¡¯re not that bad,¡± I said.

    ¡°Uh ¡­ no,¡± she stammered, ¡°They¡¯re just bright ¡­ orange. Like a neon marker.¡±

    I grimaced. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to cheer me up, you¡¯re doing a lousy job.¡±

    Elle walked over to my bed and sat on the edge, bringing her knees up to rest on the bedrail. I shoved a wad of clothes into a duffel bag and walked back to my closet, hesitating just like I had been since I set foot in my room.

    ¡°You wanna tell me what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± I said.

    ¡°Okay, give me the short version.¡±

    I turned around and hugged my arms to my chest. ¡°Short version? I killed Veronica and two other vampires, and then this happened. My wolf and I are not one thing, but two. She talks to me, and I learned that I¡¯m the white wolf from that twisted nursery rhyme. I even got a souvenir.¡± I pulled down the hem of my shirt so the glowing tattoo showed. Elle hopped off my bed and walked over to me, her eyes gaping as she studied the mark.

    ¡°And Adam doesn¡¯t like tattooed women?¡± She raised one brow in question. I knew she was trying to lighten the mood, but I could not find humor in the situation.

    ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t like powerful women,¡± I said. ¡°I guess, I don¡¯t know. He says I¡¯m different, that he can¡¯t feel me anymore. I can still feel him, though. For instance, right now his emotions are such a clusterfuck of anger and fear that I¡¯m choking on them.¡± I blew out a breath, ruffling my hair. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just think he needs time to accept my changes.¡±

    ¡°Something good came out it,¡± Elle said. ¡°Chloe withdrew her challenge on you as soon as word got around about your new ¡­ self.¡±

    I snorted. I had actually been looking forward to taking that bitch down.

    Elle eyed my duffel bag. ¡°You¡¯re leaving the house?¡±

    Shrugging, I said, ¡°Yeah, just for a little bit. I want to give him some space.¡±

    Elle ran her hands up and down my arms in a soothing motion, finally tugging me toward her in a hug. She ran a hand up my back, her fingers twining through my hair.

 Page 37

    ¡°I like the new highlights,¡± she said, and I could feel her smile against my cheek.Advertisement

    ¡°Thanks, another souvenir.¡±

    When I began to pull back, Elle held me in place. Her face was so close to mine that I could see the fleck of gold swimming in her green eyes.

    ¡°Uh, Elle?¡±

    Her eyes dropped to my lips, and she licked hers in response. ¡°You do feel different,¡± she breathed. Then she did something that caught me by surprise. She leaned in and brought her lips to mine. She kissed me slowly, her lips nipping playfully at mine. It took me a second to realize this was not a friendly, best friend kiss¡ªif there were such a thing. This was an intimate kiss.

    I gently pushed her away, turning my back to gather my thoughts. Lesbians and gays did not freak me out. I believed every single person had the right to love and desire whomever he or she wanted, but Elle was my friend. I just did not feel those types of feelings for her. In the five and half months that¡¯d I¡¯d known her, she had never even hinted that she thought of me like that.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered behind me.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I said just as softly.

    ¡°It¡¯s not. I don¡¯t know what came over me. It¡¯s just ¡­ I had the sudden feeling to make you feel better, and for some reason a kiss came to mind. I know you¡¯re strictly dickly, and I wasn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, really.¡± I turned around. ¡°I mean, yeah it was strange, but don¡¯t beat yourself up about it.¡± I smiled at her, hoping to ease the awkwardness. ¡°I never got to have the ¡°lesbian experience so many college girls get, so thanks for that.¡±

    She laughed shakily. ¡°You¡¯re welcome? Jeez, that was weird.¡± Her eyes met mine before she looked away. ¡°I can feel my wolf trembling beneath my skin.¡±

    My forehead wrinkled. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    She shook her head noncommittally. ¡°You know how when a really powerful werewolf is near us, we tingle all over?¡± When I nodded, she continued, ¡°It¡¯s like that, but ten times stronger. Like my wolf side is in the presence of a god or something.¡±

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    ¡°Is this what Adam¡¯s talking about?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, he didn¡¯t mention anything about that.¡±

    ¡°Man,¡± she said with a shiver. ¡°You¡¯re kind of a badass now, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure if I should smile or frown. The part of me from earlier was still elated with the new development, but I had seen what it cost me, and that made me want to scream in frustration. And now Elle was acting all funky around me.

    ¡°So, where are we going?¡± she said, not noticing my internal battle.

    ¡°We?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you go on alone.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t leave the pack, they need you.¡±

    She scoffed, sitting on the bed again. ¡°For what, cooking? Chelsea can take over my kitchen duty until we get back.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll be thrilled about that,¡± I said. ¡°She hasn¡¯t spoken more than a handful of words since she moved in with us. I know she blames me for what happened.¡±

    ¡°Screw her,¡± Elle said. She grabbed the ends of her red hair and inspected it for split ends. ¡°There are worse things than becoming a werewolf.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°Yeah? Like what?¡±

    ¡°She could be dead.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Touch¨¦.¡±

    I continued packing, Elle leaving me to my thoughts. One of Adam¡¯s big t-shirts rested on the floor by my dresser. I picked it up and brought it to my nose, inhaling his scent. My eyes watered, but I refused to cry anymore. He had a choice, and if he chose to watch me walk away, there wasn¡¯t anything I could do about it. I would not grovel at his feet and beg him to understand the new me. I tossed his shirt into my bag and grabbed a few photographs off my dresser¡ªone of my parents and I when I graduated high school, and another of Adam and I, taken just a week ago. He stood behind me, his arms wrapped around my waist while I leaned against his chest. The sun highlighted our smiling faces. I silently yearned to be that blissfully happy again, but hadn¡¯t I told Adam the past was in the past? As much as I wanted him, I would never be the Anna he wanted.

    ¡°You guys will work it out,¡± Elle said.

    I didn¡¯t turn around, but her words gave me what I needed most¡ªhope. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°That man is crazy about you, seriously. I doubt he¡¯ll even get through one night before he¡¯s pounding on whatever hotel we¡¯re staying in. You two will be back to devouring each other by tonight.¡±

    I looked at her over my shoulder, smiling through the pain. ¡°Let¡¯s hope you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°I usually am.¡±

    Screaming and a loud bang sounded, and both Elle and I jumped and looked at each other.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said, ¡°but it can¡¯t be good.¡±

    Chapter Twenty-Three

    It indeed was not good. Adam and Anthony were fighting on the front lawn. A fist swung through the air, a grunt following. I couldn¡¯t be sure whose arm it was. They were on the ground beating the crap out of each other.

    ¡°Stop,¡± I said, and the authority in my voice surprised even me. The surrounding wolves stopped whooping and hollering and stood still, their heads bowed. Adam and Anthony stopped pummeling each other, staggering to their feet. Anthony swiped a drip of blood from his fattening lip.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Adam said, his tone snarky. ¡°You¡¯re the one who told me he hired the vampires. Just apprehending a traitor.¡±

    I tried to ignore Adam¡¯s attitude, but it stung. ¡°By beating the shit out of him?¡±

    ¡°He tried to run,¡± Adam said with a shrug.

    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Anthony said. His eyes finally found my face, and I got the same look from him as I did everyone else¡ªshock.

    ¡°So you willingly came here to turn yourself in?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Anthony said. ¡°I didn¡¯t hire the vampires.¡±

    ¡°So where were you?¡± I asked. ¡°The vampires took me, and Adam said you hadn¡¯t been back here. Running only makes you look guiltier.¡±

    Anthony spit blood onto the ground, and Adam grinned. No matter how old they were, they still acted like children around each other. I had to give props¡ªas much as I didn¡¯t want to¡ªto Maggie and Donald for raising these two.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t running,¡± Anthony said. ¡°I was tracking ¡­ you. The vampires landed a blow to my head, knocking me out for a few moments. When I woke back up, they were gone and so were you. I followed their scent for a while and then I lost it.¡±

    Adam snorted beside his brother, shaking his head. ¡°You expect us to believe that you were trying to help someone other than yourself?¡±

    I don¡¯t know why, but I walked down the porch and over to Anthony. I held out my hands, gesturing towards his, ignoring the furious look crossing Adam¡¯s face. Anthony placed his hands in mine, and I closed my eyes. The vision happened immediately, flashing behind my closed eyelids. I saw the vampires emerging from the forest, Veronica slamming her fist into my face and knocking me out. She hoisted me over her shoulder and disappeared with me through the trees. The other two vampires continued to fight Anthony and, after about ten minutes, one landed a blow to his face so hard, his head snapped back. The vampires fled, leaving Anthony¡¯s still body in the road. Sometime later, Anthony¡¯s human side emerged. He sat up, running a hand over his head with a groan. He looked around, his eyes wild.

    ¡°Anna?¡± he called. When he didn¡¯t get a response, he shifted back into his wolf and began sniffing the ground¡ªdisappearing through the woods in the same direction the vampires had gone.

    I dropped Anthony¡¯s hands and turned, walking back up to the porch.

    ¡°Well?¡± Adam said.

    ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth,¡± I said.

    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Adam snarled. ¡°He knows about your visions. He could have easily acted all that out, knowing you would see it and believe he¡¯s innocent.¡±

    As if someone could fool me, the voice inside my head said.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I said. ¡°He could have acted out his actions, but he can¡¯t fake his emotions. I felt the truth in them.¡±

    ¡°Uh, what happened to you?¡± Anthony said.

    ¡°None of your fucking business,¡± Adam snarled. ¡°She¡¯s mine. Do you hear me? Whatever game you¡¯re playing, back the fuck off.¡±

    Okay, I¡¯d have to admit, hearing him still think of me as his resurrected the butterflies in my stomach. His attitude left a lot to be desired, though.

    Wade stepped through the crowd, avoiding my eyes at all cost. Add another person close to me that treated me differently.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this.¡±

    My eyes were on Adam, but he wouldn¡¯t look at me. Instead, he glared at his brother. As I turned to head back into the house, I noticed Maggie and Donald standing away from the crowd staring at me and talking quietly. Maggie leaned in to her husband, saying something, and he in turn did the same.

    ¡°Anna?¡±

    I looked down to find Sage standing at the end of the porch. She looked up at me, but kept her eyes focused on my forehead so as to not make eye contact with me.

    ¡°Hi, Sage,¡± I said as friendly as I could. It was difficult keeping my cool, though. Adam¡¯s little outburst left me itching in my skin.

    ¡°It¡¯s true then, the myth?¡±

    ¡°You know about the story?¡±

    She nodded, her inky black hair trembling around her face. Today, she wore low-slung jeans, another leather bustier, and a beaded belt.

    ¡°It¡¯s been passed down for generations in my family,¡± she replied. ¡°Of course, we all assumed it was just a story. It¡¯s a great honor to be chosen.¡±

    I huffed. ¡°So far, it seems like a big pain in the ass.¡±

 Page 38

    Sage surprised me by laughing. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be an adjustment. If you want, you could visit my clan in New Mexico, and we could help you through it. My grandfather knows more than I, and it would be an honor to have you as our guest.¡±Advertisement

    My eyes flicked to Adam. If I could learn what it meant to be the ruler of the werewolves, maybe I could control it better and be the old Anna Adam wanted.

    ¡°That sounds great,¡± I told her. ¡°Just curious, though, how did you know I¡¯d been chosen?¡±

    She smiled, tucking a long strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°Other than feeling the overabundance of power rolling off you, it was your eyes. In our stories, there is mention of eyes the color of the harvest moon. Since every wolf I have ever seen has yellow eyes, I put two and two together.¡±

    ¡°New Mexico, huh?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°A little town south of Albuquerque. Adam is welcome, as well, of course.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he can make it, but Elle and I can come. It would be fantastic to learn as much as I can about, well, myself.¡±

    ¡°We look forward to your visit.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Sage.¡±

    She turned and headed through the crowd. When Elle was next to me again, I said, ¡°Feel like going to New Mexico?¡±

    She grinned. ¡°Have a sudden urge to search for aliens?¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯re not going to Roswell. We¡¯re visiting Sage¡¯s clan to learn more about the myth of the white wolf.¡±

    ¡°Consider me packed.¡±

    Irony is a funny thing. Since Adam¡¯s parents arrived, his mother had been trying to talk me into leaving and, while I had considered it, I knew I never could. Now, leaving was the only thing I could think of. Of course, I didn¡¯t want to leave Adam, but I needed to learn about my new power, and I hoped the time away would be the kick in the pants Adam needed to realize how much of a douche he was being. I tried putting myself in his shoes, seeing the situation through his eyes, but no matter how I looked at it, I could not fathom not supporting him if the roles were reversed. Maybe men were made differently, and that¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t understand his point of view. I may have held more power, but I still felt the same¡ªmostly.

    I closed my eyes and concentrated on Adam. Sensing his emotions was the only form of companionship I had all day. He kept his distance, and I kept mine. I could feel him like a bolt of lightning in my chest. He¡¯d been sending strong signals all day due to his anger. Right now, I felt his apprehension. I silently sent an order for him to find me, talk to me, hug me, do something other than ignore me, but my newfound powers did not include mind control, unfortunately.

    My eyes fell on the sparkling diamond on my finger, and the ache started all over again. Slipping it off, I threaded it through a chain and clasped it to my neck. Having it shining back at me would be a constant reminder of what I may never have.

    Two soft knocks sounded on my bedroom door. If I didn¡¯t know better, I would have gotten excited thinking it was Adam, but I sensed him farther away.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    Sawyer opened my door, stepping into my room. He cracked his knuckles and then ran his hands through his hair, avoiding my eyes of course.

    ¡°Hey,¡± I said.

    ¡°Hey, how are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Like a piece of bread that¡¯s been soaked in water,¡± I told him.

    He gave me a quizzical look. ¡°You¡¯re feeling soggy?¡±

    I laughed through my nose. ¡°No, close to falling apart. Everyone is treating me like they¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll rip their heads off, and Adam ¡­ well, he won¡¯t even talk to me.¡±

    ¡°I admit it¡¯s a lot to take in.¡± He moved farther into my room and sat on the other end of the bed. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it, not at first.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see I made the list of gossip.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not gossiping so much as gushing. No one believed it was true. I mean, yeah, when we found out you were a white wolf, stories surfaced, but still they were just stories, ya know?¡±

    I nodded, playing with the edge of my pillow. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, the reason I¡¯m here,¡± Sawyer said, his tone a mixture of nervousness and excitement. ¡°Elle told me you two are taking off to New Mexico, and I want to go.¡±

    ¡°Really? Why?¡±

    His eyes met mine briefly before he studied his clasped hands. ¡°I want to make sure you¡¯re safe, and it would be nice to get away for a while.¡±

    I studied the side of his face for a moment. ¡°Adam would be even more pissed if he found out I took you with me. He would get it in his head that you and I ¡­¡±

    ¡°I get it,¡± Sawyer said, holding up a hand. ¡°Don¡¯t want to stir up more trouble.¡±

    Okay, I know it was childish, but desperate times and all that. Maybe if Adam found out Sawyer was going he would be so jealous he would race to New Mexico to confess his undying love. Yeah, I know, things like that only happen in the movies. A girl can dream.

    ¡°You can go.¡±

    Sawyer smiled. ¡°Really? What about Adam?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Adam¡¯s insane thoughts are his problem. I think a road trip with you and Elle would be fun. We¡¯re leaving tomorrow morning.¡±

    Chapter Twenty-Four

    I shot up in bed in a panic. My eyes flashed to Adam¡¯s side, finding it empty. Jumping out of bed, I tugged on a pair of shorts and headed down the hall. The excruciating alarm consuming my body made my lungs constrict. Something was very, very wrong.

    ¡°Adam,¡± I said, rounding the corner of the kitchen. A group of wolves I didn¡¯t recognize sat at the table. They eyed me with caution, fidgeting restlessly.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Adam?¡±

    They looked at each other, their shoulders bobbing and heads shaking. Their lack of knowledge infuriated me.

    ¡°Hey, Anna,¡± Joe said, coming into the room. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I told him. ¡°I can feel it, though; something has happened. Where is Adam?¡±

    ¡°Last I knew, he was hunting near Tie Hack. He¡ª¡±

    I didn¡¯t wait for him to finish. Instead, I ran past him and headed outside. Tie Hack was a spot with a large lake. Tall pines and rocky cliffs lined the space. It would take at least ten to fifteen minutes to reach it. Unfortunately, I wrecked my truck a few weeks ago when Anthony had kidnapped me.

    ¡°Get in,¡± Joe said behind me. ¡°I¡¯ll drive us up there.¡±

    I followed him to his truck and hopped into the passenger¡¯s side. I bounced my leg as I waited for Joe to start the damn truck. When the engine revved to life my anxiousness eased a little bit.

    ¡°You think something happened to Adam?¡± Joe pulled out of the drive and headed toward the main road.

    ¡°You can¡¯t feel it?¡± I asked with disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s bad, Joe.¡± A sob caught in my throat as I imagined the worst possible scenario. My vision about Adam¡¯s death played on repeat through my head. God, I¡¯d been so stupid, assuming he would be fine since Veronica was dead.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Joe said, ¡°I feel something, I guess. Like I¡¯m uncomfortable in my skin.¡±

    I curled my lips inward to keep their trembling under control and ignored the trickle of tears down my cheeks. Subjects can feel when their alphas are in trouble, so how my pack wasn¡¯t going out of their minds confused me. I wasn¡¯t sure if what I was feeling was due to our Chante bond, our wolf bond, or both. My own worry, mixed with Adam¡¯s emotions, filled my chest so much that I was choking on them. Tears fell freely as I eyed the speedometer.

    ¡°Faster, Joe.¡±

    The truck accelerated, Joe¡¯s fingers tightening on the steering wheel as he maneuvered the twist in the road. I bent over and rested my elbows on my legs, resting my head in my hands. My fingertips buried in my hair, I closed my eyes to try and concentrate. I pictured Adam¡¯s wolf: raven fur, sharp yellow eyes, and muscular shoulders.

    ¡°Adam, can you hear me? We¡¯re coming.¡± I sent the message to him, hoping for a response. Remembering what Adam said about not being able to feel me, made me wonder if that meant he couldn¡¯t hear me either.

    ¡°If you can hear me,¡± I thought, ¡°hold on, we¡¯re almost there. Please, please, just hold on.¡±

    ¡°How long ago did he leave?¡± I asked Joe.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, like a half an hour ago.¡±

    ¡°Anna ¡­¡± Adam¡¯s voice filtered through my mind, but hearing it didn¡¯t bring me as much joy as I expected. It was weak and too breathy, as though it took all his energy just to get the message to me. I choked on another sob, bringing my hand to my mouth. My vision played through my mind again: Adam¡¯s body falling to the ground, his eyes fighting to stay open, blood coating his chest, and then life leaving him.

    ¡°Shit, shit, shit,¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Joe announced.

    I hopped out of the truck before it came to a full stop. As soon as my feet hit the ground, I allowed my wolf to take over. She could find him quicker than I could and run faster than my human legs could carry me.

    ¡°Anna, wait,¡± Joe called behind me, but I ignore him.

    Find him. I sent the thought to my wolf as her paws beat against the hard earth. The path leading into Tie Hack opened up to the large lake. A dam sat at the end, a walkway leading to the other side of the mountain. My wolf headed in that direction, cautious as her paws stepped over the grated walkway. She didn¡¯t like the way it felt on her paws, but she knew Adam was on the other side; she could smell him. Water rushed through the dam, spit against her feet, and echoed in her ears. She had just made it across when she felt Joe behind her.

    Racing up the small incline, she disappeared through the tree line. Adam was here somewhere, and was that blood we smelled?

    No, no, no, I thought. ¡°Adam, I¡¯m here. Hold on.¡±

    Whatever new spidey senses I¡¯d gotten, they worked great. My wolf found Adam within ten minutes. Silently thanking her, I switched back into my human self and ran as fast as my legs could carry me to his body. He lay on the forest floor, shadowed by the tree limbs. When I reached him, I fell to my knees and gasped at the arrow sticking through his heart. His eyes were closed and his breathing shallow.

 Page 39

    ¡°Adam.¡± I tapped his cheek. ¡°Adam, wake up. I¡¯m here.¡±Advertisement

    His eyelids fluttered as though fighting with his weak body. When they opened enough for me to see his eyes, I released the breath I¡¯d been holding.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine,¡± I told him, but as I looked at the arrow sticking out of his chest and the blood staining his skin, I wasn¡¯t so sure. His naked body was cold to the touch, and his skin paler than normal.

    ¡°Do you hear me?¡± I said, raising my voice. ¡°You will be fine. You have to be.¡± My voice lost its edge as I realized how much that was true. What kind of world would it be if Adam wasn¡¯t part of it?

    Footsteps sounded to the left, and I whipped my head around, a snarl falling from my lips. I prayed it was the person who had done this so I could tear them apart, but when Joe¡¯s wolf stepped around the trees, I sagged back on my heels.

    ¡°He¡¯s been shot,¡± I said.

    ¡°How bad is it?¡±

    I looked over to find Joe¡¯s naked body coming toward us. He knelt on the other side of Adam, his mouth falling open in surprise. He shot me a brief look before glancing back down to Adam, but in that moment I saw what he was thinking. He didn¡¯t think Adam would survive.

    ¡°He¡¯s going to be okay,¡± I told Joe. ¡°We just need to get this arrow out.¡± I began to move my hands toward it, but Joe grabbed me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he said softly. ¡°If you move it, he could bleed out.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s already bleeding out. We have to do something.¡± I reached for Adam¡¯s hand, squeezed it, and leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead.

    ¡°Anna,¡± Adam breathed, his eyelids fighting to open.

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± I told him.

    Save him, that voice inside my head whispered. You have the power.

    That same sensation I had felt in the cave washed over me, an eerie calmness that didn¡¯t fit with the setting, and suddenly I knew what to do. I clasped the arrow in both hands and when Joe began to stop me, I shot him a look that had him bowing his head and scooting away from Adam and me.

    Gently, I broke the arrow in half and tried to ignore the wince wrinkling Adam¡¯s face. I threw the broken piece behind me and turned Adam on his side with as much gentleness as I could. A hiss broke through his lips, and I cringed in response.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± I whispered. ¡°I have to get the arrow out.¡±

    Once Adam was positioned onto his side, I gripped the part sticking through his back¡ªrelieved it had gone all the way through. This would have been more difficult if the broad-head had been buried in his heart. Softly, I pulled the other half out. Adam sucked in a sharp breath and began coughing. I moved him so that he was lying on his back again. Joe shifted, wiping a hand over his face as he stared at his friend.

    Leaning down, I covered the wound in Adam¡¯s chest with both of my hands and placed a soft kiss on his cool lips. My heart sped as his breathing grew shallower. I closed my eyes and rested my forehead atop my hands.

    You have the power, the voice repeated.

    I concentrated on the wound closing, of my power slipping from my body and into his to give him strength¡ªhealing him. My new tattoo burned against my skin, and I sat up to find a slight red glow emanating from it. The harder I focused on the wound mending, the more the mark burned. Tendrils of energy traveled down my arms, to my fingertips, and into Adam¡¯s body. The spot around the wound glowed red, warming beneath my hands. I threw my head back, mouth opening as the rush of power transferred from my body into Adam¡¯s. I could feel the skin moving beneath my palm, shifting as it stitched itself back together.

    Dizziness blurred my vision and, before I realized it, a vision played out behind my eyelids.

    I saw Adam¡¯s black wolf weaving through the trees, shadowed in the cover of darkness. A form stepped out from the trees, raising a crossbow, and by the time Adam realized what was going on, the arrow was already sailing through the air. When it smacked against his chest, a sharp pain burned my own. Adam went down instantly, and the attacker fled through the woods.

    When I opened my eyes, I looked down at Adam and found him staring at me. I removed my hands from his wound and began laughing and crying. The wound was completely gone, just the smear of blood remaining. Joe moved closer to inspect Adam¡¯s chest and gasped when he didn¡¯t find a hole. I could feel his eyes on me, but I couldn¡¯t stop looking at Adam.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Adam asked, sitting up slowly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I told him honestly. ¡°I healed you somehow.¡±

    He eyed me warily for only a moment, and then his hand was in my hair and he was guiding my face to his. He kissed me so fervently that it felt as though he was breathing life into me. My body came alive, wild with desire for him. I fisted my hands in his hair and kissed him back with as much dedication as he gave.

    ¡°Uh, should I leave?¡±

    Adam and I broke the kiss; I was laughing from the joy of seeing Adam healed.

    ¡°No, man,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m ready to head home.¡±

    Joe and I helped Adam up, and the three of us walked back to the truck. Adam kept his arm slung around my shoulders, either for support or because he wanted me close.

    ¡°Did you see who shot you?¡± Joe asked. I already knew the answer.

    ¡°No, just a shadow, and by then it was too late.¡± He looked down at me, his fingers squeezing my shoulder. ¡°I was dying,¡± he whispered. ¡°I could feel it.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± I replied. ¡°I think I felt the exact moment you got shot. It¡¯s how I knew to find you. I¡¯m just happy you told someone where you were going.¡±

    He hugged me against his side, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. A mental thought of a human coming across the three of us naked made me laugh. Then again, it was nearly one in the morning, and the possibility that humans would camp in this area was slim.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Adam asked.

    I shook my head. ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m just happy you¡¯re okay. You are, aren¡¯t you? You feel fine?¡±

    ¡°I sure as hell don¡¯t feel like I was shot in the heart with an arrow. A little tired, but that¡¯s about it.¡±

    I smiled up at him. ¡°Good.¡±

    Back at the house, a small group of wolves stood on the lawn. When we emerged from the truck, clapping and cheers broke out. I could see the relief on our pack member¡¯s faces as they watched Adam walking on his own.

    People patted Adam on the back as we made it up the porch and into the house. I guess my freak out had gotten around, and everyone suspected something horrible had happened. And it had. No matter how unsure I was about my new wolfy powers and how much it unsettled Adam, I would never resent having them now. They had saved my mate¡¯s life; my wolf had saved his life, and I would forever be thankful.

    After everyone greeted Adam, only members of the Everwood pack remained in the main house. Adam, Joe, and I dressed and met in the kitchen. Elle fixed sandwiches for everyone, and I was grateful to have something to fill my empty stomach. I didn¡¯t remember the last time I had eaten.

    After explaining what had happened, I got a few questioning glances from my pack. I admit, healing someone was a little bizarre. More than that, they watched me with something resembling fear, and that stung. Wolves can lend power if they¡¯re alphas, but even then, it¡¯s not strong enough to bring a person back from the brink of death.

    ¡°You think it was Taren?¡± Wade asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.

    ¡°Could have been,¡± I said. ¡°I did kill Veronica, and this could be his way at getting back to me. The thing is, this was different than my vision.¡±

    Wade chewed a few times and then said, ¡°Visions aren¡¯t set in stone, Anna. They change depending on people¡¯s actions. You killed Veronica and the two others, so the future shifted to accommodate that.¡±

    I frowned. I didn¡¯t like how he talked about the future as though it was a living, breathing thing. Hell, maybe it was. The universe is too big to understand. Maybe some mystical being sat amongst the clouds, strings dangling from his or her hands, controlling everybody¡¯s actions. After becoming part of the supernatural community, I wouldn¡¯t bet against it.

    ¡°You said that Taren acted afraid of you,¡± Adam said. ¡°Do you think he would risk coming back here to attack me just to get back at you?¡±

    I eyed Adam, happy to see the color returning to his face. ¡°Honestly, no. If Taren willingly left Veronica because he was afraid of me, I can¡¯t see him coming back here to avenge her death. No, whoever shot you, is the one who hired the vampires in the first place.¡± I reached for his hand and squeezed. ¡°The vampires were lying about Anthony, but I know it was a wolf.¡±

    ¡°Why would they lie about Anthony?¡± Elle asked, taking the seat next to me.

    I thought about it for a second. ¡°It was smart and stupid at the same time. Smart because whoever it is knows that Adam and his brother don¡¯t get along, and everyone would automatically believe it was Anthony. I mean, he did kidnap me after all. But it was stupid because they¡¯re screwing with someone who has visions. They had to have known I would eventually see the truth.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they thought you would be dead before then,¡± Elle added.

    ¡°The question is,¡± Wade said, ¡°why are they doing this? Who hates you enough to want to kill you, or Adam, for that matter?¡±

    That was a very good question, and only two names came to mind: Maggie and Donald Everwood. None of the other wolves knew me well enough to want me dead. And if I¡¯d learned anything from watching crime shows, it was that politicians and wealthy families would go to desperate measures to make sure their family name remained clean. Having a mutt in the family would only soil their bloodline. Then again, why would they shoot their own son? Nothing about this ordeal made a lick of sense, and it was driving me crazy.

    ¡°We can send tracking teams out,¡± Joe said. ¡°I¡¯ll oversee everything so you can get some sleep.¡± He rested his hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder.

 Page 40

    I was supposed to be leaving for New Mexico tomorrow, but I couldn¡¯t until we caught this person. Just thinking about what would have happened if I hadn¡¯t gotten to Adam in time caused my stomach to twist with pain.Advertisement

    ¡°There¡¯s one good thing that will come out of this,¡± Adam said. At our questioning looks, he said, ¡°They will never ask me to host a conference again.¡± We all laughed and nodded.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s almost like a murder mystery dinner party.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, where the attendees could literally die,¡± Elle said.

    We all nodded in agreement, silence settling around the table as each person thought. I rested my head in my hand and rubbed my forehead, closing my eyes. I tried to think of a logical suspect, someone other than Adam¡¯s parents, but the only thing I saw was Adam¡¯s bleeding body in the forest. I had a feeling I would be seeing it for a while. I thought about the vision I had and the shadowed figure that shot him. From what I remembered the few times I¡¯d seen Taren, the shooter was shorter than him. Was it another vampire or the employer?

    ¡°Maybe we should tell everyone to go home,¡± I said and everyone looked at me. ¡°I know the conference has another week, but I¡¯m tired of worrying every time we go outside that another arrow is going to find its way into one of our hearts. If the person responsible is from one of the visiting packs, then maybe they¡¯ll take their vendetta home with them.¡± Even as I said it, I knew I was wrong. Someone that twisted wouldn¡¯t just up and forget about wanting me dead.

    Adam rubbed my back, his fingers coming up and squeezing my shoulder. ¡°I think it¡¯s best everyone remain here until we catch whoever is doing this. Maybe tomorrow you can start reading people.¡± At my frown, he smiled. ¡°You can read Chloe first. Just think of all the dirt she¡¯s hiding. You could own her with it.¡±

    I admit that did make this whole ordeal a little more bearable. Then again, I didn¡¯t want to spend an entire day seeing the history of the visiting wolves. I wanted my mountain back and everyone to leave, like now.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll start tonight,¡± I said, standing up.

    Chapter Twenty-Five

    I knocked on the door to Adam¡¯s old house where Chloe and Cadie were staying. The interior was dark behind the windows, and I smiled at the thought of pissing them off by waking them up. Lights flipped on, illuminating the house, and footsteps echoed as someone headed toward the door. I silently prayed that I would find incriminating information by reading Chloe. Other than Adam¡¯s parents, she was my only other suspect.

    The door swung open to reveal Cadie. As soon as she saw me, a scowl distorted her pretty face. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    I smiled brightly. ¡°I thought we girls could have a slumber party,¡± I told her sarcastically. She rolled her eyes and began to slam the door in my face, but I shot out my hand and stopped it from closing. I ignored the huff coming from her lips and stepped inside.

    ¡°That was very rude,¡± I told her. ¡°Especially since this is not your home. You are a guest here. I expect for you to show some respect.¡± I was not in the mood to deal with a snotty werewolf ho. One wrong word and I was afraid I would kill them both. Adam¡¯s near brush with death had me tiptoeing between the edge of sanity and insanity. My wolf bristled beneath my skin, agitated and ready to break free, and I was tempted to let her.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Cadie¡¯s face changed from annoyed to afraid. Her lips parted, and she stared at the ground, giving me a wide berth as I moved farther into the house. I hadn¡¯t been in here since I came looking for information on Eve. Her decorating touches still remained in the house, reminding me she was still here in a way.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Chloe?¡± I spun around and faced Cadie. Her long brown hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail. I flicked a glance at her tank top that had a picture of a silhouetted wolf and the words Trophy Wife scrawled across the top. I quirked an eyebrow in disgust.

    ¡°Nothing like advertising your gold-digger-ness,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°She¡¯s sleeping,¡± Cadie said, pressing her body against the wall as though the space between us still wasn¡¯t enough. I smiled, taking a step closer. I had felt the effects of a powerful wolf and knew how suffocating it could be. I moved so close to her that she had to turn her face so that our lips didn¡¯t meet.

    ¡°Then go wake her up,¡± I said slowly.

    Cadie didn¡¯t waste any time; she slid away from me and scurried down the hall. A wide smile bent my lips upward. Having this odd power might not be so bad.

    Five minutes later, I heard Cadie and Chloe down the hall.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just tell her to leave?¡± Chloe asked.

    ¡°Because,¡± Cadie said. ¡°She¡¯s different now, powerful.¡±

    ¡°So they say,¡± Chloe murmured. ¡°But I doubt she¡¯s changed that much.¡±

    When they rounded the corner, I was leaning against the wall, my arms crossed over my chest. My eyes instantly connected with Chloe¡¯s, and I grinned.

    ¡°Aw, come on,¡± I goaded. ¡°I must have changed enough to scare you. You did retract your challenge, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m more than willing to meet you in the field if you¡¯ve changed your mind.¡±

    Chloe eyed Cadie, and then they both stared at the wall in front of them. Having people avoiding my eyes was still awkward as hell, but I didn¡¯t mind scaring these two.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to upset Adam,¡± Chloe said.

    ¡°How would you do that?¡±

    Her eyes flicked to mine and then away. ¡°By winning the challenge.¡±

    I full out laughed, almost to the point of tears. My wolf¡¯s amusement bled through me and intensified my merriment. After a few seconds, I got myself under control, but still smiled.

    ¡°I would love for you to prove that,¡± I said. ¡°All of a sudden I¡¯m in the mood for a good fight. What do you say?¡± My smile disappeared, and I moved toward the two women, my fingers curled into a fist. Knowing Chloe¡¯s sole purpose of wanting to fight me was so she could claim Adam amplified my seriousness and anger. I wanted nothing more than to soak the earth with her blood. Then again, maybe that was my wolf¡¯s thoughts coming through. It was difficult to separate the two.

    ¡°Uh ¡­ is that why ¡­ you came here?¡± Chloe asked, her voice shaky.

    I was silent for a while, enough to scare her. ¡°No, I¡¯m here to read you.¡±

    Cadie and Chloe looked at each other nervously and then at the floor. Interesting. Without warning, I grabbed her arm and waited for my mind to be filled with her history. Only, nothing happened. I frowned, gripping her arm tighter. Chloe let out a painful moan as my nails dug into her skin. Small rivulets of blood seeped from the broken skin, and my mind and vision blurred.

    Chloe and Cadie were standing on a path in the forest, another person in front of them. The stranger had a sweatshirt on, the hoodie up to cover his or her features.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Chloe said. ¡°So you¡¯re the one who hired the vampires?¡±

    The stranger didn¡¯t say a word as they raised the crossbow out in front of them, aimed right for Chloe¡¯s heart. Chloe held up her hands and took a step back. Cadie¡¯s forehead wrinkled as she moved with her friend. It was obvious who the boss was in their friendship.

    ¡°No need to get violent,¡± Chloe said. ¡°I¡¯m on your side. Once Anna is out of the picture, Adam will be mine. You¡¯re doing me a favor.¡±

    The stranger tilted his or her head to the side and lowered the crossbow. ¡°If you tell anyone, you¡¯re next.¡± Though the person spoke just above a whisper, the voice had been female. That would help narrow down our search.

    I blinked, fighting off the effects of the vision, and stared at the two women. I didn¡¯t let go of Chloe¡¯s arm. Instead, I dug my nails in deeper.

    ¡°You knew the entire time, and you didn¡¯t say anything?¡±

    Chloe let out a whimper, sliding down the wall as I twisted her arm. ¡°Not the entire time,¡± she stammered. ¡°We just found out two days ago.¡±

    ¡°Who is it?¡± I yelled, digging my fingernails in deeper. Cadie started to inch away, and I shot out my other hand and grabbed a handful of her shirt, slamming her against the wall. Her head bounced off the logs, and tears began falling against her cheeks.

    When neither of them spoke, I released them both and took a step away. I knew how difficult it was to think while in the presence of a more powerful wolf. Hoping my distance helped clear their minds, I crossed my arms and waited for either of them to confess.

    ¡°Did you know they almost killed Adam tonight? If I hadn¡¯t gotten there in time, he would be dead. You let them go because you wanted him, right? You could have been the reason he died.¡± I paused and looked between the two women. ¡°It¡¯s funny you pretend to care about him.¡±

    Chloe snickered, standing up. ¡°I never said I cared about him. You should know by now that the pairing of werewolves does not include feelings. He¡¯s an olde blood¡ªa social status¡ªand that¡¯s it.¡±

    Revulsion filled my stomach at how cavalier her remark was. ¡°So why not go after Anthony? He¡¯s an olde blood, too, and looks exactly like Adam.¡±

    Chloe and Cadie shared a look, a small laugh falling from their lips as though I just suggested they date the band geek.

    ¡°Because Adam has a pack,¡± Chloe said simply.

    ¡°That¡¯s the only reason you wanted him, because he has a pack?¡± Now was my turn to laugh. ¡°So hook up with Anthony, and create a pack.¡±

    Chloe let out a heavy breath, followed by the roll of her eyes. ¡°One cannot simply start a pack, Anna. It has to be sanctioned by the Leaders, and no Leader in their right mind would allow Anthony to create a pack.¡±

    A silent, ¡°why not¡± filled my head but after seeing what he and Eve did with their little band of followers I had a good idea. Even after everything Anthony did, I still couldn¡¯t look down my nose at him like the others. That bothered me, a lot. I didn¡¯t want to have a soft spot for my fianc¨¦¡¯s rebel brother.

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    ¡°If Adam died¡ªlike he almost did tonight¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t have a pack anymore either. So I¡¯m only going to ask you this one more time. Who hired the vampires?¡±Advertisement

    ¡°I did,¡± a female said behind me.

    I whirled around and met the butt end of something very hard. It smashed into my face, and then I was falling to the floor. Lights out.

    Chapter Twenty-Six

    I came to with a nasty headache and a bad temper. Blinking, I cringed as pain infiltrated the spot over my left eye. I quickly realized that my hands were bound¡ªsilver, if the burning sensation was any indication.

    ¡°If I never wake up shackled again, it¡¯ll be too soon,¡± I said to myself, wiggling the manacles that held my wrists. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air around me¡ªmy flesh. As I moved my arms, the silver singed more of my skin. Giving up, I took in my surroundings. I was in the forest ¡­ somewhere. The shackles wound around the base of a small tree, causing me to lie on my side. Scooting, I moved into a sitting position, wincing every time the silver rubbed against my wrists.

    ¡°Anna,¡± someone whispered.

    I looked over one shoulder, and then the other, trying to find the owner of the voice. Branches cracked as someone moved toward me. I began tugging at the manacles, praying my strength was enough to break them. My new badass powers were useless if I was tied up.

    ¡°Anna, it¡¯s me.¡± Anthony stepped out from behind a tree, his eyes darting to the right and then back at me. I watched as he moved closer, wondering if he knew who the employer of the vampires was like Chloe and Cadie had. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if he wanted Adam dead, too.

    ¡°Are you with them?¡±

    ¡°With who?¡± He knelt down in front of me and grabbed onto the shackles, flinging his hand away when his skin sizzled. ¡°Son of a bitch ¡­ silver.¡±

    ¡°Them,¡± I said again, ¡°Chloe, Cadie, and the psycho who hired the vampires.¡±

    A look crossed his face, something resembling ¡­ disappointment. ¡°No,¡± he said softly. ¡°Chloe and Cadie know who it is? Do you, did you see who it was when they,¡± he nodded toward my captive state, ¡°did this?¡±

    I studied him for a moment, unsure if I could trust him or not. Earlier when I read him, his innocence came through loud and clear, but that could have changed. Maybe he figured it all out and decided to switch sides.

    ¡°No,¡± I finally said. ¡°The bitch knocked me out before I saw who she was.¡±

    ¡°She?¡± Anthony questioned with surprise.

    ¡°Is it so surprising that a woman could be behind this?¡± I said. ¡°Eve was a psychopath after all.¡± I glared at him.

    He nodded, but didn¡¯t say anything; instead, he lifted the hem of his shirt and tugged it over his head. My eyes widened at the gesture, wondering what in the world he was doing. My eyes casually roamed over the ridges and valleys that made up his muscular chest and stomach. When he noticed I was appraising him, a smile curved his lips. Quickly looking away, I cursed myself for checking him out.

    ¡°You know,¡± he said, coming up behind me and looping his shirt around the silver chain. His arms framed either side of my body and his face rested against my own. He gripped either side of the chain, and I felt the muscles in his arms flex. ¡°When you first brought up Eve, I thought it was because you were still pissed about what she did.¡± He tugged against the chains, keeping his hands safely on the fabric of his shirt. ¡°But now,¡± he continued, ¡°I wonder if you keep bringing her up because you¡¯re jealous.¡±

    At that I laughed. ¡°Jealous? Of Eve?¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡± I leaned away from him as much as I could. His face was too close to mine, and it felt more intimate than a rescue demanded.

    ¡°I know,¡± he said, tugging harder. ¡°But maybe the thought of both Adam and me being with her drives you crazy.¡±

    ¡°Adam, yes. You, no. I don¡¯t care who you¡¯re with.¡±

    His eyes cut to mine, a slight smirk on his lips. ¡°You pull off that indifference attitude very well, but I¡¯m not buying it. I know you feel something whenever I¡¯m around¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yeah, disgust,¡± I interrupted.

    His smirk turned into a full smile, and he tugged at the chains again, his knuckles white with the strain. The links groaned with the pressure and snapped without warning, flinging both of us back onto the ground. I landed on Anthony¡¯s body, his arms instinctually coming around me during the fall. When I began to get up, he released me and stood up with me. I couldn¡¯t meet his eyes, if for no other reason than being pissed that he thought there was something between us ¡­ or at least that¡¯s what I told myself.

    ¡°I think you use sarcasm when you don¡¯t want to deal with the truth,¡± Anthony said, picking up his shirt and sliding it over his head. ¡°Avoiding the issue won¡¯t make it go away.¡±

    ¡°There is no issue,¡± I snapped. Meeting his eyes, I smoothed my face into a perfect mask of nonchalance. ¡°You want me because I¡¯m Adam¡¯s. It¡¯s your sick little way of screwing with your brother.¡±

    Anthony slowly shook his head. He rubbed his jaw with his hand, staring at me through a fringe of thick lashes. Something blossomed in my stomach, hot and hungry. I imagined the emotion as a tangible thing and envisioned ripping it out. I loved Adam and whatever bizarre reaction I had toward his brother would not change that.

    ¡°Eve was never Adam¡¯s,¡± Anthony said. ¡°She and I were dating when my parents made the deal with her parents. Once a deal is struck, that pair is mated. Do you think it was easy to watch her be given to him? They didn¡¯t even like each other and because of that, Adam allowed us to still see each other. This,¡± he waved his finger at the space between the two of us, ¡°has nothing to do with Adam.¡±

    Talk about dysfunctional.

    ¡°You know what? I don¡¯t care that you think you feel something for me or what imaginary scenario you¡¯ve cooked up in your head. You and I,¡± I mimicked his gesture and waved a finger at the space between us, ¡°are never going to happen. It¡¯s cool you¡¯re trying to be a better person and don¡¯t share Eve¡¯s abhorrence toward humans, but I love Adam.¡±

    That stupid smirk fell across his mouth again.

    ¡°What?¡± I snapped. ¡°What¡¯s so damn funny?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just, when you say that, that you love Adam ¡­¡±

    When he didn¡¯t finish, my frustration grew. ¡°What about it?¡±

    He sucked in a deep breath through his nose. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like you¡¯re saying it for my benefit. It sounds like you¡¯re trying to convince yourself.¡±

    He passed me, moving through the forest. I glared at his back, tempted to tackle him to the ground and rip out his throat. Pissed, I followed after him, stomping over downed logs.

    ¡°You¡¯re a smug son of a bitch, you know that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been told,¡± he said offhand. ¡°But on this, I¡¯m right.¡±

    ¡°Like hell you are. I don¡¯t know what your angle is, but it¡¯s not going to work.¡±

    He stopped and turned to face me. ¡°Because you love Adam.¡± His tone made it clear how much he didn¡¯t believe that.

    ¡°I do,¡± I said through gritted teeth.

    ¡°Then kiss me,¡± he said, taking a step closer.

    I took a step back. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t have any feelings for me and are sure you love Adam, prove it by kissing me.¡±

    I scowled at him. ¡°I think that would be the opposite of proving that I love Adam.¡±

    I started walking again, keeping my eyes open for whoever chained me up. They were bound to come back sometime soon. A thought occurred to me then: I should wait for them. Why the hell was I leaving the spot I knew they would return to. I stopped and turned around, ignoring the grin decorating Anthony¡¯s face.

    ¡°I think you don¡¯t want to because you know you¡¯ll enjoy it too much. It will disprove what you keep saying.¡±

    I whirled around and poked a finger in the air. ¡°I¡¯m not twelve, and your goading is not going to work. I¡¯m not kissing you. Thank you for helping me escape, but I can handle the rest on my own.¡± I paused, another thought coming to me. ¡°How did you know where I was?¡±

    Anthony shrugged. ¡°I followed you.¡±

    My eyebrows rose. ¡°So now you¡¯re stalking me? Why didn¡¯t you see who tied me up?¡±

    ¡°I saw you go into Adam¡¯s old house and about thirty minutes later someone carried you out over their shoulder. The person had a crossbow, and I figured it would be smart to keep my distance, otherwise a hostage scenario could have happened. When they left, I waited another ten minutes, and the rest you know ¡­¡±

    So they hadn¡¯t been gone for very long. That was good news. I made my way back toward the tree and silently cursed when Anthony followed me.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Setting a trap,¡± I told him. ¡°You can leave.¡± He had already distracted me enough, and I was ready to find out the identity of the person who tried to kill Adam and me.

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you,¡± he said. ¡°You already managed to get knocked out and chained up. The next time I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be so lucky.¡±

    I kicked the silver manacles away from the tree and covered them with leaves and dirt. Sitting down, I wrapped my hands around the trunk of the tree in hopes of fooling my captor.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I said. ¡°Run along ¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s that sarcasm,¡± Anthony said. ¡°Makes me wonder if you¡¯re nervous about confronting the person, or about being around me.¡±

    I leaned my head against the rough bark of the tree, closing my eyes and inhaling a breath. Anthony was relentless and delusional, both of which frustrated me until I thought I would blow steam out of my ears.

    ¡°What can I do to make you understand that I feel nothing when it comes to you? Why my countless testimonies don¡¯t prove it is beyond me.¡±

 Page 42

    Anthony knelt down in front of me, casting a quick glance over his shoulder. His eyes searched mine for a few moments before they fell to my lips. His tongue came out and licked a path along his bottom lip. That stupid warmth tightened in my stomach, and I mentally kicked it away. It meant nothing.Advertisement

    ¡°Kiss me,¡± Anthony said. ¡°Your words are just words. They lack conviction, but a kiss ¡­ you cannot fake what it will say.¡±

    My eyes landed on his full lips and then to his green eyes. If a kiss would give him the proof he needed, wouldn¡¯t it be worth it to never hear about this again? He could leave knowing that I was right and that there was nothing between the two of us, but most importantly, that I loved his brother.

    ¡°Fine.¡± As I said it, every muscle in my body tightened. If my wolf disagreed with me, she didn¡¯t make it known. In fact, a spectral sense of anticipation filled me. I knew it was her emotions bleeding into mine, and that surprised me.

    Anthony¡¯s large hand cupped the side of my face. He spread his fingers, his pinky caressing my bottom lip. Slowly, he leaned toward me and stopped just in front of my mouth.

    ¡°Once the truth is out,¡± he breathed against my lips, ¡°there¡¯s no hiding from it.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± I breathed, knowing he was about to be disappointed.

    At the first contact of his lips on mine, my eyelids slipped closed. He moved his mouth against mine, soft and deliberate. When he sucked my bottom lip into his mouth, I stifled a moan. I would not give him the satisfaction of knowing I was enjoying any part of this. I kept my mouth hard, allowing him to kiss me without kissing him back. A low growl vibrated in his throat and ignited something inside of me. Wrapping an arm around my waist, he tugged me hard against his chest. His mouth worked fervently against my own, urging me to join. I stood my ground, not giving into the kiss and praying it would be over soon.

    Anthony broke away from my mouth, but held me tightly against his body. His eyes burned like coals, glowing against the darkness surrounding us.

    ¡°I will kiss every single inch of you until you give into me, Anna. If you want to prove me wrong, you have to kiss me back.¡±

    He brought his mouth back to mine and picked up where he left off, slanting his lips over mine. That tingling warmth in my stomach ignited like gasoline on a fire. I gave in, moving my lips against his. When his tongue slipped between my lips, my body melted against his. He sucked, licked, and kissed me like I was water, and he was dehydrated. I was so dizzy from the kiss that I couldn¡¯t think straight. My wolf surfaced and became ravenous for more of him. I needed to feel his flesh on mine, to be closer.

    Someone cleared their throat and in turn, my head. Anthony broke away from my mouth, his eyes starving for me. I was embarrassed to think my own reflected the hunger in his. A slow smile creased his mouth, and I could almost hear his voice whisper, I told you so, inside my head. Tears blurred my vision at the revelation. I knew without a doubt that I loved Adam, so why did kissing his brother affect me as much as it had? I should have been unaffected, repulsed, right?

    ¡°I wondered if something was going on with you two,¡± a female said behind Anthony. He stood up and cleared my line of sight. Chelsea stood just ten feet away, her arm bent up and holding a crossbow. My mouth automatically fell into an O, shocked to my core.

    ¡°Chelsea?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°Surprised?¡±

    ¡°You? But ¡­ why?¡±

    She took a couple steps toward, me and Anthony stepped in front of me. ¡°Uh huh, Romeo,¡± she said, holding out the crossbow toward him. ¡°Back up or end up with a silver arrow through the chest.¡±

    Anthony stepped to the side, his eyes flicking to mine. I still had my arms wound around the tree, and I hoped Chelsea didn¡¯t notice that I wasn¡¯t shackled and start firing that crossbow. She moved closer, keeping a safe distance from Anthony.

    ¡°Did you ever stop to think that I had a life before becoming a werewolf?¡± she asked.

    Honestly, I hadn¡¯t even thought about it. I was an only child, and both of my parents were dead. When I was bitten and transformed into a wolf, I wasn¡¯t leaving anything behind by coming up here and living with my new pack. In that moment, I felt like a horrible person. Chelsea had been moody since the change, and I brushed it off thinking she just needed to get used to it. Was I really so wrapped up in my own stuff that I didn¡¯t see her pain?

    ¡°I thought not,¡± Chelsea snorted. ¡°Well, I did. I had a boyfriend, and we had been talking about getting married before this happened.¡± She held out her hands to signal herself. ¡°We¡¯re not permitted to be with humans. Not that Joel would want me now any way.¡± Her eyes burned with her hurt and anger, singeing me from the inside out. ¡°And it¡¯s all your fault.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± it¡¯s all his fault.¡± I nodded toward Anthony.

    Chelsea swung her arm around and pointed the crossbow at him. His hands shot up in surrender. ¡°Way to throw me under the bus, Anna.¡± He shot me a displeased look, and I shrugged. So maybe I was still angry about the kiss and my reaction to it. Looking at Chelsea, he said, ¡°Anna is right in that she didn¡¯t have anything to do with it. She was just as much of a victim as you were.¡±

    Okay, so now my tactic to get the focus on Anthony made me feel like shit. Why couldn¡¯t he be the asshole we all knew him to be? It would be a lot less confusing. ¡°But,¡± he continued, ¡°kidnapping you was all Eve¡¯s doing.¡±

    So instead of throwing me under the bus, he was throwing his dead girlfriend out there. I guess he was still the asshole. Not that he wasn¡¯t right, but was it really all Eve?

    ¡°She had a vendetta against Anna and knew she could trick her if she had you. Anna would never let harm come to an innocent.¡±

    ¡°But she did!¡± Chelsea snarled. ¡°I was innocent, didn¡¯t know a fucking thing about your world until my chance meeting with Anna. Talk about bad luck.¡±

    I had run into Chelsea at Wal-Mart while Wade and Adam were trying to get me used to being around humans. It just so happened that Chelsea was working there at the time. When I ran into her, Eve and her goons had been following me and kidnapped Chelsea knowing that I would fall into their trap to try and save her. So, in a way, it was kind of my fault. Just being associated with me had targeted Chelsea. Since I didn¡¯t have family to hold as captive, Eve used the next best thing.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I told her. ¡°Really, I am, but it could have been worse.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Chelsea asked. ¡°I turn into a fucking animal every full moon and had to break Joel¡¯s heart. He thinks I fell out of love with him.¡±

    ¡°It happens,¡± Anthony muttered, his eyes on me.

    Ignoring him, I said, ¡°You could have died from the infection of the bite. Yes, you were unlucky by being targeted by Eve, but you were lucky that the magic in the wolf saliva chose you to become one of us. Most people do not make it through the transition.¡±

    ¡°You wanna know what really sent me over the edge?¡± Chelsea asked, kneeling down so that we were eye level. She couldn¡¯t hold my gaze, but she tried. At my shrug, she continued. ¡°That,¡± she nodded toward my chest. I looked down and found my engagement ring hanging from my necklace. ¡°I lost everything, and now I have to live through you getting it.¡± Her eyes flitted over to Anthony. ¡°Then again, how long could it possibly last when you¡¯re cheating on Adam with his brother? Trouble in paradise already?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ didn¡¯t cheat on him ¡­ not really,¡± I stuttered, but that¡¯s exactly what it felt like. I had kissed a man while engaged to another. ¡°It was just a test.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means, and I don¡¯t care,¡± Chelsea said, standing. She pointed the crossbow at me. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll be doing Adam a favor by ridding him of a cheating fianc¨¦.¡±

    ¡°Chelsea, listen,¡± I said, pretending to still be bounded by the shackles. I twisted my body so that I could see her better. ¡°I know you¡¯re angry about what happened, but it does get better, and I know it¡¯ll take some time to get over Joel, but what about Wade?¡±

    Her face scrunched in confusion. ¡°Wade? What about him?¡±

    Now it was my turn to be confused. ¡°He likes you ¡­ a lot. Hasn¡¯t he told you?¡± I was grasping at straws, but I needed an opening, one where that damned crossbow wasn¡¯t aimed right at my face.

    Her eyes volleyed between Anthony and me. ¡°I¡¯m not like you, Anna. I actually loved Joel. We had been together for four years. I planned to spend the rest of my life with him. I can¡¯t just turn that off and hop into bed with another man.¡±

    I should have been angry that she just called me a slut, but I was more ashamed of myself. I wanted to tell her that I did love Adam, but then how could I kiss his brother and enjoy it? I thought about Adam finding out and the anger his face would hold, how he would look at me differently, and I crumbled inside.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I told her. ¡°I¡¯m a bad person, but then so are you for orchestrating this entire thing. You hired vampires to kill me. Isn¡¯t that worse than kissing another man?¡± I let my words sink in and watched her eyes brighten with fury. ¡°By the way, how the hell did you have the money to pay them? By the sounds of it, it was a big paycheck.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°That¡¯s the beauty of my plan. While cleaning Adam¡¯s house for our arriving guest, I came across his safe, and his key was just sitting in his desk, tempting me. It was his money that would have paid for your death. Priceless, right?¡±

    ¡°And the vampires?¡± I asked. ¡°How did you contact them? I¡¯ve never even met one until they showed up here.¡±

    She smiled as she thought about her plan, impressed with herself. ¡°Wade took me to that seedy little brothel, Wild Things, in town and I met the most interesting people. It¡¯s amazing what people will tell you when they¡¯re drunk off their asses.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± I said. ¡°It looks like you thought of everything.¡±

 Page 43

    ¡°Not everything,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to turn into the mythical white wolf, or survive the vampires after they kidnapped you.¡±Advertisement

    The memory of walking to our house after I escaped the vampires filled my head. Chelsea had been surprised to see me, but at the time, I thought it was because I was naked or the change in my eye color. Now, it all made sense. She hadn¡¯t expected to see me again.

    ¡°And one other thing,¡± I said.

    ¡°Oh yeah?

    ¡°Yeah.¡± I slowly fisted a handful of dirt into my hand and whipped my arm around to fling it at her face. ¡°You didn¡¯t expect me to break my silver shackles.¡±

    She clawed at her face, trying to rid her eyes of the debris. I shot up and jumped into action. Reaching for her hand, I held it up so that if she fired, the arrow would shoot straight into the air and not into Anthony or me. Chelsea snarled and kicked out, watching me through the slits in her puffy eyes. Together, we went down, me on top of her. I kept a firm grip on the arm holding the crossbow and straddled her stomach.

    ¡°Give up, it¡¯s over,¡± I told her.

    Anthony walked over to the two of us and fought the crossbow out of her grasp. He aimed it at Chelsea but she continued to fight me. Fed up, I pinned both or her arms to the ground and growled in her face.

    ¡°Stop.¡± I coated my words with the authority of my wolf, feeling the tingling power seeping through my skin.

    Chelsea¡¯s body became still. She closed her eyes and began crying, the sound distraught and haunting.

    ¡°Kill me,¡± she whispered, opening her eyes. They were red from her tears and the dirt I had thrown in them. ¡°Please,¡± she pleaded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a werewolf. My life ended the day I had to walk away from Joel.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you,¡± I told her. ¡°You¡¯ll go to a special supernatural prison where you can come to terms with your new life and hopefully enjoy it.¡±

    She began bawling, big sorrowful sobs falling from her lips. ¡°Please ¡­ just kill me.¡±

    I slapped the side of her face hard enough to stop her breakdown. ¡°Is losing a boyfriend really worth killing yourself over? Do you think he¡¯ll kill himself over losing you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just him,¡± she snarled and spit into my face. ¡°I hate what I have become. Do you understand? I hate it.¡±

    Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and wiped away the spit on my face. I thought about everything she had done, but especially how she almost killed Adam. That was enough to turn my patience into full-blown rage.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I said, jumping off her. ¡°You want to die?¡±

    She didn¡¯t make a move to get up. Instead, she lay on the ground, her arms outstretched as she stared up at the canopy of trees. As I stared at her, I wondered how someone could loathe herself as much as she did¡ªto the point of welcoming death with open arms. She was lost in a sea of pain and loss, and nothing I said would change her mind.

    ¡°Give me the crossbow,¡± I said to Anthony, holding my hand out.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± he said.

    I turned toward him. ¡°Give me the fucking crossbow.¡±

    He held it out of reach. ¡°You¡¯re angry now, but when that dies down, you¡¯ll regret pulling the trigger. Let me do it, I¡¯m the heartless monster, right?¡±

    We stared at each other for a moment, and then he walked around me and poised the arrow over Chelsea¡¯s heart. My own slammed against my ribcage with the knowledge of what was coming.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Chelsea whispered right before she closed her eyes.

    A whoosh of air sounded and ended in a thump. Chelsea gasped, her hands coming up to grasp the arrow sticking out of her heart. Tears trickled down her cheeks and dampened the ground beneath her. Red stained her shirt, seeping through the fabric, and then her head lolled to the side and the life left her eyes.

    Chapter Twenty-Seven

    Two days later, and I was packed and ready to leave. I had done my best to avoid Anthony, but he kept popping up. He would send me secret smiles that made me nauseous. The guilt of knowing what those smiles meant ate at me, and lying to Adam didn¡¯t help either. I wanted to tell him, confess to everything, but I was too afraid of losing him. What logical man would stay with me after something like that? Still, I knew the truth would eventually come out, and I had to be ready for it.

    After talking with Sage and Leif a few times, I learned that there were stories of having the Chante mark removed. They didn¡¯t know if there was any truth to the stories, but it was enough to give me hope. If ridding myself of the mark that bound Adam and I together meant I could also rid Anthony of his bizarre bond, then I would do it. I knew it wasn¡¯t the sole reason why Adam and I were together. A scar did not determine how I felt for Adam. I had been telling myself that repeatedly, working myself into believing it.

    Wade ended up leaving the mountain after I told everyone what had happened with Chelsea. He didn¡¯t say it, but I knew her death and betrayal hurt him. Maybe he felt guilty for not making his move sooner, thinking it could have helped take her mind off her previous boyfriend. Since I had been with her in the end, I knew nothing Wade could have done would have helped. Adam informed me that some werewolves would either commit suicide or go insane from not being able to handle their inner beasts. No matter who pulled the trigger on the crossbow, Chelsea¡¯s blood was on my hands. Her life changed the moment Eve learned she knew me.

    I fingered the necklace I had taken off her, a bird emblem made out of mother of pearl. It was a reminder that things are not always what they seem, and the heart can drive a person to do crazy things, but mostly, it was a reminder that I was responsible for an innocent woman losing her life.

    ¡°You ready?¡± Elle called through the house.

    ¡°Yeah, just a second.¡± I headed into my bedroom to retrieve my purse and found Anthony playing with my cell phone.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing in my room?¡±

    He held up my phone and tilted it back and forth. ¡°Programming my number into your phone,¡± he said. ¡°I told you, once the truth was out, there was no avoiding it. Enjoy your trip, and keep an eye out for my messages.¡± He handed me my phone, moving past me with a smile on his face.

    ¡°Anthony,¡± I said in a harsh whisper, hoping no one could hear us. He turned, crossing his arms across his chest. Again, I thought about how much he and Adam looked alike, and I hated it. ¡°Please, just stop. Just forget about what happened, and let me be happy with Adam.¡± If there were any truth to the removal of the Chante bond, then I wouldn¡¯t have to plead with him. I yearned for that day.

    ¡°You knew the rules before I kissed you, Anna. You cannot deny you felt something, so I will do everything in my power to make sure you remember it.¡± Without another word, he turned and headed down the hall. My stomach plummeted when Adam stepped into view. He smiled at me, and I felt it like a jab in my chest. He deserved someone better than me.

    ¡°You ready?¡± he asked. ¡°Elle¡¯s having a cow out there.¡±

    I cleared my throat and shouldered my purse, dropping my cell inside. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m ready.¡± I held the tears back as I headed down the hall toward the only man I had ever loved. It was just like me to screw something this perfect up. Run away before things get too serious, my inner voice said, reminding me of my relationship M.O. Maybe kissing Anthony was my subconscious way of self-sabotaging what I had with Adam.

    As I moved toward Adam, I made a silent vow that I would do everything in my power to rid myself of the strange reaction I had toward his brother. I just hoped New Mexico held the answers.