The Alpha 3

{\rtf1{\info{\title The Alpha 3: Protect. Procreate. Prevail.
}{\author Eric Vall}}\

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\par\pard\plain\hyphpar}\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } {
Would you like to see chapters of my books before they come out? Do you want to
see cover art sketches and vote on which poses should make it to final production?
Would you like to see even sexier versions of my covers? Would you like to get my
audiobooks at a deep discount? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Of course you would! {\ul
Join my Patreon here to get all these awesome benefits (or search for my name on
Patreon.com).} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\~ \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
You can also {\ul
join my Facebook group right here}. Then you\u8217?ll know when my books come out
before anyone else. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\b
\~} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } {\s1 \afs32
{\b
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}}
\par\pard\plain\hyphpar}\par\pard\plain\hyphpar}\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page }
{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
Chapter 1 \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}\par\pard\plain\hyphpar}\par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
A breath of fresh spring air played through my hair as we barreled around a deep
curve in the highway, and I rolled down the passenger window a little further to
allow some more breeze inside. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Slow your roll a little, Evel Knievel,\u8221? I joked as I received a blast
of air to the face instead of the pleasant breeze I\u8217?d hoped for. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Evel Knievel was more of a motorcycle man,\u8221? Nikita corrected me with
a smirk, but she slowed her pace a little so we were cruising along at less of a
breakneck speed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The caramel-haired omega\u8217?s sauciness brought a grin to my face, and I rolled
my eyes affectionately as she gave me a teasing, blue-green glance. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You\u8217?ve got the spirit of a stunt driver, regardless of the vehicle,\
u8221? I assured her. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My mate had leaped at the chance to drive Gray\u8217?s Mercedes again, and now
that everything he\u8217?d owned belonged to me, I\u8217?d been happy to oblige
her. Even if the bastard had only been dead since yesterday. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I should probably call Eva and let her know we\u8217?re coming home for a
bit,\u8221? I muttered, and I reached down and worked my phone free from my jeans
pocket. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good idea,\u8221? my mate agreed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My aunt picked up after the first ring. \u8220?Jesse?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Aunt Eva,\u8221? I greeted her. \u8220?Nikita and I are on our way back
from Monroe. Want us to grab anything on our way?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No, nothing. I\u8217?ll be so glad to see you again. Everything okay?\
u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s been like a day, Aunt Eva,\u8221? I chuckled. \u8220?I was only
with Arielle for one night, you make it sound like you haven\u8217?t seen me in
years.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes, well\u8230?\u8221? My aunt sounded a little defensive, but then she
lapsed into a jokingly stern tone. \u8220?One day equals about seven days in
werewolf time, so it\u8217?s about time you showed your face around here, young
man.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita snickered, and I could tell she\u8217?d been able to hear. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?ll be there in just a bit,\u8221? I assured my aunt with a grin. \
par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Everything settled in Monroe?\u8221? she asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, as soon as Nikita got there, we got to know the downtown area a bit
and checked in with the doctor to make sure everyone is healing alright,\u8221? I
replied. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good, good,\u8221? she replied. \u8220?See you soon.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Werewolf time, hmm?\u8221? my mate teased after I hung up the phone. \
u8220?That would explain several things.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Like what?\u8221? I asked curiously. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Your sex drive, for starters,\u8221? Nikita giggled. \u8220?You took me
like you\u8217?d been celibate for a year not ten minutes ago.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Now it was my turn to smirk as I thought of how frequently I felt the need to
claim the omega for my own, including at the rest stop just off the highway earlier
in our car ride. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You know, you might be onto something there,\u8221? I quipped. \u8220?Or
maybe it\u8217?s something to do with the fact that you\u8217?re an absolute
bombshell.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Or just basic biology,\u8221? she teased as a pleased blush bloomed on her
cheeks, nonetheless. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Sometimes she was so fucking beautiful I could hardly breathe. Not to mention, an
absolutely perfect girlfriend. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita had been the one to insist I spend last night alone with Arielle, since
apparently it was only fair that she got the same perks Nikita had for the last
couple weeks. My werecat omega had come back to Aunt Eva\u8217?s house instead, and
she even waited at the Monroe diner for me when she arrived this afternoon to pick
me up again. At first, I\u8217?d felt super weird about this setup, but Nikita
wanted to give Arielle plenty of alone time without the presence of another lover
to make her nervous, so I\u8217?d be introducing my two omegas to each other later
today instead. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The rest of the thirty-minute trip passed quickly. Part of it was because Nikita
was driving, which made the thirty minutes more like twenty, not including our
little sojourn at the rest stop. But another part was that despite the enormity of
everything that had been going on in my life since I\u8217?d figured out I was the
Alpha, well\u8230? It was spring break, and I was cruising down the highway with my
beautiful girlfriend, while another beautiful girlfriend waited for me back at
Gray\u8217?s old house. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
This was not at all the direction I ever imagined my life as a nerd-musician-DnD
player would go, and I was definitely basking a little today. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
It had been hard to leave Arielle at Gray\u8217?s, though, especially considering
she apparently had spent so much time locked away in that house against her will by
Gray. I knew the werecoyote omega didn\u8217?t want to be parted from me for long,
but I left her with the knowledge that I\u8217?d be back very soon, and I made sure
she knew I wasn\u8217?t just going to lock her in the attic or something until I
needed her. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
That was Gray\u8217?s thing, not mine. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I would be back with the stunning new omega just as soon as I\u8217?d paid Aunt
Eva a visit to talk tactics about Aiden, but all in all, life was fucking awesome.
I\u8217?d personally seen to it that Gray was long gone, all of his werecoyotes
were now part of my pack, and I was free to take a breather and enjoy the little
things before I moved on to tackling my next challenge: Aiden Jansen. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
A grimace came to my face at the thought of him. Aiden was said to be many things
that his brother, Max, had been: Violent, cruel, and power-hungry, to name a few. \
But he was also several things that Max wasn\u8217?t: cunning and experienced. \
Before my werecats had headed home after yesterday\u8217?s fight with Gray, I had
a chance to discuss Aiden with them a little more. None of what they told me
exactly took me unawares, but it was still troubling to hear. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
By their accounts, this final remaining Jansen was a bold and ruthless leader, but
also cunning and calculating. Meticulous, even, if the knowledge I\u8217?d been
gathering proved true. Apparently, the werecats who had been in his pride before it
had split up weren\u8217?t all too surprised that Aiden had \u8220?given up\u8221?
half the pack to Max. What had surprised them was that it hadn\u8217?t proven to be
part of some larger plan Aiden had cooked up to gain the whole pride for his own
more permanently one day. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The long, ruthless game was more Aiden\u8217?s M.O.. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Regardless, I thought Aiden was highly unlikely to make the same mistakes his
brother had made. Careless, cocky mistakes had brought about Max\u8217?s demise,
but this guy was older than he had been. On top of that, Aiden had about fifty
werecats at his disposal, as well as all the things that his staggering wealth
could easily bring to his fingertips. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Now that I\u8217?d killed his younger brother, I had a feeling he\u8217?d be out
for revenge, too. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
That was something I was determined not to let him have. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
It wasn\u8217?t my fault his moronic brother had come to a grisly end at my hands.
I didn\u8217?t ask to be the Alpha, and I sure as hell didn\u8217?t ask for Max to
be such a vicious, self-serving, overreaching pain in my ass. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
But I knew Aiden wasn\u8217?t about to come around to my point of view. The two
violent, sneering werecats he\u8217?d sent to deliver me a \u8220?warning\u8221? in
the middle of campus last week proved that, and I was sure that was only the
beginning. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Even if I did manage to beat Newt and Sabine to a pulp. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita seemed to notice my brooding, and she reached over to turn up the volume
dial and make the oldies music blare out from the fancy speaker system in Gray\
u8217?s Mercedes. Then she let her delicate hand drift over and settle on the
center console palm-up, and I couldn\u8217?t help but smile as I reached over to
hold it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Her honey-colored skin felt as smooth as silk, not scratched up like it had been
just yesterday after the fight with the werecoyotes who were in our pack now. My
own cuts and bruises were healed, too. Even my broken ribs felt good as new, so it
looked like our trend of recovering slightly faster was continuing steadily, and I
wondered when it would stop. As I got more powerful, what would happen? Would I get
to the point where I just healed immediately from a wound? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
That seemed impossible, but I certainly wouldn\u8217?t complain. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I traced my thumb across Nikita\u8217?s palm and smiled as we pulled onto Aunt
Eva\u8217?s familiar street. Then I stiffened, and I sensed my omega did the same
as her hand suddenly clenched tight around mine like a vise. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?What the hell is that smell?\u8221? she hissed as she slowed the car
down. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I took another deep breath of air through my nose to get a better hold on the
distinctly sharp yet cloying scent I\u8217?d just detected through the open car
window. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Werecat betas. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And they weren\u8217?t mine. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A snarl sprang from Nikita\u8217?s lips as she cranked the wheel to take us over
to the curb, and I was bounding out of the car before it even rolled to a stop. But
as I flooded my nostrils with spring air again, I realized I could pinpoint exactly
who these scents belonged to. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was Sabine and Newt, the same two of Aiden\u8217?s betas who had accosted me on
campus last week. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Their smell made me wrinkle my nose when I breathed in again, but I ignored my
disgust and turned my head from side to side as I tried to pick up their scent
trail. I could tell they\u8217?d been here not too long ago, because not much else
was there to cloud their scents. It was fairly fresh, but they weren\u8217?t in my
immediate vicinity. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was about to be in theirs, though. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita suddenly popped up at my side, and her chest was heaving slightly as she
caught her breath. I realized through the veil of rage that was simmering around me
that she had sprinted in a flash down the rest of the street to stash the car keys
in Eva\u8217?s house. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?She\u8217?s in the kitchen,\u8221? my mate answered my unspoken question. \
u8220?I told her to stay put, and that it was important. No sticking her head out
the window.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I nodded a little uneasily. My aunt was a smart person, but I wouldn\u8217?t put
it past her to decide she was worried and come looking for me. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
But then I shook my head. She wouldn\u8217?t. Things were different now that I was
alpha, and the Alpha, for that matter. Eva had said as much herself, and she would
know that Nikita was speaking with my voice in this situation. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Let\u8217?s go find them,\u8221? I growled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A wave of heat swept through me, and my spine tingled sharply with the primal urge
to shift, but with some effort I managed to remain in my human form as I stalked
after the trail with my senses on high-alert. Nikita stayed close by my side, and
even though she was silent for the moment, she looked about as keyed up as I was. \
The scent led us right into the woods, and once we were a short ways past the tree
line, I stopped my mate with a hand on her arm. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I want to shift now,\u8221? I said calmly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita glanced a little uneasily at the sun that was still hanging in the sky,
then back in the direction of Aunt Eva\u8217?s house. Her jaw set, and she
nodded. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?re far enough into the woods,\u8221? my omega murmured. \u8220?
Let\u8217?s do it.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
By unspoken agreement, we stripped out of our clothes first. Nikita held out her
hands to take mine, and I turned my phone on silent and shoved it deep into my
jacket\u8217?s zip-up pocket before I handed my clothes over. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
She balled both of our garments up in one big roll and stood on her tiptoes to
stick them into the crook of a tree. Then, without delay, she started to shift in a
single fluid motion. As the tall, caramel-haired beauty\u8217?s tan body
lengthened, she allowed herself to bow forward, and she dragged her newly sprouted,
dagger-sharp claws down the side of the tree as she lowered gracefully to stand on
all fours. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
By the time she reached the ground, she was a mountain lion. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Nice,\u8221? I said as I gestured at the deep, distinctive gauges her claws
had left in the tree trunk. \u8220?Now we\u8217?ll be able to find our clothes
again easily. My turn.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I gave in to the itch at the base of my spine as I dropped to all fours with a
feeling that now reminded me of a much needed stretch of cramped muscles. Like
goosebumps underneath my skin, I was assaulted by the intense but now familiar
prickling sensation of thick fur sprouting from my rippling flesh. Long, wickedly
curved claws sprang out from my fingertips, and I closed my eyes briefly and let
out a noise that started out as a groan and ended in a deep, guttural snarl. \par\
pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then my eyes snapped open. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The stunning mountain lion was nearly level with me now, and she was staring at me
with eyes like two blue and crystal-clear pools. She blinked once. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
Let\u8217?s go}, I snarled again, and when I took off, I heard her claws dig in and
push hard off the supple spring earth as she followed close behind me. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I must\u8217?ve looked like a hulking menace as I loped along after the scent
trail. I definitely felt like one. I kept my orange-red eyes ranging around while I
moved, and my ears cocked to pick up every crackle and swishing sound in the woods.
\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The forest canopy cast down bars of sunlight and shadow, and I saw them sliding
over Nikita\u8217?s graceful feline face as she joined my side when the path
widened out. The smell was stronger here, and I picked up my pace in
anticipation. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When a clearing opened up in front of us, I saw a larger sunny patch illuminate
the tip of a plush tail just before it whisked into the trees ahead. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
That\u8217?s them}, I told my omega. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Their scent was overwhelming now, and physically, I experienced a weird mixture of
revulsion at the smell and slavering anticipation at the idea of catching up with
my prey. Mentally, I felt nothing but the desire to rip these two werecats limb
from limb for being anywhere near my aunt. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I bounded right across the clearing. When I caught sight of the two wildcats
trotting side by side down the wide path ahead, I noticed a strip of fur missing on
the rightmost cat\u8217?s neck where an old scar traced across its skin. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I felt sure this must be Newt. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
With this in mind, I dug my hind paws into the earth to push off hard into the air
so I could come down on the scarred cat like a silent thunderbolt. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The idiot was completely off his guard. At his side, Sabine was more on her toes,
but even then, I was moving so fast that I was already descending on Newt by the
time she whipped her head around at the sound of my paw thuds. Her warning shriek
made him jump violently, so I wasn\u8217?t able to sink my teeth into his flank as
I\u8217?d wanted, but he had no time to react further as I brought my front paws
down hard between his furry shoulders. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A distressed mewl burst from his lips, and I gave a dark chuckle that came out as
a snarl as he gave a wild shake to try and dislodge me. I purposely allowed myself
to be shunted to the side, and I rolled fluidly and came up from a crouch to snap
at his whiskered face. The bite carried so much speed and force that he went cross-
eyed for a moment as he jerked back. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then his cyan eyes narrowed, and the werecat launched himself forward with a growl
and swiped furiously at me with his sickle-like claws. I dodged twice as he came at
me, and I could hear a storm of cougar screams that sounded like fireworks as
Sabine and Nikita took their own tussle to the ground nearby. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
It was clear that Newt was expecting me to dodge again, so he extended his strike
further the next time he swiped his claws at me, but I surprised him by lunging
forward and raking my own claws across his whiskered cheek. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
This brought me within range of his own claws, and he knew it. A simultaneously
thrilled and bloodthirsty look flitted across his feline features as he locked his
big paws around me in a bear hug to bring me crashing to the ground. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Fucking idiot}, I snickered, and I tucked in my hind feet before we landed on our
sides facing each other. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My balled-up posture made it a bit of a crash-landing for me, but I anticipated
this, and when Newt arced up and lunged for my neck with his mouth gaping wide, I
wasted no time in thrusting both of my hind legs out in front of me with my claws
curled to shred my opponent. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My hind claws ravaged his unguarded stomach, and all the air huffed out of Newt in
a strangled mewl as I managed to push him out of his headlong dive onto me. He
flopped pathetically onto his side again with a bleeding belly, and I took a beat
to glance over at Nikita. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She seemed to be in a state of silent, single-minded ferocity as she grappled with
Sabine, who absolutely wouldn\u8217?t shut up. It was like someone had recorded the
overdone scream of a tennis player doing a power shot and was playing it in a loop
at warp speed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Let\u8217?s switch things up a little, shall we? }I suggested to my omega. {\i
Swap?} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Though she was obviously focused, Nikita was attuned enough to me that my little
dare cut easily through to her consciousness. She replaced one of her lunges at
Sabine with a roll, and the other werecat\u8217?s teeth gnashed down on empty air
with an audible, deadly-sounding snick. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I stepped up to the plate and closed my jaws hard around Sabine\u8217?s
tufted snout. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Sabine gave another strangled shriek, but beyond this, I heard Nikita scrabbling
furiously in the dirt with Newt, who had apparently managed to find his feet again.
I drew my clenched teeth backward and left a bloody trail across Sabine\u8217?s
nose, and she mewled pathetically, but the werecat was clearly nothing if not
persistent. She came at me with her paws wide and tried to get me in the same
tackling bear hug that Newt had. I knocked away one of her paws and ignored the
other that hooked into the flesh of my chest as I yawned my mouth wide to clamp my
teeth down around her incoming shoulder. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My teeth pierced through flesh and sinews like a knife through butter, and she let
out an almighty screech as she frantically lacerated my chest with her claws. \par\
I flinched slightly and let out a low, rasping growl, but I didn\u8217?t let go.
Instead, I sank my teeth fully closed and was rewarded with another pained shriek.
Then I twisted my head, unclenched my jaw, and spat out a chunk of werecat flesh. \
Sabine sprawled miserably on the ground bleeding, but I still couldn\u8217?t quite
bring myself to finish her off. Even though she was a vicious werecat who had just
tried to kill me, she was still a woman, and she was lying there helpless on the
ground. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My more human instincts took over, and I decided she could stay there for now.
Torn, bloody tendons were visible protruding from her shoulder wound, so she wasn\
u8217?t about to do any more fighting. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Jesse! Watch out! }Nikita screamed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Just in time, I whipped around and dropped down on my haunches to avoid being hit
by the flying, tangled-up forms of Nikita and Newt. My golden-furred mate was
clearly the driver of this maneuver. She kept Newt in the grip of her sharp claws
as they hurtled through the air, and then she used their momentum to essentially
body slam him down on the huge, gnarled roots of a nearby tree. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
Ouch}. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was a brutal stroke, and I felt a surge of pride as I watched my mate lash her
claws down onto the prone werecat\u8217?s haunches and pitch her weight backward.
She managed to mangle plenty of his flesh at the same time she tossed him several
feet away, but then she swiftly leapt on top of him again and batted him onto his
side. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Before I could blink, Nikita had sunk her curved, dagger-sharp fangs into the soft
flesh of his neck. A torrent of blood was released as she twisted savagely and
sheared away a hunk of flesh from around his jugular, and she ended Newt\u8217?s
pitiful life right then and there. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Asshole}. Nikita turned away from his body without another glance. Then her eyes
fell on Sabine, and she gave a low hiss. {\i
Why is she still alive?} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
She\u8217?s a woman}, I growled uncomfortably. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My mate turned to face me, and her liquid azure eyes were compassionate but
unyielding as she gazed steadily at me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Jesse\u8230? }she warned. {\i
Woman or not, she\u8217?s a threat to the pack. It\u8217?s your responsibility as
alpha to end her.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I know.} I let out a huff of air and paced back over to the fallen werecat. \par\
I stood over Sabine for a moment and looked down at her. She struggled weakly and
stared up at me with a sneering challenge written across her already pain-warped
face. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was an ugly look on a cat. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then, to my surprise, she shifted into her human form. It clearly cost her some
effort, and a sharp little hiss came out from between her fangs before she seemed
to melt from wildcat to woman in a weirdly halting way, like a damaged VHS tape. \
Soon enough, she was lying there on the ground as a petite human woman with a
blonde pixie cut, and it didn\u8217?t take long for it to become clear why she had
shifted back. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You can kill me,\u8221? she spat without preamble. \u8220?But Aiden\u8217?s
just going to double what he\u8217?ll already be bringing down on your head soon.
Wait and see, mutt.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I stared impassively at Sabine while she ranted, and she didn\u8217?t seem to be
able to resist the urge to speak into the silence. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What, is the big Alpha too scared to kill me?\u8221? She challenged me with
her dark eyes while she taunted me in a high singsong voice that oozed sarcasm and
loathing. \u8220?Man enough to fuck a cat, you filthy cross-breeder, but you can\
u8217?t handle killing one? It\u8217?s fine, I get it. Submissive little kitties
are more your pace. I\u8217?ll make sure to let Aiden know you\u8217?re too busy
thinking with your cock to think with your--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She cut off as I lunged down at her. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I heard one last small intake of air before my teeth sank into her throat, and my
mouth filled with her hot blood before I ripped her neck off her shoulders. Then I
gorged myself on Sabine, and I honestly didn\u8217?t fucking care. I was the Alpha,
and I would gorge until I was sated. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When I finished, I licked the blood off my lips and then allowed my tongue to loll
tiredly out of my mouth as I stared down at the lifeless bodies of two of Aiden\
u8217?s werecats. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita let out a cat-like sigh as we stood there for a long moment, but then she
sent me the happiest look I\u8217?d ever seen on a mountain lion\u8217?s face. \
Spring break was already off to an interesting start.\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
{
Thanks to Nikita\u8217?s quick thinking with clawing the tree, the two of us
walked out of the woods fully clothed in our human forms. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
My thoughts churned in my mind, and I felt like they were marinating in the rage
that boiled there at the fact that Aiden\u8217?s betas had been nosing around near
Aunt Eva\u8217?s house. If that bastard thought he could send his grunts anywhere
near my aunt, he had another thing coming. I had just ripped apart his underlings,
and I wouldn\u8217?t hesitate to do the same to him. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
First, I needed to get my hands on him, though. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You\u8217?re thinking of finding a way to go after Aiden right away, aren\
u8217?t you?\u8221? Nikita was looking shrewdly at the expression on my face when I
glanced over. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course, I am,\u8221? I seethed. \u8220?That son of a bitch.\u8221? \par\
My protective instincts for my aunt had gone into overdrive, and I wished we were
back in the forest so I could destroy Sabine and Newt all over again just for the
satisfaction. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We were on the doorstep at that point, and I had to pause mid-thought when the
door flew open and Aunt Eva practically dragged me inside by the collar of my
shirt. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Argh!\u8221? I shuffled forward into the house rather than have my shirt
ripped down the center. \u8220?I\u8217?m okay, I\u8217?m okay!\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
She hugged me tightly, and when she pulled back to look closely at my face, her
expression was pale with worry. She was still pretty calm, though, even when she
stepped back, scanned me over, and saw the trail of huge, slightly bloody claw
marks that started around my collarbone and trailed down beneath my shirt. \par\
One of the things I loved about my aunt was that she always seemed to know what to
do. On the rare occasions where she wasn\u8217?t totally sure, which had cropped up
here and there since it was revealed that I was the Alpha, she still remained
fairly calm, or at least calmed down quickly after any initial stress. Even the
first time I ever shifted and came home all bloody, she had been a bit unnerved but
hadn\u8217?t lost her cool. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
To be fair, it hadn\u8217?t come as quite so much of a surprise to her as it had
to me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But regardless, I was grateful for my aunt\u8217?s level-headedness as she looked
over me and Nikita. My omega had a short cut along her cheekbone, along with some
scrapes and a few bruises that were already blooming darkly on her light-gold skin,
but other than that, she was perfect. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s fine, auntie,\u8221? Nikita volunteered as Eva\u8217?s brow
furrowed at the sight of her cut. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aunt Eva\u8217?s mouth opened, and she was clearly about to fire off plenty of
questions, but before she could, her nose suddenly wrinkled, and she stepped back a
little further from us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You smell like werecats,\u8221? she said with a slightly accusing note in
her voice. Then she cast a quick look at Nikita. \u8220?No offense, dear. It\u8217?
s not you in particular, it\u8217?s--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No, I get it,\u8221? Nikita assured my aunt as she wrinkled her own nose in
agreement. \u8220?Those two smelled rank.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Two?\u8221? Eva repeated. Her mind was clearly working fast trying to
figure out what was going on. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m going to go clean off,\u8221? I said decisively. \u8220?I\u8217?
ll be quick, and then we can discuss your safety, Aunt Eva. Nikita, would you mind
waiting down here, just in case\u8230??\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I left the part unsaid about the possibility of more of Aiden\u8217?s werecats
coming to sniff around my aunt\u8217?s house. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My omega mate gave me a quick nod in response and a kiss on the lips that I had to
force myself not to turn into something much less appropriate. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll leave the bathroom door unlocked,\u8221? I said as I turned away
and walked up the stairs. \u8220?And I\u8217?ll keep an ear out, too.\u8221? \par\
As I was enveloped in a cloud of mint-scented steam and soap bubbles, I still felt
rage pulsating in the back of my mind at the thought of Aiden sending his grunts
here. Although, I guessed it wasn\u8217?t too surprising at this point. After all,
when Sabine and Newt had come to antagonize me on campus, they said that Aiden knew
where to find me. Apparently, that wasn\u8217?t a bluff. They\u8217?d been close
enough to the house that I felt sure it couldn\u8217?t be some crazy coincidence. \
But why, exactly? It didn\u8217?t seem logical for him to send them to spy. Aiden
would have to know that he couldn\u8217?t send his werecat minions lurking around
here so closely without me or my aunt picking up on their presence. She was a
shifter, after all. She would detect them if they got close enough to learn
anything. He must\u8217?ve had another reason for sending two of his pride here,
and for apparently giving them orders not to get too close or do any harm. \par\
At the very least, he had to have known that I would find out about them, even if
they didn\u8217?t get near Eva. Plus, he\u8217?d happened to choose the very two
werecats whose scents I would recognize, out of all the fifty-odd betas he could
have chosen. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then it clicked in my mind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?He wanted to piss me off,\u8221? I muttered to myself. \u8220?That was the
point.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As I scrubbed myself in a froth of bubbles, I unconsciously avoided the cuts on my
chest even though they didn\u8217?t even sting much anymore, and I just let the
water run over them from behind. I felt like I was washing off some of the stress
from the fight, too, and it left things clearer as the scattered pieces of my
thoughts seemed to settle into place. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I realized I just needed to think carefully and choose my next course of action
carefully, like I was playing a complicated German board game. I knew Aiden was a
calculating guy, and that meant I had to be just as calculating in my moves and
countermoves. My goal was to eliminate the threat that Aiden\u8217?s existence
posed to my pack, and I couldn\u8217?t allow myself to be distracted from that by
getting too focused on this little skirmish alone. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I felt more clear headed as I toweled off, got dressed, and went to talk to my
mate and my aunt, and the beginnings of a solid plan had just formed in my mind. \
They were at the table when I got downstairs, and Nikita was sipping at a mug of
tea. I jokingly feigned snatching it away from her, and the caramel-haired beauty
giggled and swatted at my hand. Then she got up to go take her turn in the
shower. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Despite the slight warmth of the spring day, I was grateful for the added heat as
I sat in her place and wrapped my hands around her steaming mug. It was a familiar
action that gave me a sense of solidity. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Soooooo,\u8221? my aunt began without preamble as she set her own mug on
the table and folded her arms in the seat across from me. \u8220?Who was it?\u8221?
\u8220?Some of Aiden\u8217?s beta werecats,\u8221? I answered. \u8220?The same two
who came to try and intimidate me on campus last week.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hmm.\u8221? I could practically see the wheels in Aunt Eva\u8217?s head
turning as she started to analyze the situation. \u8220?And how did this fight come
about, exactly?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She sounded suspicious in a way that drew a small chuckle out of me despite the
fact that I wasn\u8217?t exactly in a laughing mood. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You mean, did they come for me, or did I come for them?\u8221? I clarified.
My aunt nodded, and I shrugged as I responded. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We didn\u8217?t exactly bump into each other,\u8221? I told her. \u8220?
Nikita and I smelled them as soon as we pulled onto your street. We had the windows
down in the car, and it was clear right away they\u8217?d been here not all too
long ago\u8230? so close to you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I brought my fist down on the table and made the teacup jump and clatter, but then
I shot an apologetic look at my aunt. She waved her hand for me to continue, and I
briefly ran through what had happened. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
To my surprise, the tension eased up slightly on her face as I spoke. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well,\u8221? she mused once I was finished. \u8220?It\u8217?s unlikely that
Aiden had someone tailing you, then. That\u8217?s good, at least.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Not really.\u8221? I scowled fiercely. \u8220?They had someone poking
around where you live. How is that any better?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Although eliminating the two werecats had been a slight balm on my anger, I
couldn\u8217?t help still feeling heated about the whole thing. After all, even
though they were gone, they were just a symptom of the larger problem that still
lurked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aiden. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s not\u8230? better, per se,\u8221? my aunt sighed. \u8220?But it\
u8217?s a little less troubling. After all, one of them did say that Aiden knew
where to find you, right? And while I know that\u8217?s not exactly comforting in
itself, well, at least it seems unlikely that he\u8217?s been able to keep close
enough tabs on you to know where you were personally. He sent them skulking around
here to look for you, not to Monroe.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?They were headed away from here and in the opposite direction of Monroe
when Nikita and I caught up with them,\u8221? I admitted and nodded grudgingly. \
u8220?But why were they on their way out of here when I arrived, rather than trying
to engage in some kind of shady bullshit with you?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Well\u8230?\u8221? Aunt Eva raised her eyebrows. \u8220?Maybe Aiden isn\
u8217?t such a scumbag after all. Maybe he\u8217?d rather fight you personally than
go after your family, and when you weren\u8217?t here, his betas went home.\
\u8220?That doesn\u8217?t seem right.\u8221? I shook my head as I gnawed on my
lip. \u8220?I was thinking it was more--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My sentence was interrupted by my omega mate bounding back down the stairs and the
wave of minty soap scent that came floating along with her. She seemed energized by
the fight more than anything, and the shower seemed to revive her even more. Her
face was full of vitality, but it got more serious as she joined us at the table. \
Then I went on to mention the conclusion I had come to about Aiden wanting to piss
me off, and my aunt nodded knowingly in response. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That wouldn\u8217?t be unsurprising, really,\u8221? she said. When I looked
at her questioningly, she elaborated. \u8220?You\u8217?re the alpha, Jesse. He
probably wanted to goad you into acting for some reason. I can think of many.\
\u8220?Like he wanted to test my strength, or something?\u8221? I asked with a
frown. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Maybe,\u8221? she agreed. \u8220?Or even just to test your character. Maybe
he wants to, well\u8230? get to know you. See what your response would be, so he
can figure out how to\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Take me down?\u8221? I finished with a dark chuckle. \u8220?World\u8217?s
strangest personality test.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My aunt just smiled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I started to organize the thoughts that had been spinning chaotically through my
mind earlier, and I realized that attacking Aiden wasn\u8217?t the thing to do
right now. My instinct was to protect my aunt, and it was a good instinct. But I
had to be calculating about how I accomplished protecting her. The fact was, I had
no idea where the hell Aiden Jansen was, and if I pursued him right now, I would
waste valuable time and energy running around on a wild goose chase when I should
be using it to plot exactly how I was going to do this. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And then I could finally rip his fucking head off. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But first\u8230? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Aunt Eva,\u8221? I declared. \u8220?I\u8217?ve been thinking.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?You want to send me to Gray\u8217?s.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I blinked in surprise that she\u8217?d caught on so quickly, but my aunt was a
shrewd one, and she knew me well. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It was on my mind,\u8221? I acknowledged. \u8220?How did you know?\u8221? \
\u8220?It makes sense,\u8221? Aunt Eva said with a smile and a slight shrug. \
u8220?I can understand that it\u8217?d likely be safer for me there. It\u8217?s
what I\u8217?d do, if I were you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hmm,\u8221? I mumbled. Then I raised an eyebrow. \u8220?And what would you
do if you were\u8230? you?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, it\u8217?d take a hell of a lot more than two of those sniveling
werecats to scare me off,\u8221? Eva chuckled as she folded her hands under her
chin and looked meditatively down at her cup of tea. \u8220?But you\u8217?re the
alpha, Jesse. I go where you tell me to.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m not going to just command you to go,\u8221? I protested. \u8220?I
just think you\u8217?d be a lot safer at Gray\u8217?s. I need to make calculated
moves at this point, and I think that would be a really good one. None of Aiden\
u8217?s werecats have gone sniffing around there, and he probably would think twice
before doing it. Monroe is known as werecoyote territory. Every shifter is aware of
that, you said so yourself.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes,\u8221? my aunt sighed. \u8220?Like I said, it\u8217?s what I\u8217?d
command, if I were in your position. I\u8217?m not exactly eager to vacate the
house we\u8217?ve lived in since we moved here, but my heart won\u8217?t break over
it. Things change, now more than ever, and we can keep this house under our
ownership for later. It could come in handy down the line, but for now, I\u8217?ll
go, Jesse. I think it\u8217?s a wise move.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thanks, Aunt Eva,\u8221? I said, and I tried to keep too much of my relief
from showing on my face. I was willing to argue with my aunt if I had to, but she
had essentially raised me, and it would\u8217?ve felt wrong to have to force her to
move against her will. Then I moved onto my next idea. \u8220?And, uh\u8230? I was
sort of thinking about moving some werecoyotes in there with you.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Several expressions flickered across my aunt\u8217?s face one after another. The
first one I picked out was surprise. The last look that lingered there was
thoughtfulness. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How many werecoyotes?\u8221? she asked carefully. \u8220?And aren\u8217?t
there some living there already?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, usually there\u8217?s four others who live at the cabin with
Arielle,\u8221? I replied. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Usually?\u8221? Nikita asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well\u8230? last night, they, uh\u8230? found somewhere else to stay.\
u8221? I cleared my throat, and Nikita giggled as she suddenly understood. \u8220?
Anyway, Gray used to have them there to keep an eye on her, since he left her there
so often. I want her to stay there with you for now, Eva, and--\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?She\u8217?s not going to agree to that so easily,\u8221? my aunt warned. \
u8220?Don\u8217?t forget, she\u8217?s an omega. Your omega.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, I haven\u8217?t forgotten,\u8221? I snorted. \u8220?I\u8217?ve thought
it through, though, and I know she\u8217?ll see the sense in it. It\u8217?s only a
temporary measure, anyways. I\u8217?m going to move some of my werecats in here
tomorrow, and then it\u8217?ll be safe enough for Arielle.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I see,\u8221? my aunt murmured. \u8220?But if you feel comfortable moving
Arielle in here, I take it there must be another reason you\u8217?re sending me to
Gray\u8217?s.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll get to that in a minute,\u8221? I said with a grin. \u8220?I\
u8217?m going to switch out some of the werecoyotes who live at Gray\u8217?s. I
want to reward some who were helpful to me by moving them in there, and aside from
that, I\u8217?d like to be a little more sure of the character of the ones who are
living with you. Of course, I don\u8217?t know any of them on a personal level, but
I was able to get a slight idea\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Next to me, Nikita cocked her head in an interested way, and her curious
expression was mirrored on my aunt\u8217?s face. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Who did you have in mind?\u8221? Eva asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Dr. Stenton,\u8221? I said immediately. \u8220?He tended to my wounds after
the fight with Gray. But more importantly, he didn\u8217?t participate in the fight
against me.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good choice,\u8221? Nikita agreed. \u8220?Who else?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Pete Daughtry,\u8221? I said with certainty. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That name sounds really familiar,\u8221? Aunt Eva mused. \u8220?Who is it?\
\u8220?Another werecoyote who was at the clinic after the fight,\u8221? I said. \
u8220?He\u8217?s been with their pack since Gray\u8217?s dad was in charge. He\
u8217?s pretty old, but the point is that he\u8217?s seasoned, and he was honest
with me about Gray and Arielle. He\u8217?s a blunt, no-nonsense type of guy. I also
think he\u8217?ll be useful to have around.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Useful?\u8221? Aunt Eva quirked an eyebrow. \u8220?To whom, exactly?\u8221?
\u8220?You, of course,\u8221? I said promptly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How do you mean?\u8221? my aunt asked with a surprised but interested
expression on her face. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You\u8217?re my cappa, remember?\u8221? I grinned affectionately at her,
and I was pleased that she returned my expression with enthusiasm. \u8220?That\
u8217?s the other reason for you moving there. I want you to be in charge of things
in Monroe. So Gray\u8217?s house will be one of our pack\u8217?s main bases.\u8221?
\u8220?Ooh.\u8221? Nikita rubbed her hands together excitedly like she was about
to dig into a delicious meal. \u8220?Now we\u8217?re getting down to business.\
\u8220?Sounds great,\u8221? Eva agreed. \u8220?Where will the rest of the
werecoyotes be?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I want to plan that with them and you today,\u8221? I said. \u8220?But
regardless, they\u8217?ll be close by. You\u8217?ll have twenty plus werecoyotes
basically on standby. So it\u8217?ll definitely be safe.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I suppose I\u8217?ll be doing a lot of cooking,\u8221? my aunt chuckled. \
\u8220?Better get packing,\u8221? I said with a wink. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Right.\u8221? Eva got to her feet and clapped her hands together decisively
as she made a beeline for the kitchen cupboards. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I got up as well, and Nikita sent me a proud little smirk as she sidled in
close. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Nice,\u8221? my omega murmured to me. \u8220?She seems really excited.\
\u8220?That\u8217?s what I was going for.\u8221? I wrapped my arms around my mate
and smiled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So\u8230?\u8221? she said up against my neck, and my pulse leaped as her
lips grazed tantalizingly against my jaw. \u8220?What\u8217?s our next move,
Alpha?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?re going back to Gray\u8217?s house,\u8221? I chuckled, and I took
her firmly by the shoulders to keep her from tempting me further. As much as I
enjoyed every bit of it, that would have to wait for a little bit. \u8220?Time to
talk strategy with the werecoyotes.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Interesting,\u8221? she said as she wriggled playfully out of my grip. \
u8220?And I finally get to meet Arielle. I hope she\u8217?s every bit as stunning
as you described.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I raised my eyebrows and was a little surprised at her gameness for this, but then
I thought back to everything she\u8217?d said about me being alpha and being
excited to have an omega sister around, and I guessed it made sense. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m so glad you\u8217?re on board.\u8221? I grinned. \u8220?Oh, hang
on a sec\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and quickly dialed Benji\u8217?s number. \par\
\u8220?Hey dude,\u8221? Benji said before the first ring had even finished. \par\
I blinked in surprise. \u8220?That was a pretty speedy response, man. I\u8217?m
impressed.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, anything for you, bro,\u8221? Benji teased. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll hold you to that,\u8221? I said with a hoot of laughter. \u8220?
Anyway, we\u8217?re heading to Gray\u8217?s--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ew!\u8221? My friend sounded horrified. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What?\u8221? I asked in total confusion. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh\u8230?\u8221? Benji chuckled weakly. \u8220?Just still trying to get his
fucking stench out of my nose. Carry on.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Right.\u8221? I shook my head and suppressed another laugh. \u8220?Well,
you\u8217?re my captain, and I want you there to talk strategy with the coyotes. Do
you want us to pick you up?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?With Nikita driving?\u8221? he joked. \u8220?What do I look like, a crash
test dummy?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I glanced at my mate and saw that her eyes had narrowed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?You know,\u8221? I pretended to muse. \u8220?On second thought\u8230?\
\u8220?I\u8217?m kidding, dude,\u8221? Benji interrupted, and I could hear the
cheeky grin in his voice. \u8220?But\u8230? I\u8217?m with Travis, I kinda can\
u8217?t get away for another ten minutes or so. Can I meet you there?\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Sure thing,\u8221? I said. \u8220?See you there.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
After I hung up, Nikita raised her eyebrows at me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll show him the meaning of crash test dummy,\u8221? she muttered
under her breath, but then Eva appeared from upstairs and heaved a suitcase into my
arms. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, sorry, Jesse!\u8221? she gasped. \u8220?I forgot you\u8217?re wounded.
I know it wasn\u8217?t life-threatening, but that still must\u8217?ve\u8230?\u8221?
My aunt trailed off as she shifted the suitcase out of the way and caught sight of
my chest. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What?\u8221? I asked with a slight frown. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How long ago did you fight those cats?\u8221? she asked. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I dunno.\u8221? I shrugged. \u8220?Little less than an hour ago? I honestly
feel totally fine.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She gestured wordlessly for me to set the suitcase down, and I lowered it to the
ground. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Take off your shirt,\u8221? Aunt Eva requested. \u8220?I want to see those
scratches.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I peeled my shirt off of my skin that was still slightly hot from my scalding
shower and looked down at my chest. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The cuts were completely healed.\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } {\s1 \afs32
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
{
\u8220?What the\u8230??\u8221? I muttered as I ran a hand carefully over the skin
of my chest. There were slightly raised ridges in the places where the faintly pink
lines descended from my collarbone to the top of my abdomen, but the cuts were
healed over and looked more than a week old already. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That was fast,\u8221? Nikita marveled as she stepped closer to take in the
sight, too. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I whipped my head up to re-examine the cut on her cheek, and it was healed in
almost the exact same way. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, it is getting quicker,\u8221? I murmured as I prodded the skin, but
then I shrugged and donned my shirt again. \u8220?They were feeling better in the
shower already.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s interesting,\u8221? Eva said thoughtfully. \u8220?And again,
happening sooner than I thought. Especially for Nikita. I know you two are quite\
u8230? closely bonded, but she is still a new omega for you, technically speaking.\
\u8220?New or not, she\u8217?s part of me now,\u8221? I said with a grin at my
mate. \u8220?I\u8217?m glad she\u8217?s reaping the benefits of our connection and
healing quicker.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, I reap way more benefits than just that.\u8221? The caramel-haired
beauty popped up onto her tiptoes to give me a kiss, and Eva chuckled and rolled
her eyes at us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then she vanished into the kitchen to grab some more things while I hefted the
suitcase again. Aunt Eva was back within thirty seconds, and she handed Nikita a
much lighter-looking little bag to carry. She slung a sack over her own shoulder,
and it clattered and clanged with the unmistakable sound of a bunch of pots and
pans being jarred against each other. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, how many bags of flour are in this suitcase?\u8221? I teased my aunt. \
\u8220?Two,\u8221? Aunt Eva said matter-of-factly. \u8220?Let\u8217?s go.\u8221? \
We loaded Eva\u8217?s things into the Benz, and after a short while, we were
cruising back along the highway to Monroe. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Warm, honeyed light spilled from the windows of Gray\u8217?s two-story log cabin
when we arrived, and a trickle of smoke leaked out of the big stone chimney. The
setting sun painted the smoke an oyster-pink color and cast red-gold glimmers down
to play off the rippling water of the fountain. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As we rolled up to the end of the paved driveway where a few other cars were
parked, I realized there was a dark figure standing in the shadows cast by the
awning that curved over the porch surrounding the house. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I got out a little cautiously, but as soon as the fresh air hit my nose, I
relaxed. Amongst the scents of all the other werecoyotes that were strewn and
layered everywhere, this one immediately called out to me in a way that was
impossible to mistake. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was Arielle. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Her ambrosial chocolate aroma sent a pang of desire straight through me, and as I
breathed in another lungful of the decadent, cinnamon-laced scent, it was all I
could do to remember how to make my legs work together enough to walk. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Jesse,\u8221? Aunt Eva called, and I shook my head briskly to refocus. \
u8220?I need a little help\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, right,\u8221? I said apologetically, and I turned back to lend a hand
carrying Aunt Eva\u8217?s bags. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I ended up carrying the pot-sack, and it clanged and jangled as I heaved it up the
steps. At the top, a petite shadow with exquisitely curved hips seemed to be
waiting for me, but after a moment, it moved away and went into the house\u8217?s
half-open front door. Then there was a click as the porch light was switched on.
The shadows that clung close to the lower half of the house were lifted, and
Arielle came back out and walked toward me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Now she was lit up by the porch light, and as she moved away from the house, some
of the lingering sunlight fell over her, too. I could see that the omega was simply
dressed in dark jeans that closely followed each curve, and a cropped gray sweater
barely clung to her delicate shoulders. Her eyes gleamed the color of sienna as she
looked at me, and her tan skin was like rich amber in the porch light\u8217?s glow.
Arielle\u8217?s shiny, copper-brown hair was slightly tousled, and it grazed her
half-bare shoulders in loose waves above her small, perky breasts. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Finally, as Aunt Eva and Nikita walked up the wide porch steps together, I
remembered how to talk. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Arielle,\u8221? I said, and I gestured briefly between the werecoyote omega
and my two approaching companions. \u8220?This is my Aunt Eva, and\u8230? my mate,
Nikita. Eva, Nikita, this is Arielle, the new omega in the pack.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Lovely to meet you, Arielle,\u8221? my aunt said with a smile that already
seemed filled with fondness. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As Nikita greeted Arielle even more warmly and clasped her hand, the slight
remaining anxiety I had about possible tension between the two omegas dissipated
completely. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s great to meet you both,\u8221? Arielle said with a tentative
smile. The werecoyote\u8217?s face was somehow both angular and soft, and despite
the shyness of her smile, I felt like it could\u8217?ve lit up the night. \par\
\u8220?Are the other werecoyotes here?\u8221? I asked. \u8220?We have some
important things to discuss.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?The four who live here besides me have returned,\u8221? she answered, and
then she instantly blushed like she was remembering how secluded we\u8217?d been
last night. \u8220?Th-They\u8217?re all hanging around inside. The rest live in
small properties that Gray owns\u8230? I mean\u8230? owned. That\u8217?s probably
where they\u8217?ll be. If not, well\u8230? the actual downtown part of Monroe is
about the size of a football field, so they shouldn\u8217?t be too hard to find.\
\u8220?Got it.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?Hmm\u8230? You know, there\u8217?s
something I\u8217?ve kind of been wanting to try.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
After a slight hesitation, I turned around and let out the loudest possible howl
into the night. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was worried that I\u8217?d feel foolish howling like a wolf in my human form,
but I didn\u8217?t, and I couldn\u8217?t help but grin as the wolf-like sound
reverberated eerily around me in the gathering dusk. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When I turned around, Nikita was back in the doorway after setting some of Eva\
u8217?s stuff down inside, and she was gaping at me with a shocked and interested
expression. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How on Earth did you do that?\u8221? my mate laughed. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I just put all the force and will I normally use for shifting into\u8230? a
howl,\u8221? I said with a modest shrug. \u8220?I think it might\u8217?ve worked
alright if I just yelled anything, too, but the howl seemed cooler.\u8221? \par\
I grinned at her, and she rolled her eyes slightly and giggled while I followed
her inside. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The wide living room opened up around us, and I immediately noticed it looked a
little different than it did this morning. There was the fact that the big metal
chandelier was lit up and sent little panes of light out in a warm glow down on the
surrounding surfaces, but there was something else, too, although I wasn\u8217?t
sure what. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?The moose head is gone,\u8221? Arielle answered my unspoken question, and I
realized she\u8217?d seen me staring around the room. \u8220?I always hated that
thing, but I\u8217?m sure you could tell that Gray liked trophies of any kind.\
I nodded in agreement as I remembered the gigantic moose head that had been
mounted above the fireplace and how well it fit in with Gray\u8217?s overdone
figure. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Totally,\u8221? I said. \u8220?It looks better now.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The living room did look nice. Besides the warm glow the chandelier added and the
conspicuous absence of the looming moose head, I noticed the picture frames that
had lined the mantle were all gone. They had been replaced with softly glowing
candles. It looked a little empty but inviting. Maybe it was just me, but it seemed
like it was ready to be filled up with new photos. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As I took all this in, I noticed two of the werecoyotes in human form sprawled out
on the opulent sofas in front of the mantle. They were watching some sort of movie
on what I thought at first glance was the most impossibly huge TV I\u8217?d ever
seen. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then two sets of feet could be heard thundering down the stairs, and two more of
the werecoyote betas came into view. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, hey, Alpha!\u8221? one of them said as casually as if we were at a
family barbecue. He was a slightly stocky, flaxen-haired guy whose name I didn\
u8217?t know. \u8220?What\u8217?s up?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The other guy was tall with rich, copper-colored skin and a mop of loose black
curls that fell into his eyes. He tossed it back slightly as he elbowed his
companion in the ribs. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?He\u8217?s The Alpha, dude. Shape up.\u8221? The tall guy extended his hand
to me in a way that was still casual, but a little less brazen. \u8220?Hey, Alpha.
I\u8217?m Caleb, and this idiot is Marco.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I had to make an effort not to laugh as I shook his hand. I was getting the
opposite vibe of the werecats\u8217? sometimes overzealous helpfulness here, but it
was in a way I liked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then Caleb and Marco joined their two fellow werecoyotes, who were another guy and
a tomboyish girl, on the couches. As I gave the TV they were watching a second
glance, I realized suddenly that it was a projector screen. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Damn,\u8221? Nikita murmured next to me as she stared at it, too. \u8220?
Guy really knew how to treat himself.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Himself, yes.\u8221? Next to us, Arielle smiled a little sadly. \u8220?
Other people, not so much. Even his most loyal followers were only rewarded just
with the properties he owned, which may sound nice, but\u8230? it\u8217?s only the
plot of land he gave them. They had to figure out how to put a roof over their
heads on their own. Half of them are still living in tiny trailers that are falling
apart.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What a jackass,\u8221? I muttered. \u8220?If I had his kind of money, none
of my pack would be wanting.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well,\u8221? said Aunt Eva helpfully as she joined us from the kitchen. \
u8220?You do have his belongings to call your own now. Although not all of it will
fall into your hands right away, it\u8217?ll be a little easier to claim because
there\u8217?s no one left alive to fight you over it. Unlike with\u8230?\u8221? \
\u8220?Aiden,\u8221? I finished grimly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Arielle opened her mouth like she was going to ask a question, but several more
sets of footsteps pounding across the porch interrupted her. The door burst open,
and a horde of werecoyotes came clamoring in on each others\u8217? heels. They
looked like they had just come from a party together, and they were all chattering
amongst themselves. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When they caught sight of me, they quieted a little, and I did a quick head count.
There were thirteen of them once the ones in the doorway shuffled aside to make
room for the rest. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
They hadn\u8217?t been all too delighted at first when I took over their pack, but
the werecoyotes seemed to be almost at ease with me now, like the idea had settled
in well with them. They hailed their fellow werecoyotes on the couches with ease,
and they all seemed as closely-knit as Eva had first described. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I felt like they were an easy group to like. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I spotted old Peter Daughtry right off the bat with his white hair and mustache.
As he gave me a respectful nod, I noted that the gash on his face seemed to have
healed well, maybe a bit quickly even for a shifter, but that was to be expected at
this point. He was much older than some of his companions, but I hoped he\u8217?d
heal even quicker once he and the other coyotes developed a stronger bond with
me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The black-haired Dr. Stenton gave me a friendly little wave and a smile. He looked
more tired than some of the fighters did, but I appreciated how dedicated he was to
his work. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As all of them spread out in front of me in a rough circle, I found myself only
slightly nervous compared to how I\u8217?d felt when I had to speak to the werecats
as a group for the first time after taking charge of them. Part of it was that I
was already getting used to this, but it was also easy to feel at ease amongst the
werecoyotes somehow. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
You\u8217?ve got this}, Nikita assured me, and I sent her a subtle smile. \par\
\u8220?Alright, everyone,\u8221? I said in a slightly raised voice, and the final
chatter died out as they all listened. \u8220?So, we have some important things to
talk about. But before I get to the specific stuff, we need to get some general
business out of the way. First of all, we\u8217?re a pack now.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I paused for a moment to make sure no one was going to challenge me on that,
because I needed them all on board. As I glanced around at the faces of the
werecoyotes, I noticed that they were nodding. Again, it wasn\u8217?t in an
overeager way like the werecats, but I had the feeling I\u8217?d won them over with
my display of strength already, and now they were just waiting to see what the
first command was and how exciting it would be. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was time to find out how prickly their pride was, though. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I want this to be one of our pack\u8217?s primary bases,\u8221? I went
on. \u8220?With some of you still living here, and some others spread out in
Monroe, probably not too different from how it is now. But one overall thing
seriously needs to change. Your guys\u8217? security\u8230? sucks. And it needs to
get better.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Most of the werecoyotes were nodding and grimacing in an almost embarrassed type
of way, like they knew this. But one of them, who I thought was a little younger
than me, spoke up. He was a pale, lanky, and slightly haughty-looking guy with a
heart-shaped face, and his facial expression intensified when he spoke. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Why would we need to do that? We\u8217?re f--\u8221? He was interrupted as
the door came crashing open again, and Benji came galumphing inside. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey guys,\u8221? he said breezily, like he saw the werecoyotes every day
and we hadn\u8217?t all been fighting in the street yesterday morning. \u8220?Sorry
I\u8217?m late, Alpha. Lost my car keys.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Benji jangled his keys in his hand for a second, but then he quieted down and went
to stand off to the side as he saw I was talking. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s why,\u8221? I said, and I dropped my grin and turned back to
the werecoyotes. \u8220?How many of you had any idea he was coming?\u8221? \par\
No one said anything. Some shook their heads, some shrugged uncomfortably. They
all seemed awkward about it, but pretty open to change. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I think you guys are great fighters,\u8221? I went on uninterrupted this
time. \u8220?You have a lot of strengths. You just need a little organization, and
I\u8217?d say your previous alpha is at fault for that.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Their nods were vigorous this time, even the haughty-looking kid. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Gray sucked,\u8221? he muttered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, today\u8217?s your lucky day. Firstly, I\u8217?m sending my captain
here.\u8221? I gestured at Eva. \u8220?She\u8217?ll live in this cabin, which will
be our main base in Monroe. I want some of you to stay here. The rest\u8230? Well,
where exactly are you guys living presently?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A slight chatter broke out as a bunch of the werecoyotes muttered and gestured
vaguely in different directions, and I frowned. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then the tomboyish-looking girl I\u8217?d noticed earlier spoke up. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I have some maps that I drew,\u8221? she said to me, and a few of her
fellow werecoyotes looked scandalized, while some others looked delighted in a sort
of mischievous way. She turned back to me and explained. \u8220?Gray started
getting distrustful of everyone. Like, everyone. He didn\u8217?t even want his own
pack to have anything that had information about the pack or our whereabouts. So he
very publicly made me get rid of them. Except, er\u8230? I sort of didn\u8217?t.\
She sounded a little sheepish, but not scared or anything. She actually seemed a
little excited to share it with me, and I thought that was a good sign of my
relationship with my new pack members so far. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Excellent,\u8221? I said, and I flashed her an appreciative grin. \u8220?
Would you mind grabbing those? And\u8230? what was your name?\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Kiri,\u8221? she told me with an enthusiastic smile. \u8220?No problem.\
She took the stairs two at a time to go get her maps, and I chuckled with a little
surprise. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then a college-aged werecoyote woman I\u8217?d noticed before brushed her tawny
hair out of her doll-like blue eyes and spoke up. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Kiri reeeally loves her maps. Girl can do some serious mapmaking. We all
have something we\u8217?re good at doing, really\u8230? Except for Brenden.\u8221?
She paused and laughed as she dodged an overhanded swat from the haughty-looking
kid, and then she continued. \u8220?But Gray sucked the fun out of everything, or
even made some of us stop doing our stuff, like Kiri.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?What a jackass,\u8221? I said sympathetically. \u8220?What\u8217?s your
name?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m Thalia,\u8221? she said with a warm smile at me. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, Thalia,\u8221? I said as I returned her grin slightly. \u8220?There\
u8217?s not going to be any more of that. As long as what you\u8217?re doing doesn\
u8217?t legitimately endanger the pack for some reason or interfere with your
duties, then it\u8217?s fine by me. It\u8217?s not like she was making maps and
handing them out to the enemy or something, right?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Nope.\u8221? Thalia shook her head. \u8220?Nothing dangerous.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Well, there you go,\u8221? I chuckled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thanks, Alpha.\u8221? Thalia gave me another smile. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Another voice called out from the group, and I saw it was from a guy who seemed
barely above college age but had strands of silver woven through the darkness of
his long, straight hair. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m Kahn,\u8221? he said first, like he knew it felt awkward to keep
asking everyone their names. \u8220?Who\u8217?s going to be staying here, Alpha?
The same people as now, or are you switching it up?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
And now it was time to see how they handled big changes being made by the new
alpha. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, first things first\u8230? Like I said, I\u8217?m moving my captain,
Eva, in here.\u8221? I gestured at Eva, and she did a little wave to the
werecoyotes. \u8220?She\u8217?s my right-hand woman, and she speaks with my voice
when I\u8217?m not here. I expect you guys to show her every measure of respect.\
The werecoyotes nodded and murmured in agreement, and they cast curious and
excited looks at Eva. No one raised any objections, so I continued. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I want Dr. Stenton to move in,\u8221? I told them as I gestured to him and
then waved a hand over at Peter Daughtry. \u8220?And Peter. Caleb and Levi will
stay, and so will Kiri.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Kiri came galloping down the stairs with her arms full of maps just as I finished.
\u8220?What about me?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I said you\u8217?re going to be staying here,\u8221? I chuckled. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I let Eva briefly go over what I\u8217?d said for Kiri, because I thought it was
good for her to start communicating with them personally. In the meantime, I
started to look over the maps. Some were done on what was clearly some type of
professional-grade cartography paper and tied with little ribbons, and as I
unfurled them, I was thoroughly impressed with the detail and artistry of her
mapmaking. Others were done on assorted scraps of paper, and one was even on a
napkin. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I picked up several ripped pieces of paper that appeared to make up one map.
Some of them were singed on the edges, like they\u8217?d been partially burned. I
stared at them in confusion. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oops.\u8221? Kiri said briskly as she hurried back over to scoop them out
of my hands. \u8220?Sorry, those aren\u8217?t important. They\u8217?re, er\u8230?
maps of Astoria\u8230? Just for fun.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As I caught a final glance of the maps of the coast and some islands off of it, I
saw \u8220?The Goonies\u8221? written out in big, yellow and orange bubble letters
at the top, and I had to crack a smile. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s awesome,\u8221? I told her with sincerity. \u8220?And these
are great, I think these will be super helpful when\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Then I realized I had yet to break the whole topic of Aiden to them. I looked
around, and they were all still looking at me expectantly, so I went ahead. \par\
\u8220?Before we decide on who will be staying where, I need to tell you guys
about a mission we\u8217?ll be doing,\u8221? I announced. \u8220?There\u8217?s a
werecat--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A chorus of quiet mutters and a few borderline-growls broke out all of a sudden. \
\u8220?Named Aiden Jansen,\u8221? I finished more loudly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
Everything grew quiet again. I saw a few people stir slightly, including Peter,
but no one said anything at first. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then another guy spoke up who had sand-colored hair, an arched, hawk-like nose,
and bright hazel eyes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m Leo.\u8221? He waved as he followed the trend of introducing
himself. \u8220?Do you\u8230? uhhh\u8230? mean Max Jansen\u8217?s brother?\u8221? \
\u8220?Yep,\u8221? I said, and some uneasy murmurs went around before I continued.
\u8220?He wants me dead, and he\u8217?s become a threat to the pack.\u8221? \par\
More muttering ensued. Then Peter stepped forward a little, and when he looked
around, everyone quieted down again. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?The Jansens were alphas for a long time, for those of you young\u8217?uns
who aren\u8217?t aware,\u8221? Peter said gruffly to the werecoyotes. \u8220?But I\
u8217?ve heard the young ones are about as bad as Gray, in their own way. Not too
different, though, really. That true?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, they were rich, pompous assholes, too. Maybe not quite so\u8230?\
u8221? I couldn\u8217?t think of the right word, so I just gestured at the richly-
decorated house around me, and the werecoyotes nodded like this made perfect sense.
I chuckled at this before I went on. \u8220?But, uh\u8230? Well, I killed Max.\
The werecoyotes went dead silent again for a few moments. I thought they looked
slightly impressed by this, but I couldn\u8217?t be quite sure. Finally, Peter gave
a low whistle. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, now this Aiden wants your head?\u8221? he summarized. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, basically,\u8221? I sighed as I ran a hand tiredly through my hair. \
u8220?And by all accounts, he\u8217?s usually cool as a cucumber on the surface,
but unpredictable. My werecats suspect that the death of his brother might stoke
his temper quite a bit, so he\u8217?s kind of a wild card right now. But
essentially, I\u8217?m getting the impression that he\u8217?s got my pack in his
crosshairs, and I don\u8217?t doubt he\u8217?ll stop at nothing before he destroys
it. And\u8230? well, that includes you guys now, too.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Some low mutters went around, and it reminded me a little of the noise a tea
kettle makes before it boils over and spills. But I thought it was in a good way,
weirdly enough, and I decided to be blunt with the pack. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Don\u8217?t be shy, guys,\u8221? I urged. \u8220?What\u8217?s on your
minds?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The werecoyotes looked around at each other. Then the pale, haughty-faced Brenden
leaned forward. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What\u8217?s our first move, Alpha?\u8221? he asked. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
A buzz of agreement went up among the werecoyotes, and I couldn\u8217?t help but
feel a slight thrill at their eagerness. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well,\u8221? I said as I gave him just the shadow of a grin. \u8220?I think
we should have two main goals right now. One is to be on the defensive constantly.
Aiden has already sent some of his werecats sniffing around my captain, Eva, and
sent some of them to plague me on campus--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You\u8217?re still going to school even though you\u8217?re the Alpha?\
u8221? Brenden muttered. \u8220?Respect.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah,\u8221? I said with a slightly weary expression. \u8220?It\u8217?s
been\u8230? interesting. But anyway, this means that, like I said earlier, security
definitely needs to be stepped up a notch. I want patrols out, and scouting
parties, but no one goes alone. I think I\u8217?ll have you in pairs. You\u8217?ll
be reporting to Eva when I\u8217?m not around. She needs to be kept safe, too.
Understood?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
They coyotes all nodded and clustered closer around me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I listened closely as they tossed out a few questions for me, and we continued to
outline the specifics of patrolling Monroe. Kiri was immensely helpful with her
maps, and I ended up instating a few Second Captains and making Aunt Eva the
official First Captain in this area. I awarded this title to Benji, too, although
it wasn\u8217?t as much of a discussion since the werecoyotes wouldn\u8217?t be
making constant reports to him. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There were five small properties of Gray\u8217?s, or rather, of mine, that were
said to be fairly habitable, and I pointed at all five of them in turn. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I think we should man these properties,\u8221? I decided. \u8220?Four
people will stay at each one and coordinate your patrols of these borders out here
in alternating parties of two.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Why don\u8217?t we split up into smaller groups?\u8221? Brenden objected. \
u8220?Cover more ground?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I shook my head. \u8220?Werecats hunt best by ambush. If you\u8217?re alone, and
they get you off your feet with a surprise attack, it\u8217?s a hell of a lot
harder to fight them, and more dangerous. I want you all to alternate your regular
patrols with scouting parties, and I want those done in groups of two as well.
Because other than defense, we have one goal we\u8217?re trying to carry out right
now: Discover where the hell Aiden Jansen is holing up.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The coyotes seemed enormously excited to have such an important mission, and they
built off of each others\u8217? energy. A hum of murmurs echoed around the room,
but I had to add a word of caution. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s great that you guys are so on board with this,\u8221? I told the
pack. \u8220?I think we\u8217?re all gonna work really well together. But remember,
this isn\u8217?t a game, alright? I know Gray didn\u8217?t let you do a lot for
yourselves, but don\u8217?t let that make you careless, please. That\u8217?s how
people die.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The werecoyotes sobered up a little, and they all nodded. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?So\u8230? Jesse,\u8221? Benji spoke for the first time in a little bit. \
u8220?I take it you\u8217?ll be staying with your werecats at the mansion?\u8221? \
\u8220?Ah\u8230?\u8221? I shook my head slowly. \u8220?No, I\u8217?m going to stay
at\u8230? at home.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
His eyes widened a little, and I thought his face got paler, so I hurried to ease
my half-brother\u8217?s concerns. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m going to move the werecats in with me,\u8221? I assured him. \
u8220?But I think me moving anywhere else would be a bad idea.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Now isn\u8217?t the time to let your pride take over, Alpha,\u8221? Eva
said quietly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I know,\u8221? I sighed patiently. \u8220?I mean, I do think it would be
bad to back down against Aiden in this case, but that\u8217?s not my only reason.
But he\u8217?s clearly trying to keep an eye on me, so moving in here will only
draw his focus to Monroe. I also think that me moving into Max\u8217?s old house
honestly might enrage a guy like Aiden, and I don\u8217?t want to do that quite
yet. I need to buy some time before I poke the bear. Er\u8230? cat, I guess. Save
that card for later.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Benji looked strained, but I could see him thinking it through, and eventually he
nodded. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That makes very good sense,\u8221? Eva admitted, and then she lowered her
voice a little. \u8220?I\u8217?m proud of you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I vowed I would stay grounded about this whole situation, but I still felt just a
hint of giddiness at the process of getting a move on Aiden. Planning things made
them seem more real, and I was more than ready for it to be real. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Arielle had remained near my side with Nikita through my entire planning session,
and I could hear the two omegas having some occasional friendly but hushed
interactions, but they had mostly remained quiet while I hammered things out with
the other werecoyotes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Now, Arielle moved closer to my side and spoke to me in a soft but clear voice. \
\u8220?I want to stay with you, Jesse,\u8221? she said. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I turned to face her and held back a sigh. I had been prepared for this, but it
was still hard to say no to the omega. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Not quite yet,\u8221? I told her gently as I looked into her eyes. \u8220?I
want to make sure I can have my werecats move in with us first, and that things
will go smoothly there. That way, if I have to go somewhere on my own, you\u8217?ll
still have Nikita and seven other shifters there with you. Aiden is smart, and I
know he\u8217?ll be trying to figure out how to hit me where it hurts most. And
losing you would be very high on that list.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh.\u8221? Arielle\u8217?s face fell, and I could have sworn her eyes were
on the verge of welling up with tears. \u8220?How long will that take?\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Not long at all,\u8221? I quickly assured her. \u8220?I\u8217?m planning on
heading over to see them right after this. Then I want to give them tomorrow to
sort things out and move in. So\u8230? how about the day after tomorrow? That\
u8217?s Tuesday.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Really?\u8221? Arielle\u8217?s face lifted into a sweet smile, and I felt
like the sun had just come out from behind a cloud as her umber-colored eyes
practically glowed with enthusiasm. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Really,\u8221? I chuckled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I looked over to see that the other werecoyotes had bunched off into groups
and were chatting excitedly, so it seemed they\u8217?d gotten the message that the
meeting was over. I put an arm around Arielle and Nikita and drew them over to the
side so we could talk more privately, because it was clear the shy werecoyote omega
had something else on her mind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Can\u8230? can we go somewhere? Together?\u8221? Arielle asked in a rush,
and there was a note of excitement in her voice I hadn\u8217?t heard until now. \
Although to be fair, I had barely heard anything from her. Gray had thoroughly
traumatized the omega. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Where were you thinking?\u8221? I asked a little cautiously. I was eager to
draw her out of her shell, but I didn\u8217?t want to make any promises I couldn\
u8217?t keep, and we couldn\u8217?t exactly go on a road trip right now. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Not far,\u8221? she promised. \u8220?It\u8217?s just\u8230? the coast is so
beautiful, and we live so close, but I haven\u8217?t been able to go in ages. Gray
wouldn\u8217?t let me go anywhere, ever. My favorite beach is literally a thirty-
minute drive from Monroe, and I haven\u8217?t gone in nearly a year\u8230?\u8221? \
Nikita immediately turned a pleading look to me, and I could see that the shy
omega had won my first mate over in the sweetest way possible. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thirty minutes, Jesse.\u8221? Nikita put an arm around Arielle and actually
stroked her soft brown hair as she continued to look at me. \u8220?We\u8217?ll make
it a day trip. It will be fun.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I bit my lip for a moment and then nodded decisively. \u8220?You\u8217?re right,
it\u8217?s spring break, and we\u8217?ve taken some steps to get a handle on this
whole Aiden thing. One day at the beach never hurt anyone.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Arielle practically bounced with excitement as she hugged Nikita, and she gave a
happy little shriek that I never would\u8217?ve expected her to make before
today. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?When can we go?\u8221? the omega asked breathlessly. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hmm\u8230?\u8221? I mumbled. \u8220?I think it\u8217?s supposed to be nice
on Tuesday\u8230? And that way you could come home with us afterwards.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Yep.\u8221? Nikita had already whipped out her phone and was scrolling
through to her weather app. \u8220?Tomorrow there will be some drizzle, but the day
after, it\u8217?ll be super clear, maybe even a tiny bit warm.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Perfect.\u8221? I grinned. Then I looked at Arielle. \u8220?Does that sound
okay?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That sounds amazing,\u8221? she sighed as she wrapped her arms around me
next. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The chocolate-cinnamon scent of her intoxicated me, and I almost started to sway a
little before I reached out to anchor her against me in a firm hug. I reached out
my other arm and scooped Nikita into it, too, and after several moments like this,
I sighed and pulled away a little. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We have to go for now,\u8221? I said as I released Arielle, but then I took
her dainty hands in mine. \u8220?But the day after tomorrow, we\u8217?ll go to the
beach, and then you\u8217?ll move in with us. I promise.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
She nodded and stuck out her pinky finger toward me, and the adorable gesture made
my heart practically crack open. I solemnly hooked my pinky around hers and shook,
and Nikita seized my other hand and hooked her pinky finger around my other one
before she did the same to Arielle\u8217?s other hand. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Shall we make it a blood oath?\u8221? she asked, and Arielle giggled. \par\
\u8220?Unnecessary,\u8221? I chuckled. \u8220?We\u8217?ll be here to pick you up,
Arielle.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Okay, Alpha,\u8221? she whispered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I snuck up on Aunt Eva, who was leaning against the counter during a lull in
the conversation with the werecoyotes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thanks, Captain Eva,\u8221? I said in an undertone as I sidled up to stand
next to her. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aunt Eva chuckled a little, although I thought she looked sad, too, so I embraced
her fiercely right before I headed for the door with Nikita. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Bye dude!\u8221? Benji called. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What?\u8221? I halted in my tracks. \u8220?Are you staying here?\u8221? \
\u8220?Just for a while,\u8221? my friend said casually. \u8220?I need more dogs
in my life, man, we\u8217?re a little cat-heavy lately.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Two of the werecoyotes slung their arms around Benji from each side, and I got the
unmistakable sense that the werecoyotes had accepted him wholly into their gang. \
\u8220?Alright,\u8221? I chuckled as I headed out the door. \u8220?Don\u8217?t
party too hard.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I felt a million times better than I had earlier that day as my teal-eyed mate
revved the Mercedes and peeled out of Gray\u8217?s old driveway. It was true that I
didn\u8217?t know exactly what Aiden\u8217?s game was yet, and the simple fact of
how unpredictable he was made Aiden a way more dangerous enemy than his brother had
ever been. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But the plans I\u8217?d made today should definitely help sway things in my favor.
I had taken the first step in figuring out where he was located, and that meant
taking the first step in bringing that motherfucker down. As long as I stayed
deliberate and calculating in my choices, then I could hand-deliver every bit of
savagery I was saving for Aiden right to his face. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Now, I just had to get my own pride of werecats in order.\par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{\page } {\s1 \afs32
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
{
Twenty minutes later, Nikita and I were rolling past the array of towering,
pillared mansions that dominated Mulaney Street. It wasn\u8217?t a very warm night,
but the spring air felt fresh and full of promise as it blew in through the car
windows. The quiet, staccato metronome of rotating sprinklers rang out from each
neatly manicured lawn we passed. A hint of muffled bass thudded through the walls
of a few houses, but besides that, there were few reminders that this was a
neighborhood in a college town and not some weird, distant offshoot of Beverly
Hills. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I saw Nikita\u8217?s nose wrinkle a little, and I leaned toward the window to
inhale and see if there was a troubling scent in the air. All I smelled was wet
grass and the familiar scent of my werecat betas that was becoming apparent as we
neared the McMansion. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What is it?\u8221? I asked. \u8220?Do you smell something?\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Hmm?\u8221? The omega looked over at me once she pulled into the one car-
free spot in the huge driveway. \u8220?Oh, no. It\u8217?s just\u8230? ugly.\
She gestured around at the vast neighborhood that surrounded us, and when I
glanced around at the absurdly overdone mansions and their fussy lawn decorations,
I couldn\u8217?t help but wrinkle my nose, too. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Super ugly,\u8221? I agreed as I opened the car door, stepped out, and
stretched. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
All of a sudden, a huge ruckus broke out in my head, and I almost toppled over
mid-stretch. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Alpha!} one of the werecats greeted me, and soon there was a whole chorus of{\i
Alpha!} in my mind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Damn,\u8221? I muttered as I gave my head a quick shake. \u8220?Forgot to
ask Aunt Eva if there\u8217?s a way to deal with this. After fighting together
against Gray, my head is ready to explode every time I\u8217?m near these guys.
They are supposed to be cats, but they act like golden retrievers.\u8221? \par\
My omega cast me a sympathetic look. Then she inhaled like she was preparing
herself to yell. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But she didn\u8217?t say anything aloud. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Pipe the hell down for a second!} Her thought rang out like a mental bellow, and
absolute silence fell in my mind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Nice,\u8221? I said with a relieved grin. \u8220?Thanks. Definitely gonna
bring this up to Eva next time we see her.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good idea,\u8221? Nikita agreed as we fell in step toward the fancy front
door of the McMansion. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The door opened slightly when we were about ten steps away from it, and a
tentative head poked out. Then the door swung open all the way, and the head proved
to belong to Kristina. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hi, Alpha,\u8221? the werecat beta said, and her pale green eyes were a
mixture of friendliness and wariness as they flickered to Nikita. \u8220?Niki.\
My mate just nodded stiffly but politely at the green-eyed beta until I nudged her
slightly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hi, Kristina,\u8221? Nikita said only a little grudgingly. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Kristina gave us a nervous half-smile and held the door open for us. Inside, the
other six werecats were all standing silently at attention. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, guys,\u8221? I greeted them with a little wave. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
No one spoke for a good ten seconds, so I continued. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You know you guys can talk, right?\u8221? I said a bit awkwardly. \u8220?It
was just\u8230? sort of overwhelming to suddenly have everyone so loud in my head
all at once again, you know?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Relieved looks washed over all the werecats\u8217? faces, and they all gave a
general murmur of agreement. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So\u8230? What\u8217?s going on, Alpha?\u8221? Zane spoke up. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, firstly I wanted to see how you guys are settling back in after
yesterday.\u8221? I glanced around and saw that everyone seemed to be healing as
expected, considering how things had sped up slightly for my pack. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?re good,\u8221? Serena answered for the werecats, and they all
bobbed their heads in agreement. \u8220?We rested up a little, and we\u8217?re all
feeling great.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s good to hear.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?The other reason I\
u8217?m here is because I\u8217?m sort of stepping things up in the Aiden
situation, and I need you guys to be involved in that.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?re yours to command, Alpha,\u8221? Eliza piped up, and her pale
eyes shone with something like excitement. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When I looked around, her expression was mirrored on the other werecats\u8217?
faces, and they all stood up a little straighter, if that was possible. Even
Kristina was nodding her head, and her black curls bounced up and down. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Okay,\u8221? I exhaled, and I gave the werecats a quick rundown of the
plans I\u8217?d set in motion with the werecoyotes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
They all clustered closer to me as they listened with interest to the commands I\
u8217?d given the werecoyotes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?\u8230?So that\u8217?s my overall plan for Monroe,\u8221? I finished. \
u8220?Over here, it will be a bit different. For one, I\u8217?m going to be moving
into my aunt\u8217?s house with Nikita and my new omega.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Alone?\u8221? Zane asked as his forehead creased into a frown. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
The other werecats started to talk all at once, and it was hard to pick out
individual voices from their babble. Several of them even had a whole other list of
objections echoing in their minds, and the cacophony made me wince a little bit as
I tried to sort through all the complaints. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
One that clearly rang out was Kristina\u8217?s as she raised an objection. \par\
\u8220?You should have some of us guarding you at all times, Alpha,\u8221? the
werecat insisted. \u8220?Especially since this Aiden situation is stepping up, like
you were just saying.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
This wouldn\u8217?t have been surprising to hear from another one of the werecats,
but from Kristina, it was truly surprising. It was well-known that she wasn\u8217?t
exactly my biggest fan, but apparently she was finally coming around to my role as
the Alpha. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Regardless, the werecats around her were all nodding in agreement, and I had to
hold up my hands for silence before I spoke again. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Relax, guys,\u8221? I chuckled. \u8220?I actually want all of you to move
in with me. We\u8217?ll be coordinating our activities in Everleigh using Eva\
u8217?s house as our base, but you\u8217?ll also be doing your part in guarding the
house itself, including my new werecoyote omega, Arielle, who will be staying with
us.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There was a moment of slightly stunned silence from the werecats, but no open
growls of dismay like the werecoyotes had given at the mention of the word \u8220?
werecats.\u8221? Instead, another chorus of agreeable, if slightly lukewarm,
murmurs ran through them once they seemed to digest this information. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Erm\u8230? Alpha?\u8221? Serena asked as she fiddled nervously with a lock
of her golden hair. \u8220?We\u8217?re more than happy to move in with you, but
wouldn\u8217?t it maybe be better to have some people here, too? To keep this as a
base?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I see what you mean,\u8221? I said. \u8220?And I\u8217?ve thought of that,
too. But I think that benefit is outweighed by the fact that Aiden will probably be
moving into action at any moment now as well, and I think it\u8217?s likely that he
would come for this place first, so it wouldn\u8217?t be good to be split up. It
gives us too high of a chance of being outnumbered and picked off. Plus, I don\
u8217?t really want to engage with Aiden quite yet, you know? I own this mansion,
and him showing up when it\u8217?s empty won\u8217?t change that.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
The werecats all looked thoughtful as dozens of words streamed through their
minds, and I paused for a moment to figure out how to convey what was behind my
reasoning more clearly to the werecats, so we would all be on the same level of
understanding. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s pretty undeniable that Aiden will be out for revenge,\u8221? I
continued. \u8220?And with that in mind, I think it would make sense for him to
come down hard on anywhere related to his brother first. So, trying to oust us from
his brother\u8217?s old lair could be assumed to be a likely first move. Do you
guys agree?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I thought my hunch was a sound one, but the werecats had known Aiden before,
whereas I\u8217?d never actually met the guy, so any bit of input from them would
be a welcome addition to my thought process. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Annika\u8217?s big, dark green eyes were thoughtful as she held up a hand, and I
nodded for her to speak her mind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Aiden and Max were self-centered jerks,\u8221? she began. \u8220?But at the
same time, I think their parents hammered the whole \u8216?family first\u8217?
thing into their heads pretty well. Although, I think it ended up being more like \
u8216?me first, then family\u8217? for those two. But you killing Max will
definitely upset Aiden\u8217?s ego, anyways. He probably sees it as an insult, both
to him and his \u8216?family name,\u8217? or whatever. So I think your logic makes
total sense, Alpha.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Glad to hear it.\u8221? I nodded as I filed this additional information
away in my brain and then resumed my planning. \u8220?So, once you move in, I want
there to be three of you present at my aunt\u8217?s house at all times. Well, she
doesn\u8217?t live there now, so maybe we can call it \u8216?Headquarters\u8217? or
something, so it doesn\u8217?t get confusing.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Headquarters,\u8221? Thomas muttered with an excited gleam in his eyes that
was visible even through his thick-lensed, blocky glasses. \u8220?Cool.\u8221? \
\u8220?That\u8217?s boring,\u8221? Kristina scoffed. \u8220?Can we call it
something more creative?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What did you have in mind?\u8221? I asked with a slight chuckle. \u8220?It
needs to be easy to remember.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Damn.\u8221? Kristina\u8217?s face fell. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What about \u8216?the Oasis?\u8217?\u8221? Annika suggested. \u8220?It has
a good meaning, but it\u8217?s also easy to remember, since the house is blue.\
\u8220?Good point.\u8221? I nodded again. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sounds like a cheap bar for middle-aged people,\u8221? Kristina muttered,
and Nikita couldn\u8217?t help snorting in agreement. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, we\u8217?ll work on it,\u8221? I sighed. \u8220?We should name Gray\
u8217?s old house, too, while we\u8217?re at it. That way we can refer to it
quickly in passing. And also\u8230? feel cool.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The werecats laughed and immediately started throwing out suggestions with
surprising enthusiasm. I realized that they were starting to really warm up to the
idea of being asked for their thoughts on something instead of just being ordered
around with no explanation, like they had been by Max. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How about \u8216?the Manse?\u8217?\u8221? Zane called out. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Nah.\u8221? Christopher immediately shook his head. \u8220?Too obvious. And
boring. Let\u8217?s call it\u8230? \u8216?The Infernal Estate.\u8217?\u8221? \par\
This expressive title was the last thing I would\u8217?ve expected from him, and
it made me laugh aloud. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s good,\u8221? I allowed, \u8220?but\u8230? kinda long.\u8221? \
\u8220?Yeah.\u8221? Christopher blew a dark strand of hair out of his face. \
u8220?You gotta admit, \u8216?infernal\u8217? is a good word for anything relating
to that Gray guy, though.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Agreed,\u8221? Nikita snickered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A few other werecats called out suggestions, but none of them really had a good
ring to them. The betas seemed to be having fun with it, though, and they were
growing increasingly bold with their names, so I let them go on for a bit. \par\
At the words \u8220?Bastard\u8217?s Bastion,\u8221? I decided to call a halt. \
\u8220?Alright, alright,\u8221? I laughed. \u8220?Umm\u8230? let\u8217?s circle
back to this later. For now, if I say \u8216?Monroe,\u8217? I mean Eva\u8217?s
cabin out there. If I say \u8216?Everleigh,\u8217? I mean the blue house. If
someone comes up with something better, we\u8217?ll consider renaming them.\
\u8220?You mean like \u8216?Lardbrain Lair?\u8217?\u8221? Kristina suggested. \
\u8220?No,\u8221? I snorted. \u8220?Good one, though.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?\u8216?Salvation Sanctum?\u8217?\u8221? Thomas hastily tossed out. \par\
\u8220?I\u8217?ll make a note of it.\u8221? I grinned. \u8220?Now, back to
business. We\u8217?re all going to move for now, and like I said, I want us to
coordinate so there are three of you staying home at all times on high-alert. Then
we\u8217?ll alternate so there are scouts and patrols in groups of two, but you\
u8217?ll be sticking within the boundaries of Everleigh. And no going alone. I know
I don\u8217?t have to tell you guys how much it sucks to be caught off-guard by one
of your kind.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The werecats all tittered, and their heads bobbed in agreement, so I went on. \
\u8220?And I want you to move in tomorrow, okay?\u8221? I asked, and I was met
with more nods. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What should we do with this place?\u8221? Zane asked. \u8220?Just lock it
up?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hmm,\u8221? I mumbled as I pondered this. \u8220?Yeah, but\u8230? maybe
leave a few lights on. Aiden will probably figure out we\u8217?ve vacated the place
eventually, but why not throw him off while we still can?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good plan,\u8221? Nikita agreed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I also want all of us to spar together,\u8221? I continued. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?All of us?\u8221? Kristina asked as she arched an eyebrow. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yup.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?I\u8217?m including the werecoyotes in that
statement.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
This was met with dead silence from all the werecats, so I went on in hopes that
this wouldn\u8217?t be too difficult. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I think we all could learn a lot from each others\u8217? fighting styles,\
u8221? I explained. \u8220?And since Aiden is a werecat, I think the werecoyotes
could benefit from learning about how you guys fight differen--\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You mean give those dogs the exact key to how to take us down?\u8221?
Kristina hissed. \u8220?I don\u8217?t think so.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah?\u8221? I stared her down. \u8220?Well, I do think so. We\u8217?re on
the same side now, Kristina. They\u8217?re not going to use it against you, or
they\u8217?ll have me to answer to. But if you don\u8217?t take part in this, well,
then you\u8217?ll be the one who has me to answer to. Got it?\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Kristina cast me a furious look, and a split second later, her thoughts slipped
into my mind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Fucking dog,} I heard her mutter. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
What?} I snarled as my eyes flared. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, shit,\u8221? the curly-haired beta gasped aloud as she took a step
back. \u8220?I didn\u8217?t mean\u8230? I\u8217?m sorry\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Keep your fucking tongue in check, Kristina,\u8221? Nikita growled, and the
tone was surprisingly cat-like considering her current human form. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Kristina lowered her head and was unusually quiet, but I was fuming at this sudden
reversal of her supposed newfound appreciation for me, and I wondered if that had
all been a ruse. Then I suddenly realized, as the outraged thoughts of the other
werecats flooded my head, that if I hadn\u8217?t heard any of these thoughts from
her yet so far, then it wasn\u8217?t likely that they\u8217?d been going on all
this time. I could see that Kristina had just felt threatened and slipped into her
old, bitchy ways for a moment. Odds were I would\u8217?ve literally heard her
thoughts on it if she\u8217?d been having any before now. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
I reminded myself to have Zane keep an eye on her, though. The werecat had proven
himself to be honest and helpful so far, and he seemed willing to take the lead on
things amongst them when he had to, so I thought he was a good choice. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Consider it done, Alpha,} Zane suddenly replied, and I almost groaned as I realized
my own thoughts were just as open to the rest of the group. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Then I played it off as I put a hand on Nikita\u8217?s arm. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Don\u8217?t worry,\u8221? I told her quietly before I turned to give
Kristina a hard look. \u8220?I\u8217?m sure Kristina is very sorry, aren\u8217?t
you?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My voice came out as a harsh growl, and Kristina\u8217?s pale green eyes widened a
little as she quailed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes,\u8221? she murmured shakily. \u8220?I\u8217?m\u8230? I\u8217?m so
sorry, Alpha.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good,\u8221? I muttered. \u8220?Then you won\u8217?t mind coming with us to
spar with the coyotes tomorrow.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Her eyes widened a little more, and I almost worried they might pop out of her
skull, but she just nodded silently. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?re done here, then,\u8221? I continued before I raised my voice to
everyone else in a normal, friendlier tone. \u8220?Alright, guys. Tomorrow we\
u8217?re going to move your stuff. Then maybe we\u8217?ll make some breakfast or
something, and some of us will head over to spar with the werecoyotes while the
rest of you work on patrols.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sounds good, Alpha,\u8221? Zane affirmed, and the other werecats nodded
before they all started to disperse for the night. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Make breakfast?\u8221? Nikita giggled at me as she sauntered closer now
that we were finished with our planning. \u8220?Are you sure Eva left any
ingredients or cooking utensils in the house?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good point,\u8221? I muttered. \u8220?I\u8217?ll have to do something about
that.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I pressed my fingers against my temples as the mental noise in my head swelled
slightly again now that we weren\u8217?t all conversing face to face, and Nikita
stroked my shoulder sympathetically as she winced a little. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m sure your betas will be happy to help you out,\u8221? she
consoled me. \u8220?And speaking of\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita nudged me slightly with a shoulder and nodded toward someone hovering
behind me, and I realized it was Zane. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, Alpha,\u8221? he said with a small nod. \u8220?Will you be staying
here tonight?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I was thinking about it,\u8221? I replied. \u8220?I don\u8217?t want us to
be alone, considering the whole Aiden thing. But\u8230? well, maybe if Nikita and I
sleep upstairs, and everyone, uh\u8230? tries to keep the brain volume at a
minimum, just while we\u8217?re sleeping.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Got it,\u8221? Zane assured me. \u8220?You won\u8217?t have to worry about
anything, trust me. And the master bedroom has been kept clean and ready for you,
so if you want to go get some rest, I\u8217?ll take care of things down here.\
\u8220?Thanks.\u8221? I nodded at him. \u8220?And also, thanks for keeping an eye
on Kristina. I think it\u8217?s safe to say she\u8217?s pretty damn opposed to
working with the werecoyotes, and I want to make sure it\u8217?s not to the point
where she\u8217?d go behind our backs or something. After all, it wasn\u8217?t too
long ago that she was completely devoted to Max. Aiden might be a far cry from Max,
but he\u8217?s still more similar to his brother than I am, I think. I don\u8217?t
want Kristina slipping back into her old ways.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course,\u8221? Zane said, and he shook his head as he watched Kristina
stalk off. \u8220?She seemed like she was steadily getting better with her attitude
once you became our alpha, but I think the idea of sharing things with the
werecoyotes maybe set her off a little bit. I\u8217?ll keep a close eye on her,
make sure she doesn\u8217?t backslide or do anything out of bounds.\u8221? \par\
I thanked the beta again, and as he turned away, I heard him start calling out
instructions to the other werecats. Then I allowed Nikita to take my hand and lead
me upstairs. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The mental noise quieted pretty soon, and I was alone with my omega. I switched
off the lights so the moonlight coming in through the high-set window was all that
illuminated the room. Her blue-green eyes deepened to a color that was almost
indigo as the shadows pooled in them, but for once, Nikita and I actually went to
sleep without much fooling around. It had been a draining day, and I couldn\u8217?t
believe that the fight with Gray had been just yesterday. Not only that, but in the
time since then, I had fought and killed two of Aiden\u8217?s betas and put this
whole chain-of-command thing into motion. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Overall, it was a good feeling to be this worn out after handling all my bases,
though, and after another night\u8217?s sleep, I found that I felt as good as
new. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As I rolled out of bed, Nikita mumbled sleepily and stretched. We lazed around for
about half an hour before I called Aunt Eva, and she answered after a few rings. I
heard the unmistakable gurgle of a coffee machine laboring in the background. \par\
\u8220?Jesse?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hi, Aunt Eva,\u8221? I greeted her. \u8220?Is it too early to call?\
\u8220?No, no,\u8221? she chuckled. \u8220?I\u8217?m making breakfast and coffee
for the betas here.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Sure enough, I could hear chattering in the background for a few moments, and then
the click of a door closing. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?There,\u8221? Aunt Eva said. \u8220?Now I can hear you a little better.\
\u8220?Man, I\u8217?d kill for some of your cooking right now,\u8221? I sighed. \
\u8220?Hmm,\u8221? she murmured thoughtfully. \u8220?Well, didn\u8217?t you say
you wanted all your betas to spar together? Why don\u8217?t you all just head over
now? That way you can introduce everyone, and they\u8217?ll know each other already
when you have to do any coordinating missions. I\u8217?m sure you\u8217?ll need to
at some point in the future.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s a really good point,\u8221? I agreed. \u8220?And I was
actually thinking of having us spar later today, but I like this better. Save me
some bacon!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I hung up with the musical sound of Aunt Eva\u8217?s laughter in my ears and
looked down at my sprawled-out omega, who immediately bounced upright. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Did I hear you say something about Aunt Eva\u8217?s breakfasts?\u8221? she
demanded as she started to wrap her hair up in a ponytail. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Yup.\u8221? I grinned. \u8220?You wanna head over with the werecats? Eat
some bacon, do some sparring?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m game,\u8221? she said, and she bounded to her feet. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
It didn\u8217?t take long to get the werecats together. We decided to travel by
car to save some time, and we managed to squeeze into two cars between the Benz and
Zane\u8217?s Toyota 4Runner. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Unsurprisingly, Nikita soon outraced the competition, and we rolled into the
driveway of the two-story cabin a good ways ahead of Zane and the rest of the
werecats. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Inside, Aunt Eva hugged me like she hadn\u8217?t seen me in ages, and I chuckled
as I lifted her into a bear hug in the entryway. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then Arielle came scurrying into view wearing some skimpy shorts, a tank top, and
fluffy pink slippers. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Jesse!\u8221? She practically threw herself into my arms as soon as Aunt
Eva\u8217?s feet touched the ground, and my new omega clung to me as I spun her
around. I couldn\u8217?t believe I was seeing this side of the shy, timid
werecoyote, who cringed away from the touch of most people, and I couldn\u8217?t
help but adore her. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita looked like she felt a similar way when the umber-eyed werecoyote hugged
her next, and I felt like my heart might melt at the sight of them together. \par\
\u8220?I heard you\u8217?re going to train,\u8221? Arielle chattered as she
relinquished her grip on Nikita, and she hesitated like there was something she
wanted to ask. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yep,\u8221? I confirmed and raised my eyebrows at her. \u8220?Do you\u8230?
wanna come with us?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Definitely.\u8221? Arielle nodded vigorously. \u8220?It\u8217?s been so
long since I did some sparring.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, you\u8217?re in.\u8221? I grinned. \u8220?But I was really hoping for
some bacon first.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
From the kitchen next to us, Aunt Eva lobbed a piece of toast at me over the
island counter, and I caught it mostly out of surprise and reflex. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I said bacon,\u8221? I objected teasingly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A piece of bacon came soaring at me next, and I made an attempt to catch it in my
mouth before barely snatching it between two fingers like a cigar. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Aunt Eva, I love you,\u8221? I swooned as I took a bite of bacon. \par\
Then a thundering sound rang out through the house, and I saw Benji come into view
step by step as he thumped down the stairs. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Who\u8217?s eating my bacon?\u8221? he demanded jokingly. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
When he saw me, my half-brother ran over, clapped me on the shoulder, and
proceeded to try and snatch the bacon out of my hands. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Nope,\u8221? I said briskly as I whisked it out of his reach, danced away,
and then popped the final half of it into my mouth all at once. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Aunt Eva was laughing as she lifted some more out of the skillet and laid it out
with what looked like an entire breakfast buffet. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Don\u8217?t eat too much,\u8221? she warned. \u8220?You do need some energy
for sparring, but you don\u8217?t want to be sluggish.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes, auntie,\u8221? Benji said through a mouthful of bacon as he gave her a
salute. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
This logic made too much sense to brush aside, so we took it easy on the bacon and
eggs for the time being. As we ate, I was reminded suddenly of the question I\
u8217?d been meaning to ask my aunt. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, Aunt Eva,\u8221? I said as I polished off another piece of bacon. \
u8220?Since I\u8217?ve had this mental connection with the werecats, there are some
times when my mind is becoming very\u8230? loud.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes, that would happen,\u8221? Aunt Eva said, and she looked slightly
amused but sympathetic as she considered this. \u8220?But with some effort, you can
learn to shield your mind from it.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Shield my mind?\u8221? I repeated thoughtfully. \u8220?What do you mean?\
\u8220?Maybe \u8216?shield\u8217? isn\u8217?t the right word\u8230?\u8221? Aunt
Eva put her elbows on the counter and rested her chin in her palms. \u8220?You
might not realize it, but when you communicate mentally with your pack, it\u8217?s
happening on sort of a different \u8216?frequency\u8217? than when you\u8217?re
thinking normally. As pack members, you naturally share this frequency. But you can
learn to shut it out when necessary, or even just sort of dial it down, although
changing it by degrees will likely take some more practice.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?That makes sense,\u8221? I mused. \u8220?So, there\u8217?s like a \u8216?
me\u8217? frequency, and a \u8216?pack\u8217? frequency?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Right,\u8221? Aunt Eva said with a nod. \u8220?And if you learn how to
narrow your focus, you should be able to essentially tune out any excess noise, but
still allow your pack to reach you. It will require some effort and concentration
at first\u8230? When you start out, you\u8217?ll have to think about it, quite
literally. But once you get the hang of it, it\u8217?ll become sort of a mental
habit you can slip into.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Got it.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?That seems like a good thing to practice
during sparring today.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s a perfect opportunity,\u8221? my aunt agreed. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?But first things first,\u8221? I sighed at the prospect of introducing the
werecoyotes and the werecats to each other as I got to my feet. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I was glad we\u8217?d eaten, because introducing the two groups probably would\
u8217?ve sucked on an empty stomach. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Once everyone had gathered together in the big living room, I cleared my throat
slightly, and everyone fell silent as they waited for me to speak. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?So\u8230?\u8221? I began. \u8220?I know that different shifter clans don\
u8217?t exactly have the greatest history together.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?That\u8217?s an understatement,\u8221? Kristina muttered harshly, but she
quieted when I turned my gaze on her. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I held her gaze with narrowed eyes for a few moments as I dared her to say another
word, but she held her silence, both verbally and mentally, so I continued. \par\
\u8220?But that\u8217?s only talking about recent history,\u8221? I said with a
little excitement. \u8220?In the more distant past, there was a time when all the
shifters coexisted peacefully.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Some people nodded along with me, but others had skeptical expressions. Brenden
was amongst them, with a petulant look on his face that reminded me of Kristina\
u8217?s. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, the key word is distant,\u8221? the haughty werecoyote snorted. \
u8220?I don\u8217?t see that happening again.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well,\u8221? I said with my eyebrows raised. \u8220?Did you ever imagine a
werewolf becoming your alpha? This is no ordinary pack, Brenden. You should all
know that by now.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I looked around and made sure no one else was going to object before I went on. \
\u8220?I\u8217?m not expecting you guys to become best friends right off the bat,\
u8221? I said. \u8220?But we\u8217?re going to be working together, and there\
u8217?s no changing that. Why not try to make it a smooth transition?\u8221? \par\
Most people were nodding along with me now, and they looked like they were more
open to the possibility, although no one was exactly jumping for joy. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I had everyone introduce themselves by name, although some of the werecoyotes had
sort of done that already. It felt a little forced, like the icebreaker exercises
that every professor at college seemed to feel the need to employ between their
students, but I was determined that my cats and coyotes would be well-bonded within
the week. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
They had no other choice, in my opinion. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, that could\u8217?ve gone a lot worse,\u8221? Benji echoed my thoughts
when I reconvened in the kitchen with him, Nikita, Arielle, and Aunt Eva after we
were finally done. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Not bad at all.\u8221? Aunt Eva nodded in agreement. \u8220?Even if things
were tense, everyone was civil. That means no one will have an excuse for throwing
the first punch if tensions arise.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?The breakfast definitely helped,\u8221? Nikita added as she popped a small
chunk of Belgian waffle into her mouth. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good,\u8221? Aunt Eva said as she dusted off her hands. \u8220?Let\u8217?s
get going.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Let\u8217?s?\u8221? I asked with my eyebrows raised. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?What, you don\u8217?t want your old Auntie to go sparring with you?\u8221?
she teased. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Not at all.\u8221? I raised my hands and grinned. \u8220?Lead the way,
Captain.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Under the mid-morning sun, I decided to try shifting on the move, the way I\u8217?
d seen Nikita do on occasion, but at more of a run. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Any tips?\u8221? I asked my omega after I relayed this to her. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Don\u8217?t overthink it,\u8221? she advised. \u8220?Kind of how you said
you put your shifter energy into your howl. You just\u8230? did it.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Just do it,\u8221? I muttered wryly under my breath. \u8220?Maybe we could
get a Nike sponsorship for the pack.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Gross,\u8221? Nikita chuckled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Everyone was watching me at this point, which felt really awkward, but my
conversation with my omega had happened during a lull, and everyone turned out to
be listening. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Here goes nothing}, I thought with a glance at my mates and my werecats. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I decided to avoid bothering with half-measures, and I broke into a run as I
summoned the heat that condensed in my spine. After several steps, I threw all my
energy into shifting, the same way I was throwing my weight forward with each step
at a run. A natural movement. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My spine stretched, tingled, and burned while I ran. Then, the next time my right
foot thudded to the ground, it was a paw. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
With a loud rip, my clothes shredded to pieces and burst off of me. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Ah, shit,} I snarled, but to my amazement, I didn\u8217?t tumble down into a heap
on the ground. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Instead, I gave into my instincts and allowed the weight of my own lengthening
torso to pull me down onto all fours. By the time my hands reached the earth, they
were paws, too. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Hell yeah,} I growled as I continued to run and shot straight into the woods as I
left the rest to follow after me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
After a few moments, though, I slowed to a steady lope so they could catch up. It
wasn\u8217?t long before a wordless {\i
Aaaaaaaaaaa }echoed through my mind, and I had to admire Benji\u8217?s energy as
the slightly smaller, gray-and-white wolf rocketed past me into the woods. \par\
Soon he was followed by the others, but one shifter in particular captured my full
attention the second she came into view. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Arielle was as beautiful a coyote as I could\u8217?ve imagined. She had a russet-
brown coat with a thick, bottle-brush tail, and she was slightly dainty next to the
others as they trotted together, but she appeared to make up for it with speed and
agility. The omega werecoyote zoomed past Benji in a matter of seconds, leaped
half-past and half-over him with an elated-sounding yip, and then raced on into the
woods. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Damn}, Benji said admiringly. {\i
She\u8217?s got some hops.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My answering chuckle came out as a rollicking growl. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then a pure silver wolf came flying down the path and joined us, and as she slowed
to pace by my side, I realized it was Eva. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I couldn\u8217?t lie, my aunt looked fucking magnificent, and I couldn\u8217?t
believe I\u8217?d never seen her as a wolf before. She had a proud, noble-looking
face, and her silvery coat was sleek and full. She looked like she should be on a
National Geographic poster, and she cast me a sidelong glance that proved she damn
well knew how badass she looked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I sent my aunt a fanged grin as we trotted onward together, and a deep sense of
pride bloomed in my chest as I joined my mismatched pack. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
For this first session, I decided we would practice together in a clearing, where
we could get a general idea of each others\u8217? fighting techniques while I kept
an eye on everyone. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Something I had come to know about werecats was that they pretty much had one
main, overarching tactic before going for the kill: getting their opponents off
their feet. And from what I\u8217?d seen, it was pretty damn effective. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I\u8217?d first started catching on to this strategy when I fought Max, and he had
repeatedly done a move that was essentially tackling me to the ground. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
The werecats all had different ways of going about this, though, and now I hoped
to see plenty of them in action. I thought we could all take some lessons from the
variety of lethal maneuvers I knew the werecats had in their arsenal, but in hopes
of setting an example of good sportsmanship along with this, I decided to include a
non-werecat in the first pairing that the whole pack would watch. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
Benji and Nikita, }I said decisively.{\i
I want you two to spar first. Show them different species can fight without
killing each other.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I mentally made sure my werecats were in on this, and I gave a short bark to get
the werecoyotes\u8217? attention, too. Then I paced back to stand at the side. \
The others soon followed my lead, and that left Benji and Nikita facing each other
in the center of the clearing. The werecoyotes seemed to pick up on what was going
on, and they stood back in a semicircle with their attention on the omega werecat
and the gray-and-white wolf. I hoped that seeing some civil interspecies sparring
first-hand would set an example for the others, and I trusted both my mate and my
best friend not to get out of hand and take things in the opposite direction. \par\
One of the coolest moves I saw in the whole session was performed by Nikita, and I
watched with a little awe as the omega mountain lion made a short dash to the side
of Benji. Then she leaped upward and sideways to push off a tree trunk with her big
golden paws. This gave her a surge of momentum to come down hard on his back, and
he yelped briefly as they rolled to the ground in a tangle of playful jaw snaps. \
{\i
Good, }I said to my packmates. {\i
We\u8217?re focusing on takedowns now, so do it again.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita and Benji led one more time by example to demonstrate this before I paired
up the others. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Zane}, I said. {\i
You\u8217?re going to spar with Kiri here}. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I nudged Kiri toward him to communicate this, since I couldn\u8217?t
communicate with the werecoyotes by thought yet. I continued pairing people up this
way, and I tried to pair males against females in the hopes that it would help the
two species stay more civil, too. I did this as I remembered my hesitation to kill
Sabine because she was a woman, even though I was in wolf form and my instincts
were in overdrive at the time. I wanted to use every strategy possible to make sure
a good relationship developed between the werecoyotes and werecats. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Since the werecoyotes were about double the werecats in numbers, I nudged the rest
of them along with Benji and Eva into a sparring session that involved all of us
together at once. I wanted to practice fighting multiple opponents, and I soon
realized this was a good idea as it turned into a total free-for-all. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I tumbled to the ground with the rest of them as we sparred, and I practiced
trying to block the werecats\u8217? errant thoughts out as we tussled. It was
difficult, and it earned me a few good thumps from my opponents as I tried to focus
on both at the same time, but after a while, I was able to tune it down to a buzz
in the back of my mind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It felt like a good start. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Something I noticed right off the bat about the werecoyotes was that despite their
chaotic energy, they actually had a general strategy with their fighting. They
tended to take advantage of their smaller sizes and greater speed by coming in low
to nip at the legs of their opponents with their sharp teeth. This helped the
werecoyotes get their larger opponents down before they fully engaged in a fight. \
I learned this first-hand as the dainty Arielle darted in and snapped at my ankle.
She was careful not to actually sink her teeth in, but the unexpected move was
enough to put a slight hitch in my stride, and then the omega werecoyote threw
herself directly at me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And she rammed into me with a surprising amount of force. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
Once I keeled over, it would\u8217?ve been easy to use my momentum and greater
weight to roll over and crush her, but instead, I flopped down in an exaggerated
motion. The omega now stood with her front paws on my chest with a triumphant
expression on her narrow-snouted face, and she gave off a series of little yips
that I was sure were laughter. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I playfully rasped my rough tongue against her nose, and she yipped again
before she bounded back and dropped the front half of her body into a crouch. \par\
Even though we couldn\u8217?t communicate the way I could with my werecats, the
message was obvious: \u8220?Let\u8217?s do it again.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I humored the reddish-brown omega, but the next time we tussled, I used my weight
to flip our positions so fast that she let out a disoriented whine as I landed
above her with my paws on each side and my face within an inch of hers. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I barked a few times and nudged her with my snout to make sure she was alright,
and Arielle bounced back to her feet immediately. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She was surprisingly resilient for her size, and for the fact that she hadn\u8217?
t done any training in at least a year due to Gray keeping her every move under his
control. I felt a thrill of pride and affection as I watched her dart in at Benji
and end up with her teeth playfully poised at his throat, and from the wagging of
her tail, I kind of got the impression she was showing off for me a bit. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
It was really cute. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As I was able to tune out the werecats more and more, I started thinking about not
only how useful it would be to have the whole pack in on this mental connection,
but the fact that it might actually be doable now that I showed signs of being able
to control it. Although the occasional elated {\i
Take that, bitch!} still broke through to my consciousness, things were improving
surprisingly fast, and I actually found myself being careful not to cut things off
too much yet, since I wanted to catch wind of any conflict between the groups
quickly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I wondered if it was possible to accomplish this added connection sooner by
arranging some sort of small-scale fight with the werecoyotes by my side. In battle
against Aiden, that connection with my coyotes could turn the tide in our favor,
and I made a mental note to come back to the thought. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Another thing that I now knew from experience could make all the difference was my
hybrid form. Now that I had maintained it during my fight with Gray, I wanted to
strengthen it and keep building up on that stamina. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I had warned the werecoyotes that I would likely try this during the fight, but I
still thought they might lose their cool if I did it too unexpectedly, so I gave a
low warning growl to the ones surrounding me before I paced off slightly to the
side again to make it clear that something was about to go down. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I closed my eyes briefly and reached for the blaze of heat that lurked deep inside
me, and a slight tremor coursed through me as that heat flared throughout my whole
body like a lightning strike. I suddenly felt like an army of ants was marching
across the surface of my body, but their feet were white-hot. I started to shake
from the force of it, and when I looked down, my paws were turning into the clawed
hands I had seen before during my hybrid shifts. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The fighting slowed and quieted around me, and I couldn\u8217?t tell if it was the
others reacting to my change in form, or just my state of furious concentration as
I was consumed by the fire that seemed to lick at my skin from the inside. Although
I had experienced this several times already, I still expanded further than seemed
possible, and my shoulders became sloped and hulking as my legs lengthened and
straightened slightly. As I stood fully upright with my fists clenched at my sides,
I towered over everyone around me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I gave myself a small, furious shake as I felt like I was solidifying into my
hybrid form, and the growl I let out held a note of raw power that I didn\u8217?t
hear in my full wolf form. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I had meant to practice in hybrid form against the werecoyotes, but I realized now
that I wanted to train against just my aunt and Benji at this point. The
werecoyotes were smaller and less familiar to me, and I didn\u8217?t want to Hulk-
out on them in a rage and injure one of them. I had a healthy respect for their
prowess after fighting Gray, but I still felt like I was too likely to cause an
unintentional injury if I didn\u8217?t practice my restraint some more first. \par\
I called out to bring a temporary halt to the good-natured melee that the fight
nearest to me had become. Eva had been demonstrating some sort of takedown to the
werecoyotes at full-force, and there was one last soft woof from one of them as she
released her hold on them and let them drop to the ground. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Benji,\u8221? I called, and my voice came out as a snarl, although I tried
to make it sound friendly. \u8220?Eva.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I gestured to bring them to my side and then waved for the others to go about
their training. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Only about half of them did as I asked. The rest seemed too awed to look away,
even though I thought some of them might\u8217?ve glimpsed my hybrid form during or
after my battle with Gray, just before I\u8217?d shifted back into my human body
and told them that victory was mine. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But they stared nonetheless, and I noticed that Arielle, who definitely hadn\
u8217?t seen me like this before, was watching me with undivided attention. \par\
For a brief second, I worried I might frighten the skittish coyote looking like
this, but she must have caught the look of unease in my eyes. An unmistakable
little smirk quirked on her narrow snout, and her bushy tail twitched with
anticipation like she couldn\u8217?t wait to see me get started. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
So I put my full attention into the two wolves in front of me as I instructed them
to take me on at the same time. As I started by just blocking their blows, I saw
that each move of mine went jarring through them, even though I was trying to
restrain the amount of force I used. They still held their own, though, and as we
started to spar in earnest, I was able to send both wolves flying off me in one
sweeping motion. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
At that point, I decided it was safe to allow the werecoyotes in, so I practiced
taking on multiple shifters at once, and I felt a thrill at the power that coursed
through me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I commanded a switch between the coyotes and werecats as I kept in mind that
it was Aiden whose ass I was hoping to kick. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When I stood again after over half an hour of sparring in my hybrid form and
towered over everyone in the clearing, I felt fucking unstoppable, and I couldn\
u8217?t get enough of the burning power that coursed through every inch of my body.
I wasn\u8217?t about to get cocky and discount the threat that Aiden and his pack
posed, but I was sure that between my hybrid form and my expanded pack, I would be
able to kick Aiden Jansen\u8217?s ass. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And then I\u8217?d take his pack for my own.\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } {\s1
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
{
I stayed in my hybrid form while I called a halt to the training session so I
could give some instructions to my cats and coyotes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That was great, everyone.\u8221? I tried to make my naturally raspy and
snarling hybrid voice sound encouraging to match my words, but I still sounded like
the fucking devil addressing his demons. \u8220?Let\u8217?s do something a little
different when we head back to the cabin. I want most of us to move as a group like
normal, but some others will range out around us as patrols while we\u8217?re on
the move. I\u8217?m not anticipating us being attacked today or anything, but I
think this is a really good time to practice since the pack has grown so large.
This is a skill we might need at some point, possibly even soon.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Yes, Alpha,} my werecats responded, and the werecoyotes all inclined their long,
narrow snouts in what was clearly agreement. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I tapped my jaw with a wickedly-clawed finger while I decided how to proceed,
and for the second time, I realized this would\u8217?ve been a hell of a lot easier
if the werecoyotes were tuned in on my thoughts, especially if I was going to have
scouts from each group. I thought I could still make it work, but this was
definitely something I wanted to scheme on before things got real with Aiden. \par\
I decided to keep addressing everyone aloud, werecats included, so that the
werecoyotes would be aware of where their feline counterparts were being placed,
and no one would catch the others off-guard. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
That makes sense,} Thomas said reasonably in my head. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I didn\u8217?t respond, but inhaled deeply through my nose as I closed my eyes
briefly to refocus on keeping my thoughts private before I started giving commands.
\u8220?Zane and Eliza,\u8221? I decreed. \u8220?I want you patrolling north and
ahead of the group. Christopher and Serena, you\u8217?ll follow behind, so you\
u8217?ll be to the south.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
We\u8217?re on it,} the four werecats vowed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good.\u8221? I nodded at them before I turned to the werecoyotes. \u8220?
Kiri and Brenden, you\u8217?ll be ranging out on the east side of us. Caleb and
Thalia, to the west. Everyone, make sure you guys keep pace, and again, I\u8217?m
not anticipating anything going down, but keep an eye out and alert me with a howl,
or\u8230? yowl\u8230? if we\u8217?re attacked. This formation needs to become
second nature for us.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The four werecoyotes dipped their snouts in agreement, so I clapped my long-clawed
hands together in a gesture that I suddenly realized must\u8217?ve looked odd in my
hulking, half-wolf form. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Right,\u8221? I snarled with only a hint of awkwardness. \u8220?Let\u8217?s
get going.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
While the scouts trotted off to their positions, I shifted back into full wolf
form. The change had been getting easier both ways, but I noticed another
difference, too. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When I had first started practicing the hybrid shift, it had been immensely
challenging not only to do the shift, but to maintain it. It had been like wearing
a pair of shoes that did their best to very painfully slip off my feet with every
movement. But now, once the initial challenge of making the shift was past, it was
getting easier to maintain my hybrid form for as long as I needed to. It was like
the elusive shoes had morphed to fit me perfectly, and I felt all the more lethal
for it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The usual wash of heat that came with the shift had mostly faded away, and I
stamped my paws into the packed forest ground a few times to get rid of the last of
the burning pins and needles in my flesh. For some reason, my hands, which were now
paws, always seemed especially eager to be the wolf-man, and it definitely made
itself felt during this shift. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I led the way back to the cabin, and everything went smoothly. The werecats\u8217?
thoughts stayed loud and clear as long as I allowed them to, and when I tried
shutting them out for a few seconds at a time, I was able to do so with more
success than before. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Back outside the cabin, I dug through the Benz for the change of clothes I had
learned to keep on hand in case of shifting-related wardrobe malfunctions, and the
others changed into the clothes they had left inside near the door. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I had just wriggled back into my jeans when they started vibrating with a force
that made me jump about a foot in the air. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Holy shit,\u8221? I muttered as I scrambled to find the phone I\u8217?d
wedged into one of my pockets. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You good, dude?\u8221? Benji chuckled as he appeared through the doorway
and saw me slapping at my pockets. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Every now and then, these heightened senses still catch me off-guard,\
u8221? I grumbled, and I sighed as I finally located the buzzing phone. \u8220?It\
u8217?s Parker.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, damn,\u8221? Benji muttered. \u8220?I was just with him and Travis
earlier. I forgot I said I would ask you\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ask me what?\u8221? I frowned. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?He wants to have DnD night like usual this week,\u8221? Benji explained at
top speed. \u8220?I told him it\u8217?s spring break, so you might be busy, but he
said he was going to call you and ask. If you can\u8217?t make it, you should just
pick up the phone and let him know.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?If?\u8221? I repeated in a pained voice. \u8220?Benji, how the hell am I
going to fit DnD night in between Aiden recon?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The phone continued to ring silently, and I stared down at Parker\u8217?s name
flashing on the screen for another second before I sighed and picked up. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, Parker,\u8221? I said in what I hoped was an average and non-frazzled
voice. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There were a few moments of muffled chattering on the other end of the line, and I
caught the words \u8220?Told you he wouldn\u8217?t pick up.\u8221? Then Parker
seemed to realize I had answered, and he hurriedly shushed his conversation before
he responded to me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, hey, dude!\u8221? Parker half-chuckled. \u8220?My bad. It rang so many
times, I thought you weren\u8217?t picking up. How\u8217?s it going?\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Oh, no worries,\u8221? I said. \u8220?I\u8217?m okay. Just up to my ears
in, uh\u8230? stuff. You know how it is.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s spring break, dude,\u8221? Parker pointed out. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
Real smooth,} Benji snickered in my mind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I turned my head to scowl at him, and he immediately switched from a wily
expression to the kind of exaggerated contriteness he might have on his face if he
had just laughed at somebody\u8217?s funeral. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Um, yeah,\u8221? I hedged as I stifled a laugh and turned to face away from
Benji again. \u8220?I\u8217?ve had some family stuff going on with Aunt Eva, and
then this quintet audition I did was super stressful, so I\u8217?ve kinda been\
u8230? recovering.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?With that new girlfriend of yours?\u8221? Parker snorted. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I glanced at the cabin as I thought of Arielle out of instinct, but then I
realized Nikita was the only \u8220?new girlfriend\u8221? my buddies would know
about. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Shit, that was a conversation I had no idea how to launch into. What the hell
would my friends say when they found out I had not one, but two gorgeous girls
hanging around now? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes.\u8221? I cleared my throat and refocused. \u8220?With Nikita.\u8221? \
\u8220?Ahh, yesss,\u8221? Parker said in a comically sage voice. \u8220?Well, I
was going to see if you still wanted to do DnD night tomorrow. I know it\u8217?s
spring break, but I really don\u8217?t want to miss out on getting together.\u8221?
\u8220?Me, neither,\u8221? I mumbled, and I rubbed my jaw distractedly as I tried
to decide how to handle this. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye and turned to see Aunt Eva
hovering with a plate full of muffins. When I glanced back over at Benji, I saw he
had a muffin clutched in each hand and was rapidly alternating between taking bites
out of each one. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I almost snorted with laughter at the sight of Benji, but then I quickly held the
speaker against my chest. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Save me one inside?\u8221? I pleaded with my aunt in a hushed tone. \u8220?
I\u8217?m on the phone with Parker.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I heard,\u8221? my aunt murmured with a knowing nod. \u8220?By the way, I
think you should do DnD night. Remember what I said before about keeping your
friends?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah,\u8221? I sighed. \u8220?But what about--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Then Nikita made an appearance, and I gathered from her face that she had sidled
over in time to hear my conversation. She finished pulling on her shirt and
delightedly snatched a muffin with a toothy grin of thanks for Aunt Eva. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s one night, Jesse.\u8221? My omega turned back to me with an
expression that was half-consoling, half-coaxing. \u8220?And\u8230? I really want
to join in on your DnD. It was so fun last time. Can we please go?\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Okay,\u8221? I agreed, and I hurriedly raised my phone from my chest and
held it to my ear. I could hear Parker sigh on the other end. \u8220?Parker? Sorry,
man, Aunt Eva made muffins.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, got it,\u8221? Parker said with some relief. \u8220?So, what do you
say? I understand if you\u8217?re busy, dude, I just\u8230? wanted to check. We
miss you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, same.\u8221? I hesitated for another moment before I responded, now
with total decisiveness. \u8220?I\u8217?m in.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh.\u8221? My friend sounded surprised. \u8220?Really?\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, man,\u8221? I assured him. \u8220?I\u8217?ll be there.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Awesome!\u8221? he whooped but then quieted and gave a slightly sheepish-
sounding chuckle. \u8220?The guys were kinda worried we wouldn\u8217?t be seeing
you again. I told them to shove it, though.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, you\u8217?ll be seeing me Tuesday,\u8221? I said a little wryly. Then
I saw Nikita suddenly making vigorous hand gestures by my side. \u8220?Oh, and\
u8230? would it be okay if, uh\u8230? Nikita comes?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
There was a longer pause before Parker responded again. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sure thing.\u8221? He sounded surprised again, but not at all against the
idea. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thanks, man,\u8221? I said with a bit of relief. \u8220?She\u8217?s excited
to see you guys again.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, your lady is always welcome,\u8221? Parker assured me. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
The words made me think of Arielle again, because I now had more than one \u8220?
lady,\u8221? and she\u8217?d been so excited about spending time with me and
Nikita. My mind quickly went into overdrive as I contemplated the prospect of
bringing the werecoyote omega along, too. I had no idea if she\u8217?d even be into
something like DnD. Arielle was incredibly sweet, and she seemed just as eager to
get to know me better as Nikita was, but DnD night was probably something
completely foreign to her. Not to mention, it was orchestrated by several guys she
had never met. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And I\u8217?d also have to explain to my friends that I now had two smoking hot
girlfriends. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It would mean I\u8217?d have to address the situation much sooner, too, and
somehow explain to my friends that not just one, but two stunning women were
unmistakably and utterly devoted to me. What would I do, just blurt it out up-front
that I had two girlfriends? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Hey, guys. Funny story\u8230? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then again, I thought that when it came down to it, the guys weren\u8217?t likely
to say anything that might imply they weren\u8217?t totally down for the presence
of two beautiful women at our DnD night. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Parker seemed to be waiting patiently on the other end of the line, and maybe
assuming that I was busy gorging myself on muffins in the pauses of our
conversation. Finally I spoke a little tentatively. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I actually have another\u8230? friend\u8230? who might be interested in
coming, too,\u8221? I said as casually as possible. \u8220?It\u8217?s not a sure
thing, but I wanted to see how you guys would feel about her coming.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Her?\u8221? Parker asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, her name is Arielle, and she\u8217?s incredibly awesome.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Like\u8230? uhhh\u8230? another girl?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, dude,\u8221? I snorted. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh,\u8221? Parker repeated, and he sounded even more stunned by this
development. \u8220?I\u8230? Yeah, dude. I can\u8217?t see any reason why not. That
sounds\u8230? cool. Awesome. I\u8217?ll let the guys know, but I\u8217?m sure they\
u8217?ll be totally fine with it, too. Once they pick their jaws up off the floor,
anyways.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Cool,\u8221? I said, and I didn\u8217?t bother to keep the excitement and
relief out of my voice. \u8220?Looking forward to it, buddy.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
After I hung up, I turned to face Benji and Nikita, who were still lounging around
with muffins in hand. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?DnD tomorrow,\u8221? I summarized, just in case they hadn\u8217?t caught
that bit. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Excellent,\u8221? Nikita said with a huge grin, and I thought the glee in
her tone wasn\u8217?t just because of the muffins. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Benji looked shrewdly at me, and it was like he immediately read the stressed
thoughts that were surfacing in my head. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I realized he probably had when his voice rang out in my mind. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
It\u8217?ll be okay, my man,} he said reassuringly. {\i
A night of DnD never hurt anyone. Least of all the guy with two gorgeous women at
his side.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I hurriedly shifted my mental state to stop with the oversharing thing, although I
couldn\u8217?t help but grin again. I was stressed at the thought of taking any
time away from figuring out the whole Aiden thing, but then again, it\u8217?s not
like I wasn\u8217?t doing anything about it. I\u8217?d put several pieces into
motion already. I just had to make sure I stayed on top of things. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Then my smile curdled a little, and I looked at my best friend accusingly. \par\
\u8220?You\u8217?re gonna need to stay out of my head during DnD,\u8221? I
informed him. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Benji popped a last bite of muffin into his mouth and then dusted his hands off
and held them up in a familiar, \u8220?it wasn\u8217?t me\u8221? type of gesture. \
\u8220?Maybe you should work on tuning me out,\u8221? he teased. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I rolled my eyes, but my lips twitched with the effort of keeping a smile from
plastering itself on my face. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You know,\u8221? Nikita interjected with a thoughtful expression. \u8220?
Arielle is gonna need to learn the rules of DnD. I\u8217?m not exactly a pro yet,
but it seems like it might be hard to learn the rules on the fly if we continue
with an old campaign.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?ll probably start a new one,\u8221? I assured her. \u8220?
Something small. I\u8217?ll make sure Jake keeps things in hand.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good call.\u8221? Benji nodded in agreement. \u8220?It\u8217?s actually
kinda better to learn as you play, I think. I mean, maybe we can go over the basics
with her, but for the rest? Definitely better to learn on the fly.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?That\u8217?s what it seems like to me so far,\u8221? Nikita said with a
perky smile. \u8220?I hope Arielle says yes, I would love to have her in on this,
too.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Not for the first time, I felt a surge of gratefulness that my girlfriend was not
only exquisitely beautiful, but all-around awesome. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It might be a tall order to balance being the literal prophetic Alpha with things
like having a somewhat normal social life, but it didn\u8217?t feel impossible
anymore, especially with the killer support system I had. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
My sense of well-being increased even more when Arielle walked back out of the
house in human form once again. Her face immediately lit up with a smile as she saw
me. I smiled back as I quickly contemplated how to broach the subject of DnD with
her. It\u8217?s not like I would have been offended if the shy omega didn\u8217?t
want to dive into the loud and slightly rowdy little event with multiple strangers,
but it felt different than talking to Nikita about it. The werecat omega had
practically forced me to include her in DnD night. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Not that I was complaining. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I watched as the werecoyote omega threaded her way through the other shifters that
were now spilling back out of the doorway, most likely after sating themselves on
Eva\u8217?s muffins. With a slight pang of hunger, I wondered if my aunt had
managed to save one for me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As Arielle neared me, I realized that she had something clutched in her hands, and
when she got close, she spread them apart to reveal two muffins wrapped in napkins.
\u8220?Hell yeah!\u8221? I groaned as I accepted the muffins with eager hands. \
u8220?Thanks, Arielle.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Eva told me you would want some,\u8221? she said with a shy but giddy
smile, and then her voice took on a teasing tone. \u8220?You\u8217?re lucky I didn\
u8217?t eat them. Your auntie cooks a mean muffin.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?You don\u8217?t have to tell me twice,\u8221? I chuckled as I broke off a
soft, pillowy piece of muffin to eat. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m sure I never have to tell you anything twice,\u8221? Arielle
giggled, but then her smile faded a little as something seemed to occur to her. \
u8220?You\u8217?re leaving now, aren\u8217?t you?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah,\u8221? I sighed, and then I scooped her up into a hug with a muffin-
free hand. \u8220?But not for long. Tomorrow we\u8217?ll get you moved in with me.
And, uh\u8230? there\u8217?s something else I wanted to ask you, too. I was just on
the phone with my friend Parker.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I quickly gave her the lowdown on what DnD was, with Nikita interjecting here and
there to translate a few things she\u8217?d learned about the game from nerd
language to something Arielle would grasp onto more easily. Then I offered the
werecoyote an overall explanation of how these kinds of nights usually went with my
friends. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You totally don\u8217?t have to come,\u8221? I assured her. \u8220?I know
it might not be your thing. I just figured I\u8217?d ask.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The smile that the werecoyote omega gave me was tentative, but I thought it was
excited, too. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You really want me to come out with you guys?\u8221? she whispered. \par\
\u8220?Fuck yeah,\u8221? I immediately answered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Are you sure your friends are okay with me coming?\u8221? Arielle bit her
lip. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Absolutely,\u8221? I promised. \u8220?Trust me, they\u8217?d be more than
thrilled to have you there if you decide you\u8217?re up for it. I would be, too.\
\u8220?Me, too!\u8221? Nikita chirped. \u8220?It will be fun! Just think about it
like being in drama club or something. We can act out fun characters.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?That does sound fun\u8230?\u8221? Arielle bit her lip some more and
fidgeted with her hands a little before she finally gave a firm, decisive nod. \
u8220?I\u8217?ll do it.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Awesome.\u8221? I grinned at seeing another slight reduction in her
timidness. \u8220?It\u8217?s settled, then. Tomorrow we\u8217?ll do DnD night.\
\u8220?Will we still go to the beach that day?\u8221? Arielle reminded me as her
smile returned at full force. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, absolutely,\u8221? Nikita agreed. \u8220?We\u8217?ll grab your stuff on
the way there. We can lock it in the trunk and then bring you home with us after
the beach\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And then do DnD night with Jesse\u8217?s friends,\u8221? Arielle
finished. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sounds like a really good plan,\u8221? I chuckled. \u8220?As long as we get
an early start. I did pinky-promise you, after all.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Should\u8217?ve made him do a blood oath, just in case,\u8221? Nikita said
in a teasing whisper. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I scowled and swiped playfully at her, and she danced out of my reach with a look
that was equal parts taunting and tantalizing. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, I can\u8217?t wait,\u8221? Arielle giggled again as she looked at the
two of us. \u8220?We\u8217?re going to have so much fun!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Agreed,\u8221? Nikita said with a warm smile, and she moved to put her arm
around Arielle from the other side. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
After a reluctant goodbye with the werecoyote omega, Eva, and the other
werecoyotes, I promised I\u8217?d be back early the next morning. Then I reconvened
with my werecats. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Alright, guys,\u8221? I said crisply. \u8220?Let\u8217?s head back to the
McMansion, grab everything you need, and get you moved into my Aunt\u8217?s-- I
mean, to\u8230? shit, what did we name it?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We didn\u8217?t,\u8221? Kristina muttered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Right,\u8221? I chuckled. \u8220?Well, we\u8217?ve just over complicated
this. To the blue house!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
They all gave a little cheer, and I chuckled at their enthusiasm. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The werecats seemed pretty at ease after their half-day with the werecoyotes, and
I thought that was a good sign. No serious altercations had broken out between the
two groups, so I hoped the few snide comments at the beginning of the encounter had
been the worst of it, and things would just be steadily improving from here. \par\
When I pulled my car keys out of my pocket, Nikita\u8217?s head whipped up
immediately at the sound of their jangle. She had a familiar, keyed up look of
excitement on her face that reminded me of how Wile E. Coyote looked whenever he
first caught sight of the Road Runner. It was an expression she only wore when she
saw the keys to a very fast car being dangled in front of her, and it was so
characteristic of the omega werecat that I had to chuckle before I tossed the keys
her way. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She leaped and caught them from the air in a flash, and with a jaunty grin, she
bounded over to the driver\u8217?s side of the Benz and hopped in. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I made myself comfortable in the passenger seat while some of my werecats squeezed
themselves into the back again. We waved one last time at my aunt and my werecoyote
omega before we pulled out of the smooth, paved driveway and headed back toward
Everleigh. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When we got to the McMansion, I strolled in with my hands in my pockets and waited
to offer a hand if the werecats needed help carrying anything, but they all seemed
to be packing light. I saw lots of duffle bags and a few rolling suitcases, but to
my slight relief, no one was hauling any of Max\u8217?s 120-inch flat screen TVs
out the door. This left me plenty of time to reflect on the fact that after
tonight, my werecats would no longer call this place home. They were mine. \par\
Nikita and I were alone in the Benz on the way home, and I slid my hands up my
omega\u8217?s sleek thigh as she turned the steering wheel to pull us back out onto
the main road. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As my hand roamed higher, my mate gasped a little, and a muscle jumped in her leg.
We were both pitched backward against our seats as the car lurched forward faster
than intended, and the caramel-haired beauty panted a little as she eased off the
gas. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When we were gaining speed more steadily, she shot me a look that was more sultry
than reproachful. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Talk about zero to sixty in less than four seconds,\u8221? she muttered. \
I smirked at her, but I was only half-focused on her words. Her scent was seeping
into my system now, and I couldn\u8217?t seem to fight it off. My primal instincts
sparked hot and fast as my grip on her thigh slowly tightened, and I was silent for
a good thirty seconds before the faint electric sensation coursing through my body
solidified into an urgent pining to be inside the beautiful omega. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Pull over,\u8221? I commanded. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Where?\u8221? Nikita protested. \u8220?And aren\u8217?t we supposed to help
the wereca--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Now,\u8221? I growled insistently. \u8220?Look, there\u8217?s a side road.\
\u8220?I don\u8217?t even know where it goes,\u8221? she giggled, but she
obediently turned the wheel to take us into what turned out to be a narrow,
potholed, and slightly meandering road. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The omega\u8217?s citrus and vanilla scent was ripe in the air as she pulled off
the side of the road into a little plot of land that was empty except for the
crumbling remains of a demolished house. She had barely put the car in park before
I grabbed her by the waist and lifted her like a ragdoll to sit her firmly in my
lap. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I like where this is going,\u8221? she whispered right up against my ear as
she settled against my rock-hard cock. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The omega pressed herself down on me as I kissed her deeply, and within seconds,
she had straddled me and was standing up on her knees to give herself room to unzip
my jeans. She did this with surprising quickness, and then she followed this up by
tugging my pants and boxers down to my ankles. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then Nikita was out of her own tight jeans in a flash. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Talk about zero to sixty in less than four seconds,\u8221? I murmured, and
I immediately set about palming her supple ass. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?God, I\u8217?m so ready for you, Alpha.\u8221? She knelt poised with her
already wet pussy directly over my cock, and her intoxicating scent washed over me
again in a way that almost made me faint. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Don\u8217?t tease me,\u8221? I growled coarsely in a half-playful tone. \
Then I used my grip on her ass to pull her firmly all the way down onto my cock,
and I bit gently at her neck as I did. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita gasped as I penetrated her tight channel, and I combined my downward pull
with a steady upward thrust between her thighs. The leather seats scuffed slightly
against her knees as she spread her legs open a little wider to better accommodate
me, and as her walls clenched and quivered around my rigid cock, she moaned faintly
and tilted her head back for me to kiss and bite her neck again. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, Alpha.\u8221? Nikita\u8217?s voice got breathy in a way that fanned my
desire into an urgent, aching need, and tremors of pleasure ran through her as I
crammed my full length up into her again. \u8220?Straight to the\u8230? point.\
The last word came out as another gasp as I gave one more quick, deep thrust. Then
I abruptly switched to a rocking motion, and I helped it along by gripping her hips
firmly to stir her around on my shaft. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Do you like that?\u8221? I whispered as my heart beat a rapid tattoo
against my ribs. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes, Alpha,\u8221? she whined. \u8220?It\u8217?s soooo good.\u8221? \par\
The omega squirmed eagerly against me as a husky chuckle slipped from my lips.
Then I added a fresh onslaught of thrusts that made her bounce wetly against me,
and I was rewarded by a chorus of whimpers and moans when I bottomed out inside her
again and again. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Her supple sheath tightened more around the rigidness of my shaft, and she
clenched her nails and raked them down the center of my chest as she started to
arch into the fullness of her coming orgasm. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I kept up my barrage of upward thrusts, and I felt her full lips part against my
neck as she gave a long, wordless, gasping moan that quivered with each thrust. Her
breath and scent was warm against my neck, and it only urged me on as her scent
spiraled through my mind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I felt the knot pulsing at the base of my cock, and I gave in to the heat
that swelled and then burst from my cock in a deluge of cum. My knot immediately
anchored me inside her, and the omega writhed against me as she pressed herself
down to eagerly accept every last bit of me inside her. Her pussy quivered and
tightened around me more than I thought was possible each time I shot pulse after
pulse of my cum up into her womb, and our climaxes seemed to last a good two
minutes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then we slowly relaxed and melted against each other. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I love you, Jesse,\u8221? Nikita murmured with her lips still up against my
neck. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I would be lying if I said that hearing her call me Alpha wasn\u8217?t a massive
turn on, but hearing her say my actual name in such a reverent tone was satisfying
in a whole different way. It was still primal, but it was closer to my core, and it
felt like the rush of some powerful drug. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I breathed in the scent of her again and then sighed deeply with satisfaction. \
\u8220?I love you, too, Nikita,\u8221? I breathed against her soft, golden-brown
hair. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We stayed like that for longer than was necessary, and I lost track of time
completely as our hearts seemed to match up and beat in unison. It was so easy to
forget every worry in my mind with my werecat lover straddling me like this while
my cock was still deep inside of her, and the scent of our combined pleasure filled
the car. The point where our bodies stayed joined pulsed with heat as I held her in
my arms, and I couldn\u8217?t help but recall the way I\u8217?d held Arielle after
I came to Gray\u8217?s house to claim her. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And then again that night as we slept curled up on the couch without an inch of
space between us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Just the thought of my other omega curled up safe in my arms brought my pulse back
up to speed, but it was strange how natural it felt to think of her with Nikita
here. Even after enjoying such a primal moment with my first omega, I felt nothing
like guilt for thinking about Arielle now. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I just felt warm and satiated at the thought of them both. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
And a little more powerful than I expected. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We should get home,\u8221? I said finally. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita\u8217?s only response was a soft, blissed-out mumble. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I chuckled and slowly shifted to so I could gently lift her from my lap and sat
her down onto the passenger seat. Then I leaned on my arms and swung myself over
the center console to seat myself in the driver\u8217?s side. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll drive,\u8221? I announced as I put the car in gear, but there
were several sudden loud beeps of protest from the dashboard, and I immediately
froze. \u8220?What the hell?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh.\u8221? Nikita\u8217?s voice was husky and a little sleepy-sounding as
she reached up to pull down her seat belt. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The minute it clicked into the locked position, the car\u8217?s beeping ceased. \
\u8220?Safety first,\u8221? I muttered as I reversed to give myself room and then
pulled out of the empty lot and back onto the bumpy road. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
It was a quick drive to the house, and I could see the downstairs lights were on
inside as I pulled into the driveway. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When we walked inside, I looked around and saw that not a hair was out of place at
Aunt Eva\u8217?s house. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We found the werecats in the kitchen. They had managed to locate the extra folding
table and chairs, and they were all seated with half-empty dishes in front of them.
\u8220?Alpha!\u8221? Seven voices chorused at slightly different times as they
caught sight of me, and they seemed extremely mindful not to intrude on my
thoughts, although I\u8217?d been working on tuning them out anyways. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, guys,\u8221? I greeted them. \u8220?Sorry we\u8217?re, uh\u8230? a bit
late.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No worries, Alpha,\u8221? Zane assured me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I glanced into one of their bowls and saw the remains of cereal and milk, and I
grinned. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m glad you guys were able to locate the food,\u8221? I said. \
u8220?We\u8217?ll go shopping soon, so there will be more than cereal around for
dinner normally, I promise.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?ll do the shopping, Alpha,\u8221? Serena said eagerly. \u8220?We\
u8217?re just happy to be here with you and your omega.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m happy you\u8217?re here, too,\u8221? I said as I looked around at
the werecats. \u8220?It feels\u8230? right. Did you guys remember where the guest
rooms were?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
They all nodded, so I went on. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, they\u8217?re not guest rooms anymore,\u8221? I said firmly. \u8220?
They\u8217?re your rooms now.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I got a kitchen full of smiles at this statement, and I grinned back at them
before Nikita and I headed off to bed in my usual room. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Tomorrow\u8217?s DnD night,\u8221? my omega reminded me as she delved half-
naked into the sheets. Then she emerged and stretched out like a cat. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yep,\u8221? I mumbled distractedly as I watched every curve of her lithe
form. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She rolled over to kiss me as soon as I laid down beside her, and I was once again
lost in her scent within seconds. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We fell asleep intertwined, and when I woke up, the sight of Nikita\u8217?s
perfect face half-visible under her tousled caramel waves was the best thing I
could imagine waking up to. The fact that this absolute goddess of a woman was mine
washed over me again, and when the idea of hitting the beach with Arielle along
with playing DnD with my friends were added to the mix, I stretched and smiled. \
I had to admit, being the Alpha was pretty cool. But Nikita wasn\u8217?t just in
love with the Alpha. She was also in love with Jesse Rafe, the nerdy, DnD-playing
violinist, and Arielle sure as hell seemed interested in that side of me as well. \
The assurance that I could be both of those things left me feeling fresh and whole
as I bounded out of bed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Because at the moment, being Jesse Rafe was only getting better and better.\par\
pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } {\s1 \afs32
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
{
Nikita\u8217?s eyes opened the moment my feet hit the bedroom floor, and she sat
bolt upright in bed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Beach time,\u8221? I reminded her with a grin. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Arielle time!\u8221? she cheered as she sat up and stretched her arms high
above her head. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We found four of the werecats in the kitchen, along with about a dozen bags full
of groceries. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Guys?\u8221? I gaped when I entered the kitchen and at least a dozen more
bags came into view. \u8220?You didn\u8217?t have to go shopping, I could\u8217?
ve--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We wanted to,\u8221? Serena assured me with a bright smile. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I watched her stacking cartons and containers in the fridge like Tetris blocks for
a few moments before I nodded. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Alright then,\u8221? I chuckled. \u8220?Well\u8230? Nikita and I are going
to go pick up Arielle and go to the beach.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How many of us would you like to go with you?\u8221? Zane\u8217?s voice
seemed to come from nowhere until he suddenly straightened up from stocking the
lower shelves with assorted snacks. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?None, actually,\u8221? I admitted. \u8220?I think you guys should settle in
and like\u8230? actually relax for a bit before you start your first patrol.\u8221?
Beside me, Nikita nodded in agreement. \u8220?I think Arielle might feel more
comfortable if we brought a few werecoyotes, if anything.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The werecats looked slightly offended at this, and I felt like some elaboration
was needed, so I quickly picked up where my mate left off. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?That\u8217?s not a slight on you guys, obviously,\u8221? I added. \u8220?
But you\u8217?ve seen how shy she is, and this beach sounds like it was kind of her
own private place. Does that make sense?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I heard some pans clattering around from one of the cupboards out of my sight, and
then Eliza popped up like a jack-in-the-box and casually added to the conversation
like she\u8217?d been in it the whole time. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That makes sense,\u8221? Eliza replied. \u8220?But bringing some
werecoyotes is definitely a good idea if you\u8217?re not bringing any of us. We
can\u8217?t leave you without some guards up, Alpha.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah,\u8221? I agreed heavily and then smiled with only a hint of
wryness. \u8220?I guess now wouldn\u8217?t be the best time to lapse on security.\
The werecats looked mollified as they nodded in agreement, and I returned their
waves and goodbyes before I turned to leave. I found that Nikita already had the
keys to the Benz in hand. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ready?\u8221? I raised my eyebrows. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So ready,\u8221? she said with a bubbly smile. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Let\u8217?s get going, then.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We hit the road, and I didn\u8217?t bother telling my werecat omega to pump the
brakes as we flew down the highway toward Monroe. Nikita went a hair above her
usual racing-for-fun speed, and I knew she was just as excited as I was to see the
sweet Arielle and spend the greater part of the day at the coast with her. \par\
\u8220?Cop,\u8221? I warned as a white 4Runner crowned with police lights came
into view. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was parked at the side of the highway just past a small incline, but Nikita had
already slowed us with a smooth foot on the brakes, and once again I was impressed
at my mate\u8217?s skills. The officer standing by his car with a radar gun gave us
a slight frown, but he remained in position as we passed at a sedate fifty-three
miles per hour. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sneaky bastard,\u8221? Nikita muttered after we were in the clear. \u8220?
Fifty-five is such a dumb speed limit for the highway, anyways.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It makes no sense,\u8221? I agreed as we picked up speed again. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Twenty minutes later, we rolled up to the cabin, and Arielle came trotting out the
door just seconds after we came to a halt. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I missed you both,\u8221? the werecoyote omega gushed after wrapping us
both in a tight hug. \u8220?Are you ready to go?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We missed you, too,\u8221? I said with a grin, and Nikita nodded vigorously
by my side. \u8220?We\u8217?re ready. I just want to pop in and see Eva real
quick.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When I opened the door, I was immediately met by a Ziplock bag hurtling through
the air directly at me from the direction of the kitchen. It was filled with
something dark that felt solid at first yet softened slightly under the grip of my
fingers as I caught it out of the air. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Woah,\u8221? I muttered and hefted it in my hand. Then I looked up to see
Eva\u8217?s face grinning at me from over the island counter like a jack-o-lantern.
\u8220?Jerky for the road, dearie.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Sure enough, when I looked closer at the bag, I could see it was some of Eva\
u8217?s home-made jerky. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thanks, Aunt Eva,\u8221? I said fervently as I clutched the bag to my
chest. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Any time.\u8221? She picked up a second, similar bag and tossed it to me. \
u8220?This one is turkey. The first one is beef.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Perfect,\u8221? I chuckled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then Aunt Eva quickly rounded the island counter and corralled me into a hug, and
I hugged her back until she started peppering my head with kisses. I chuckled again
as I gently shrugged her off, and she sent me an affectionate look. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I take it things are going well here?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yep,\u8221? she confirmed. \u8220?Patrols have gone as expected. I have a
few scouting parties planned to go out soon, too, since they\u8217?re getting the
feel for moving as a little unit.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Nice.\u8221? I grinned. \u8220?Hopefully I\u8217?ll be kicking Aiden\u8217?
s ass in no time.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Between the way you trained yesterday and getting the scouting parties out,
I\u8217?d say so,\u8221? she chuckled, but after a brief hesitation, she went on. \
u8220?It\u8217?s not just a matter of kicking Aiden\u8217?s ass, though.\u8221? \
\u8220?I know,\u8221? I sighed. \u8220?It\u8217?s a matter of kicking the asses of
fifty-odd werecats, too.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s right.\u8221? She nodded. \u8220?I\u8217?ll keep the
werecoyotes training every day, but I think it\u8217?d be helpful if you had
another session or two to practice fighting as a group.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?What, so you can lay everyone on their asses again in a melee?\u8221? I
teased, but then I got serious. \u8220?I\u8217?ll definitely have some more
training sessions. I think between that and me in my hybrid form, I\u8217?ll
definitely have the ability to take Aiden down when the time comes.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Agreed.\u8221? Aunt Eva gave me another fond smile. \u8220?I know your
parents would be so proud of you, Jesse.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
This was the best thing she could have said, and I couldn\u8217?t find the right
words to give her in return. Instead, I gave her the tightest hug I could muster. \
\u8220?Okay, okay!\u8221? she squeaked and then chuckled again as I loosened my
grip. \u8220?Have fun at the beach. You\u8217?re planning on bringing some
werecoyotes, I take it?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yep.\u8221? I stepped back and relinquished my hold on my aunt. \u8220?Once
I can track them down, anyways.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?A bunch of them are down in the pool,\u8221? she informed me. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?The pool?\u8221? I furrowed my brow and then shook my head. \u8220?Of
course, Gray had a pool.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, now you have a pool.\u8221? My aunt smiled and poked me on the chest.
\u8220?A grotto type of thing, really. It\u8217?s right down that hallway and down
that set of stairs.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?A grotto?\u8221? I muttered. \u8220?Oh, this I\u8217?ve got to see.\
I paced down the short hallway and down a flight of stairs, and I stared around me
as I descended into a dim, rocky cave. There was no way this could have formed
naturally here, and as I gazed at the rocky sides that opened up around me, I
decided Gray must\u8217?ve paid a hell of a lot of money for this. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
This thought solidified as the pool inside the cave came into view. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
The first thing I noticed as I looked down at the pool set into the ground below
me was that the water was a glowing shade of aquamarine, and I quickly realized
there were blue lights set into the walls of the pool that shone up through the
water\u8217?s surface and illuminated the whole cave in a cool, dim ambiance. \par\
Like the floor I stepped onto at the bottom of the stairs, the pool appeared to be
carved from pale sand-colored marble. On one side of the cave, there was another
small but water-free pocket in the ground, and after a moment, I realized it was a
swim-up bar, complete with dozens of bottles of alcohol and even what I thought
were a few beer taps. Other than the ambient, muted-blue glow from the pool, a few
decorative lanterns hanging above the bar were the only sources of light. \par\
\u8220?Holy shit,\u8221? I muttered as I stood there and just took it all in. \
I was so stunned by the sight of the pool that it took me a moment to notice that
about eight of the werecoyotes were in it. They were easily visible once my eyes
had adjusted to the dim yet oddly cozy light. Most of them were gathered in the
shallow end closest to the bar, where the water came up to about chest-height for
the shortest of them. They were chatting animatedly with each other, and a few
others were swimming around in the deeper end while they batted a beach ball back
and forth. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Kiri was among the werecoyotes who were chatting in the shallows, and when she
caught sight of me, she shouted a hello that echoed throughout the whole group as
they saw me, too. Then they all eagerly waded across the shallow end toward me. \
\u8220?Hey, guys.\u8221? I had to chuckle at the rambunctious energy of the
werecoyotes, even so early in the morning. \u8220?Holy shit, I had no idea this
pool was here.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Most people didn\u8217?t,\u8221? Kiri explained. \u8220?Gray was weirdly
secretive about a lot of things. I think he had this built mostly to show off if he
invited people over, but that was ages ago. Toward the last half of my time here,
he kept this place locked up. Even Arielle wasn\u8217?t allowed down here.\u8221? \
\u8220?Arielle wasn\u8217?t allowed anywhere,\u8221? Marco snorted, but when he
caught my frown, he offered an apologetic grimace. \u8220?Sorry, Alpha, I didn\
u8217?t mean to sound callous about it. It\u8217?s just--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I get it,\u8221? I assured him. \u8220?I\u8217?m not happy to hear how
Arielle\u8217?s been treated, but I\u8217?m sure as hell making up for it now, so
I\u8217?ll just have to let that be enough.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s good to see her happy,\u8221? Kiri murmured. \u8220?She was
practically glowing when we got here this morning. I think she\u8217?s been pacing
back and forth in front of the window waiting for you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s cute,\u8221? I chuckled, and I felt my cheeks getting a little
hot as I imagined the sweet coyote pining over me. Then I glanced at the bar and
the couple of martini glasses sitting on the counter and raised my eyebrows. \
u8220?Do you guys, usually, uh, swim and\u8230? drink\u8230? in the early morning
like this?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A gust of laughter swept through the group as they shook their heads. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Nah, Alpha,\u8221? Marco answered for the group. \u8220?But when the others
found out this place existed, they were dying to go swimming, and a few of us are
off duty today, so\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Gray never let us do, like\u8230? anything,\u8221? Thalia picked up where
he left off, and her big blue eyes looked luminous in the aqua light of the pool as
she spoke. \u8220?It only felt right to enjoy ourselves just a little when we found
out about the pool.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The tawny-haired woman smiled and laid back to float, and I had to grin. \par\
\u8220?Totally understandable,\u8221? I said. \u8220?Well, which of you haven\
u8217?t been drinking?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The werecoyotes perked up at this, and all but two of them raised their hands. \
\u8220?Cool.\u8221? I grinned. \u8220?How would a few of you feel about coming to
the beach with me, Arielle, and my other mate, Nikita? For security\u8217?s sake.\
I phrased the request as a question to avoid coming off as an overly assuming
jackass like Gray, but they seemed to take to the idea right away anyways. All of
them started talking at once, and the non-drinkers raised their hands even
higher. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Okay, okay,\u8221? I said with a laugh as I scanned them over. \u8220?I
think I just need four of you along for this. Not that I don\u8217?t want to, um,
spend time together, but this was originally just supposed to be the three of us,
you know, and I want to keep it a cozy number, but I do need to be careful on
account of the whole Aiden thing. Plus, my car only seats seven.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
They all nodded, and Kiri swam closer to me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?re good at being discreet,\u8221? she assured me. \u8220?Don\
u8217?t worry, Alpha. You\u8217?ll hardly notice we\u8217?re standing guard for
your date.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Alright,\u8221? I chuckled again. \u8220?Hmm. Kiri, I want you to come.\
The platinum-haired, tomboyish girl gave a little cheer as she immediately braced
her hands on the edge of the pool to hop out, and I looked over her companions. \
\u8220?Caleb,\u8221? I continued. \u8220?Brenden, and Thalia.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yessss,\u8221? the other three all muttered at once as they followed
Kiri. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How long do you guys need to get ready?\u8221? I asked. \u8220?We\u8217?re
pretty eager to get going, but it won\u8217?t kill us to wait a little.\u8221? \
\u8220?Less than two minutes!\u8221? Kiri called over her shoulder as she pounded
up the stairs. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The others laughed and followed along behind her at a brisk trot. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I had to admire the werecoyotes\u8217? energy again, and I chuckled to myself as I
waved goodbye to the rest of them and followed the four up the stairs. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Finally!\u8221? Nikita burst out when I emerged from the cabin. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
She and Arielle were hovering by the Benz, both with matching expressions of
eagerness and impatience. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Let\u8217?s go, let\u8217?s go!\u8221? Arielle chirped in agreement. \par\
\u8220?Just one more minute. We\u8217?re waiting on a few werecoyotes to come with
us for security.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That makes sense.\u8221? Arielle nodded. \u8220?Who\u8217?s coming?\
\u8220?Kiri, Brenden, Thalia, and Caleb,\u8221? I said. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The werecoyote omega looked approving of my choices, but before she could respond,
Kiri burst out the door, followed in close succession by the other three. \par\
\u8220?We\u8217?re ready!\u8221? the tomboyish girl crowed. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
She had thrown her hair up in a perky ponytail and now sported a small backpack. I
could see a bag of what I was sure was Aunt Eva\u8217?s jerky peeking out of the
side pouch, and I grinned as I realized they probably had gotten held up in the
kitchen. It was still impressively quick, though, and when I told them this, the
werecoyotes all shrugged amiably. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?re used to it,\u8221? Caleb said with a wry grin as he shook his
mop of black curls out of his eyes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I nodded and recalled the short fuse I\u8217?d seen Gray have before I ended his
pathetic life, even with Arielle, the mate he should have protected and
cherished. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You don\u8217?t need to worry about me going berserk if you stop to tie
your shoelaces,\u8221? I assured them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh.\u8221? Caleb blinked. \u8220?That\u8217?s cool, then!\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yikes.\u8221? I grimaced as I realized Gray might have actually thrown a
fit about shit just like that before. \u8220?Listen, do any of you have a car? The
Benz could squeeze all seven of us in, but I kinda thought--\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Security guards might ruin the romantic drive?\u8221? Kiri chuckled. \par\
\u8220?Kinda,\u8221? I laughed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No worries, I\u8217?ve got my Jeep out back,\u8221? the tomboyish girl said
with a thumbs-up. \u8220?We\u8217?ll follow you guys there, but where are we
headed?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I turned to Arielle for an answer, but she looked unsure, and Kiri sighed as she
strolled over with her phone already in hand. Then the two spent a minute
discussing the general direction this beach was in and the name of it, and it
turned out Kiri didn\u8217?t even need her phone\u8217?s GPS to find the place. She
knew exactly where we were headed, so we decided to let her lead the way instead. \
Then the werecoyotes headed behind the cabin, and by the time they\u8217?d piled
into Kiri\u8217?s forest green Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nikita was bouncing impatiently
in the driver\u8217?s seat of the Benz. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I\u8217?d climbed in back so I could sit next to Arielle for the drive, and I
chuckled as Caleb leaned out his window and let out a whooping howl. The rest
joined in as Kiri gunned the engine and took off down the driveway. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?They sure do make energetic companions,\u8221? Nikita laughed and drove
after the Jeep. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, it\u8217?s kind of hard to believe Gray was shitty enough to earn
their hatred,\u8221? I muttered. \u8220?He honestly had to have worked hard to piss
this group off.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?He did.\u8221? Arielle nodded, and the three of us chuckled together. \par\
Kiri led us along a back road that cut through its own little mountain pass,
rather than take the longer, winding main road to reach the coastal highway. The
spring sun streamed in through the windows as we neared the coast, and Nikita
hummed along with an oldies tune that was blaring on the radio. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ocean!\u8221? Arielle stabbed a finger out the window to her right. \par\
Sure enough, the sun was winking off the surface of the rolling waves that were
now becoming more and more visible as the forest to the right of the road started
to thin out. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hell yeah!\u8221? Nikita sang. \u8220?It\u8217?s been so long since I last
went to the beach.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s been so long since I did literally anything,\u8221? Arielle
murmured so quietly, I doubted my other mate could hear. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But I heard her, and I squeezed her hand. She looked over at me and smiled giddily
before she went back to gazing out the window. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When we got to a four-way intersection and would\u8217?ve entered the little beach
town if we went straight, Kiri turned right instead. The road to the right was
steep and unpaved, and it led up to a tunnel-like, overhead canopy of the trees. \
Nikita obediently steered the car to the right as well, and the Benz lurched a few
times as we climbed the potholed slope. Once we reached the top, the road flattened
and smoothed out, and we soon came out of the trees onto a flat circle of gravel
where we could park. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Arielle shrieked excitedly in an almost unrecognizable voice and got into a tangle
with her seat belt as she tried to exit the car. I chuckled as I helped her unravel
herself, and before I knew it, she was off and pounding across the gravel in the
direction of the beach that lay below. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Slow down, there, omega,\u8221? Kiri said with mock-authority. She jumped
out of the Grand Cherokee and made a big show of squinting around the clearing like
my lover\u8217?s personal bodyguard, and the other werecoyotes practically tumbled
out of the Jeep with huge grins on their faces. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Even Brenden looked relaxed and ready for a beach day. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Let\u8217?s go!\u8221? Nikita cheered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We all caught up with Arielle where the ground leveled out into a steep-sided
cliff overlooking the beach. The sun warmed us with its glow, but even off the
beach, the wind nipped at us with cold teeth. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Down below us and far to each side, the beach was a flat stretch of sand. Close to
our right, the cliff arced out to form a low, rocky cove, and past it, I could see
an inlet where the water had pooled on the shore. The beach below the bridge-like
cove was mostly sand at the moment, but the shoreline indicated that the waves
would wash over about three-fourths of the surface later in the day. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How do we get down?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Arielle pointed at a staircase carved out of the rock just to our right that I
hadn\u8217?t even noticed. The stairs looked extremely weathered, but the stone was
still craggy enough that it wouldn\u8217?t be slippery on such a dry day. They were
narrow enough that we\u8217?d have to go single file, though, and I gave the stairs
a long look before I glanced at my mates. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll go first,\u8221? I announced. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Why?\u8221? Arielle frowned. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So I can catch you if you fall, of course.\u8221? I gently pinched the
omega werecoyote\u8217?s cheek, and she giggled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I started down the stairs, and my two mates plus the four others all followed
along behind me like a row of ducklings. The stairs zigzagged all the way down the
steep cliff face, and it took a few minutes for us to reach the bottom. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Once I stepped aside, Arielle danced down the last few stairs and then just stood
with her toes wiggling in the sand and a blissful expression on her face. A gust of
wind whipped her hair back as her eyes drank in the view, and I loved seeing the
shy omega look so elated. It was like a spark had suddenly ignited inside her, and
I lost track of all my thoughts when she sent me a dazzling smile. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Can we go down to the cove?\u8221? she asked breathlessly. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Like you even need to ask,\u8221? I teased. \u8220?Let\u8217?s go.\u8221? \
Brenden paused for a moment and eyed the cove that was about a hundred feet down
the beach. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Maybe me, Kiri, Caleb, and Thalia can hang around here and keep an eye on
the beach,\u8221? he said as he turned to me. \u8220?We\u8217?re close to the cove
here, and that way you guys can have some privacy. I\u8217?d wager any ambush out
here would probably come from this direction.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sounds good,\u8221? I said with an appreciative grin. \u8220?Thanks, guys.\
They waved as I started down the beach with Nikita at my right and Arielle at my
left, and as both beautiful women reached for my hands, I felt like the luckiest
guy alive. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, what\u8217?s this beach called?\u8221? I asked while we meandered down
the shore hand in hand. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s called Picpawa Beach,\u8221? Arielle said, and she stared at the
waves with an expression of pure joy. \u8220?But people call this little cove
Chuckling Cove.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Chuckling Cove?\u8221? Nikita repeated. \u8220?Why?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?You\u8217?ll see,\u8221? Arielle laughed as we neared the cove. Then she
pulled us under the big, craggy outcropping of rock that curved over our heads. \
On one side, it connected to the cliff overhead that overlooked the beach. On the
other side, it forked and came down to meet the shoreline as two separate masses of
rock about twenty feet apart. The water crashed around each of them to wash across
the sand, and each time the water retreated and coursed over the amassed stones at
the base of the two rock formations, it made a sort of rollicking, chuckling noise.
The noise reminded me of a stony brook and echoed all through the wide, rocky arc
of the cove. It was cool, but just the slightest bit eerie, too. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
From here, I could see the inlet that had been barely visible from the top of the
cliff. It was just past the cove in a place where the ground sank down, the waves
rushed further in, and the cliff opened up. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As we strolled further down the beach, the full opening in the cliff came into
view. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Woah,\u8221? I said. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The water gathered into a circular opening that was about the size of a large
swimming pool, and it looked as clear as could be once the foam from the waves
faded away. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Isn\u8217?t it beautiful?\u8221? Arielle asked as proudly as if she\u8217?d
created it herself. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Wow,\u8221? Nikita murmured. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s perfect,\u8221? I told the pretty coyote. \u8220?Thanks for
bringing us here.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Arielle blushed a pretty pink color, and I just stood and looked at her for a
moment. Her warm brown hair was tousled by the wind, her umber eyes were shining,
and her golden-brown skin looked even warmer in the sunlight. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
She looked so alive, and so different from the meek, terrified woman who had
cringed away from Gray\u8217?s touch when I first saw her. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
Then the coyote snatched our hands, and we both let her tow us along the edge of
the inlet\u8217?s rushing water and toward the rocky opening where it flooded into
the pool. When we reached it, she released our hands and turned around to face
us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Do you want to swim?\u8221? the werecoyote omega asked. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m in,\u8221? I said with a grin. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Me, too.\u8221? Nikita nodded briskly, but before she had even finished
talking, Arielle was taking off her clothes, and within ten seconds, she was clad
only in black panties and a matching bralette. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Your turn,\u8221? she prompted us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I took off my shirt, and Nikita followed suit, until we were both in suitable
states of undress. Then we both followed Arielle, who seemed to be having the time
of her life being the leader of our little expedition. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
In front of me, the two women clung slightly to each other as they prepared to set
toe into the ankle-deep rush of water where it streamed into the rocky opening.
Aside from the waves\u8217? foam, the water itself was so clear that the place
where it deepened just inside the pool was clearly visible, so the women were able
to see where to place their feet. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
What they didn\u8217?t account for was how cold the water was. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Shit!\u8221? Arielle gasped as she hastily withdrew the foot she\u8217?d
dipped into the crystal-clear surface, and I saw her nails involuntarily dig into
Nikita\u8217?s arm. \u8220?Oops! Sorry, sorry\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
They paused for a few moments and looked at each other like they were steeling
themselves, and Nikita started to count down. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?One\u8230?\u8221? she inhaled deeply. \u8220?Two\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Three!\u8221? Arielle shrieked, and they both stepped quickly into the
water. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
After a few wobbly steps, they were into the pool itself, and they threw
themselves fully under the water. Both women gasped after they resurfaced, and then
Arielle swam around in circles with the most gleeful look I\u8217?d ever seen on
anyone\u8217?s face. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Are you okay?\u8221? she panted to my other mate. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Excellent,\u8221? Nikita sputtered. \u8220?It felt cold at first, but I\
u8217?m already getting used to it.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then they both looked at me in unison. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Here we go,\u8221? I muttered as I tried to prepare myself for the
inevitable chilliness of the water. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I didn\u8217?t count to three, though. I just took one large stride and then
gathered my other foot next to me to concentrate my weight. I ignored the shiver
that shot through me at the water\u8217?s touch and focused all my energy on
springing forward into the pool. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Holy shit!} I didn\u8217?t mean to scream mentally, but I must have, because when I
resurfaced and caught sight of Nikita, she was wincing like I had just shouted in
her ear. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
This seemed absurd for a second, but then I remembered the overwhelming physical
and mental sense I\u8217?d had when the werecats were all clamoring in my head. \
{\i
Sorry,} I said at a quieter mental volume, and I tried to give an apologetic grin.
At the same time, I reflexively gulped in a huge lungful of air. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The result, whatever it looked like, made Nikita laugh out loud, and I glossed
over the moment by throwing myself back further into the water and swimming in a
quick flip under the crystal-clear surface. It was frigid, but also exhilarating,
and I thought I\u8217?d be feeling the cold a hell of a lot more intensely if I
were still in my pre-shifter days. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nowadays, I ran a lot hotter than before, and the wolf in me seemed to enjoy the
thrill of the chilling temperature. Every inch of me felt alive with raw energy,
and it made me grin beneath the water. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As I rose up to the surface again, the two women wiggled into the deeper water,
too, and we all swam around with a simple, carefree glee that was the best feeling
I\u8217?d had in a long time. Nikita and Arielle seemed to be feeling the same
thing, and eventually we ended up in a big, watery tangle as we eased into the day.
With the two gorgeous women by my side, and some of my werecoyotes watching my
back, I felt incredibly happy and carefree. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Every giggle my two lovers let out echoed off the rocks and brought an even bigger
grin to my face as the day drifted on. Their sleek bodies sliding against mine as
they swam in circles around me kept my focus one hundred percent on them, and there
wasn\u8217?t anywhere else in the world I wanted to be at. I honestly felt like I
could have stayed in that cove forever, with just Arielle and Nikita clinging to me
in the chilly water, and I would have died a happy man. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then, right when we all stopped to take a breath, I saw a pair of big, bright
black eyes staring straight at me from beneath the water\u8217?s surface.\par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {\page } {\s1 \afs32
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
{
I stared in shock at the set of big, round, bright black eyes under the water, and
they blinked back at me with a kind of playful innocence. Then I realized there
were two more pairs of the same eyes close by. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My lovers saw them, too, and Arielle shrieked as Nikita and I kicked through the
water to propel us all backward. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What the hell is that?\u8221? Nikita gasped as she huddled slightly closer
to me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As she spoke, the middle pair of eyes were already moving up toward the surface,
and a lightly furred, sleek gray head became visible. As it broke the surface of
the water, I saw that it had a short, whiskered snout and a small black nose like a
dog\u8217?s. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?A seal!\u8221? Arielle clutched at my arm in excitement, and we all watched
open-mouthed as two more whiskered heads broke through the surface on each side of
the first. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The seals were equal parts beautiful and adorable. Their short fur was silvery and
gleaming in the sunlight, and as they bobbed gracefully in the water in front of
us, I could see their long, flippered tails waving below to keep them aloft in the
water. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Before we could do anything other than take in the sight of them, the seals\u8217?
forms blurred slightly, and they started to shift before our eyes. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The seals\u8217? snouts withdrew into their faces, and their short fur and
whiskers appeared to shrink back into their skin, which smoothed out and lightened
from deep gray to a delicate seashell color. Long, shiny, silvery hair sprouted
from their heads in place of the fur, and it seemed to pour down until it trailed
far into the water below. Then the creatures solidified into the lithe forms of
three naked, human women. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I couldn\u8217?t do anything but gape as they completed their shift and floated
there in front of us. Their eyes had changed to be as human-like in appearance as
the rest of them, but the irises still had the same black color and bright
shininess, and although their expressions seemed to hold less shock than ours, I
thought they showed just as much curiosity. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The three women each had hair that was a different shiny shade of silver. One was
a color close to platinum, while another was more of a true silver. The last was a
glossy shade of slate, but all of their hair seemed completely dry until the point
where it trailed in the water below. Although the water blurred their bodies a bit,
it was clear they were all very well built, but I did my best to keep my gaze on
their faces only. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
That\u8217?s how I realized they looked similar enough to be sisters. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hello, werewolves,\u8221? the platinum-haired woman said. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Her voice was soft and husky, and it sounded ever so slightly accented, although I
couldn\u8217?t place where she might be from. Her tone was light and playful with a
slightly musical quality to it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?H-Hello,\u8221? I managed to say. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The three women were strangely mesmerizing, and that was all I could get out for
the moment, but Nikita came to her senses quickly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How did you know we\u8217?re shifters, much less werewolves?\u8221? she
asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
That\u8217?s a good point}, I thought suddenly. Did seals have a good sense of
smell, or was it just a shifter thing? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We sensed it from you,\u8221? the slate-haired woman replied. Then she
turned to me. \u8220?Especially from you, Alpha. Your power was what beckoned to us
from the sea.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was a little miffed that these shifters had slipped into the inlet without
drawing any notice from my werecoyotes, but I let it pass for the moment in light
of more pressing questions. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?My power?\u8221? I asked with a frown. \u8220?What kind of senses do you
have that could tell you that? How do you know I\u8217?m an alpha? And what
exactly, um\u8230? are you?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We are selkies,\u8221? the silver-haired woman explained. \u8220?We have
spent a great deal of time in our animal forms. Too much, according to some, but it
suits us\u8230? and it lends us greater sensitivity to things such as pod dynamics\
u8230? although we do not usually care to dabble in them. Even so, it is unusual
that your power as an alpha was strong enough to draw us from the sea. No alpha has
managed it before.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I thought I had heard of selkies at some point, but I remembered thinking they
were a species that had dwindled and died off, for some reason. Finding out that
they were alive, much less encountering three of them, was completely unexpected to
me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Before any of us could continue, a chorus of yips and howls rang out from nearby,
and I heard several sets of paws thumping across the sand. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Ah, shit,\u8221? I muttered, and I swam hastily over to the mouth of the
inlet where the ocean streamed into the pool. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The water was shallow enough for me to stand there, and it came up to my lower
chest. I waded over to hang my arms over the rocky edge of the pool as I listened
to the coyotes approaching, but I stayed in the water. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Within seconds, the werecoyotes came into my view. As the sounds of their approach
had made clear, they had shifted into full coyote forms, and it was hard to tell
for sure who was who at first. Then I thought I recognized Thalia as a smaller,
tawny-colored coyote with a fluffy tail. Brenden was most likely the rangy, jet-
black one, and Kiri must have been the small but long-legged, ash-colored one. That
left Caleb as the sleek, bronze-colored coyote with smoky markings on his paws and
snout. He was yipping and barking at the head of the sprinting group, although each
of them seemed to be vying for position as they hurtled toward the inlet. \par\
Then they saw me waiting, and they all skidded to a stop about ten feet away.
Their eyes darted around, and their heads whipped back and forth looking for some
kind of threat in every direction. The coyote who I thought was Kiri whined
slightly and padded closer. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s okay, guys,\u8221? I said with a slight chuckle. \u8220?We found
some, er\u8230? ocean friends.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The coyotes stared at me with wide eyes like I had spoken in tongues. I knew they
could understand me, but I thought they were likely shocked and confused. I hadn\
u8217?t smelled the selkies myself, even with my heightened shifter senses, and I
thought that might be due in part to the ocean\u8217?s salty scent masking theirs.
The fact that they apparently rarely inhabited their human forms also might\u8217?
ve had something to do with it. They might smell more like animals than shifters at
this point. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
All I could figure was that the coyotes\u8217? heightened hearing had finally
picked up on the strangers\u8217? voices here with us, but they seemed to have
calmed at the sight of me in one piece. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m totally fine,\u8221? I added, just in case they had any doubts. \
u8220?But I\u8217?m really glad you\u8217?re keeping a good lookout. Maybe you can
stay close by, just to be safe.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The coyotes all dipped their snouts, and then, by some unspoken agreement, they
split and trotted off two by two to stand guard near the mouth of the inlet, and
one of them splashed across the water. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When I turned back, Nikita and Arielle were swimming my way, with the three
beautiful selkies drifting along behind them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We got tired of treading water,\u8221? Arielle panted. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The werecoyote omega looked a little relieved as her feet came into contact with
the rocky ground, and she waded over to stand by me with Nikita close beside her. \
The selkies remained floating in front of us in the slightly deeper part of the
pool, and they didn\u8217?t appear to tire from it as we did. They seemed extremely
curious still, but also slightly wary, and I wondered how long it had been since
they last spoke to humans. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So\u8230?\u8221? I gave in to the curiosity that burned in my mind. \u8220?
Are there many selkies? I haven\u8217?t really heard much about them\u8230? I mean\
u8230? you, before.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?There used to be many of us,\u8221? the platinum-haired selkie replied. \
u8220?But now there are few, and we are widely scattered. As for the three of us,
we have spent more time as animals than humans, and we have taken to following the
migration patterns of the seals. The true seals, not the shifters.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Wow,\u8221? Arielle murmured. \u8220?Is it hard to\u8230? change back?\
All of them nodded. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?A bit,\u8221? the slate-haired selkie said. \u8220?But the presence of
other humans, especially shifters, makes it\u8230? easier. Reminds us of what we
were. Or can be.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The selkies had a slightly strange, formal way of speaking, and their cadence was
odd when paired with their light, singsong voices. They looked maybe a few years
older than me at most, yet their manner was an interesting mixture of child-like
and almost ancient. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then something occurred to me, and the words tumbled out of my mouth before I
could think twice about them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, uh\u8230? are there selkie omegas?\u8221? I asked out of curiosity. \
I caught Nikita\u8217?s smirk from the corner of my eye, but I kept my expression
completely casual. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes\u8230?\u8221? The silver-haired selkie\u8217?s elegant brow furrowed a
little as she nodded. \u8220?But they are difficult to find, as our numbers have
dwindled. The three of us sense one every now and then, if we near one another in
the water\u8230? but we have rarely crossed paths closely enough to interact. They
are skittish if they don\u8217?t have a mate yet.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We sensed one just off the coast, not long ago,\u8221? the slate-haired
selkie added. \u8220?Time is difficult to keep track of when we spend so long in
our animal forms, but it was\u8230? perhaps three or four weeks ago. She seemed to
be solitary, which is not unusual. She had a lovely scent.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Calming.\u8221? The platinum-haired woman nodded slowly. \u8220?We passed
by each other somewhere offshore, but not quite close enough to see her.\u8221? \
\u8220?And you didn\u8217?t stop to\u8230? I don\u8217?t know, say hello?\u8221?
Nikita frowned a little. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No.\u8221? The silver-haired selkie shook her head. \u8220?As we have spent
more time as seals, we find we have less interest in interacting with others\u8230?
shifter or otherwise.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hmm,\u8221? I mumbled. \u8220?But my power was enough to make you want to
come and investigate?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The selkies all nodded vigorously, and it was the quickest movement I\u8217?d seen
from them so far. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It is like nothing we have ever felt before,\u8221? one of them said
solemnly. \u8220?Even in an alpha. We wanted to see why. To see who you are.\u8221?
They looked eagerly at me for an explanation, and I blew out a breath. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well\u8230?\u8221? I shuffled my feet awkwardly under the water. \u8220?I
don\u8217?t know if you\u8217?ve ever heard of The Alpha Prophecy?\u8221? \par\
The selkies nodded once more, and their eyes widened as they clearly sensed what I
was about to say. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m not just an alpha,\u8221? I said with a calm that didn\u8217?t
betray the slight difficulty I still had with casually announcing this bit of
information. \u8220?I\u8217?m The Alpha from the prophecy.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8230? explains everything,\u8221? the slate-haired selkie murmured. \
u8220?I didn\u8217?t think\u8230? It did not even occur to me\u8230? It has been so
long since we last interacted with any other shifters.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?That makes sense,\u8221? I said. \u8220?Well, it\u8217?s nice to meet you
all. Maybe if you sense another selkie omega, you could, uh\u8230? point her my
way.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Something about the matter-of-fact way I was able to say this sentence, which
would have been so bizarre to me a month ago in both sound and concept, almost made
me laugh out loud. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But I managed to hold it together, and the selkies all nodded once more in
response. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes, Alpha,\u8221? they chorused. \u8220?And\u8230? perhaps we will come
across some fighters, to lend strength to your cause. Many selkies have no pods
now, but for the power of the Alpha\u8230? things may certainly change.\u8221? \
Before I could respond to this statement, four loud, urgent howls rang out in
unison. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, damn,\u8221? I muttered, and I hastily waded through the water toward
the inlet to see what was going on. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The four werecoyotes were all clustered on one side of the inlet, and the black
one hastily shifted back to human form. After a moment, it revealed itself to be
Brenden. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
He didn\u8217?t show any signs of caring that he was completely naked in the
middle of the beach, despite the chilliness of the wind. He looked wired and on
edge. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We smell beta cats,\u8221? he warned. \u8220?Not sure whose they are, but
they\u8217?re somewhere nearby.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Shit,\u8221? I muttered as my mind started to race. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I thought it was highly unlikely that my werecats would come looking for me here,
but if they had, it must be something urgent. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And if these weren\u8217?t my werecats, then they were likely Aiden\u8217?s. \par\
Whatever the case, I needed to act now. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We have to go,\u8221? I said as I turned quickly back to the selkies. \par\
\u8220?What is your name, Alpha?\u8221? the silver-haired selkie responded. \par\
\u8220?It\u8217?s Jesse,\u8221? I said hurriedly. \u8220?And I\u8217?m based in
Everleigh. But I have to go, it was so cool to meet you, but--\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Alpha duties call you away,\u8221? the slate-haired selkie said with a
smile. \u8220?Be careful, Alpha. We will send any fighters or omegas we meet to
you, Jesse of Everleigh.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Great.\u8221? I grinned as I was already preparing to heave myself out of
the pool. \u8220?Thanks.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
This felt like a slightly inadequate response, but the selkies seemed satisfied by
it. They were murmuring quietly to each other almost like average humans as I
clambered out of the pool and then turned to offer a hand to Arielle, who was
directly behind me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I helped Nikita out next, and when I looked back to wave at the selkies, they were
already in their seal forms again. They all bobbed their heads at me before they
slipped into the inlet and slid through the waves with their finned tails working
hard. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I would\u8217?ve loved to watch them swim off into the distance, but there was no
time. As the four werecoyotes hovered next to me, I quickly shed my boxers and
reached urgently for the heat that was pooled deep within me. The burning itch
bloomed in my spine with a speed that almost caught me off-guard, but I didn\u8217?
t hesitate to drop down onto all fours as my spine already began to quiver and
lengthen. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
In just a few seconds, I was a wolf. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I inhaled deeply as Nikita and Arielle shifted next to me. Scents burst into life
around me, and there was a sharp, herbal scent that cut across Arielle\u8217?s
tempting chocolate-cinnamon scent and Nikita\u8217?s inviting citrus and vanilla.
It somehow smelled both slightly familiar and yet completely foreign at the same
time, and I realized suddenly that while these were most certainly werecat betas,
they sure as hell weren\u8217?t mine. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Aiden\u8217?s betas,} I snarled to Nikita, who now stood next to me as a mountain
lion. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She didn\u8217?t respond in words, just gave a low, predatory hiss as her hackles
raised, and she stared around like she would jump the first living creature that
came into view. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
On my other side, even Arielle pawed at the ground like she was impatient to go
kick the betas\u8217? asses, and the other werecoyotes were prowling in small
circles in front of us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I paced forward a few steps so I was at the front of the little group. Then I gave
a low, rumbling snarl, and for the five werecoyotes who didn\u8217?t share my
thoughts, the message was still clear: \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Let\u8217?s fucking go.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was alert and on edge as I searched for the source of the scent, and it led me
down the beach in the opposite direction from where we\u8217?d come. Since these
were undoubtedly Aiden\u8217?s betas, this could very well be a trap. If so, I was
determined not to be caught off-guard. I had brought backup with me for this very
reason, though I was sure there was no way Aiden would have too many of his pride
ranging out near the coast like this. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
He seemed smarter than that. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nonetheless, I went carefully. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I paused for a moment as I realized another similar scent trail branched off from
this one and led down the beach, and I frowned as I stared in that direction while
my werecoyotes and Nikita came to a stop behind me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There were no paw prints, though, and I was sure that this side trail smelled not
only older, but weaker somehow, like there had been less of the werecats moving
that way. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Why is there a separate trail? }I asked with a wolfish frown. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
Maybe they were looking for you, }Nikita suggested. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Maybe\u8230?} I hesitated for another moment and then decided to continue following
the stronger, fresher trail. It seemed more likely to lead me to the werecats, and
from there I could figure out if this was a threat I needed to eliminate. \par\
The cliff sloped steadily downward on our right as we trotted down the beach, and
I was relieved when it finally leveled out and we could get off the soft sand and
onto packed earth. We\u8217?d been following the scent to the north, and now I was
able to track it northeast as we left the beach. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There was a trail into the stretch of trees that laid ahead, and the scent led
down it. It was wide enough for my little group to stay fanned out to each side of
me as we prowled through the forest. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I inhaled again as the trees closed in around us, and the certainty that these
werecat betas weren\u8217?t mine solidified in my mind as the scent grew stronger
without the sea breeze to blow it away. We were getting closer, and I could
pinpoint that there were about five of them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
That was a number I was confident we could take on, if we needed to. But first, I
had to find out for sure if these were Aiden\u8217?s werecats, and if not, then who
the hell they were and whether or not they posed a threat to my pack. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
The slightest flicker of motion from the underbrush to my right caught my
attention, but it was mostly reflex that made me drop down onto my haunches when
something big and furry came flying at me with its paws spread wide. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
The animal missed me and went skidding across the dirt just past our little group,
and all I had time to see was that it was a plush cat about the same size as the
werecoyotes, with tufted ears and a bobbed tail. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Lynx!} Nikita hissed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then the shit hit the fan. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Two mountain lions descended on us from the canopy above, and a hair-raising sound
that was like a cross between a zombie scream and a rusty door hinge rang out from
the lynx. The cry was echoed from all sides as several more lynxes detached
themselves from the underbrush, and they\u8217?d blended in perfectly with the
foliage before they threw themselves at us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Shit.} The curse came searing up my throat and released itself as a snarl that
ramped up into a roar as two lynxes closed in on Arielle. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
I sent them scattering away from her with one furious, arcing swipe of my claws,
but they were back within seconds, and my werecoyote omega yelped in pain as one of
them managed to graze her haunches with its fangs. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There was a sickening crunch as I yawned my mouth wide and snapped it shut on the
lynx\u8217?s leg, and the creature wailed with a blood-curdling sound exactly like
nails on a chalkboard. I twisted as violently as I could, and the crisp snap of its
femur sounded like a gunshot to my ears. Then I jerked my teeth forcefully out of
the creature while I was still in motion and sent it crashing into some of its
fellows. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
They scattered like bowling pins. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When I turned back to Arielle, she had the other lynx pinned down with her paws
and was tearing out its throat. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I gave a snarl of approval and then darted in without hesitation to swipe
furiously at the flank of a mountain lion as it lunged at Kiri. My claws sank in,
and the lion\u8217?s teeth clicked shut with unforgiving force an inch away from
her snout. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Now, the flaxen-furred werecoyote was free to fend off another attacker as the
mountain lion turned with a low, dangerous growl to throw itself at me instead. We
tumbled to the ground in a flurry of paws and claws and snapping teeth, and the
mountain lion started screaming up a storm as I grappled stubbornly with it. The
thing was wriggling like an eel, and when I snapped savagely at its neck, I somehow
ended up with a mouthful of tail instead. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was still rewarded with a pained yowl, and this only encouraged me. I sank my
teeth in further and yanked, and the yowl escalated into a screech as the mountain
lion flailed and writhed below me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then the cat managed to rake its claws across my underbelly, and I huffed and
recoiled as its lip curled with a gloating expression. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A split second later, the mountain lion lunged upward, but then a tan-colored blur
hurled itself at my opponent out of nowhere, and I watched for a moment as Nikita
got a grip on it with her front paws. Then she viciously pummeled at its belly with
her wickedly curved, rear claws, and entrails spilled everywhere. Once she was
done, Nikita threw aside the enemy mountain lion in disgust, and it thudded to the
ground next to her as she turned away. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Good girl,} I growled, and Nikita purred back as I took a quick assessment of the
scene. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The bleeding corpses of the mountain lion and three lynxes now adorned the edges
of the wide path, but it was still a whirlwind of savage fighting. My five
werecoyotes appeared to be holding their own against the four lynxes that were
left, but the remaining mountain lion was troubling them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
{\i
Time to end this, }I snarled, and I reached deep within for the even more intense
heat that lurked inside me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It sprang eagerly to life within me, but through the haze that seemed to surround
me, I heard Nikita\u8217?s voice. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
No, }she said urgently. {\i
Don\u8217?t do your hybrid form. We can take them down like this.} \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
What?} I snapped at her. {\i
Why the hell--} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Jesse, there\u8217?s no time to explain,} she pleaded, and there was a note of
gravity in her voice that made me pause. {\i
Please. Do you trust me?} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Of course, }I growled impatiently. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Then please don\u8217?t use your hybrid form during this fight unless you
absolutely have to, }she begged.{\i
Unless it\u8217?s a matter of life or death. Okay?} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Fine.} I followed her back into the fray after only a moment of hesitation, and we
both went for the last living mountain lion that had just left a trail of claw
marks across Brenden\u8217?s flank. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The werecoyote whined and then yipped and snarled as a lynx snapped at his haunch
on the other side. Nikita and I successfully bowled over the mountain lion onto its
side, though, and that left Brenden free to engage with his other lynx attacker. \
I heard the lynx give a ragged, shrieking growl as my pack mate ripped off one of
its tufted ears and then went in for the kill. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Meanwhile, the fallen mountain lion began sending up a maelstrom of swipes, snaps,
and feints at Nikita and I, and it looked like a turtle on its back for a moment as
it rolled from side to side to engage with both of us. I had the ludicrous sense
that I was playing whack-a-mole as I batted aside its claws several times. \par\
Then it managed to hook its claws into Nikita, and as it dragged her down with its
cyclonic tussling, I heard a yowl of distress escape my werecat mate\u8217?s
lips. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I thought the fury that swelled up in me would incinerate my chest with its force,
and the primordial bellow that echoed from my muzzle made everyone in the fray
freeze in their tracks for a moment. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Even the mountain lion. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita chose this opportune moment to lunge up at her opponent and headbutt it
with an audible thunk, and its answering roar as it reeled backward sounded weak
and colorless after my own. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
In a flash, I was on it again. A cascade of blood came pouring from its mouth as I
sank my teeth into its throat and pulled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Gross}, Nikita complained in a half-joking tone as blood spilled onto her. \par\
I spat out a chunk of flesh and fur. {\i
Sorry.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Unplagued by the bigger cat, my werecoyotes were now closing in on the last lynx,
and it gave a desperate mewl of regret as it realized it was about to die. \par\
Then a stray breeze lifted the leaves on the trees around us, and I caught hold of
a new scent. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was fresh and almost piney-smelling, with a strange sort of sharp astringency
to it. I couldn\u8217?t put my finger on what it was, but something about it
screamed \u8220?danger\u8221?{\i
}to me all the same. It had to be another werecat, and a strong one at that, and I
braced myself to prepare for another ambush. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When nothing happened, something clicked in my head, and I was hit with the reason
why Nikita had told me not to use my hybrid form. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And the reason why I should let this final werecat go. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
No fucking way}, I growled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Alpha\u8230?} Nikita said in a warning tone. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Hold on}, I replied. {\i
Let me try something.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I gave a bark that was short and sharp but held all the power of The Alpha behind
it. It cut through the noise, and everyone stopped in their tracks for the second
time. Then in two quick bounds, I had the lynx pinned under my front paws, and it
mewled as it shifted weakly under my weight. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I snarled full in its face, and it quailed and closed its eyes. Then I pushed off
with my paws to stand in front of it, and the cat\u8217?s breath went huffing out
of it with a sound like a deflating balloon. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I gave the lynx a single, warning snarl as blood and drool dripped from my fangs,
and that seemed to do it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The lynx scuffled across the ground, found its feet, and fled headlong out of the
woods in the opposite direction we\u8217?d come from, and I stood and watched it
patiently as it gained distance away from us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
That\u8217?s right, give me a path}, I muttered to myself. {\i
Nikita, keep everyone here.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I padded slowly and as silently as the dead after the lynx before my mate could
argue. The piney scent grew stronger all the time as I stayed downwind, and I
crouched slightly down on my haunches as I peered through the trees to watch the
fleeing werecat. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It continued in its dash away from the scene, and shortly before it pelted out of
sight, I saw a massive, hulking mountain lion prowl out of the trees and fall in
step beside it. The thing must\u8217?ve been almost ten feet long, and I stared at
it in a bit of shock. It was sleek and muscular, with wide, brawny shoulders and a
rangy, powerful-looking body. It didn\u8217?t seem to be in a huge hurry. Instead,
it moved with a sort of deliberation that was somehow menacing, even from a
distance. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The last thing I noticed was that it had a long, jagged scar that ran from its
temple to its ear. Then it was obscured from view as several more mountain lions
emerged from the dense trees. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I counted five, then ten, then fifteen, and about five more lynxes. They all
streamed out of the trees one after another, and then they fell in line around the
bigger one like an honor guard as they loped away. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
After a few moments, they were all gone. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Fuck}. My chest heaved as I caught my breath, and an extremely ominous feeling
bloomed in the pit of my stomach. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Because I was absolutely sure I had just seen Aiden Jansen and about twenty more
of the werecats in his pride.\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } {\s1 \afs32
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
{
{\i
Jesse\u8230?} Nikita\u8217?s anxious voice echoed in my mind. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
Almost there}, I replied as I trotted back to my pack, and when I arrived, I took
quick stock of them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Everyone was scratched, and a few of the gashes looked nasty, but with our healing
abilities, I thought they should be fine. I was relieved, but I shook my head when
Nikita moved toward me with a questioning look on her feline face. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
This isn\u8217?t the place to linger around discussing things}, I told her and
swiftly padded through my pack and in the direction of the coast. {\i
Let\u8217?s get away from this beach first.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Everyone fell in step behind me, but as we loped back to the sand, my head was
clamoring with thoughts, and my temples throbbed. Then I stopped in my tracks as I
realized that the thoughts weren\u8217?t all mine. I heard several different voices
in my head, and they were all buzzing with similar thoughts. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
Holy shit\u8230? holy shit,} I heard Kiri repeating over and over again. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I hope Jesse is okay,} Arielle fretted. {\i
He looks angry.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A wave of affection washed over me at this, and the second we reached the
coastline, I quickly explained the fact that due to us officially fighting on the
same side, we were able to communicate telepathically now. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
{\i
No way!} Brenden sounded shocked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Yes way,} I responded, and his dark eyes widened even more. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
Cool,} he chuckled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Can you hear me, too?} Kiri asked excitedly. {\i
Testing, testing\u8230?} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Loud and clear, Kiri, }I laughed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I heard nothing from Arielle except a faint buzz of anxious energy, and when I
looked at the lithe coyote, she seemed extremely nervous. I didn\u8217?t say
anything more to her until we\u8217?d made it back to the cove and my clothes, and
then I shifted back into my human form. My mates did the same, but the coyotes
remained on guard with their backs to us and their eyes scanning the beach in all
directions. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Are you okay?\u8221? I asked Arielle as I put a gentle hand on her arm. \
\u8220?I just\u8230?\u8221? the werecoyote omega bit her lip, and her umber eyes
were clouded with anxiety. \u8220?I\u8230? I didn\u8217?t know you could hear me.\
\u8220?Does that bother you?\u8221? I frowned. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No!\u8221? she gasped. \u8220?I just\u8230? I think you\u8217?ve probably
noticed I-I\u8217?m a bit shy. I guess I\u8217?ve never shared my thoughts with
someone. Not that I don\u8217?t want to! I want to let you in, but it also is a
little\u8230? scary.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Me? Scary?\u8221? I whisked her into a hug and nuzzled my face in her neck
with a soft growl, and she was instantly giggling. Then I held her at arm\u8217?s
length and tilted her chin up so she was looking at me. \u8220?You know, I\u8217?ve
been working on putting up these sort of mental blocks, with my thoughts in
general. Since it gets a little loud when the werecats are all around. How about I
just have that shield up a little until you\u8217?re ready?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Really?\u8221? She bit her lip. \u8220?You\u8217?d do that for me?\u8221? \
\u8220?Of course,\u8221? I said without hesitation. \u8220?I\u8217?m pretty sure I
can control the strength of my shields, or will be able to soon. So how about I
just keep it sort of\u8230? soft? Like a wall you can break down if you have a
thought you want to share. But I won\u8217?t barge in if you don\u8217?t feel
comfortable.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I love that!\u8221? Her face lit up at this idea. \u8220?Can we test it
out?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes, but quickly,\u8221? I said, and I gave her a grin to show her I meant
it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I jokingly pressed my hands together into a meditative pose as I closed my
eyes. At this point, the focus of maintaining my own thought space felt almost like
a switch that I could flip. I\u8217?d been focusing on fine-tuning it, too, and
with some concentration, I had found I could sort of adjust the \u8220?mental
volume\u8221? in my brain. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
This would be my first time trying to adjust it for a single person, though, so I
wasn\u8217?t exactly sure how it would go. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I\u8217?d noticed that forming a mental image with these things helped me at
times, so I kept my eyes closed for the moment, and I pictured myself and Arielle
as two bubbles with a kind of line between us. Then I tried using my focus to shut
out anything from that line. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
In reality, I had no idea what the hell I was doing, and I frowned as total
silence remained in my head. I tried to ease up on the \u8220?shutting out\u8221?
thing, but still, I heard nothing in my mind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I opened my eyes. A look of concentration had overcome the werecoyote omega\u8217?
s delicate features, and I knew she had even less of an idea about how to do this
than I did. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was just about to say we should call it quits for the moment when I heard her
shy voice in my head. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
H-Hello?} Arielle whispered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Hello,} I sang back in an Adele-like mental voice, and she lapsed into giggles
behind her hand. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Perfect.\u8221? I grinned again. \u8220?Now that\u8217?s sorted.\u8221? \
She gave me a sweet smile as the three of us pulled on our clothes as swiftly as
possible. Then Arielle seemed to spot something. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Look!\u8221? Arielle squeaked, and she darted over to snatch something up
off the sand right next to the inlet. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What is it?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She held out her hand to me, and when she opened her fingers, I saw that she\
u8217?d picked up a large abalone shell. After a glance up at me, Arielle used two
fingers to delicately pry the shell open, and after a little wiggling, she managed
to lift the top side up like a lid. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The shell was pristine on the inside, with no traces of the creature that had once
inhabited it. Instead, three small things rested on the opalescent inside of the
shell that shone in the sun. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The three selkies had each sheared off a lock of their silvery hair, and each one
was braided and held together by carefully knotted strands of seaweed. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Wow.\u8221? I couldn\u8217?t help but marvel as I picked up the platinum-
colored braid. Like the others, it was about three inches long, and it shone in the
sun as it rested in my palm. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s quite a gesture,\u8221? Nikita murmured. \u8220?What strange
women\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I think they\u8217?re fascinating,\u8221? Arielle whispered as she marveled
at the gift. \u8220?You should keep it, Jesse. The three of us could each have
one!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Deal.\u8221? I nodded. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Arielle held out her hand to Nikita, and the caramel-haired omega carefully
plucked the slate-colored lock from her palm with a smile. That left the true-
silver lock for the werecoyote omega, and she carefully followed my lead in
pocketing hers before we turned back to our guards. The rest of my pack had been
watching with slightly curious expressions but didn\u8217?t comment on the locks of
hair. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Let\u8217?s get the hell out of here,\u8221? I said, and I immediately led
the way back toward the long, zigzagging stone staircase. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
The coyotes didn\u8217?t shift back until we found their piles of clothes, and
even then, they kept their eyes roving the sand as they swiftly redressed. We
completed the climb up the stairs without any issues, and at the top, we were free
to fan out side by side as we strode to the Benz and the Jeep. No one spoke or even
thought until we were all outside our vehicles, and then we huddled together while
Caleb and Brenden kept their ears trained on the surrounding woods. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m not picking up anything out there,\u8221? Brenden reported after
a minute. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Okay,\u8221? I said in a low tone. \u8220?So, in case all of you didn\
u8217?t catch the scent, a huge mountain lion and about twenty of his comrades came
out of cover to follow that small werecat I released at the end of the fight.\
\u8220?I knew it,\u8221? Kiri growled beside me. \u8220?The second you left, I
knew someone else was watching us.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
After a heavy moment of silence, Nikita spoke up, and her voice was flat with
certainty and contempt. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It was Aiden,\u8221? she guessed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s what I thought,\u8221? I admitted. \u8220?He\u8217?s a huge
bastard with a scar.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yep.\u8221? She nodded. \u8220?People say he got that from fighting with
his brother when it turned out Max was an alpha, too. Every werecat knows that, but
I heard that people mentioning it was one of the few things Aiden would actually
lose his shit over. Back before you killed Max, I mean. Now\u8230?\u8221? \par\
\u8220?He\u8217?s a wild card regardless,\u8221? I finished grimly. \u8220?He sure
as hell didn\u8217?t lose his cool today, though. He was waiting.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Suddenly, I remembered that Nikita had told me not to use my hybrid form during
the fight. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She got to the topic before I did, though. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I had a hunch, just\u8230? all of a sudden\u8230? that this couldn\u8217?t
possibly be his big attack,\u8221? Nikita murmured. \u8220?After what you said
about him being so calculating, I realized this had to be some kind of test, or\
u8230? something. I wasn\u8217?t sure, but I had a feeling. And I couldn\u8217?t
shake that feeling that we were being watched.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Great thinking,\u8221? I said as I felt a surge of gratitude for my werecat
omega. \u8220?It was a clever enough trap, but there were too few of them invested
in the fight to hope to take us out.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Maybe he didn\u8217?t know that we\u8217?re part of your pack now,\u8221?
Arielle spoke out from Nikita\u8217?s other side. \u8220?The werecoyotes, I mean.\
\u8220?Hmm.\u8221? I rubbed my jaw. \u8220?Maybe. But if he has enough eyes on me
to know I was going to the beach, then I feel like he must have enough eyes on me
to know before now that I\u8217?ve absorbed a whole pack of werecoyotes into my
own. Which leads me to the most pressing question.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?How the hell did he know you were going to this beach?\u8221? Kiri
volunteered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Exactly.\u8221? I nodded. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There were a few moments of silence as everyone was clearly thinking hard, and I
was pleased to find that I didn\u8217?t know this first-hand from the strength of
the mental blocks I was keeping in place. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What if those selkies were his spies?\u8221? Caleb finally suggested. \par\
\u8220?It\u8217?s possible,\u8221? I sighed. \u8220?I didn\u8217?t get the sense
that they were, and there was no scent of werecats on them, but you never know.\
\u8220?I don\u8217?t think that\u8217?s what happened,\u8221? Arielle instantly
replied, and I smiled at the determination in her voice. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The sweet coyote was already so taken by the seal-women, but I did agree with her.
They seemed way too disconnected from humanity to be spying for a guy like Aiden. \
\u8220?What I don\u8217?t understand is how we didn\u8217?t smell the twenty-
something other werecats who were clearly lurking nearby,\u8221? Kiri grumbled. \
\u8220?Anosmiacs?\u8221? Arielle ventured. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That seems likely,\u8221? I agreed. \u8220?Which removes my final shred of
doubt that this wasn\u8217?t at least somewhat planned, because those take like
fifteen minutes to kick in.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, since Aiden didn\u8217?t join the attack himself,\u8221? Nikita
mused, \u8220?we\u8217?re in agreement that this was probably a test to get an idea
of your strength?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Our strength, probably,\u8221? I amended. Then I grinned at her. \u8220?And
thanks to your idea, he probably doesn\u8217?t know I can do the hybrid form.\
\u8220?That\u8217?s definitely a plus.\u8221? My werecat omega smiled with a hint
of pride before a thoughtful expression came over her face again. \u8220?In fact,
that might\u8217?ve been the main focus of his attack. To see if you could do that
specifically.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That would definitely help him get an idea of what he\u8217?s up against,\
u8221? Thalia agreed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well,\u8221? Brenden said as he pulled his eyes off the trees. \u8220?Since
we can\u8217?t figure out how he knew we were there just now--\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We should think about security measures,\u8221? I finished. \u8220?To
prevent further attacks.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There was a general murmur of agreement from everyone, and I paused for a moment
to gather my thoughts before I went on. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?For one, we\u8217?ll double your guys\u8217? patrols of the area directly
surrounding the cabin,\u8221? I decided. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Maybe some of us can patrol Everleigh, too,\u8221? Caleb proposed. \u8220?
Since we\u8217?re higher in numbers than your werecats.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Not quite yet, I think.\u8221? I frowned as I mulled this over. \u8220?I
want to get a better idea of Aiden\u8217?s whereabouts before I possibly goad him
into another attack by leading werecoyotes into a territory near his own.\u8221? \
\u8220?That seems likely to just piss him off,\u8221? Nikita agreed. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Which will definitely have its uses at some point,\u8221? I said. \u8220?
Just a little further down the road.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good, well, while we\u8217?re on the topic of pissing off other alphas,\
u8221? Kiri cut in. \u8220?Let\u8217?s get out of here. I don\u8217?t like standing
around so close to where that fight went down.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Agreed.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?See you all back at the cabin.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Want a couple of us to ride with you, Alpha?\u8221? Brenden asked. \u8220?
Just in case.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No, we\u8217?re good,\u8221? I assured him. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
If anyone did ambush us on the drive, the Jeep would be nearby anyway, and I could
tell by the determined looks on my werecoyotes\u8217? faces that they\u8217?d be
keeping a close eye on the Benz. I still took the passenger seat this time so I
could keep a careful eye out as well, though, and Nikita drove ahead of Kiri to
take us down the steep road to leave. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We were flying down the winding road again within a minute, and my werecat omega
adjusted her grip on the steering wheel as she expertly took the curves without
making Arielle too nervous in the back. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We sat in a comfortable silence for the entire car ride while I worked through the
tumult of everything that had just happened, but it went by quickly with Nikita
behind the wheel. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We had barely come into sight of the cabin when a long howl rang out from nearby.
It had a slightly higher timbre than a wolf howl, and as a series of yips rang out
from the other side of the cabin, I realized it must be the security I had asked
Aunt Eva to put in place. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As soon as I got out of the car, I let loose my own long, echoing howl to round up
any other werecoyotes in the area. Before I was even finished, the door popped
open, and Benji came spilling out, along with several werecoyotes. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?You\u8217?re getting good at that.\u8221? My best friend looked
impressed. \u8220?I felt a physical pull when you let that howl out.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Thanks, Benji,\u8221? I said casually. Then I gave my head a quick shake
and sent him a startled look. \u8220?Wait, what are you doing here?\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Chillin\u8217?.\u8221? Benji shrugged, and he took a muffin out of his
pocket. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Got it.\u8221? I grinned. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Over a dozen coyotes came scampering into view to converge on the house, and when
they saw me, they gave a chorus of excited yips. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I take it you guys have changes of clothes here,\u8221? I commented as they
neared me, and they all dipped their snouts as they trotted to the cabin. \par\
\u8220?After you.\u8221? Benji opened the door ceremoniously and tipped an
imaginary hat at the coyotes like he was a professional doorman. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The canines all streamed in through the door, and their claws clicked across the
hardwood floors as they headed down the hallway. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, hello there,\u8221? Aunt Eva said to all of us with only a cursory
glance at the sight of a slew of wild animals crossing the living room of her new
home. \u8220?Jesse, how was the beach? You\u8217?re back a bit early.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?We were attacked,\u8221? I said grimly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Several yips and growls could be heard as the stragglers of the werecoyotes, who
were about halfway toward the stairs, stopped in their tracks. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Don\u8217?t worry, guys, I\u8217?m fine,\u8221? I assured them all. \u8220?
I\u8217?ll wait to explain until you\u8217?ve gotten dressed.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
They moved off at a quickened pace, and I turned back to Aunt Eva to find her
shocked expression was turning to calculation. Before she could speak, Benji
wandered back in. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Did someone say attack?\u8221? my half-brother asked. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Aiden sent some of his werecats to ambush me,\u8221? I explained. \par\
Benji swore explosively and dropped his muffin, and I couldn\u8217?t help thinking
he was having a computer-like glitch, because he actually appeared to be at a loss
for words. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Here, chew on this,\u8221? Eva sighed and put a new muffin in his empty
hand. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thanks,\u8221? he said affectionately, but he swore again as his thoughts
clearly returned to Aiden. \u8220?How the hell did he know where you were?\u8221? \
\u8220?No idea.\u8221? I shook my head. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The werecoyotes were reappearing in human form from various rooms in the house,
where I guessed they had left stashes of clothes, probably thanks to Aunt Eva\
u8217?s thinking. She appeared to have the house, and most likely all of Monroe,
well under control. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The coyotes gathered around in a loose semicircle, and I leaned up against the
island counter of the kitchen as I quickly recounted the run-in with the selkies. \
My aunt looked extremely intrigued. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Selkies,\u8221? she murmured. \u8220?I wasn\u8217?t even sure that there
were any left. They sort of vanished, you know, when the conflict erupted in
earnest between all the shifters. There was so much chaos around the time of the
Great Divide, and basically only speculation has existed on their whereabouts since
then. They\u8217?ve always been a bit mysterious.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?They seemed mysterious to me.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?Do you think--\u8221?
\u8220?They could\u8217?ve been spies for Aiden?\u8221? she guessed. \u8220?
Possibly, but unlikely. Did you tell them anything important?\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Nothing that wouldn\u8217?t be obvious to Aiden at this point,\u8221? I
said with a slight eye roll. \u8220?That I\u8217?m the Alpha, and that I\u8217?m
looking for fighters and omegas, basically. And I said that I\u8217?m based in
Everleigh, but\u8230? obviously Aiden already knows all about that.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?What did they have to say about you being the Alpha and seeking fighters
and omegas?\u8221? she asked and furrowed her brow in intrigue. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?They said they sensed my powers from just off the coast, somehow,\u8221? I
explained. \u8220?And they hadn\u8217?t even considered that I might be the Alpha,
but it made sense to them when I told them. They said they know of a selkie omega,
and they\u8217?ll try to send her my way. And any fighters, too.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hmm,\u8221? Aunt Eva murmured. \u8220?Well, I guess we\u8217?ll have to
wait to see if that tree bears fruit. In the meantime\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah.\u8221? I sighed and then went on to describe the attack by Aiden\
u8217?s betas. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Despite everyone being in their human forms, a general growl of dismay and rage
went around the group when I described the ambush, and even Aunt Eva\u8217?s face
darkened when I told them how the huge, scarred mountain lion had come out of the
trees and headed off, along with twenty more of his kind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
That\u8217?s about the time Benji\u8217?s hands curled into fists, but luckily,
he\u8217?d finished his muffins already. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?\u8230?so we think this was a sort of test,\u8221? I finished. \u8220?Maybe
of my strength in general, maybe to see if I can do the hybrid form.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Or it could be a feint,\u8221? the flaxen-haired Marco suggested. \par\
\u8220?Why would Aiden be there if it was a feint, dude?\u8221? Leo rolled his
bright hazel eyes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I agree,\u8221? I said loudly over Marco\u8217?s retort. \u8220?He\u8217?d
want to strike as hard and fast as possible while we were distracted. Plus, he
definitely wants me dead, of all people, and I was right there.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Then you\u8217?re reconsidering your living arrangements,\u8221? Benji
spoke up, but it wasn\u8217?t a question. \u8220?If Aiden\u8217?s prowling around
with that many werecats in tow, you can\u8217?t be sitting around in Everleigh. I
mean, don\u8217?t get me wrong, I love our cats, but that\u8217?s a risk I\u8217?m
not letting you take.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You\u8217?re not letting me?\u8221? I cocked an eyebrow at my half-brother,
but he nodded firmly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Blood right, dude,\u8221? he replied. \u8220?No one with my blood is
sitting out in the open like that. You\u8217?re safer here with every damn coyote
in the pack on hand.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?He knew we were going to the beach,\u8221? Nikita added. \u8220?So he has
to know something about your involvement here anyways\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?We would\u8217?ve caught their scent during patrols if they\u8217?d been
prowling around these woods,\u8221? Kiri argued. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I agree,\u8221? I said with a nod. \u8220?Patrol has been tight.\u8221? \
\u8220?Well, either way, he just saw you fighting beside coyotes,\u8221? my
werecat omega persisted. \u8220?There\u8217?s no sense trying to trick him anymore.
He has to know you\u8217?ve taken Monroe.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?True,\u8221? I agreed. \u8220?Damn, this bastard is quick.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Is there enough room for everyone here?\u8221? Arielle fretted. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh!\u8221? Eva snapped her fingers and hurried over to the kitchen table. \
u8220?Mordaine stopped by while you were gone. He brought this.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
She brought two thick folders full of paper over and set them on the island
counter. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What are these?\u8221? I asked as she handed me one, and I forgot all about
the werecoyotes for a moment as I turned to look through them. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?One of them is the legal paperwork for Max\u8217?s old mansion,\u8221? she
said eagerly. \u8220?The property deed is in there, and so are some maps of a few
other properties he owns, which are yours now. But there\u8217?s also a map of
properties that his family owned in general, and--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?And those belong to Aiden?\u8221? I asked with a grin. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yep.\u8221? She nodded, and her face reflected my own excitement. \u8220?
But before I forget, this other folder has some information about the property and
assets you\u8217?re acquiring from Gray. Of course, that happened much more
recently, so the property deed itself isn\u8217?t here yet, but there are some maps
of his various properties. And unlike with Max\u8217?s property, there\u8217?s no
remaining Gray left to give you any trouble if you decide you want to take up
residence in any of them, even if we don\u8217?t have the deeds yet.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?That\u8217?s perfect,\u8221? I said. \u8220?Thanks, Aunt Eva. Okay, so
before we think Aiden, I think we should think defense, and that includes where I\
u8217?m living.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Damn right,\u8221? Benji agreed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aunt Eva nodded and handed me the second folder, and I opened it as I turned back
to the werecoyotes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Kiri,\u8221? I started. \u8220?I have some maps here that--\u8221? \par\
She was already hurrying over with her blonde ponytail flying, and I grinned as I
handed her the maps and stood next to her to look at them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?So\u8230? this is Gray\u8217?s cabin,\u8221? she murmured as her finger
pointed at a red mark on the map. \u8220?And all the marked ones are his, too\
u8230? Wow. I didn\u8217?t even know about these ones.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
All five of Kiri\u8217?s fingers stretched out in different directions to indicate
properties further out in Monroe from Gray\u8217?s cabin. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Hmm\u8230?\u8221? Aunt Eva leaned in to look. \u8220?If those are in good
condition, you could man those smaller houses.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And move in here myself,\u8221? I said thoughtfully. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I liked the idea. It would likely throw Aiden off, for one, if I was surrounded by
a lot of coyote scents instead of just my own. And for another, it would take me
and my omegas out of easy striking range. It was clear that the werecat alpha had
thoroughly canvassed the whole area near Aunt Eva\u8217?s house, and probably all
over Everleigh. Monroe, on the other hand, was well-known for being claimed by the
werecoyotes, so even if he knew I owned it, he never would have had a chance to
scout it out so thoroughly. Not with so many shifters here. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll do it,\u8221? I decided. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We spent the next half of an hour outlining which werecoyotes would move into the
few additional properties owned by Gray, while Nikita, Arielle, Eva, and Kiri would
stay in the cabin with me. Then I turned to contemplate my half-brother. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Benji,\u8221? I said with authority. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sir, yes, sir.\u8221? Benji waggled his eyebrows. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?How would you feel about moving in here?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?You sure you don\u8217?t want me to be the lone wolf in Everleigh?\u8221?
he chuckled. \u8220?I\u8217?ll hold down the fort, man.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m not saying that fifty-plus werecats would probably make short
work of you,\u8221? I said in a tone that was half-joking, half-consoling. \u8220?
I\u8217?m saying--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That fifty-plus werecats would absolutely make short work of me,\u8221? he
chortled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, yeah,\u8221? I laughed. \u8220?Plus, you\u8217?re my right-hand man.
My captain. I need you by my side while I work on taking down Aiden.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Hmm.\u8221? Benji leaned his elbow against the island counter and propped
his chin in his hand. \u8220?Can\u8217?t say no to that. I\u8217?m in.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Awesome,\u8221? I said. \u8220?Now, let\u8217?s take a look at the other
maps.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aunt Eva handed me one, and I spread it out on the counter. By now, all the
werecoyotes were clustering comfortably around me, Benji, Nikita, and Aunt Eva as
we all looked over the maps. Arielle shifted herself out of the crowd, but I sent
her a smile as she hovered in a less blocked-in spot near the wall. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What are these?\u8221? Kiri asked as her long fingers touched on several
different points marked in blue across the map. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aunt Eva clucked her tongue. \u8220?Apparently, Max\u8217?s parents were wealthy
enough that they gifted him several small properties throughout the years. Birthday
presents, graduation gifts\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Typical,\u8221? Benji muttered under his breath. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hmm,\u8221? I murmured as I stared thoughtfully at the blue marks that were
spread out across Everleigh. \u8220?I wonder if any of these are fit for human
habitation.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Werecat habitation, you mean,\u8221? Benji joked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Could be.\u8221? Aunt Eva shrugged. \u8220?Mordaine said they\u8217?re
upscale, as you\u8217?d imagine, but also kind of run-down. Max didn\u8217?t like
to bother with maintenance, apparently.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Shocking,\u8221? I muttered, and I tapped my finger on the map as I made up
my mind. \u8220?I\u8217?m going to have the werecats occupy two of these houses.
Smaller groups aren\u8217?t as safe now, and they\u8217?ll probably need to be
fixed up a little, which will require more of them anyways.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Are you sure your werecats won\u8217?t mind moving again so soon?\u8221?
Aunt Eva asked. \u8220?And doing that sort of work?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Mind?\u8221? Benji guffawed. \u8220?Those werecats would do anything for
Jesse. They\u8217?ll be racing each other to get there first and play Bob the
Builder.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Right,\u8221? I chuckled. Then I pulled the map of the Jansens\u8217? other
properties out with a flourish. Which were Aiden\u8217?s. \u8220?Okay. Next order
of business\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Find Aiden and commence with kicking his ass?\u8221? Kiri suggested as she
accepted the map with a grin and spread it out on the counter. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Exactly,\u8221? I said crisply. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We all gazed down at the map in silence for several moments, and the only sound
was Kiri\u8217?s long, clever fingers tap-tapping out a rhythm against the edge of
the map as she contemplated it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Finally, from off to my left, Pete Daughtry said what we were all thinking. \par\
\u8220?That\u8230? is a shitload of properties, son,\u8221? the werecoyote
whistled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Mutters of agreement echoed around the group as some of them moved into the
kitchen to stand around the other sides of the island counter and get a better view
of the maps. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No way we can scout out all of those in good time,\u8221? Brenden grumbled.
\u8220?We don\u8217?t have to,\u8221? Dr. Stenton said as he leaned forward from
across the counter and jabbed three fingers at different points on the map. \u8220?
I happen to know that these three are medical clinics. Had no idea who they were
owned by, of course, but I know most clinics across this corner of the state off
the top of my head.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Aiden Jansen owns a medical clinic?\u8221? Benji\u8217?s face screwed up in
confusion. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sort of,\u8221? Eva stepped in to explain. \u8220?The reason there are so
many properties on here is because Aiden inherited most of them from his parents
when they died. I\u8217?m not sure what kind of clinics these are, but\u8230??\
\u8220?Er\u8230?\u8221? Dr. Stenton hesitated. \u8220?Plastic surgery and
reconstruction, mainly.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Unsurprising,\u8221? I chuckled. \u8220?Okay, so these three are ruled out
for being Aiden\u8217?s headquarters.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was looking for a pen or something, but Kiri already had me covered. She whipped
out a thick-barreled mechanical pencil and methodically drew a neat little line
across each of the three blue marks Dr. Stenton pointed at. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Then she froze in place for several seconds. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Earth to Kiri,\u8221? Benji said teasingly as he leaned in and slowly waved
a hand in front of her face. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The blonde werecoyote jumped a little, but then she pointed at some little green
land plots off the coast that were marked with blue, like Aiden\u8217?s other
properties. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Islands,\u8221? she said quietly. \u8220?Near the beach where we were.\
There was a long moment of silence. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Damn,\u8221? I breathed. \u8220?That would explain why the stale scent of
werecats was over there. Patrols. Guards.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And why he was able to show up so quickly once he caught wind of you being
nearby.\u8221? Nikita nodded. \u8220?He could\u8217?ve even already been on the
beach, further down from us. Scouting or doing recon.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yep,\u8221? Kiri murmured in agreement. Then she examined the scale of the
map and looked back at the cluster of tiny islands. \u8220?These islands are so
close to shore, he easily could\u8217?ve just swam across from one of them if he
received quick intel that you were in the area. Either way\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It would make total sense if he was based on one of those islands,\u8221? I
agreed. \u8220?Right. I want to get down to business with planning this, but my
werecats are all in Everleigh, and I want them in on it.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Maybe you should rest for tonight,\u8221? Aunt Eva suggested. \u8220?Have
your werecats come in the morning and hammer out the details with everyone here
tomorrow. You\u8217?ve had a long day.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We do have DnD tonight,\u8221? Benji reminded me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Damn it,\u8221? I groaned. \u8220?Dude, I\u8217?m honestly worn out, my
brain is fried. We just had a throwdown with Aiden\u8217?s werecats.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Yeah, Parker will get over it,\u8221? Benji sighed. \u8220?But you\u8217?re
spending the night here.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Benji,\u8221? I snorted. \u8220?I really think we\u8217?d be fine for one
night at the blue house\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I trailed off as my half-brother sent me the sternest expression he was capable
of, and then I nodded and held my hands up in defeat. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Here is good, too,\u8221? I muttered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Let\u8217?s reschedule the game, though!\u8221? Nikita insisted. \u8220?I
still want some DnD time.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Me, too,\u8221? Arielle agreed. A smile had lit up her face, although I
didn\u8217?t think it was the promise of DnD causing this. Judging by the blush on
her cheeks, I had a feeling she was more excited at the prospect of me and Nikita
still planning to spend the night with her for the first time. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?So\u8230?\u8221? I took the werecoyote omega\u8217?s delicate hand. \u8220?
You have no objections to us moving in here, instead of you moving into my aunt\
u8217?s place?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Not at all,\u8221? she promised, and she wrapped both her hands around
mine. \u8220?I\u8217?m so excited to spend the night with you and Nikita, no matter
where we are.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Me, too.\u8221? I grinned and then raised my voice as I spoke to the
werecoyotes at large again. \u8220?Alright, everyone can head back to your usual
homes for tonight. We\u8217?ll reconvene first thing in the morning to lay out some
details for you moving into the other properties, and the scouting missions. I\
u8217?ll howl to let you guys know when it\u8217?s time. I want patrols to continue
as usual, but add an extra person or two to each party for safety.\u8221? \par\
The werecoyotes all gave me another nod, and the buzz of conversations went up as
the little groups started to go their separate ways. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?The master bedroom is yours, Alpha.\u8221? Pete Daughtry sidled up to me
with a respectful nod. \u8220?I took the liberty of clearing out Gray\u8217?s
belongings when Arielle had me throw the damn moose head out. Furniture is still
there, but we figured we\u8217?d just keep everything ready for you up there just
in case you ever needed it.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thanks, Pete,\u8221? I said as I clapped him on the shoulder. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It was her idea,\u8221? he said and jutted a thumb toward my coyote omega.
When she blushed all over, the somewhat reserved old man grinned at me from under
his mustache and meandered off. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I-I just wanted to do something nice for you,\u8221? Arielle murmured with
her eyes lowered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You\u8217?re a sweetheart,\u8221? I chuckled quietly into her ear. Then I
turned to Benji. \u8220?I\u8217?m going to call and let the werecats know we won\
u8217?t be back tonight. I\u8217?ll talk to them about the properties and whatnot
tomorrow. Do you think you can wheedle Parker into moving DnD to tomorrow night?\
\u8220?Wheedling is my specialty,\u8221? Benji snickered. \u8220?But you sure we\
u8217?re not gonna have to cancel on him again? Any cat fights planned for
tomorrow, or\u8230??\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll try and keep my schedule open,\u8221? I snorted. \u8220?Get some
sleep. I\u8217?ll see you in the morning, dude.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Benji saluted me, pulled out his phone, and then strolled off to make his call. \
After I had called Zane and let him know I\u8217?d be gone for the night, I turned
to my two omegas. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita gave me a coy look. \u8220?Shall we convene in the Master Bedroom, Alpha?\
\u8220?We shall,\u8221? I agreed, and I took the steps two at a time with the two
omegas close behind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } {\s1 \afs32
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{\s1 \afs32
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{
Gray\u8217?s room was as grand as I would\u8217?ve expected if I had stopped to
spare a thought for anything besides the two beautiful women who followed me into
The ceilings were high and vaulted, and tall windows took up most of the western
wall. The setting sun fell in through the sheer, jade-colored curtains to cast
jewel-toned panels of light across the spacious room. A big Moroccan patterned lamp
hung from the ceiling like a disco ball, and when I flipped one of the switches by
the door, it turned on and sent pale gold light all around it. All the light in the
room reflected beautifully off the huge, golden-framed mirror that dominated an
entire wall from floor to ceiling. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I realized the switch had a dimmer on it, and I slid the dial down until just
the right amount of ambience glowed in the air. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The circular bed in the center of the room was massive and had a rich, plum-
colored canopy with curtains that fell down around it. Behind it, I saw a mini-bar
that was packed full of bottles. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course,\u8221? I muttered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Do you not like it?\u8221? Arielle asked in an anxious tone. \u8220?I can
return the canopy, I was trying to think of something nice to do while you were
gone yesterday, and I\u8217?d been saving up my allowance for ages, and I didn\
u8217?t want all the same bedding in here if you used it, so I picked out something
I thought was--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Allowance?\u8221? Nikita cut in, and her eyes narrowed. \u8220?That fucker
had you on an \u8216?allowance?\u8217?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah\u8230?\u8221? Arielle bit her lip and looked down as her cheeks burned
with embarrassment, and I closed the distance between us in two strides. Then I
pulled her tight against me and left a kiss in her soft brown hair. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I would kill that bastard all over again if I could,\u8221? I growled. \
u8220?But the bedding is perfect.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Really?\u8221? she whispered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s beautiful,\u8221? I chuckled and looked down into her eyes. \
u8220?It reminds me of you, and it was a gift, so I love it even more. I can\u8217?
t wait to sleep here with you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Arielle smiled so sweetly at this, and Nikita let out a sigh as she recomposed
herself. The werecat omega came over and left a kiss on Arielle\u8217?s cheek, and
I could tell she wanted to say a few more scathing words about Gray\u8217?s
treatment of her, but she adopted a light-hearted tone, instead. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Anyone care for a drink?\u8221? she asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll serve,\u8221? I offered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thank you, Alpha,\u8221? Nikita purred. Then she bounded across the room to
fling herself on the luxurious bed, and Arielle followed after her and sat shyly on
its edge. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita spread her deliciously long body out on the mattress and laid watching me
with her chin propped in her hands as I crossed over to the bar, and I opened the
mini-fridge. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hmm\u8230? Champagne?\u8221? I looked back at Nikita, but she wrinkled her
nose. \u8220?Sherry?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Now, my werecat mate just looked offended, and a small chuckle escaped me. Then I
bent to glance through the rest of the assorted bottles until my eyes found a
bottle of a lustrous, deep ruby-colored liquid. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Port?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita bounced up into a sitting position. \u8220?Port me, baby.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I laughed and snagged a crystal wine glass that I filled for the werecat omega.
After I handed it to her, I turned to Arielle. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And you, m\u8217?lady?\u8221? I joked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?There\u8217?s a vodka-moscato mix in there that I really like,\u8221?
Arielle said a little shyly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It didn\u8217?t take me long to find what she was looking for, because it was the
first thing that caught my eye when I opened the folding shelf in the door of the
fridge. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The liqueur was a vibrant shade of purple that seemed to have some weird sort of
luminance to it. And sure enough, as I poured it, the violet liquid swirled and
shimmered like it was full of liquid stardust. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Woah.\u8221? I gave it a sniff and wrinkled my nose. \u8220?Smells like
grape cough syrup.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s good!\u8221? Arielle insisted with a giggle, and once I handed
over the crystal wine glass, she drank deeply. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I felt absurdly fancy for a second as I poured myself one of Gray\u8217?s Islay
whiskies over ice in a scotch glass. The smoky scent of it made my head spin, but
in a pleasant way. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I paused as something occurred to me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Does being a shifter make me more or less tolerant of alcohol?\u8221? I
asked curiously. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I could see it going either way. Would my heightened senses make alcohol more
potent to me, or would I have increased tolerance? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Mmmm\u8230? hard to say.\u8221? Nikita shrugged. \u8220?I think it makes
the alcohol taste stronger, but in a good way that you\u8217?ll get used to. But I
think your actual tolerance is much higher.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Makes sense,\u8221? I murmured. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I raised the glass to my lips and took a long, slow drink of whiskey. Its taste
was as smoky as its smell, but with a rich, nutty note and an interesting hint of
brininess that reminded me of sea salt. It seemed like one of those things that I
never would\u8217?ve anticipated myself liking if I heard someone else describe the
taste, but as I rolled the liquid around in my mouth, I decided the whiskey was
damn good. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But the scent and flavor were quickly taking a back seat as the smell of my omegas
filled the room. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I drained the glass quickly as Nikita finished setting her empty wine glass on the
bedside table, and then I pounced on her without any warning. I crushed the werecat
omega\u8217?s lips under my own, and she moaned softly into my mouth as I pushed
her down against the bed. My cock started to throb as I allowed the two omegas\
u8217? mingled scents to overwhelm my senses. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When I glanced up, Arielle was looking slightly nervous next to us on the bed, so
I switched over to giving the werecoyote omega some attention. Her lips parted
eagerly for my tongue when I took her face in my hands and kissed her. I allowed
one hand to trail down to her neck, and I gripped her there firmly, but without too
much pressure. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Do you like that?\u8221? I said softly up against her lips, with only a
hint of roughness in my tone. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She responded with a nod and a wordless, breathy moan of assent, and I pressed my
fingers slightly against the sides of her neck, careful not to put any pressure on
her windpipe. She seemed to enjoy me being dominant with her, but I didn\u8217?t
want to be like her absolute asshole of an ex and actually hurt the gorgeous omega,
so I decided to take it nice and slow. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Arielle\u8217?s eyes flew open all of a sudden, and I immediately released the
pressure of my fingers. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Is that okay?\u8221? I asked quickly. \u8220?Sorry, I thought you wanted--\
\u8220?No, no,\u8221? she assured me. \u8220?It\u8217?s\u8230? it\u8217?s really
hot, Jesse. It didn\u8217?t hurt or anything. It\u8217?s just\u8230? you\u8217?re
really good at that. I love it when you touch me.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, yeah?\u8221? I chuckled. \u8220?Nikita taught me.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Next to us, Nikita smiled lazily. She was stretched out like a cat and watching us
with an expression on her face that was clearly aroused, but she also seemed ready
to watch me and Arielle for a while before having her turn in the sun. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Pressing the sides of the neck gives all the hotness of choking,\u8221?
Nikita summarized with a sexy purr. \u8220?But none of the\u8230? well\u8230?
actual choking. Too many guys forget that there\u8217?s a windpipe in the middle of
your throat, and genuinely choking sets off the panic responses in a person.\u8221?
\u8220?Yes, I don\u8217?t like that,\u8221? Arielle murmured and knotted her hands
together. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?But when Jesse proved not to be one of those jackasses,\u8221? Nikita
continued, \u8220?I made sure to give him some\u8230? words of encouragement.\
\u8220?Uh-huh.\u8221? I grinned roguishly. \u8220?Your words of encouragement were
pretty dirty, Nikita.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You know I\u8217?m a naughty girl, Jesse,\u8221? she purred. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
As I watched, she reached down and shimmied out of her pants and underwear all at
once. Then she started to toy with herself slightly, and the sight of her fingers
teasing her own clit was almost more than I could handle. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
She knew it, too. The werecat omega tossed her caramel-colored hair and rolled
onto her stomach on the bed before she looked back at me over her shoulder and
lifted her hips tantalizingly in my direction. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
With a growl of longing, I dropped my own pants and moved over to press my
already-throbbing cock right up against her. She gasped slightly as it made itself
felt against the inside of her thigh, and I barely managed to hold myself back as I
felt the moistness of her already-wet pussy graze my tip. Then she wiggled her hips
provocatively, like she was inviting me in. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Arielle,\u8221? Nikita said in a sultry voice that almost made me start
fucking her right then. \u8220?Why don\u8217?t you come over here?\u8221? \par\
Arielle shyly nodded, slipped her jeans and panties off without a word, and pulled
her shirt off over her head. Then she moved toward Nikita in nothing but her little
black bralette, and as soon as she was within reach, Nikita took the werecoyote
omega by her hips and guided her down onto the bed in front of her. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I watched this all with extreme interest, not only for its hotness, but because
when things were just between me and Nikita, the werecat omega loved to be
dominated. Watching her give some of that type of attention to the shy, ultra-
submissive werecoyote piqued both my curiosity and my arousal. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Nikita shot a suggestive look back at me and then lowered her head between
Arielle\u8217?s thighs. Then the werecoyote omega let out a soft, quivering moan as
Nikita\u8217?s tongue toyed with her clit. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s\u8230? so fucking hot,\u8221? I muttered. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Nikita raised her head to look back at me again with a slightly pouty
expression. \u8220?I\u8217?m feeling a little neglected here, Alpha.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Oh, don\u8217?t worry,\u8221? I growled, and I grabbed her by the hips. \
u8220?You want this?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She drew her head up and whined. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Give it to me, Alpha,\u8221? the werecat omega begged. \u8220?Please\
u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?As you wish,\u8221? I whispered. Then I guided myself to her entrance and
slowly, but unyieldingly, I pushed the whole of my rigid cock into her tight
tunnel. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita whimpered against Arielle\u8217?s clit in the middle of eating her out, and
as her tunnel stretched taut against my cock, I gave a low groan of pleasure. Then
I shifted to put my weight over her as I tested her limits with a quick rhythm, and
Nikita moaned again and arched into me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When Arielle lifted her head to look at me a few minutes later, it was clear that
she was enjoying herself with Nikita, but I could tell the shy omega wanted to be
closer to me. Her eyes burned into mine with longing, and her sweet lips parted
like she wanted to ask me for attention, but was afraid to. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Come here,\u8221? I murmured as I paused mid-thrust and pulled out
completely. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita gave a whine of protest. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?In a minute, babe,\u8221? I said with exaggerated patience. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita sent me a dirty look, and I grinned teasingly at her as I laid myself out
on my back. As Arielle approached my side of the bed, I held out my hands for the
shy werecoyote omega to place herself directly in my grasp, and I pulled her on top
of me to poise her glistening pussy above my slick cock. I stayed gentle as I still
kept in mind that Gray had been a total dickbag to this woman, though. I didn\
u8217?t know exactly how rough she wanted me to be with her, but as I slowly guided
her down onto my cock, she whimpered with pleasure. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then she got even more vocal when I started alternating between using my hips and
hands to bounce her on my shaft. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Harder, Alpha,\u8221? she pleaded, and I obliged her by bucking my hips up
to thrust in a swift cadence. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Mmmm, faster,\u8221? Nikita insisted. She was watching on her knees with
her mouth slightly open, and I removed my hands from Arielle to seize the werecat\
u8217?s wrists and pull her closer. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?My mouth is feeling\u8230? dry,\u8221? I grunted as I moved my hands back
to Arielle. \u8220?Parched, in fact.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita\u8217?s eyes brightened as she took my meaning. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It just so happens that I\u8217?m soaking wet for you, Alpha,\u8221? she
murmured. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I grinned devilishly as she knelt to straddle my face and sat poised with her dewy
pink folds right above my mouth. She seemed unusually uncertain about what to do at
first, but the werecat omega quivered with pleasure when I moved my hands to pull
her hips down. I locked my lips in place and sucked relentlessly at her clit, and I
encouraged her with firm hands as her hips started to rock against me. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
While I was happily drowning in Nikita\u8217?s wetness, Arielle was taking command
up on my cock. She braced her hands against my chest as she started to ride me with
increasing urgency, and her moans got louder and louder. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ooooh, Alpha,\u8221? she cried as her soaking passage tightened around my
cock. \u8220?Shit\u8230? you feel so, sooo good! Ohhhhhh\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I groaned with pleasure again, and the vibration of my voice against Nikita\u8217?
s pussy made the werecat omega whimper and press down harder against me. Then I
started to roll my tongue against her clit like I was talking in Spanish, and her
whimpers turned into a breathless gasp of pleasure. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Holy shit, Jesse,\u8221? Nikita moaned. \u8220?Don\u8217?t stop.\u8221? \
I didn\u8217?t, and she ground against my face with more and more passion as I put
my tongue to good use. Her smell and taste overwhelmed half my being, and Arielle\
u8217?s tight pussy quivering around my cock took the rest. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The werecoyote omega was growing bolder and bolder, and she slid herself up and
down my shaft with total abandon. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Alpha, you neeeeed to see this,\u8221? Nikita moaned, and she shifted aside
to free my face. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I looked down to see her tugging Arielle\u8217?s skimpy bralette, and the
werecoyote\u8217?s perky breasts spilled free. They bounced hypnotically as Arielle
rode me with passion, and with her eyes burning desperately into mine, she was so
hot that I couldn\u8217?t help but keep rhythm with my hips. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Fuck, you\u8217?re perfect,\u8221? I groaned. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?R-Really?\u8221? Arielle whimpered, and the way her voice hitched sent heat
through every one of my limbs. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Half of this was fury that she even had to ask, but the other half was pure lust
and the need to prove how much this woman mattered to me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
My pulse was blazing as I thrust deeper between the apex of her thighs, and her
perky breasts jolted almost playfully as she moaned toward the ceiling. She clearly
caught onto the effect she was having, because the werecoyote omega stopped and
switched to a stirring, rocking motion with her hips. This made her tight, wet
passage clench around my cock with a closeness that made the urge to jackhammer my
dick upward irresistible, and I gave into it wholeheartedly. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The treatment only seemed to encourage the normally shy omega, and she circled her
hips endlessly as she allowed me to bottom out in her again and again. The
intoxicating heat of our passion took hold of me within seconds, and I was suddenly
seized with a single-minded need for all three of us to climax at once. I felt like
the world would explode with our pleasure, and I immediately pulled Nikita back
down onto my face. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I continued thrusting my cock up into Arielle\u8217?s satiny wetness, and I
kept my tongue roaming in a frenzy around Nikita\u8217?s clit as I did. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Both women\u8217?s siren-like moans grew louder and less restrained. As Arielle
tightened more and more around me, she finally started to spasm against the length
of my cock, and I thought I would lose myself in the best way. Between my frenzy of
thrusts into the werecoyote omega\u8217?s core, and my tongue going into overdrive
to make my other lover squirm with pleasure, I could have died a happy man in that
moment. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then Arielle let out a long, gasping moan, and I felt myself growing inside her.
The knot at the base and tip of my cock locked her pussy and womb in place, and a
few seconds after, Arielle started to writhe with the pleasure of her orgasm. \par\
\u8220?Ohhh\u8230? fuckkkk\u8230?\u8221? Nikita arched her back and pressed down
against my face as her drenched pussy practically vibrated against me with her own
climax, and I let go of my restraint. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I jetted my seed up directly into Arielle\u8217?s womb, and the moment she felt my
hot cream inside her, my omega\u8217?s orgasm suddenly intensified. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ohhhh, Alphaaaaaa,\u8221? she screamed. \u8220?Yesssss!\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
A surge of pleasure shot through my very core at the sound of her keening, and it
kept my cock pulsing heavily to fill her womb up entirely. I lost track of the
passing seconds while I shook from the force of my climax, but I kept my tongue
lapping steadily inside Nikita to drink in every sweet drop. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Then Arielle collapsed against my chest, still anchored to me by my knot in her
quivering pussy. Nikita melted breathlessly against my side, and between the two
exquisite women, I felt more centered and satiated than I ever had before. \par\
\u8220?I fucking love you,\u8221? Nikita whispered from her familiar place against
my neck. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I think I love you more,\u8221? I murmured with a chuckle. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I love you both the most,\u8221? Arielle declared between gasps. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, yeah?\u8221? I said in a teasing tone. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The werecoyote omega wiggled happily around my cock, and her cute giggle made all
of us laugh as I clutched her ass tight against me. Then she moved her head over to
kiss Nikita softly, and she gave me a longer, more tender kiss goodnight before she
curled up against my chest. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I clutched both my omegas tight against me, and we fell asleep together in a warm,
contented tangle, with my cock still buried in my new, sweet omega. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
When I woke up, we were still close and in only slightly different positions. \
\u8220?Good morning, sunshines,\u8221? I murmured. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Next to me, a half-awake Nikita stretched out her long limbs while Arielle rolled
over and mumbled sleepily. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I carefully wriggled my way out from between the two slumbering beauties and
tumbled out of bed. Then I stretched out in the morning light that streamed in
through the green curtains and looked at the big, ornate clock that crowned the
wall by the door. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Eight o\u8217?clock already,\u8221? I mused. \u8220?Hmm\u8230?\u8221? \par\
I glanced back over at the sleeping women. They both looked like absolute
goddesses entangled under the covers, and I didn\u8217?t have the heart to wake
them just yet. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When I opened the door, the unmistakable smell of Aunt Eva\u8217?s Belgian waffles
wafted immediately into the room. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Perfect,\u8221? I breathed, and I left the door open a few inches to waft
inside. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Before I went downstairs, I pulled out my phone and sent a group text message to
the werecats to let them know they should head over to talk strategy. I also told
them briefly about my tussle with Aiden\u8217?s betas near the beach, so instead of
the hisses of anger I knew this would draw in person, I got a slew of different
types of angry emojis in response. I had to chuckle. Sometimes the intersection of
my Alpha shifter-life and my average-person-life was so weird. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
When I headed downstairs, Aunt Eva waved at me from the kitchen. I waved back and
then grinned as I caught sight of Benji seated at the round dining room table near
the window with his eyes closed. He looked like he was in a state of bliss as he
munched on a Belgian waffle with a steaming mug of fresh, creamy coffee sitting
next to it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Morning, dude,\u8221? I chuckled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m awake!\u8221? Benji\u8217?s eyes popped open. \u8220?Oh\u8230?
Morning, Jess.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How did the phone convo with Parker go?\u8221? I asked as I seated myself
across from him. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Mmmm,\u8221? he said around a mouthful of waffle. \u8220?He griped about it
a little, but he said we can do DnD tonight. For a price.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?What?\u8221? I guffawed. \u8220?What price?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Didn\u8217?t say.\u8221? Benji shrugged and speared another bit of
waffle. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Right,\u8221? I muttered, but before I could say anything else, I heard the
sound of two sets of dainty feet pattering down the stairs. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Waffles!\u8221? Nikita cheered as she entered the room. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?And\u8230? brown sugar butterscotch sticky buns with pecans?\u8221? Arielle
added with an excited expression. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Everyone\u8217?s heads swiveled to stare at her for a second. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s exactly what it is,\u8221? Aunt Eva said with a startled look.
\u8220?How in the world did you know?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I love baking,\u8221? Arielle confided with a blush. \u8220?Or, I used to,
anyway. It\u8217?s been a while since I\u8230? well, I enjoy it, anyway.\u8221? \
\u8220?Baking, eh?\u8221? Aunt Eva put an affectionate arm around Arielle after
the werecoyote omega joined her to peek down inside the oven. \u8220?I have a
feeling we\u8217?re going to get along excellently.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?A baker in the family?\u8221? Benji salivated from his spot at the table. \
u8220?Jesse, you have the absolute best taste in omegas.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I do,\u8221? I stifled a laugh and then turned to Arielle. \u8220?You guys
should totally cook together.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Savory and sweet,\u8221? Nikita commented. \u8220?You can teach each other
stuff.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I have missed baking a lot,\u8221? Arielle admitted quietly. \u8220?Gray
thought it was stupid. Especially once we stopped inviting people over\u8230? No
more need for him to impress people with fancy desserts.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I see.\u8221? Aunt Eva seemed to make up her mind immediately. \u8220?Let\
u8217?s go shopping for some ingredients. Soon.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Really?\u8221? Arielle asked eagerly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Absolutely,\u8221? Aunt Eva said. \u8220?Today will be pretty busy, but
maybe tomorrow we can go to the grocery store in downtown Monroe. I don\u8217?t
have a whole lot for baking around here, the sticky buns aren\u8217?t a typical
thing for me, but we can pick up whatever you need.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Thanks, Eva,\u8221? the werecoyote omega said warmly. \u8220?That sounds
great.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I think you two will really hit it off with this,\u8221? I said as I sent
Arielle a smile. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, dude,\u8221? Benji interrupted the moment with an apologetic
expression. \u8220?Do you think we should get a move on with the plans?\u8221? \
\u8220?Definitely.\u8221? I nodded. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I bounded over to the door, opened it, stuck my head out, and let loose a long
howl. I tried not to make it sound too urgent this time, so hopefully everyone
wouldn\u8217?t shift to get here faster and then have to take the time to get
dressed upstairs. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aunt Eva was just pulling the butterscotch buns out of the oven, and I bit into a
soft yet flaky bun with a feeling of the utmost bliss. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?These are amazing, Aunt Eva,\u8221? I groaned. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Agreed,\u8221? Benji said with reverence. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Perfectly balanced,\u8221? Arielle observed in a very pleased tone. \par\
Not long after, several werecoyotes made their appearances through the front door.
\u8220?Hey, Alpha,\u8221? Marcus greeted me. \u8220?What\u8217?s the move?\
\u8220?That\u8217?s what we\u8217?re about to establish, dingus,\u8221? Caleb
scoffed behind him. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita snickered, and I started talking so I didn\u8217?t laugh. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Alright, guys,\u8221? I said to the werecoyotes as they gathered near the
kitchen. \u8220?We\u8217?re just waiting for my werecats to show up so we can all
talk strategy.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The nods I got in response weren\u8217?t exactly enthusiastic, but they also
weren\u8217?t accompanied by too many scowls, so I counted it as progress. \par\
The werecoyotes closed in on the buffet-like back counter of the kitchen set up by
Eva. Caleb lagged behind a little, and I stepped up to the tall, copper-skinned man
with a nod. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Is there a bigger table around here somewhere?\u8221? I asked. \u8220?Since
you lived here, I thought you might know.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hmmm.\u8221? He frowned thoughtfully. \u8220?I don\u8217?t think so. But it
would take a pretty massive table to seat all of us, anyways. Maybe we could move
the round one to the middle of the room, and we can set the maps and stuff on it.
It\u8217?ll be easy for all of us to just gather around.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good idea,\u8221? I agreed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Caleb and I were easily able to move the table once we cleared it. We ended up
setting it in the empty space between the kitchen\u8217?s island counter and the
couches that were the main feature of the adjoining living room. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Then I moved the maps from their resting place on the island counter, and I spread
out the one focusing on the Jansens\u8217? properties on the table. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Soon after, a knock came at the door, and when Pete shuffled his boots over to
open it, my werecats trooped inside. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, guys,\u8221? I greeted them, and then I spoke to the roomful of
people. \u8220?Let\u8217?s get down to business.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?re ready, Alpha,\u8221? Zane said eagerly. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The werecoyotes and werecats all murmured in agreement, and I seated myself at the
table in front of the maps. Benji, Eva, and Arielle claimed the other seats that
Caleb and I had moved along with the table. The rest clustered closely around. \
\u8220?Okay,\u8221? I said. \u8220?So as you all now know, myself, Nikita,
Arielle, Kiri, Brenden, Caleb, and Thalia went to the beach yesterday. We scented
some werecats near the beach and went into the woods to investigate, and we were
attacked there by Aiden\u8217?s betas. We outfought them. Then I released one and
watched it leave, and when it did, it was joined by about twenty more werecats.
Mountain lions, mostly, and one of them was Aiden himself.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Everyone nodded to show they were on the same page. I sensed an undercurrent of
anger from my werecats, who had only been able to express their feelings on this
through emojis at this point, but everyone stayed silent and continued to listen. \
Then I took the time to briefly explain to the werecats what we had established
about Aiden possibly occupying one of the islands on the map, with some help from
Kiri and the others. When everyone was up to date, I gestured at the islands on the
map that we had discussed yesterday. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I think our goal should be to scout more of the beaches across from these
islands first,\u8221? I said. \u8220?But we want to be as covert as possible. Don\
u8217?t forget, Aiden still has the numbers on us, so the element of surprise is
really valuable here. Since I had my omegas with me yesterday, I think it was
pretty clear to him that I wasn\u8217?t there to investigate, and that I
encountered his guards or patrols near the beach mostly by coincidence. Then he was
quick enough to take full advantage of the situation as soon as his guards alerted
him I was there.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Makes sense,\u8221? Pete grunted. \u8220?Seems like this guy is nothing if
not prepared.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Exactly.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?And that\u8217?s why catching him off-
guard will be a huge advantage for us, if we can pull it off. Since these beaches
aren\u8217?t within Everleigh proper, I don\u8217?t think Aiden would find it
suspicious if there were traces of a couple werecoyotes across them.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Especially since it\u8217?s spring break,\u8221? Arielle added from next to
me. \u8220?Tons of people are going to the beaches anyways, why not some coyote
shifters looking for a dip?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Exactly.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?So, werecoyotes, I think I\u8217?ll have
some of you guys scout out the coastal areas near these islands, but\u8230? Aunt
Eva, do we have a good supply of anosmiacs?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We have some,\u8221? my aunt said. \u8220?And I\u8217?m able to get more.
Not immediately, but if you don\u8217?t run through the supply all at once, we
should be okay. I\u8217?ll try to get some extras, too, so we\u8217?ll have a stock
built up in case of a last-minute mission of some sort.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Perfect,\u8221? I said gratefully, and then I turned back to the
werecoyotes. \u8220?And I\u8217?ll send a few werecats along with each party to
help muddle what scent you do leave behind.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A nod of agreement was shared by the group, and they only looked slightly
reluctant at the idea. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good,\u8221? I said briskly. \u8220?Because of the anosmiacs, we\u8217?ll
have to plan and time each of these scouting expeditions carefully.\u8221? \par\
Then I went over Max\u8217?s old properties that I was thinking of having the
werecats move into, and as a group, we settled on fixing up just one of them. \par\
\u8220?That way you guys won\u8217?t be spread out too thin between that and doing
joint scouting missions with the werecoyotes here,\u8221? I said. \u8220?Remember,
I\u8217?m not asking you to pull some Flip This House kind of magic, guys. I just
want it habitable enough so you\u8217?ll be comfortable staying there for a while
and keeping our perimeter strong.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Can do,\u8221? Zane assured me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thanks, guys.\u8221? I grinned at them. \u8220?Okay\u8230? Now let\u8217?s
see the map of Gray\u8217?s properties again.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Kiri supplied me with the map, and I spread it out in front of me. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
We spent a short time deciding which werecoyotes would man the additional three
properties of Gray\u8217?s that we decided to add on to the ones that were already
occupied. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Why don\u8217?t we man more of them?\u8221? Marcus asked. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?More isn\u8217?t always better,\u8221? I said. \u8220?I don\u8217?t want us
spread out in too small of groups. That makes us more vulnerable if Aiden gets bold
enough to start scouting out here and possibly attacking.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?There will be no holes in our defenses while Jesse and his omegas are
living here,\u8221? Benji added, and I was impressed with the sudden note of
authority in his voice. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
All the heads in the room nodded in understanding of this. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good luck to him if he does try and find a hole,\u8221? Brenden muttered
with a dark look. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Damn straight.\u8221? Benji shot the werecoyote a wolfish grin. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Alright, I think that\u8217?s everything,\u8221? I said finally. \u8220?
Eliza, Thomas, Kristina, and Christopher, you\u8217?ll do a quick investigation of
Max\u8217?s old properties to pick which one is most fit for habitation. Zane,
Serena, Caleb, and Thalia, you\u8217?ll scout the beach across from the smaller
island. I think it\u8217?s called\u8230??\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Fallheim Beach,\u8221? Kiri supplied. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Right.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?The rest of you have your instructions. Eva
will oversee things while I\u8217?m gone tonight, guys, so if you have any reports
during that time, you\u8217?ll make them to her. I\u8217?ll be back at the end of
the night. For now, let\u8217?s get all this area locked down and do some sparring
if we have the time.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sounds good, Alpha,\u8221? Leo agreed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A chorus of agreements ran around the group, and I got to my feet feeling good
about our plans. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I spent the next several hours making preparations with the werecoyotes and
werecats for their various missions and seeing people off. We also did a lot of
rearranging with my new funds from Max\u8217?s inheritance to work out how much we
could afford to spend on the house rebuilds. After that, I sparred with any coyotes
who weren\u8217?t busy with their other tasks, and I made sure to give Arielle and
Nikita plenty of time to practice with me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Now that I knew Aiden had seen my omegas in action, I wanted them on their guards
at all times, and I didn\u8217?t take it as easy on them as I had in our last
training session. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I came after the werecoyote omega especially hard, and her narrow muzzle curled
into a determined sneer as she refused to back down even once. She was quicker on
her paws than I\u8217?d ever seen her before, and she didn\u8217?t even yelp when
Nikita caught her off-guard and rolled her into a tree. She actually managed to get
a good nip in on my werecat omega at the last second, and Nikita hissed in genuine
pain before I heard her praise Arielle in her mind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
All in all, my lovers seemed to pick up on my concerns without me even needing to
voice them, and I was pleased to see them bringing their best, even in a practice
tussle. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Finally, we returned to the cabin as dusk fell, and Benji approached me and
clapped me on the shoulder. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s time,\u8221? my half-brother said gravely. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?DnD?\u8221? Arielle asked with an excited look. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?DnD,\u8221? I confirmed solemnly, but then I took on a teasing tone. \
u8220?I know it\u8217?s a tall order, ladies, but\u8230? try not to dazzle my
friends too much. We need them to keep their ability to speak for the game.\
\u8220?Dazzle?\u8221? Nikita laughed. \u8220?My charms wore off after twenty
minutes last time. Not too bad.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?True,\u8221? I said with a grin. \u8220?But together, the two of you are a
lot to handle.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I raised my eyebrows at them. Nikita blushed a faint peach color, and Arielle
turned bright pink. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I don\u8217?t want to know,\u8221? Benji said resolutely as he raised his
hands and turned away. \u8220?I think you\u8217?re asking for trouble.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?I am,\u8221? I snickered. \u8220?Oh, and also\u8230? this is a reminder to
please stay out of my head tonight, dude. I don\u8217?t need you throwing a monkey
wrench in things with some kind of mental shenanigans.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?What would I do?\u8221? Benji asked in a wounded voice. \u8220?You\u8217?re
getting pretty good at your defenses.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How would you know?\u8221? I probed. \u8220?Have you been testing them or
something?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Only a little}, Benji said innocently in my head. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I cursed at him, and Arielle and Nikita both erupted into giggles. I had been
getting better at tuning out any pack intrusions in my head, but I guessed tonight
would be a bit of a test. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I noticed Arielle had an expression of deep thought on her face. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What is it?\u8221? I asked with some intrigue. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well\u8230?\u8221? the werecoyote omega murmured. \u8220?I was just
thinking of how a little alcohol, er\u8230? loosened things up yesterday. What if
we came to your friends bearing gifts?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Your presence alone is a gift,\u8221? I assured her with a chuckle. \u8220?
But I\u8217?m sure the guys wouldn\u8217?t be opposed to a few drinks. We do have
some pretty good stuff on hand.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good stuff, eh?\u8221? Now Benji looked intrigued. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
The two women and I showed Benji to Gray\u8217?s assortment of bottles upstairs. \
\u8220?Damn.\u8221? My best friend whistled as he took in the densely packed mini-
bar. \u8220?What\u8217?s this one\u8230? Islay whiskey?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I nodded vigorously. \u8220?It\u8217?s damn good.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
Benji opened the bottle, took a whiff, and wrinkled his nose. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll take your word for it,\u8221? he coughed. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?No,\u8221? I insisted. \u8220?Try it! It\u8217?s really good.\u8221? \par\
Benji pulled a face, but when I poured him a tiny amount in a scotch glass, he
sighed and took a cautious pull of the whiskey. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Woah,\u8221? he said in a changed voice. \u8220?Salty.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s nice, right?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Shockingly good,\u8221? he agreed. \u8220?Hmm. Well, there is another
bottle of it, I see. Why not bring some? But grab a few other options, too, in case
the guys aren\u8217?t bold enough for the saltiness.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Arielle snatched her sparkly liqueur without hesitation. Nikita snickered and
chose a bottle of mulberry-colored sangria, but then she held up a hand. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You should bring this one,\u8221? she advised. \u8220?But I\u8217?m not
drinking. I\u8217?m going to be the designated driver tonight.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Are you sure you don\u8217?t want me to do that?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Positive,\u8221? she said as she pressed the sangria into my hand. \par\
\u8220?Arriba!\u8221? Benji cheered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We got going after another hour. Arielle was dressed in skin-tight jeans and a
lacy sweater that left one golden-brown shoulder bare, and her warm brown hair fell
to her shoulders in tousled waves. Nikita donned one of my flannels over her skimpy
white tank top and threw her hair up in a ponytail. Both looked equally amazing,
and I felt luckier than ever as I walked with them to Benji\u8217?s car. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I figured rolling up in the new Benz might look a little too outrageous if my old
friends happened to look outside. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We put the bottles in the trunk for the drive to Everleigh University campus, and
when we got there, we found that Nikita and Arielle were able to stash the entirety
of our alcohol in their two purses. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We passed the common room area without any issues, and the tired-looking guy at
the desk waved us past. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I strolled right into Travis\u8217? dorm without bothering to knock, and I
stood there flanked by Nikita and Arielle on each arm. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey guys,\u8221? I said with a grin. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
All three of my friends\u8217? jaws dropped when they saw the company I brought,
and I could hear Benji snickering both out loud and in my mind.\par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {\page } {\s1 \afs32
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
Chapter 10 \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}\par\pard\plain\hyphpar}\par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The scene in front of me was nothing short of hilarious. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
Parker innocently unsmudged his glasses on a Stones\u8217? t-shirt I bought him
last Christmas while he blushed fifty shades of pink. Jake was pouring his drink
over his DM book with a mouth full of Flaming Hot Cheetos, and Travis looked so
gobsmacked that I feared a family of seagulls would make a nest on his tongue. \
Benji was the first to break the ice. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, fam, we got the goods!\u8221? my half-brother chuckled. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
As if on cue, Nikita and Arielle unsheathed the alcoholic presents from their
purses. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I hope we didn\u8217?t miss the character creation collab,\u8221? I said. \
\u8220?No, no, no,\u8221? Jake mumbled around his Cheetos as he tried to duck down
lower behind his DM screen as if it could suck him into the fantasy world. \par\
\u8220?Guys, this is Arielle,\u8221? I said and gestured to my coyote omega. \par\
\u8220?Hiii\u8230?\u8221? Arielle waved sheepishly, but she offered a sweet smile
that could make Ebenezer Scrooge turn the other cheek. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And you all know Nikita\u8230?\u8221? I continued. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Hello, my fellow adventurers.\u8221? Nikita leaned her head on my shoulder
and dug her nails into my arm. I knew just the sound of me saying her name made her
feel like floating. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A chorus of \u8220?Hey!\u8221? and \u8220?Nice to meet you!\u8221? coupled with
the shaking of multiple hands punctuated the greetings. We got comfy on the floor
with enough room for our threesome around the coffee table, and Benji occupied the
nearest beanbag chair to Parker. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Travis leaned over to me and held up a bro-fist which I returned with a nod. \par\
\u8220?Those protein shakes are still doing you good?\u8221? Travis asked. \par\
\u8220?Uhhh, yeah\u8230?\u8221? I glanced down at my chest. My body had gained a
bunch of muscle mass since I first shifted, but I hadn\u8217?t really noticed the
bulk at all lately. I was pretty much used to my new alpha physique, but Travis
still hadn\u8217?t gotten over the sudden change in my appearance. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ugh\u8230? if only I could stomach that shit.\u8221? Travis stuck out his
tongue in disgust. \u8220?You are looking swole, my dude.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I tried taking a free CrossFit class \u8216?cause they had those specials
on campus, but I couldn\u8217?t keep up.\u8221? Parker wiped a drop of sweat from
his brow just thinking about it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Probably need to take it easy\u8230?\u8221? Benji said and put a comforting
hand on Parker\u8217?s shoulder. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Don\u8217?t have time to do all that, with EverFest coming up.\u8221?
Parker caught my eye, and I understood what he meant. \u8220?I need to save up for
some tix.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What\u8217?s that?\u8221? Arielle asked and tilted her head to the side in
the most adorable way. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You don\u8217?t know what EverFest is?\u8221? It was Parker\u8217?s turn to
mimic the action Arielle delivered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey\u8230? she\u8217?s from out of town,\u8221? I said as Arielle gripped
my hand a little tighter under the coffee table. \u8220?Give her a break.\u8221? \
\u8220?I thought we were here to play DnD, not discuss Parker\u8217?s new
obsession since they stopped Warped Tour,\u8221? Benji teased and passed Arielle a
new character sheet. He also gave her an extra copy of the Handbook already turned
to the races and classes section. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Dude\u8230? I\u8217?m just saying it\u8217?d be hella cool if we could all
go together this year,\u8221? Parker suggested. \u8220?Maybe rent a tent on the
grounds?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Like camping?\u8221? Arielle\u8217?s eyes glittered just then, and her
posture straightened. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, like camping\u8230?\u8221? Parker said. \u8220?Except during the
afternoon and the day we\u8217?d be watching some international bands pass through
and play.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
EverFest was by no means a large music festival. Considering Everleigh was a
small, secluded town all on its own, it was natural for the college-aged adults to
attend, especially since it was the hype event of the summer. As Parker and Arielle
went back and forth discussing obscure indie bands, Nikita\u8217?s cyan-colored
eyes met mine. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
As much fun as it would be to go to EverFest, now\u8217?s not the time to think
that far ahead, right, Alpha? }Nikita\u8217?s mechanical pencil started to fill in
the little boxes on her character sheet. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Right}, I agreed. {\i
I don\u8217?t know where we are going to be in the next few weeks with everything.}
With Aiden still at large and seeking revenge on my pack and me, it wasn\u8217?t
the right time to pinpoint ourselves in the middle of the woods where we could
easily be caught and found. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
It does seem fun, though\u8230? like if we got a tent together\u8230? all three of
us\u8230? }Arielle\u8217?s sweet thoughts entered my mind, and my heart pounded
just a little bit faster. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was surprised but super glad she was opening up a little more and using our
mental link to communicate. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The image was tempting, too. The idea of being sandwiched between my two lovers in
a tent, hopefully a little ways away from the rest, and making love under the stars
was definitely enticing. I could only imagine the way the moonlight would cascade
off their beautiful curves. It was enough to drive a man crazy, and I coughed a
little too hard when my spit went down the wrong tube while I was kinda drooling. \
Both Nikita and Arielle giggled at my harsh coughing. Benji\u8217?s eyes furrowed,
but he smirked from ear to ear and whistled from the top of his range to the lowest
in a very cartoon-like fashion. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, we have a Bard, a Cleric, a Barbarian, a Ranger,\u8221? Jake
recalled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And a Fighter\u8230?\u8221? Nikita purred. \u8220?A tabaxi fighter\u8230?\
{\i
Of course, you would be a tabaxi}. I teasingly rolled my eyes, which earned me a
little pat on my lower back from my mate. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
If the shoe isn\u8217?t broke, don\u8217?t fix it,} Benji piped up. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I\u8217?m pretty sure that\u8217?s not how the saying goes\u8230? }I had to hold in
a snicker at the odd metaphor. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What should I be?\u8221? Arielle asked me, but I knew her question was for
the rest of the guild. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Whatever you want to be!\u8221? Travis offered. \u8220?That\u8217?s what\
u8217?s so great about this game. Did you get a chance to look in the book yet?\
\u8220?A little\u8230? there are so many to choose from\u8230?\u8221? Arielle was
a little overwhelmed, I could tell, but I was confident I could teach my omega with
some help from the peanut gallery. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Especially since Nikita had adapted so well last time. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I wanted Arielle to have a blast. I was so happy that she wanted to be a part of
my life outside of my whole Alpha duties. There was a genuine connection between
the two of us, and it was more profound than whatever abusive and horrible
experience she had with Gray. I wanted her to feel important, like whatever she did
mattered. Between her and Nikita, I was determined to love and care for these girls
with all of my heart. They were essential for the continuation of my pack, sure,
but they were doubly important to me. Their bodies, their scents, every fiber of
their beings beckoned that part of fierce, unbridled protection from my very
core. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I felt like I wasn\u8217?t truly the Alpha without my loving omegas at my side. \
\u8220?I think I want to be either a Monk or a Druid,\u8221? Arielle said after
she had flipped back and forth between the pages a few times. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Both great choices,\u8221? Jake agreed. \u8220?Considering the diversity of
characters we have in place, I might lean toward Druid.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I can\u8217?t believe it. Our DM cares about our success?\u8221? Travis
mimicked in mock-shock. \u8220?Usually you try to fuck us over with the monsters
with your steely Clint Eastwood stare.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, shut it, guys.\u8221? Jake looked around at us all. \u8220?I\u8217?m
not that strict of a DM, am I?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I laughed along with the rest. Jake was an excellent DM, but that took lots of
experience throughout high school and his extensive knowledge as an aspiring
Director at Everleigh University\u8217?s Film School. He could paint an environment
like an orator out of time, from the likes of Homer. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Our group also appreciated Jake\u8217?s patience with our childish antics when we
went on side quests that didn\u8217?t pertain to the main plot. One side quest
meant for the history books was when we kept acquiring pet goats and named them
Carl. Every time the goat died, we\u8217?d call them Carl the Second, Carl the
Third, and so on and so forth. By the end of the campaign, we ended up with Carl
XIV or Carl Fourteen, but we just ended up calling him Carl Ex-If. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Druid it is, then!\u8221? Arielle enthusiastically announced, and I helped
her fill out her character sheet. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita and Benji started playing bartender while my shy lover and I got as close
as two people could be on a carpeted floor. Her scent of cinnamon-chocolate was
all-too alluring for me to handle at times. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
God, she was gorgeous. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Every time our hands touched, I pretended it was an accident, which sent her into
a flutter of sighs of adoration. I knew better than to make a spectacle of us, but
what else could I do with such sensational girls on either side of me? Besides,
Gray\u8217?s liquor seemed to temporarily capture everyone\u8217?s attention, so I
snuck a kiss onto Arielle\u8217?s bare shoulder. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
After we all helped Arielle roll her stats and fill out her character sheet, we
joined Jake in a celebratory toast to the start of the game. Then our DM launched
us into a mythical tale to revitalize a dead forest. A wood nymph promised to
reward us greatly if we woke the heart of a large willow tree that was long sought-
after with unearthly powers. We spent some time in a neighboring village, bartering
and buying supplies for the long voyage, and then we came across a bed-and-
breakfast for lodging hosted by an Orc named Roger. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
In addition to great storytelling, Jake was a master of accents. If he wasn\u8217?
t a cinematic junkie, he would have made great money lending his voice to literary
podcasts and audiobooks. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hello, comrades,\u8221? Jake said in his best Russian impersonation. \
u8220?I have room for all of you. Please, any friend of the forest is a friend of
mine. How about some mead on de house?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We woo-ed collectively and started rolling our dice to see how many pints of mead
we each would get. In addition, there were drunken effects that came with it. These
details primarily affected our characters\u8217? inhibitions. Travis turned out to
be the tipsiest outside of the game but was forced to portray a sober Ranger. It
was hilarious. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Can I flirt my way into getting another drink?\u8221? Travis asked with a
groan. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You can try your luck if you don\u8217?t roll all ones for the fifth time\
u8230?\u8221? Nikita sassily replied with a giggle. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita was our actual designated driver tonight, but that didn\u8217?t stop her
from being flirty and playful next to me the entire time. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
Arielle found herself talking to a patron of the area who wanted to trade gold for
an animal. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Do it. She has to do it!\u8221? Parker exclaimed with his eyes full of
wonder. \u8220?For consistency!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Consistency?\u8221? Arielle arched an eyebrow and looked at me. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We don\u8217?t get to pick what animal we get,\u8221? Benji reminded us. \
u8220?It\u8217?s all on Jake.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
After Arielle agreed to the trade, Jake rolled his dice behind the divider. Then
he took out a little goat figurine and set it in the middle of the table. \par\
Laughter rang out from everyone as we all recognized Carl XV arriving at our game.
\u8220?Carl!\u8221? Parker took a sip of the liquor in his iced glass. \u8220?How
we\u8217?ve missed you!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I then told the short story of how the tradition of Carl came into our existences
in our campaigns, which made Arielle giggle. She joined in the fun and toasted her
sparkly purple drink in the air with the rest of us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
An hour quickly went by as I showed Arielle the ropes of how to play. It didn\
u8217?t take a lot of time before she was invested in her character and the
overarching plot Jake had designed for us. Soon enough, however, our clan met with
a great army of Dark Elves who were bent on destroying what little of our magical
forest was left. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A battle erupted filled with creativity and passion. I could tell that even Travis
was reaching sobriety at an exponential rate. The challenge was intense, and a lot
of my friends\u8217? characters were barely missing in their strikes against the
elves. I made the executive switch to the defensive, which aided our cleric in
healing our other members efficiently. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I got this}, Nikita thought confidently. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My mate put down her hair to readjust her high ponytail. Then she choreographed a
takedown with a successful line of blows to our opponent. It was terrific the way
Nikita got her tabaxi into warrior mode and viciously swiped and bit at the
oppressors, similar to the way I\u8217?d seen her do it in real life against the
betas who dared to attack us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was utterly entranced by the way she described her plan of attack to Jake, and
it was up to me to help cement our imminent victory by talking stats and devising a
plan of action for our companions. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Too close to home?} Benji said as my eyes turned a little glassy. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
Nah}, I said. {\i
If you think about it, this kind of thing helps with our strategic skills.} \par\
{\i
The Dark Elf has a weak spot,} Arielle said softly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Huh?} Nikita asked, and she seemed surprised to hear my other omega in her head. \
{\i
There\u8217?s an item on his belt that might drain him of his power.} Arielle put
her finger on her pursed lips as her mental voice came out a bit more
confidently. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Oh, yeah, Jake keeps mentioning the belt, something must be in the pouch. }Nikita
smiled sneakily. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Are you guys cheating? }Benji\u8217?s voice rang out in our heads, and my lovers
and I winced at the same time like it was a sitcom routine. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
It\u8217?s not cheating!} Nikita quickly replied. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was honored that Arielle and I had that talk about mental boundaries earlier,
and I was so happy to know she was getting more and more comfortable sharing what
she thought. I had built a little barrier in my head so that I was never intrusive
to her mind, and she seemed to appreciate it a lot. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I would give anything, do anything to make my omega feel like our relationship was
a breeze. I took great care in ensuring that there wasn\u8217?t a pinch of Gray\
u8217?s treatment left to haunt her. Arielle deserved to feel safe and happy. \par\
{\i
It\u8217?s Arielle\u8217?s turn to kick some ass, }I said through our connection. \
{\i
Go get it, girl! }Nikita cheered in our heads. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Uhh\u8230? is it my turn now?\u8221? Arielle asked Jake shyly. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yep!\u8221? the DM said. \u8220?What are you gonna do?\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I want to get the Dark Elf\u8217?s attention,\u8221? Arielle said with a
nod. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How?\u8221? Jake asked. \u8220?You are in the middle of combat.\u8221? \
\u8220?Uhhh\u8230?\u8221? the shy beauty hesitated as she gave me a quick
glance. \u8220?I guess\u8230? uhhh\u8230? I\u8217?m gonna talk some shit?\u8221? \
\u8220?What are you gonna say?\u8221? Jake tried to fight against his smile. \par\
\u8220?How about\u8230? \u8216?Hey, you pointy-eared asshole! Your hair looks like
your boyfriend\u8217?s blind mom styled it, and I can smell your gross feet from
way over here!\u8217?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, my god!\u8221? Benji snorted, and we all started howling with laughter.
\u8220?Okay, Arielle,\u8221? Jake said. \u8220?Roll a twenty-sided die to see if
it works.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Here we go\u8230?\u8221? She clutched her die in her hand, rolled it
around, and then let it cascade down her fingers an onto the table \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
We all held our breaths for a few precious seconds, and then the die stopped
rolling. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Natural 20. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yessss!\u8221? we all cheered as we thrust our fists up into the air. \par\
\u8220?\u8216?What did you say?!\u8217? the elf leader growled as he turned his
angry eyes toward you,\u8221? Jake began. \u8220?The man\u8217?s face turns super
red, and then he rushes across the battlefield toward you. Nikki, he\u8217?s
running right past you as you fence with his minion, and you are up next. What are
you doing?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m going to steal his belt with that funky pouch hanging on at the
end of it!\u8221? Nikita was practically bouncing in her seat. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Jake was more than happy someone had finally caught on to the creature\u8217?s
weakness and waited for her to roll. Considering her stealth stats were great with
the items she\u8217?d accrued, it seemed like a walk in the park. Then she gathered
her dice and held them in front of my face, and I was confused for a second about
what she wanted me to do. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Handsome boy, give it blow, for luck,\u8221? she purred at me with a
Russian accent. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I felt all eyes on me, and I knew this was probably going to be the biggest roll
of tonight\u8217?s escapades. I suddenly became James Bond at the craps tables in
{\i
Casino Royale}, with Nikita as my partner in crime. Her delicate fingers held the
dice in her hands like they hid precious diamonds, and I blew my hot breath onto
her hand before she threw the dice on the coffee table. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Another D-fucking-20. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Everyone yelled in extreme victory. The bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos on Travis\
u8217? lap made it across the table to be caught by Arielle, who narrowly spilled
some of her purple drink. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Our Tabaxi Fighter has stolen the bag containing the Dark Elf\u8217?s
soul,\u8221? Jake announced as he clapped his hands in front of him. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Do the voice,\u8221? Parker pushed. \u8220?You can\u8217?t just say he
died, c\u8217?mon DM!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You think I wasn\u8217?t going to do a voice?\u8221? Jake shook his head
before theatrically pulling a pose straight out of Shakespeare. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Here we go\u8230?\u8221? I murmured to Nikita, who squeezed my thigh and
seemed thoroughly amused by our DM\u8217?s antics. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, I beg o\u8217? yer mercy! Please!\u8221? Jake\u8217?s Scottish Elf
reminded me of the Wallace and Gromit runners\u8217? series movie {\i
Chicken Run}. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was great. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Stand down and accept your fate,\u8221? I said in my character tongue, and
the room \u8216?ooh\u8217?-ed in response. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Jake then acted out the Dark Elf. We envisioned the form fading up into nothing
but black mountain ash, and Jake punctuated his death with the crunching of an
almost empty chip bag. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Aiden won\u8217?t know what hit him}. Benji crossed his arms and leaned back
looking satisfied in the beanbag chair. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Both of my lovers leaned their bodies close to me intimately, and their excited
breathing hinted that they were both pretty turned on by my speech. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
My friends raised their hands in the air for high-fives. Arielle did amazing for
her first time at DnD, and Nikita knocked it out of the park with her offensive
playing, which ultimately led to our boss\u8217? downfall. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
{\i
I don\u8217?t have to roll a D20 to spend time with you later, will I?} Arielle
asked, and even in her thoughts, she sounded a bit buzzed from the vibes and her
drink. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Oh, of course not\u8230?} I chuckled. {\i
Both of you don\u8217?t need to worry about a thing.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Benji\u8217?s not listening in, right?} Nikita asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I blocked him out for a bit,} I said as I exercised my practice on boundary
settings between our mind-links. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Phew!} Nikita twirled the end of her ponytail between her fingers. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
You\u8217?re getting good at this, Alpha,} Arielle said. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
You think I\u8217?m good at this, just wait until we get home\u8230?} I
suggestively trailed off, and both girls\u8217? eyelashes fluttered dreamily in
unison as their hearts began to beat faster. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The campaign wrapped up at a good stopping point for the group not long after
that, and we were more than happy to clean up a little bit of our snack and booze
remnants before we left. The guys living in the dorm were very thankful and
insisted that they\u8217?d be able to do more than host next time. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Nikita and Arielle whispered to each other in excited tones while they packed up
their stuff and got ready to go, so I went into a huddle with the boys, intramural-
style. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, guys, I don\u8217?t mean to sound like a broken record, but I really
missed you all,\u8221? I said. \u8220?Tonight was cool.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course,\u8221? Jake said. \u8220?We\u8217?re all getting busy, we
understand, Jess. Just know if you need anything else, or whatever, the DnD crowd
will always be here on Tuesdays. And whoever else you wanna bring along, we\u8217?
re cool with that, too.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Mmhmm,\u8221? Parker agreed. \u8220?And remember to send me some tips to
bulk up. It wouldn\u8217?t hurt to look swole just in time for EverFest.\u8221? \
\u8220?Shut up about EverFest already,\u8221? Travis joked and rolled his eyes. \
u8220?It\u8217?s like months away! But are you in, Jess? It\u8217?d be a great trip
for us this summer.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I don\u8217?t know, guys\u8230?\u8221? I said carefully. \u8220?Aunt Eva
might have plans, but I\u8217?ll keep you guys in the loop if anything changes.\
{\i
Good call,} Benji said, not that I needed his approval on my excuse, but it was
nice to have someone truly understand my situation. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
After our huddle, we clapped each other on the backs and said our goodbyes.
Nikita, Arielle, Benji, and I made our way out of the dorm, and we went down the
elevator and through the lobby. In the parking lot, we clambered into Benji\u8217?s
car, with Nikita at the steering wheel. I slid into the back with Arielle as Benji
fastened his seat belt in the passenger seat. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Is it too much for me to ask for you to be gentle with Pearl?\u8221? Benji
\u8220?Pearl?\u8221? I asked. \u8220?You never gave your car a name before.\u8221?
\u8220?I decided. Right now. That salty scotch did a little number on me.\u8221? \
I stared at my half-brother. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What?\u8221? he asked. \u8220?You don\u8217?t like it?\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I think it\u8217?s a pretty name.\u8221? Arielle smiled and cuddled up
close to me. \u8220?I think it\u8217?s sweet that you named your car.\u8221? \par\
{\i
You\u8217?re sweet}, I echoed in my mind to Arielle. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
No, you! }she giggled back in our little thought bubble. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll handle Pearl reaaaaaal easy, Benj.\u8221? Nikita\u8217?s hands
gripped the steering wheel hard. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Uh-oh.\u8221? Benji turned around to me, and I was just about to kiss
Arielle on her full, soft lips when he whined like a child. \u8220?Jeeesssss! Nik
has got that Fast and Furious look in her eyes!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?re in the same pack, Benj,\u8221? I murmured loud enough for him
to hear. \u8220?Let\u8217?s learn to trust each other a little more.\u8221? \par\
As Nikita backed out of the parking spot carefully, she and Benji began to
verbally spar as Arielle and I were blissfully interacting with the most teasing of
touches. The rest of the world faded away into bursts of energy and lust between
us, and the movements of the car seemed to magnify the sexual tension tenfold. Our
mutual body friction caused that all-too-familiar fire to ignite, and my hands
wandered to the hem of her lacy sweater to play with the soft skin underneath. \
{\i
Hi,} Arielle\u8217?s voice said in my head. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Hi, how is this for you?} I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
This is\u8230? nice, and new,} she said. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I\u8217?m glad you\u8217?re feeling more comfortable with me communicating like
this, }I said. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Yeah, I am. }Arielle looked at me with a sweet smile.{\i
It still feels so new\u8230? feeling safe enough to share my mind with someone,
that is. Well\u8230? someones. Nikita and Benji have been so nice to me. It\u8217?s
great. I feel so safe and loved. } \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Know that you\u8217?ll always be safe and loved with me,} I said back.{\i
I promise. } \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I know, Jesse. }Her hand squeezed mine tightly. {\i
Thanks for taking me out to meet your friends. I had so much fun!} \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
Good! We didn\u8217?t go through character creation and game play too fast, did
we?} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
No, not at all!} she said. {\i
You\u8217?re a great teacher. I can\u8217?t wait to learn how to play better. } \
{\i
Yeah, dice rules can take some time. }I nodded. {\i
But you\u8217?ll pick it up, I know it. Your character was really cool. The guys
really liked you.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I was hoping they would like me, }Arielle murmured. {\i
They mean so much to you, and now that I\u8217?m a part of your world, I want to
know them, too.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
You and Nikita have a permanent invitation to DnD, for sure!} I said. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
You know, Gray and I never played any games that were\u8230? fun. }Arielle frowned
slightly. {\i
He\u8217?d force me to play sports, and then make fun of how bad I was.} \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
One, he\u8217?s an asshole.} I sighed. {\i
Two, he\u8217?s out of the picture, and three, and most importantly, always feel
free to play any kinds of games with me. I want to learn your hobbies, too.} \par\
{\i
Oh, really, Jesse?} Arielle leaned her head on my shoulder and sighed. {\i
I\u8217?d love to bake something with you sometime, or just cook meals.} \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Sounds like a very romantic dinner, }I said.{\i
And after dinner, I think I have a few ideas of something else you\u8217?d like,
too\u8230?} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Oh, I\u8217?m sure\u8230? }she giggled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
God, you sound so cute in my head, }I said back, and she sent me a blushy smile. \
When the cabin came back into view, I gave Arielle\u8217?s neck a gentle bite as a
promise of what was to come later tonight. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Benji parted ways with us as he hoisted a peace sign in the air and headed inside
for some much-needed rest from tonight\u8217?s festivities. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I was just getting started with the party. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My two lovers and I got out of our DnD clothes and settled into bed. Arielle was
wearing a sweet silk negligee with matching cream-colored straps. Nikita was
wearing one of my oversized shirts, and the booze from the game made me look at my
two lovers with even more mounting lust. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Both of you lay down on the bed next to each other,\u8221? I ordered. \
u8220?I\u8217?m going to reward both of you for doing such a good job at our game
tonight.\u8221?\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } {\s1 \afs32
{\b
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
hyphpar} {
My omegas giggled to each other as they laid back on the bed, and their naughty
smiles coaxed me over to join them on the sheets. As I let my eyes trail over their
beautiful bodies, I realized how strange it was for me to see them in their
pajamas. We normally slept in the nude, but I was definitely looking forward to
stripping each of them down. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Now, who to taste first? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Someone was such a good designated driver\u8230?\u8221? I murmured as I
slid my torso between Nikita\u8217?s spread legs. \u8220?I think you deserve a
reward first. What do you both think?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It was really nice of her to drive,\u8221? Arielle purred as she wiggled
her side more into Nikita\u8217?s. Then she lifted her right leg and set it over
the other woman\u8217?s so they were both spread open for me. \u8220?I think she
should get to have fun first.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ohhh, you are so cute,\u8221? my werecat omega sighed as she rubbed her
head into Arielle\u8217?s like an affectionate cat. \u8220?Whoever my Alpha wants
to pleasure first\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I moved my lips down between Nikita\u8217?s legs and gently pulled her panties to
the side so her delicious pussy was bare to me. The wonderful smell of her arousal
filled every part of my senses, and I couldn\u8217?t help but growl as I slowly
dragged my tongue across her pink lips to lap up her juices. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yessss\u8230?\u8221? my werecat omega sighed, and then she gasped when my
tongue passed over the sensitive nub of her clit. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Damn,\u8221? I growled as I began to go to town and drink up the stream of
wetness gushing out of her. \u8220?You taste sooo good, and you are sooo wet.\
\u8220?Yess\u8230? Yessss\u8230? Ohhh\u8230? Yesss\u8230?\u8221? Nikita\u8217?s
gasps were music to my ears, and she soon had her hands on my head so she could
scratch my scalp as I devoured her. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I fucking loved it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I didn\u8217?t want to forget about Arielle, though, so I took my left hand and
slid it up between her spread legs until my pointer finger found the dripping wet
entrance to her tunnel. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ohhh\u8230? Jesse\u8230?\u8221? Arielle sighed as I pushed into her
channel, and within a few seconds, I had both women moaning and rolling under my
touch. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita whined my name over and over again as my tongue licked and tasted every
part of her, and Arielle whimpered softly every time I thrust my finger deep into
her wetness. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I just focused on giving both my partners the pleasure they ached for by
increasing the pace of my playful tongue on Nikita\u8217?s clit while my finger
worked inside of Arielle. My girls started moaning and praising god so much that it
seemed like they were witnessing a miracle, and after another ten minutes of
spoiling them, Nikita\u8217?s sweet body began to tense. She was climbing toward a
climax while Arielle\u8217?s soaking tunnel began to spasm around my finger, and I
quickened my pace even more to drive both of them crazy. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ohhh, Jesse\u8230?\u8221? Nikita moaned as her eyes rolled to the back of
her head. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That feels so good, Alpha!\u8221? Arielle gasped. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
I could tell they were both on the cusp, so I applied more pressure to Nikita\
u8217?s special nub while I added a second finger to Arielle\u8217?s tunnel. \par\
Then they both whined in unison as their bodies tensed and climaxed. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
They seemed to thrash and wiggle against me for a good two minutes while they each
cried out my name, and both my face and my hand were flooded with dual streams of
their sweet nectar. I slowed my licking and fingering when they both began to
descend from their peaks, and then I gave Nikita\u8217?s labia one final, long lick
before I slid my fingers out of Arielle and came up onto my knees. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Both of my women looked flushed and stared at me through heavy eyelids as they
caught their breaths. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I didn\u8217?t speak, I just shifted over to my side so I was kneeling between
Arielle\u8217?s long, tan legs. Then I crawled up a bit more so my cock was
agonizingly close to her slit. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Let me help,\u8221? Nikita whispered as she also rose up on her knees, and
then she gave both of us a sultry smile as she reached for the base of my shaft. \
\u8220?Hmmm\u8230?\u8221? I sighed as soon as the werecat\u8217?s fingers wrapped
around my cock, and then I held my breath as she angled the tip of my manhood
toward Arielle\u8217?s entrance. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?She\u8217?s so beautiful,\u8221? Nikita whispered as she began to move my
cock so my tip dragged over Arielle\u8217?s silky pussy lips. \u8220?I\u8217?m so
glad she\u8217?s yours, Alpha.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ohhhh\u8230?\u8221? Arielle moaned as she squirmed against the teasing
sensation. \u8220?That\u8230? that\u8230? is\u8230? soooo goood\u8230?\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Do you want him inside of you?\u8221? Nikita whispered. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeeeesssss,\u8221? Arielle whined. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Do you want him to fill you up with his seed?\u8221? Nikita purred. \par\
\u8220?Yeeeessssss!\u8221? Arielle\u8217?s whine was more frantic now as she
wiggled her hips up in the hopes of capturing the tip of my cock, and the torture
began to eat me up as well. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But I clenched my jaw and let Nikita toy with my lover as much as she wanted, and
a grin spread across my face as I watched Arielle\u8217?s pink pussy lips trail
against my cock over and over. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Do you want him to knot inside of you and give you a baby?\u8221? Nikita
growled, and her movements on my cock were suddenly half-teasing Arielle, and half-
jerking me off. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Fuuuck,\u8221? I groaned through gritted teeth. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Pleeeeeeaaaasssseeee!\u8221? the werecoyote almost screamed. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Goooooood,\u8221? Nikita moaned. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then she pushed my cock inside of the beautiful brunette. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
All three of us gasped as soon as I buried myself deep inside of the werecoyote\
u8217?s tight channel, and none of us could talk or form words for a few wonderful
seconds. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I began to fuck her. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My thrusts were slow and deep at first, and each time I plowed all the way into
Arielle, she let out a shy whine that was equal parts adorable and erotic. Her
tunnel was unbelievably tight around me, and our missionary position let me rub the
top of my length all the way across the top of her channel with each slow thrust. \
It was an agonizing sort of pleasure that overran every thought in my mind, and
all I could do was keep my steady, torturous pace as the scents of my two omegas
swirled around me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The whole time, Nikita\u8217?s hands roamed all over Arielle\u8217?s breasts and
taut stomach while I fucked her, and after five or so minutes, the werecat\u8217?s
fingers began to explore lower on the other woman\u8217?s stomach until she was
dangerously close to teasing the werecoyote\u8217?s clit. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?She\u8217?s soooo beautiful, Alpha,\u8221? Nikita purred. \u8220?I just
love the way she looks, especially when you are deep inside of her.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Oh, oh, oh, ohhhh,\u8221? was all Arielle could whine in response to my
other lover\u8217?s praises. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Look at how wet she is for you,\u8221? the werecat sighed as her fingers
began to rub at the spot where my cock was thrusting in and out of Arielle. \par\
\u8220?Soo wet and tiiiight, holy shit,\u8221? I growled as I felt the tension in
my crotch begin to build. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?She takes your cock so well\u8230?\u8221? Nikita muttered. \u8220?She\
u8217?s such a good omega. Aren\u8217?t you?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m Jesse\u8217?s omega\u8230?\u8221? Arielle panted as her eyes
locked on mine. \u8220?For\u8230? ever\u8230? I\u8217?mmmm hissss\u8230?\u8221? \
\u8220?Your clit is so sensitive\u8230?\u8221? Nikita moaned as she rubbed the
other woman\u8217?s pussy, and every time I thrust into Arielle, I could feel
Nikita\u8217?s fingers brushing across my length. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was heaven, and the combined moans of my women were coaxing my primal side out
of me more and more until I finally began to increase my tempo. The tension in my
body tightened even more as I began to pound into the shy coyote beneath me, and
her gasps turned into keening screams of pleasure. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I think he\u8217?s close,\u8221? Nikita purred as her fingers flicked
faster over my coyote omega\u8217?s clit. \u8220?He\u8217?s so close to knotting
inside of you, Arielle.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ohhh\u8230? fuuuuuck,\u8221? Arielle gasped. \u8220?Yessss!\u8221? \par\
\u8220?He\u8217?s going to knot inside of you and give you a baby,\u8221? Nikita
urged. \u8220?Are you ready for our Alpha\u8217?s seed? Are you ready to have his
baby?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Pleeeassseeeee\u8230?\u8221? Arielle begged. \u8220?Please give me a baby,
Jesse\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ohhhh\u8230?\u8221? I groaned as her words sent me over the edge, and then
I felt my cock begin to harden, grow, and expand. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Arielle cried out as my dick almost tripled in length, and then her eyes rolled
back into her head when my tip pushed open the puckered entrance to her womb. I
could feel my tip expand just after her cervix spread open around me, and then I
felt the base of my cock widen to lock myself inside of her tunnel. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Then we both climaxed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Her tunnel gripped around my shaft like a vise as my balls tensed, and a mighty
spray of my seed gushed out of my tip and directly into her womb. The sensation of
my first ejaculation almost took my breath away, but then my balls tensed over and
over again, and each pulse caused another spray of my sperm to flood the
werecoyote\u8217?s fertile uterus. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Arielle\u8217?s mouth hung open in a silent scream, and I could only see the white
part of her eyes because they were rolled back so far in her head. I hadn\u8217?t
realized I\u8217?d grabbed her hips sometime before I climaxed, and I was lifting
and bending her body off the bed so that I could spear my engorged cock as deep as
I possibly could into her. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Breed her, Alpha\u8230?\u8221? Nikita moaned in my ear, and when she began
to say those words again and again, my entire body tensed, and I shot another
volley of my hot cream deep inside of Arielle. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The sweet agony of my pleasure was too much to bear, and I almost screamed, but
instead I just turned toward Nikita and kissed her deep and passionately while I
continued to pump what felt like a gallon of my seed into my other lover. \par\
Nikita moaned into my mouth as she kissed me back, and then the three of us swayed
and whined together for what felt like another fifteen minutes. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Finally, my cock began to calm down, and I felt the pressure at the tip and base
of my length relax. I was still as hard as a lead pipe, but I felt like I could
slide out of Arielle soon, so I pulled my lips away from the long make out session
with Nikita and then bent down so that I could taste Arielle\u8217?s tongue. \par\
The beautiful werecoyote and I kissed for another minute or so while Nikita traced
her fingers along my back. Every small sigh Arielle gave sent a shiver of pleasure
down my spine, and she kept whimpering \u8220?I love you\u8221? between our kisses
until her soft voice was ingrained in my mind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I finally felt my knot fully release, and I cupped her cheek and looked deep
into her eyes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I love you, too,\u8221? I murmured in a husky tone, and Arielle blushed red
right to the roots of her hair. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I chuckled softly as I came up back on my knees and grabbed the base of my cock. \
\u8220?You came so much inside of me\u8230?\u8221? Arielle shyly whispered as I
slowly withdrew my penis from her wetness. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, he really did,\u8221? Nikita purred as soon as my tip was free, and we
all stared at the pearly stream of cum that was gushing out of Arielle\u8217?s
pussy lips. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It was wonderful.\u8221? Arielle blushed an even deeper shade of red when
she noticed both of us staring at her sweet pussy, and then she moved her fingers
to her crotch so that she could push some of my cream back inside of her. \par\
\u8220?Jesse is an amazing lover,\u8221? Nikita sighed, and then she gave me a
light bite on my shoulder. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I feel so spoiled,\u8221? Arielle murmured. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s good,\u8221? I said. \u8220?I want to spoil you. Both of you.\
\u8220?Can you come inside of Nikita now?\u8221? Arielle asked as she bit her
bottom lip. \u8220?It doesn\u8217?t seem fair that you only came inside of me\
\u8220?Oh, you are so adorable,\u8221? Nikita giggled. \u8220?I just love you to
death, sweet Arielle.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I want us to\u8230? both have babies\u8230?\u8221? Arielle cleared her
throat, and then her blush somehow got even darker. \u8220?A big family\u8230? with
Jesse\u8217?s cubs running around\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m probably already pregnant,\u8221? Nikita said as she shrugged her
slender shoulders. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?But\u8230? we should make sure?\u8221? Arielle asked sweetly. \u8220?Jesse
still looks hard and long\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The beautiful werecoyote suddenly sat up, and then she pushed on my chest so that
I was forced to lay back on the bed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll get him ready for you!\u8221? Arielle blurted as she grabbed the
base of my cock with her left hand and then kissed down my stomach. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh,\u8221? Nikita laughed. \u8220?You don\u8217?t need to do that--\
\u8220?I want to do my part,\u8221? Arielle whispered as she slowly began to lick
my balls. \u8220?You\u8217?ve been so good to me\u8230? You are like\u8230? Super
nice to me\u8230? I want\u8230? I just hope we are friends forever.\u8221? \par\
Then Arielle took my cum-slick cock into her mouth, and I groaned as she slid me
all the way down until she gagged. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, shiiittt\u8230?\u8221? I gasped. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Mmm, he\u8217?s still really long from knotting,\u8221? Nikita whimpered. \
u8220?How did you fit that all in your mouth?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hmmmm\u8230?\u8221? the brunette moaned around my cock as she somehow took
me in even deeper. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Holy shit,\u8221? I groaned as I felt my tip rub against the back of her
throat. \u8220?Wooooowwww\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?She\u8217?s really going to town,\u8221? Nikita giggled as Arielle bobbed
her head up and down on my length, and then my werecat omega moved over so she
could hold the other woman\u8217?s hair back away from her face. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?That feels amazing,\u8221? I breathed as Arielle eagerly devoured me. \par\
My cock had still been hard from earlier, but Arielle\u8217?s tongue and mouth
quickly got me like a titanium rod in just a few dozen seconds. She didn\u8217?t
stop there, though. Within a few minutes of her starting, I felt like my balls were
ready to explode again, and my hips were lifting off the bed to meet each of her
deepthroat movements. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was fucking her throat without holding back before I even realized it, but then
Arielle popped off my cock without warning. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Fucking hell,\u8221? I panted. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?There!\u8221? Arielle cheered with a big smile. \u8220?He\u8217?s ready for
you, Nikita.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, he is\u8230?\u8221? my beautiful werecat purred as she crawled over
toward my hips. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How do you want to ride me?\u8221? I asked through ragged breaths. \par\
\u8220?I wanna ride you like this, Alpha,\u8221? Nikita whispered as she swung her
legs over me so that she was sitting on my hips in reverse cowgirl. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll slide him inside of you\u8230?\u8221? Arielle whimpered. She
still hadn\u8217?t let go of the base of my cock, so when Nikita lifted up her hips
to expose her pussy to us, the brunette was able to easily angle my tip so it was
pressed up against the werecat\u8217?s labia. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then Nikita slowly sat back down, and the three of us groaned as her pussy slowly
devoured my entire length. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Fuuuuck\u8230?\u8221? Nikita whined. \u8220?He\u8217?s so deep\u8230?\
\u8220?Doesn\u8217?t it feel so perfect?\u8221? Arielle asked as she traced her
fingers down Nikita\u8217?s sexy back. \u8220?Having our alpha filling every inch
of you sooo completely?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So perfect\u8230?\u8221? Nikita moaned. \u8220?I can barely think because
it feels\u8230? soooo\u8230? goooood.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My first omega began to roll her hips from side to side and from back to front,
and Arielle began to kiss her shoulders and neck. Then my two lovers began to shyly
kiss each other, and I let out a long growl as I enjoyed the show. They only made
out for a minute or so, and then Nikita began to ride me harder and faster, so
Arielle laid back down next to me, and our tongues began to dance and taste each
other for a few more minutes until we decided to just lay there and enjoy the sight
of Nikita taking my cock. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yesss!\u8221? my werecat mate whined a few minutes later as she increased
her riding pace. It was like I was a bronco, and my omega was trying to win a rodeo
contest on my dick by making it rub against every part of her tunnel as quickly and
aggressively as possible. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And her flawless, perky ass bounced in front of me with every wild attempt. \par\
\u8220?Damnnn\u8230?\u8221? I groaned. \u8220?You feel so good on my cock,
Nikita.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I knew Nikita loved fast cars and that sharp thrill from driving. However, I was
determined to give her the ride of her life, so I grabbed her hips and accelerated
my pace so I was jackhammering into her tightness. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, just like that, Alpha,\u8221? she begged. \u8220?Just\u8230? like\
u8230? thaaaat\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So hot,\u8221? Arielle whined. \u8220?You both look so beautiful making
love together.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ohhhh, Alpha\u8230? I can\u8217?t wait until you get me pregnant.\u8221?
Nikita arched her back and used her arms behind her for leverage. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I can\u8217?t wait, either, baby,\u8221? I said back, and more sweat
collected on my brow as I felt the coil of tension in my balls threaten to release.
\u8220?Mmm,\u8221? Arielle hummed. \u8220?Nikita, you are so pretty. You look like
you are about to cum\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I-I\u8217?m\u8230? about\u8230? to...\u8221? Nikita panted. \u8220?He\
u8217?s fucking me so goooood\u8230? Soooo deeeeeep\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Come on, I wanna feel you cum on your Alpha\u8217?s cock,\u8221? I growled,
and with a gasp I felt her release at my command. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m cummmming!\u8221? The heavenly rush washed over Nikita as she
quivered from head to toe, and I couldn\u8217?t help but think about how beautiful
it was to watch her break apart at the seams. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Me, too,\u8221? I growled as I felt my cock expand, and then be both hissed
with pleasure when my tip forced open her cervix. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A half-moment later, my cock had locked the beautiful werecat omega in place, and
then my balls surged as I sprayed up into her. I guessed that Nikita was already
pregnant because of how many times I\u8217?d climaxed inside of her fertile womb
already, but just the thought of giving her a baby made my orgasms seem to keep
coming over and over again. It felt like every part of her body was desperately
squeezing me in an effort to milk every single last drop, and I gave her everything
I had as I kept thrusting into her. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yesss, yesss, yessssss\u8230?\u8221? she chanted over and over again as our
pleasure electrocuted us, and the seconds seemed to stretch into minutes that
stretched into hours as we created new life. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Our climaxes finally began to calm somewhere in the haze, and then Nikita laid
back on my chest with a heavy sigh of relief. I was still knotted deep inside of
her, so the three of us kissed each other slowly for the next ten minutes or so
without speaking, until I was finally able to slide out of my werecat\u8217?s
tunnel. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then Arielle curled up on my left side, and Nikita laid on my right, and each
woman reached over my chest so they could hold hands as I pulled the sheets up
around us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I love this life,\u8221? Arielle whispered. \u8220?Thank you both.\u8221? \
\u8220?Awwww,\u8221? Nikita said, and I felt her squeeze the other omega\u8217?s
hand on my chest. \u8220?You are so beautiful and wonderful, Arielle.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?I\u8230? I just\u8230? Well, you know how it is, Nikita, being an omega\
\u8220?Yeah,\u8221? the werecat sighed. \u8220?I always thought\u8230? well\u8230?
I\u8217?d be alone. I\u8217?d have whatever alpha claimed me, of course, and I
hoped he would be a good man, but I knew the facts.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Facts?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Most alphas are assholes,\u8221? Arielle sighed. \u8220?Just look at Gray\
\u8220?Alphas often\u8230? don\u8217?t want their omegas out in public, or really
having that many friends,\u8221? Nikita whispered. \u8220?There will be the betas
of the pride, of course, but can you really have a deep friendship with a woman who
is only being nice to you because she feels like the alpha will just kill her if
she\u8217?s a bitch?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah,\u8221? Arielle sighed. \u8220?It\u8217?s hard to\u8230? make friends.
But we are friends, right, Nikita?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Abso-fucking-lutely,\u8221? Nikita said as she squeezed the other woman\
u8217?s hand again. \u8220?Best friends, and we are both going to have Jesse\u8217?
s babies, and it\u8217?s going to be awesome.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I really do want a big family,\u8221? Arielle muttered, and I could tell
she was starting to get really sleepy. \u8220?Jesse should get more omegas\u8230?\
\u8220?I think that\u8217?s the plan,\u8221? Nikita chuckled. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I hope they are all as nice as you,\u8221? Arielle sighed. \u8220?Then we
can have lots of friends, and so many cute babies running around\u8230? Have I told
you both how much I love you? Sorry if I\u8217?m coming across too sappy, but I\
u8217?m\u8230? just\u8230? so happy.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We get it,\u8221? Nikita murmured. \u8220?I\u8217?m so happy Jesse found me
and made me his omega. Our life is great, and yeah, we are going to get more
omegas\u8230? We have to build Jesse\u8217?s pack. We have to get really strong to
survive. We need to protect this wonderful life.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll do my part, for sure\u8230?\u8221? Arielle whispered, and then
she began to twitch against my chest before she fell asleep. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?She\u8217?s wonderful,\u8221? Nikita whispered in my ear a few minutes
after Arielle had started to breathe sleepy breaths. \u8220?I\u8217?m so proud of
you, Jesse. You have given both of us wonderful lives.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m just getting started,\u8221? I murmured. \u8220?I\u8217?ll give
you everything you want, Nikita. I promise. And I love you so much.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?I know,\u8221? she purred in my ear. \u8220?I love you, too, Alpha. More
than I can communicate with words.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I felt my first omega begin to breathe deeply, and she was asleep a few
moments later. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was asleep shortly after. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I awoke to the sound of music playing downstairs, accompanied by squeals of glee,
but my women were nowhere to be found, so I guessed it was them making the cute
noises as they cooked breakfast. I changed into a white t-shirt and navy sweatpants
because I knew we were going to train today, and then I made my way down the
stairs. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good morning!\u8221? I called out as I inhaled the scent of buttermilk and
chocolate creeping up from the kitchen. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good morning, Alpha!\u8221? my betas called out, and then I rounded the
stairs to come into the kitchen. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It looked like my lovers had taken it upon themselves to feed the pack this
morning. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, handsome!\u8221? Arielle blew me a kiss as she flipped pancakes on the
stove. She was wearing the cutest bright blue apron, and I blew one to her back as
a smile sprang to my face. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You look fucking adorable this morning,\u8221? I informed her. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, hush!\u8221? the werecoyote giggled, but her sweet blush proved how
much she loved the complement. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita was next to Arielle at the kitchen counter, and the werecat flashed me a
grin while she swayed her hips to the vinyl record playing softly in the
background. My first omega was making smiley faces with the whipped cream, syrup,
and chocolate chips that she handed out to the rest of the pack, and everyone
laughed as soon as she served them her mini works of art. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
The lovely scene made me pause, and I realized that at some point through all the
fights and drama, we really had started to become a family. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
It felt good. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Good morning indeed}, I mused as I watched Nikita\u8217?s hips keep in time with
the Elton John ballad. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?80\u8217?s music?\u8221? I asked as I came up behind her and carefully
wrapped my hands around her perfect hips. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s my namesake.\u8221? Nikita smiled with a shrug. \u8220?My
parents met at an Elton John concert, and the rest is history.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s sweet,\u8221? I chuckled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I kissed Nikita, Arielle, and Aunt Eva on the cheeks before settling near the
kitchen island. Then I poured myself a cup of orange juice and took a moment to
listen to the synth and keyboards playing away. The virtuoso in me heard myself
playing the violin, and I harmonized a full score alongside Sir Elton John in my
head while I waited for my own breakfast. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Did you all have fun last night?\u8221? Aunt Eva asked as she watched
Arielle flip another pancake perfectly in one pan. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It was so fun!\u8221? Arielle blurted in her trademarked, giddy way. \
u8220?I made a druid for my first run at DnD. The guys were nice. I can\u8217?t
believe they were that patient with me while I was learning\u8230?\u8221? \par\
{\i
If they gave you a hard time, they\u8217?d have to answer to me. }I winked in
Arielle\u8217?s direction. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Oh, I know\u8230?} she said back with a blush. {\i
Still, I\u8217?m not used to being treated nicely by people.} \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I loved it!\u8221? Nikita licked some whipped cream off her finger. \u8220?
Jesse is such a good player. He got so many lucky rolls!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Aw, come on, you both were the stars of the show last night, and you know
it!\u8221? I took a sip of refreshing juice. \u8220?You both rolled natural 20\
u8217?s, annnnnnnd\u8230? the end strategy was both your ideas.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
My two lovers glowed at the compliment, but when I was about to recount more of
last night\u8217?s details, Benji slammed through the front door, gave me a salute,
and sauntered into the kitchen like he owned the damn place. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Here\u8217?s your breakfast,\u8221? Nikita said as she handed my half-
brother a plate. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ohhh\u8230? chocolate chip smiley face pancakes!\u8221? he cheered. \u8220?
Thanks! Did I miss out on any important info?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No, not yet,\u8221? I said and then nudged my half-brother with my elbow. \
u8220?Hey man, you need to breathe when you eat!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What can I say? I\u8217?m a growing boy, aren\u8217?t I?\u8221? He batted
his eyelashes at my aunt, and both my omegas rolled their eyes. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well,\u8221? I cut in to keep the conversation on track. \u8220?Since I
have both my captains here, I wanna know if we heard anything from our patrols
while we were gone.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aunt Eva sighed and wiped her hands off with a dish towel to get the extra batter
off as the rest of my pack filtered in from the living room to listen. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You\u8217?ll be happy to know that we\u8217?ve taken every safety
precaution while scouting the beach and the islands,\u8221? Eva started. \u8220?
However, we\u8217?re not certain that it\u8217?s where Aiden\u8217?s headquarters
are.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And the trails?\u8221? I asked the group in general. \u8220?Where I found
the other werecats and Aiden? How about those leads? Their scents should still be
good enough to trace since we tracked them to that remote location.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?We\u8217?re still looking at them,\u8221? Aunt Eva answered. \u8220?But
unfortunately, there are no new leads. As far as we know, they haven\u8217?t
occupied that area since you were all at the beach.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
In my head, I heard little disappointing comments from my pack, and I knew it was
my job to boost morale. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, guys,\u8221? I spoke up as many pairs of eyes turned to me. \u8220?
You\u8217?re doing a great job. I couldn\u8217?t ask for a better pack. We know
that this task isn\u8217?t going to be easy, but what we can do now is prepare for
anything. Let\u8217?s finish up breakfast and have some good ol\u8217? sparring!
How does that sound?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
By the nods and smiles I got from the crowd, I knew they were down. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?The assigned patrols are already on duty, so we\u8217?ll have our bases
covered if we run into trouble,\u8221? Benji assured me. \u8220?I was just out
making sure we\u8217?re locked and loaded in that department.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I made sure we still have the rest of Monroe under our watch, too,\u8221?
my Aunt Eva confidently said as she brimmed with pride. \u8220?As far as we know,
there are no scents belonging to Aiden\u8217?s werecats in town. Our scouts are
doing a great job under your authority, Alpha.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?If anyone from scout duty comes back, send them my way,\u8221? I replied. \
u8220?I\u8217?m still waiting on one last group of werecats who are carrying out a
scavenger expedition to the other properties. They should be able to let us know
what\u8217?s needed out there for suitable housing, and then we can make sure all
the betas are set up in decent homes.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thanks, Alpha,\u8221? the betas in the room chorused, and I returned their
smiles. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I never saw myself as a particularly charismatic person, but I seemed to fall into
this more authoritative role pretty well. I only said what I would want someone to
say to me if I was in their shoes, just like an encouraging friend, but I was
pleased to see my pack responding well to this approach, no matter what species of
shifter they were. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Once the dishes were cleaned and put away, we made our way out to the same
clearing beyond the property that we\u8217?d used last time. Then we stripped
ourselves of our clothing, and I dug inside my chest to find the anchor that
unleashed my hybrid form. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Everyone was quick to transform, and I assigned pairs similar to how I had
earlier. I mixed up the matches again so everyone could learn different techniques
and fighting styles from each other. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I want to try something different today,\u8221? I said to my pack, and my
hybrid voice shook like gravel in my chest. \u8220?I\u8217?ll be observing the
sparring, but I want to test how far away those of you who share a mental link with
me can hear. I want us all to spread out, and we\u8217?ll be in touch. I\u8217?ll
check each pairing by following your scents in addition to our communication. Our
patrols are combing the area, but that doesn\u8217?t mean we let our guard down. Do
I make myself clear?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Everyone yowled or barked in response, and then they quickly dispersed to start
their morning sparring sessions. As soon as they left, I shifted into my full wolf
form, and the heat became refreshing embers rolling against my skin as my paws hit
the ground. My hairy hybrid skin was replaced with fur in an almost streamlined
movement, and then I prowled off to observe the nearest group. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I was impressed by what I saw. There were leaps and bounds in the air that seemed
to defy gravity, and their pin-downs and blows were quick and unrelenting. I wasn\
u8217?t really an expert at werecreature combat yet, but it really did seem like
everyone was getting much faster and stronger. They were definitely more determined
to stay focused, too, and I nodded my approval as the downed coyotes jumped right
back up and kept up the attack. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I took attendance by checking in with each group through our mind link. I\u8217?d
been wondering lately exactly how far my mental frequency would reach, and it was
like I had to push myself a little further in my focus to find a farther group of
my pack. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Testing, 1, 2, 3\u8230? }I felt a little silly. It was like testing a radio walkie-
talkie. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Loud and Clear, Alpha! }Thalia\u8217?s voice rang out like a bell, but for some
reason, it echoed in the void compared to the other agents. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
Where are you and Brenden?} I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
About a mile out,} Brenden replied. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Wait\u8230? what?} I gasped. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
This was huge. I couldn\u8217?t believe my mental connection to my pack went that
far. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
On my way,} I said as my paws dug into the dirt to propel me forward. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
My wolf snout followed Brenden and Thalia\u8217?s scents to the edge of another
clearing with a marvelous view off a cliff. When I skidded to a stop, I caught
Thalia putting the finishing bite on Brenden in their little tussling match. \par\
{\i
How did you find this place? }I asked as I trotted over. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
You told us to spread out\u8230? we just found it.} Brenden rolled over on the dirt
and faced me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Good job. I think we can see the beach from here\u8230?} I looked beyond the cliff,
and sure enough, another view of the islands stretched off into the distance. I
smelled the air, and my pack\u8217?s musk was the only strong scent I could pick up
on here. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Unclaimed territory. This was good. I\u8217?d have to tell my captains later about
this point. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Carry on. Keep up the excellent work. See you in fifteen. }I nodded my head and
decided to check in with Benji and Arielle. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
To be honest, I wanted to see Arielle show off a little more. She still seemed
kind of shy when it was simply a sparring day, but I hoped having Benji as a worthy
opponent, or maybe punching bag, would push her out of her comfort zone. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I was not let down by the scene when I arrived. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Benji looked like a lost puppy in the middle of a circle of trees, and Arielle was
too fast for him to keep up with. She dodged all of his attacks by hopping to the
side like it was a graceful dance performance, and my wolfish half-brother didn\
u8217?t stand a chance. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
She\u8217?s so fast, give me a hand, bro.} Benji barked at me for help, but I
laughed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
How did you learn how to do that? }I asked Arielle, who landed her next jump onto
Benji\u8217?s back and made the wolf squish onto the ground like a flattened
leaf. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
When you spend a lot of time living in fear, it\u8217?s instinctual. }Arielle
shrugged her coyote shoulders. {\i
Staying light on my feet has always been safest.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
You don\u8217?t have to worry about Gray anymore,} I replied as the words turned
into a mental snarl{\i
. I put him in the ground.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I know, and I love you so much for freeing me from his shackles.} Arielle sent me a
little coyote smile, and her slender snout twitched in the cutest way. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
You have to teach me how to do that duck and roll thing,} Benji said. {\i
You tricked me into thinking you were going to come from my opposite side!} \par\
{\i
Of course! }Arielle demonstrated again and used me as the target. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I was happy to play along, but after training with her a few more times, I smelled
the pack coming over to our spot. Just in time, the werecats who were on housing
duty met up with us, too. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
What\u8217?s the news?} I asked Kristina, who stepped forward along with Kiri, our
resident cartographer, in their shifted forms. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
The places look bad,} Kristina said outright. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Ever the pessimist,} Benji sighed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Yeah, come on, they\u8217?re not that bad, }Kiri confidently stated.{\i
Some of them need a new coat of paint, a few extra beds, and cleaning supplies,
but it should be homey with the right touch!} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I nodded, but I was a little distracted by my half-brother at the moment. I could
have sworn I heard Benji\u8217?s heart racing a little faster as Kiri got close to
us. I turned in his direction, but he became immediately fascinated by his toes. \
I couldn\u8217?t help wondering if my bro was developing a bit of a crush on the
tomboyish coyote, but I quickly refocused. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Sounds easy enough,} I mused. {\i
Kristina, I\u8217?ll have you take lead on the renovations. So if a wall needs to
come down for more rooms, or if the stairs are unsafe for our pack to use, I trust
you to make it fit for all of us.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Kristina\u8217?s eyes suddenly lit up, and I saw that she shined when it came to
practicality. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
That leaves Kiri, }I continued. {\i
Would I be correct in assuming you know a thing or two about design?} \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I don\u8217?t know about design, but I have style, if that\u8217?s what you mean,}
Kiri barked, and her tongue lapped out. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Can I help? }Benji cut in, and his voice was like a megaphone jammed into my ear. \
{\i
Yeah, man\u8230? You can help,} I chuckled.{\i
We\u8217?re all going to help!} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The pack seemed delighted about the idea, but then a series of dual howls rang
out. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
They sounded like warning yips, and they were coming from a mile off. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Right where I\u8217?d left Thalia and Brenden. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Let\u8217?s go,} I growled, and we all took off toward them.\par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {\page } {\s1 \afs32
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
hyphpar} {
I wasn\u8217?t exactly sure how fast I was running, but I felt like a fighter jet
screaming across the forest floor with my squadron behind me. In my wolf form, my
focus was as sharp as a knife, and my body was the most deadly weapon on the
planet. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was ready to turn on the bloodbath faucet with my paws. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
I led my pack through the woods at a full-on sprint, and our paws thundered
against the moist dirt while we headed to the cliff that overlooked the beach and
islands. This was the last place I\u8217?d seen Brenden and Thalia, and whatever we
met there would find themselves surrounded by my pack of seasoned fighters in a
matter of seconds. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And we\u8217?d fucking murder them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As I leapt over a large familiar tree trunk, Thalia and Brenden came into view,
and they were fiercely holding their own. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I counted that there were about six large werecats on the scene, maybe more. It
was hard to tell with so much fur rolling in the dirt. Their hides were a mix of
auburn and blonde, and their pointed ears stayed pulled back tight against their
skulls. Their eyes were bright yellow, with dark terrifying slits, and there was no
doubt in my mind that these were Aiden\u8217?s betas. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
The cavalry\u8217?s here}, I snarled, but half my mind was reeling over the
technicalities of the scene before me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There was definitely something fishy about how our rivals knew they could find my
pack members this far out. This area was a relatively new patrol area on the
outskirts of Monroe, but it sure as hell wasn\u8217?t Aiden\u8217?s territory, so
how the fuck had these betas happened upon my fighters all alone out here? \par\
This seemed like an intentional ambush, but I\u8217?d taught my crew how to be
prepared for anything. I already felt the comfort of both my captains at my back,
followed by Arielle and Nikita, and the rest of the pack as they all caught up. \
It was time to give Aiden a message. He clearly meant to intimidate us so we felt
unsafe on my new property. I was determined to prove him and all his followers
wrong. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As soon as we rushed into the clearing, a roar pierced the air from the cat I
assumed was the leader of their unit, and I howled back in response. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Then the fighting commenced, and there was nothing else I could do but follow my
killer instincts. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was a good thing we had a sparring trial this morning. Our blood was already
hot with the urge to push onward and defeat our enemies. The ramped-up stakes held
this challenge at a different caliber, and I immediately charged the lead beta. \
At first, we circled each other like the turnstyle of a merry-go-round. The
mountain lion smelled like pine needles and that distinct tartness found in
gasoline, and his tail showed signs of healing scars and a possible recent tussle
with fire. I wondered how that had happened, but before the werecat could unleash
his brutal attack, I met him in the air with an upsurge of my own. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Our world became a mess of claws asserting dominance. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I took a large bite as I caught his leg in my mouth, and I ground my teeth down to
crush his muscles and bones. With a few hard clicks and snaps, I knew I\u8217?d
torn the ligaments, and then I dragged him a few feet before he mustered up the
strength to wiggle out of my hold. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The force of another werecat was smacking into my flank now. This new attacker
went straight for my jugular, but I managed to turn my throat away. He still ripped
and tore at my fur like he was trying to flay me {\i
House of Bolton }style, so I scratched at his face and pierced my claws through one
of his eyes so deeply in the socket that I met his skull. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
I couldn\u8217?t tell if I\u8217?d killed the fucker or not, since my original
adversary bit onto my tail, and I had to turn quickly to produce a whiplash
maneuver that tore me free of his jaws. My tail looked like a paintbrush that had
been dunked into a can of red paint. It stung, but it was nothing compared to the
fit of rage I planned to unleash on that limping werecat who dared to ambush my
pack. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I barked menacingly at the werecat as he staggered to the side, and the one with
the ripped-open eye struggled to his feet. Both of them panted heavily, and their
eyes were wild as their blood gushed from the various wounds I\u8217?d ripped
across their flesh. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I didn\u8217?t give them time to recover. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was too late for them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I guessed the one with the ruined eye would be easier to take out, so I surged
forward and toward him. He tried to twist away from my jaws, but he was half a
moment too slow, and my teeth closed around his neck before he could move. When he
did finally jerk away, it just helped me dig my teeth into his neck more, and I
braced my legs against the rocky earth of the cliffside and yanked my shoulders
back. Blood sprayed into my mouth as his throat tore away from his body, but before
I could relish in my victory, I rolled to the side just in time to dodge the leader
trying to pounce on me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I continued to roll as their leader pounced again, but just as he was in the air,
I stopped my roll with my back on the dirt and brought my mouth up. It was a bit of
a risky move, especially when fighting a werecat with super sharp claws, but my
gamble ended up paying off, and my teeth tore into his chest and ripped away most
of the skin and muscles there. The cat yowled in pain as soon as he landed, and I
sprang up to my feet in time to see half a gallon of his blood gush from his
exposed ribcage. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I didn\u8217?t think he could heal from that wound, but I still wanted to finish
him off quickly, so I dashed forward, twisted away from his bite, and then knocked
into him with my shoulder. He went down like a sack of bloody fur, and then my
teeth found his throat a second later. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Their leader didn\u8217?t even have time to yowl before I ended him. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I looked back at my pack with blood and tufts of fur clinging to my maw, and I saw
that they were faring very well against the small troupe of Aiden\u8217?s posse.
Two other werecat corpses were piled on top of each other with their own
dismembered parts, and they oozed dark, coppery-smelling blood. My pack was fixated
on the three last betas alive, and they mauled their way into the roots of their
spinal cords. It was like something out of {\i
Mortal Kombat}, and I couldn\u8217?t help but echo in my head: {\i
Finish him!} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita and Aunt Eva were part of the group squaring off against these final cats.
Two of them were slim and young, but the other was a large, bulky mountain lion
with an already torn exterior and a nasty wound gushing blood over one of his eyes.
This guy seemed a little older than the rest of us. I could tell just by the way
he held his ground that he was experienced in combat. It was possible that this guy
was a long-time associate of Aiden\u8217?s, perhaps some relative or guardian, but
if he had the gall to snap so viciously at my mate and my aunt, he deserved what
was coming to him. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And it looked like Aunt Eva and Nikita were already bringing hell down on the
bastard with teeth and claws. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Instead of interrupting their slaughter, I helped Benji and Arielle tackle another
of the last werecats who sped toward them. After this morning\u8217?s practice,
Benji and Arielle displayed quite an impressive fighting partnership. She was the
wind rippling through the forest, and he was the heavy rock that touched down like
a meteor. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Benji, watch out!} Arielle said as my half-brother took a scratch to the side, and
my mate jumped off a nearby stump to tackle Benji\u8217?s attacker from behind. \
{\i
Shit! That\u8217?s gonna leave a mark, }Benji hissed, and he shook off the pain
before jumping at the asshole with me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I attacked low, and my brother attacked high. My teeth found the cat\u8217?s legs
and ripped one free, and then Benji went to town and began to bite and tear into
the screaming werecat. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Take that! And that!} Benji shouted as he tore into the fucker. His fur was
drenched in werecat blood as he slashed through the skin of the bastard like
Wolverine unleashed. Except this wasn\u8217?t Hugh Jackman, this was my best friend
and my brother in arms. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And he was going full-on wolf mode. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Every powerful swipe of his paws reminded me just how deadly my nerdy buddy really
was, and his snarls rippled in his broad chest like a gunning Harley. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Then a shadow of Arielle\u8217?s tantalizing form soared above my head as she
sprang away from the melee. I couldn\u8217?t get enough of watching her dodging
methods. Her body defied gravity, and she used whatever was around her as a push-
off point meant to confuse and dissuade focus. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Keep it up, guys! }I called out, and I heard a few barks in response. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
It wasn\u8217?t over yet. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A deafening growl and yelp immediately made me turn around on the spot to see Aunt
Eva and Nikita again. Nikita looked strong, but I noticed that Aunt Eva\u8217?s
swipes were getting less and less accurate. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Aunt Eva! Move to your left! }I yelled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She did, and I snuck behind the more slender werecat with Nikita on my heels. Then
I tore at his legs while Nikita latched on to the asshole\u8217?s back, and her
claws ripped him into shredded meat while I tore one of his legs off his body as
easily as biting into a hot wing at a bar. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then there was just one asshole left. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Thank you, Alpha\u8230? }Aunt Eva whispered weakly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then my aunt collapsed from her wounds. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Nikita! Benji! Get Eva to safety, }I thundered.{\i
Bring some of our pack with you while I help Arielle kill the last one!} \par\
{\i
Yes, Alpha!} the two of them chorused. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I shifted into my hybrid form. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Heat blistered through every inch of my flesh as my body reformed itself. I came
up onto two legs as my flesh and muscles morphed into a monstrous, chiseled mass
that stood more than seven feet high, and a gurgling, vicious growl built in my
even broader chest. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You picked the wrong day to fuck with my pack,\u8221?{\i
}I growled at the final werecat. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When I was met with terrified silence, I slowly prowled forward. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The haggard creature looked behind him and saw he was as close to the edge of the
cliff as he could be. But he had no time to run. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I took hold of his neck with my furred hands and let my claws dig deep into his
flesh. A single, stubborn hiss of a protest from him tightened my grip, and I
thrust my arm forward so the werecat now dangled off the edge of the lethal drop. \
The bastard tried to bite my forearm, and it was enough of a challenge to make me
hover him at a forty-five degree angle in the air as his paws gave up fighting
against my tight grip. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Wait!\u8221? he gasped as he started to shift back into his human form. \
\u8220?No more chances,\u8221? I snarled, and then I let go and watched the
werecat finish shifting mid-air. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then he collided with the rocks of the ocean below. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was like a cranberry pie hitting the sidewalk. The sharp rocks were painted and
glossed with the bastard\u8217?s remains, and after only a few crashing waves, the
sea took the shattered corpse into its drowning embrace and to the depths below. \
I breathed heavily and felt Arielle nuzzle me on my side. I turned and looked into
her eyes, and her eyebrows crinkled like she could see how upset I really was about
all this. Ambushes were bullshit to begin with, but this one\u8230? this one
involved my Aunt Eva. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I knew any scars would fade, and the bruises would heal\u8230? but I\u8217?d be
destroyed if my Aunt Eva died over some rival pack shit. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I channeled my fury into my shift, and I let my full wolf form take over again. A
constant growl rippled through me as my body curved forward and built up the bulk
and fur of a massive wolf, and my paws struck the ground with an echoing thud. \
{\i
Back to the cabin! }I ordered as I broke into a run. {\i
Thalia and Brenden, get medical supplies from the other properties. We\u8217?ll
meet you at Monroe home base. Dr. Stenton better take house calls.} \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
By the time we reached the cabin, Dr. Stenton was already at work and sanitizing
the gaping wounds left on my crew. My aunt was on the dining table, and I gasped
when I saw her. It was like I\u8217?d walked into a surgery demonstration, and I
was one of those squeamish med-students who could only watch with nervous eyes. \
There was no denying that perhaps it was better to put on a front, but the pain
was unbearable seeing her like this. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
No smile. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Unconscious. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Wrapped in gauze. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How is she?\u8221? I asked through gritted teeth. \u8220?Do we need to get
more stuff from the other cabins?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?She\u8217?ll be fine,\u8221? Dr. Stenton replied. \u8220?We got her back
here just in time. What we have is enough. She\u8217?s just resting, and this is
the best spot to put her while I move around.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thank god,\u8221? I sighed as my eyeline panned over to the kitchen island
where a whole medical haul was stacked on top of each other with everything needed
to run a tiny clinic. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ve got everything under control, Alpha,\u8221? Dr. Stenton said as
he patted my shirt. \u8220?Uhh, but you are bleeding\u8230? Can I take a look?\
\u8220?Oh,\u8221? I said as I looked down. My shirt and sweat pants were a bit
bloody from when I\u8217?d pulled them on again, but I didn\u8217?t actually feel
any injuries. \u8220?I don\u8217?t think I\u8217?m actually hurt, or if I was, I\
u8217?m pretty much healed already. Where\u8217?s Benji?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The rest of my betas looked around at each other, and then Brendan shrugged. \par\
\u8220?Where\u8217?s Benji?\u8221? I repeated in a firmer tone. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I told him not to leave,\u8221? Nikita groaned. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Why was he going to leave?\u8221? I asked my mate, and about a thousand
thoughts ran through my mind. \u8220?He was right here.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Cause you know how he is,\u8221? my lover sighed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
{\i
Benji, where are you}? I asked through our mental link. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Don\u8217?t worry about me,} I heard Benji say, and he was a little out of
breath. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
You can\u8217?t just say shit like that and expect us not to worry!} Nikita argued.
{\i
Where are you going?} I demanded. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
There was another werecat hidden in the bushes watching us, }Benji explained{\i
. I\u8217?m chasing it to see where it leads. Please, dude. Let me handle this. I\
u8217?m fucking pissed that they got the jump on us, and I want to figure out where
they are living.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I could tell he wanted to do more for the pack, and for me. I made him one of my
captains for a reason, so I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and shook my
head. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Be careful, }I said.{\i
I don\u8217?t know what I\u8217?d do if I lost you.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Bro, I got this. I promise I\u8217?ll come back.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Benji, you can\u8217?t be serious!} Nikita huffed and shot me a look as her bright
cyan-colored eyes widened. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Guys, I\u8217?ll be fine, }Benji insisted, but his voice was getting more and more
echoey, like he was almost out of my range.{\i
Remember economics, Jess? Where\u8217?s the reward without a little risk? If I
don\u8217?t concentrate now, I\u8217?m gonna miss them. I\u8217?ll be sa--} \par\
Benji\u8217?s voice finally cut out of our range, and I felt my gut clench. \par\
He was beyond my register now. Alone. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I held Nikita close to me, and she put her face in her hands. She didn\u8217?t
seem sad, though, she seemed frustrated more than anything. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?We have to trust him,\u8221? I whispered in her ear before addressing the
pack, who were all mentally wondering about Benji\u8217?s whereabouts. \u8220?Benji
will be back soon. Right now we have to take it easy so we can heal, and we\u8217?
ll discuss all this in just a bit. You\u8217?re dismissed.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Most of the remaining pack members scattered to tend to any wounds that didn\
u8217?t need to be treated by Dr. Stenton, so I returned to the dining room where
Aunt Eva was still lying there with her eyes shut. I could tell that the doctor was
applying some special ointment based on the aloe-chamomile scent coming off his
gloved fingers. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My captains really knew how to pull at my heartstrings and make it hurt. Arielle
and Nikita seemed to sense how I was feeling, and they stood on either side of me
as they curled themselves into my embrace. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?She\u8217?ll be fine,\u8221? Arielle said as she snuggled into my chest. \
\u8220?She\u8217?s in good hands.\u8221? Nikita nuzzled me in her usual cat-like
way, and the softness of her hair against my neck made me feel another wash of
calmness. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?They\u8217?re right,\u8221? Dr. Stenton remarked as he took off his gloves
and set them aside. \u8220?She\u8217?ll heal twice as fast with the werewolf
chemistry already working in her system, too, so she\u8217?ll be just fine.
Considering she\u8217?s your blood, I\u8217?d say she\u8217?ll heal even faster.\
\u8220?Thank you, Doc,\u8221? I said as both my mates pulled away. \u8220?I really
appreciate it. You should do a quick check on the others so there are no more
medical surprises.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course, Jesse,\u8221? the doctor agreed. \u8220?Please, let me know if
you have any questions, but let her rest for a bit.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
When Dr. Stenton left the room, Arielle went to the fridge, took out a large
plastic pitcher, and poured out three glasses. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What\u8217?s that?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Fresh calamansi juice I made this morning,\u8221? Arielle explained. \par\
\u8220?Huh?\u8221? Nikita asked as she took the offered glass. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Filipino lime-lemon-ade.\u8221? My second omega smiled. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Let\u8217?s go outside and talk.\u8221? Nikita tucked one of her stray
hairs behind her ear. \u8220?You may not think so, but we should get some air.\
\u8220?Okay,\u8221? I said and tried to mask the fact I was still a little shaken
up by this entire scenario. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We each brought our glasses full of the citrus drink out the back door and to the
bench on the deck. Then we sat down in our usual triplet arrangement with Nikita on
my right and Arielle on my left. I basked for a moment in the sun when it kissed
our faces, and the gentle breeze welcomed us to the great outdoors. The scratches
on our arms were already faded, and my lovers\u8217? skins went back to their
natural glow. They each leaned into me as we sat, and a cloud drifted in front of
the sun to give us a little shade. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Benji\u8217?s a goon, but he\u8217?s not an idiot,\u8221? Nikita said
before she took a long sip of the sweet citrusy juice. \u8220?He\u8217?ll be
careful.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I haven\u8217?t known him for very long, but he seems like such a nice guy
who just wants to prove himself to you,\u8221? Arielle responded. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, but I\u8217?m his brother and best friend,\u8221? I sighed as I
stretched out my legs. \u8220?He doesn\u8217?t have to do risky shit like this.
Ahhh, well\u8230? I wouldn\u8217?t have made him captain if he couldn\u8217?t
handle himself, so I just have to trust that he\u8217?ll be okay\u8230? I hope.\
\u8220?It helps to have a lot of hope.\u8221? Arielle\u8217?s cheeks blushed
slightly. \u8220?I felt like I was trapped in Gray\u8217?s jail cell for so long,
but in my heart, I knew someday things were going to change.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And I\u8217?m so glad that I have a sweet omega sister,\u8221? Nikita said
with a soft smile. \u8220?Who makes delicious lemonade, by the way. Right, Alpha?\
\u8220?It\u8217?s great, Arielle,\u8221? I agreed, and then I chugged the rest of
the drink in one gulp, much to the amusement of the girls. \u8220?Not too sweet,
not too sour, diluted just enough.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m glad you both like it\u8230?\u8221? Arielle flushed an even
deeper pink. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
How did I get this goddamn lucky? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I didn\u8217?t grow up like Gray or Max, I was a hard worker. Nothing was ever
handed to me. I became a violin player because I worked my ass off at it.
Everything in life according to my experience so far was a work in progress. A lot
of people were prone to freak out, or get too overwhelmed, and sure, sometimes I\
u8217?d bitten off more than I could chew, but I figured life was too short to fill
yourself up with all that negativity. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was The Alpha. I knew what my role entailed in bringing all these species
together for peace, but sitting with my omegas on this bench and drinking some
lemonade-like drink in the sun after kicking some ass was pretty damn great. \par\
I just needed to remember that when the stakes got higher like this. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
But it was kind of hard to find the right balance of being Jesse Rafe these
days. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A guy who liked to play DnD on Tuesdays. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A guy who couldn\u8217?t cook to save his life. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A guy who didn\u8217?t know the extent of what his parents stood for until a few
weeks ago. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A guy who thought he was normal. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A guy who had a vast plan after he\u8217?d graduated college. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
And it wasn\u8217?t that my plan wasn\u8217?t malleable anymore. There was just
some switching around I needed to do. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Now, I was the Jesse Rafe who had two amazing lovers who wanted my babies, a half-
brother, a pack, a pride, my Aunt Eva the badass white wolf, and a whole window of
opportunity open for me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was The Alpha responsible for taking the reins, even while I was attending
college. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But Benji helped anchor me to the ground, and I knew I needed him with me if I was
gonna accomplish everything I had ahead of me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll give him an hour,\u8221? I said as Arielle took our finished
glasses, went back inside, and closed the screen door behind her. \u8220?If I don\
u8217?t hear from him, then I\u8217?ll go find him.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Jesse, you\u8217?re not going alone.\u8221? Nikita stood up from the bench
and crossed her arms. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?He went off alone,\u8221? I replied. \u8220?I\u8217?m the Alpha, he\u8217?s
a part of my pack.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?There\u8217?s enough of us around that you don\u8217?t have to go alone,\
u8221? Nikita insisted. \u8220?Plenty of the pack can stay behind and make sure
that Aunt Eva is healing well.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I don\u8217?t know what I\u8217?d do if anyone else was harmed by Aiden.\
u8221? I stood up along with her. \u8220?The thought of losing more people\u8230?
it\u8217?s unacceptable.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita pulled me close and kissed me. Her hands made their way from around my neck
into my hair, and they massaged the back of my scalp. The scent of her citrus and
vanilla filled the air around us, and I felt the love she had for me through her
lips. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I deepened the kiss and pushed her against the deck banister. I desired more
of her solace and support, and every little flick of her tongue against mine seemed
to soothe my tension and wash away my stress. Just smelling her would have been
enough, but now that I could taste her, too, my body craved nothing else. I barely
even noticed the breeze as our tongues danced together, and when she finally pulled
away, those beautiful cyan eyes I had grown to love stared back at me with
amusement. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Wow,\u8221? I chuckled. \u8220?That was great. I feel like\u8230? a hundred
percent better.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Anytime you need a reminder of how much we fucking love you, and how much
you can totally handle this shit, I\u8217?m gonna kiss you until you can\u8217?t
breathe anymore, okay?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I love you.\u8221? I leaned my forehead against hers, and I felt so
grateful not only for Nikita\u8217?s beautiful body, but her beautiful soul. \par\
\u8220?I love both of you,\u8221? Arielle giggled from behind us. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Get in here,\u8221? Nikita said as she grabbed Arielle\u8217?s hand and
pulled her in so that the three of us were leaning our heads together. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
The scent of my omegas were like the final minutes of the most soothing massage,
and I finally let out a deep breath as my shoulders completely relaxed. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?An hour?\u8221? I asked once more, and I hoped posing the suggestion post-
kiss would change Nikita\u8217?s mind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?An hour,\u8221? the werecat agreed. \u8220?But we\u8217?re bringing a few
pack members.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I agreed to this since it was a good idea anyway. Then we turned to head inside
and check in on Aunt Eva, but Serena, Kahn, Zane, and Marco ran up to us before we
made it far. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Alpha!\u8221? Serena got our attention immediately. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?What is it?\u8221? I asked the betas and feared the worst. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Everyone\u8217?s going to want to hear this,\u8221? Marco said and opened
the screen door.\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } {\s1 \afs32
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
hyphpar} {
When we walked in, I immediately called everyone in the cabin to attention for an
update from my scouts. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My pack bunched up in the large entry hall, and when Aunt Eva came from the
kitchen, I couldn\u8217?t help but gesture for her to come over to stand by my side
with Nikita and Arielle. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Are you okay?} I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Yes, Jesse. I am. }Eva nodded{\i
. It\u8217?s nothing that a few injections and bandages can\u8217?t fix.} \par\
{\i
Hmm,} I muttered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I got the feeling Aunt Eva was just trying to convince me she was fine, but I knew
she still needed more rest. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, what\u8217?s going on out there?\u8221? I asked the werecats. \par\
\u8220?We ran into Brenden and Thalia and heard about the attack,\u8221? Marco
began. \u8220?That\u8217?s when we decided to head back. Alpha, we don\u8217?t
think the attack on you today was the only way Aiden tried to find a chink in our
armor.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?While we\u8217?ve been on patrol, it feels like we\u8217?re being watched.\
u8221? Zane\u8217?s pale eyes bored into mine. \u8220?The scent is too subtle for
us to trace, but call it animal intuition\u8230? something\u8217?s definitely
watching us out there.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We don\u8217?t know how many eyes Aiden has,\u8221? Aunt Eva said and
looked at the copy of the map Kiri hung on the nearest wall. \u8220?That\u8217?s
why we\u8217?ve been extra careful about our locations.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?But that\u8217?s not all\u8230?\u8221? Serena held her hands over her
heart. \u8220?He\u8217?s been setting up traps in the woods. We narrowly missed a
few bear traps on our way back.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What?\u8221? I growled. \u8220?He\u8217?s putting out fucking bear traps?\
But before Serena could answer, someone else called toward the cabin from outside.
\u8220?Let us through!\u8221? Leo\u8217?s voice rang out from the front door, and
right behind him hobbled a few of his werecoyotes from my southern post of
scouts. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And they looked fucked up. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The ones who were worse for wear were carried onto couches and recliners. They
hugged themselves tightly and held their wounds together with makeshift bandages
that were stained in varying degrees of red. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What the hell happened to you guys?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?We were attacked, and we didn\u8217?t even see them coming,\u8221? Leo
responded. \u8220?These werecats just lunged out at us on our regular route. Dr.
Stenton, if you\u8217?re not busy\u8230? can you please take a look at a few bone
breaks?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course,\u8221? the doctor replied. \u8220?It looks like I really have my
work cut out for me this afternoon.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Please, let me know the best way to repay you, Doctor.\u8221? I looked into
the man\u8217?s eyes. \u8220?I have plenty of assets now that I\u8217?m inheriting
all this shit, and I don\u8217?t mind--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Son, don\u8217?t worry about it,\u8221? he insisted. \u8220?I didn\u8217?t
become a healthcare worker for the money. I chose it to help people. No tab
necessary, especially within the pack.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My heart swelled at Dr. Stenton\u8217?s kind nature. I still knew that I had to
repay him somehow, but that was an idea reserved for later. Another sound of
footsteps pounding closer to the cabin meant that another group was coming by. \
\u8220?Who is it?\u8221? I asked \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s Caleb\u8217?s patrol.\u8221? Arielle drew back the curtain for a
better view. \u8220?And they need help.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Shit,\u8221? I growled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Have they started to attack in small groups all over Monroe, too?\u8221?
Kahn, the youngest, asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Looks like it,\u8221? I snarled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Arielle opened the screen door and let Caleb lean on her as he and his group came
inside, and they were all brutally beaten. There was a large bruise over the middle
of his bare chest, and he clutched at it with his other hand. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Bring him here!\u8221? Dr. Stenton urged, and then he asked Arielle,
Nikita, and Annika to help make sure everyone with really bad cases were sitting up
at an angle so they wouldn\u8217?t choke on their own blood. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Caleb,\u8221? I said as I came over to the werecoyote who\u8217?d been the
head of the eastern regional post. His head was bleeding down his neck, and his
eyes were half-closed. \u8220?Were you ambushed?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes,\u8221? he answered. \u8220?God, I\u8217?m sorry, Alpha\u8230? we
couldn\u8217?t hold them off, and none of us could reach you. We made it away but\
u8230? shit, my head\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I looked at Leo and Caleb and wished I could wave my hand and make their suffering
go away so they\u8217?d be as good as new, but I also knew that they\u8217?d be
healed in a day or so. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How bad is your head injury?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8230? think I\u8217?m fine,\u8221? Caleb said as he forced a smile to
his lips. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Do you remember your last name?\u8221? Dr. Stenton asked. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Uhhh\u8230? shit.\u8221? Caleb shook his head and then winced. \u8220?I\
u8230? uhhhh\u8230? don\u8217?t even know what day it is. I just knew I had to get
to Jesse. Did I do good?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah,\u8221? I sighed. \u8220?You did good.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Moreno,\u8221? Kiri said. \u8220?It\u8217?s Caleb Moreno.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Did we lose anyone?\u8221? I asked as I looked at the patrols and did a
rough head count. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It doesn\u8217?t look like it,\u8221? Marco said, \u8220?but Thomas\u8217?
troop isn\u8217?t back yet.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Okay,\u8221? I said with a deep breath. \u8220?There is a silver lining.
We\u8217?ve got some bumps and bruises, but no one is dead. Hopefully Thomas didn\
u8217?t get ambushed.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?This has to be a message,\u8221? Zane growled. \u8220?Aiden\u8217?s trying
to give us a reason to attack when we\u8217?re not ready yet.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I bet he still feels like Everleigh should be his turf, so he\u8217?s
stepping all over Monroe to prove a point,\u8221? Serena interjected. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, it\u8217?s not his turf,\u8221? Kahn argued. \u8220?It\u8217?s Jesse\
u8217?s now.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?But the islands aren\u8217?t mine,\u8221? I explained. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Serena crossed her arms. \u8220?If he is stalking us\u8230? which it seems like, I
for one have no patience for egomaniacal creeps who act like the world is theirs.
We need to get them where they\u8217?re getting us.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?But if they\u8217?re so spread out, how can we keep up and zero in on
them?\u8221? Nikita asked, and I saw the gears turning in her head. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Perhaps I can be of assistance,\u8221? the wise voice of Peter Daughtry
rang out, and the pack members in his way separated like the Red Sea. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Peter, I hadn\u8217?t noticed you arrived,\u8221? I said as I shook the
older man\u8217?s hand. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Dr. Stenton gave me a call because he needed an extra set of hands to bring
more supplies over,\u8221? Peter explained. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thanks so much,\u8221? I said. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How do you think you could help us?\u8221? Arielle asked. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ve lived here all of my life,\u8221? Peter said. \u8220?I may not
be young like most of these people here, but I\u8217?ve seen this town and packs
evolve over the years in many ways. I have knowledge of the lands around here, and
I was a ranger for about twenty years. I could help your scouts out there.\u8221? \
God, this old guy was so cool. He was going to be my Gandalf, which meant I had to
make like Frodo and hang on to every word. There was no beating wisdom and
knowledge combined with the rich street smarts of my pack. We were unstoppable. \
\u8220?I want to draw them out and ambush them,\u8221? I said. \u8220?Or else they
are just going to pick us off.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I have a few ideas--\u8221? Peter started to say, but then Marco
interrupted. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thomas is coming!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We all turned toward the front door and saw Thomas and his scouts zooming toward
the front door. I noticed they didn\u8217?t have any blood on their shirts, and
none of them actually looked like they were injured. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Alpha,\u8221? Thomas greeted me. \u8220?We have news.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You got ambushed?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, but we also caught on to a trail that led toward the coast.\u8221?
Thomas\u8217? eyes widened as he took in the state of everyone around us. \par\
\u8220?Not to Picpawa beach?\u8221? Arielle asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No, a different one that\u8217?s on a residential property,\u8221? Thomas
explained as his gaze snapped back to me. \u8220?We saw two people rowing a boat
toward these islands we\u8217?ve been watching. It looked like they didn\u8217?t
want to be followed. Their scent wasn\u8217?t difficult to miss, either, so we\
u8217?re sure they were shifters.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Perfect.\u8221? I smiled. This was what we were waiting for. A great
lead. \u8220?What about the ambush?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Didn\u8217?t see them coming.\u8221? He shrugged. \u8220?Didn\u8217?t smell
them, either. They were downwind of us, but it almost seemed as if they were as
surprised to see us as we were them. There were just two of them, and they only
fought us long enough to get away and jump in the water to swim off.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Hmmm\u8230?\u8221? I said as I tapped my chin. \u8220?I think we may have
found the island.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well\u8230? there are like three of them over there,\u8221? Thomas said. \
u8220?I\u8217?m not quite sure which one they could be living on.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Do we know which island was next to the beach?\u8221? Peter asked. \par\
\u8220?We actually didn\u8217?t get a chance to see where they were rowing before
we were attacked,\u8221? Thomas admitted, and I hid my immediate disappointment. \
\u8220?Let\u8217?s have a look at those maps,\u8221? I said. \u8220?Maybe Peter
can help us out.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s why I\u8217?m here.\u8221? The old man nodded as we spread out
the map on the dining room table. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Kiri spent a good ten minutes going over where everyone was patrolling and where
they got ambushed, and my betas all began pointing at locations on the map where
they fought. She updated the maps with various markers and pin points to help us
paint an organic lay of the land, and then we focused on the area where Thomas was
patrolling so we could zero in on the three islands. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Peter and Kiri marked the map and began to draw light lines from the islands to
try and gauge the trajectory of the boat. Once again, my DnD skills came into play,
and I began to envision routes and paths through the forests that circled the two
towns I owned. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?There\u8217?s a pattern.\u8221? I took one of the pencils in a nearby
stationary mug and drew out where our current patrols were. \u8220?He\u8217?s
starting on the south part of my territory and surrounding that edge\u8221? \par\
\u8220?His territory is to our south,\u8221? Nikita said with a nod. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?But he knows about Gray now, and he knows we\u8217?re here,\u8221? I stated
as I tapped on Monroe. \u8220?We\u8217?re directly north of him, but there\u8217?s
no way we\u8217?re going to just let this asshole ambush us anymore in the woods.
We\u8217?ve gotta keep our lines strong down there.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?This area is concerning, though,\u8221? Peter said as he gestured to the
cliffside where we\u8217?d just had our battle. \u8220?I know that area, and the
only way to get up there without stumbling through your patrols first is to come
over from the west.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?The cliffs\u8230?\u8221? Thalia said. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah,\u8221? Peter grumbled. \u8220?If I was gonna guess, I\u8217?d say he\
u8217?s got three locations. One on these islands here--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?But we don\u8217?t know which one,\u8221? Kiri interrupted. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, that\u8217?s alright.\u8221? The older man nodded as he tapped on a
spot on the map to the north. \u8220?\u8216?Cause then you got one up here, on the
mainland. See this highway? They\u8217?re either getting around on it or one of the
many roads that run parallel.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Looks like there are two other roads\u8230?\u8221? Arielle said as she
pointed at the two side roads that ran parallel to the highway Peter was pointing
out. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?There is also this trail that cuts through the forest near them,\u8221? the
older man said as he tapped on the map. \u8220?It\u8217?s a mountain bike trail,
but since it crosses into coyote territory, I\u8217?ve often run through there on
all four paws.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And the third place would be somewhere over here?\u8221? I asked as I
pointed to the area south of Monroe where we were getting ambushed. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah,\u8221? Peter said, \u8220?but\u8230? I still think they are coming
from the coast to the west. See these islands? If you rowed southeast from them,
you would hit this cove here. It\u8217?s a private beach, but there are plenty of
places to park a car or access that very same trail that cuts right into your turf,
Alpha.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?This looks like a major artery,\u8221? I said as I laid my finger on the
map. The trailhead was clearly marked there, and it cut directly east near where
we\u8217?d gotten ambushed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s what I\u8217?d guess,\u8221? Peter muttered. \u8220?That\
u8217?s how they got to you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Wait\u8230?\u8221? Nikita\u8217?s eyes lit up. \u8220?That area isn\u8217?t
far from the cove where we met the selkies.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Right!\u8221? Arielle gushed, and her eyes glittered like she was thinking
of the cute seals. \u8220?They might know which islands they are on!\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Would they hand over that info so easily?\u8221? Kiri asked and tilted her
head to the side. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?They seemed peaceful when we met them,\u8221? I said absentmindedly as I
traced the small islands with my finger on the map. \u8220?They even told me they\
u8217?d send an omega my way if they found one.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That would be nice,\u8221? Arielle said, and both she and Nikita blushed a
bit as they smiled at me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Okay,\u8221? I took a deep breath. \u8220?What we are going to need are
some patrols set up at the major choke points--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Bro!} Benji\u8217?s voice cut into my mind, and my omegas and I practically jumped
out of our skins. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Dude? Where the fuck have you been?} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Okay\u8230? So\u8230? uhhhh\u8230? Long story\u8230? I\u8217?m about to come
through the back door. Uhhh\u8230? Tell everyone to calm down, okay? I\u8217?m
fine.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Tell everyone to calm-- }I started to say, but then my captain cut me off. \par\
{\i
I brought someone back with me\u8230? Just\u8230? uhhh\u8230? come to the back
door.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Alpha?\u8221? Kiri asked, and I blinked my eyes and saw that all the betas
in the crowded room were looking at me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Benji is back and being all weird,\u8221? I said. \u8220?You all wait here,
except for Nikita and Arielle.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I turned around with my two mates, and we walked back through the kitchen and then
moved to the back door. I saw Benji\u8217?s silhouette shadowed against the dirty
glass of the window on the door, but I almost cried out when I opened it and saw my
brother covered in blood. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Dude?\u8221? I couldn\u8217?t get myself to say anything more. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey,\u8221? he coughed. \u8220?So, before you go all Michael Gambon on me
and shake my shoulders and scream at me about the Goblet of Fire\u8230? listen.\
\u8220?I\u8217?m listening,\u8221? I managed to whisper as I fought against my
worry and rage. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?There\u8217?s good news and bad news,\u8221? Benji admitted. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You said you brought someone?\u8221? Nikita asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Yeah,\u8221? he laughed. \u8220?I\u8217?ll get there in a minute. So,
anyway. Here I was being a badass lone wolf because--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Dude, you can\u8217?t just take off like that,\u8221? I told my half-
brother. \u8220?None of us knew what to do, and we almost put the whole pack at
risk running wild in the woods going after you right now.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m sorry, okay?\u8221? Benji said. \u8220?I had to go. I was just
pissed, and I--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Did you know there\u8217?s bear traps in the woods?\u8221? I growled at
him. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Fuck, no way!\u8221? Benji\u8217?s jaw dropped. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Consider yourself really lucky.\u8221? I poked the middle of his chest. \
u8220?You could have stepped on a bear trap, and no one would have been able to
help you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Alpha, I had to follow them.\u8221? Benji scratched a hand through his
hair. \u8220?I didn\u8217?t want us to go running around in circles anymore.\u8221?
\u8220?Is that your blood, Benji?\u8221? Aunt Eva asked as she limped to the door.
\u8220?Oh, hey, Auntie,\u8221? my half-brother sighed. \u8220?You\u8217?re looking
way better, and no, it\u8217?s not mine. It was the female I was following\u8221? \
\u8220?Female?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, okay\u8230? This is super epic,\u8221? Benji began. \u8220?I thought it
was an omega until the scent faded as I got closer. Then I realized she wasn\u8217?
t actually an omega, just a beta, and I figured they must have recently interacted
with one instead.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ohhh, a werecat omega?\u8221? Nikita asked. \u8220?I actually don\u8217?t
know anything about Aiden\u8217?s mates.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Mates?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well\u8230?\u8221? Nikita grimaced. \u8220?He could just have one, but for
a pride as powerful as his, I\u8217?d guess he\u8217?d have more.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?He just has one,\u8221? Benji giggled as he clapped his hands together, \
u8220?but I\u8217?m getting ahead of myself. So, I was following this werecat, and
then she changed form and talked to me!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?She talked to you?\u8221? Nikita, Arielle, Aunt Eva, and I all said in
unison. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yep, and here she is.\u8221? Then Benji opened the door wide and allowed
the visitor to step into the cabin before they closed it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
I laid my eyes on an alluring brunette girl with straight hair and hazel eyes. Her
skin was paler than Nikita and Arielle\u8217?s, and her hair was almost black
compared to my werecoyote omega\u8217?s chocolate-colored locks. The woman wore a
faux-leather fringed coat over a quilted sundress. On her feet were brown sandals
that adorned her painted baby-blue toenails. Her lips were full and naturally
pouty, and all in all, she was breathtaking for a beta. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Jesse,\u8221? the new girl said after she cleared her throat and fixed her
hazel eyes on me. \u8220?I asked him to take me to you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Why?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well\u8230?\u8221? She took a deep breath. \u8220?I\u8230? need your help.\
\u8220?You are betraying your pack?\u8221? Aunt Eva gasped. \u8220?That\u8217?s--\
\u8220?Impossible,\u8221? the beautiful brunette said. \u8220?I shouldn\u8217?t be
able to, but I\u8217?m compelled to.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No way,\u8221? Nikita said. \u8220?How? It\u8217?s impossible to betray an
alpha who has--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You are Nikita, right?\u8221? the girl interrupted. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes.\u8221? My lover nodded. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You see\u8230?\u8221? The dark-haired beauty let out another sigh. \u8220?I
have a younger sister, and she\u8217?s Aiden\u8217?s omega.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The bomb dropped and caused a blanket of silence to fall over the room, but there
were still so many questions that buzzed around in my mind. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?We don\u8217?t even know your name\u8230?\u8221? Kristina said, and then I
turned around to see my pack of betas all leaning into the hallway so they could
watch the conversation. They were all piled on top of each other like the Scooby-
Doo team trying to peer around a corner, and I almost let out a laugh for how
comical it looked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m Gemma Avalon,\u8221? the girl offered. \u8220?My sister\u8217?s
Blair Avalon. We\u8217?re lynxes, so\u8230? joining the mountain lion pride was
close enough. We were brought up to follow where the lions go. Our parents are
singers and songwriters. They\u8217?ve always been broke, but when Blair\u8217?s
pheromones started up, Aiden gave them a bunch of money as a dowry.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?So, he bought her,\u8221? Arielle whispered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah\u8230? pretty much\u8230?\u8221? Gemma\u8217?s tone dropped, and I
could tell by the way she avoided eye contact that she was embarrassed. I hoped she
could tell how safe it was here. There was no way any of us were going to judge her
difficult situation. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But on the other hand\u8230? lynxes? I couldn\u8217?t believe it. I became even
more invested since fate and my destiny coined me to unite all shifter species. If
all went well, and we saved her sister, my pack would surely diversify. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Is that even legal?\u8221? Brenden asked from the back. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?They had a notarized contract prepared and signed when she turned
eighteen,\u8221? Gemma said. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Fuck. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m sorry that happened to your sister,\u8221? I said. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It still doesn\u8217?t explain why you are here,\u8221? Eva pointed out. \
\u8220?Aiden is a terrible person\u8230?\u8221? Gemma began to blink rapidly. \
u8220?It keeps me up at night, the thought of going behind his back. But it was a
necessary task I had to carry out. I knew Max, but he was just a little shithead.
Aiden is\u8230? he\u8217?s\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Gemma abruptly stopped speaking because tears started to well up in her eyes. \
\u8220?Here.\u8221? Arielle took out a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it
to the girl who whispered a quick thanks. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s okay, you can tell them what you told me,\u8221? Benji said. \
u8220?We\u8217?re going to help you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sh-She\u8217?s not making him a baby,\u8221? Gemma finally squeaked out
from behind her tissue. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Huh?\u8221? Eva grunted. \u8220?How is\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?He forces her to fuck him every week!\u8221? Gemma hissed as she tore the
tissue away from her face. \u8220?It\u8217?s been a year, and she\u8217?s not
pregnant yet. He won\u8217?t let her hang out with the rest of the pack, and I have
to sneak in to see her unless he \u8216?allows\u8217? me to visit! My sister\u8230?
she\u8217?s\u8230? We don\u8217?t know why she\u8217?s not getting pregnant. She\
u8217?s always been sassy, but two weeks ago, I snuck in to see her, and she had a
black eye and bruises all over her arms.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Fuuuuccck,\u8221? I growled as my heart started to slam in my chest. \par\
\u8220?I said \u8216?did Aiden give you those?\u8217? And she said, \u8216?you
should see what I did to his fucking face.\u8217?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Holy shit,\u8221? Nikita gasped. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah,\u8221? Gemma sniffled and then brought the tissue to her nose
again. \u8220?I kind of thought this was going on because he just seems to get more
mad every month, and he\u8217?s like\u8230? taking it out on the pride, but when I
saw that he\u8217?d given her a black eye\u8230? something\u8230? something inside
me changed, and I just felt like I didn\u8217?t need to listen to him anymore. I\
u8230? I hate him, and I know he\u8217?s going to kill me for coming to you, but I
can\u8217?t think of what else to do.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?He\u8217?s not going to get to you.\u8221? I pulled the beta into my arms,
hugged her against my chest, and tilted her chin up to look at my face. \u8220?He\
u8217?ll have to get through us.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m worthless and expendable to Aiden,\u8221? Gemma said as her tear-
filled eyes looked into mine. \u8220?I have very little to lose, but I can\u8217?t
die and leave Blair in his clutches. Blair is so tough, but it\u8217?s been a year
of this shit and\u8230? taking his seed\u8230? She didn\u8217?t want to be an
omega, and she didn\u8217?t want to belong to Aiden, but they can\u8217?t choose.
Then\u8230? she just wanted to have his baby so he\u8217?d stop yelling at her and\
u8230? doing what he does to her\u8230? but she\u8217?s just not getting pregnant.
I\u8217?m worried he\u8230? he could kill her. What good is an omega that can\
u8217?t make offspring? It just makes the alpha look weak. Aiden won\u8217?t stand
for it much longer.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I noticed that the description of Blair\u8217?s situation was similar to that of
Arielle\u8217?s. Her mannerisms made it clear she and her sister had experienced
some shit nobody should ever have to live through. I looked at Nikita, because she
was also an older sister. I hoped she and Gemma would get along and relate to each
other in that way. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I looked to Arielle, who was completely enraptured by the narrative presented
to all of us. Her fingers twitched like she was fighting the urge to reach out and
help. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Do you guys think this is a trap? }I asked my captains and mates. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
She\u8217?s telling the truth. Smell her, }Benji said. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I did. The gentle and delicious whiff of a pumpkin spice latte caused butterflies
to build up in my gut. That all too familiar desire of an omega blasted through my
veins like it was morphine, but it was noticeably subdued. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
It was just like Benji had said. There was definitely the lingering scent of an
omega on this beta cat. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m scared he might kill her in one of his fits of rage.\u8221?
Gemma\u8217?s lip started quivering, and the tears around her eyes threatened to
fall once more. \u8220?I can\u8217?t stand the thought of losing her. She\u8217?s
not just my sister, she\u8217?s my best friend, and she\u8217?s a wonderful person.
She\u8217?s smart and loves pranks and telling jokes and\u8230? she\u8217?s sassy
but loves everyone, and when she\u8217?s playing music\u8230? it\u8217?s just sooo
amazing.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Music?\u8221? I asked as I let go of Gemma. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah,\u8221? the werelynx started to play with the corners of her jacket. \
u8220?We both play all sorts of instruments. She\u8217?s an amazing guitarist,
bassist, singer, and is killer on the drums. I play piano, drums, and I can sing,
too, but not like my sister. She\u8217?s amazing.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Jesse plays the violin,\u8221? Nikita whispered as she hugged Arielle close
to her, and I could sense that both of my lovers were having a hard time hearing
about Blair\u8217?s predicament. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ohhhh!\u8221? Gemma\u8217?s hazel eyes opened wide as she looked at me. \
u8220?This is amazing. You both are into music! How long have you played?\u8221? \
\u8220?My whole life,\u8221? I said. \u8220?I\u8217?m going to school at Everleigh
University for music.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?My bro is fucking awesome at violin,\u8221? Benji said. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, news travels fast in the werecat world.\u8221? Gemma looked down at
her feet. \u8220?We know how you stood up for Nikita, how you saved her. No matter
how much Aiden wanted to downplay the story of your victory and quell the rumors.
When Blair heard about this, I could see it in her eyes\u8230? she actually looked
hopeful for the first time in so long, and I couldn\u8217?t help hoping, too\u8230?
Is\u8230? is it true? That you\u8217?re The Alpha?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Yes, it is.\u8221? I nodded. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Then I\u8217?m glad Benji brought me over to speak with you\u8230? with
everyone.\u8221? Gemma looked at all the faces that stared back at her, and then
her eyes focused on me once again. \u8220?Alpha, can\u8230? can you save my sister
from Aiden? Can you make her your mate? Just in these last few minutes, I can tell
you are a good man, and you both are musicians. I think you\u8217?d get along
really well, and\u8230? even if she can\u8217?t make you children\u8230? She\u8217?
s\u8230? she\u8217?s not worthless. Please\u8230? she\u8217?s the kind of person
who would give you back any love you showed her a hundred times over. I don\u8217?t
really care what happens to me. I just want my sister to be safe and loved, and I
want her to keep having that hope in her eyes. I\u8217?ll do whatever I can to help
you kill Aiden, just please say you\u8217?ll love her and take care of her?\
Silence filled the kitchen as my mates, half-brother, aunt, and pack of betas all
turned to look at me. I knew this was my destiny, but it still seemed strange to
promise a woman who I didn\u8217?t really even know that I would love her sister
when I\u8217?d never even met her before. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But then I thought about the wonderful connection I had with Nikita and Arielle. I
hadn\u8217?t known them before I claimed them as my own, knotted inside of them,
and poured my seed directly into their wombs, but now I knew that I loved them more
than anything else in this world. Even if they ended up never getting pregnant, I\
u8217?d still love them unconditionally. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And my heart definitely had room for more mates to love. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?I\u8217?ll kill Aiden and claim your sister,\u8221? I said. \u8220?You just
need to tell us where the fuck he is.\u8221?\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } {\
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
hyphpar} {
Once Gemma had confided in us and asked for our assistance with her sister, I led
the beta and the rest of my team toward the map table. We had to get to Aiden, and
quickly, and Gemma held all the information we needed, especially when it came to
Aiden\u8217?s whereabouts. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I knew we couldn\u8217?t have lucked out more than this. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
I noticed how Gemma\u8217?s eyes widened in shock as she took in the map spread
out across the table. I had to admit, our planning was pretty impressive, and it
was a way to show Gemma we didn\u8217?t take this shit lightly. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Wow\u8230?\u8221? Gemma gasped as she traced her fingers across the
paper. \u8220?Every little detail has been marked on here.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?We don\u8217?t miss anything.\u8221? Nikita smirked. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, you say that,\u8221? I snickered. \u8220?But we are missing a few
details. For example, we need to know everything about Aiden\u8217?s land, where he
tends to hide out, his main bases\u8230? That kinda stuff.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I can help you with that,\u8221? the beta said with a small smile. Her red,
irritated eyes were still coated in a thin layer of tears, but the positive
expression showed me things were looking up for her now. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I had a good feeling Gemma was confident I was able to help, otherwise she wouldn\
u8217?t have begged Benji to bring her here, and I was going to make sure I did
whatever the fuck I could to save Blair. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Here, try this,\u8221? Aunt Eva said suddenly as she handed over a steaming
mug in Gemma\u8217?s direction. \u8220?It\u8217?s chamomile. I hope that\u8217?s
\u8220?Of course, thank you.\u8221? Gemma smiled as she accepted the mug. \par\
The brunette beta dunked the sunken tea bag into the boiling water a couple times,
and a wave of steam blew away from the cup as Gemma cooled it down with her breath.
Then she took a dainty sip, and the anxiety practically rolled off her shoulders as
she swallowed the calming liquid. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Now, can I get anyone else anything?\u8221? Eva asked. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Please, Auntie, sit down,\u8221? I said with a playful roll of my eyes. \
u8220?At least until your injuries have fully healed.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I knew my Aunt Eva better than anyone, and I knew she would have fixed up a few
more cups if that\u8217?s what people wanted, despite the struggle and pain it
would have caused. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Fortunately, she listened to my words, and Aunt Eva took a seat on the opposite
side of the table without fighting off my soft demand. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The rest of the team crowded around the table with a view of the map. Nikita,
Arielle, Gemma, and Benji stood on either side of me, and Kiri rested against the
surface as she studied the paper with a thoughtful look in her eyes. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Then, once everyone was settled, I gave Gemma a brief rundown of what we\u8217?d
found out so far, and I included all the potential information Peter had given us.
I mentioned the roads, bike trails, cliffs, and the idea that Aiden had three
locations dotted around that general area. I pointed out the various markers and
pin points as I said them, and every time I looked over at Gemma, she had the same
sober expression on her face. She never interrupted once, so I had a feeling it
meant we were on the right track, and she didn\u8217?t see the need to correct
us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You\u8217?re right about Aiden having more than one base,\u8221? Gemma
paused to take a sip of her tea. \u8220?He actually has three major bases on these
islands, one on each. They have been decked out with everything he\u8217?d possibly
need. Camping supplies, equipment, transportation, as well as betas guarding every
inch of land.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How many betas are we talking about?\u8221? I asked as Kiri added more
markers onto the three islands. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hmm\u8230?\u8221? Gemma glanced around like she was doing a brief
calculation in her head. \u8220?I\u8217?d say somewhere between twenty to thirty
per island. After all the clashing that\u8217?s occurred between our pride and your
pack, there\u8217?s about one hundred and twenty in the pride altogether, but they\
u8217?re all split up to cover various bases and are stationed around his mansions.
But I should also add that Aiden\u8217?s top captains are stationed on these
islands, and they\u8217?re at the top for a reason.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Badass motherfuckers?\u8221? Benji assumed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?The baddest,\u8221? Gemma replied with a slow nod of her head. \u8220?I
don\u8217?t get scared easily, but these guys send a shiver down my spine. They\
u8217?re just\u8230? urgh. You don\u8217?t want to get on the wrong side of them.\
I wanted to add that I\u8217?d get on the wrong side of anyone if it meant I
received the outcome I wanted, but I also knew I couldn\u8217?t jump into the fight
without knowing every tiny detail about these assholes. I knew Aiden had a large
pride, especially from the fights we\u8217?d already taken part in, but that was
the first time I\u8217?d heard an official number. Although I felt confident in our
abilities, and my team was much larger than it was last week, we were still
outnumbered, so I had to make sure I didn\u8217?t make any mistakes. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I crossed my arms over my chest and tilted my head to the side to look at Gemma. \
u8220?How bad?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Just\u8230? brutal,\u8221? she let out a deep sigh. \u8220?They allow their
strength and speed to do the talking, and I\u8217?ve seen them snap an opponent\
u8217?s spine with a quick twist of their wrists. They aren\u8217?t afraid to show
us who\u8217?s boss, either, particularly when Aiden\u8217?s away, and they
constantly like to threaten us. If we step a paw out of line, they\u8217?d happily
kill us and bury the bodies so no one would ever find us.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I heard a few growls from the team around me, and I balled my hands into fists to
suck back my own anger. These captains clearly played around with the betas\u8217?
lives like it was nothing but a game to them. But that wasn\u8217?t how things
worked in my pack. We were a team, and I wanted everyone to know that. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Aiden\u8217?s death was going to be so satisfying, and I was glad Gemma came to us
when she did, but she\u8217?d put her life on the line to save her sister. There
was no doubt in my mind that Aiden would end Gemma\u8217?s life without thinking
twice if he found out she\u8217?d betrayed him, and I wondered if he\u8217?d do the
same to Blair simply because they were sisters. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
After all, Blair hadn\u8217?t managed to get pregnant yet, so was she even worth
that much to her alpha? I had to play this very carefully, and deliver an attack as
quickly and unexpectedly as possible. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Is there anything else we should know about the pride?\u8221? I asked. \
u8220?Anything that would be useful for when we hunt their asses down?\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Well\u8230?\u8221? Gemma ran one finger over the lip of the mug, and she
kept her head low as she thought. \u8220?Aiden has been training us, you could say,
for the last several months. Every day, once a day, he\u8217?d make us train, and
it would be in different situations and scenarios to help us respond better to
every eventuality. So there\u8217?s a chance it\u8217?ll be the hardest fight you\
u8217?ve encountered so far.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Train?\u8221? I said with a skeptical frown. \u8220?What kind of training?
Because I train my pack regularly, too, but--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?More than your average sparring,\u8221? Gemma assured me. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Like, for a war?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s what it felt like, yes.\u8221? She nodded. \u8220?He wanted to
make sure his pride was the toughest, strongest one around, and that we\u8217?d
kill and destroy anyone who came on our land.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Motherfucker,\u8221? I mumbled under my breath. \u8220?Just because it\
u8217?s his territory doesn\u8217?t mean every person who steps foot there is an
enemy\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?When it comes to Aiden, he doesn\u8217?t care who it is, he\u8217?ll want
to slaughter any and all threats,\u8221? Gemma continued, and I picked up on the
bite of anger in her tone. \u8220?Even his own brother.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Wait, his brother?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yep,\u8221? she sighed. \u8220?After all, he\u8217?d reap the benefits if
he managed to get Max\u8217?s members to join his own group.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?But\u8230?\u8221? Nikita spoke up, and then hesitated for a second. \u8220?
Max was his own flesh and blood.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I know, and I also didn\u8217?t understand it, but Blair overheard Aiden
talking one night.\u8221? Gemma took another sip of her tea, and then she rubbed
her chest with one hand. \u8220?I\u8230? I think she wouldn\u8217?t have lived to
see another day if he knew she\u8217?d eavesdropped on the conversation.\u8221? \
\u8220?Why?\u8221? I frowned. \u8220?What did he say?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, Blair only heard the end of it, but\u8230?\u8221? Gemma paused again,
and she glanced around the room with a look of fear in her eyes. It was like she
was scared to say a word just in case we ran off to inform Aiden ourselves. \par\
\u8220?You\u8217?re safe here,\u8221? I reassured her. \u8220?Whatever you say
will stay within these four walls. I promise you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It took Gemma another couple of moments, but once she\u8217?d realized she was in
safe hands, she opened her mouth and told us everything she knew. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?From what Blair heard, he\u8217?d had a plan for Gray and Max to
essentially fight each other, and then Aiden would come in at the end to save the
day.\u8221? Gemma played with her hair anxiously. \u8220?He wanted to have the
entire northwestern territory as his own, but he couldn\u8217?t be seen killing his
own brother. So\u8230? he\u8217?d say Gray killed Max, and he\u8217?d act like the
grieving brother, and we\u8217?d all fall for the sob story while Aiden inherited
everything.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?But then I spoiled his plans by killing both Gray and Max myself,\u8221? I
chuckled. \u8220?You snooze, you lose, fucker.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I guess that\u8217?s why we heard he\u8217?d gotten so pissed after Max\
u8217?s death,\u8221? Nikita muttered, and I nodded in agreement. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, that just shows you how heartless he really is, and that no one is
safe, not even his own flesh and blood,\u8221? Gemma growled. \u8220?Although I\
u8217?m thankful Blair is alive and well, it amazes me that he hasn\u8217?t killed
her yet, too.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Especially since she hasn\u8217?t given him any offspring,\u8221? I
mumbled. \u8220?I wonder what his plan is\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I don\u8217?t know.\u8221? Gemma shrugged. \u8220?No one ever will. But if
Aiden doesn\u8217?t kill her personally, then she\u8217?d probably die of boredom
in the mansion she\u8217?s kept in.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Is it\u8230? bad?\u8221? Arielle asked with a hint of fear in her words. \
\u8220?From what Blair has told me, she isn\u8217?t allowed to leave,\u8221? Gemma
snarled. \u8220?That beast has my sister locked away, and all she\u8217?s allowed
to do is play music all day. Apparently, Aiden thinks he\u8217?s given Blair a
wonderful life, and other omegas would beg to get fucked by such a strong alpha,
but when you can\u8217?t even go out for a walk without permission, then even a
guitar can get pretty boring after a while. She\u8217?s\u8230? she\u8217?s all
alone. All the time.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Poor thing,\u8221? Arielle sighed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, I can say for certain that the omegas in this pack have a much better
life.\u8221? I smirked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We can certainly vouch for that,\u8221? Nikita said as she squeezed my arm.
\u8220?Yes, you can.\u8221? I grinned. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But then, despite how much I loved Nikita\u8217?s words, I couldn\u8217?t stop the
rage that flowed through me. It was Arielle\u8217?s story all over again, and I
couldn\u8217?t even explain the things I\u8217?d do for that omega now that she was
mine. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And soon Blair would be in the same position. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aiden didn\u8217?t deserve to have such wonderful women in his power, and to be
honest, he didn\u8217?t even deserve to breathe at this point. I was going to make
sure he couldn\u8217?t harm anyone else, whether they were in his pride or not. \
But in order for our mission to go ahead, we had to plan it down to the finest of
details, and I knew that wasn\u8217?t possible with my anger the way it was at the
moment. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I needed a clearer head and a clear course of action. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Back to the locations on the islands,\u8221? Peter said as a way to break
up the rage that filled the air. He must have caught on to the scowl on my face. \
u8220?You said Aiden keeps supplies there on the islands, but can you go into more
detail about that? The transportation, for example.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Sure.\u8221? Gemma nodded as she placed her mug of tea carefully beside the
map. \u8220?Aiden has every possible mode of transportation you could think of. He
has canoes, sailboats, kayaks, bikes, cars\u8230? If you can use it to get from A
to B, he probably has it on hand.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, we\u8217?d need to be prepared for all of that,\u8221? I replied. \
u8220?If Aiden has these different ways of getting around, we have to cover all of
our bases. Keep an eye on the roads, the water, and the bike trails.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Could we get the selkies to assist with that?\u8221? Arielle offered. \
u8220?Maybe, if they\u8217?re up for helping you, Jesse, they could follow Aiden or
his pack when they get into their boats?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s a possibility,\u8221? I said as I glanced across the map and the
open water that separated the islands. \u8220?But we\u8217?d need to make sure they
can communicate with us without being detected. For now, I think our best bet is to
ambush them when we can, and catch them off-guard as they travel from one location
to another.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I dig it,\u8221? Benji said with a slight pump of his fist. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thanks, bro,\u8221? I snickered. \u8220?Gemma, where else does Aiden like
to hang out? Is there a location we should focus on more than another? You
mentioned he\u8217?s keeping your sister in a mansion?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Er, yeah,\u8221? the beta sighed. \u8220?Sorry, there is a lot to go over.\
\u8220?It\u8217?s okay,\u8221? Nikita said as she smiled at the beautiful beta
lynx. \u8220?Take your time.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Aiden has multiple mansions in the north, so he could be anywhere, but\
u8230? Hang on, what day is it today?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thursday,\u8221? I replied without missing a beat. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
A wide grin crossed Gemma\u8217?s face, and her hazel eyes shined with a brief
spark of excitement. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Then I\u8217?ve got it,\u8221? she said with certainty. \u8220?Aiden goes
to visit Blair every Friday night to\u8230? well, to try and get her pregnant.
That\u8217?s where he\u8217?ll be, I have no doubt about that.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Then we\u8217?ll go tomorrow evening,\u8221? I growled. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?And where is that?\u8221? Kiri spoke up with a red marker pen in hand, like
she was ready to add a new location to the map. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Right\u8230?\u8221? Gemma followed the many roads and trails with one
finger. \u8220?Here. Just off this road, on the mainland.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
It was one of the northbound roads with the mountain bike and hiking trail Peter
had mentioned before Gemma arrived, and from what I got from the map, the road was
heavily lined with trees, but it also had a cliff that ran above the road. It was
the perfect place for an ambush. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Why does he keep her there and not on the islands?\u8221? Nikita asked. \
\u8220?Honestly?\u8221? Gemma pursed her lips. \u8220?She\u8217?s\u8230? I
mentioned she was sassy, right? She mouths off all the time, and is not at all
impressed with him. He doesn\u8217?t like her much, aside from what she\u8217?s \
u8216?useful\u8217? for. Her scent annoys him and distracts him too much, and she
has too much of an attitude. Or at least, that\u8217?s what he tells everyone. But
basically, once it was too obvious how miserable she was with him, he sent her to a
mansion on the mainland. We still talk on the phone when we can manage it, and I\
u8217?m allowed to visit her sometimes when Aiden\u8217?s in a less pissy mood\
\u8220?Does he tend to go there alone?\u8221? I asked. \u8220?Or does he bring
some added security for the journey?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?He always takes some betas with him, but the number changes every week,\
u8221? Gemma explained. \u8220?Sometimes he takes ten, sometimes fifteen\u8230?
There\u8217?s always eight betas who guard that mansion, though, and they aren\
u8217?t the top soldiers, so Aiden often takes more as personal security for
himself along the way.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, we could watch that road and attack before he gets to the house\u8230?\
u8221? Nikita twirled a strand of caramel-colored hair around one finger. \u8220?
But we\u8217?d also need to work out how he gets there, and make sure he doesn\
u8217?t catch on to our arrival before then.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, I know the answer to that, too,\u8221? Gemma chuckled. \u8220?Aiden and
his chosen team will kayak over to the private beach. They\u8217?ve been obsessing
about their upper body strength and have a bit of a rowing competition going right
now, so I\u8217?m positive they\u8217?ll choose the kayaks. Then they\u8217?ll get
into their cars and drive over to the mansion like usual.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I grinned at these words. We wouldn\u8217?t have known half of this information
without Gemma being here, or at the very least, it would have taken us much longer
to find it out by ourselves. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Benji, my brother, as much as I don\u8217?t appreciate you running off
alone, you\u8217?ve found a good one here,\u8221? I said with a smile as I patted
Gemma\u8217?s back. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, there\u8217?s always a method to my madness.\u8221? Benji shrugged. \
\u8220?I\u8217?m just curious\u8230?\u8221? Nikita said with a cheeky grin. \
u8220?What kinda car does Aiden drive?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I glanced over at my omega and held back the chuckle that tried to slip from my
lips. What could I say? My girl loved her cars. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Or rather, the cars that would soon belong to me, and her by proxy. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
But Gemma didn\u8217?t know that fact about the omega just yet, so she answered
the question without realizing the hidden joke behind it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?You\u8217?ll always be able to find Aiden in his silver-blue Porsche 911
Turbo.\u8221? Gemma rolled her eyes. \u8220?It\u8217?s custom painted, so there\
u8217?s only one like that on the roads, and he uses it every chance he gets. The
others tend to stick to bigger, bulkier cars. A few Range Rovers, Ford Raptors\
u8230? I think they also have a raised Jeep Wrangler, or something like that. I\
u8217?m not the best when it comes to different cars.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Don\u8217?t worry, I\u8217?ll teach you.\u8221? Nikita winked. \u8220?But a
911 Turbo? Fuck, I can\u8217?t wait to get my hands on that\u8230?\u8221? \par\
{\i
And I can\u8217?t wait to get my hands on you in that car... }I cut off the others
from my thoughts so only Nikita could hear me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
There may not be an awful lot of room, }she replied and I caught the subtle wink
she sent in my direction. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I\u8217?m sure we can work something out. We\u8217?ve never had any issues
before. }I bit back the smirk that would have given our game away. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah,\u8221? Gemma responded to Nikita\u8217?s spoken comment. \u8220?Aiden
loves nothing more than to show off his money, and he constantly reminds everyone
that the car is worth over a quarter of a million dollars. If he wasn\u8217?t
desperate for my sister to fall pregnant, then I think he\u8217?d happily build his
pride with those cars alone.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Maybe he could fuck the tailpipe and see how he gets on,\u8221? Benji
muttered, and the rest of the pack snickered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It wouldn\u8217?t surprise me if he already has.\u8221? I shrugged. \u8220?
He\u8217?s clearly fond of the car. It would be a damn shame if he couldn\u8217?t
drive it anymore.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hmm, and then I could take care of it for him,\u8221? Nikita added. \u8220?
After all, I haven\u8217?t had much of a chance to drive Max\u8217?s Audi, so it\
u8217?s only fair that I test drive both of the Jansen brothers\u8217? cars.\u8221?
Once the pack and I had finished joking and laughing, I decided it was best for us
to all get comfortable in the living room to plan out the rest of the attack.
Nikita and Arielle sat on either side of me on one couch, Benji, Gemma, and Aunt
Eva sat on another couch, and the rest of the pack found places to sit in various
spots around the room. Eliza, Serena, and Kiri brought in some chairs from the
kitchen, whereas Zane, Christopher, and Caleb settled themselves on the floor. \
\u8220?So, how are we going to do this?\u8221? Marco asked with an excited clap of
his hands. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I knew they were all just as excited as I was to get this plan underway, and for
Aiden to meet his much-needed death, but it had to be perfect. We couldn\u8217?t
afford to mess anything up, and our lives would be on the line if that were to
happen. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Let me think about it quickly,\u8221? I said as I ran one hand across my
jaw. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I turned on my geek brain. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I began to imagine all the various quests I\u8217?d been on during the games I\
u8217?d played throughout my life, as well as the real missions my pack and I had
taken part in. I thought about the characters I\u8217?d played in DnD, as well as
the video games I\u8217?d spent ages playing until the early hours of the
morning. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We need to use everything we have on hand, even the bear traps Aiden placed
in the forests could be used against him if we plan accordingly,\u8221? I mumbled
to the group. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, you want us to do what? Lure his ass into our woods?\u8221? Benji asked
with a disapproving frown. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No, I\u8217?m just spit balling,\u8221? I assured him. \u8220?We need to
take advantage of every object we come across, regardless of its size. That\u8217?s
the best way to defeat our opponents, and to have the upper-hand in the situation.
If we go in blind, we\u8217?d all be dead before Aiden could even start up his
engine. This time, we\u8217?re crafting a bulletproof ambush of our own.\u8221? \
\u8220?We need to split up,\u8221? Benji added. \u8220?If some of us keep an eye
on the coast and where they keep their cars, others can be on the road that leads
to the mansion.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I agree.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?Sometimes it\u8217?s best to gang up on a
group and catch them off-guard, but it\u8217?s often best to cause a distraction,
or a delay of some sort. If we can make the delay seem as natural as possible, it
shouldn\u8217?t make them believe anything\u8217?s up.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Especially if we take some anosmiacs to mask our scents,\u8221? Arielle
offered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes, we\u8217?ll take those, too,\u8221? I replied as I stroked my omega\
u8217?s hair with one hand. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I thought about what was at stake, and what would happen if things went wrong. Not
only would I lose out on the chance of killing the bastard, but he could quite
easily kill off my pack if he had time to gather his entire pride from all his
islands. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But I had to think about Blair, too. She\u8217?d be the first person Aiden ran to
if he ever realized Gemma helped make this all possible, and I didn\u8217?t even
want to think about what he was capable of doing to that poor girl. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
That also made me think about what Aiden had at hand to make his getaway easier.
If we lost him when he got into his fucking car, we\u8217?d eat his dust as he sped
off into the distance. None of us were that fast on our paws, and the entire plan
would be ruined in an instant. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We need to do something to the cars,\u8221? I said as the plan settled in
my mind. \u8220?Something that stops them from leaving.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?How about we find a way to the private beach and mess around with the
engines?\u8221? Christopher offered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, or put holes in their tires?\u8221? Brenden barked out a laugh. \par\
\u8220?That\u8217?s too obvious,\u8221? I said as I scratched my head. \u8220?As
much as I hate to admit it, Aiden isn\u8217?t that stupid. He\u8217?d know someone\
u8217?s up to something immediately, and it won\u8217?t take him long to figure out
that we\u8217?re around. He\u8217?d be right by his kayaks, and getting backup
would be too easy if he realizes he\u8217?s under attack right at the beach.\u8221?
\u8220?Plus, Aiden\u8217?s already keeping an eye out for you, Jesse,\u8221? Aunt
Eva said from the next couch over. \u8220?I think putting holes in the tires is a
good idea, but it would have to be a natural accident, like glass on the road.\
\u8220?A trap for him?\u8221? Arielle asked, and my aunt nodded. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?However, that would then cause an issue with any innocent drivers who go
along the road,\u8221? I countered. \u8220?But\u8230? if we set up a trap, we can
have it in place when we know Aiden is on his way, and then remove it once we\
u8217?re done with it. Like spike strips.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oooh, yeah!\u8221? Benji said as he bounced his ass on the couch excitedly.
\u8220?I\u8217?ve always wanted to use one of those! It\u8217?ll be like Fast and
Furious{\i
, }because like Vin Diesel says, no one messes with family.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sure,\u8221? I chuckled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Do they use spike strips in those movies?\u8221? Annika asked from the
other side of the room. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s not the point,\u8221? Benji replied. \u8220?It\u8217?s going
to be damn fun, and that\u8217?s all that matters.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Okay, so we\u8217?ll go with the strips,\u8221? I said as I glanced across
the room and the people who sat around me. \u8220?Thomas, Kristina, Brenden, and
Caleb, can I leave it up to you guys to make a strip or two?\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course, alpha,\u8221? they replied in unison. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thank you. I\u8217?m sure you\u8217?ll be able to find a tutorial on
YouTube somehow.\u8221? I shrugged. \u8220?But I assume it\u8217?ll be pretty
easy.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, some nails and a garden hose or something,\u8221? Thomas replied. \
u8220?I\u8217?m sure we\u8217?ll find the items around one of these properties. If
not, there\u8217?s a hardware store just down the road.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I think one should do, but maybe make two or three just in case,\u8221? I
added. \u8220?The last thing we want is for the cars to drive over it without any
issues.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And then, once they\u8217?re stalled on the road and left their vehicles,
we\u8217?ll jump out from the trees?\u8221? Nikita asked. \u8220?Or would you
prefer for us to handle it in a different way?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, as long as they\u8217?re distracted enough that they won\u8217?t
catch on to us before that,\u8221? I said as I looked over at my lover. But then a
new idea came to mind, and Nikita frowned as a crazed smile crossed my face. \
u8220?I guess we don\u8217?t just have to rely on our strengths, though\u8230?\
\u8220?What do you mean?\u8221? she asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Have any of you guys used rifles before?\u8221? I asked, to which the
entire room gasped. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Jess, I\u8217?m not sure about this,\u8221? Aunt Eva said with caution. \
\u8220?Hey, it\u8217?s safer to attack them from a distance.\u8221? I smirked. \
\u8220?Do we even have rifles?\u8221? she asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I can round up a few,\u8221? Peter said. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Then there you go,\u8221? I said as I placed an arm around my omega\u8217?s
shoulders. \u8220?We\u8217?re already halfway there.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
There was a time when Benji, Parker, Travis, and I all stayed up until the early
hours of the morning playing the new {\i
Call of Duty }game, and I think we only had about an hour's sleep before we had to
head to class, but it was definitely worth it. The four of us worked as a team to
take down the other groups, and I found the roof of a building that had the
perfect, unbroken view of the world around me. I aimed my gun at the opponents who
were unaware of my hiding spot, and I shot down player after player. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I remembered how my friends all cheered and laughed into their headsets as they
watched me attack the different players, and the adrenaline rushed through my veins
as I tried to win the game for us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
That was what we needed to do, and I knew it was the perfect way to kill off Aiden
and his pride. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Some of us can hide by the road to place the spike strips down in time, but
I think we should have others hidden further up the embankment,\u8221? I informed
the crowd. \u8220?As soon as they leave their vehicles, you could aim at them and
pick them off one by one.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m with Eva on this one,\u8221? Nikita said as she cupped my hand in
hers. \u8220?What if something goes wrong, Jesse? What if you get shot instead of
Aiden and his men?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Only experienced rifle handlers will be on that cliff,\u8221? I replied,
and then I placed a sweet kiss on Nikita\u8217?s cheek. \u8220?Don\u8217?t worry,
I\u8217?ve got this all planned out.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I know you do, alpha.\u8221? She smiled. \u8220?But we love you, and we
don\u8217?t want anything to happen to you. And, well\u8230? we\u8217?ve never used
weapons in our fights before. We\u8217?ve relied on our teeth and claws, and--\
\u8220?I know this is new,\u8221? I gently cut in. \u8220?But think about how
dangerous our fights have been. All of us\u8230? we\u8217?ve been seconds away from
getting our fucking jugulars ripped out, and we didn\u8217?t let that intimidate
us. We fought our asses off to finish our opponents. Right now, we\u8217?re up
against some pretty skilled, and from the sounds of it, huge werecats. You think I
want to take any unnecessary risks?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No,\u8221? my omega murmured. \u8220?I don\u8217?t want us to, either.\
\u8220?Then we\u8217?ll play this as smart as possible,\u8221? I concluded. \
u8220?We\u8217?ll use any assets we have to ensure we win this.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita smiled more confidently as she placed a kiss on my cheek, and I let her
nuzzle against my neck. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I appreciated their concern, I really did, but I had to remember what could happen
if Aiden overpowered me. If that asshole caught sight of me before I saw him, then
I\u8217?d probably beg for a rifle to the chest. The last thing I wanted was for a
crazy bastard like Aiden to rip my skin to shreds and display me like a piece of
fucking art in a gallery. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But that wasn\u8217?t going to happen. I was sure of it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?So, if your guys are hidden by the road, is that just to place the spike
strip traps?\u8221? Gemma asked. \u8220?Or will they jump out and fight Aiden, too?
Because these guys are fast, and once the shooting starts, they could shift and
flee.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, they\u8217?ll fight, too.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?We\u8217?ll also
have another group hidden deeper in the trees near where the cars might crash just
in case. I want someone to be able to run after Aiden if he manages to get away, or
if he uses his Porsche as a shield. It could be that we can end this thing with the
rifles alone, and then there would be no melee combat, but we can\u8217?t assume
that will happen, so we need to have backup if needed.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well, the betas will automatically take a bullet for Aiden, quite
literally,\u8221? Gemma snickered. \u8220?And that\u8217?ll give him the
opportunity to shift and sprint toward the mansion.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Then maybe we need to have guys further up the road?\u8221? I suggested. \
u8220?That way, we\u8217?ll have them targeted from all angles, and they won\u8217?
t be able to hide without one of us spotting them quivering like the cowards they
are.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I can shoot a rifle,\u8221? Kristina said with a proud smile. \u8220?He
won\u8217?t get away with me in charge.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m sure you can,\u8221? I chuckled. \u8220?So, who else has handled
one before? I suspect we\u8217?ll need about four, maybe five of you?\u8221? \par\
Then, one by one, Brenden, Peter Daughtry, and Annika all put their hands up. I
was surprised Annika knew how to handle a rifle, especially given how small and
petite she was, but that mountain lion was a fiery little thing. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Excellent.\u8221? I grinned. \u8220?Then while you guys are setting up the
rifles on the cliff, we can place some bear traps around that area in case Aiden
manages to get away. Just\u8230? please, watch where you put your paws?\u8221? \
I scanned my crowd as I looked at every individual face, and then I took a couple
minutes as I worked out where to place everyone. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Right,\u8221? I said with a singular clap. \u8220?Kiri and Caleb, you two
will be stationed at the private beach. Kahn and Leo, you\u8217?ll be on the road a
couple minutes out, so we all know when Aiden is headed in this direction and
close. Benji, you\u8217?re going to be in charge of placing the spike strips,
\u8220?Sure thing,\u8221? he replied. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Zane and Eliza, you\u8217?ll assist Benji with the strips,\u8221? I
continued. \u8220?Then Thalia, Marco, and Christopher, you will be hiding deeper in
the trees so we can ambush the cars when they crash. The four shooters will be
Peter, Brenden, Kristina, and Annika, and then the rest of us will keep watch on
the cliffs, and also guard the shooters while we\u8217?re there. So that\u8217?s
myself, Nikita, Arielle, Serena, Aunt Eva, Thomas, and Gemma. Does that all make
sense?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My audience nodded their heads, but Benji had a slight frown between his eyebrows.
\u8220?Are you sure that\u8217?s a good idea, bro?\u8221? Benji asked as he
scratched his dark-blond hair. \u8220?I mean, wouldn\u8217?t Aiden pick up on
Gemma\u8217?s scent more than the rest of us? So, wouldn\u8217?t it be safer if
she\u8217?s on the coast?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Nah,\u8221? I said as I flipped my hand through the air. \u8220?We\u8217?ll
be masking her scent to try and hide it, plus, if Aiden is in a speeding Porsche,
he\u8217?s not going to smell her until it\u8217?s too late.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Also, I know the sound of Aiden\u8217?s engine, so I\u8217?ll know if he\
u8217?s near with that sound alone,\u8221? Gemma added. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Fair enough.\u8221? Benji shrugged with a smile. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I felt confident with the groups, and as long as we all stayed in contact, then
there was no reason why we wouldn\u8217?t stop Aiden before he reached the mansion.
\u8220?Actually\u8230?\u8221? I mumbled as another idea came to mind. \u8220?Maybe
we should get some walkie-talkies or something. I don\u8217?t know what the cell
service will be like in those areas, and it sounds like some of us will be more
than a mile apart, so we need to make sure we can all stay in contact.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?I could try and pick some up tonight?\u8221? Thomas offered. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s great, thanks,\u8221? I said. \u8220?If you could get about
nine of them, just in case anything goes wrong and we get split up.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Sure.\u8221? Thomas nodded. \u8220?Again, like the nails, I might be able
to find some around here, but I\u8217?ll hit the stores to make sure we have
enough.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, does everyone understand the plan, or should I run over it one more
time?\u8221? I asked as I pulled myself off the couch. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Maybe go over it one more time, Jess,\u8221? Aunt Eva said from her spot on
the other couch. \u8220?Like with those games you\u8217?ve made me play in the
past, the rules are easier to understand the second time you hear them.\u8221? \
\u8220?What\u8217?s wrong with the DnD rulebook, Auntie?\u8221? Benji gasped
sarcastically. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You already know the answer to that one, Benji, particularly because you
were there when I played that one and only time,\u8221? Eva snickered. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I didn\u8217?t see you complaining when you succeeded in a task\u8230?\
I smirked at the memory. I once begged Aunt Eva to join us one night, but it didn\
u8217?t go very well. She had no idea what she was doing, how to use the dice, or
the different characters involved. I knew she\u8217?d only agreed to play because
it made me happy, but she was adamant about never playing again. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Okay,\u8221? I chuckled as I broke up their squabble. Then I stood behind
the back of the couch and made sure everyone had my full attention. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?So, tomorrow afternoon, we\u8217?ll place the bear traps into the trees
along the embankments on the northbound road, and then we\u8217?ll get started,\
u8221? I explained. \u8220?Kiri and Caleb will head straight to the private beach,
and everyone else will follow me. We\u8217?ll all take our assigned places, so we
have a good view of the road and Aiden, when he arrives. Benji, your group will
hide out with the strips, and Christopher, Thalia, and Marco, you\u8217?ll hide in
the trees. But get ready to pounce. Then, once Aiden is spotted getting in his car,
Kiri and Caleb will radio us to let us know he\u8217?s on his way.\u8221? \par\
I paused for a brief moment to allow my words to settle in. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Kahn and Leo, you\u8217?ll radio us when Aiden is down the road, and that\
u8217?s when Benji\u8217?s group will put down the strips,\u8221? I continued. \
u8220?Shooters, your job is to take out as many of Aiden\u8217?s men as possible,
so my group will need to watch their backs, just in case someone comes up behind
us. Remember, Aiden\u8217?s got a damn army of cats on those islands, and if he
calls them in, and we can\u8217?t finish our fight off fast enough out here, we\
u8217?ll end up outnumbered. The group in the trees will stand guard, and they\
u8217?ll go after Aiden and his men while the shooters are picking them off one by
one from the cliffs above. Then we\u8217?ll take down the betas outside the mansion
and save Blair from the house. Does that all make sense?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The shallow sea of heads all nodded, but I noticed how Zane wrinkled his nose,
almost like something didn\u8217?t sit right with him. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Is there an issue, Zane?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh!\u8221? he said as the expression left his face. \u8220?I\u8230? no, but
there is a slight hiccup in the plan.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?re almost one hundred percent certain Aiden has his pride roaming
through these trees, right?\u8221? he questioned. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes, that\u8217?s right,\u8221? I replied. \u8220?Gemma? What do you
think?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, yeah, I\u8217?d think so,\u8221? she sighed. \u8220?Aiden always has
some of his pride keeping watch on the mainland for you or any of your pride he can
pick off, and I was sent to run around the outskirts of Monroe to make sure the
pride was safe from potential attackers on more than a few occasions.\u8221? \par\
Zane didn\u8217?t have to clarify his point, because as soon as Gemma said that, I
caught on to the hiccup he\u8217?d mentioned. I couldn\u8217?t believe I hadn\
u8217?t thought of it myself, but I assumed there was so much information to go
through that it had simply slipped my mind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Zane\u8217?s right,\u8221? I said as I ran one hand down my tired face. \
u8220?If Aiden has ordered his men to patrol the outskirts of Monroe, it would be
almost impossible to get the bear traps and take our places without one of them
noticing us.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I bet he has betas at the coast, too,\u8221? Nikita huffed and rested her
head on her fist. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Then we\u8217?ll need to find a way around that,\u8221? I replied. \par\
Various members of my pack offered solutions and ideas, but none of them seemed
strong enough to work. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What if we take the rifles out earlier?\u8221? Kristina shrugged. \u8220?We
could shoot down anyone we come across.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Easy there,\u8221? I snickered. \u8220?You\u8217?ll get to use the
firearms, I promise. But can you say for certain that Aiden won\u8217?t pick up on
his men being shot down?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No\u8230? I guess not.\u8221? She smirked. \u8220?I just really want to use
it.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And you will,\u8221? I said. \u8220?But not just yet.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
My foot tapped anxiously against the floor as I ran through my own ideas. I knew
it was going to cause issues if we attacked the betas and started a fight before
our mission took place. Aiden would catch on to that shit instantly, and then he\
u8217?d either flee before I ever caught sight of him, or he\u8217?d send every
pride member in our direction, and we\u8217?d be greatly outnumbered. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I tried my usual tactic and thought through games I\u8217?d played in the past.
Was there a way we could distract the opponent while we stole the prize? Or the
bear traps, in this case. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I rewound my mind back to the night I\u8217?d played {\i
Call of Duty }with the boys, and the moment we secured the win. My memories were
slightly foggy, but I was almost certain we\u8217?d set up a decoy to lure the
other players into our area, and then we shot them before they even knew we were
there. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And that was when I had a light bulb moment. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I obviously didn\u8217?t want to put any of my pack in danger, and the last thing
I wanted was for someone to get injured because I hadn\u8217?t thought through the
mission properly, but the idea in my mind seemed like the only possible one. Unless
I could come up with another plan, of course. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I thought it through for a few more minutes, just in case another idea came to
mind. I fished out a few other plans from my alpha brain, but none of them felt
solid enough to go with, so that was when I made my decision. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Okay,\u8221? I sighed as I brought the room to attention. \u8220?I know
what we need to do.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
No one said a word, and they simply sat and waited patiently for me to continue.
Then I placed my hands on my omegas\u8217? shoulders and waited until they turned
their heads to look back at me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s potentially quite risky, but I think it\u8217?ll work,\u8221? I
said. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What is it, my alpha?\u8221? Nikita asked and placed her hand over mine. \
\u8220?Tomorrow morning, you two will come with me,\u8221? I said as I looked from
Nikita to Arielle. \u8220?The three of us will act as bait to get those
motherfuckers away from Monroe.\u8221?\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } {\s1 \afs32
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
hyphpar} {
\u8220?\u8230?Bait?\u8221? Arielle widened her reddish-brown eyes, and Nikita sent
me a curious glance. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I knew this idea probably sounded wild, coming from their own alpha, but Arielle
and Nikita were much stronger and faster than the rest of my betas. Plus, Aiden
probably wanted them more than anyone else, so it felt like the perfect idea to me.
Of course, things could always change, but if we were all clear on the plan, then I
was confident nothing would go wrong. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes, bait.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?If we can lead the betas away from the
forests, that would give the rest of the pack the chance to take the bear traps,
get to the private beach\u8230? Things like that. We need to lead the patrol as far
away from the perimeter as possible, otherwise we\u8217?ll get ambushed before our
mission even starts. They\u8217?ll want to capture us more than anyone else, so
they\u8217?ll instantly be tempted to abandon their patrols and chase after us.\
\u8220?It\u8217?s a good plan,\u8221? Nikita said in an upbeat tone. \u8220?I\
u8217?m up for that.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Me, too,\u8221? Arielle agreed. \u8220?I\u8217?m quick on my feet.\u8221? \
\u8220?Yeah, you are,\u8221? Benji snorted. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Perfect.\u8221? I grinned. \u8220?We could always place Max\u8217?s Audi
somewhere, so we\u8217?ll get to the car before the patrol grabs us.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?And where will we run to?\u8221? Nikita asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I briefly imagined the map in my mind as I thought about Nikita\u8217?s question.
I pictured Gray\u8217?s house in relation to Aiden\u8217?s islands, and the forest
that encompassed everything. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We could leave the R8 on the cove in the south where we met the selkies,\
u8221? I said as the map drifted from my imagination. \u8220?This will also make
Aiden think we aren\u8217?t anywhere near him, so he won\u8217?t change his plans
to visit Blair. When we get to the Audi, Nikita, you\u8217?ll drive like a bat out
of hell toward the north area where the traps will be placed, and we could catch up
with the others there in time for the ambush.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You don\u8217?t need to tell me twice to drive fast,\u8221? the omega
snickered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I know,\u8221? I said as I stroked her gorgeous, caramel-colored hair. \
\u8220?So, you want us to be on the road near Aiden\u8217?s mansion?\u8221? Marco
\u8220?Yes.\u8221? I nodded as I tapped the map at the spot. \u8220?Everything
needs to be set up before we get there, including the spike strips built and hidden
at the side of the road with Benji\u8217?s crew. We have to be able to deploy them
as soon as we get the call that Aiden\u8217?s on his way, otherwise none of this is
going to work.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And\u8230? how long do you think we\u8217?ll have from when he leaves the
beach?\u8221? Thomas asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We all turned our attention to Gemma, who knew more about this asshole than anyone
else in the pack. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Well\u8230?\u8221? She let out a deep breath as she glanced up at the
ceiling. \u8220?Aiden likes to drive fast, which shouldn\u8217?t be a surprise to
you. So in saying that, I\u8217?d say about ten minutes. Maybe even less than
that.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll sort out the strips, brother,\u8221? Benji said with a happy
smile. \u8220?If there\u8217?s two or more of them, then myself and a couple others
can race them across the road and take shelter before he gets there.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Perfect,\u8221? I said. \u8220?Now, is anyone confused or unsure of their
parts in the mission?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My audience all shook their heads and said they understood the plan. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Excellent.\u8221? I grinned. \u8220?In that case, I\u8217?d say it\u8217?s
best if we all get an early night so we can be ready to go first thing in the
morning. Those of you who are preparing the strips and grabbing the rifles, I
suggest you either do that tonight or as soon as you wake up, but just make sure
everything is prepped and ready before we leave.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You\u8217?ve got it, alpha,\u8221? the team said in unison. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Once everything was in place, the group separated, and I watched as the betas left
the house to return to the McMansion, the Everleigh house, or out on patrol. Eva,
Benji, the omegas, and Gemma all went to Gray\u8217?s house with me, and Aunt Eva
offered to make us all a meal before we settled down for the night. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Um, Jesse,\u8221? Gemma said as she fought back a yawn. \u8220?I\u8217?m
sorry, but would you mind if I went straight to bed? It feels like I\u8217?ve been
awake for days.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course,\u8221? I said as I placed one hand on her shoulder. \u8220?There
are plenty of spare rooms upstairs you can use, and the bathrooms are equipped with
everything you\u8217?d need if you want to take a shower or something.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Thank you,\u8221? she replied. \u8220?And thank you again for offering to
save my sister. It really means a lot to me. I knew I\u8217?d never forgive myself
if anything happened to Blair and I could have done something to stop it.\u8221? \
\u8220?You don\u8217?t need to thank me.\u8221? I smiled. \u8220?You\u8217?re used
to living a harsh, controlled life, but that\u8217?s not how things roll in this
pack. I may be the Alpha, but you\u8217?re all just as important, and I hope I can
help you see that.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I really do,\u8221? Gemma said as she tucked her hands under her arms. \
u8220?I\u8217?ve felt so welcome here, even in the few short hours I\u8217?ve been
in the house. I can tell Blair is going to be so happy here with you, and that\
u8217?s all I\u8217?ve ever wanted for my sister.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And that\u8217?s why we\u8217?re saving her,\u8221? I added. \u8220?Aiden
was at the top of my hit list anyway, but to hear how much you love Blair, and how
miserable you both have been in that pride, only made me want to kill him sooner. I
know tomorrow will be tough, and it\u8217?ll be a challenge for everyone, but I
promise I\u8217?ll do everything I can to kill that motherfucker before he even
steps out of his car.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Gemma began to laugh, but then it got interrupted by another loud yawn that blew
from her lips. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Now, go and get some rest.\u8221? I smiled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The beautiful brunette beta let out another smile and yawn, thanked me once again,
and then headed off toward the stairs. I could just imagine how exhausted she must
have been from everything that had gone on with Blair, plus the fear of coming to
me and betraying Aiden. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But even though she had made a risky move, I was so thankful she had done so, and
that Benji had found her in the forest. There was no way we would have aimed to
target Aiden tomorrow if Gemma hadn\u8217?t arrived with all the added information
we needed. I also didn\u8217?t even want to think about what could have happened to
Blair if we\u8217?d left it any longer. The bruised face Gemma noticed could have
quickly turned into a few broken bones, or even worse. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Fortunately, just as my anger began to rise, I walked into the kitchen and noticed
the large pot of soup Aunt Eva was heating. I caught the scent of succulent
chicken, a variety of vegetables, and the salty aroma from the chicken stock. I
hoped it was my Grandmother\u8217?s recipe, because nothing soothed my mental
wounds more than a bowl of her famous soup. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita and Arielle set the table with bowls, glasses, side plates, and cutlery,
and Benji had been put in charge of buttering slices of thick, white bread. \par\
\u8220?Is this what I think it is?\u8221? I asked as I peered over the stove. \
The beige soup bubbled and popped violently in the pot, and I caught sight of the
diced carrots, celery, and potatoes mixed amongst chunks and slices of perfectly
cooked chicken. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course, it is,\u8221? Aunt Eva laughed. \u8220?Thankfully I made it
yesterday, otherwise you probably would have received sandwiches for dinner.\u8221?
\u8220?You know your sandwiches taste great, Aunt Eva,\u8221? I said as I placed a
kiss on her cheek. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, but where\u8217?s the fun in that?\u8221? she asked with a laugh. \
u8220?Now, take a seat. Dinner\u8217?s ready.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I gave my aunt a playful salute, and then I wandered away as Eva brought the soup
to the table. I sat at the head with Nikita to my left, Arielle to my right, and
then Benji beside her, and Eva took the opposite end. One by one, Aunt Eva ladled
healthy amounts of soup into white, ceramic bowls, and then they were passed along
the table until everyone had one. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The steam snaked into the air, and I dunked a slice of buttered bread into the
soup before I\u8217?d even given it the chance to cool down. My taste buds tingled
as the various flavors swarmed my mouth, and then I felt the calming heat as the
chicken soup slipped down my throat. I could have quite happily shut out every
other meal for the rest of my life, because nothing compared to my Grandmother\
u8217?s chicken soup. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?This is amazing,\u8221? Arielle said as she dunked her spoon into the
liquid. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thank you.\u8221? Aunt Eva grinned. \u8220?I\u8217?ll make sure to give you
the recipe.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ooh, please do,\u8221? I groaned, and my coyote omega sent me a glowing
smile. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The five of us fell into a comfortable silence, and the only thing I heard was the
scraping of metal spoons against the bowls. That sound often caused a shiver to
race down my spine, but given the day we\u8217?d had, it was nice to have some
peace and quiet for once. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How is Gemma doing?\u8221? Nikita asked a moment later. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?She\u8217?s doing well,\u8221? I said. \u8220?She\u8217?s had a long day,
what with the constant fear that something will happen to Blair, so she\u8217?s
gone to bed.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Good.\u8221? My omega smiled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?But\u8230? isn\u8217?t it strange that Blair hasn\u8217?t gotten pregnant
yet?\u8221? I asked. \u8220?Like, even if she desperately didn\u8217?t want to have
Aiden\u8217?s baby, surely something would have happened in that time? Isn\u8217?t
that how it works with omegas?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, and it was the same with me,\u8221? Arielle added. \u8220?I didn\
u8217?t even take anything that would prevent me from getting pregnant, it just
never happened. But regardless, I\u8217?m so glad I never gave Gray a child. I only
want your children, Jesse, so I hope it\u8217?s got nothing to do with my body.\
\u8220?What, you think Gray was shooting blanks?\u8221? I snickered. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hopefully,\u8221? the omega giggled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Maybe the guy wasn\u8217?t so lucky in that department?\u8221? Nikita
smirked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s probably all the damn Alpha pheromones in the air,\u8221? Benji
chuckled as he stole another slice of bread. \u8220?My brother\u8217?s just so
awesome that no matter what these guys\u8217? talents are like, they couldn\u8217?t
mate with you anyway. Not with Jesse around. All these omegas just stop ovulating
when they catch a whiff of him on the wind. Alphas better just start wanking once
Jesse comes to town.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Our loud laughs filled the entire room, and even though I didn\u8217?t want to
think about Gray and Aiden rubbing one out, the image was too much for me to cope
with. Benji laughed so hard that he began to choke on his mouthful of bread, and
Nikita couldn\u8217?t even take a sip of water without spluttering. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You know\u8230?\u8221? Aunt Eva said as her laughter simmered down. \u8220?
As funny as it is, Benji has a point. It\u8217?s not completely unbelievable, and
given how Arielle and Nikita, and even Blair, are within a thirty mile radius,
there\u8217?s a chance they all came across Jesse\u8217?s scent at some point over
the years.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What\u8230? like I automatically stopped ovulating?\u8221? Arielle frowned.
\u8220?Yes.\u8221? Aunt Eva nodded. \u8220?Perhaps your body knew who you were
meant to be with, even when you didn\u8217?t, so despite how much Gray\u8230?
tried, nothing was going to get you pregnant unless it was with Jesse.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?I mean, that sounds slightly crazy to me.\u8221? I frowned. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?But does it really?\u8221? Aunt Eva asked. \u8220?You\u8217?re the Alpha
after all, Jess. A legendary shifter. You are foretold to unite all the shifter
species. It makes it difficult if they are already pregnant from another alpha.\
\u8220?Yeah, that\u8217?s true.\u8221? I shrugged. \u8220?I guess I am pretty
awesome.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s the spirit,\u8221? Benji snickered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It still didn\u8217?t make a whole lot of sense, because I thought women were
supposed to get pregnant unless they took birth control to stop it, but this
legendary alpha life was still fairly new to me, so who knew what was really going
on? Either way, I was more concerned about my omegas, and the lives they lived. So
if I could end Aiden and save Blair from a terrible life, then part of me wasn\
u8217?t concerned with much besides that. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I wanted nothing more than to have multiple children with these women, but I wasn\
u8217?t going to beat them or throw them out on the streets if that didn\u8217?t
happen. Unless Dr. Stenton knew of a way to change it, I wasn\u8217?t going to get
angry if my omegas couldn\u8217?t bear children at all. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And I knew for certain that I wasn\u8217?t going to change my stance on the matter
as the years went by. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The rest of dinner went by with a relaxed and happy tempo, and after we\u8217?d
assisted Aunt Eva in cleaning up, the five of us headed off to bed. None of us said
a word as my omegas and I stripped off our clothing and curled up under the covers,
and I felt my body start to shut down the moment my head hit the plush pillow.
Nikita and Arielle snuggled up together, and I placed a caring arm over my omegas
as a silent way of reassuring them they were safe, and I wouldn\u8217?t allow
anything to happen to them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We really need to save Blair,\u8221? Arielle mumbled into the darkness of
the bedroom. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And we will,\u8221? I said. \u8220?By this time tomorrow night, we will
have already rescued her from captivity.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I can\u8217?t wait to have another sister in the family,\u8221? the sweet
omega added, and I heard the smile in her words. \u8220?If it\u8217?s anything like
what I went through, then I can just tell how difficult Blair\u8217?s finding it,
and she won\u8217?t be able to live a normal life until she escapes that house.\
\u8220?I love how caring you are, Arielle,\u8221? Nikita sighed. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I guess it\u8217?s just in my nature,\u8221? Arielle said. \u8220?We didn\
u8217?t choose this life when we were born, so I don\u8217?t see why we should be
punished for something we can\u8217?t control. Blair and I clearly weren\u8217?t
destined to be with anyone else apart from Jesse, so Aiden and Gray should have
respected that, but they didn\u8217?t.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?No, they didn\u8217?t,\u8221? I sighed. \u8220?But at least I\u8217?ve
managed to save you now, and tomorrow I\u8217?ll do the same for Blair.\u8221? \
It didn\u8217?t take long for the three of us to fall asleep after that
conversation, and a variety of dreams formed in my mind, all of them involving
Aiden and the upcoming attack. In one dream, I pictured Aiden getting shot in the
chest with a rifle, and that was the end of the attack. In another, the same
scenario didn\u8217?t happen. Aiden had the advantage instead, and he aimed the
barrel of the rifle at my chest. An uncomfortable, fiery heat ran across my skin as
bullets were fired into my body, and I heard the screams that came from my family
around me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But as I slowly came around, the high-pitched screams morphed into the blaring of
my alarm clock, and I sat up in bed with a thick sheen of sweat across my entire
body. My heart was pounding, and I even found myself touching my chest and arms to
make sure the dream wasn\u8217?t real. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Alpha, are you okay?\u8221? Nikita asked with a groggy voice as she placed
one hand on my back. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Y-Yeah,\u8221? I said with a deep breath. \u8220?I just had a nightmare.\
\u8220?It wasn\u8217?t real, Jesse,\u8221? Arielle said sweetly. \u8220?None of it
was real.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I know.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?Just my imagination messing with me.\u8221?
It wasn\u8217?t until I had given my omegas a kiss that I realized the alarm was
still blaring beside me. So, with a tired huff, I shut off the irritating noise,
and then I hauled myself from the bed as I headed for the bathroom. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
The hot water did wonders for my tense muscles, and I found myself leaning against
the tiled wall as I allowed the water to roll down my back. I didn\u8217?t know how
long I was in there for, but at one point, I moved away from the wall, quickly
washed my hair and body, and then allowed the chill of the bathroom to take over as
I shut off the shower. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita was in the process of getting changed when I arrived back in the room, and
Arielle gave me a sweet smile as she went into the bathroom. I loved chill mornings
with my omegas, but I knew there would be plenty more to enjoy once Aiden was dead.
So this morning we focused on the mission at hand, but I made a promise to
celebrate in style once it was all over. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I changed into a simple outfit of jeans, a black t-shirt, and a thin, gray jacket,
and the women wore something pretty similar. We were going to spend the majority of
the day hidden among the trees, or shifting back and forth between our animal and
human forms, so I wore an outfit I wouldn\u8217?t cry about if it got ruined during
the shifts. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Once we were ready to start the day, the three of us left the bedroom, and I
instantly took in the ruckus that came from downstairs. Various pack members were
laughing and joking about something, but I also heard the loud banging of a hammer,
as well as the solid clinking of metal which I assumed was the ammunition for the
rifles. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I also caught the mouthwatering scent of bacon, so I knew Aunt Eva was making
breakfast for everyone, or someone else had taken over the role. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I went into the living room first and spotted seven betas who were busy completing
their tasks. Thomas, Kristina, and Caleb had set themselves up at a table as they
made the spike strips, and Brenden, Peter, and Annika had collected four of Gray\
u8217?s old hunting rifles. They were busy filling the chambers with the
ammunition, and each firearm had a well-worn, leather strap that hung over the side
of the table. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?These should all work,\u8221? Peter informed me with a firm nod. \u8220?
Well, I\u8217?ve never shot a shifter with them, but I\u8217?d hunt big deer with \
u8216?em.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I trust you,\u8221? I said as I gave the werecoyote a proud pat on the
back. \u8220?But as long as we can kill those motherfuckers, then I don\u8217?t
care what you use.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I headed toward Thomas, Kristina, and Caleb, and I watched as the three
hammered large, steel nails into an old black hose. The nails had been placed in
all directions in the plastic tubing, so regardless of how the cars drove over
them, the nails would still puncture the tires. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?This all looks good,\u8221? I said. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thanks, Alpha.\u8221? Caleb smiled as he placed his hammer onto the
table. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?This is our third,\u8221? Thomas replied. \u8220?We\u8217?ve got two other
strips down here, so that\u8217?ll be enough. We\u8217?ve also made sure they\
u8217?re long enough to cover the majority of the road, and I bought a few walkie-
talkies for us all to use.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I glanced under the table and noticed the two other hoses that laid in a pile, and
the collection of nails that stuck out at all angles. Then I spotted the brand-new
walkie-talkies on the living room floor, which were all sitting in their
chargers. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You\u8217?ve been busy,\u8221? I said with a proud nod. \u8220?And those
radios look great. Much better than the Spider-Man ones I used as a kid.\u8221? \
\u8220?Yeah, it\u8217?s just a slight upgrade,\u8221? Kristina snickered. \par\
I left the betas to finish off with their jobs, and then I went into the kitchen
to see the large plate of bacon sandwiches that Aunt Eva had made for everyone.
Benji had stolen two, and he sat at the kitchen table with a satisfied smile on his
face, and Gemma sat beside him with a cup of tea and a sandwich of her own. But I
noticed Gemma still wore the quilted sundress she\u8217?d worn yesterday, and I
couldn\u8217?t believe I hadn\u8217?t even offered to find her a spare outfit to
wear. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Gemma, do you want me to find some different clothes for you to wear?\
u8221? I asked. \u8220?I\u8217?m sure Nikita or Arielle would have something
upstairs?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, no, it\u8217?s okay, thanks.\u8221? She smiled. \u8220?I don\u8217?t
much care for this dress, so I won\u8217?t mind if it gets ruined today.\u8221? \
\u8220?Okay, if you\u8217?re sure,\u8221? I replied. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Gemma returned to enjoying her breakfast, and I did the same after I greeted Aunt
Eva. I enjoyed the atmosphere that filled the home, and even though it was going to
be a challenging day, the pack were in good spirits, which placed a blanket of
positivity around the entire cabin. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Once everyone had enjoyed their breakfast, and the rifles and spike strips were
ready, I found Aunt Eva, Nikita, and Arielle in the living room inspecting the
newly-sourced weapons. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Aah, just who I wanted to see.\u8221? I grinned as I made my way over to
them. \u8220?I think now might be the best time to place the Audi on the cove in
the south. That way it\u8217?s in place and out of sight for when we go on our
run.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You know I\u8217?d never say no to driving the Audi.\u8221? Nikita grinned.
\u8220?I know you wouldn\u8217?t,\u8221? I snickered as I cupped her cheek with
one hand. \u8220?Aunt Eva and Arielle, are you okay with that?\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course, we are,\u8221? my aunt replied. \u8220?We could take the Sedan
to pick up the R8, and then I can take over from Nikita, and we\u8217?ll follow
behind her.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sure.\u8221? Arielle smiled. \u8220?And is there a place in particular you\
u8217?d like us to park the car, my Alpha?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Er\u8230?\u8221? I scratched my head as I gave the question some thought. \
u8220?No, not really. It has to be out of sight, of course, and potentially as
close to the forest as possible, but I\u8217?ll leave the official parking space up
to you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Okay,\u8221? Nikita replied. \u8220?Let me just grab the keys.\u8221? \par\
My omega shot me a sweet smile as she ran from the room and took the stairs two at
a time. Aunt Eva and Arielle then stood from the couch, and the three of us headed
over to the front door to wait for Nikita. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Before they left the house, I gave my aunt a hug, gave Nikita and Arielle each a
kiss, told them to be safe, and then went to focus on my other tasks. Things were
officially taking place, and the attack felt more and more real as every second
ticked by. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I told the rest of the pack to stretch and prepare themselves for the attack, and
while the majority of the team headed out, I returned to the map table to view the
land one final time. I was almost certain I knew the area like the back of my hand,
but it was always best to do some last-minute reviewing, particularly when it was
literally a life-or-death situation. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, bro, you okay?\u8221? Benji asked as he came over to the table a few
minutes later. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, I\u8217?m good,\u8221? I replied. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Kiri and Peter came to join us a few minutes after that, and the light sheen of
sweat on Kiri\u8217?s forehead told me she\u8217?d been busy sparring outside. The
four of us continued to review the maps some more, and I paid close attention to
the new markings and pointers that had been added in the last twenty-four hours. \
\u8220?This really is a thing of beauty,\u8221? Kiri said as she brushed her
fingers across the map. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I know, it\u8217?s wonderful,\u8221? I agreed. \u8220?It looks even better
now that Aiden\u8217?s bases have been added.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s for damn sure,\u8221? Benji snickered. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?You know, it sort of reminds me of a DnD map, don\u8217?t you think?\u8221?
Kiri asked. \u8220?Like, with the different sections and things like that?\u8221? \
My half-brother\u8217?s eyes widened as he took in what Kiri had said, and he
slowly turned his head in her direction. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You play DnD?\u8221? he asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course, I do,\u8221? Kiri giggled. \u8220?I always go as the Dungeon
Master.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?D-Dungeon Master?\u8221? Benji coughed like he was clearing his throat, but
I knew it was more to hide the pure shock he was going through. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes.\u8221? The tomboyish coyote nodded. \u8220?So\u8230? maybe keep that
in mind whenever we play together\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Together?\u8221? Benji half-croaked, but then he cleared his throat again
and offered a sort of casual nod. \u8220?Yeah\u8230? noted.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Peter and I shared a glance, and I tried to hide the smirk that threatened to seep
out across my face. I was happy for Benji, because it was the first time in a long
time that I\u8217?d come across someone who matched his style. But from the way
Kiri spoke, and her cheeky grin, I knew Benji was going to be in trouble with this
one. She was a fiery thing, and it seemed as though she wouldn\u8217?t allow anyone
to step on her toes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Before my half-brother and the tomboy could get too distracted with their
conversation, I put an end to the training outside and called everyone to
attention. Nikita\u8217?s Sedan was heard pulling up outside the house, so I needed
everyone together. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Gemma,\u8221? I said to the brunette as I stood in front of my audience. \
u8220?What time does Aiden usually leave for the mansion?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Er\u8230?\u8221? Gemma paused to take a look at her phone. \u8220?He\u8217?
ll probably leave at about four, so in three hours, maybe a little sooner than
that?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Then it\u8217?s time to go,\u8221? I informed the group. \u8220?I need you
all to gather up as many bear traps as you can find, but be careful, and take them
to the ambush point. Benji and Peter, you will take the spike strips and rifles
with you. Those of you who are going to the private beach, I need you to head
straight there and make sure you hide out of sight where no one will see you.
Nikita, Arielle, and I will work as the bait to try and get the patrol away from
the area. And once we\u8217?re done with that, we\u8217?ll head to the cliffs to
get prepared.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I asked if everyone understood, which they did, and I pulled out a clear
bottle of anosmiacs for everyone to take one. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Thomas, do you have the walkie-talkies?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sure do, Alpha.\u8221? He grinned as he held up a plastic bag. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Perfect,\u8221? I replied. \u8220?Make sure every group has at least one,
preferably two.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course.\u8221? He nodded. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Give us a ten minute head start,\u8221? I informed everyone as I popped the
pill into my mouth and swallowed it back. \u8220?You\u8217?ll know from the scent
if Aiden\u8217?s men are in the area, but hopefully you\u8217?ll be able to hear
them leave, too.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Are you sure you wanted to take an anosmiac, too?\u8221? Gemma asked with
one hand over her mouth, like she had just seen me make a huge mistake, but she
wasn\u8217?t quite sure how to inform me of my hiccup. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, yeah,\u8221? I chuckled. \u8220?Don\u8217?t worry. These pills take a
little bit of time to get working, and I want to give the betas something to work
on before my scent disappears completely.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m sorry,\u8221? Gemma mumbled. \u8220?I shouldn\u8217?t have
assumed\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, it\u8217?s okay.\u8221? I smiled. \u8220?In fact, I like it when
people question things like that. It shows you\u8217?re paying attention. Now, if
everyone\u8217?s ready, then Arielle, Nikita, and I are going to head out, okay?\
My audience all nodded their heads, and Aunt Eva gave my omegas and I a quick hug
and a kiss on our cheeks. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Be careful, Jesse,\u8221? she said with a stern voice. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?I will, Aunt Eva, I promise.\u8221? I smiled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I may have been the Alpha, but I was still her nephew. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I locked hands with my mates and led them outside the house. The air smelled
clean and clear, like fresh rain and recently cut grass. There were no signs of
Aiden\u8217?s pack nearby, but I knew it wasn\u8217?t going to stay like that for
much longer. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I noticed the excitement in my omegas\u8217? eyes as they waited patiently to get
going, and then once I\u8217?d given them both a gentle hug and a delicate, loving
kiss, the three of us quickly began to strip off our clothing. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Have we got more clothes to put on after the run?\u8221? I asked as I
dropped my jeans onto the ground. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes.\u8221? Nikita grinned. \u8220?I\u8217?ve loaded the Audi with
everything we\u8217?ll need.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I knew I could rely on you both,\u8221? I said with a wink. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Then once we were free from any and all restrictions, we shifted into our almighty
animal forms, and we didn\u8217?t hesitate for a single second before we ran off
into the trees. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The chill of the late-morning wind battered my face and slipped through my thick
fur. A light fog had settled in the trees in the distance, but I made sure my
omegas were beside me, and continued forward. My heart pounded in my chest, the
heat of my blood covered my skin, and had we not been on a mission, I would have
stopped to take in the scenery. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I had a wall of Douglas firs on one side, Western red cedars on the other, and a
beautiful, forest maze straight ahead. A collection of bird calls came from the
branches around me, and it almost sounded as if the birds were cheering us on. Like
spectators watching a marathon, who clapped and whooped as the tired runners passed
them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There must have been a heavy rainfall last night, because the sodden leaves stuck
to my paws, and I heard the squelching of mud as we trampled through the
undergrowth. But as we ran, I made sure to sniff the air every so often. I had to
know whether Aiden\u8217?s patrol had caught on to us yet, and whether they were
nearby. Apart from the sweet scent of the bark and the layer of damp leaves, I
didn\u8217?t pick up on any threatening smells. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
We need to get their attention, }I told my omegas. {\i
I\u8217?m going to howl, but I need you both to make as much noise as possible. } \
{\i
You\u8217?ve got it, alpha, }Nikita replied. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I\u8217?m on it, }Arielle added. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I sucked in a deep breath, threw my head back, and let out a loud, powerful
howl that echoed for miles around me. I waited a few seconds for the sound to
carry, and then I howled again and continued the process. Arielle and Nikita had
great fun creating their own noises, and I\u8217?d never heard Arielle yip so
freely and loudly before now. She almost reminded me of a kid who hadn\u8217?t been
allowed to go outside and play for days, but now she had all this pent-up energy,
and she didn\u8217?t quite know how to deal with it all. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We must have been on our third or fourth mile when I finally caught the scent I
was after. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There were multiple aromas in the air. One smelled distinctly like burned coffee,
and another reminded me of bread, but not the sweet, delicious, freshly-baked
bread. No, this was more stale, like a loaf had been opened for a few days without
being sealed properly. And I knew those scents definitely didn\u8217?t come from
the bark and wildlife around us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
It\u8217?s working! }I said. {\i
Keep going, and we\u8217?ll soon have these assholes where we want them. } \par\
Our calls and howls slipped through every tree trunk around us, and I continued to
howl as I jumped over fallen branches and sprinted through the overgrown bushes. \
But then, the further we ran and the closer the patrol became, the more scents I
managed to pick up on. Someone smelled like charcoal, another had more of a fruity,
floral aroma, and I also picked up on the notes of dark chocolate and chili. I
couldn\u8217?t tell how many betas there were around us, but from the number of
scents alone, I knew there had to have been more than just a handful. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Shit, Jesse, look to your left! }Nikita shouted through her mind a second later. \
As I glanced over, I spotted the dark shadows that ran in between the Douglas
firs. The werecat shadows all blurred into one, but I did my best to count each
individual body as I navigated my wolf form through the forest. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
I see about seventeen on this side,} I said as a growl slipped through my teeth. \
{\i
There are more on the right, Alpha, }Arielle replied. {\i
I\u8217?d say we have about thirty in total.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Fuck. Keep running. }I ordered. {\i
We cannot let these guys catch us, but we also have to get them away from the
perimeter.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I had a feeling Aiden had told some of his betas to leave the private islands,
probably to stop something like this from happening while he was on the mainland
today, but now we were caught up in the most incredible race. The adrenaline
powered my body to keep going, and my mates kept up with my pace without any
issues. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The entire thing was exhilarating, and although I knew we were fast enough to keep
in front of the werecat betas, there was still that nerve-racking feeling that
anything could have happened. All it took was for one of my omegas to slip and
fall, or for a diversion to block off our path, and then the werecats would take
their opportunity. We could have been dead in minutes for all I knew, so I just had
to make sure that didn\u8217?t happen. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Several minutes passed with the werecats still close behind us, but as we neared
the cliffs at Picpawa Beach, where we\u8217?d seen the selkies, I knew our race was
almost over. We just had to reach the Audi R8, and then we\u8217?d be safe. The
salty sea air blew innocently through the branches, but I was more concerned about
the more threatening aromas. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
We\u8217?re almost there, }I said as I picked up my speed one final time. {\i
Use everything you\u8217?ve got to get to the car. Then, Nikita, you\u8217?ll drive
like a daredevil toward the meeting point, but take a roundabout way in case these
damn cats try to follow after us, okay?} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Of course, Jesse, }she replied. {\i
I already worked out a good path this morning.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
We cannot allow these betas to get us before we reach the Audi, }I added. {\i
We\u8217?re far enough away now that we should have the head start when it comes to
setting up our route. } \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The distance between us and the werecats began to widen, and I hoped they wouldn\
u8217?t notice the increase in speed before we reached the car. The mixture of
excitement and trepidation in my veins was more than I\u8217?d felt in a while, and
I hoped the same feeling coated my body when I came face to face with Aiden. That
was the sort of power I needed in order to slaughter that bastard, and I couldn\
u8217?t wait to watch the life as it left his eyes, and when I rescued Blair from
her captivity. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Finally, before the werecat betas managed to catch us, I caught sight of the Audi
R8 parked at the cove\u8217?s empty parking lot, and the three of us used the last
of our energy to reach the car. We shifted from our forms in record speed, and none
of us even cared to think about our naked bodies as we loaded ourselves in the
front. Nikita instantly brought the car to life as Arielle curled up on my lap in
the front seat, and I put my arms safely around her. The sweetest rumble came from
the car, and I knew it was only going to get better once it was put into drive. \
\u8220?Go!\u8221? I shouted as I spotted the werecats in the rear-view mirror. \
Then, just as one of the betas placed their paws on the car, Nikita floored it,
and I was thrown back against the seat as the car zoomed down the narrow road. It
went from zero to sixty in just under three seconds, and it was by far the
smoothest acceleration I\u8217?d ever experienced. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My omega took every corner like a champion, and she let out excited cheers as she
forced the car to go even faster. The Audi revved as it took the tight corners, and
then the engine settled into a gentle hum. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ah!\u8221? Arielle giggled as she shuffled across my lap. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?My dad would be so proud!\u8221? Nikita squealed as she turned around
another corner and followed the road toward our final destination. \u8220?Shit,
this car is soooooo awesome! Oh, my god, oh, my god, oh, my god, yesssss!\u8221? \
It was amazing to watch my mate get pumped up at driving a car like this,
especially buck naked, and the fact she was into cars in the first place was so
fucking cool. She had a real talent for driving, and I loved how happy it made her
to be behind the wheel. I couldn\u8217?t wait to see her behind the wheel of the
Porsche when we got our hands on it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A few unnervingly fast minutes later, Nikita parked the car perfectly in a turnout
near the ambush site, but in the opposite direction from where Aiden would be
coming from, so I hoped it meant he wouldn\u8217?t see, or recognize, the car as he
headed toward the mansion. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?ll get us the clothes,\u8221? Nikita said as she unbuckled her seat
belt, and then she stepped her naked body from the car. It was a beautiful sight,
and had we not been in the middle of a mission, I would have taken advantage of the
two, incredible, naked omegas around me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There wasn\u8217?t a lot of room in the Audi, but I would have made it work
somehow. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita opened up the trunk at the front of the car, hauled out a black duffle bag,
and then closed the hood again. Once our new outfits had been handed over, we
slipped into the clothing, locked the car, and then ran to the hillside to look out
over the ambush point. I caught on to the familiar, yet somewhat masked, scent of
my pack pretty quickly, so at least they\u8217?d managed to make it here without
any issues. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey,\u8221? Thomas said with a happy smile as he wandered toward us. \par\
He didn\u8217?t have any bear traps in hand, but I noticed a few of the gnarly
weapons dotted around the trees, so I knew they\u8217?d managed to grab them. \par\
\u8220?How are you getting on?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?re doing good,\u8221? he replied. \u8220?We only just got here,
but we\u8217?ve put out the majority of them, so it won\u8217?t take long.\u8221? \
\u8220?Excellent, it looks like you\u8217?ve done well.\u8221? I smiled. \par\
\u8220?Oh, here, I was supposed to give this to you,\u8221? Thomas said as he
handed over a black walkie-talkie. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Great, thanks,\u8221? I replied. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It\u8217?s all switched on and set to the correct frequency, so we\u8217?re
just waiting for your command.\u8221? Thomas grinned. \u8220?Anyway, I should get
back to work.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As the young werecat jogged off into the trees, I slipped the walkie-talkie into
the belt of my jeans, and then I led my omegas over to where the shooters were
going to settle on the cliffs. The cliff was about twenty feet up from the road, so
we had the perfect view of the ambush point below, and the bear traps around us
should keep away any of Aiden\u8217?s pride that tried to sneak up on us. \par\
I tried to work out where we were in relation to the mansion and the bike trail
that Peter had mentioned. From what I remembered about the map, the trail ran
alongside Aiden\u8217?s mansion, so if any of his guards caught on to the attack,
there was a chance they could leave their positions to come and assist their alpha.
Gemma said eight of them were stationed at the house, but they weren\u8217?t the
strongest men Aiden had, so they wouldn\u8217?t be too much of a threat. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
But even so, an additional eight attackers could mean the difference between life
and death. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?How many more bear traps do we have?\u8221? I asked the group. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Eight more,\u8221? Peter answered. \u8220?We kinda have them all over the
trail leading up here, so I don\u8217?t know where to put the rest.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Let\u8217?s set them up on the bike trail,\u8221? I muttered as I looked
off into the distance. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?The one that runs by the house?\u8221? Arielle asked. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?I dunno\u8230? I just think it\u8217?s best
we keep the beta guards away, or delay their arrival somehow, in case they realize
what\u8217?s going on.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sure, that sounds like a good plan,\u8221? Nikita replied. \u8220?It looks
like the group is doing a good job here, so we could take a few of their traps and
set them up on the trail.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
With that sorted, the three of us ran over to Marco and Annika, who still had the
final eight traps beside them. The traps were closed, with the sharp, steel teeth
connected together, so I lifted three of them by the chains, and Arielle and Nikita
took another two each. The traps were heavy, but not as bad as I\u8217?d first
expected. It was like carrying three cases of beer, but on chains instead of
cardboard boxes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?re going to put these on the bike trail, okay?\u8221? I said to
the betas, with the hope that they didn\u8217?t need them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Of course,\u8221? Annika said as she wiped her muddy hands against her
pants. \u8220?I think we just need another one in this area anyway.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?Perfect,\u8221? I replied. \u8220?Thank you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Then, with the traps in hand, my omegas and I heaved them over to the trail, and
we tried to work out the best place to set them up. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?The mansion\u8217?s over there, right?\u8221? Arielle asked as she pointed
straight ahead. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, through those trees somewhere.\u8221? I nodded. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Then maybe we should set them along this strip?\u8221? she suggested. \
u8220?If the fight is going on behind us, then surely they\u8217?d run this way?\
\u8220?You\u8217?d think so,\u8221? I replied. \u8220?It\u8217?s what I\u8217?d
do, anyway.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?In that case, I\u8217?ll go up there, and you two can stay here?\u8221?
Nikita offered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Er, sure,\u8221? I sighed. \u8220?Just\u8230? keep an ear out, okay?\u8221?
\u8220?Of course, I will, Jesse.\u8221? Nikita smiled, placed a sweet kiss on my
lips, and then heaved the traps further up the trail. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I still had her in my sight, which removed some of my anxiety about her being
alone, and then Arielle and I continued to pry open the traps as we found the
perfect places to hide them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was the first time I\u8217?d ever opened a bear trap, but I used my common
sense, placed my feet on the two levers, and then applied enough pressure to open
the circular jaw of the trap. The spiked teeth were caked in mud, and potentially
blood, and I was very careful as I stepped away and worked on another. The last
thing I needed was to get my damn foot caught because I wasn\u8217?t paying enough
attention. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Once my three traps were in place, I scuffed mounds of fallen leaves and dirt
around to try and make them blend in with the surroundings. Nikita and Arielle had
also finished setting up their own traps, so once I was confident with our work, we
headed back toward the cliff. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But just as we arrived on the cliff, a muffled sound came from the walkie-talkie
on my side, followed by a faint voice. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Come in, Jesse,\u8221? the female voice sounded, and I instantly recognized
it to be Kiri. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I twisted the dial on the top of the machine to turn up the volume, and then I
pressed the buttons on the side. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Go ahead,\u8221? I said directly into the speaker. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Aiden\u8217?s just landed on the beach,\u8221? Kiri whispered. \u8220?He\
u8217?s being followed by fourteen men.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Copy that,\u8221? I replied, and then I clipped the machine back onto my
belt. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Fuck,\u8221? I muttered. \u8220?He\u8217?s early.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Early?\u8221? Arielle asked with a scared look in her eyes. \u8220?Will\
u8230? will we be okay for time?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, it should be okay,\u8221? I sighed. \u8220?We seem to be ahead of
schedule ourselves, so we just need to finish things up. Okay, let\u8217?s go!\
It was go time, and there was a flurry of activity as everyone took their places.
Benji, Zane, and Eliza dropped down in the hiding space beside the road, and
Thalia, Marco, and Christopher slipped into the trees. I took my place on the cliff
alongside the shooters, my omegas, Aunt Eva, and the rest of the guarding betas. \
Aunt Eva had one of the rifles in her hands, and despite how against the idea she\
u8217?d been at first, a smirk crossed her face as she aimed the firearm over the
side of the cliff. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You look comfortable,\u8221? I snickered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aunt Eva simply shot me a wink, and she stared down the body of the sleek, brown
rifle. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But before I could say anything else, the walkie-talkie came to life once again. \
\u8220?Aiden and his men are on the road,\u8221? Kahn\u8217?s whispered voice came
through. \u8220?He\u8217?s out in front, but the rally of betas aren\u8217?t far
behind him. I\u8217?d say you\u8217?ve got a handful of minutes, if that.\u8221? \
\u8220?Copy that,\u8221? I replied, and then I sent out another message. \u8220?
Benji, you there?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m here, bro!\u8221? his happy voice sounded muffled through the
machine. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Get ready with the spikes,\u8221? I told him. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Aye, aye, captain!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The tension started to build as I watched my team prepare themselves. I was more
than confident our plan was going to work, otherwise I wouldn\u8217?t have put my
pack at risk like this. But there was still the added fear, and the \u8220?what if\
u8221? of there being something I hadn\u8217?t thought about. What if I lost one of
my teammates because of some small mistake? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
What if my omegas were put in danger because of some hole in the plan? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
But I had one group on the beach, one further down the road, and then the rest of
us were situated on the cliff and the road below it. We had Aiden covered from all
sides, but that still didn\u8217?t reassure me enough, and the anxiety and tension
only continued to build. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then, all of a sudden, before any of us were ready, a loud, roaring engine was
heard nearby, and I didn\u8217?t need to be a car expert to know the engine
belonged to a Porsche. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aiden was driving quicker than we\u8217?d thought. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Benji!\u8221? I yelled down the walkie-talkie. \u8220?Spike strips. Now!\
I watched in trepidation as Benji and Zane jumped out from their hiding places and
began to heave their plastic hose along with them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But there wasn\u8217?t enough time. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aiden\u8217?s silver-blue, custom painted, 911 Turbo skidded around the corner at
a speed even Nikita wouldn\u8217?t drive at. His black wheels spun so quickly on
the damp asphalt that they were nothing but a blur in the distance, and the closer
he came, the louder his engine roared. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Benji and Zane abandoned their plan and dropped down seconds before Aiden whizzed
past them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The spike strips were left on the side of the road, and now Aiden was long gone. \
\u8220?Shit!\u8221? I growled.\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } {\s1 \afs32
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Benji, get the strips down!\u8221? I yelled over the sound of Aiden\u8217?s
car drifting off into the distance. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I tried to keep my eye out for the Porsche, but it was long gone, and there was no
chance we were going to catch up with it now. Our only option was to kill Aiden\
u8217?s betas as they fell into our trap, and then to kill him at the mansion. \
\u8220?Jesse,\u8221? Gemma said in a terrified voice. \u8220?What if\u8230? what
if Aiden saw Benji and Zane? He\u8217?d know we\u8217?re on to him! He could flee
with Blair, and I\u8217?ll never see her again!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hey, breathe\u8230?\u8221? I said as I placed both hands on her
shoulders. \u8220?It\u8217?s okay. I won\u8217?t let him get away.\u8221? \par\
\u8220?But that could have been our only chance!\u8221? Gemma\u8217?s breathing
quickened like she was about to have a panic attack. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?It won\u8217?t be, I\u8217?m sure of it,\u8221? I replied as I did my best
to reassure her. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Strips are in place, Alpha!\u8221? Benji shouted from down below. \par\
\u8220?Great, thanks,\u8221? I replied as I heard the car engines of Aiden\u8217?s
entourage approaching.. \u8220?Everyone else, hide and get ready. The cars will be
here soon.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Barely five seconds passed before three black SUVs rounded the bend. They didn\
u8217?t seem to slow down, so I had a feeling they hadn\u8217?t spotted the strips
Benji and Zane had placed on the road. Everything seemed to happen in slow-motion,
and I didn\u8217?t take a single breath as the cars creeped closer and closer
toward our trap. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The slow-motion continued as the cars ran over the strips, but then there was a
loud thunking sound followed by several hisses as one tire after another hit the
spike strips, and the drivers lost control of their vehicles. One of the SUVs
swerved off the road and smashed into a Douglas fir, and as the other two crashed
into each other, a sharp, metallic noise echoed all around me. It still caused me
to wince, even though I knew it was about to happen. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Clouds of steam and smoke billowed from the cars, but apart from that, everything
was silent. I knew the crashes hadn\u8217?t been severe enough to kill the shifters
inside the cars, but it seemed to take them a second to fully react to what had
happened. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then, after what seemed like ages, but was probably only three seconds, the doors
started to open, and the fourteen men exited from the cars with clear looks of
confusion on their faces. One of the men stumbled a few feet back to inspect the
crash, some more peered at the tires, and the rest of them glanced around at their
surroundings, almost like they were trying to work out what was going on. \par\
But I didn\u8217?t give them the time to figure it out. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Open fire when you have a target. }I ordered my betas. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My shooters knew what to do, and I watched as they angled the rifles over the lip
of the cliff and began to fire. Brenden shot a guy in the arm, Aunt Eva got a man
in the knees, but Peter was the real expert here. He shot a beta clear in the
chest, and I had a strong feeling the guy was dead before he even hit the ground. \
The damp asphalt was painted in splatters of blood, and the injured men let out
loud, pained screams as they clutched onto their wounds. But the shooting was a
clear sign that these men were being ambushed, so a large majority of the betas
began to take shelter behind their SUVs, right where Thalia, Marco, and Christopher
were waiting in the trees. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We may have lost Aiden, but so far, everything was going according to plan with
the betas. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then one of the men suddenly darted out from behind an SUV, and he attempted to
sprint across the road toward the embankment. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?This fucker is playing a risky game,\u8221? Kristina chuckled as she
readied her rifle. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Kristina, Peter, and Brenden all shot at the same time, and they hit their target
dead-on. It was like a scene from a movie. The ammunition pierced the beta in the
chest, stomach, and arm, and the guy splayed out his arms, lost his balance, and
then fell face-first onto the road. It was violent and gory, and I loved every
second of it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As the rest of the men continued to hide behind their cars, I brought out the
walkie-talkie and did my best to whisper as quietly as possible. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Benji and Christopher, go,\u8221? I ordered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Neither of them responded verbally, but then I heard the satisfying sound of
growls as my pack sprinted in their animal forms from their hiding places. Three
lynxes, two coyotes, and a wolf all headed toward the hidden betas. The ambush
brought the men away from their cars, and I watched in delight as Benji launched
himself onto one of the enemy werecats, and he began to tear and slice at the man\
u8217?s chest with his mighty paws. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Ribbons of flesh hung from his claws, and the sharp screaming that came from the
beta was enough for my ears to ring. Thalia and Marco, the werecoyotes, aimed for
their own opponents, and the lynxes ganged up on a group of four betas. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
It was six against ten, and even though I had confidence that my pack were strong
enough to defend themselves, I knew Aiden\u8217?s men were strong, too. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
We needed more people down there. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Shooters, keep aiming at those men and stay ready to back us up if you have
a sure opening,\u8221? I said. \u8220?Nikita, Arielle, and I will head down there
to try and kill these fuckers.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course, Alpha,\u8221? Peter Daughtry said as he kept his eye down the
length of the rifle. Then he fired another shot, but I didn\u8217?t see where, or
who, it hit. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Given it was Peter, he\u8217?d probably just added another beta to his tally of
deaths. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Are you ready?\u8221? I asked my omegas, but as I turned around, I noticed
they had already stripped off their clothing. \u8220?I guess you are, then.\
Nikita and Arielle instantly shifted into their coyote and mountain lion forms,
and I did the same after I abandoned my outfit on the cliff. I shook out my
werewolf body, and then the three of us inched closer toward the edge of the
embankment. It was a twenty foot drop, which was daunting for a human, but the same
couldn\u8217?t have been said for a werewolf. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I\u8217?ll aim for the cars, }I told them as I calculated the jump. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I\u8217?ll go for the long-haired motherfucker. }Nikita\u8217?s teal eyes held an
excited gleam. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
And I\u8217?ll just aim for anyone who comes at me, }Arielle thought with
confidence. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Once we were in place, I launched myself off the cliff and dropped through the
damp air. There were a few beats of whistling wind as my omegas and I sailed toward
the ground below, and then I nailed the landing on the top of an SUV. A hollow,
echoing bang shattered the air, and the roof molded itself around my powerful paws.
It was incredible. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I aimed my rage at the first beta who caught my eye. The guy was as broad as he
was tall, with a buzzed haircut and muscles that even Brock Lesnar would have been
jealous of. This had to be one of the top captains Gemma had warned us about, and I
made it my sole mission to end his life in a brutal, brutal way. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The man\u8217?s brown eyes narrowed, and it looked as if he was about to shift,
but I quickly put a stop to that. I punched and forced him to the ground with the
entirety of my weight. The man coughed and sputtered as I pressed my front paws
onto his chest, but he clearly wasn\u8217?t giving up. He grabbed fistfuls of my
dark brown fur, and if I hadn\u8217?t had a firm hold on the guy, he could have
easily thrown me off him. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Gemma wasn\u8217?t kidding, these guys were fucking strong. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I let out a throaty snarl as I slashed his face with one paw, and his plain white
t-shirt soaked up the rivers of blood that seeped down his neck. The beta didn\
u8217?t even let out a hiss, it was like I had stroked him with a feather instead
of ripping the skin clean off his face. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Did Aiden pump these guys full of steroids of something? Fucking hell. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I knew I had to change up my tactics somehow, otherwise it would take forever to
kill three guys, so I jumped back on my hind legs, dug my claws deep into his
thighs, and then let out an ear-shattering howl as I dragged my front paws down his
chest. The beta\u8217?s t-shirt and skin were torn open, and pools of his blood
expanded on the ground beneath him. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
However, because the majority of my weight was on his legs, it gave the man the
opportunity to sit up, and I came eye to eye with the beefed-up \u8216?roid addict.
He looked like something from a horror movie, and his bloody face could have been
used as inspiration for a Halloween mask. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The beta sneered through the blood and grabbed my front legs in both hands, and I
fought against the beta\u8217?s strength as I tried to close my jaws around his
jugular. I knew I\u8217?d have him under my control if I could manage to wrap my
teeth around his broad neck, but this was easier said than done. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
It was almost like I was fighting against a brick wall, and whenever I moved
forward, the beta forced me back. It was like an epic arm wrestling contest, only
the stakes were life-or-death and not some plastic trophy and a watered down
beer. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I heard the shot from a rifle, and an explosion of blood and brain matter
covered my face as the beta collapsed to the ground. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
One of the shooters had caught the guy in the side of the head, and from the
direct hit, I had a feeling it was Peter. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But I didn\u8217?t have time to sit and ponder over the identification of who had
saved my life, because we still had more of Aiden\u8217?s men to kill. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I shook my massive head, cleared away some of the blood and brains that had soaked
into my fur, and then I jumped off the murdered captain as I surveyed the attack
around me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Out of the fourteen men who had arrived in the cars, only five large, powerful
mountain lions remained. But because there were only five of them, we now had the
upper-hand, and I watched in delight as my pack worked as a team to overpower these
assholes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Thalia and Marco cornered one of the mountain lions against a car, and as Marco
aimed for the beta\u8217?s neck, Thalia caught the lion by the ankle and threw it
to the ground. I noticed her tawny fur was clumped together with blood, so I hoped
it came from someone else, and that it wasn\u8217?t her own blood. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
But even if it was, and she\u8217?d been injured during the attack, it didn\u8217?
t seem to faze Thalia, and she sliced and shredded the mountain lion\u8217?s skin
as she let out high-pitched yips. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The twin lynxes, Eliza and Zane, had done the same thing with another one of the
betas, but from the sheer size of the lion, I had a feeling it was another steroid
addict, so I was thankful the twins had each other to fight off the top captain. It
was difficult to tell the lynxes apart, because each of them had the same sleek
black fur and pale eyes, but one of them worked on the bottom half of the captain,
and the other aimed for the head. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The road was littered with murdered men and mountain lions. One of the men had a
singular bullet hole in the forehead, and from the amount of blood that covered his
body, it almost looked like the guy was about to audition for the role as Carrie in
the new remake of the movie. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Jesse, are you okay? }Nikita\u8217?s voice suddenly drifted into my mind. \par\
I looked around for my omega, and I saw the caramel-colored mountain lion further
along the road with a slaughtered lynx under her paws. The lynx had lost a limb,
and it seemed as if its head was only hanging on by a thread. I was impressed, and
I made a mental note to thank my omegas later for all of their hard work. \par\
{\i
Yeah, I\u8217?m fine. Where\u8217?s Arielle? }I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
She\u8217?s over there in the trees. } \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Nikita motioned her head to the right, and as I followed her movement, I noticed
the werecoyote\u8217?s russet brown fur and bottle-brush tail. The coyote dashed
between the trunks, but she wasn\u8217?t being chased by anyone, so I wasn\u8217?t
entirely sure what she was doing. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Arielle, are you okay? }I asked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
I\u8217?m excellent! I\u8217?m just making sure none of Aiden\u8217?s betas have
gotten away, }Arielle replied. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Okay, but once you\u8217?ve done that, I think the three of us should head to
Aiden\u8217?s mansion, }I explained. {\i
Hopefully he didn\u8217?t see us, and he hasn\u8217?t caught on to the commotion,
so we can catch him off-guard.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There was a chance one of the betas could have messaged Aiden when their tires
were blown up, in which case he could have already left with Blair, and then we\
u8217?d never find the bastard. But my omegas and I were the fastest in the pack,
even after a long day of running, so I hoped we had enough time to get to the
mansion, end his life, and then save Gemma\u8217?s sister. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
Nikita and Arielle both agreed to my idea, and I sent out another message to the
entire pack to meet us at the mansion once they were finished with this lot. \par\
If what Gemma said was correct, then we had another eight beta guards at the
mansion, but they weren\u8217?t as strong and mighty as the captains we just faced,
so I hoped they wouldn\u8217?t cause too much of an issue. The three of us might
have been enough to kill off the final eight betas, but there was no way of saying
for certain, so the backup was needed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I kept a watchful eye on my pack as I waited for Nikita and Arielle to join me,
and I was prepared to pounce if any of them needed me. But my team was well-
trained, and they handled the threatening captains without needing my assistance. \
Once my omegas ran over, we didn\u8217?t hang around, and we sprinted off toward
the bike trail. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Remember the bear traps, }I said as we darted along the track. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
You got it, Alpha, }Nikita replied. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We must have been running for at least half a mile when I suddenly caught on to a
distinct aroma in the air. It was the scent of fresh nutmeg and cinnamon, with a
hint of something spicy, almost like juniper berries. But before I could react,
nine werecats appeared on the trail in front of us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The werecats formed the perfect line across the track, but there was a singular
mountain lion at the front of the line, a few steps in front of the rest. His broad
body looked double the size of the cats behind him, and I instantly recognized who
this guy was. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aiden. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
He stared at me, and only me, with intense, cyan-colored eyes, and as he plodded
forward, the bulging muscles in his neck tensed and loosened with each step. \par\
I never took my eyes off Aiden as he proceeded closer, but I stood in a defensive
stance with my omegas slightly behind me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then the mountain lion came to a halt, let out a roar, and his entire body began
to stretch and shake as he transformed himself into his half-human, half-mountain
lion form. He rose up on his hind legs to stand high above the other werecats, and
his elongated body and limbs became covered in coarse, yellow-brown fur as his paws
shifted into taloned hands. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Before I even ordered my body to change, I felt the insect-like feeling across my
skin as I began to shift into my own hybrid form. My paws became sharply-clawed
hands, my shoulders sloped, and I felt myself lift as my hind legs straightened up
slightly. I let out a loud, powerful howl that rumbled in my broad chest, and I
kept my glowing eyes burning into Aiden\u8217?s as I finally stood at my full,
monstrous height. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aiden pulled back his head, let out a piercing roar, and then took another
gigantic step closer. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Max,\u8221? Aiden snarled through pointed, yellowing teeth. \u8220?You
killed my brother, you son of a bitch.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?And I\u8217?m about to do the same to you,\u8221? I replied in my own,
menacing voice. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You\u8217?ll regret this, Fido,\u8221? Aiden snapped his jaw. \u8220?I\
u8217?ll kill you and your little coyote mate, and then I\u8217?ll take that one
for myself\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The alpha pointed a long arm in Nikita\u8217?s direction, and the anger inside of
me increased dramatically at the thought of Aiden taking my omegas away from me. If
he wanted to get to them, he had to kill me first. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The eight remaining werecats snarled and bared their teeth, and although they
weren\u8217?t a major threat, I knew we needed more people in order to come out of
this as the victors. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And I knew exactly where to find them. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
When I move, turn and run back down the trail, }I informed my omegas silently. \
\u8220?Good luck with that,\u8221? I laughed at the hybrid menace in front of me,
although it came out as more of a terrifying bark. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I turned on my heels, and Nikita and Arielle were quick to do the same as we
sprinted back toward the crashed SUVs. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I felt the strong presence of Aiden behind me, and I screamed at my legs to run as
quickly as possible. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I spotted a few of the werecats from the corner of my eye, but I bashed into them
with my shoulders and used every ounce of energy I had left to smash them into the
trees around us. The werecats growled and snapped their jaws, and it sounded like
they were only inches away from us. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Jesse, }Nikita thoughts held a scared tone. {\i
I can\u8217?t keep up with you, Jess. You\u8217?re going too fast.} \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
You have to keep going. Please, }I replied. {\i
You can\u8217?t let them grab you. } \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Shit. My omegas and I had been running all day, so they lacked the energy to keep
up with my hybrid pace. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I had to think of another plan, and I had to do it quickly. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
{\i
The bear traps, }I said. {\i
All we have to do is lead this team to the bear traps, and then the weapons will do
all the work. Then we\u8217?ll turn around and fight them. Just give me a last bit
of speed. Can you do that for me?} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Yes, my Alpha, }Nikita replied. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Anything for you, Jesse, }Arielle added. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The plan seemed to give my mates a second wind, and they increased their speed as
we led the pride of werecats toward their gruesome deaths. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
The traps had been covered in leaves and dirt, so they shouldn\u8217?t have been
visible, and only we knew where they were. There were eight traps in total on the
bike trail, but I knew I wouldn\u8217?t be lucky enough to get every single one of
Aiden\u8217?s minions with them. We could use whatever help we could get, though,
so I sent out a prayer to the big man in the sky that some of these cats would get
caught by their toes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As soon as we reached the hidden traps, my omegas and I carefully dodged the
spiked weapons without changing our trajectory enough to alert our followers. Then,
once we were about ten feet away from them, we turned around to watch the
onslaught. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
And my God, was it good. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Three of the werecats came first, and they barely made it two feet before they
landed on a bear trap. The vicious, steel jaws closed around their limbs, and the
werecats let out a yowl as they fell to the sodden ground. I heard the satisfying,
yet also sickening, crunches as their bones snapped and broke in various places,
and the more they tried to free themselves, the worse their injuries became. \par\
Most of the werecats fell victim to our ingenious plan, and they became nothing
but a mess of fur and angry snarls as they fell on top of each other, all while
they were still attached to the bear traps. One werecat was running at such a speed
that the jaws closed around his ankle and pulled it clean off as the beta continued
to run. But he only made it a single step before he crumbled to the ground, and a
trail of blood seeped out from his mangled stump. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Chunks of flesh littered the leaves, and the werecats\u8217? skin fell in ribbons
around the steel spikes. No matter how much they tried to move or release
themselves from the traps, the jaws didn\u8217?t budge, and the betas reluctantly
gave up as their yowls turned into pained hisses. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But Aiden and two of his guards were in the rear of the pride, and they hadn\
u8217?t gotten caught. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The alpha simply stepped past his yowling pride like he didn\u8217?t give a fuck
about their lives, and he stomped through the trees to where we stood. He was
inches away from the last trap, and the fact that Aiden didn\u8217?t change his
path told me he hadn\u8217?t seen the vicious jaws of death. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
My heart pounded against my chest, and my breaths came out in thick, deep pants as
I waited for the alpha to get caught in our spiderweb. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then Aiden placed his foot right in the center of the trap, but he didn\u8217?t
fall to the ground screaming like the others did when the metal snapped shut. \par\
There was no blood, no sound of snapped bones, and the alpha didn\u8217?t even
wince. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Because the second the jaws closed, the metal teeth broke around his leg, and soon
it was nothing but a pile of mangled steel among dirty, sodden leaves. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Holy shit. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aiden walked away from the trap like he\u8217?d stepped on a branch instead of
getting steel teeth slammed against his leg. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
If I thought the \u8216?roid addicts from earlier were strong, then Aiden was in a
completely different category. It made me think nothing could kill this bastard,
which meant I had no chance of ending his life. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But I had to do something. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There was no way in hell I was going to allow this motherfucker to flee in his
fucking custom painted 911 Turbo, especially not with Blair still being held
captive in his mansion. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
You aim for the betas, }I thought with a snarl. {\i
Aiden\u8217?s mine.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was hybrid versus hybrid, and only one of us was going to win. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
The two remaining werecats stood on either side of Aiden, and then they slowly
paced toward my omegas. I wondered if Aiden had telepathically given them the same
order, so it was literally going to be a battle of the alphas. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
If Aiden was anything like this brother, or perhaps even worse than Max, then I
knew he thought he had the fight in the bag, and they were going to celebrate on
one of the islands once it was all over. But what he didn\u8217?t know was that I
wasn\u8217?t just a regular leader of a pack. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was the Alpha. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was the legendary shifter, and I was about to make him see that with his own
eyes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aiden moved first, and as he barreled into me, the two of us tumbled to the
ground. I felt something break beneath me, potentially a lone branch, but
fortunately it wasn\u8217?t my back. Then an incredible force shot down my arms as
Aiden pressed his clawed hands deep into my shoulders, and one my bones popped out
from its socket. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I did everything I could not to focus on the excruciating pain of a dislocated
shoulder, and instead I fought back. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I pushed against Aiden with all my weight, and I had just enough room to curl up
my leg and kick him straight in the stomach. I launched the werecat alpha behind
me, popped my shoulder back into place, and then jumped back to my feet before
Aiden had the chance to attack again. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I didn\u8217?t realize until I turned around that I\u8217?d thrown the alpha into
a tree, and he laid in an awkward position on the ground with one arm covering his
face. It looked like Aiden had been seriously injured, and I\u8217?d potentially
knocked the fucker out. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But I wasn\u8217?t that stupid. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
He was waiting for me to get closer, and then he\u8217?d attack again. I just knew
So instead of going straight up to Aiden, I plodded over to his feet to attack
from that angle instead. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then, before I could even grab his ankle, the bastard jumped up from the ground,
stood on all fours, and he let out a powerful roar as he launched himself at me
again. I had just enough time to react, and a light breeze whistled across my fur
as Aiden raced past me. Then he skidded to a stop and turned on his heels. \par\
The alpha stood still with his massive body slightly angled forward. He reminded
me of a raging bull as it eyed up a matador, and I tried to work out what Aiden was
going to do, but he simply stood there without moving a muscle. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Then Aiden closed the distance between us in one leap, and he rammed into me with
such speed that my feet were lifted off the ground for a split second. His head
connected with my chest, and I was pretty sure he\u8217?d broken a few of my ribs
from that attack alone. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
An angered snarl broke through my teeth as I fought against the stinging pain in
my chest, but also against the almighty werecat as he forced me further and further
into the trees. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I did everything I could as I dug my clawed feet into the ground, and then I
pushed against Aiden\u8217?s shoulders. It was like all the WWE matches I\u8217?d
seen during my life, but I was partaking in one instead of watching it from the
safety of my couch. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Like the famous Hell in a Cell match with The Undertaker and Mankind. But with
trees instead of a metal structure. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But if that was the case, then I wanted to be The Undertaker. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Because he\u8217?d won. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I received my own second wind as I forced myself to fight against Aiden\u8217?s
strength, and I knew I would have the advantage if I got him to the ground. With
that in mind, I hooked my ankle around his and threw the bastard backward. Aiden
tumbled, and as his knees buckled, I threw a heavy punch to his chest, and the
sound of the werecat alpha connecting with the ground echoed throughout the entire
forest. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I pounced onto the motherfucker before he had the chance to move, and I
sliced his face and chest with one swift swipe of my clawed hands. The hybrid cat
roared toward the treetops as a large flap of skin lolled away from his cheek, and
half his bottom lip was missing now, which revealed the yellowing teeth underneath.
My attack only made Aiden angrier, though, and as he rolled us over, he slammed
down onto my spine. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Something broke inside of me with a deafening crack. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My entire body shook from the pain, and it was like nothing I\u8217?d ever felt
during my recent weeks as a shifter. I knew my wounds healed quickly, but I almost
thought Dr. Stenton would be needed for this one. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Jesse! }Arielle cried out in my mind. {\i
C\u8217?mon, my Alpha, you\u8217?ve got this!} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
It\u8217?s just Aiden now, Jesse, }Nikita quickly added. {\i
Once he\u8217?s dead, the pack is yours!} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I hadn\u8217?t even realized the women had defeated their own opponents, and I had
been too caught up with my own fight to take notice of how they were doing. I
couldn\u8217?t believe I hadn\u8217?t even thought to look at my omegas, but their
comforting, supportive words were exactly what I needed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
If Aiden killed me, he\u8217?d own my entire pack, and he\u8217?d either kill
them, or force them into a life of misery. Nikita would become his omega, whether
she wanted to or not, and Arielle probably wouldn\u8217?t live to see the next
sunrise. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I didn\u8217?t care how broken my bones were, or how marked up my skin was. I had
to do what was right for my pack, and I had to show this cocksucker that I was in
charge. I was the Alpha, and Aiden was nothing but a miserable, pathetic, abusive
bastard. He was about to receive the same treatment I\u8217?d given his brother,
and I wasn\u8217?t going to stop until this fucker was buried deep in a hole
somewhere. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I rolled us over once again, and as the anger and desire to save my pack flowed
through my veins, it overpowered the pain in my broken body. I landed punch after
punch into Aiden\u8217?s bloody face, all while I dug my clawed feet deep into his
legs, and my vision went red with the desire to slaughter this fucker. I wasn\
u8217?t just an alpha anymore, I was a bloodthirsty beast on the warpath, and every
time my claws tore through the werecat under me, my grin spread wider on my half-
wolf face. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The mountain lion snarled and sputtered as I injured him more and more, but I felt
his strength weaken the more I applied my own pressure. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
He wasn\u8217?t completely indestructible, despite what he may have thought. \par\
I had the ability to kill him, and I was going to do just that. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Then, just before I could sink my teeth deep into his jugular, a devilish thought
entered my head. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I knew just how the fight was going to end. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\i
Bring me a bear trap, }I said as my claws ripped up Aiden\u8217?s chest. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I continued to fight against the asshole, and Aiden\u8217?s body quickly became
covered in his own blood. But as all of that was going on, I heard the delightful
sound of steel jaws being opened, and then the jingle of a heavy chain. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I looked up briefly as a naked, human Nikita brought over the bear trap, and then
I silently told her to place the trap carefully underneath Aiden\u8217?s head. I
spotted the confusion on Nikita\u8217?s face, but she never said a word. She obeyed
my command as I grabbed a hold of Aiden\u8217?s sloped and twitching shoulders,
heaved his head off the ground, and left just enough space for Nikita to place the
trap beneath him. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Aiden must have caught on to my vicious plan, and he scratched, punched, and
kicked my beaten body with everything he had left in him, but I wasn\u8217?t going
to let him get away with that. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Any last words?\u8221? I growled as my claws buried themselves in his
shoulders. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The alpha bared his fangs and let out a roar, but before he could say a single
word, I forced him back down to the ground and let his head trigger the mechanism
in the bear trap. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I pulled my hands away as the steel teeth snapped closed with Aiden\u8217?s
head still inside the mouth. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
His skull practically exploded. A mangled mess of blood and bone fragments oozed
between the teeth as his flesh molded into the shape of the trap, and I shuffled
back to remove myself from Aiden\u8217?s slaughtered corpse. As I moved his body
slightly with my own, I noticed he had been partially decapitated from the bear
trap. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was fucking awesome, if a bit gorier than my usual kills, and I knew I was
going to remember that moment for the rest of my life. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I hadn\u8217?t even realized how hard my heart was pounding until the silence of
the forest took over. I thought it was going to beat out of my chest, and it felt
like I was never going to catch my breath ever again. Pure, raw, animalistic
adrenaline coursed through every inch of me as I looked down at the corpse of the
strongest alpha I\u8217?d ever fought, and the scent of his blood brought a low and
satisfied snarl from my chest. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My omegas cheered and congratulated me, and I felt Nikita\u8217?s loving hands on
my shoulders as Arielle brushed her head against mine. But I barely had the ability
to breathe, let alone thank them for everything they\u8217?d done. I wanted to
thank everyone for their help with the attack, and I wanted to celebrate our
victory as I prepared to take over everything Aiden had owned. But before I could
do any of that, I still had one more thing on my to-do list. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I had a new omega to attend to. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } {\s1 \afs32
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{\s1 \afs32
{\b
{\qc
hyphpar} {
As soon as I found the energy to move, I stood up from the bloody, sodden ground,
and then I limped to the bike trail with Nikita and Arielle right beside me. My
entire body finally screamed out in pain as I took the tiniest step, but I knew
that discomfort would soon fade as soon as my wounds healed. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Jesse!\u8221? Benji\u8217?s cheery voice came from somewhere down the
trail. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
As I looked over to my right, I noticed the rest of the team running toward us.
Benji, Thalia, Marco, Christopher, Zane, and Eliza had all returned to their human
forms, and the shooters still had their rifles in hand. I briefly wondered if Aiden
would have died if we\u8217?d shot him, but there was no need to think about that
anymore, seeing as the asshole had literally been ripped in two. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?We came as soon as we could,\u8221? Benji said again as he tapped my furry,
hybrid arm. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah. Right as the fight was over,\u8221? I chuckled. \u8220?Great timing.\
My laughter sounded more like a forced bark mixed with a snarl, but these guys
knew my hybrid form well enough now to know when I was joking, and when I wasn\
u8217?t. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We knew you had this, bro, piece of cake.\u8221? My half-brother smirked,
and I raised an exhausted eyebrow. \u8220?Nah, I\u8217?m kidding. You look fucked
up, dude.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Benji,\u8221? Aunt Eva said sternly as she swatted her nephew away with her
hand. \u8220?Jess, are you okay?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m fine,\u8221? I said with a nod that made pain run down my
spine. \u8220?Give me a couple hours, and I\u8217?ll be as right as rain.\u8221? \
\u8220?And Nikita and Arielle?\u8221? Eva asked as she looked at my omegas in
turn. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?re fine.\u8221? Nikita smiled as she looked at Arielle, who was
still bloody in her coyote form. \u8220?However, I wouldn\u8217?t mind getting
changed\u8230?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I glanced over at my mate and watched as she playfully covered up her naked self
with both arms. The pack were more than used to seeing us naked, especially from
the number of times we\u8217?d shifted, but seeing as she was the only one without
any clothes on, I could see why she wanted to get changed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Well, you\u8217?re in luck,\u8221? Aunt Eva said as she retrieved a bag
from Thomas. \u8220?We thought you guys might need these.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Then my aunt put her hand into the bag and brought out the three outfits we\u8217?
d abandoned on the cliff. Nikita quickly slipped hers on, and then Arielle shifted
back into her human form and did the same. I accepted the clothes, but I remained
in my hybrid form for now. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I took a brief second to glance over at my pack, mainly to make sure everyone was
alive and well, which they were, but then I remembered the two other groups who
were still at the coast and on the road. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Have Kiri, Caleb, Kahn, and Leo been informed?\u8221? I asked. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?They have.\u8221? Aunt Eva nodded. \u8220?I told them to stay there for
now, just in case Aiden called for more backup, but then they\u8217?ll head back to
Gray\u8217?s house when I tell them it\u8217?s safe to leave.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Excellent,\u8221? I replied. \u8220?Thank you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Um\u8230? Jesse,\u8221? a quiet, timid voice came from the back of the
group. Then Gemma came over to stand in front of me, and her red-rimmed eyes held
the remains of fresh tears. \u8220?Are you okay to save Blair now? I don\u8217?t
want to leave her in that house for a minute longer.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah, just gimme a second, okay?\u8221? I said with a faint laugh. \u8220?
I\u8217?m super fucked up right now, and I\u8217?m pretty sure I have a bunch of
broken bones that need to heal.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Please?\u8221? Gemma begged. \u8220?I know you\u8217?re injured, and I know
you\u8217?re in pain, but I need to know she\u8217?s okay. What if Aiden ordered
someone to do something to her? I won\u8217?t be able to rest until I know my
sister is safe.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You should go, Jesse,\u8221? Nikita said as she hooked one arm around mine.
\u8220?You\u8217?re healing really quickly now, so it won\u8217?t be long before
the pain goes away. All you have to do is run to the mansion, and then you can save
the princess from her tower.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My omega shot me a sweet, loving smile, and I couldn\u8217?t say no to that
face. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Nikita\u8217?s right,\u8221? Arielle added. \u8220?Remember what I was like
before you rescued me? It will be the same with Blair. I already love that girl
like my own sister, and I haven\u8217?t even met her yet.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I knew they weren\u8217?t guilt-tripping me into rescuing Blair, because these
omegas were the greatest, sweetest cheerleaders anyone could have, but I had to
admit, they certainly knew how to change my mind. The life Arielle was forced to
live before I got there was horrific, and I didn\u8217?t want anyone else to go
through that. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You both make a good point.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?I said I\u8217?d do it,
so I won\u8217?t waste any more time.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, thank you!\u8221? Gemma cried as she wrapped her arms around my
waist. \u8220?I\u8217?ll never be able to repay you for everything you\u8217?ve
done!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You can repay me by staying as a member of my pack,\u8221? I said as I
patted her back with a bloody, clawed hand. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course, I will,\u8221? she giggled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
When Gemma pulled away, I noticed the new tears that rolled down her cheeks. It
had been a seriously emotional few days for the beta, so her tears were justified,
and I imagined she hadn\u8217?t had a proper night\u8217?s sleep in a long time. \
\u8220?I\u8217?ll head to the mansion now, but you can all return to Gray\u8217?s
house,\u8221? I said to the group. \u8220?You all deserve a rest, and Dr. Stenton
can tend to any wounds or injuries. Then I\u8217?ll return with Blair shortly.\
\u8220?My Alpha, do you think one of us should come with you?\u8221? Arielle
\u8220?No, I think it\u8217?ll be okay,\u8221? I said as I patted her hand with my
own. \u8220?The groups on the coast and on the road would have noticed if any other
betas were headed this way, and we killed the guards who were stationed at the
mansion.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yes, I suppose you\u8217?re right,\u8221? she replied. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Plus, if anyone else was headed for us, they would be here by now,\u8221?
Nikita added. \u8220?And they are part of our pride now, since Jesse is their new
alpha. I think we\u8217?re safe to leave.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I nodded in agreement, and from the corner of my eye, I noticed small pools of
blood embedded in the grit and stone of the bike trail. It was a far more gruesome
scene a few feet into the trees, and although this was Aiden\u8217?s land, it was
still a public area, and the last thing I wanted was for some innocent family to
take their kids on a bike ride and come across a fucking decapitated head in a bear
trap. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The more I turned on my heels, the more blood, bones, and clumps of fur I saw. And
I knew it would be the same picture on the road with the crashed cars. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Don\u8217?t worry, Jesse,\u8221? Aunt Eva broke the silence. \u8220?I\
u8217?ll make sure we clean everything up while you\u8217?re away.\u8221? \par\
She must have heard my thoughts, and the rest of the group smiled and nodded as if
they\u8217?d also caught on to my mental broadcast. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Okay, thanks,\u8221? I snickered. \u8220?I\u8217?ll\u8230? uh\u8230? see
you back at the house.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Before I left, I shifted into my full wolf form, picked my clothes up with my
teeth, and sprinted further up the trail in the direction of the mansion. I didn\
u8217?t quite know where I was going, but I followed the scent of nutmeg and
juniper berries, and I knew I was getting close when the smell seemed to hit me
straight in the face. My muscles ached, my bones popped, but the pain wasn\u8217?t
anywhere near as bad as it had been, so at least I was on the road to recovery. \
And the promise of meeting my next omega made it a hell of a lot easier to grit my
teeth and bear it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I must have been running for at least another mile, perhaps even two, and I
started to wonder if I was ever going to find this damn mansion, but then I spotted
something in the distance. A pointed, wooden roof peeked over the tops of the
trees, and as I ran closer, I noticed it wasn\u8217?t just one roof, but three.
They appeared to be made from beautiful mahogany, and they blended in perfectly
with the blossoming forest that completely surrounded me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
I then spotted an opening in the trees to the right of me, and if it wasn\u8217?t
for the immaculate slate chips that covered the ground, I might have continued
running without giving it much thought. I slowed down my pace as my paws crunched
against the slate, and I made sure to focus on any new sounds or smells I picked up
on, just in case another threat hid around the corner. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The path I was on was no wider than the bike trail, and it wasn\u8217?t big enough
for a car to get through, so I knew there must have been another entrance to the
mansion somehow. But I\u8217?d focus on the smaller details once the house was
truly mine. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Arthur Mordaine was going to have a field day with the amount of houses I
currently owned. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Not to mention the islands. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Fortunately, my original assumption was correct, and apart from the beautiful
scent of nature and varnished wood, I didn\u8217?t pick up on anything that was
less than appetizing. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was free to examine the mansion and save Blair at the same time. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Then the path ended, and I came to a complete halt and took in the stunning log
cabin in front of me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was\u8230? fuck, it was beautiful. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
There looked to be three main parts of the house, which were the three roofs I\
u8217?d seen on the trail. The same mahogany wood traveled down the rest of the
house, and crystal-clear, floor-to-ceiling windows were lit up with warm lighting
from the inside while a wooden, wraparound balcony separated the first and second
floor. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
From what I could tell by looking through the windows, the main heart of the
mansion was all open-concept, and an ancient-looking chandelier hung from one of
the highest points in the ceiling. I could just imagine the views I\u8217?d see
from the top floor windows, and I couldn\u8217?t wait to check it out properly. \
I must have arrived at the back of the house, seeing as there was no main
entranceway, so I followed the slate pathway around the side. But as I reached a
large, open driveway, two things caught my attention. The first was the sound of a
bass that vibrated through the walls, so I knew Blair was somewhere nearby. The
second thing I noticed was the abandoned, silver-blue Porsche in the center of the
driveway. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The driver\u8217?s side door was wide open, and a gentle hum came from the car, so
Aiden must have literally raced from the car without thinking about turning the
engine off. As I inspected the car, I noticed the key fob inserted on the left side
of the steering wheel, and the intense scent of juniper berries that covered every
surface. The interior was high-tech and sleek as fuck, with smooth, black leather
seats, silver detailing, and a crisp control panel. I couldn\u8217?t wait to hand
the key over to Nikita and watch as she put the car to the test. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
For now, though, I shifted back into my human form, quickly changed into my
clothes, turned off the car, and then slipped the key into my pocket. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
It was mine now, after all. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The music could still be heard through the walls of the mansion, so I suspected
that Blair had no idea what had just happened, and I wondered if she\u8217?d even
heard Aiden arrive at all. I assumed she probably thought it was going to be a
standard Friday night, and that Aiden would arrive any minute in an attempt to get
her pregnant. But that was all about to change, and her days of repeating the same
horrible routine were over. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Once I was finished inspecting the abandoned car, I traveled up the two stone
steps that led to the front door, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the
door had been left unlocked, so I walked inside as if I owned the place. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Because now I did. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The interior of the mansion was just as beautiful as the outside, and I could have
spent days inspecting the tiny details of the house. There was an arched stairway
to the right, a wide, open-concept foyer straight ahead, and a small hallway to the
left. Everything was made from wood, even down to the shelving and small cabinets
against one wall. A red-and-orange Aztec rug ran down the center of the foyer, and
I managed to see right to the other side of the house where the floor-to-ceiling
windows looked out into the forest. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But then an intoxicating scent drifted past my nose, and I didn\u8217?t have to be
a genius to work out where, and who, it came from. It was a delightful aroma of
vanilla and honey, and it sort of reminded me of a candle Aunt Eva used to burn in
the living room. It was incredibly calming, and my mouth began to salivate at just
the scent alone. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Then I followed the aroma, as well as the sound of music, down the smaller
hallway. I passed several closed doors during my journey, but I didn\u8217?t bother
to open them just yet. I needed to reach Blair, and I knew she wasn\u8217?t far
away. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Finally, at the very end of the hallway, I came across a door, and the wood
practically pulsed from the heavy music that came from the other side. It was clear
the lynx on the other side was jamming on her guitar, and I almost felt guilty that
I had to put a stop to her playing as I entered the room. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
The music room was huge and square, about the same size as the master bedroom in
Gray\u8217?s house. More of the crystal-clear windows were dotted along the wall to
the right, so at least Blair was able to look at the trees while she was stuck in
this place. But for someone who loved music as much as I did, this place was a
haven. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Four guitars and three basses were fastened to the walls, a sleek, white grand
piano had been tucked into one corner, and there was a waist-high stage at the far
end of the room. The stage came with a black drum set, a small selection of
speakers and amps, and even a microphone. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But the best part about the entire room was the woman who stood in the center of
the stage with her back to me. All I could see of Blair were the black leather
pants she wore, the long black hair which she\u8217?d pulled up into a ponytail,
and the red guitar she held in her hands. She was very slim and petite, and her
black t-shirt had been roughly cut, so a sliver of her beautiful, pale midriff skin
was on show. I also noticed what looked like a black choker around her neck, but it
was difficult to spot any smaller details because her hair covered up most of it. \
Blair was so lost in her music that she hadn\u8217?t even heard me enter, and she
certainly didn\u8217?t know I was standing behind her. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I was so drawn in by her presence that I hadn\u8217?t even taken note of the song
she played until now. I didn\u8217?t recognize the piece of music, so I assumed it
was an original, which was even more impressive to me. There were stages of the
song that were sweet and low and sounded almost sad, like Blair was letting out her
heart and soul. But then the beat changed, and as the tempo increased and more of a
rock vibe entered the song, Blair started to tap her black leather boots in time
with the music. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A large smile crossed my face as Blair became one with the music, and the tapping
of her feet instantly changed to her jumping on the spot as her hand glided up and
down the neck of the guitar. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She didn\u8217?t look down at the frets even once. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I didn\u8217?t really know how to play a guitar, but I knew it took a lot of
practice and talent to play any instrument with nothing but muscle memory alone.
She clearly knew this guitar like the back of her hand, and she trusted her fingers
to do the job properly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Maybe she\u8217?d trust me to use my fingers properly, too? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
As Blair started to really get into the feel of her song, my jaw literally dropped
open. Not only did she smell so incredibly addicting, and my alpha hunger was
almost too much to bear, but she was also one of the most amazing women I\u8217?d
ever seen. And I hadn\u8217?t even seen her face yet. I already knew from her back
profile that she was ridiculously beautiful and clearly very talented. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Then, as I stood there slack-jawed with my eyes open wide, Blair slowly turned
around all while playing her original song. Her eyes were closed, and her head
bobbed along with the rhythm of the music, and then she grabbed onto the microphone
with one hand and began to sing into it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?What I used to know--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Her singing came to an abrupt halt as she opened her stunningly bright, honey-
colored eyes and caught me staring at her. Blair let out a shocked breath which
echoed through the microphone, and she clutched her red guitar to her chest as she
planted her boots firmly on the stage. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Who the hell are you?\u8221? she demanded with venom in her words. \u8220?
What the fuck are you doing in this room? Aiden will be home any minute, and he\
u8217?ll fucking kill you for coming in here!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I couldn\u8217?t help but smile. Blair was clearly a feisty little thing, and I
liked that in my omegas. She clearly wasn\u8217?t scared to put up a fight, and I
assumed she was more than used to standing her ground. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Gemma told me about you,\u8221? I said as gently as possible. \u8220?I\
u8217?m--\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Gemma?\u8221? Blair scoffed. \u8220?Well, my sister needs to keep her mouth
shut! And you\u8230? you need to get out of here! Aiden will literally kill you if
he sees you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Clearly Gemma hadn\u8217?t informed her sister about carrying out this plan, which
I was pleased about, because if Aiden had overheard it, our attack wouldn\u8217?t
have gone according to plan. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You don\u8217?t need to worry about him anymore.\u8221? I smirked. \u8220?I
literally just crushed his skull.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8230? you what?\u8221? Her mouth dropped open as her grip on the guitar
loosened with shock. \u8220?Who are you?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8217?m Jesse,\u8221? I chuckled, and something clicked in her honey-
colored eyes. Suddenly, the hostility was gone, and I saw that shimmer of hope
Gemma had talked about. It was tentative, but it was there, so I continued. \u8220?
Aiden\u8217?s been trying to kill me, but he failed. Your sister came to my pack
yesterday and told me everything that was going on. About you in this house, and
Aiden\u8217?s ideas about trying to kill his own brother before I got there first.\
\u8220?You know about that?\u8221? Blair whispered. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I do.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?I already wanted to kill the bastard, but
Gemma helped me make the ambush a success. She begged me to save you, and that\
u8217?s exactly what I\u8217?m here to do.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You\u8217?re\u8230?\u8221? Blair paused, and her honey eyes glanced from
left to right as she thought about something. \u8220?You\u8217?re really Jesse?
You\u8217?re\u8230? The Alpha that Gemma told me about? That\u8217?s you?\u8221? \
\u8220?Yesss\u8230?\u8221? I growled softly as I stalked forward toward her. \par\
I couldn\u8217?t hold back the need and desire to have this woman in my hands, and
the closer I got, the more intoxicating her scent became. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?You can\u8217?t be\u8230?\u8221? Blair clutched onto her guitar tighter,
and the hope in her eyes wavered like she couldn\u8217?t believe this was really
happening. \u8220?It\u8217?s\u8230? impossible.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Then why can\u8217?t I resist you?\u8221? I smirked. \u8220?Neither can
you. Admit it.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I\u8230?\u8221? Blair hesitated. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
It was like she was trying to fight against the urge to believe her luck, but it
was only natural for an omega to be drawn to an alpha, and I could tell by the way
her pupils suddenly dilated and her cheeks flushed that she\u8217?d finally caught
my scent in the room. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ohhh shhhit\u8230?\u8221? Blair bit down hard on her bottom lip, and I knew
that no matter how much she\u8217?d fought against it before, there was nothing she
could say now. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
She wanted me just as badly as I wanted her, and she knew I was the real deal. \
\u8220?You\u8217?re Jesse,\u8221? she said with a trembling sigh. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?And you\u8217?re mine now,\u8221? I growled. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The second I reached the stage, I grabbed onto her ankle. Blair squeaked in
surprise, and then, with one swift move, I pulled her down onto the stage so her
legs draped over the edge. I quickly nestled myself in between them, and the
leather of her pants strained and stretched at the crotch. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
The idea of what hid behind them caused the animalistic side of me to come through
once again. I needed to feel her squirm and release beneath me, and nothing was
going to get in the way of that. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I stared deep into Blair\u8217?s gorgeous, honey-colored eyes, and I never looked
away as I tore open the leather between her legs with my nails. Her addictive scent
flowed through the opening at an even higher potency, and I knew she was already
wet and ready for me just by the wonderful aroma of her juices. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Blair wore a cute pair of gray, skull-bunny panties under all that leather, and
there was only just barely enough material to cover up her shaved pussy. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Good. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I hated having to fight past material to get to where I wanted to be. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Blair\u8217?s breaths deepened as the chill of the room hit her skin, but I had a
feeling it was also to do with the fact that I was inches away from her body. \par\
I widened her legs ever so slightly with the backs of my hands, and then, still
with my eyes locked with hers, I pulled her panties to one side and slipped one
finger in between her folds. She was soaking wet, more so than I\u8217?d originally
thought, and I couldn\u8217?t wait to taste her juices on my tongue. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Jes--\u8221? Blair\u8217?s words were cut off by a loud moan. \u8220?Ooooh,
fuck!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?We\u8217?ve only just started.\u8221? I winked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I placed my hands on her waist and dropped my gaze to stare at my prize. A shiver
shot down my spine at the thought of devouring this incredible omega, so I didn\
u8217?t hold back, and I replaced my fingers with my tongue instead. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Aaah, yeeeees!\u8221? she groaned. \u8220?Fuck, Jesse!\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Fuck, you taste so fucking goooood,\u8221? I growled as I lapped up every
drop that got in my way. She tasted like pure heaven, and no words could describe
the feeling that ran through me as I became engrossed in this new woman. Blair
squirmed against the solid stage, and every time my tongue hit a sensitive spot,
she\u8217?d let out a moan that rang through the walls of the music room. \par\
\u8220?Shit, shit, shiiiit,\u8221? she cried as I drove into her as deep as my
tongue would allow. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Blair was clearly very vocal, and I wasn\u8217?t about to tell her to stop. We had
this entire mansion to ourselves right now, and I wanted to pleasure her until the
sound of her screaming my name echoed through every room. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
I grasped tighter onto her waist and practically lifted her ass off the stage in
order to devour her from a different angle. My cock grew increasingly hard and
painful against the confines of my jeans, but from the way Blair reacted, I knew it
wasn\u8217?t going to be long before I got to bury it deep inside of her. \par\
\u8220?I\u8217?m\u8230? I\u8217?m\u8230?\u8221? she paused to take a much-needed
breath. \u8220?Fuck, I\u8217?m\u8230? I\u8217?m going to cum!\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
Barely a handful of seconds passed before I felt her body tense up and then
release as she came all over my tongue. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oooh, fuuuck!\u8221? she cried. \u8220?Shiiiit!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I wanted to laugh, but I was too busy lapping up every drop of her
deliciousness. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Fucking hell, I\u8230? I--\u8221? Then Blair came once again, followed
quickly by a third orgasm. \u8220?Oooh, yessss! Fuck, I\u8217?ve never experienced
anything like it.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Then you\u8217?d better get used to it,\u8221? I said as I pulled my head
away and straightened up. \u8220?Because I\u8217?m not finished with you yet.\
\u8220?Good.\u8221? Blair smirked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We had been so caught up in the moment that Blair still had the guitar attached to
her torso, and the black strap hung loosely over one shoulder. I assisted her in
moving it, and once the instrument had been placed safely to one side, I returned
to my original plan. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Her leather pants were already ripped open at the crotch, so it took no amount of
strength to tear the clothing clean away from her body, and as Blair slipped off
her t-shirt, I shredded her skull-bunny panties with both hands. The omega was left
wearing nothing apart from her leather boots, gray, thigh-high socks, and the black
choker. It had a small chain at the front, with a silver hoop attached to it. It
was cute, and I made a mental note not to ruin it while I claimed the omega as my
own. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
My cock practically rejoiced as I undid the button of my jeans and pulled my pants
down to my ankles, and I spotted how Blair\u8217?s honey-colored eyes widened as
she caught sight of it. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Oh, shit, you have such a pretty cock,\u8221? she giggled. \u8220?Is that
all for me?\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Every last inch of it.\u8221? I smirked. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I grabbed Blair\u8217?s bare ass in my hands, brought her closer to the edge of
the stage, and positioned my tip against her damp entrance. Then, as I caught her
eyes once again, I forced myself inside. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Aaaah!\u8221? she screamed. \u8220?Yes, yes, yessss!\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
The omega was pleasantly tight and sopping wet, and I felt how her walls stretched
around my length in order to take it all in. Then Blair crossed her ankles behind
my back, and the way the rough leather of her boots scratched against my skin only
turned me on more. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I pulled out ever so slightly, and then I slammed in once again with a quick
thrust of my hips. Blair\u8217?s tunnel spasmed around me, and I thought I was
going to cum from that one move alone. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
This woman knew what she was doing, but I couldn\u8217?t wait to teach her more as
the days went by. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Mmmm, Jesse,\u8221? she sighed as I quickened my pace. \u8220?You feeeeeel\
u8230? sooo fucking good inside of me.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Blair continued to shout and curse as the intense feeling flooded through both of
us, and the sting of her nails scratching against my back and shoulders showed me
the violent side to Blair, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I imagined she had the
strength to escape me if she wanted to, but from the way she clung to me, I knew
she wanted me to take her any way I pleased right now. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
The sound of our wet skin slapping together echoed around the room, and it caused
my animalistic drive to build up again. The wooden stage strained and creaked
beneath our combined weight, and it really was music to my ears as I pounded into
her for endless minutes. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Fuck, fuck, fuck,\u8221? she panted. \u8220?Yeeees! I. Just. Keep.
Cummmmingggg...\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I forced my hips to move quicker, and Blair was so wet that my cock almost slipped
out every time I backed away, but when I slammed back into her as deep as I could
thrust, her tunnel squeezed me like a vise, and her entire body spasmed as she
climaxed over and over again. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yesssss\u8230?\u8221? A tingling sensation raced through my body as I
almost reached my own climax, and then, just as Blair came for the tenth time, I
slammed my cock deeper into her pussy, and I felt as her juices coated my cock. \
\u8220?Aaaah!\u8221? she cried out as her eyes rolled back into her head. \u8220?
Fill\u8230? me\u8230? up\u8230? Pleeeeeease.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I will.\u8221? I growled into her ear as my willpower finally broke. \
u8220?You\u8217?re mine now.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yesssss!\u8221? she screamed. \u8220?Yeeeessssss!\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
Her words brought my internal beast to the surface, and as I slammed in one final
time, I felt my cock grow and somehow harden even more as Blair\u8217?s tight
vagina struggled to contain me. My tip pressed up against the puckered entrance to
her womb for half a moment, but then I kept growing, and her cervix spread open,
accepted the tip of my penis, and then seemed to latch on right behind my
mushroomed head. I was locked inside of her womb, but the base of my cock still
swelled in size so that I pushed up against every part of her walls, and I knew
there was no way she could escape what was about to happen. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I was going to fill her womb with my seed. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
We both screamed as the first hot spray from my cock coated the inside of her
womb, and then we kept screaming and thrashing together as I sprayed a dozen more
times. Each time my balls tensed up to send another creamy gush of my seed into
her, Blair\u8217?s legs and thighs squeezed around me as if she could somehow force
me even deeper, but there was no way that was even possible. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
I was as deep as a man could ever be inside of a woman, since an alpha always came
directly inside of an omega\u8217?s womb. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
I lost track of time while I poured endless amounts of my cum into Blair, but
eventually my balls gave their last spasm, and the final drops of my sperm oozed
into her stuffed womb. Then we both inhaled greedy breaths as we came down from our
climaxes, and the room started to come back into focus. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A sheen of sweat coated my forehead, and I tried to catch my breath as a ripple
ran across my skin. My cock twitched as Blair moved slightly underneath me, and I
stroked her soft thighs as I tried to lower my erratic heartbeat. The internal
beast removed himself from me, and I simply angled myself against the stage as I
rested my head in the valley between her two creamy breasts. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Mmmm,\u8221? she moaned. \u8220?That was\u8230? shit, I have no words.
Damn, dude\u8230? I\u8217?ve never\u8230? that\u8230? damn.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?Hmmm\u8230?\u8221? I also couldn\u8217?t string a sentence together, so I
just purred. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Sorry for scratching the shit out of you,\u8221? she whispered. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?That\u8217?s okay\u8230? I\u8217?ll pay you back\u8230? Right\u8230? now\
u8230?\u8221? I huffed, and then I moved my face up and bit down on the swell of
her creamy shoulder. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Ohhh!\u8221? The omega whimpered with pleasure as my teeth sank into her,
and I bit just a little harder than I normally would have to get her back for the
scratches all over my back. As I expected, Blair moaned from the extra bit of pain,
and then she giggled as I left a soft kiss on the crescent moon-shaped mark I left
behind. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Now everyone will know you are mine,\u8221? I purred as I laid my face back
into the pillows of her breasts. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I may not be able to have your children, but please know that I\u8217?m
yours, Jesse,\u8221? Blair said sweetly. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I don\u8217?t just fuck my omegas to get them pregnant,\u8221? I whispered.
\u8220?It would be amazing if you could have my children, of course, but when we
make love, it\u8217?s because we want to, not because we\u8217?re following some
traditional shifter rule.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?You mean that?\u8221? Blair asked as she gently scratched my head with her
nails. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Of course,\u8221? I replied. \u8220?I know you may find it hard to believe
my words right now, especially after what you\u8217?ve been through, but you\u8217?
ll see soon enough that I\u8217?m telling the truth. I take excellent care of my
omegas, and that won\u8217?t ever change.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
A sweet, gentle silence fell over us as we continued to cuddle on the stage. Blair
played with my hair and drew in a few ragged breaths while she processed all of
this, and I could have easily fallen asleep in that position. Her light heartbeat
acted as a lullaby, and I listened to the rhythm as her chest gently moved up and
down beneath me. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I love your music,\u8221? I whispered a moment later. \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
\u8220?You do?\u8221? Blair whispered in surprise. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah.\u8221? I nodded. \u8220?I play the violin, and I\u8217?m working
toward my degree, so music is very important to me.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
\u8220?Really?\u8221? she gasped, and I felt her petite body tense up in
excitement. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?Yeah,\u8221? I sighed into the valley of her creamy breasts. \u8220?I\
u8217?d love to make some music with you.\u8221? \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\u8220?I think we just made some music together, Alpha,\u8221? she giggled. \
u8220?But yeah, I\u8217?d love to play some music with you, too.\u8221? \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I smirked as I glanced up at the spunky omega, and her lips curled in a wicked
sort of way that made them impossible to resist. Then I caught her mouth with mine,
and as she moaned against my tongue, a fresh wave of heat built up in my veins. \
And I knew I was that much closer to fulfilling my ultimate destiny. \par\pard\
plain\hyphpar} {
I\u8217?d taken out one more bastard alpha, and freed one more unbelievably
gorgeous omega to make her my own. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
But this was only the beginning. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\~ \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
End of Book 3 \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\b
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\par\pard\plain\hyphpar}\par\pard\plain\hyphpar}\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\s1 \
afs32
{\b
{\qc
End Notes \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}\par\pard\plain\hyphpar}\par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
Thank you for reading The Alpha 3! I\u8217?ll start working on book 3 as soon as
this one hits 100 reviews, {\ul
so please leave a review right here. Thank you!} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Don\u8217?t forget about {\ul
my Patreon}! You\u8217?ll get advanced audio chapters (for your ears) or written
chapters (for your eyes), and nude/sexy versions of my covers (for your\u8230?
uhhh\u8230? well\u8230?) I also have an audiobook subscription so you can get 3-4
of my books every month at a discount along with all the other stuff. {\ul
Check it out here! Or search for my name on Patreon.com.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
Amazon doesn\u8217?t update readers when an author comes out with a new book
unless you follow that author on the store. {\ul
Make sure you click this link and then click on the follow button.} Then Amazon
will update you a few weeks after my next book comes out. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
If you want to get notified of my books the day that they come out, make sure you
{\ul
follow my Facebook author page} and join my {\ul
Facebook fan group}. If you don\u8217?t follow me on Amazon or join my Facebook
page, {\b
{\ul
you\u8217?ll never get alerted that the next book is out.}} \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and
incidents are either the products of the author\u8217?s imagination or used in a
fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual
events is purely coincidental. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Copyright \u169? 2021 by Eric Vall \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } {
. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
{\b
{\qc
Patreon \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}\par\pard\plain\hyphpar}\par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Don\u8217?t forget about {\ul
my Patreon}! You\u8217?ll get advanced audio chapters (for your ears) or written
chapters (for your eyes), and nude/sexy versions of my covers (for your\u8230?
uhhh\u8230? well\u8230?) I also have an audiobook subscription so you can get 3-4
of my books every month at a discount along with all the other stuff. {\ul
Check it out here! Or search for my name on Patreon.com.} \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
Amazon doesn\u8217?t update readers when an author comes out with a new book
unless you follow that author on the store. {\ul
Make sure you click this link and then click on the follow button.} Then Amazon
will update you a few weeks after my next book comes out. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar}
{
If you want to get notified of my books the day that they come out, make sure you
{\ul
follow my Facebook author page} and join my {\ul
Facebook fan group}. If you don\u8217?t follow me on Amazon or join my Facebook
page, {\b
{\ul
you\u8217?ll never get alerted that the next book is out.}} \par\pard\plain\
hyphpar} {
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and
incidents are either the products of the author\u8217?s imagination or used in a
fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual
events is purely coincidental. \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
Copyright \u169? 2021 by Eric Vall \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {
\~ \par\pard\plain\hyphpar} {\page } }

The Alpha 3

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{\rtf1{\info{\title The Alpha 3: Protect. Procreate. Prevail.

}{\author Eric Vall}}\

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