AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Look, Liz has a soft heart, and I was willing to humor her when I thought we had until November to get this done. But by tonight? No—a gaggle of betas will just slow us down.”
“But that’s…” Barbaric. Cruel. Savage.
But the thing is, I know he’s right. Not to mention, after the past few months, I’ve grown to know Marcus. He’s so staunch and unyielding. If I come with Rill at my side, asking for more than he’s willing to give, he’ll balk and make my job even more difficult.
“All right, we’re decided!” Rill says, not waiting for me to finish speaking as he rises to his feet and claps his hands. “So, Wyatt will keep a group of alphas here to guard the omegas?”
Wyatt nods, lips pursed, probably to avoid opening his mouth and starting an argument. He just wants to get back to Camilla at this point.
“It’s too bad you’re not coming, Wyatt,” Rill tells him with a whistle. “I’d love to see you at work on a bunch of pigeons.
Wyatt grunts noncommittedly in response, rising to his feet impatiently.
“And the rest of us will head to Goldenrod,” Rill continues, his eyes shifting to me. “Noah will search out his pathetic council’s baby alpha, while we get ready to fight.”
I can’t resist an eye roll, but I don’t argue. Just like Wyatt, I want to get away as soon as possible.
Finally, we all say our goodbyes and agree to meet back at the fire clearing in an hour. Wyatt takes off immediately, and I’m just about to follow him when Rill grabs me by the arm.
“I want to see you at sunrise, brother,” Rill says, his dark eyes narrowing on me. “You throw out a little of what you used on Cass this morning, and we’ll be in good shape.”
“Cass?” I ask with a start. “That’s his name? Where is he now?”
Rill shrugs. “Haven’t seen him. I told you that you should’ve killed him when you had the chance.”
“I don’t want to leave Hetty here when—”
“Noah, you need to focus. We’ve got bigger enemies. Places to be!” He’s all pumped up now, his fangs resting on his lip, his eyes dark and dilated.
I groan. “It isn’t as simple as that, Rill.”
“It is!” he insists. “If we’re dead, then nothing else matters. Not you, me, our mates, or any of the alphas we hate. Nothing.”
I stare at his ugly face, into his dark eyes. Under the scars and the anger, I see something I never thought existed in him.
Fear.
“You’re right,” I say evenly. “I’ll fight with you … brother.”
A huge smile spreads over his cheeks, his fangs hanging long as he smacks me on the back roughly.
“You’re a good alpha, Noah,” he says, his voice low as he brings his mouth close to my ear. “Remember, this will be the biggest fight of your life. The only one that will really matter in the end.”
40
The Value of a Beta
Noah
When I reach Wyatt and Camilla’s cabin, I stand on the dirt outside, patiently waiting.
Hetty’s presence pulses through the small house, picking up its pace when I arrive. It’s less than a minute before she’s bounding out the door, down the front steps, and into my arms.
“Noah,” she murmurs against my chest, breathing me in. “What took you so long?”
My lips come down to her silky head, my hands tangling in the hair flowing down her back. I groan, my face sinking into the warm space where her neck meets her shoulder. My body immediately hardens as my hands slide down to wrap around her narrow waist.
I wish there was time. We barely had the opportunity to be together before…
