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Chapter 1 - Levi
A familiar haze lingered throughout the bar, drifting along with the usual slightly muted rock music from at least two decades ago. The smell of spilled booze, cigarette smoke, and sweat from the pool players hung in the air, offending my keen senses.
While all that could be detected within a few seconds of stepping inside the old establishment, it was still our favorite place. It was where a small group of outlaws once met for the first time and bonded over a common problem. The bar was almost like the center of a crossroads—perfectly accessible to us despite being from different places and backgrounds.
The day I was excommunicated from my pack, I stumbled upon the gritty place and thought a drink or two couldn’t hurt. It took a lot to get a werewolf drunk, and I was only two drinks in when I met the first of what I would soon call my best friends.
Sebastian stuck out like a sore thumb with his perfectly preened appearance. Not a strand of his short black hair looked out of place, and his clothes were far too nice for this place. It seemed like he had gotten the wrong bar or had stumbled upon it on a whim as I had—which was precisely why I struck up a conversation with him. Plus, it didn’t take much for me to pick up on his shifter scent.
It turned out he had innate leadership qualities similar to my own, and he was booted from his pack, too. While that might been grounds for either of us to propose a challenge, we were too focused on our problems even to bother.
Our other friendships developed much the same way. Next came Jacob, Beau, and Ezra, followed by Ethan. We were like a band of misfits, all exiled leaders in our own right. Regardless of how we were excommunicated or what we thought of each other’s leading styles, we accepted one another and still met up at that old bar occasionally.
A few of us were even business associates, perfectly capable of meeting in our office, but something was humbling about meeting in the very place where we first established our friendship.
That night was no different. We sat around a table, throwing back our drinks and soaking in that gritty atmosphere together. Another tray of beer arrived, and Ethan’s honey-colored eyes lingered on the server as she walked away before glancing at me. It was easy to tell he was the youngest.
“How’s the pack fairing these days, Levi?”
The thought was like a punch to the gut. I sighed. “Are we talking about the one I made or the one I’m trying to fix?”
Ethan snickered against the rim of his mug. “Both?”
“I’m assuming you keep an eye out for your old pack,” Beau stated, leaning against the back of his chair. “That can be difficult to let go of.”
I nodded. “Of course. I haven’t forgotten about them. I check in when I can, and it seems that bastard Sam is making a mockery of them. From what I can tell, the pack is barely holding on. As for my makeshift crew, I can tell the adjustment has been strange for them, but they’re doing well. They seem happier in comparison.”
“That’s because their alpha has a solid head on his shoulders,” Sebastian murmured. “Can’t say the same about Sam.”
Just thinking about what Sam did to me had my blood boiling.
Our old alpha had prepped me to take his place since I was in my twenties. He showed me the ropes and taught me everything I knew. I was ready, and everyone in the pack knew it.
But after he stepped down and left, Sam Richards challenged me in a non-traditional sense. He stepped forward and claimed that I had shifted in front of a human—a forbidden thing that puts our very existence at risk. Because of this, I apparently killed said human and broke another rule.
In reality, Sam had set me up. He created the entire scenario, planting an almost-crime scene for me to stumble upon, in which I was forced to shift. The woman had seen me, but I spared her and entrusted Sam to get her to safety and convince her she hadn’t seen anything at all.
Afterward, he had killed the woman himself and had more than enough evidence against me. It was enough to convince others I had done it to protect the pack.
There was a time when werewolves weren’t above killing humans to keep our existence a secret, but times have changed. Maintaining a low profile is in our best interest, and while the occasional death could be chalked up to a random crime, questions could still be raised, especially in a small town.
By being accused of the two crimes we were forbidden from committing, Sam convinced the others I was aggressive and irrational—of course, that woman wouldn’t have been an actual threat. And yet, either due to paranoia or bloodlust, I had killed her.
I only learned I had been framed far too late. The damage had been done, and opinions were swayed. Most sided with Sam, while a handful remained loyal to me. Logan, my beta, would walk through flames for me. Nati, a lone-wolf priestess, stumbled upon my new pack and was welcomed with open arms. The few others have my thanks, but having so few wolves keeps me at a disadvantage to Sam and his rivaling numbers.
“You say you haven’t forgotten about them. What are you planning to do then?” Jacob asked, smoothing back his thick curls.
Looking down at my beer, I found myself returning to those mixed feelings that plagued me most days. “I suppose I should hate them for turning their backs on me. I should want nothing to do with any deserters. But I know that’s not the case. Sam’s in their heads, and even if he’s a shitty alpha, they can’t help but stay with him. They’re scared and probably don’t trust me because of Sam’s lies. Which is why I’ve been coming up with a plan to get them back.”
Most of the brows around the table went up, and Sebastian smirked. “Planning on getting your hands dirty?”
“Whatever it takes to get them back, I’ll do it. Sam thinks he’s won, but I won’t give up that easily,” I said, pushing down those deep feelings of anger. “He framed me and took what was mine. To make matters worse, it seems the quality of the pack is going downhill fast. I can’t risk waiting.”
“That sounds more like it,” Beau hummed.
“It was yours from the beginning. We can all see that’s true,” Sebastian murmured, scratching absently at his chin. “It’s a shame the others are caught up in it because of him. But I’m sure they’ll come around once you find a way to clear the air.”
“That’s my hope,” I said with a sigh. “If I can convince them Sam lied about what really happened, maybe then I can sway them to my side.”
