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It had been a struggle to focus even with him not before me, his deep sultry voice lulling me into a false sense of security, one that I needed to shake myself from multiple times, reminding myself not to get attached. The connection forged by the mate bond was palpable even through the phone, my soul automatically answering his call. My stomach clenches at the thought of him being so close again as I explain the plans to the team. Frustrated, I push away those thoughts. The task before me requires my full concentration, and the group of betas listening intently are putting their lives in my hands. Despite the precautions we’ll take, there is always a chance that something can go wrong.
“We’ll be meeting with the Whitlock pack first to go over the layout,” I say, capturing the gaze of each beta as I speak. A range of emotions cross over the faces before me.
Many appear hopeful at the alliance between our two packs, but there’s still an underlying feeling of animosity between us, one that won’t dissipate so soon. Their pack most likely harbors the same reservations. Hopefully, tonight will go towards solidifying our partnership, allowing our two packs to trust each other.
“From there, we’ll determine our positions and head to the Langley’s warehouse. The Alpha has assured us they will keep the meeting civil as long as we do the same, but we must be ready for anything. After their actions against our people and the Whitlock pack in the past, we have to take every precaution for all of our safety.”
“Yes, Alpha,” they say in unison, sensing the end of my speech.
“Let’s roll out,” I raise my voice, the commanding tone echoing across the crowd of gathered wolves, and they immediately set into motion, splitting off into their vehicles. Some continue stocking up the back of the armored cars with semi-automatic rifles, and others gear up, ready for anything. Despite not being able to tell them about our suspicions of a leak within our own pack, I need them to be prepared. We kept the details of tonight quiet as much as possible. Each of the betas gathered here was informed that they can’t tell anyone else of our plans.
“I’ll ride with you,” Silas murmurs, motioning to one of the armored cars. Following him, I notice a few others split off from the group, falling in behind us. I shake my head in exasperation but bite back the words, knowing they would do no good. I don’t deserve more protection than anyone else tonight. But their instinct to protect me is heightened after losing my father. Losing an alpha was not only a tragedy to the family and friends but almost a physical blow to the pack. Their loyalty crushes them, making them feel as though they’d failed. But this was none of their faults. No, that blame laid on his shoulders alone for leaving himself so vulnerable and for not bringing anyone from the pack—including me—with him that night. I shake those thoughts from my mind, unable to think about that right now. Otherwise, the dark abyss of loss and the blazing fiery rage I still harbored over that night would flood my judgment.
I slide into the back seat as Silas claims the seat on the other side, with two other betas taking the driver and passenger seats. My gut twists at them taking those seats and the inherent protection behind the action. Silas pulls a radio from his pocket and hands another to me. I frown down at it as he relays a message to the teams, unsure where exactly I’m supposed to place this since every other inch of real estate on my outfit is holding or concealing my weapons. I settle on clipping it to my waistband on my free clip. Men really will never know how easy they have it, they have so many pockets. Women’s clothes are made so tight-fitting most of our pants have fake pockets.
Our car advances from the lot a moment later, the others moving into line around us, another maneuver I realize, to keep our vehicle safe. Noticing my annoyance, Silas looks back at me abashedly. As an alpha, my first instinct is to put myself in the line of fire and protect others, but I have to be sympathetic to the trauma they’ve all gone through.
Silas leans forward, murmuring a few directions to the betas in the front before rolling up the sound-proof partition between us, both to add another layer of protection and cut off our impending conversation. He eyes me warily, his mouth opening and closing a few times as though he has something on his mind but is too nervous to voice it. I huff out a breath of exasperation and relax back into my seat.
“Just say it Silas, I won’t bite,” I tease, giving him a wolfish grin, my canines extending to contradict my words. He swallows, his gaze glued to my sharpening teeth, betraying the fear he attempts to suppress.
“I’m only joking, Silas.” I chuckle, the sounds pulling him from his thoughts.
His cheeks redden, and he anxiously rubs the back of his neck as I internally scold myself.Note to self, don’t joke about ripping people’s throats out.
“I wanted to check in with you, but I didn’t want it to seem offensive,” he admits, refusing to meet my gaze. “I know you’re my Alpha now, but I still remember you as a child. I know your relationship with your father was strained, but he was always your father. I just—I know you’re going through a lot right now.”
“You don’t need to hold your tongue when it comes to those things, Silas. I consider you as one of my inner circle, and I already know I’ll need someone to call me out at times. So please, continue to speak freely as you would with my father,” I say with a friendly smile. I’ll need more people like Silas in my corner if I want to be a great alpha. “And please use my first name. I’ve always viewed you and Seline like my family, and that hasn’t changed.”
Moisture wells in his eyes as he holds back the emotion begging to spill forth. I clasp his shoulder, knowing the pain he too is going through. He’s all too familiar with the pain of loss, having lost his wife during childbirth when Seline was born. Yet, despite losing his wife, he never let that affect his relationship with Seline. From what I recall, they’d always been close, and he hadn’t blamed her in the slightest for that loss.
“I know Seline has missed you … Skylar.” He pauses, as though forcing himself to remember to use my name rather than Alpha. “She would love to see you again whenever you have time, of course.”
“I actually plan to visit her tomorrow.”
Silas tilts his head, his brows furrowing in confusion as I fill him in on my conversation with Monte. I take in every expression that crosses his face as I tell him about my plan to bring more females into the inner circle.
“I think that’s a great idea, it’s been far too long without equal representation amongst the pack’s leaders. However, Seline may need some convincing,” he adds reluctantly, wincing at the words.
“We’re here, Alpha,” one of the men in the front says over the speaker, breaking through our conversation. Only then do I realize the car has stopped, clearly engrossed in my conversation with Silas. I look back at him and he nods in return, both of us slipping into our business modes. We’ll have to continue this conversation later because I need Seline by my side, that much I’m certain of. A feeling of rightness had settled over me as soon as Monte mentioned her as one of the strongest female betas.
Bile rises in my throat, and I work to push it down and center myself once more. I wish I could confide in Silas about the other situation ratcheting up the nervous energy that thrums through my limbs. Tell him the truth about the engagement with Monte and my connection to not one but two of the leaders of the Whitlock pack—because although Everett is their Alpha in name, I could tell that Zeke, the second in command, has just as much say in the pack. Because, unlike most packs that cast out anyone else of alpha designation, Everett keeps him close despite the threat he holds.
But I can’t tell Silas, not until we figure out who the leak is, no matter how much that thought slices through my chest. My heart is begging to spill the information right now and listen to his wise, fatherly advice, needing that figure in my life now more than ever. Instead, I glance out the window, surveying the expanse of warehouses just beyond our car, appreciating the unassuming layout now that I know what lies inside them.
A tanned figure strides out the front door, his short, dark brown hair buffeted by the night breeze. He scans over the cars while the betas file out as though searching for something, and my stomach flips at the thought. That is until his gaze locks on my window, the bond pulsing between us, drawing him directly to me despite the blacked-out windows.
I pull in a deep breath and force myself to reach for the door handle, knowing I won’t be able to hide behind this car door for much longer. It’s time to woman up and face these soon-to-be ex-mates of mine. With that, I step from the vehicle, ignoring the wave of heat that washes over me as Zeke’s gaze roves over me, drinking in every inch. Tonight might be harder than I thought.
Chapter Ten
Zeke
ThearmedDravenpackfiles out of their vehicles, but I’m only searching for one person in particular. I move my senses inwards, tugging on the bond I feel in the distance, pulling me to her despite the blacked-out windows of the armored Suburbans. The protection soothes the part of my wolf that is worried for her safety. The urge to protect her, despite her capable alpha status, could never fully be sated, not without her by my side where my wolf is able to watch out for her. But judging by last night, she’s going to make that difficult.
The bond pulls taught, as though she’s pulling my attention to her, and I’m eager to answer that call. I work to suppress the grin that tugs at my lips, not wanting to antagonize her and push her even further away. My attention locks on a car in the middle of the convoy, her car I sense, even though I can’t make anything out past the windows, not even a faint shadow. But I know she’s there, her gaze focused squarely on me, just as mine is on her.
My mate—my mate that, for some reason, doesn’t want me. She doesn’t even know me yet, had only been in my proximity for an hour tops last night, and she still wants to sever the bond that stretches between us. I refuse to let her utter the words, refuse to allow her to reject me, not without knowing me first. Which is why I’ll use this time to get closer to her, to break down those walls of hers and show her I’m more than my name. I’m not the heartless killer she believes me to be. Yet, aside from her words, I felt none of that coldness through the bond. My wolf sensed her desire for Everett and for me. Her betrothed, however, is another story.
