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“I don’t want to be alpha!” he screamed. Owen didn’t wait to hear his father’s answer … he didn’t want to argue about it. He just wanted to get the fuck out of there and find Reika.
He shifted before he had even left the building, loping through the wide front doors and out onto the street. No one tried to stop him, and it was a good thing. His rage was rising swiftly, and he’d happily tear out the throat of anyone who came between him and Reika.
I have to find her.
Now that he knew her last name, he could search for her. To his dismay, there was not much to find. He visited a few locations, hoping to find where she worked or an apartment block where she lived, but even after scouring most of the city, he could not even catch the faintest hint of her scent.
At least, if I can’t find her, neither can my father.
His desperation grew as he thought of her innocently walking down the street and being suddenly attacked from all sides by vicious Raff pack members intent on pleasing his father. He had to warn her so she understood how serious the situation was.
His own emotions were not lost on him either. He desperately wanted to see her again, to look into her eyes, feel her skin under his fingertips, and drunkenly inhale her scent. He would stand between her and anyone who thought to do her harm … even if itwashis own father.
Eventually, Owen had to admit defeat. He couldn’t keep running around the city. He’d just exhaust himself if he didn’t know where to look. In desperation, he headed for the Lovell den. At the very least, he might be able to pick up her scent.
He shifted into human form and threw on the clothes he’d been carrying … no one questioned a dog with a pack on his neck these days. It was just assumed he was a trendy service animal … and approached the gates with his hands out in appeal.
“Please,” he said to the two huge guards that stood before the gate. “I need to find Reika. Let me in. I beg you.”
“No can do,” the bigger one said. “I’m going to ignore your stupidity for the next five minutes and give you time to walk away before we gut you right here on the street.”
He turned away, then lowered his head, shifted into a wolf, and changed direction in the blink of an eye. He leaped between them and charged down the hallway, roaring for Uldof to meet with him.
Then, he heard a low growl echoing through the dark hallway. Two faint spots of yellow light floated in the darkness, and as he got closer, he saw it was Uldof, also in his wolf shape. He was a massive, gray-white wolf, so big that he completely blocked the path.
“You wanted to see me, you filth?” Uldof growled.
“I must see Reika!” Owen cried, lowering his head, so it didn’t look like he was challenging Uldof. “Please, you don’t understand the danger!”
“I understand very well,” Uldof said, stalking forward slowly to press Owen out of the tunnel toward the door. “My sister is in extreme danger because of you. Raff pack members have already come looking for her, and I will never give her up. Do you understand?”
Owen did understand. The fervor in Uldof’s eyes and the rage in his voice echoed the desperation in Owen’s own heart … but he knew he could never convince Uldof that his intent was to protect Reika, not murder her.
Owen slunk away, heading for the gate but not taking his eyes from the rival alpha. The heat in his blood demanded he make a move … but what could he do when he didn’t even know where she was?
FIFTEEN
REIKA
Reika didn’t feel too worried about the supposed price that Dernet had placed on her head because of her time with Owen. She didn’t live or work anywhere close to either the Lovell or Raff den, so she assumed she was going to be fine as long as she continued along with her usual routine.
She went back to her apartment that same night, having a drink of wine to ease the few nerves she was feeling. She sat by the window that overlooked the city, watching the lights flick by in the darkness like flares over the night sea.
Reika’s mind drifted back to her night of passion with Owen. No one had ever touched her with so much care. It made her body sing. It was a series of unfortunate events that led to their meeting and, ultimately, a night of amazing sex. But it wasn’t at all meant to be … the man was from an enemy pack, after all.
She tried to shake the thoughts from her mind as she readied herself for bed. It wasn’t fair that she would connect with someone so well, mentally and physically, and then have to forget all about him. But that was simply life, wasn’t it?
She got into bed and snuggled beneath the covers with a heavy sigh. She would do anything to have Owen here in bed with her, his hands wandering her body and pleasuring her in ways she had previously only dreamed of.
Reika fell into a dreamless sleep as her imagination ran wild.
The next day, she returned to work at the cafe as usual. She was doing the closing shift, which meant she would be on her own for the last three hours. She wondered if she should be concerned about being on her own for so long with that price on her head and all. But she managed to distract herself enough with the bustling customers and cleaning up the tables and drink messes.
She closed up a bit later than usual, but that wasn’t abnormal. Once the weather became warmer, people stayed out later into the night. She locked up at eleven and began walking home just like she had thousands of times before.
Reika was considering whether or not the human life was soured for her after meeting Owen. She ruminated, the hot night hair rustling through her loose hair.
As she walked, she heard the sounds of a normal summer night. She didn’t realize a large black van had pulled up beside her, screeching its wheels until it came to an abrupt halt. She noticed it too late, losing the window of time that it took to shift into wolf form.
