AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“If it were me, I’d have a couple of guards escort him to his home and give him an hour to pack. Then, I’d kick his ass out.” Horace took a deep breath. “That toxin has been the black mark on my time of service. I would be honored if you’d allow me to help you destroy it.”
“I’d like that,” I said.
“Guards, escort him to his home. Check the roster for his inner circle, past and present. Kick them all out.” For once, the strict rules and lists for who was considered the alpha’s inner circle worked to my benefit. All packs had to keep records. As long as Ace has been in power, he’s kept track. The positions were valued but there were shifters who’d turned them down. Everyone knew working for Ace meant good things for your family, but it might cost you everything.
A pair of my guards escorted Ace away. Several members of his inner circle followed him. Wolf Creek deserved a chance at peace.
To my surprise, Viki, Ace’s wife approached me. She had yellow and purple bruises on her face, nearly healed by her shifter blood, but still visible.
“Did he do that to you?” I asked.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “I wanted to ask if I can stay here. Independent of Ace. I’m not listed as inner circle, but I am married to the brute.”
“The priestess is the only one who can issue a divorce,” Kyle said.
“I didn’t exile you,” I said. “Only inner circle.”
She smiled. “I’ll speak to Jenny. Thank you, Lola.”
“You do know that most feral wolves are nothing like our camp,” Alec said, a touch of darkness in his tone. “None of them are going to survive long.”
“I know,” I said. “I worry it’s not enough punishment for what they did.”
“It’s perfect,” Alec said. “The longer they survive, they more they’ll wish you’d killed them.”
We were silent for a moment and watched until Ace and his crew were out of sight. “What next?” Alec asked.
“I’m not sure,” I admitted. “I want to take down the barrier, but I’ll need Star’s help for that.”
Spencer walked over to me. “You did good. But you’re missing one thing.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“A pack must have an alpha,” he said.
“You want the job?” I said with a laugh.
“No, but you can ask who wants the position and set up a challenge if there are multiple takers or you can appoint someone,” he said.
“That’s correct,” Franklin said. “In the absence of an alpha, the king, er, queen, has the authority.”
With a smile, I stepped closer to the gathered crowd. I wondered if that’s why they were still gathered. That or they wanted me to make some other kind of speech. Appointing a new alpha would probably be good enough to appease them.
“Hello, citizens of Wolf Creek,” I said. “I know most of you know me. I grew up here, even if you avoided looking at me or pretended I didn’t exist.” The words stung a little, but they were true.
A few of the people in the front shifted their weight uncomfortably.
“Wolf Creek was never the family we were told it was. We were never a strong pack. We were a pack locked away from the rest of the world, run with fear and deceit.” I looked at the familiar faces. Fellow students, people I’d seen in shops and walking around town my whole life. I knew these people, even if they’d been told they couldn’t be kind to me.
“Wolf Creek should be a place we’re proud of. It should be a place where everyone can thrive, and learn, and grow. And none of you should be trapped here. Did you know that outside our border, shifters have their first shift as early as thirteen?”
A few startled sounds and whispers rolled through the crowd.
“There was so much hidden from us, but that doesn’t mean things can’t change,” I said. “Wolf Creek has an unusual history that’s flawed, but ours. You need a leader who can take you from what we were to the amazing pack we can be.”
Everyone’s eyes were glued to me, and I could sense the rising anticipation in the group. There was only one person who could take on Wolf Creek successfully.
“Kyle Sinclair, I’d like you to be the next alpha,” I said.
