Right now, Britta was watching Michael walk into the gym, alone with no one behind him. He was a regular at the Moonlight Pack regular hang outs now, but everyone still stopped and stared as the Elder walked in. Hann patted him on the back in the middle of the gym as they greeted each other, and Britta found herself staring at the scarred, pale white hand that grasped Hann’s own in friendliness. The skin was stretched over a small, skinny, long hand – and it wasn’t that far from a skeleton’s hand.
Hann and Michael walked into the office in the back of the gym together, with Kato, Ross, and Britta following behind them. Kato sat in on all of the alpha meetings now, as Hann wanted him to learn more and more; therefore, Britta was now in every meeting. And she was absorbing so much new information about what was really happening in the shifter world. It was crazy that so much was hidden from the average shifter, but Britta knew they were doing this as not to worry everyone into a frenzy. Hell, the whole race was in a frenzy from the things they did know about the uprisings and the rogues. If they knew everything that was happening, and if they knew the threat level of it all, the Elders were worried they would all fall into a frenzy of anarchy.
“How’s your search been treating you?” Hann asked Michael as they sat down together in the office, with Ross shutting the door behind everyone. Hann and Michael took a seat at one of the big, comfy couches that was pushed against one side of the spacious office. Ross, Britta, and Kato took their normal seats in the corner of the room, each of them sitting in their own chairs.
Michael had been searching for Gabriel, the Elder that had gone crazy and tried to kill and/or wipe Thea’s memory a few weeks ago. Gabriel longed for the old ways of the shifter society, and he wanted strict rules that were followed by all. However, the Elders like Michael knew that times were changing, and if the Elders were going to rule efficiently, they needed to change and adapt with the shifters and the world.
Gabriel and the select few didn’t see it this way. They tried to stage an invasion on the Moonlight Pack and take away Thea, but they failed when Michael showed up with all the Elders on his side, as well as the whole pack of shifters. Gabriel was forced to run off, with only a few Elders that still followed him, but not before he made accusations that maybe Kaiser was right about his view of the world.
And that was very scary for everyone. Because Kaiser didn’t view halfies or humans to have any place in the shifter society. And he was willing to kill to make his view known.
“Sadly, I have not found any new evidence or lead on where our dear Gabriel is,” Michael told Hann, his voice a whisper that bounced off of the walls until it landed near Britta. She couldn’t help the goosebumps that found a home on her arms. Elders always seemed to whisper, though they were always heard by all that needed to hear what they were saying.
Britta was there when Gabriel showed up and tried to take Thea away. For a few minutes, she was the only shifter there with Thea, the only one between one of the most powerful things around and a tiny human. Britta still had nightmares about how it could’ve turned out. She still had memories of the fear that coursed through her veins as she snarled at the evil that attacked her in unseen waves, rolling off of Gabriel and the Elders that stood behind him in the woods that dark, frightening night.
“I’m afraid that we won’t find Gabriel until he wants to be found,” Hann admitted, leaning back on the couch and crossing his legs. Even though he was talking of serious and potentially deadly people, Hann had that causal smile on his face that he always did. Britta envied her Elder. She wished she could play it nonchalant and cool like he did on a daily basis.
Though when her alpha was truly mad and upset, it was the scariest thing that Britta had ever seen. She never wanted to be on the receiving end of that emotion.
“I think you are right, my friend,” Michael nodded as well, also leaning back on the couch. Britta thought it was so weird to see an Elder relaxing. “However, I do have some bad news about a recent uprising that was to take place in Vermont.”
Britta quickly snapped upright. Vermont wasn’t that far away. An uprising there, a successful uprising of rogues, wouldn’t be good for anyone – especially the Moonlight Pack.
“Tell me,” Hann said, leaning forward now, his forearms resting on his knees.
“There was to be an uprising of rogues near one of the smaller packs in Vermont,” Michael told him, his whispered voice staying the same despite the situation. “However, the rogues that came to band together simply couldn’t. We’re not sure how it started, but they all started attacking each other. When we got there, there were bodies of rogues everywhere. It was a bloodbath. Some of the rogues that were still alive were able to tell us that it started with two rogues fighting, eventually turning into a full out riot and brawl between the shifters that were supposed to ban together. Even though these rogues were not a part of our society, it was still a great amount of shifter blood that was lost on that day.”
Before Hann could say anything regarding the rogue massacre, there was a knock at the door. Hann and Michael nodded at each other as Hann stood up to open it up, obviously knowing who it would be. Britta could tell that Ross and Kato didn’t though by the way the straightened up in their chair. All three of them watched Hann open the door to a shifter that none of them had ever met before. Britta quickly realized from his scent that this young shifter was an alpha, something that obviously surprised Kato as well.
“Ethan, my friend,” Hann greeted him with a smile, shaking his hand and ushering him in. Ethan was a tall shifter with honey brown skin, dark brown eyes, and close shaven black hair. When he smiled at Hann, Britta saw pearly white teeth. The guy was handsome. Britta couldn’t believe he was an alpha, though. He was so… young. She wondered what happened to the alpha before him. Sadly, when a young shifter became an alpha, that normally meant something, sometimes horrible, happened to the prior alpha. Ethan looked like he had to step in and become the alpha of his pack.
“So good to see you again, my child,” Michael told Ethan as he stood up and greeted the young alpha. Britta, Kato, and Ross all stood up to greet the new shifter, wondering where he was from.
“Friends, this is Ethan, the new alpha of the Blue Creek Pack from Louisiana. New Orleans, to be exact. Ethan contacted me a few days earlier to talk about potentially coming here and learning from our group, as well as helping out in whatever way he could,” Hann told them all, an arm slung around the young alpha’s shoulders. “I, of course, accepted.”
“I realize that I’m younger than you expected,” Ethan told the three who were standing up, shaking his hands. Britta tried to keep her face as neutral as possible, though she noticed Kato gave him a reassuring smile. “My father was… well, older than most shifters when he decided to finally have children. He wanted me to take his place, but he died only a few months ago from old age. Hence, why I’m here instead of him.”
Even though Ethan wasn’t that young, he was probably about 25 years old, that was incredibly young for shifters to be alphas – especially because shifters lived long lives. Kato was around his age, and he was just beginning his training as the next alpha. It would be years before Hann officially stepped down for Kato to take control.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Kato told him as he shook his hand, and both Britta and Ross nodded in silence to show respect to this new alpha.
“I thank you for that,” Ethan smiled at him. “He was a great leader.”
“That he was,” Hann butted in, smiling. “And a very dear friend to me and Michael here. He will be missed, my son. Now, I appreciate you coming out here and offering your allegiance to us after everything that has happened. It won’t be forgotten.”
“I would also like to learn while I am here,” Ethan announced to the room. “Every shifter should be in the best shape possible, in regard to fighting techniques. I’ve been hearing that you were thinking about putting together some classes, or one on one sessions with some of your t
op shifters. I would like to join in and learn from your warriors.”
“Well, we have one of our very best right here,” Hann said, smiling at Britta. She grinned humbly back at her alpha, not used to the attention she was getting. “I’m going to persuade Britta here to start teaching some shifters the defense and attack techniques she’s seemed to have perfected. I would talk to her to see what she’s planning. She’s nothing but the best.”
Britta smiled at her alpha again, not knowing what to do with all of the attention she was garnering. She, for a quick second, wished that Grant was with her. He would able to see that she was feeling awkward and put her at ease.
She hated that she thought that, especially after his weird jealous and angry attack that he had with her and Finn. Which was a big fight over nothing.
She couldn’t believe that her alpha was complimenting her, a feat that not a lot of shifters get. Yet, instead of dwelling on this fact, all she could think about was Grant.
CHAPTER 8
Grant needed to talk to Britta. He needed to let her know that he knew he was an asshole earlier with her and Finn. He wanted to apologize – he needed to apologize.
As Grant walked around the gym, having just gotten all of his emotions out through his workout with his trusty punching bag in one of the corners of the gym, he knew he had to keep his cool. He couldn’t be acting crazy emotional when he saw Britta. He knew that if he was just himself, and if he just honestly apologized, then she would forgive him and everything would be okay.
Or, at least, he hoped that everything would be okay.
Grant saw Britta leaving the back office from across the gym, but he slowed his walking when he realized that she wasn’t alone. There was another shifter with her, and Grant realized that he didn’t know who this shifter was, either. Grant didn’t know how he felt about all these new, different shifters from who-knows-where coming to Maine. It didn’t sit right with him, and he found himself not trusting any of these shifters.
Grant couldn’t believe his anger and distrust had reached that level. Before Kaiser came and murdered Moonlight Pack members, before everything happened, Grant never would’ve judged or distrusted any shifter that wasn’t a part of his pack. Now, though, things were different. He couldn’t handle being on the losing side again. And if that meant that he didn’t trust anyone and watched every single thing these new shifters did, then that’s what that meant. He couldn’t bear to lose someone else that he loved. He simply wouldn’t let it happen. Ever again.
Grant heard Britta talking to this strange, tall shifter as he waited for her near one of the pull up bars.
“Well, just let me know if you need any help,” Britta was telling the shifter with a smile on her face. “Or if you need some tips on the best places to eat. If you need help with anything, just let me know.”
“Okay, that sounds great,” the shifter replied. Grant squinted his eyes at the shifter’s back as he tried to find out why he had a weird scent. “Thanks for offering to help me. I’m afraid I need all the help I can get.”
“Don’t worry, Ethan,” Britta chuckled along with him. “By the time you’re done here, you’re gonna be invincible.”
“One can only hope,” the shifter responded before he waved goodbye and walked out of the gym. As the shifter left, Grant finally realized and picked up on the scent and aura that the shifter was emitting. The shifter, Ethan, was an alpha. And a young alpha at that.
Grant wanted to know what was going on. He walked up to Britta, hoping that this time his jealousy wouldn’t take over his mouth and brain.
Britta turned around when Grant walked over, her smile instantly dropping as she met his eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him, obvious anger in her eyes and body language.
It looks like she wasn’t over their little fight they had early. Grant sighed. This was going to be great.
“Can I help you with something?” Britta asked him, her voice monotonous and not reflecting her emotions in the slightest.
“I came over to apologize,” Grant muttered, his own anger still buried beneath what he was saying.
“Oh, you mean you came to apologize for being a complete dick earlier?” Britta asked him, her black hair, that was tied up in a high ponytail, moving with ever move her head made. “You mean, you came to apologize because you’re a jealous asshole?”
“I’m not--,”
“Oh, don’t try and defend yourself,” Britta snapped, cutting him off. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”
“I’m ridiculous?” Grant exclaimed. Her anger at him had released the anger and jealousy that he was trying so desperately to hold in. It looked like he was losing that battle, though. “You’re the one that’s constantly spreading your legs for guys to give you attention. I’m the one who’s just trying to let you know how desperate you look to everyone who’s not out to just screw you and then leave you.”
The minute the words escaped Grant’s mouth, he knew that what he said was wrong. And it crossed a major line.
Britta’s mouth snapped closed, and she stared at him, her face going blank and no hint of emotion showing up on her perfect, porcelain face. If she was hurt by what Grant just said, she gave him no hint of it.
“You know, you’re truly a dick,” Britta replied, laughing bitterly and not meeting his eyes. Her refusal to look at him was the only way that Grant knew what he said actually hurt her. And he hated himself instantly for everything he said. He didn’t want to hurt her. He never wanted to hurt her. Why was he like this? “And, if you honestly knew me and cared about me, you would realize that all of those rumors that are spread about me through the pack? Those are just that: rumors. And I can’t believe you, out of all people, would throw that in my face and not know the truth. You’re a dick.”
And then, with one more bitter laugh, Britta turned on her heels and left the gym, not looking back at Grant at all.
Grant felt like shit. He brought this pain on himself, but he only wished that he could turn back time and not say what he did. He didn’t mean to say any of those things, and he hated that he made Britta upset, even though she would never let him see her hurt.
The worst part was, Grant knew that those stories about Britta weren’t true and were just rumors. For a few years, there have been nasty stories that were constantly spread about Britta sleeping with almost every male, and even some females, in the pack. No one knew how the rumors got started, and no one ever said anything to Britta because they all knew that she could kick everyone’s ass, but the guys in the pack, the younger guys at least, kept this rumor alive.
The rumor wasn’t true, though. And the majority of the pack knew this – except for the dumb, immature, young shifters that continued to keep the rumor around. Grant couldn’t believe that he would throw those lies in Britta’s face. And he knew that, no matter what she said, those rumors stung and always would. The pack could be horrible sometimes, and while Grant and Britta both thought that a lot of the members had changed for the better, the past and everything that had happened still stung.
“You’re a dick,” Kato said as he sidled up next to him, his arms crossed across his chest. He was staring at the doors that Britta just left through, as was Grant.
Grant sighed. Kato must’ve heard what was going on.
“That’s what I’m told,” was all Grant could respond with. Kato and Britta were right: he was a dick. And he felt horrible about the whole thing. He wished he could just run to wherever Britta was and take her in his arms. He wanted to make her feel better. He wanted her to know that she could trust him. He wanted her to know how he really felt.
“Everyone knows how you and Britta feel about each other, you know,” Kato told him, making Grant swivel around in confusion to look at his friend. What in the world was Kato talking about? He couldn’t possibly mean that he knew how Grant truly felt about Britta – because that would mean that Britta felt the same. And Grant knew that tha
t couldn’t possibly be true.
“What do you mean?” Grant asked, attempting to play it safe.
“I mean, everyone knows that you two like each other,” Kato responded. “As in, you both like each other more than friends. It seems that everyone knows this – except you two, of course. So, you two continue to bicker and fight, all while hiding the feelings that are so very obviously there.”
“I have no idea what you’re even saying,” Grant tried to laugh. His mind was whirling at what Kato was saying. It was one thing to have an unrequited crush on a woman who would never like him. A crush on a woman that was way too good for him – and way out of his league. It was quite another thing to learn that that woman might just have some type of feelings for him, as well.
“Grant, if you like Britta, just tell her. It’d save all of us some energy. We’re getting annoyed having to deal with you two.”
And with one pat on the back, Kato left Grant standing in the middle of the gym, alone again. Grant shook his head, refusing to believe in everything that Kato just told him.
Because there was no way in hell that Britta felt anything other than hate and disgust towards him. Especially after everything he just said to her.
But the thought of Britta actually feeling something towards him? Well, that brought a smile to his face.
CHAPTER 9
Britta needed to get rid of these feelings that she was having. She needed to do something. Anything. So, after calling Thea and Annie and agreeing to meet at their mansion, Britta found herself showing up with a huge box full of all the different kinds of alcohol she could find. Beer, tequila, whiskey, vodka… Just about everything was in there. And Britta couldn’t wait to numb her emotions for just a few minutes. She hated the way her mind was currently whirling from what Grant said to her.
And she hated that she just wanted to cry. She hated that he could make her feel so small, while also make her long for his touch.
The Uprising (Moonlight Wolves Book 3) Page 4