The sun sat high in the sky, heating the woman’s face even as the early October wind chilled her body. As she moved further through the clearing, the air became harder to breathe.
That could only mean one thing.
Ghosts.
The young woman hesitated for only a moment before pushing forward. Moments later she saw the source of the spirits.
Not caring about social niceties, the young woman marched right up to the man lying in the field. The last time she had seen him like this, he had been caked in grit and soil.
“Excuse me.” She waited for the man to look at her. “You have a ghost problem.”
“Huh?”
“You have a ghost problem,” she repeated. “You want me to help?”
“Lady…who the fuck are you? Better yet, do you know who I am?”
“You’re Trevor Farrell, reluctant Alpha of the Farrell Pack, unintentional Maker of the Amarok, and owner of the formerly disgusting Thirsty Howler.”
“How the hell—”
“Now,” the young woman interrupted. “Do you want my help or not?”
“Lady, you’re crazy.”
The young woman chuckled. That was rich considering Trevor was mated to Revy Mashall.
“You’re not cursed. You’re being haunted.”
Trevor looked at the young woman, his brow scrunched in concentration.
“Do I know you?”
“Not yet.”
“You look familiar.”
“I should.”
“You speak in riddles.”
“I know,” she quipped with a smile, sitting next to him. “Now, do you want me to help you?”
“Yeah,” he sighed.
“Give me your hands.”
Trevor presented his hands to the young woman. She pressed her palms on top of his.
“WHAT THE FUCK?!”
Trevor whipped his head around, seeing ghosts in every direction.
“Daniel?” he asked. Turning his head, his eyes got wider. “Dad?!” He turned his head again, and all of the color drained from his face as his eyes landed on someone he only recognized through photographs. “Grandpa?”
“Like I said. There’s no curse. You’re being haunted by your fucked-up family.”
“I don’t understand.”
“The Farrells are stubborn. They refuse to let go of this world.” The young woman gripped Trevor’s hands tightly. “Animals are more sensitive to spirits. Your wolf was being tormented by them. But, now it won’t.”
Trevor watched in awe as the ghosts disappeared instantly.
“What happened…where did they go?”
“I took them for you.”
She released Trevor’s hands and stood, brushing the back of her jeans.
“What?!”
“You say that word a lot. Do me a favor?”
“Sure…yeah…anything you want.”
Trevor would do just about anything. This woman had just saved his life and she behaved as if it was an everyday occurrence.
“Don’t tell Revy or Adara about this.”
“Revy! What if she’s haunted too?”
“Oh, she’s definitely haunted,” she said, walking back towards the trees. “But, you don’t have to worry about, Revy,”
“I don’t understand.”
She turned back with a grin that hit Trevor in the gut.
“The ghosts are more terrified of her than she is of them.”
PART III
“You know the first rule of combat? Shoot them before they shoot you.”
Faye
“Cowboy Bebop”
CHAPTER 31
REVY
Sitting on the small leather and wood sofa on the front porch, I sipped my coffee with my feet propped up on the small coffee table Trevor had placed out here for me. Dressed in nothing but Trevor’s shirts, I looked over the horizon. This had become a ritual over the last few days.
“’Morning, Beautiful Psychopath.”
My eyes roamed his bare chest and the loose sweatpants hanging from his hips. God, he looked perfect in the early morning sun.
“’Morning, Crazy Dick.”
“The fuck?” he laughed, sitting next to me. He placed a plate piled high with cupcakes and macaroons on the table.
“I’m trying out pet names for you, Sugar Dick. Why are you eating all those sweets so early in the morning?”
“Why do all of your pet names deal with my dick?”
“Because it’s one of my favorite parts of you.”
His laughter rang out loud and clear as the sun peaked above the horizon. He did that a lot now. Over the last few days, it was as if a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. I could see it in the way he walked, the way he smiled so easily, and the way his wolf stopped snarling all the time.
The wind shifted directions, and that was when I smelled them.
Wolves.
Trevor glanced at me and smiled. It was time.
“Ya know,” I yelled out to towards the forest. “If you’re going to try to ambush us, you might want to stay upwind.”
We watched as the group of twenty led by Brenna and Thomas stood on the front lawn. Trevor picked up a cupcake and took a huge bite.
I pursed my lips and whistled sharply. A minute later, Tank came through the front door. “’Moooorning.”
“Trevor Farrell,” Thomas called out. “You are not fit to run this Pack.”
“You’re right,” Trevor responded, licking the frosting from his fingertips.
“Here you go, Powder Sugar Penis,” I said, handing Trev my cup of coffee to wash down the cupcake.
“Thanks, Honey Tits.”
Bumping fists, we turned our attention back to the snarling wolves.
“Step down, Trevor. Or, we’ll put you down.”
“Too late.”
“What?” Brenna finally spoke.
“You’re too late. I stepped down almost a week ago.”
The wolves looked at each other in confusion. Tank moved to stand on the other side of me.
“Fine,” Brenna spat. “You’re no longer Alpha, this ain’t your house, and we’re no longer the Farrell Pack.”
“Right. Half right. Wrong,” Tank drawled.
“Shut up, Tank,” Brenna sneered. “You have two hours to get your things and get out, Farrell.”
Placing my right hand on Trevor’s nape, I massaged away the slight tension I felt there. Enough was enough.
“We’re not going anywhere,” I stated calmly.
Brenna growled, literally growled at me. “What did I tell you about lesser wolves addressing me?”
“Lesser?”
Removing my feet from the table, I felt Wolf come to the surface. She didn’t try to push through and I didn’t have to hold her back. For once, we were on the same page.
“Lesser wolves do ambushes at sunrise.”
I stepped across the porch on bare feet, Trevor and Tank staying behind.
“Lesser wolves tell bikers where they can find their target.”
Taking the steps one at a time, I felt power and dominance pulse through me as I stood before the traitorous wolves. The expression on Brenna and Thomas’s faces was a combination of shock and rage. I might have been crazy, but I wasn’t stupid. I had put the pieces of their little plan together quickly.
“Lesser wolves hire rogues to assassinate their alpha.” I glared at each of them, a snarl in my throat. “Let’s get one thing straight, this has been and will always be the Farrell Pack. Anyone ready to die today can come and try to take the reins from us.”
“Wrong,” Brenna sang. “He stepped down. There is no Farrell Pack.” A wicked grin covered my face. Satisfaction rolled through me the moment a light bulb clicked on in her head. “No,” she gasped.
Her glowing eyes ran over Trevor’s frame, and I could tell the exact moment she found what she was looking for. On his right hip, almost hidden by his pants was my claiming mark.
Yeah, I did t
hat. And, yesterday I went down to the courthouse three hours away and did something else. Something that changed the destiny of the entire Pack.
Whit my chin up and chest out, I declared, “I am Revy Mashall-Farrell. Russian trained gunslinger. The only Amarok Wolf. Granddaughter of Sophie Mashall. Mate to Trevor Farrell. And, newly crowned Alpha of the Farrell Pack.”
“Over my dead body!” Brenna screamed.
“That can be arranged.”
“I demand a proper Alpha challenge!” Thomas interrupted.
“Fuck you, old man,” I spat.
“Do not talk to my father that way.”
So, Brenna was Thomas’s daughter? Now that made more sense. They were desperate little crabs reaching the top by pulling everyone else down.
Brenna turned to the men standing behind her. “Step up for your challenge. Take the bitch down.”
Men who were several inches taller and at least one hundred pounds heavier lined up in front of me.
“You can all fight me at once.”
“That’s not how challenges work, bitch,” one man spat.
“Have you seen my fucking wolf?” I laughed.
“I saw the video,” he replied. “I’m not impressed.”
“Okay. Have it your way.”
I let the beast have me. Three seconds of blinding pain followed by intense power. When I reopened my eyes, I stood above the wolves, the tops of their heads barely reaching the bend in my legs.
I growled low and long. These assholes tried to kill my mate twice.
Hunt. Kill. Protect.
The wolf had been chanting this since Trevor made me Alpha.
“Don’t back down!” Brenna yelled, her voice shaking with fear. It was one thing to see Wolf on a shaky video. It was another to see her in person. “Kill her!”
Unlike Brenna, her allies weren’t fools. The wolves cast their eyes downward and exposed their necks, backing away from me. The bitter scent of their fear clouding the air, making my wolf harder to control.
Hunt. Kill. Protect.
Gale force winds hit us full on. Roars echoed in the distance.
“What the fuck is going on?” Brenna screeched.
“That depends on you,” Trevor said right before a prehistoric roar shook the earth. “As you can hear, the Green Dragon Queen don’t take too kindly to someone trying to kill her little sister. Ain’t that right, Savage?”
Turning my head, my gaze collided with the newest member of Adara’s makeshift Crew strolling out of the woods.
“Yep,” he answered seconds before his clothes were torn into pieces as a colossal silverback gorilla burst from his skin.
Savage’s hands beat the ground as he came closer, amber eyes glowing with bloodlust. Adara circled above us in the sky, filling the air with the scent of ash of fire.
“The Leones Pride is on their way.” Trevor stood beside me, his own wolf pushing to get out. “You got two choices. Step down or be put down. Choose wisely. The Mashall sisters aren’t known for their mercy.”
Without a word, the group eased back in the direction they came from. Brenna’s eyes shot daggers at me as she retreated. If she were smart, she wouldn’t push me any further. A part of me was disappointed. I was itching for a fight.
The other part was proud. I had done what no other Farrell Alpha had ever done. Ended a coup without bloodshed. I knew the shit wasn’t over. I was going to have to deal with that bitch Brenna.
But for now, I’d live in this moment.
Later, I’d let Wolf have her kill.
CHAPTER 32
ADARA
Two days after the showdown at Revy’s, I was preoccupied with problems of my own. The Amarok had stirred up a lot of shit since she got here and I was trying to clean up the mess.
My phone vibrated and I fought the urge to crush it between my fingers. I already knew who it was, Mayor Brown.
I was going to kill Rio, Alonzo’s best friend. He had given the mayor my number and the politician had been calling me ever since. When he realized that wasn’t working, he began to text.
With a grumble, I put my car in park and fished my phone out of my pocket.
Mayor Brown: I know you will not respond but this cannot wait. The Bayers, Clawsons, and Tieris have filed official complaints with my secretary. They are upset with your sister. Normally, we would not handle this. A Mashall would, but you are mated to a Leones. This has blurred the lines. Please fix this. We do not need a Shifter war. Also, I need to speak with you. It is urgent. I have stopped by your home and you have always been out. Please contact me as soon as possible. And remember, Don’t Be A Clown, Vote For Brown.
With a roll of my eyes, I got out my car and pushed the mayor to the back of mind. He wanted something, but I wasn’t in the mood to entertain him right now. I would make sure to handle the impending confrontation with the six families. Everything else would have to wait.
Walking through the front door of Nicky’s Diner, I nodded at Beck as I made way to my favorite seat at the end of the L-shaped counter. As much as I loved Nicky’s, Hell Fire desperately needed another restaurant. Especially now that we had so many visitors.
Ten minutes later, Beck was placing my usual breakfast of bacon, eggs, and grits in front of me along with a big cup of coffee.
“Thanks, Beck.”
“Welcome!”
Yeah, I was still killing this manners shit.
I had just dug into my food when the woman who summoned me finally walked through the door with a group of other customers. She made her way to me, a bright smile on her face.
“Adara, how are you?”
“Just fine, Mama Terrell. How are you?”
“I’m doing well,” she replied, sitting on the seat next to me. She ordered her meal and rested her clasped hands on the counter. “I’m proud of you girls.”
Snorting, I shoveled food in my mouth and rolled my eyes.
“Yep, that’s us. Model citizens. You should be so proud.”
“You both owned who you were and stepped into your destiny. I couldn’t ask for more.”
Sipping my coffee, I mulled over her words. I was not one that generally sought the approval or validation of others. But, Mama Terrell…she was the closest thing I had to Sophie Mashall. Her words and beliefs mattered.
“I need a favor.”
And, here we go.
“Okay…”
“I met this young woman a few days ago. She’s…troubled.”
“Aren’t we all,” I muttered, waving Beck over for a refill.
“She needs direction,” Mama Terrell continued. “She needs guidance. She needs a strong Alpha.”
“No. Nope. Not happening.” I knew where this was going and I wanted no parts of it. I had my hands full already. “Send her to the Bayers or the Clawsons. Fuck, send her to Revy! She’s an Alpha now.”
“She needs you, Adara.”
Yanking my twists back, I pulled them into a ponytail.
“I have a lot on my plate right now. Dragon still wants to burn everything. The town is crawling with humans. I’m dodging the fucking mayor. And, I have Savage.”
“Ah yes,” Mama Terrell chuckled. Beck placed her food on the counter and sauntered off. “The young silverback seems like he’ll be a handful.”
“Then you know why I can’t take on anything else.”
Dragon stirred beneath the surface. The stress of it all was wearing on us both.
“You need a Crew, Adara.” Mama Terrell raised a hand when I opened my mouth to speak. “Dragons are bloodthirsty and selfish by nature. They need something outside of themselves to care about. Something that depends on them…props them up.”
“I have Alonzo and Savage.”
“That’s not enough,” she snapped. “You have a dominant lion and a dominant silverback. That’s a recipe for disaster. You need balance.” She pointed towards the front of the building. The bell above the door rang. “She can provide that.”
I glanced at the
entrance, and my jaw damn near hit the floor.
Skin the color of warmed cream. Long hair as dark as raven’s wings. Glowing eyes as green as pine trees. Her curvy frame weaved through the customers as she made her way towards us. But, it wasn’t her looks that held my attention.
No, it was her feel. Her aura.
I wasn’t as sensitive to these things as some in Hell Fire. But, even I could sense that this girl was special. She was big.
“Holy shit,” I murmured. “She’s a fucking submissive.”
“That I am,” the woman stated, sitting next to me.
“You two need each other,” Mama Terrell spoke. “You need her to balance your Crew. She needs the protection of your fire.”
My Dragon was restless under my skin. Something wasn’t right. Ignoring the grumbling beast, I focused on the woman.
“What are you?” I asked her, not giving two fucks about manners.
“Panther,” she whispered, voice tinkling like wind chimes in the breeze.
Fuck!
I caught her ice blue eyes, and a sense of dread trickled down my spine.
“Buried or Turned?”
God, I hoped she was a Buried Panther Awoken by a bite. That would be easier to deal with than a Turned one. Shifters that were Turned were usually done so by their mates and became the same animal as they were. Buried Shifters could have any animal inside of them just waiting to be released…like Revy and me.
“Full-blooded.”
Double fuck!
Full blooded Shifters were born with their animals and shifted when they were toddlers. A female full blooded panther was as rare as a female full blooded dragon. Every Panther Crew would be after her. She would be a trophy.
“You’re being hunted.” It wasn’t a question, but she nodded anyway. The way she shifted in her seat had warning bells ringing in my head. “Tell me everything,” I growled.
“I’m an albino snow leopard.”
Sonofabitch!
“I was part of a Crew. I left because I…”
“Spit it out,” I commanded.
“I maimed the alpha.”
“Fuuuuck,” I sighed. “What Crew?”
Her hands shook as she looked down at the counter. “Selvaggio.”
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