by Reese Morgan
“No—No!”
Nicolas grabbed her hand and pulled her forward, forcing her to jump.
Hayden screamed, plunging into the running water below.
Malicious iciness grabbed and encased her, immediately weighing her down and turning her breathless. Shock paralyzed her senses, making her body stiff with immobility. Somehow, Nicolas’ hand remained a solid anchor around her fingers.
With a tug, he pulled her toward the surface, fighting against the currents. Broken ice scraped against her skin, though she could hardly feel it with her body already frozen.
Nicolas broke the surface and Hayden soon after.
They moved with the current for quite a ways before Nicolas swam forcibly against the water and toward the shore. He kept his hand curled unbreakably around Hayden’s frozen fingers, tugging not only himself to safety, but her as well.
She was useless. Her limbs lost feeling long ago.
He made sure she found balance on the rocky shore before climbing up next to her. Both their clothes stuck to them like a second skin, weighing them down and emphasizing the chilly air.
Nicolas reached for her again, his hands steadying around her hips before hoisting her to her feet. She stumbled, her mind foggy, blank, and in shock.
They walked—or—rather he walked and dragged her alongside him.
“We need to find a safer place to recover.” Though he must have been just as exhausted, there was a hard edge to his tone. “Just a bit longer, Hayden.”
She wanted to tell him she was just fine. She could walk with him instead of him half-carrying her. Although her intentions were there, her body was not. As much as she tried moving on her own accord, her body failed her.
“Sorry.”
Nicolas hushed her attempts of apologizing, pulling her along. He moved away from the river, away from the rocky shore and into the thick trees.
After several more minutes of walking, in which Nicolas ended up carrying her, they came to a stop. They’d lost their pursuers, probably a long while ago, though they’d traveled further just to make sure.
Setting her down near the base of a tree, he wandered off and searched the area. He seemed especially interested in a small, den-like gorge in the earth directly underneath a tree. Rocks and boulders shielded it mostly from view.
Satisfied, he approached her and assisted her from the ground. They approached the earthy indentation before he began to take off her coat and pants. She tried to take over, having a general idea what he had in mind.
She was freezing.
He was freezing.
He overrode her attempts of doing it herself, removing her knife holster and abruptly taking off her shirt and impatiently snapping apart her bra. She moved to cover herself, though he forced her interference away with a sharp slap to her hands.
“I’ve seen you nude several times before, modesty is trivial at this point.”
“You have not—”
She abruptly trailed off when he began to strip his own clothes. In seconds, he was nude, encompassing her with his arms and engulfing her with his body heat.
As they settled onto the ground, Nicolas pressed her against the earth and shielded her body with his own. It was an instinctive male need to protect. His back remained exposed to the elements, perhaps making him even colder and far more at risk for an attack.
He held her close and Hayden’s face drifted towards the crook of his neck, sensing a great deal of heat emitting from that region.
She’d never been this close to Nicolas before, especially near his throat. Aware of the intimate and vulnerable area, and the prospect he would push her away, Hayden closed the gap anyway.
The only acknowledgment he showed was the tightening of his arms.
“It shouldn’t take long to recover,” he said.
Feeling was already beginning to reappear in her limbs. Her wolf, coupled with Nicolas’ body heat, brought a flush back in her body. Unfortunately, with feeling came the sudden realization of how close they were.
She inhaled him, feeling something stir in her stomach at their intimacy. “She wasn’t home. She hadn’t been there for a while,” Hayden spoke into his neck, feeling him stiffen as her breath hit his exposed throat. “Logan wasn’t even there.”
He remained silent.
“The others…” Hayden tapered off, afraid to ask. “Did they make it?”
“We were separated. Celeste’s men forced us away from the property. I had to loop back around towards you.”
The several males who’d accompanied them were from varying packs. Hayden was almost afraid to go back to the reservation and see if they made it. Blake had wanted to come, but Hayden convinced him to stay with the pack.
She was glad he’d agreed.
Then there was Cole. Hayden wanted to say something to Nicolas, but words failed her. She knew the man had seen Cole just as well. Nicolas most likely felt his own set of emotions upon seeing his brother in that chilling atmosphere.
He just hid it well.
“How many more dead ends will we hit?” she asked, feeling defeated.
Even though they knew Elizabeth was responsible for Hayden’s lycanthropy, and most likely Logan’s downfall, she was missing. Everyone seemed to be two steps ahead, watching as Hayden and the traditional wolves scrambled to catch up.
“You’re not one to give up,” Nicolas commented smartly. “We will hit as many dead ends as it takes to achieve success.”
She closed her eyes against her bitter amusement. “Aren’t you the optimistic today.”
“One of us needs to be optimistic, given our current situation.”
His face ducked down, imitating Hayden by pressing his face into her neck. Her spine stiffened as his lips found her jugular. She could feel him smile predatorily, most likely having heard her quickening pulse.
Teeth scraped her throat, sending powerful shockwaves down Hayden’s spine. Subconsciously, she arched into his body, feeling nothing but hardness and heat.
Her hands found his abdomen, tracing over the several indentations of his muscles. Excitement made her fingers tremble and grow bold in their ministrations, though Nicolas certainly wasn’t complaining.
“And in spite of our current situation,” Nicolas started silkily, “I rather like this outcome.”
His canines found and eagerly reclaimed the mark on her throat.
Hayden’s wolf surfaced readily at the claim. She pushed against him, wanting to dominate and enforce her own supremacy over a worthy mate. However, Nicolas had other plans and refused to relinquish control.
He grabbed her biceps and pushed her back down forcibly, using his larger body to exert control. Holding her down, he straddled her and curled a hand around her throat, forcing her neck back and exposing it for his enjoyment.
Amber encircled his pupil as he gazed down at her.
Hayden had never wanted anything more than she did at that moment. Logic and uncertainties were quiet as animalistic need washed through her.
Unexpectedly, a branch snapped in the distance, instantly thrusting them back to reality. Nicolas stilled, keeping his hand around her neck and remaining perched above her. The amber in his eyes abruptly bled away as he looked into the distance, his head cocked ever so slightly.
“Friendly allies,” he confirmed after silent consideration.
He turned back down to her, his fingers flexing and closing around her neck. For a moment, Hayden thought he would continue where they left off. His pupils remained dilated and there was an intense, hungry gleam in his eyes.
Leaning forward, his face hovered above hers.
Not one to wait for others to get what she wanted, Hayden closed the distance and boldly kissed him. Nicolas growled lowly, pleased, deepening the kiss, controlling it. It was intoxicating, rough, and far too short-lived.
Hayden protested as he pulled away, though she knew it was necessary.
She could hear the others close in on their position and she quickly reached for her clothes. Her
face was warm, though she knew it wasn’t out of embarrassment.
Mulling over what had transpired, Hayden found herself disappointed it did not come to completion. Though her feelings were haywire with confusion, she could not deny how good it had felt. Even now, as Nicolas stood a distance away, she could feel a static-like tension between them.
It hadn’t dulled at their separation but perhaps had grown stronger.
It would be an agonizing trip back to the reservation.
* * * *
“I never did thank you.”
Ignoring the female next to her, Hayden pulled apart the tender meat with her fingers, feeling far more animal than she’d ever felt before. They had no plates here, no utensils. No running water or bathrooms.
It was barren and basic.
Despite the lack of modern conveniences, the location was excellent in terms of vantage point. Several acres housed plenty of cabins that were more like rickety shacks. There was water and snow for them to boil and bathe with, and far more wild animals to hunt than their previous location.
By far, the best advantage was the overlook.
Werewolves lingered at the edge of Nicolas’ territory, watching the distance for any approaching figures. They would know a threat was coming well before their enemy reached their location.
Nicolas claimed he found the location when he was on the run from Celeste. Whoever owned the site abandoned it long ago. After careful and close inspection, Nicolas decided to make it his territory.
It was as far north as Hayden had ever gone, and the chill seemed almost arctic.
“Hayden?”
She looked sidelong at Devan, who perched next to her on a boulder. “As far as I know, Devan, there is nothing I did that owes your gratitude.”
Fergus, who sat at Hayden’s feet, paused as he reached for the cooking game. He looked between the two females before gazing imploringly at his brother. Nathan simply shrugged, pulling off his own piece of meat from the caribou.
Hayden hunkered down, observing all the other werewolves partaking in their own meals. Quite a crowd grew specifically around Falco’s pack, where three males recounted the events of yesterday with colorful descriptions and overzealous exaggeration.
Fortunately, all but two of the males who had accompanied her and Nicolas had survived the attack. From what she had overheard, the males had fled readily from the scene after experiencing the strength of Celeste’s puppets.
Surprisingly, they did not eliminate their cowardice from their story.
They only emphasized how unbeatable her army was.
The other werewolves, having yet to experience the puppets for themselves, all gathered around, eager to hear it from someone other than Hayden. It was fortunate others could vouch for her claims, and yet, at the same time, they were building the fear and mounting the panic.
“For saving my life,” Devan snapped, frustrated. “You don’t need to be so cold.”
As if sensing the rising feud between the two females, Blake looked over his shoulder. He stood with the rest of the Alphas a distance away. Nicolas even stood amongst the others, though she knew he’d rather be elsewhere.
“I didn’t actively save you over Addie. I instinctively removed the threat closest to me,” Hayden responded stiffly, feeling raw emotions build in her chest.
She didn’t want to talk about this.
“Is that what you think?” Devan asked quietly. “That you chose me over Addie? I don’t think like that, Hayden, and neither should you. I already know that if you were given a choice, you’d choose her in a heartbeat. But that still doesn’t mean I can’t thank you.”
Hayden lowered her hands from the meat and finally looked Devan in the eye.
She wanted to tell the other female how right she was, that she would have never chosen Devan if given a second chance.
The words failed her, however, as she saw the pain across Devan’s face.
Exhaling, she looked at the others, noticing their pinched and sunken expressions. They were all exhausted, all hurting. Just because Hayden had a vendetta against Devan didn’t mean she should make a scene and dig the issue further.
“You’re welcome,” Hayden said, her voice nearly inaudible.
Devan’s betrayal may have affected the whole pack, but in Devan’s eyes, she’d just wanted to be with Joseph. Hayden had no doubt she loved the pack, and she had especially loved Addie.
Hayden didn’t know the circumstances surrounding Devan’s time with Joseph, or what had happened to cause Joseph’s death.
“Hayden.”
Her head shot up and she looked toward the Alphas. Blake motioned her over, a grim line to his mouth.
A sense of unease darkened her mood as she stood up and abandoned her lunch.
What else could possibly go wrong?
Under the watchful eyes of the neighboring werewolves, Hayden made her way to the group of Alphas, noticing Nicolas now stood away from the others. He had his back turned towards them as he peered out into the distance.
Next to him, a rogue wolf sat on his haunches, looking as obedient as a pet dog.
Hayden stopped next to Blake, assessing the male Alphas with a critical eye. She bypassed the Albertville Alphas, pointedly ignoring Eric’s intense scrutiny, before studying the others. She only identified Kieran and his wild-looking partner he called a beta.
The others were strangers and they looked at her curiously, skeptically.
They’d never introduced themselves.
It would have bothered her once, not being included with the male Alphas. However, that seemed like so long ago, and quite frankly, she just didn’t care. They were leaders who often—no—frequently made decisions she did not agree with.
All she preferred was to be out in battle and actually contributing.
Blake caught her eyes and nodded towards Nicolas. “We have visitors.”
Her brows furrowed, but she pushed her way through the Alphas to get to Nicolas. Her anticipation mounted as she came to a stop next to him, looking at the valley below. She could clearly see a group of people make their way towards Nicolas’ territory.
“This could be considered another dead end or a possible triumph,” Nicolas murmured, placing a hand on the wolf’s head, who remained a fixture at his side.
Hayden squinted, trying to determine the identity of the visitors.
There were dozens of them, however, and judging from the feline way they moved, she assumed they were werewolves.
“Who is it?” she asked.
“Your brother.”
7. Chapter Seven
Julian Crow.
Son of Celeste and Logan Crow. He had an impressive, thoroughbred bloodline and he certainly knew it. He strutted around as if he came from royalty, though the onlookers were hardly much help as they gawked and whispered enthusiastically.
Julian preened at the attention and his arrogant swagger exaggerated.
He reminded Hayden of a very young, very immature version of her father. Though that shouldn’t have come to a surprise. After all, the apple never fell too far from the tree.
Hayden suddenly feared she took after them as well.
They all had distinct appearances, appearances that instantly recognized them as family. As Troy Arnold said, Crows were fair-haired, lanky, and possessed stubborn eyes.
She hoped, appearances aside, her similarities with them ended there.
Standing beside Nicolas, Hayden watched as Julian and his pack finally made it to the top of the reservation. He and his pack members were dressed in high-end winter gear, as if they had never experienced cold weather and went out of their way to dress accordingly.
Considering Julian dwelled in the south, she supposed there was truth to that theory.
He searched the crowd of werewolves before settling exclusively on Hayden. Behind him, his large pack flocked him obediently. He was very young to be an Alpha, especially of such magnitude, but Hayden knew they recognized he’d be unstoppab
le someday.
Until then, he had a lot of growing up to do.
“Well,” Julian started with a smirk. “If it isn’t my wayward sister.”
Hayden’s face was hard, if only to stop herself from rolling her eyes. “Julian,” she greeted stonily. “I’d say it’s a nice surprise to see you, but there’s nothing pleasant about it.”
Honestly, she never thought she’d see him again.
She thought about him occasionally, wanted to know more about him, but she assumed he’d stay neutral in the war and continue residing in the south. Julian was not shy admitting his dislike for Celeste and Logan, but he also hadn’t indicated he would actively work against his parents.
It made her curious to know what he was doing here.
Stopping just a few feet away from her, Julian reached up and pulled down his fur-lined hood. His cheeks were flushed pink from the cold and his eyes danced with smug mischief. He didn’t seem to mind the crowd of curious onlookers, he simply preened.
“Your resentment is misplaced,” he stated. “After our duel, I tried to warn you to get back to your pack, but you chose to listen to an untrusted source and walk right into a trap.”
“You lied by omission,” Hayden retorted fiercely.
It didn’t matter that Julian tried to warn them about Celeste’s trap. His indirect hinting did not have the desired effect, simply because they hadn’t trusted him. They were so desperate to get answers, they had listened to Marcus, Julian’s beta, as he gave them Troy Arnold’s name and location.
Hayden’s attention tore away from Julian to search his pack.
Marcus was nowhere in sight.
“Marcus is no longer with us,” Julian informed stiffly, clearly knowing the direction of Hayden’s thoughts. “I’m slowly weeding out my mother’s influence from my pack.” His attention then settled on Nicolas. “I am sorry for what happened to Cole.”
Hayden refocused on her half-brother with quiet rage.
Though he sounded sincere, she still held him partly responsible.
Said sincerity disappeared from Julian’s face as he considered both Hayden and Nicolas. A smug grin in place. “Although, I see it hasn’t taken long for you to move—”