by Bethany Shaw
Emily shook her head. She remembered that day all too well.
We’ll get more men here to help us protect our boundaries from unwelcome wolves. Maddie and Amelia can finally sleep easily at night. And you—you’ll be going to your own fortress. You’ll be safest of us all at Juarez’s compound,” Daniel stated, not meeting her gaze.
“You know, it’s not just me that will be affected by this,” she warned. “You’re his eldest son, the next alpha of this pack. How long until he starts dictating your life too, Daniel? Are you prepared for that?”
“I know what my duty is,” he responded quietly.
Emily narrowed her eyes. He can’t possibly believe that! The more she studied him, the more she saw the resignation in his eyes. Her heart broke for both of them. But she wasn’t ready to give up, not yet. “Don’t fall in love, Daniel.”
Daniel’s head snapped up in confusion.
“I love Marcus and I can’t imagine a life without him. I can’t stand the thought of another man touching me like that. It makes my skin crawl.” Daniel looked away. “Don’t fall in love because once you find someone you love, you’ll never want to let them go, even for duty. I pray that you never have to feel the way I do right now.” She stepped back, satisfied that she’d reached him on some level. “I’m ready to transition now.” She shoved past him and out the door.
She might not be strong or an experienced fighter, but she wasn’t going to succumb to this life either. She couldn’t. There had to be another way.
Chapter Four
Emily leaned toward the mirror as she traced her finger across her lip and jaw. She narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing her face. All evidence of her father’s wrath had disappeared when she shifted last night. Accelerated healing was one benefit to being a werewolf. Apparently being a she-wolf held no benefits, after all, her only use was to be a breeder. She gritted her teeth as anger coursed through her.
What am I going to tell Marcus?
She shuddered at the thought. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest and she let out a long breath.
The back pocket of her jean shorts vibrated, she reached her hand back and plucked out the device. Her hand shook slightly as she opened her new text message.
I’ll meet you at our spot in 10. –Marcus
Emily closed her eyes willing the angry, scared tears not to fall. Pull it together Emily. Opening her eyes, she took one last look in the mirror before returning to her bedroom and slipping her shoes on. Her stomach churned as she made the short walk down the hall to the stairs.
Her father stood at the bottom of the steps. Great! Now he’s spying on me too. Emily licked her dry lips and gripped the handrail for support. Holding her head high, she stomped down the stairs. Without a glance, she brushed by her father, and made her way to the door.
Emily gasped as warm fingers wrapped themselves around her elbow and jerked her backward. A shiver shot down her spine and she recoiled in a desperate attempt to free herself from his grip.
“I assume you remember our conversation last night,” Emmett’s gruff voice hissed into her ear.
Emily nodded but didn’t respond. Any thing she said would only result in further punishment—or worse. She wouldn’t be forgetting that conversation anytime soon—she wouldn’t be forgetting it ever. She’d never been close to her father, but last night they had crossed a line they would never be able to repair.
“I’m giving you fifteen minutes. If you’re not back in this house by then, I’ll send my men out and they’ll shred Marcus to pieces. After today, you’re to have no contact with him!”
Emily swallowed, turning enough to glare at her father. “I’m not going to let you hurt Marcus.” She wrenched her arm free of his hold and marched toward the door.
The hot spring air assaulted her as she stepped onto the porch. Her eyes scanned the woods to her right for signs of movement before she took off toward their meeting spot.
A light breeze blew, causing the leaves to flutter in the air. The soft whisper of the wind was a sharp contrast to the pounding of her heart. Emily balled her fists at her side, still unsure of what she should tell Marcus. They were always honest with each other. And she couldn’t stand the thought of breaking his heart. Tears welled in her eyes as she headed prepared herself to face him.
She stepped over a log and veered off the trail, toward the small clearing a few paces away.
“I was beginning to worry about you,” Marcus said, pulling her flush against him as he placed a tender kiss to her head.
“I got held up,” she murmured, pulling back. She met his blue-grey eyes briefly before she spun away.
“Em?”
“My dad knows,” she blurted.
A twig cracked beneath Marcus’ foot as he approached her from behind. His hands rested on her shoulders, giving her a soft squeeze.
“He told me to end things.” I can’t lie to him. I might as well tell the truth. “He’s formed an alliance with the Gulf Packs. I’m going to New Mexico.” He doesn’t need to know the whole truth though either, she reasoned. No one needs to know the horror that I face. Keeping it from him will help him let go.
Marcus was quiet for a long moment. His breath tickled her neck and she closed her eyes, enjoying his closeness. “Is that what you want?”
Emily swallowed. “It doesn’t matter. My father—my alpha has ordered me to go. There isn’t another choice.”
“Em,” Marcus said, coming to stand in front of her. “I’ll talk to him. I love you. If I make a declaration-”
“No,” Emily gasped, her eyes snapping open. She grasped his hands in hers. Her heart thundered in her chest as panic filled her. If he spoke to her father, Emmett would kill Marcus. She would rather live in this nightmare than live without him on this Earth. Knowing Marcus he would go anyway. She had to give him a reason not to go to Emmett. “I don’t want you to talk to him, because I’ve already agreed to go.”
Marcus’ eyes widened and he looked away from her, hurt evident on his features.
Emily clasped his hands tighter, hating the way his face crumpled with pain. She gulped, saying a silent prayer that her voice wouldn’t betray her. “There isn’t anything you can say to him. I told him how we feel about each other and he doesn’t care. Trying to reason with him would only infuriate him further. Besides, I can’t go back on my word now. I have to do what is best for our pack. We both knew this was a possibility,” her voice broke and tears welled in her eyes.
Oh god! I’m going to lose it.
“I’m not scared of his wrath.” Marcus lifted his olive-toned hand up to her cheek and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face.
I should have lied. He’s not going to let this go. On one hand she was thrilled he wanted to fight for her, on the other, she knew how the fight would end.
As if on cue, the leaves rustled a few feet in front of her. Emily gritted her teeth as two wolves came into view. She shuddered, realizing her father had sent them to watch their exchange. One of the wolves curled its lip up into a snarl as the other hunched down, wriggling its hind end, preparing to pounce.
They were going to attack if she didn’t do something. Even a skilled fighter would stand little chance against two wolves while in human form, especially when they were striking from behind. Fear gripped her, watching Marcus die was not an option. Think Emily! Say something to make him stop. Now! “I don’t want you to fight for me,” she snarled, surprising even herself at the ferociousness of her voice.
“Why?”
Emily pulled back meeting his blue-grey eyes. “It’s my duty to follow my alpha’s orders.”
“Regardless of your feelings?” Marcus frowned.
“Yes! The pack always comes first,” she said repeating her father’s words.
“This isn’t like you, Em.”
“I’ve made up my mind.” She took another step back. “This is over. I’ll be going to New Mexico. Its best we make a clean break now. Let’s not make this any harder than
it has to be.” Inhaling sharply, she spun on her heel and walked away.
“Em. Emily?” he called after her.
Don’t look back. Keep walking.
Her knees wobbled and a lump formed in her throat. She would not cry. Marcus needed to leave her alone or he was dead. She just hoped she had been convincing enough. Deep down, she knew that there was nothing she could say or do to sway him. There romance had been immediate, the attraction to each other unavoidable and instantaneous. He was the love of her life—her mate-her soul mate, but she had to let him go.
***
Marcus nodded at the waitress as she set a fresh bottle of beer in front of him. They usually came out to the nightclub on the nights Devon didn’t work. It was a great way to unwind and it helped Vincent and Devon stay off Emmett’s radar. In the past year, Vincent’s relationship with his father had deteriorated rapidly the past few years. Marcus wasn’t quite sure the reason for the change, but suspected it had to do with Emmett’s ever-changing attitude. It appeared he would need to avoid the alpha too.
Marcus eyes drifted through the club, searching for the two brothers. He spotted Vincent on the dance floor with an unnamed blonde, the pair moving in tune with the fast-paced beat. A strobe light rolled overhead, illuminating the dance floor in a rainbow of colors. Devon, who had been standing at the bar talking to a red head, pushed off the edge of the counter and made his way back to the table.
Marcus tipped his beer bottle back, letting the cool liquid slide down his throat. He set the drink down and slumped down with his head resting in his hands. The chair next to him scraped against the tile floor as Devon plopped down next to him. He wasn’t sure if he wanted Devon’s company or just wanted the time to himself to drown away his sorrows.
“Everything okay?” Devon asked.
Marcus looked up and let out a long breath. “Yeah,” he answered, taking another swig.
“Really? I’ve never seen you knock back more than one of those.” He pointed to the beer in Marcus’ hand. “What’s that, number five?”
Marcus shrugged, he hadn’t been keeping count.
“Emmett found out about me and Em. I mean, I guess it wasn’t ever really a secret,” he said, setting the bottle on the small round coaster.
Devon stiffened. “What happened?”
“She broke up with me.” Marcus shook his head. “She seemed...off, Dev. Worse, he’s sending her to New Mexico, something about an alliance with the Gulf Packs.”
“He’s sending her off to mate,” Devon surmised.
“Yeah. You’re familiar with the packs. Are they good people? Well protected? I can’t stand the thought of someone hurting her, whether it be the Gulf Packs, a lone wolf, or another pack.”
“I’ve heard some things. Did she agree to this?” Devon asked skeptically.
“She says she is okay with it. That she wants to go,” Marcus ground out as he recalled her words from earlier this afternoon.
“You don’t believe her,” Devon stated rather than questioned.
“Do you?”
“No.”
“You know more than anyone what Emmett is capable of. Do you...do you think he threatened her?” Marcus asked. His stomach churned at the thought of someone hurting Emily.
Devon sighed, running a hand through his hair. “As far as I know, he’s never harmed her before. But up until a few years ago he’d never done anything to Vincent either.” Both men’s gazes drifted to Vincent. Although, he appeared outgoing and friendly, the younger wolf carried a lot of baggage that he covered up with humor.
“What do we do?” Marcus asked, taking another sip of the amber liquid.
“We need to talk to Em.”
“I’ll see what I can do tomorrow,” Marcus volunteered.
“Be careful, Marcus. Emmett is dangerous, and my guess is that if anyone’s at risk, it’s you.”
“I know. But I need her to know that I’m not going away. I need her to know that I love her and that I’m going to fight for her.”
Devon nodded, watching as Marcus fisted his hand around his beer. Emily was his mate, and he wasn’t losing her without a fight—even if it cost him his life.
***
Emily pushed to her feet, quickly stretching before snatching up her clothes from the ground. After two shifts, all physical evidence of her assault was gone. Regardless, nothing would change the fact that it had happened.
Emily shook her head, willing the events away as she quickly slipped her clothes on. Wanting some more time to herself, she plopped down on a rock and absently began braiding her hair.
She smiled as a squirrel scampered past, kicking an acorn through the leaves. If only life could be so simple, she mused.
A crunch sounded to her left, and Emily whipped around as she shot to her feet. Inhaling sharply, she instantly recognized the approaching man’s scent. Marcus!
“You shouldn’t be here,” she insisted.
Marcus’ eyes met hers, sending a flurry of butterflies through her belly.
“I wanted to talk to you, Em. I knew you would be alone right now,” he said, coming to a stop in front of her.
“Did you make sure you weren’t followed? No one else was nearby?” she questioned, eyes darting from side-to-side.
“I checked the perimeter.”
Emily relaxed and fought back a grin as he took her hand in his. How can a simple touch feel so right?
“I needed to see you, Em. And now that I have, I’m even more worried. What is going on?” Marcus gripped her fingers as she tried to pull away. “No secrets. Remember?”
Emily averted her gaze, unable to stand his searing look.
His hand reached up, cupping her chin. Emily’s eyes slipped shut of their own accord as she melted into his touch and enjoyed the warmth of his hand.
“I love you, Em. We can get through this.”
“I don’t want anything to happen to anyone. My dad...he insists I go. If I don’t...” she shook her head, unable to finish. A lump formed in her throat and unshed tears burned her eyes. She couldn’t keep doing this. It hurt too much, every time she saw him her heart fractured a little more. She was in an impossible situation. No matter the choice she made someone would end up hurt.
“You don’t have to,” he assured. “Devon, Vincent, and I will figure this out.”
Emily swallowed as her head began to spin. Oh god! Not only is Marcus in danger, but so are Devon and Vincent.
Her twin brother might escape the full fury of their father’s wrath but it was no secret that Emmett and Devon weren’t close. Both Devon and Marcus could end up dead. She would have her freedom, but at what cost?
Her heart skipped a beat at the realization. If she didn’t follow her father’s orders, she could lose two of the people she loved most.
“Marcus-”
He cut her off with a kiss, his lips melting against hers. Emily grasped his forearms, meaning to push him away, but pulled him closer instead.
Her lips parted, allowing his tongue to glide against hers. She shivered as his fingers traced up her shoulders and neck before pushing her hair back.
“Gosh, I’d hate to interrupt something,” Vincent called as he approached, a lopsided grin on his face.
Emily jumped away from Marcus. Her eyes widened as she scrutinized their surroundings. Her breath quickened. Did someone see us?
“Relax, Em,” Vincent soothed, plucking a leaf from a tree and twirling the stem with his fingers.
Emily sucked in a deep gulp of air, willing her frazzled nerves to calm down.
“Em, what’s going on? It isn’t like you to be so on edge,” Marcus said, taking her hand again.
“Tears pricked her eyes. What should she say? At this point, the situation was only getting worse.
“I have to go,” she murmured.
“You don’t have to do anything,” Marcus insisted.
Vincent stepped forward, confidently. “I’ll talk to dad-”
“No!” she interru
pted. Heat scorched her cheeks as she remembered the altercation with her father the other night. “Just leave it alone. Both of you.”
“How can we?” Marcus asked. “If you wanted this, it would be one thing-”
Emily lifted her hand up to stop him.
“We all know there is a crisis amongst our kind. There aren’t very many fertile female wolves. It’s causing unrest amongst some of the packs in the area. The lone and pack wolves are going to continue to attack until they capture me, Maddie, and Amelia. This alliance with the Gulf Packs will keep us safe. As a species, we all need to do our part,” she recited.
“You and I will have kids someday, Em,” Marcus objected.
Emily looked down at her sandals as she wiggled her toes. “My dad won’t let that happen and I can’t lose you.”
Marcus cupped her face. “I would rather fight for you than see you off someplace you don’t want to be. You’re my life, Emily McKinley, and nothing will change that.”
Emily nodded, knowing his words were true.
“He threatened to kill you,” she sighed, closing her eyes. “Yesterday, there were wolves watching us talk, if I hadn’t...” she shook her head.
“Dad isn’t going to kill anyone, Em,” Vincent replied.
“What are we going to do?” Emily asked, looking from her brother back to Marcus. “The leader of the Gulf Packs will be here tomorrow.”
“We’ll come up with a plan,” Marcus assured.
Emily nodded. “The two of us should keep our distance while the alpha is here. If something goes wrong, all of us will pay.”
“Someone’s coming,” Vincent whispered. “Go, Em! Get back to the house and showered before anyone can pick up Marcus’ scent on you. Marcus and I will shift and go for a long swim. Hurry.”
Emily didn’t need to be told twice. “Be safe,” she warned before sprinting toward the house.
***
Marcus picked up the payphone and inserted his change. Devon nodded at him from across the bar. They’d both agreed that they needed to know more about the Gulf Pack and the tension between the other packs in their area. And, if it came to it, they needed a place to stay where Emmett wouldn’t think to look.