by Lecia Bester
"I agree. Amelia, I mean Emily, can be present. She may even be useful as a distraction. The trackers have a lead on Tristan towards the West Coast. We don't want him to think we are hunting him, so I'd like you, Marc, and Luke to find him. It will be less alarming than an entire guard confronting him." The council agrees with Emily's uncle. Tristan should be easy enough to identify in a crowd; we just need to find out where he is. The royal family also has a golden ring around their iris. I saw it in Emily's eyes. Like her icy blue wasn't devastating enough, they now had gold in them. I'm lost in thought again, but my father pulls me out of it.
"You have one week to find him. If you come into contact with members of the royal guard, you can play it dumb and mention that you three are on a little holiday trip for the weekend. We don't want them to become suspicious and report back to Erin." I see Marc nod along with my father. Marc is my father's Beta and head of the security team. I don't want to leave Emily right now. We've been making so much progress, but I know my father won't let up. Finding Tristan should also be our priority, and as the future alpha, I need to make it happen.
"Yes, father. The sooner, the better." My father nods his head in approval. Now I need to explain to Emily that I'll be leaving for a week. I'm already so behind in my classes and the year just started. When this is all finished, I need to focus on my school work.
I find Emily and Jess in the gym. Both are wearing cropped tops and tights. Jess seems to be teaching Emily some basic self-defense and right now, she looks hot. Her toned arms are blocking Jess's attempts at punching her, she side-steps a jab and without warning, Jess throws a round-house kick. I close my eyes, I didn't want to see Emily get hurt, but I don't hear the "thud" of someone hitting the mat. When I look up, Jess is giving her a high-five, both smiling at each other.
"Nice duck there, Emily, that was fast."
"That was so much fun Jess, maybe tomorrow after school we try it again."
"Yea, definitely." I clear my throat to make my presence known. Jess is quick to reply.
"Yes, Connor. We are well aware you are standing right there. Patience is an attractive quality, you know." She winks at me before leaving the gym. Emily walks across to her towel and water bottle. Her face is a little flushed and her forehead covered in sweat. The way her gym clothes outline her entire body has me thirsty. Watching her put the bottle of water to her lips, a little bit dripping down her chin and falling onto her chest...good gracious. I snap myself out of it before she notices me staring at her.
"Hi." She's smiling at me, it warms me up immediately and I pull her into a hug.
"No... I'm all sweaty." Her protest is in vain because I really don't give a shit about her being sweaty. I let her go and sit down on the bench.
"You looked good out there." I see her cheeks turn a darker shade of pink.
"Uh...thanks. I have all this energy that's got nowhere to go. We've been doing this for the last hour and I'm not even tired. Is that a wolf perk?" I laugh at her, her newness is refreshing.
"It's one of the perks, yes. We do get tired, but not as easily. Most physical things we do a little bit better than humans." She's staring at me with wide eyes. There's an awkward silence and the sexual tension between us is on fire. That escalated quickly. I break the tension.
"I'm leaving tomorrow for..."
Chapter 18 – Normality
EMILY
"I'm leaving tomorrow..."
"Leaving? Where?" Cymera whines and I tell her to calm down.
"Did the Jenner's speak to you about your biological parents?" The Jenners? My aunt and uncle told me what happened. Technically they aren't my aunt and uncle, but to me, it doesn't matter. They are the only family I have right now. They started at the beginning and gave me a history of the different packs and the overall hierarchy. Then she spoke about my biological parents, who were murdered and the kidnapping.
My biological uncle Erin didn't necessarily want me dead, but he could use me against my mother as leverage for control. The Alpha of the Royal pack rules over all other packs. There are ten packs in his region, and some of those packs are small, some are big. Other packs have unique gifts. All the different packs loved and respected my father, which made my uncle jealous.
"My Uncle spoke to me, yes. I know they aren't my real aunt and uncle, but they are still my family, and I love them like an Aunt and Uncle." Connor nods his head.
"I understand. I just wasn't sure. Anyway, there's a lead on your brother. Luke and I are going to see if we can find him." I'm winding the towel I'm holding into a knot. Connor places his hand over mine to calm me.
CONNOR
"I know everyone's been asking if you are doing okay, but you can be honest. If it's too much to handle right now, I'll ease up on the information." She takes my hand into hers and turns it so that my palm faces up. Sitting next to me in a sweaty T-shirt and gym tights, I still find her breathtakingly beautiful. Her cheeks are a little flushed from the exercise, and her hair is pulled into a tight ponytail with a few strands dangling in her face.
"It is a lot, but I'd prefer you just tell me. It's worse not knowing... I know I should be worried about my brother, or angry with my uncle, but I don't. It sounds cold, but I didn't grow up with them, and I’m not even sure what life was stolen from me. My foster parents loved me and I wouldn’t choose a different life if I could. I'm happy about my brother possibly being alive, but he's still a stranger to me. I just don't want to disappoint anyone." She's looking at the floor now. I lift her chin and see tears running down her cheeks.
"You could never disappoint me, Emily. It's completely understandable. Just know that even though we just met. I'm here for you always." She wipes away the tears and smiles up at me.
"I believe you, I really do. Which is odd because I've only known you a week." She is laughing now. I correct her.
"Two weeks, actually." Both of us are laughing at this point. For me, it's expected to be so attached after meeting my mate. It's a wolf thing. Everyone expects it, but she grew up with the whole: meet, have multiple dates before sex is even an option, be in a relationship for a few months, maybe get engaged, then marry. Wolves are more the: find your mate, have mind-blowing sex, mark her, have a mating ceremony and have happily ever after- all within a few weeks. I constantly need to remind myself to slow down.
"What about school? For how long?"
"About a week, Jess will look after you at school. It seems like you two are getting along well, so you shouldn't miss me too much." I say it jokingly, but I know I'm going to miss her like crazy.
"I don't think I have any control over missing you. I just feel better when you are close and less so when you aren't." She shrugs, and her statement gave me more hope than it probably should've. We are sitting side by side on the bench, close enough that our arms touch. Leaning forward, I take a deep breath. Screw it! I grab her face as gently as possible and crash my lips onto hers with need. She kisses me back, her impossibly soft lips molding to mine. We get lost in each other, and before I realized what was happening, she moved to sit on my lap. Fuck. Control yourself, Connor.
I mean, logically, it made more sense for her to move. She ran her hand through my hair, and goosebumps erupted all over my neck. If we continued making out the way we did, both of us would have neck spasms. Blood rushes from important places straight towards my dick.
She's not sitting still and the friction is adding fuel to the fire. My arms tighten around her waist to try and still her. Not working. I pull us apart, mainly to take a breath. As if she's waking up from a coma, I see her resolve to come back as the golden rim around her iris disappears, and Emily gets full control again.
"Emily, I'm gonna need you to sit still." I'm practically growling at her. She pulls back and gives me a sheepish grin. Her lips red and swollen from kissing me. She slowly gets up from my lap, and I sit back, take a deep breath, and blow it out slowly. Control Connor. Control.
"I seem to lack control when it comes to kissing yo
u." I stand and pick up her gym bag.
"That makes 2 of us. You need to go jump through a shower before dinner. I don't mind you all sweaty, but I think the rest of the pack won't feel the same." She fakes an insulted gasp at me. I just laugh at her. She's adorable. Wack. Did Emily just hit me with her gym towel..."What did you just do?" She is just standing and swinging the towel. Then suddenly, she wacks me again on my thigh.
"You better start running, little wolf." I try and grab the towel from her, but she rips it away. Laughter filling the gym, she turns and makes a b-line for the exit. I give her a little head start to be fair. When I get outside, it's raining, and Emily is just standing there. Getting soaking wet. "When I said shower, I didn't mean an outside shower!" She keeps her eyes closed and her head tilted up.
"It feels wonderful. Just try it." I drop the bag on the ground, close my eyes and focus on the rain. After a minute, I look at her, and she's smiling back at me.
Chapter 19 – Extraction
CONNOR
We left at 04:00 the following day. I didn't want to wake Emily at that ungodly hour. We were driving to the airport, Luke sitting at the back singing along to the country music playing. My ears were ready to bleed.
"Luke, you have many talents, none of which involve you opening your mouth. Please stop." Obviously, he ignores me and starts singing louder and more off-key. This is going to be the longest road trip ever.
"Boys, let's focus. This is rogue territory. You haven't shifted yet, Luke, and Connor's wolf is still new." Marc is our best of the best. He was a Marine for ten years before coming back to be in charge of our pack's security and special training department. His rigid exterior and camo pants give it away. I think his idea of fun would be 150 push-ups.
"Yes, of course, Marc. Our contacts said they suspect Tristan is in the coastal nature reserve somewhere. He drifted into a few bars here and there, then accidentally stumble onto pack land. He disappeared after commanding the Alpha of the West Coast pack to let him go. Let's start from the border where they found him and see if Luke can pick up his scent." Marc nods his head in agreement and giving a silent approval of my plan.
Regardless of the mission ahead, my mind wanders back to Emily. I know Jess will look after her, and there's no safer place than with my pack, but leaving her gives me a dull ache in my chest. Luke realizes I'm zoning out and gives me a light tap on my shoulder just before we reach the airport. "She's going to be fine, bro. Remember, she has a wolf, and they are royal. Much stronger than your average wolf. Jess is also a badass." He knows me too well, and the way his voice hitches when he said Jess's name doesn't go unnoticed.
EMILY
Connor left early this morning, and I hate the feeling of something being missing. It's Monday, and Jess is waiting at her Jeep to drive us to school. I'm happy to do something remotely normal right now. I barely had time to pack after my shift Saturday night, so Jess was kind enough to stock my cupboard for me. Her uniform fits me better, and I paired it with the same black boots I wore on Saturday.
Running down the steps, I skip a few and easily land on both my feet without snapping an ankle. Not that I ever really got injured, now that I think about it. I fling my bag on the back seat and jump in.
"Hey Jess, thanks for picking me up."
"No problemo. The packhouse isn't even a 5-minute drive from my house." I envy her carefree attitude.
"Glad to see your uniform fits you today." She winks at me. Her long blond hair perfectly braided down the side, and makeup was done flawlessly.
"Tomorrow morning, I'll be a few minutes early so we can do something about your hair. Lucky for you, you have perfect skin. You can pull off no make-up." She's like a fairy godmother, trying to change me from a pumpkin into a princess. It's ironic because, according to everyone, I am a princess of sorts.
"You think the boys are alright?" I'm more stressed than I'd like to admit.
"I'm sure they are fine. Luke is an excellent tracker, and Marc is our fiercest warrior. Connor, on the other hand, is an Alpha, so he's fine. No stress, girl." She's trying to sound calm and collected, but I sense a tiny bit of anxiety in her voice.
"What's up with you and Luke? You guys seemed to hit it off at the bonfire, and he's always staring at you when you enter a room?" I see a faint blush creep over her cheeks.
"He stares at me?... I mean, we are not friends. He's actually annoying." I don't believe her for a second, mainly because I heard her heart rate kick up a notch, but I decide to let her be and change the topic.
"When is your 18th birthday?"
"In a month. I wish it were sooner. You and Connor fit so well. It makes me long for my mate."
"What if Luke is your mate?" They would make the most ridiculously attractive couple.
"What? No...I mean, I wouldn't mind, but I doubt it." I give a little chuckle at her stuttering.
"Your secret is safe with me, Jess." I'm smiling, and I hear her sigh with relief.
Flicking her braid over her shoulder, she straightens her back before pulling into a parking spot at school.
"Thanks. I have an image to uphold, you know. Let's get this day over with. You've been gone a whole week, so I bet people are going to gossip. Tell them you got the black lung or something." Sure enough, when we got out of the Jeep, a few people stared, and I felt the bit of confidence I've gained disappear. On the other hand, Jess seems to thrive on the attention and swaying her narrow hips.
She saunters into the school like she's walking on a runway. I have to remind myself that I'm not going to bump into Connor today, which saddens me a little. I wonder if he feels the same. So lost in thought, I almost bump into someone. I look up. He's a very tall, well-built man. Young enough to pass as a senior but seems a bit older than 18. There's a familiarity about him, but I can't place my finger on what it is.
"Sorry, I was distracted and didn't see you." He's just staring at me. Dark brown curly hair and a big athletic build that towers over me. His eyes are deep ocean blue with a piercing gaze focused on me. "Have we met before?"
Finally, the man responds. "It was a long time ago, but it's so good to see you again..." We've met? Maybe when I was visiting my aunt and uncle, but I'm sure I would've remembered.
"Are you a student at this school? I haven't seen you in any classes?" He's looking around the school ground. Suddenly he jerks his head to the left and back to me.
"We will see each other soon, Amelia." I turn to my left to see what he was looking at. Jess is making her way over to me. When I turn back to him, he's gone. A smoky wood and citrus scent lingers. It's not familiar to me. Then I realized he called me Amelia, which is technically my name, but they changed my name to Emily since the kidnapping. That means he knows who I am.
Chapter 20 – Rogues
CONNOR
We found the wolf's scent we suspect to be Tristan just outside the East Coast pack border. We followed it for a few miles but lost it from there. Not even a trace. He must've jumped in the ocean to cover his tracks. We've been tracking along the coast and into the dense woods for the last four days but found nothing. Marc and I let our wolves explore at night while Luke kept watch over our camping sight.
We received an order from our Alpha to head back home tomorrow morning. Marc is going over the map, making sure we covered every inch of the place. Luke decided to get involved with a bottle of whisky, and after a 20-minute persuasion, both Marc and I decided to join him. Defeat didn't sit well with any wolf. We are proud beings, and our egos are easily dented. Even more so, being from a warrior pack. Going home tomorrow with absolutely nothing of value is going to be embarrassing, to say the least. All of us decide to drown our sorrows, and about 2 hours later, we are singing folk songs around the campfire.
A breeze whistled through the forest, bringing with it a foreign scent. All of us go into full alert but continue our sing-a-long so that whoever is approaching doesn't realize that we know they are coming. The distinct sound of a branch being stepped on gives aw
ay the location. He's at our 12 o'clock. Luke gives a silent nod indicating that he's aware and will handle him. At least two or more are flanking the noisemaker, and while we continue our merry tune, we silently pull out blades and get prepared for a fight. It can't be rogue wolves because they can't shift back to human form. Their animalistic side has taken over completely. These wolves are in human form and moving with precision towards us.
Within a few seconds, we stop singing and confront our unwanted visitors, using the element of surprise to our benefit. Luke takes down the 12 o'clock with a simple chokehold. My attacker is a bit more skilled and evades my punches. Clocking me on the jaw, I'm dizzy for a second. Shaking my head and regaining focus, I start throwing swift punches towards his sides. He's skilled, but I'm better. I kick him into the tree and step into him with my forearm blocking his airway. I split his lip and broke his nose. He's choking on his own blood.
"Who are you working for? What pack?" He's laughing in my face. Pressing my forearm harder down, a low growl escapes me, his laugh falters. I hear a shot fired. Turning around, I see Marc hold his shoulder, fingers stained with blood. Fuck. Luke is there to help him in a split second and jumps onto the attacking wolf. Snapping his neck with a simple jerk of his head, the crunching sound ringing in the air. I focus back on the wolf I'm pinning to the tree. He managed to take the opportunity to un-holster his weapon and fired a shot.
I reach for the gun, twisting it towards his chest. Just before I fire a shot straight into his heart, the wolf decides to speak.
"You don't stand a chance, young Alpha." Then silence. His body goes limp, and I let him fall to the ground. Stepping back, I focus on the pain in my left side. Blood is staining my shirt, and taking a deep breath proves to be painful. As wolves, we heal much quicker than humans, but a wound can still be fatal. Silver bullets are lethal in our blood. The faster I can remove this bullet, the quicker I'll heal. Marc has some field experience, but neither he nor Luke will go digging around in my flesh right now.