by Reese Morgan
Fergus plopped down next to her and took the snowball from her hands. “He’s home today…” he grumbled, but didn’t press further. They both knew he was working in his office. “Blake’s been with Rachel every day. I hardly get to see him. And Addie tries to run all-day errands in town.”
“You really liked her, didn’t you? Rachel?”
Fergus’ fingers curled into the snowball, causing the sphere to explode in a shower of flakes. “I did, but that was mostly before Nathan left our pack. Besides, I’ve come to accept that there isn’t much chance of a girl liking me for who I am.”
“Nonsense,” Hayden admonished fiercely. She reached over to brush the snow from Fergus’ hands, squeezing them reassuringly in the process. “I find you endearing. Any woman would be a fool not to see everything you had to offer.”
Sullen disbelief washed Fergus’ features as he stared at their entwined hands. “It doesn’t matter anyway. Romance is the last thing on my mind. As the pack omega, I experience the pack’s turmoil. We’re not doing so well, Hayden. I’d like to try to fix things, but I don’t even know where to start.”
Hayden blinked “I thought I was the only one who noticed.”
It was becoming more common for Fergus to express solemnity and grimness as opposed to his usual silliness. As he sat next to Hayden, he was nothing short of disheartened. Again, she was reminded of all the things Fergus was going through. To experience the turmoil of each pack member on top of his own grief would wear anyone down.
“No, you’re not the only one.” Fergus stared down the incline of Cole’s property and towards the road. “When we were whole, I never realized how much Nathan and Devan completed the pack. Now that they’re gone, I can see the gaping holes they left behind.”
Though Hayden hadn’t known Devan well, she could clearly see the destruction left in her wake. Nathan’s absence was even more conspicuous.
“Blake is questioning his role as beta now that Nathan is gone, and he’s also more sensitive to Cole’s criticism. It’s why he’s so absorbed with Rachel. She makes him feel needed and wanted. Important.” Fergus’ eyes gazed past the trees and towards town. “And Addie…” he trailed off. “She all but raised Devan as a daughter. She’s still grieving.”
Hayden remembered Cole mentioning that the pack had their own way dealing with grief. She was surprised Fergus noticed all this with his empathy of the pack.
“And you,” Fergus started, turning back to Hayden. He tightened his hand over hers. “You’re still new to the pack, yet you already have an Alpha’s instinct to protect us all. You’re frustrated that you can’t relate to our grief over Devan. As a result, you try to distance yourself and keep busy with other things.”
“And Cole?” she asked, barely achieving anything above a whisper. Fergus had the ability to raise a mirror and reflect their faults and their accountabilities back at them. It was a remarkable, but unsettling gift.
Blond eyebrows rose and the omega glanced at the house behind his shoulder, perhaps to check to see if Cole was loitering. “Both of you are too alike for your own good. He’s difficult to read and he thinks he needs to hide what he’s feeling.”
“What do you think he’s feeling?”
“Guilt. Longing.” Here, Fergus looked pointedly at Hayden. “I believe he’s over Devan’s betrayal, but then again, he was always more angry with her than troubled over her absence. He wants to be around the pack more often, but he’s struggling just to keep his head above the water with finances. When he’s not preoccupied with work, he’s preoccupied with you.”
She deadpanned at his knowing look before focusing on the more approachable observation. “If Cole’s really struggling with money, why doesn’t he just declare bankruptcy and we can all find jobs to support each other?”
Fergus pressed his lips together and Hayden knew the answer right away.
“Male egotism. He needs to get over that,” she murmured. Instantly, she sobered and nudged him with her shoulder. “We all might have our problems, Fergus, but you’re also experiencing disappointments. You lost Devan, Nathan, and Blake all in a short span of time.”
He hung his head, his sorrow becoming hers. “I should be happy for Nathan and Blake.”
“No. They can have what they want, but that doesn’t mean they can leave you behind. When was the last time Nathan came to visit you? And when was the last time you and Blake hung out without Rachel? You have every right to feel wronged.”
Fergus released her hand and began scooping up another pile of snow, perhaps giving himself some time to gather his thoughts. “Even so, I still feel it’s my duty to fix the pack.”
“That is not your obligation alone, Fergus.” Hayden sighed and leaned backwards, bracing her palms behind her. Throwing her boots on top a packed mound of snow, she stared listlessly into the woods. “Maybe time is all we need to mend things.”
Even though Fergus was constructing a mini snowman, he remained grim. “Time can mend many things, but it can also do a lot of damage if left to its own devices. It’s best if we work with time and try to change things gradually.”
After carving three separate sections of his snowman, Fergus sat back and admired it. Reaching no higher than two feet in height, the snowman’s three body parts were perfectly shaped and proportioned.
“Do we have any raisins for his mouth?”
Hayden looked at Fergus sharply. “Cole won’t want you rummaging through his Raisin Bran.”
He seemed disappointed but brightened a moment later. “We can use Fruit Loops then.”
Considering this, Hayden nodded seriously. “Fruit Loops would definitely be a Fergus-inspired alternative.” She sat up. “What will you use for his eyes?”
A mischievous smile blossomed across his face, revealing a set of yellow teeth that hadn’t been displayed in ages. “Blake’s Oreos. I’m sure he won’t miss a few.” He clambered up, excited at the notion of getting on Blake’s bad side. “And if we get hungry while we’re decorating the snowman, we should be able to help ourselves to the rest.”
“I’ll get the milk,” she volunteered.
“Chocolate milk!”
Before they could sneak into the house and steal Blake’s Oreos, they overheard laughing coming from the street. Turning, Hayden scowled when she saw Blake wander into the property with Rachel at his side.
Cole had warned Blake once. Obviously, he was allowing Blake’s flirtation and attachment to continue in order to teach the beta a lesson. He believed Rachel would leave as soon as a better opportunity presented itself. Hayden didn’t want to see that happen and was not inclined to support Cole’s decision of waiting for the destruction to hit the fan.
Fergus stood next to her, watching the pair with discontent. Either he still liked Rachel, or more reasonably, he just wanted Blake back.
“Hello, Fergus,” Rachel hailed softly, using that well-mannered and sweet tone of hers. “I see you’re building a snowman. How cute.” She smiled pleasantly at Fergus and Hayden, intentionally avoiding the latter’s eyes.
As any typical male werewolf would do in the presence of females they claimed as their own, Blake grew territorial. His expression closed and his shoulders stiffened when Rachel turned to smile at Fergus.
“And he’s also building a tree house,” Blake supplied with false enthusiasm, pointing out the pile of wood next to the old, gnarly oak. “No one ever said Fergus wasn’t ambitious with his extracurricular activities.”
Hayden’s eye twitched and Fergus continued to stand passively. She firmly believed Blake did not intentionally mean to harm his pack members, but as Fergus commented earlier, Blake was coping his own way. He was infatuated with Rachel because it made him feel appreciated, and in turn, he wanted to appear capable and impressive.
Before his insecurities, before Rachel, Blake would have been right alongside Hayden and Fergus. He would have found ways to transport more snow into the front yard so they could successfully build their fort.
Just as she was about to throw the second snowball at Blake, he turned around, beyond furious.
“Stop acting like Devan, Hayden. There are other women worth getting to know besides yourself. Your jealousy is uncalled for.”
His words cut Hayden deep, causing the snowball to drop from her hands. What made it worse was that Cole witnessed the whole thing. Emerging from nowhere in particular, the Alpha stood on the front porch, clearly sensing the trouble before it happened. She couldn’t look at him, not when Blake had humiliated her.
She couldn’t help but to wonder if Blake’s comment was true. Was she acting like Devan had when Hayden was new to the pack?
Apparently, Fergus didn’t think so. His snowball flew through the air with unnatural speed, splattering Blake squarely in the face. “Wake up, Blake,” Fergus rebuked. “You aren’t as superior as you’d like to think.”
Blake wiped the snow off his face, his whole body trembling with unsuppressed anger and humiliation. As soon as his eyes were clear of snow, the beta pinned Fergus with a tunneled stare, indication he would charge at any second.
Fortunately, Cole intervened.
“This has gone on long enough.” Cole’s eyes bored holes into the back of Blake’s head. “You’ve had your fill. Now it’s time to part ways.” Power and threat cloaked the Alpha, making him appear far more intimidating than usual. When his eyes landed on Rachel, she stumbled backward out of true fear, not in hopes of manipulating the men around her. “Get off my property. You are not welcome here.”
“Cole!” Blake threw his hand out, gesturing towards Hayden and Fergus. “How is that rational? They were being juvenile.”
“When your fun begins to cause conflict amongst the pack, it’s no longer permitted.”
“Their immaturity started it.”
Cole remained blasé at Blake’s childish response. “Don’t be an idiot. I know everything that goes on in this house. You were ridiculing and belittling your pack mates. That’s where I draw the line.”
“I don’t want her to leave.” Something akin to desperation brightened Blake’s eyes. Grabbing Rachel’s arm, he held her at his side, unwilling to let her retreat. “Just because you are too cowardly to bond with your life mate doesn’t mean we should all suffer because of it.”
A certain stillness cloaked the yard. Everyone held their breath, detecting Cole’s escalating fury. Rachel appeared confused over the admission, but she eventually put the two and two together and pulled away from Blake. This time, Cole’s expression was enough to send her running from the property.
Hayden tasted the bitter tang of betrayal. “That’s low, Blake,” she whispered.
Blake hunched his shoulders, his defiance quickly melting to shame when he realized what he’d done. Because it was a spontaneous show of regret, it was most likely an honest reaction.
Over Blake’s head, Cole met Hayden’s eyes, accusation clear in his stare. She didn’t look away. When she told Blake about her relationship with Cole, she did so out of need for companionship. She’d never considered the possibility of Blake throwing it back in Cole’s face.
As Cole advanced, Blake hunched in submission. “I’m sorry, Cole, Hayden. I—”
“I pity you when you finally realize that you’ve sided with a manipulative bitch over your pack members.” Cole stopped in front of Blake, his face carved from stone. “You betrayed Hayden’s trust, my orders, and your established friendship with Fergus. All for what? A few nights together?” he asked with razor-sharp cruelness. “I hope they were worth it.”
Hayden stood her ground when Cole looked at her.
“Rachel will not keep this to herself. Be ready for the whole town to know that we’re life mates by morning.”
Her eyes widened and revulsion, so thick in its potency, choked her. Fergus curled a reassuring hand over her shoulder, trying to offer what little reassurance he could. Cole and Hayden could barely work things out when it was just the two of them. For the whole town to know of their relationship… it was unfathomable.
“Rachel wouldn’t,” Blake tried to reassure, sounding dismayed. “I—she wouldn’t.”
Frantic footsteps sounded from the road. Hayden turned, expecting to see Rachel or someone who already overheard the news, but it was only Addie. The other woman stood on the street, cupping her throat helplessly.
“Tobias is back in town,” she whispered franticly. “He’s taken an interest in Falco’s old pack and has challenged Nathan for position of Alpha.”
Hayden blinked, her earlier worries suddenly vanishing into confusion. When she looked around at the others, she realized they were just as horrified as Addie was. Even Cole took a startled step toward the road.
“Please tell me Nathan hasn’t accepted.”
Addie only shook her head grimly.
8. Chapter Eight
The last time they hurried to Falco’s territory, Falco was being framed for the murders around town. It had been fall then, with crimson and yellow leaves raining from their branches and the weather still warm in human standards. Presently, the branches were naked and coated with ice and snow, the evergreens standing out vividly in the dull, colorless landscape.
Hayden leaped over a snow bank, following her pack at their heels. Her boots were cumbersome, slowing her down and making her wonder if she’d be better off removing them.
Possessing an unusual amount of speed, Fergus raced ahead of her. Unfortunately, he was too conscious of speed and completely unaware of grace. As his foot hit a patch of ice, the omega took a nosedive toward the road. His limbs flailed in an awkward attempt to stop his descent, but he only fell faster.
Blake soared over Fergus’ falling figure and landed in mid-stride, catching up to Cole who was now in the lead. Even Addie, who normally didn’t overexert herself, was trailing close behind Blake.
Taking pity on the omega, Hayden grabbed him by his shirt and hauled him to his feet. They shuffled together before eventually regaining their balance. Without even a nod of thanks, Fergus took off, leaving Hayden to scramble after him.
As she neared Falco’s property—turned Nathan’s territory—she noticed the large crowd of werewolves. It was so similar to Falco’s trial that Hayden stopped short. Only, instead of solemn faces, tremors of excitement and intrigue passed between the werewolves as they tried to peek around each other and toward the center of the circle.
Hayden couldn’t spot Cole and she felt a pang of bitter remembrance that Asher was no longer here. If he had been here, he would have sought her out by now and informed her of every detail she’d missed.
She shouldered her way into the crowd, catching glimpses of Nathan and another man who shared a similar stature as Cole. “What’s happening?” Hayden inquired to anyone willing to answer. She didn’t understand her pack’s fear and the other werewolves’ excitement.
“Tobias is challenging Nathan for his position of Alpha.”
Hayden turned to the speaker, pleased to see Adolf’s beta, Samuel. His eyes were strained as he tried to catch a glimpse of the figures inside the circle. Unfortunately, his short and stocky stature didn’t permit him much leeway.
“I don’t understand,” Hayden persisted. “Who is Tobias? Will they fight one another?”
Samuel glanced keenly at Hayden. “Tobias used to be an Alpha here long ago. Actually, Falco was his beta until Tobias resigned and became Lone, declaring Falco the Alpha.” He clammed up the next moment, appearing hesitant. “And yes, they will fight one another.”
“To the death.”
Hayden turned abruptly, staring at a forlorn Fergus in shock. “To the death?” she repeated, flabbergasted. “Why would they do that? Why would Nathan agree to do something
so stupid?”
Fergus, using his incredibly tall height to his advantage, gazed over the crowd and toward his brother. They hadn’t started fighting yet, but considering the surrounding werewolves were tense with anticipation, Hayden figured Nathan had already agreed to the terms.
“It’s a matter of pride,” the omega murmured quietly. “Nathan had the option of voluntarily giving up his position as Alpha or fighting for it. He chose the latter. An Alpha would rather perish than to live with the knowledge that he lost his pack.”
She struggled for words, the excited murmurs of the werewolves growing nearly deafening. Considering the source of their entertainment resulted in the death of one of their own, Hayden was surprised at the intensity of their enthusiasm. It was a bit revolting.
“But—but when I became female Alpha over Devan, we never—”
“This sort of challenge is typically done when an outsider comes and demands position as Alpha,” Samuel supplied. “It’s an insult to the current Alpha to have his position challenged by an outsider.”
Clasping Fergus’ arm, Hayden pulled him down to her level. “Cole will stop it, won’t he?”
His expression was answer enough. “We hoped to get here before Nathan agreed to the terms. Now that he agreed to stand and fight to the end, Cole is powerless to stop it. This is tradition, Hayden.”
“Fergus…” Hayden chided. “You don’t mean that.”
If possible, the crowd grew more enthused. Though Hayden couldn’t see past all the tall, broad-shouldered men, she could hear the first punch. Skin against skin, or more appropriately, knuckles against skin sounded clearly over the eager buzz.
“Nathan is a capable fighter.” Fergus tried to reassure himself. “I’m sure he has a chance.”
“Against Tobias?” another werewolf exclaimed in disbelief, having overheard the conversation. “I heard Tobias can keep up with Cole and Nicolas Slayter. Nathan doesn’t stand a chance!”
Hayden sent him a withering look, though he hardly noticed with his head averted towards the fight. If Tobias compared to Cole, who was notably the best fighter in town, then Hayden had to agree with the man. Nathan didn’t stand a chance.