“And you feel you’re the model of leadership?” Brady actually laughed that time.
After descending two flights of stairs into the lowest part of the building, they entered an area that hadn’t been used by their pack in years, damp with mold and filled with the sounds of scurrying rats. Brady felt it was still too good for an asshole like Leif to have as his temporary residence.
“My people follow orders to the letter. They mate with whom they are told to mate with. The do not step a toe out of line.” Leif smiled back at him.
The more that man talked, the more Brady wished he could execute him. He might have once been a friend of the family, even a great leader in his prime, but the old wolf had gone mad with age and power.
Leif continued to talk, but Brady had long since left the conversation. “The Alpha is the law.”
“The Alpha is the one left standing after a fight,” Brady snapped back with a warning.
“Kill me if you must, then, but it will be you who has to fill those shoes, and I can see how desperately you want to avoid the responsibility.”
“I could always appoint someone after I shut you up for good.” Brady unlocked a cell and held it open.
Leif laughed at Brady’s empty threat. “Ah, but you just said it – the Alpha is the one left standing. My people respect that: a leader who is not afraid to shed the blood of his enemies.”
“Then why did you allow yourself to be taken in, rather than fight?”
“Because knowing when to fight is just as important as knowing how. My fight will come later. Call the council. I await their visit. Until then, I will take my breakfast at seven. Sharp.” Leif walked into the cell and smiled as Brady closed the door on him, locking him inside.
TWENTY-EIGHT
With hostilities ended, the wolves from the opposing packs had been rounded up and were being detained by the Olde Town security team.
Aiden directed the recovery efforts as his wolves tended to wounded and set the bonfire for the dead.
After cleaning up and finding new clothes, Brady met his brother on the ruined steps up to the compound. The building’s exterior had all but been obliterated, yet for all the fighting done inside, the damage seemed only superficial. “This is going to take forever to clean up.”
“I’ll have crews out at first light to inspect and draw up rebuilding proposals.”
“More paperwork.” Brady tossed a hand around his brother’s shoulders. “An Alpha’s work is never done.”
“Get used to that.”
“Why?”
“You know why, brother. I hope you like the warm weather where you’re going.” Aiden chuckled.
“What if I refuse?” Brady asked with all seriousness. He loved being a second son. He loved living in Boston and spending time in the nature preserve. Imagining a life anywhere else seemed wrong. This was his home.
“Leave that to the council, but consider it seriously before making that decision. Allied territories are a good thing.”
“Problems for another day.” Brady sighed, not wanting to tackle it anytime soon. “Speaking of problems, what are we going to do with Mr. Chevalier?”
“As soon as we get the phones back up, I’ll have to call the council down. It will be a week or more before an assembly can take place. He’ll be put to death, I’m sure, leaving yet another gaping hole in the territories. More reason than ever to have you down south as our ally.”
“So then my fate is sealed?” Brady sighed again.
“Nothing is set in stone yet, but for the good of our people, I urge you to consider it.” Aiden gave his brother a sympathetic smile.
“We’ve always been partners,” Brady started to say, but the words caught in is throat. Twins since conception, they were partners, wingmen, and above all, friends. He could not imagine being so far from home and his best friend.
“We’ll always be partners. You’ll just have more authority.” Aiden’s voice cracked with emotion, but his face remained a mask of calm.
“And more paperwork,” Brady joked to lighten the mood.
“Where are Mark and Louis?” Rachel approached cautiously.
“Dead,” Aiden responded with a growl.
“Can’t say I’m surprised,” Rachel scoffed.
“You were right to suspect them,” Aiden replied. “They changed allegiance the moment the fight turned south here.”
“Got what they deserved then, the bastards.” Rachel smiled.
“I haven’t had the chance to properly thank you yet.” Brady pulled her in close, wrapping his arms around her. “Nice work out there, killer.”
“Yes. Thank you for what you did out there,” Aiden said. “I heard how you protected Fallon.”
“Speaking of, where is she?” Brady asked.
“Tending to the wounded.” Aiden pointed across the field, where Fallon was kneeling alongside Emma. Both ladies were working fast, wrapping bandages around another wolf’s leg.
“I wouldn’t ever want to get into a fight with that girl,” Brady laughed. “She’s deadly.”
Aiden chuckled. “Don’t I know it.”
“And what am I?” Rachel pulled from Brady’s arms.
“Mine.” Brady nipped at her playfully, but he’d never spoken a truer word in his life. She was something special. Imperfectly perfect in every way. She’d made him feel things he’d never thought possible. And when her life had been in danger, he’d have risked it all to save her. What more proof did he need in his mind that he’d truly found the one?
“Really, brother?” Aiden asked.
“If she’ll have me, yeah. This woman saved my ass, had my back, and let’s face it, she’s freaking hot! I’d be stupid to let her go.”
Rachel blushed and buried her face in Brady’s chest.
“Is that a yes?” Brady asked. “Strings definitely attached.”
Rachel looked up and nodded as she met Brady’s eyes. That was all the answer he needed.
“Good for you, brother.” Aiden smiled approvingly.
Brady bent to whisper in Rachel’s ear. “And the minute I get you alone, I’m going to show you just how serious I am about the strings.”
Rachel giggled. “I can’t wait. But for now, we have work to do. Your people need you.” She nodded at Aiden and then turned to join Fallon and Emma with the wounded.
“That’s one hell of a girl,” Aiden said.
“Yes. She. Is!”
“She’d have to be to tie you down,” he laughed.
“I’m so not ready for this,” Brady said in jest.
“No one ever truly is.” Aiden gave Brady a congratulatory slap on the back. “But when they’re worth it, it makes all the difference.”
Other Books By Katie Salidas
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All new subscribers will be sent a FREE ebook.
Autographed Editions of all Katie Salidas books may be purchased at
www.KatieSalidas.com
The Immortalis Series
Becoming a vampire is easy. Living with the condition... that's the hard part. Join Alyssa as she stumbles through the world of the "Unnatural."
Carpe Noctem
Newbie vampire Alyssa never asked for this life, but now it's all she has. Rescued from death by Lysander, the aloof and sexy leader of the Peregrinus vampire clan, she's barely cut her teeth before she becomes a target. Kallisto, an ancient and vindictive vampire queen – and Lysander's old mate - wants nothing less than final death for her former lover and his new toy. She's not above letting the Acta Sanctorum, and its greatest vampire hunter, Santino, know exactly where the clan can be found. With no time to mourn her old life, Alyssa's survival depends on her new family. She will have to stand alongside Lysander and fight against two enemies who will stop at nothing to destroy them.
Hunters & Prey
Rule number one: humans and vampires don't co-exist. One is the hunter and one is the prey. Simple
, right? Not for newly turned vampire Alyssa. A surprise confrontation with Santino Vitale, the Acta Sanctorum's most fearsome hunter, sends her fleeing back to the world she once knew, and Fallon, the human friend she's missed more than anything. Now she has some explaining to do. However, that will have to wait. With the Acta Sanctorum hot on their heels, staying alive is more important than educating a human on the finer points of bloodlust.
Pandora's Box
After a few months as a vampire, Alyssa thought she'd learned all she needed to know about the supernatural world. But her confidence is shattered by the delivery of a mysterious package - a Pandora's Box. Seemingly innocuous, the box is in reality an ancient prison, generated by a magic more powerful than anyone in her clan has ever known. But what manner of evil could need such force to contain it? When the box is opened, the sinister creature within is released, and only supernatural blood will satiate its thirst. The clan soon learns how it feels when the hunter becomes the hunted.
Soulstone
It’s a desperate time for rookie vampire Alyssa, and her sanity is hanging by a slender thread. Her clan is still reeling from the monumental battle with Aniketos; a battle that claimed the body of Lysander, her sire and lover, and trapped his spirit in a mysterious crystal. A Soulstone. Unfortunately, no amount of magic has been able to release Lysander’s spirit, and the stone is starting to fade. Weeks of effort have proved futile. Her clan, the Peregrinus, have all but given up hope. Only Alyssa still believes her lover can be released. In despair, Alyssa begs the help of the local witch coven, and unwittingly exposes the supernaturals of Boston to unwanted attention from the Acta Sanctorum. The Saints converge on the city and begin their cleansing crusade to rid the world of all things “Unnatural.” In the middle of an all-out war, but no closer to a solution to the dying stone, Alyssa is left with an unenviable choice: save her mate, or save her clan.
Dark Salvation
A gathering storm of violence is on the horizon. Whispered threats of the Acta Sanctorum’s return have the supernatural world abuzz. Only recently aware of the other world hidden behind our own, Kitara Vanders has barely scratched the surface of what being supernatural truly means. A special woman in her own right, she possesses unique telepathic abilities, gifts that have recently come under the scrutiny of the Acta Sanctorum, a fanatical organization whose mission is to cleanse the world of anything supernatural. Targeted, and marked for death, Kitara’s only hope lies with the lethally seductive yet emotionally scarred warrior, Nicholas.
Knowing full well the atrocities the Acta Sanctorum is capable of, Nicholas is all too eager for the battle to begin. Fueled by pain and rage from the loss of his mate, he’s itching for a fight, but one thing stands in his way, Kitara: a beautiful dark-haired woman with unique psychic abilities and an unusual link to the Saints. Despite his resolve to remain focused on his mission, a purely physical relationship binds them together in a way neither of them expected. And when her life hangs in the balance, Nicholas finds his own is teetering on the edge too.
Little Werewolf series
Pretty Little Werewolf
All Giselle ever wanted was a family... who can accept her for what she is, a werewolf.
In a world where supernatural creatures are not out and proud, this has been a problem for 16 year old Giselle. A child of the system, she's been bounced from home to home for as long as she can remember. As soon as the moon calls out her inner wolf, it's back into the system she goes.
Against the odds, a new family is found for Giselle. One that may prove the answer to all her dreams and wishes. But this family comes with a deadly secret that could send Giselle six feet under instead of back into the system.
Amid factions of warring witches and werewolves, and deadly curses with no hope for a cure, the way will not be an easy one, but if Giselle can call upon her skills as a lone wolf, she may just be able to unearth the truth keeping her from the one thing she's ever wanted... family.
Curious Little Werewolf
Things would be perfect if supernatural disasters would quit creeping up and ruining Giselle’s happy new life. After finally finding the fur-ever home she’s always wanted a witch blows into town promising to reveal the bloody past of Giselle’s birth, and the circumstances that led the little werewolf to end up in the foster care system to begin with.
Hot on the witch’s trail, another pack of wolves is on the hunt for revenge, and will accept nothing less than her death in retribution for the havoc she’s wrought on them.
Caught in the crossfire, Giselle desires only the truth, and if the witch is who she claims to be, the little werewolf must protect her at any cost. If she’s lying, though, Giselle risks her own kind seeing her as a traitor. Neither her new pack nor her hottie witch boyfriend Damien can offer any help. Giselle is on her own again. And if she makes the wrong decision, she’ll lose the only link she has to her own past.
Fearless Little Werewolf
The death of the Regional Alpha exposes Giselle to the deadly game of werewolf politics where friends are liabilities, boyfriends are weaknesses, and family are pawns strategically played against her.
Finding her fur-ever family, after years lost in the foster care system, brought more drama than little werewolf Giselle had bargained for, especially when it’s discovered she’s the long lost daughter of the former Regional Alpha, Orion Silverman.
After the current Alpha’s death, Giselle is suddenly thrust into the brutal arena to prove herself. Her veins might run with the blood of Alphas, but all her enemies can see is a legacy of human weakness, and they’ll do anything to prevent this feral pup from taking leadership.
In the game of Alphas, claiming the title is the greatest prize, one which most would kill to achieve. But for Giselle to win, she’ll have to risk her pack, her family... and her life.
About the Author
Las Vegas native, Katie Salidas is a Jill of all trades. Mother to three, Wife to one, and slave to the craft of writing, she tries to do it all, often causing sleep deprivation and many nights passed out at the computer. Author of the Immortalis series, Chronicles of the Uprising, and various other paranormal works; writing is her passion, and she hopes that her passion will bring you hours of entertainment.
Find Katie Salidas online at:
[email protected]
Be sure to stop by KatieSalidas.com and sign up to the Paranormal Posse Newsletter.
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http://www.katiesalidas.com/
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Mated (Olde Town Pack Book 2) Page 17