"Most werewolves do not know this, but while we’re in this place I could leave you, turn you back to a human if I wanted. The first alpha didn’t find an antidote to wolfsbane, he found a cure. You didn't want to be a werewolf, much less an alpha. I can give that choice back to you. Do you want to go back to being human and living your life however you choose, or will you choose to be the alpha?"
She froze, looking at the wolf in shock. A choice. It had been so long since she truly felt like she had one. "Why would you give me a choice?"
"Perhaps because it is the right thing to do," the wolf replied.
She looked down at bloodied knuckles and tried to think it through. But she realized there was nothing to consider, not now. She cared about Genevieve, Tommy, and Ceri. It wasn't just the wolf's instincts or the pack bond. She wanted to make sure they were safe.
Maybe a psychologist would say it was guilt from her brother's death motivating her, or the way her mother kicked her out. But those were the things that made her who she was today. The reasons didn't matter anymore.
She looked back up. "I want to be their alpha."
The wolf charged at her, hitting her like a battering ram. For a moment, she couldn't breathe, then everything shifted and power rushed through her body.
With a gasp, she awoke on the floor. The exposed beams of the cottage hung over her. Her body was trembling and she was panting as though she'd just run a marathon. Jameson was standing over her along with two other alphas. They looked extremely concerned.
"That was fucking strange," she said hoarsely. Grimacing, she sat up and rubbed her aching throat.
"We thought you were dying," Jameson said, handing her a bottle of water. "I've never seen anyone convulse like that and live.”
She laughed. "I think I almost did die. The wolf…it..."
He nodded solemnly in understanding. "You are a vessel for two souls now. It changes you." He extended his hand, which she took, and pulled her to her feet. "It’s time for the final trial."
She met his gaze, not terrified for the first time. "I'm ready."
Chapter 47
AMBER
"We will return to the altar for the final test."
Jameson led her outside. She saw Genevieve first, then Tommy, who slumped in relief upon spotting her. The pack bond was richer now, and she felt their worry and elation like her own emotions.
The crowd parted, then fell in behind them as they walked through a large, wide archway that led back to the beginning. Moonlight still shone on the altar like a spotlight.
They stopped a few feet away, and Jameson waited for the crowd to spread out around them. A few younger werewolves climbed up on the wall that had been the first obstacle in order to get a better view.
The tension within the crowd was palpable. Some of them wanted her to fail, some were just curious, but a few shouted encouragement. It was a relief to see that not every werewolf was a bigoted asshole.
The presiding alphas gathered behind Jameson, who turned to face her.
“As a werewolf, the rest of your life will be a struggle to balance your humanity with the soul of the wolf that now lives inside you,” Jameson said, tapping on his chest over his heart. “You must be stronger than the wolf. You must stay in control. For this final test, you will take a potion that will force you to shift. In order to pass, you must keep from fully shifting for at least five—”
Donovan shoved his way forward, anger clear on his face. “I challenge her.”
“I’d advise against doing this out of anger. You can’t forget the unnecessary risk you are taking,” Jameson said, folding his hands in front of him. “If you fail, your spot on this council will become hers.”
Donovan sneered at the warning. “I’m not at risk of being beaten by a bitten wolf.”
Genevieve stiffened at the insult, her lip curling up into a snarl, but she held herself still. Tommy moved a little closer and wrapped his arm around her. Even in the midst of all this, he thought about the people around him. He noticed everything.
“So be it. Your challenge is accepted. Please step down into the arena.” Clearing his throat, he continued. “In normal circumstances, the test requires you to maintain control for five minutes. However, since you have been challenged, you must instead outlast Alpha Lockhart.”
Amber kept her eyes on the stage as Donovan hopped down and walked over to stand beside her. His heart was beating as hard as hers. Every step of the way he had tried to make her fail. She was glad he was challenging her openly now. The strength of the wolf and her pack was pumping through her. He didn’t stand a chance.
Jameson waved Selena forward. She approached, holding a large bowl. Leaning down, he inhaled deeply, then looked up at the witch. “If I find out that you have meddled with this potion in any way, you will answer to me. Your coven won’t be able to protect you.”
Selena’s fingers tightened on the bowl, a slight tremor of fear running through her at the threat. “The potion is as it should be.”
He took the bowl from her. “I will administer it to them myself.”
Jameson hopped down as well and walked over to them holding two small cups. He handed one to each of us. “Dip the cup in here and drink the potion. It will force you to change. The challenge, laid out by Alpha Lockhart, is that you must resist the change longer than he does. We are werewolves, but we are human first. You must maintain control over yourself, and your wolf, for the rest of your life. If you want to lead others, you must prove today that you have that control.”
She nodded, accepting the cup he handed her. Her pack was standing near the stage. Their presence was comforting, but it did add to the pressure.
Jameson lifted the bowl toward them. Inside was a strange, silvery liquid that smelled like grass after fresh rain. She and Donovan dipped their cups into the bowl in unison. Watching out of the corner of her eye to make sure he drained it completely, they both drank.
It was cool and almost sweet at first. As it slipped down her throat, it grew hotter and hotter, until it felt as if she'd drunk liquid fire.
Silently, Jameson directed them to sit across from each other next to the altar. She dropped to ground, crossing her legs and planting her hands on her knees. Donovan's eyes never left her.
"Remember, both of you will shift eventually," Jameson said.
Someone from the crowd shouted, "For the bitten!"
Cheers and boos fought for supremacy as some shouted encouragement to Donovan and some to her. She could barely make out what they were saying over the ringing in her ears.
The need to shift shot through her muscles. She ground her teeth together and fought against the urge. Nothing could make her give in.
Donovan sat across from her, his face red from the effort to control himself. Her muscles ached like they were cramping. Her leg twitched. The claws pressed against the skin of her fingertips. She curled her hands into a fist and sat up straighter, keeping her gaze locked on her foe.
He hated her. She didn't know why, but he truly hated her. She'd gotten involved in all this from bad luck. If it hadn't been her sitting here it might have been someone else. Or perhaps they would have fallen for his scheme. He might have gotten away with it. She'd make damn sure he never got a chance to do this to anyone else ever again.
"You will fail," he hissed at her, spittle flying from his lips.
"You don't really believe that," she shot back. "You were so afraid I'd succeed you tried to sabotage me."
He bared his teeth at her like a wild animal. "You should never have been allowed to participate in this ritual!"
"You should never have sent that omega to attack three innocent people. You brought this on yourself," she said, trying to calm down a little. The anger only pushed her closer to a shift. That was probably his plan for starting the argument in the first place.
He jerked and fell to the side, chest heaving as he gasped for air. His fingers curled inward and he shook, fighting so hard against the shift that h
is teeth clacked together.
The pain was growing worse. It spread out from her stomach like she might explode. Her head ached. Every muscle in her body seemed to have contracted. She dug her fingers into her legs to stay upright.
All around her, she could feel the pack bond. It could not stop this, but it gave her the strength to keep fighting. They believed in her. They needed her. And she had chosen them.
"You have no place in this world," he growled, a muscle in his jaw twitching.
"Yet, here I am," she said, leaning toward him.
Donovan screamed, his voice echoing through the arena. The crowd went silent. He arched back, and his clothes were ripped to shreds as he shifted.
The large black wolf turned his hateful eyes to her and lunged for her throat. Time seemed to slow as she gave in to the shift that she had been holding back for so long. She crashed into Donovan, and they tumbled to the ground.
His teeth dug into her chest, but she clamped her jaws around the back of his neck and jerked his head to the side. The challenge hadn't been enough. She knew it wouldn't be. She wanted to finish this now.
Strong hands grabbed her by the ruff of her neck and yanked her away. Jameson kept dragging her backward as three other alphas wrestled Donovan to the ground. He yelped as silver chains were tossed over his body to weaken him and hold him down. He howled, full of rage and pain.
Jameson slowly loosened his grip on her. "Shift back, if you can."
Her body shook with the effort, but slowly, she changed back. Panting, she turned on Jameson. "Why did you stop me?" she demanded with a growl.
"Donovan Lockhart has broken the sacred bonds of the Trial through interference and attempted murder," Jameson said, turning toward the crowd. His voice boomed throughout the space, silencing all the chatter. "His council spot is forfeit to you, and he will now answer for his actions according to the old laws."
Still shifted, Donovan growled and thrashed in his bonds. His pack was fighting in the crowd, but they were quickly subdued.
"Get them out of here," Jameson said. "It is time for a celebration as a new alpha joins our ranks. We are moon-blessed tonight, and we will run." The crowd erupted into cheers.
She was struck suddenly from the side and found herself in the middle of an enthusiastic group hug. Ceri was crying, Genevieve was shouting something, and Tommy was just hanging on for dear life.
“I’m okay, I’m okay,” she repeated, trying to soothe the worry that was pounding against her mind through the bond.
Howls erupted all around them and the energy in the air changed. Everyone, even the ones that had wanted her to fail, were celebrating. People began stripping off their clothes and shifting. Wolves rushed past them, racing toward the forest.
Jameson walked toward them, eyes glowing bright red. “Run with us, and tomorrow we will talk about everything that has changed.”
Chapter 48
CERI
Ceri stepped back from the group. She was so relieved Amber had survived and passed the Trials that she could barely breathe.
“This should be better than that first night,” Amber said, nudging Genevieve with her elbow.
She laughed and pulled her shirt off over her head. Tommy blushed and turned away, stripping off in a more sedate manner.
Amber looked at her and held out her hand. “Will you join us?”
“I can’t shift, and I’m not in the pack,” she said, confused.
“You are, actually. I could feel it in the third trial. The bond isn’t as strong as the others but I think it could be, even without turning you. Come with us tonight.”
Her hand went to her chest, remembering the strange feeling she’d had throughout the Trials. She’d chalked it up to nerves and how much she wanted Amber to succeed. This whole part of the pack thing was something she’d have to talk to Amber about later, but like Jameson said, tonight was for running and tomorrow was for answers.
“I won’t be able to keep up,” she objected, not wanting to hold them back from enjoying themselves.
“I’ll run with you,” Tommy said, looking at her over his shoulder. “Please, come with us.”
Even she could feel the excitement in the air. Shaking her head and smiling, she gathered her curls into a high ponytail. There was no reason not to go with them. “Alright. Let’s do this.”
Amber smiled at her and began to shift. Ceri bounced on her toes, excitement pumping through her. The energy around them was amazing. She’d never been around werewolves on a full moon. It was truly magical. She lifted her face to the moon and let the magic and the wonder sink into her.
Once all three of them were shifted they gathered around her and nudged her toward the woods. Amber ran ahead of the group, stretching her legs. She ran right behind with the others flanking her.
Amber lifted her head and howled. Her pack’s voices joined the chorus. The sound awoke something in her, and she joined them. Any other time she’d be embarrassed to tilt her head back and howl like a wolf, but it felt right.
Genevieve raced up beside Amber, then started inching ahead of her. Amber seemed to take it as a challenge and they pulled away from her and Tommy. He chose to stay with her instead.
A gray wolf joined their race, and she smiled to herself. She guessed it was Shane, and based on the way he was chasing after Amber, Genevieve was right about him.
Tommy picked up his pace a little and she pushed herself to keep up. Her feet flew over the ground faster than she’d thought possible. She should have been tired already, but she knew she wouldn’t tire for hours. Just like the pack bond had given Amber strength, it was giving her the same now.
Chapter 49
AMBER
Amber accepted the bottle of water Shane handed her gratefully. The run had been amazing, but she was thirsty, hungry, and exhausted now. He pulled out a slip of paper and scribbled something on it, then handed her that too.
“Here’s my phone number. I hope you’ll call soon,” he said with a smile that was boy-next-door, apple pie, and trouble all rolled into one.
She took the card and fought to keep the smile off her face. “Just to chat?”
He tucked his thumbs in his belt loops. “I was thinking more like a date.”
“A date?” she asked, raising her brows. “Is that…allowed?”
He chuckled. “This isn’t the dark ages. We date who we want.” He stepped in closer, his eyes hot on hers. “And I’m not intimidated by powerful women. I can handle you being an alpha.”
She lost the struggle to keep the smile off her face and burst out laughing. “Sorry, I just…you were so serious,” she said, gasping for air.
His face dropped for a moment, then he joined her laughing. “Damn, you are hard to flirt with,” he said, still smiling.
She wiped the tears from her eyes. “My brothers scared off all the boys when I was growing up, so I never got much practice.”
“How many brothers do you have?” he asked, looking alarmed.
“Four–I mean three. Just three, now,” she said awkwardly.
“I’ll see you around, Amber,” he said, taking two steps backward like he couldn’t tear his eyes from her before turning on his heel and walking away.
Someone whistled behind her and she turned around to find her entire pack had watched the exchange. Genevieve was laughing hysterically.
“It was not that funny,” she said, rolling her eyes as she walked toward them.
“It so was,” Genevieve said between gasps for air. She wiped her eyes and attempted to get control of herself.
“Joking aside, there is something I need to talk to y’all about,” she said, smoothing her hair away from her face.
“What is it?” Tommy asked, immediately sensing how serious this was.
“During the fourth test, I spoke with…the wolf. My wolf,” she said, tucking her hands in her pockets. Part of her didn’t want to give them this option, it terrified her. But she had to. “I had to smoke this stuff…the poin
t is that if you wanted, you could too, and it would be possible to cure you, in a sense. You could go back to being human.”
Genevieve looked up sharply. “Are you serious?”
She nodded. “You have to know that you have a choice.”
“That’s crazy. How does no one know about that?” She threw her hands in the air and began pacing. “Do all werewolves know?”
“Just a few alphas, I think. The wolves know but they can’t always talk to us.”
Tommy, who had been silent thus far, looked up with tears in his eyes. “That means that you chose to stay a werewolf. Even though your brother…and even though you didn’t want this.”
“I chose the two of you. If being a werewolf is what I need to protect you, then so be it,” she said firmly.
He crossed his arms. “I don’t want to go back to being human. I want to be in your pack.”
Genevieve kept pacing with her hands on her hips. “If I decided to go back to being human, it wouldn’t be because I don’t care.”
Amber grabbed her, and made her stop walking. “You’re right. It’s your choice, I’d understand if you wanted to be human again, okay?”
“I should want to be human again,” Genevieve said, her lower lip trembling. “But I don’t, and I don’t understand why.”
“You don’t have to decide today,” Tommy said. He then looked at Amber. “Wait, she doesn’t right?”
“Of course not. I know how it’s done, so it doesn’t matter if you decide tonight or in twenty years. You’re not trapped in this pack, and you aren’t trapped as a werewolf. I promise,” she said.
Genevieve’s whole body relaxed. “Then I don’t want it right now. I want to stay in this pack.”
Chapter 50
GENEVIEVE
“What are you getting all dressed up for?”
Genevieve turned and smiled at Amber, who was standing in her doorway. She twirled, her dress spinning around her. “You like it?”
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