The Alpha Legacy Boxed Set 1-7

by Holly Hook

  And after this morning, I have no problems with taking matters into my own hands. I'll guard Noah the whole way, with or without Cayden.

  But before then, I must hunt.

  Chapter Twelve

  Cayden fails to show up at lunch, but Everly and Remo sit at the usual table by themselves. Everly waves me over to sit with them, but when my thoughts turn to Remo and his secret relationship, I can't. While I can hide lies from others pretty well thanks to my involvement with the drama club, other werewolves might be a different story. Emotions pop and body language betrays all.

  And Remo tried to tell Cayden to avoid me. Ironic. But Everly was the leader of that.

  I walk up to the table. "I promised Noah I'd sit with them today," I lie.

  But Everly glares and motions to an empty chair. She needs to talk with me. Now.

  So I sit, searching the cafeteria for Cayden. Still absent. Olivia and her girlfriends aren't here today, either. Since Tiffany's a senior, she must have driven them off campus for lunch.

  Remo spears his carrots, showing no sign I spied on him yesterday. If he knows, he's saying nothing and hoping I do the same.

  "So," Everly says. "What's up with Cayden? He never came home last night."

  "He never went home?" I ask.

  "It's not like him to do that," Everly says. "Our father didn't use to stay out all night, even when packs of Savage Wolves came into our territory. My brother's up to something. And knowing Cayden, it's not safe."

  I hate to tell the others about our conversation, but I must. "Cayden told me he wants to handle the Olivia situation himself and not burden me—or us—with it. He said he was sorry I got pulled into this life. But he's overreacting. I like being able to defend myself." Or do I? I still might kill someone I know come the dance, and then, when I return to human form, deal with the fallout.

  But it feels good to tell someone, anyone, about yesterday, even if Everly is still cold. I'm the invader, having taken Cayden from his siblings and helped to start this mess. Everly's gaze narrows whenever I'm around.

  "Figures," she says, rolling her hazel eyes. "Always going off alone and getting in trouble. We need to work as a pack on this."

  I say nothing because I'm thinking of the same. Across the room, Matthew sits with his football buddies. He searches the cafeteria for Olivia. He and Noah stare each other down from three tables away. The tension in the room rises as Ellie grabs Noah's hand and drops him back to reality.

  "You know how Cayden is," Remo says. "He doesn't think before he acts."

  "Brie, find him and talk sense into him," Everly says. "I know he's the alpha, but he isn't acting like one. He's supposed to decide for the pack. Not just for himself. He'll listen to you." Her last sentence drips with resentment.

  Remo looks right at me, but stays silent. A flash of pain fills his eyes before he looks down at his food.

  Does he know I saw him?

  "Sure. I'll look for Cayden," I say, getting up from the table. "I need to find him, anyway. He's just overwhelmed with everything." The chance hasn't come for me to tell him the Leonora plan fell through.

  "Aren't we all," Everly says. "If we will ever stop running and keep our territory, we have to stick together."

  She's right. We're on the same side in one department. Not bothering to pick anything off my tray, I rise and head across the cafeteria to the doors. Matthew mutters another insult, not at all creative, as I pass.

  Outside, the sun shines and a few people brave the chill to sit at the picnic tables. But Cayden's not among them. I walk around the side of the school, taking in the air, hoping to find a trace of his scent. Only the dirt of the baseball diamond and the faint smell of wooden planks rides on the breeze. What's his deal?

  And why can't I know what he's planning? Cayden made it clear he won't have much to do with me until the night of the dance. I can hope for a pleasant surprise, but knowing Cayden, more chaos will follow. By trying to fix his past mistakes, he's digging himself into a pit, and soon he won't get out again.

  A faint forest scent waves from the left before vanishing again. I freeze on the baseball diamond, whirling to face the concrete path that leads from the diamond to the nearby park.

  Cayden.

  He's that way, but why? What does the park have to do with him trying to stop the coming disaster at the dance?

  I could get in trouble for leaving campus before next year without a senior with me, but it's not like I can grab Noah and ask him to come along. So I check the school, making sure no one's watching. A guy at the picnic tables scrolls through his phone and two girls get up from the tables, wrapping jackets around themselves. One of them looks at me before heading into the school.

  My shoes make a little noise as I dart through an archway of trees and over the threshold to the park. I dodge fallen, dry leaves as the trees turn into a blur. This is the first time I've tested my run, and the rush of freedom overtakes me, propelling me forward. Though I don't catch Cayden's scent anymore, right then, it doesn't matter. All the conflict inside me vanishes. Why did Aunt May want to suppress my true nature? In times of peace, I'm very, very alive.

  When I emerge into the park, I stop and look at the empty expanse of grass and the ancient pines that stand guard over swing sets and jungle gyms. Mothers haven't dared to bring their kids out in the cold that now wraps around the bare skin of my arms. But instead of freezing me, the air's invigorating.

  And I'm not even out of breath. The path's a half mile back to the high school, but I ran it in maybe thirty seconds. It looks as if few people make it out here and back during lunch.

  "Cayden?" I shout. I smell him again, stronger this time, straight ahead. He's not in the park, or if he is, he's way at the front where the pavilions and the bathrooms are. I stand in the back where people often walk their dogs.

  Across from the park, there's a smaller playground with rubber bits surrounding slides and swings so children don't get scratches and bruises. Judging from the scent, Cayden's over there, behind a line of thick trees, so I walk to the front of the park, keeping my pace normal in case someone pulls into the parking lot. Already, a car motor purrs as it approaches.

  And then I spot the vehicle pulling into the dirt lot. Dark blue reflects the sun as a BMW squeals brakes, kicks up gravel, and spins into a parking spot.

  I freeze.

  Matthew. And his stupid car. All this time, Matthew's been waiting to get me alone. Someone at the picnic table must have told him where I went.

  With my mission to find Cayden and bring him back, I don't want to deal with him but I itch for a fight. If I can hold my own against a much bigger Savage alpha, I can do much worse to a regular human, so I'll have to hold back. Matt won't be a problem. I can shove him down and walk away if I need to. Maybe I can even convince him to leave Olivia alone so she can put on the pendant again.

  The door flies open and Matthew gets out of the car, ducking to get his big frame through. He grins at me with a nasty glimmer in his eyes. Ted does too, and he stands there, surveying me. I wait for the rest of his buddies to get out, but they don't.

  Instead, faint footsteps echo off tree trunks far behind me, and I know where Matt's friends are. Two of them are coming up the trail, thinking I'll run back to the school. They won't get here for minutes.

  "Well, hey," Matt says. "What is Miss Little Actress doing out here in the park alone?" He walks towards me, leering. Matt's enjoying this. How many girls has he harassed before?

  He knows I'm onto him and wants to wield power over me to shut me up. As he approaches, he opens and closes his fists like he wants to grab me. His jaw tightens. Ted hangs behind him, searching the periphery for anyone else. And far back, the other two guys continue their approach.

  "I didn't realize there was a group requirement," I say. "And I didn't see a sign."

  The wind blows from the direction of the playground.

  Cayden's scent is gone.

  I'm not sure how to feel about that.
He doesn't want me to have to deal with this. I can outrun these guys, no problem. Better yet, I can humiliate them. Matthew and his friends won't pose much of a threat.

  But Matthew will bother the next girl, and the next.

  Matthew continues his leer as he steps closer, just waiting for me to run. "Where's your eunuch boyfriend? That has to be how he got that singing voice."

  "Oh, now you're going to talk crap about him, now that he's not here. How brave."

  Matthew turns his leer down into a snarl when I say that. "He can't protect all your other friends. Talk, and Ellie and Sarah and those other theater girls are up next, if you know what I mean."

  He wants revenge. His power back. And now he's willing to get it right here in this empty, wooded park.

  A growl rises in my throat.

  "Whoa!" Matt says, raising his hands. "Hormonal, are we?" Then he lowers them and charges me.

  I back against a huge tree without thinking. It's just a reaction from seeing someone twice my size run at me. Matt reaches me, putting his hand against the trunk just inches from my head and pinning some of my hair to the bark. He narrows his eyes in hatred.

  "Back off."

  Ted peeks around him. "Dude, is this a good idea in a public park?"

  "No one's here." He grins and grabs a handful of my hair, pulling me away from the tree. His breath is disgusting as he reaches down to unzip his pants. "I can give you what your eunuch boyfriend can't."

  I can push Matt away. Maybe even kick him. But instead, pain and wildness waits on the horizon like a storm ready to dump rain. I tremble, holding it back. Noble Wolves aren't supposed to attack people. But every instinct tells me to fight, to hurt, to rip...

  He releases my hair only slam my shoulder against the tree. He presses his body against me.

  "Get out of here," I say. "Now. Now!" My last word rises into a plea. Matthew grins now that he's back in familiar territory.

  The tug returns and I curl my fingers as if they're claws. My instinct wants blood. In a few seconds, I'll become something worse than Matt can ever be.

  "Matt?" Ted asks.

  No one will believe his story.

  And he'll never admit a small, blond girl bested him.

  I meet his hateful stare as I cross the point of no return. "Never go after any girls again. And leave Olivia alone. Or I'll find you."

  Pain explodes and stirs the world. Matt cusses, backs off, and lets go of me, but it blends with bony explosions and ligament firecrackers. My shirt drops off as I back out, blond paws clawing park dirt. The agony snaps away, leaving the world clear and the trees taller. The metallic scent of Matt's fear fills the air, building by the second. He and Ted stand frozen, arms by their sides, mouths gaping as they stare at the spot where a harmless girl stood two seconds before. Only fifty feet separates Matt from death.

  I growl.

  A dark spot appears on the front of Matt's pants. He's wet himself. The stench fills the air. He trembles. "What...she's..."

  "Run, dude," Ted rasps, slapping his arm.

  I'll tear out Matt's throat.

  The guys bolt for the BMW. Matt rips open the door and dives inside.

  I bolt across the grass on four legs, closing the distance in two seconds. Ted scrambles into the car, but I ignore him. Ted screams and closes his door. I leap, catching air and landing on the roof of the car with a thud.

  "Go, man!" Ted yells inside.

  Matt fumbles with keys. They jingle. Hit the floor. Matt cusses. My hearing reveals everything going on in the car.

  Claws scraping metal, I jump down on the other side of the car, strength flowing through my limbs. Matt's inside, leaning over, and I whirl and leap at the window, clawing with high-pitched scrapes.

  Matt jumps. Yells another curse.

  "Go!" Ted repeats.

  Backing away first, I leap again, putting my body behind it.

  I ram into the glass, headfirst, ignoring the pain. All that matters is the prize inside. A spiderweb crack splits the window. I back away again, ready for another leap. I'll go through. Matt's throat is soft. I'll end him with a single bite and he'll hurt no one again.

  He starts the car.

  I leap.

  I'm fast, but the BMW is faster.

  Tires squeal. Gravel strikes me in the face, forcing me to look away. The blue vehicle blasts out of the parking lot, leaving me standing on dirt, wiping my face off with a paw.

  Matt speeds up, doesn't slow at a stop sign, and makes a left so fast he almost hits the street sign. But he gains control over the car's back end and vanishes.

  The brutal instinct vanishes, leaving horror.

  I just tried to kill a human being.

  Chapter Thirteen

  No one else visits the park, and Matt must call his friends coming up the trail, because I hear the ringing of a phone, low, muffled words, and then feet thudding in the opposite direction.

  But I stand there, a blond wolf, with my clothes lying a few dozen feet behind me.

  Matt and Ted know what I am.

  But that doesn't horrify me as much as my deeds.

  Running back over to my clothes as if I can escape my thoughts, I will myself to retake human form. My body won't obey at first. Matt still exists. But then the popping and the dizziness returns, this time complete with a curtain of darkness. Two seconds later, I kneel on the grass, bare and next to my clothing. As if trying to shed Matthew, I dress, thanking luck I slipped out of my clothing without tearing it. Baggy jeans saved the day. I focus on that instead of what I wanted to do—no, what the instinct in me wanted to do.

  I didn't have to shift to get rid of Matt. I could have just shoved him or even punched him in the face.

  But I did.

  "He deserved to wet himself," I say, standing and eyeing the trail. My hearing's dulled some since changing back, but I can still hear the two guys running back to the school.

  My heart races. No matter how much I try to distract myself, I can't get rid of the horror.

  Because I didn't just want to scare Matt.

  He wanted to do something horrible but I would have done worse.

  I'm supposed to be Noble, but is there some Savage in me, too? A Savage Wolf bit me right before I turned. I was only half wolf before. An unusual case. Maybe the Savage filled the other half. That might explain my fighting ability, too.

  But if I ask Cayden, he'll know what I did.

  He's already worried enough. And I showed regular people what I am. I acted like Cayden. Brash. Careless. I moved without thinking.

  And now I'm in my little box all over again.

  How could Cayden do this? We need each other right now.

  Darting into the trees, now on two legs, I run and run.

  Cayden's scent doesn't return. My phone buzzes with a text, probably from Noah, but I can't talk to him now. What if my instinct tells me to kill him, Ellie, or Sarah next?

  Matt wanted to rape me, I think.

  He was going to. He premeditated it and everything.

  I defended myself and might have saved other girls from the same. Maybe I even defended Olivia, hurting Matt's pride.

  But I wanted to kill—

  Reaching the trail that leads to my street, I stop and debate heading back to school. Lunch will end in a few minutes. Maybe I'll see Cayden, and he'll know something's wrong. I can tell him and take the weight off. Maybe he'll know why my instinct took over. I didn't want to rip out Matt's throat with my teeth. The mysterious fighting instinct did that and didn't even let me choose to run away or fight in human form.

  Had the animal within given me a choice, I would have shown my strength and fled. Maybe I could have even broken Matt's arm to make my point and to keep him from touching Ellie and Sarah.

  Cayden would say that, too.

  Noble Wolves protect people.

  I'll run home. Otherwise, I must face Cayden in the final hour of school.

  The trees zip past as I bolt, down the trail Cayden and I have
used before. The backs of houses show through the trees, but I stay unseen and Cayden's scent stays absent. At last, at the fork, I take the right path and dart through the Lowes' yard, but they're not home. Everly wanted me to talk sense into Cayden. I can't even talk sense to myself.

  Once I reach the street, I slow, but only because an old man is out, pulling dead flowers from his garden. When I reach the house, I find Aunt May gone and working at the store. Unlocking the door, I head inside and slam it behind me like I'm trying to hold out monsters.

  Why? I'm the scariest one in town.

  My phone buzzes again.

  "Leave me alone," I say, pulling it out. Noah.

  Where are you?

  Please respond.

  Brie, where are you at?

  Ellie has sent me a string of texts, too.

  If you're not back soon, I swear I'm going to call the cops.

  It hits me.

  Ellie must have seen Matt leave the cafeteria right after I did. And now she fears the worst.

  I'm fine, I text back. Felt sick. Walked home. That's all.

  Are you sure? Ellie.

  Yes. I can't tell them the truth. I can't even tell Noah that Matt wet his pants like a baby.

  I might have stopped Matt from touching Olivia, but at the price of having my secret out.

  Walking upstairs, I flop onto my bed and turn my phone off. I consider going out to the tire swing, my usual worry spot, but I want no one to find me right now. Instead, I close my eyes and curse into the pillow.

  When footsteps approach the house, I snap my head up and listen. They're not Cayden's graceful steps, but Noah's, because he drags his left foot and lets his shoe scuff the driveway. Ellie walks with him. Her footsteps are crisper, more like a dancer's. Until now, I haven't realized I can make out my friends' individual gaits.

  Ellie knocks.

  They're worried.

  Great.

  I rush downstairs, stopping myself from going too fast down the steps. I open the door to worried faces. Noah sighs in relief, but Ellie's eyes shine with fear.