by Holly Hook
“They took the teacher to the hospital,” Edwin announces to the others.
Aunt May emerges from the Russells' other bedroom. Jeans swish against each other as she goes to meet him. “What did you tell the police?”
I should be asking that question and taking charge.
“That a wild dog attacked this teacher, and we heard his screams,” Edwin says. “The man will have to get rabies shots, but no one is looking for wolves right now.”
I burst out of the room, leaving Cayden behind. I have to know another truth before Cayden and I proceed.
Edwin stands with the Russell cousins and Leonora's parents. Leonora tries to squeeze in through the front door. “Is he going to be okay? What about the curse? Did the coven remove it? Did you keep Romulus from possessing me?”
“Whoa,” Edwin says. “One question at a time, please.” He's lost much of his attitude.
Cayden emerges, too, to stand beside me. Instead of taking charge, he waits for me to ask the questions. The power shift seems to have settled. If being beta now is bothering him, he's not showing it.
“Did you remove Cayden's curse?” I already know Mr. Saffron should pull through.
Edwin faces one cousin, a young woman whose name I forget. “We called on our old protector spirits to shield you from the dark spirits. They did their job. I'm surprised our protector spirits still exist, because we haven't fed them with attention in years. It took the entire coven to summon them. It appears they kept Romulus's spirit from taking you, too.”
“Are they around us now?” I ask.
Edwin shakes his head. “Not now. We must give them more attention before they become strong enough to protect you on their own. That's a process that can take up to months. Do not consider the curse removed yet.”
“If your protector spirits work so well, why did you leave Breck in the first place?” I ask. The pack deserves answers. Then it hits me. “You knew I came from both royal lines, didn't you? That's the real reason you left. It wasn't just to shame Leonora's parents.”
Everyone in the room freezes. Aunt May stares at me with horror. This is news to her since she doesn't have that blood.
Edwin glares at me. The attitude is back. “I told your father it was dangerous to marry your mother because any child they‘d have might be dangerous and at risk. But your mother didn't want to believe she was one of Romulus's human descendants. The thought was too awful for her. So she married your father, and I knew the best way to protect you was to pretend you did not exist. After the Savages destroyed your parents, we were out of good options.”
“You leaving was a terrible option,” I say. Edwin is proud. I read that in his shoulders. “You left because you didn't want to screw up. And that's why you shame everybody else. If you hadn't gone, this curse might not have happened.”
He flinches. “You know nothing,” he says.
Behind Edwin, Mr. Russell smiles. We've scored a point.
Edwin frowns. “You need me,” he says. “Our protection will change everything. And the coven has been attempting to reach the spirit of Remus for years. With great effort and with your presence, we may do it.”
“Remus? His spirit is still around?”
“It would help us if it were,” Edwin says. “Remus hasn't had a cult worshipping him and feeding him with attention all these years. Perhaps his spirit has faded or moved on to another realm. We don't know what happens beyond this world. But we will continue to try.”
The air thickens as we stare at each other. Another power struggle comes to life.
“Brie,” Cayden whispers. “We should go.” He links his hand with mine. “To my place or yours, I don't care.”
He‘s right. Arguing with Edwin right now won‘t lead anywhere good. I lay my head on Cayden's shoulders. “My place. It's far from here. But we have to get there quick.”
Love helped to dispel Romulus. Edwin won‘t admit that.
If the door to possession and destruction is murder and hate, then I'll close it tonight with love. I won't let the Savage King ruin us. Even if the act strengthens our bond to where I'll die for Cayden.
* * * * *
It's clear there's no further progress we can make tonight. The curse remains, but at least we have protection. And arguing with Edwin will not improve our situation. He's right we need him and the whole Coven if we're to have a chance.
If Romulus is a spirit, his twin might be, too.
Weak, but if we can find him, then we can strengthen him. And I'm key to that.
With that thought swirling through my head, I walk hand in hand with Cayden back to my house. We rush, leaving Aunt May to pack the clothes I left. Minutes are precious and even though I'm alpha, I won't command her to stay out of the house all night. That's something a Savage would do.
Besides, Cayden and I aren't out of the woods yet. The curse remains, but now there's hope. And I will enjoy it tonight.
The house is empty as I unlock it and lead Cayden up the stairs. Smiling, I close my door and lock that, too, just in case. “You know, if I hear my aunt coming, we'll cut it short,” I say.
Cayden grins. “You have the best hearing. Try not to get too distracted. We know that's a problem.”
“You'll be the one distracting me.” Heart racing and body zinging with electricity, I reach into my purse and hand Cayden the condom I've been saving for this occasion. He smiles and nods. Then I light the patchouli candle on my desk and turn everything else off. Candlelight flickers against Cayden's features as I pull him in for a kiss. I want the first time to be extra special.
We help each other with our clothes, wasting no time and savoring the moment, though we've seen each other before. But this time it's different. We're meant to be together, and though we might die, we need to live. We'll never be safe. If we wait, there won't be anything to protect.
Being together might put us both at risk, but it's worth it. Tonight, we defy all those who would tear love apart. I close some doors and open others.
Cayden and I move together, waves in the ocean, faster and faster. The electric bond between us tightens. Turns to steel. We're the same. Mates forever. Nothing can break us apart. At last we collapse and the sea returns to calm, sparkling under the sun.
Cayden sighs against my ear as we snuggle. The candle flickers, making circles on the ceiling.
"I don't hear Aunt May yet," I say.
"Come on. Don't spoil the moment," he says.
"You're right. Who knows when we get another one? Mate." I wrap my arm around Cayden's perfect chest.
He smiles. "We won't let anything tear us apart."
"Hey. What if I get possessed?"
"You won't let that happen, Brie. You're still Noble. Like attracts like. And you didn't kill Mr. Saffron."
"Why are we talking about him now?" I make a pouty face.
"Sorry."
"Should we sleep?" I ask. "Or just lay here and talk for the rest of the night?"
"Well, I kind of want to catch up after I was gone for so long. Sure, it was a few days, but it felt like forever."
"Don't do it again," I say, kissing him on the cheek. "If we're going to make it through this, we have to keep the darkness out. No more running. This is our territory and our world, and it's not all bad. We're going to fight."
END OF BOOK FOUR
Kin Bound
The Alpha Legacy #5
By Holly Hook
Copyright Holly Hook 2019
Chapter One
Going on a mission to defeat another pack's alpha and expand ours should make me nervous. And guilt-tripped. And also fearing for my life, but spring has a way of making everything feel better.
Running as a Wolf through the woods helps, too. Always does. Loping through the melting snow tiny flowing creeks, I glance at the black wolf that is Cayden. He runs beside me, red highlights shining in the sun. With a playful snort, he takes his paw and splashes me with cold water.
Hey, I think.
Everly
steps up beside us, a smaller version of Cayden. We have business. As her voice rings in my head, Aunt May and Remo step up beside her.
We would if we could find another Noble pack out here, I say.
After a month of wondering how to attack Romulus's cult, contact Remus's spirit, and just figuring out how not to die, we all came to the same conclusion: we need more Wolves to fight. That means absorbing other packs into ours. By force. No alpha will let his or her pack get absorbed if they can help it. Assuming all alphas have that protective instinct I do.
Cayden nuzzles me. In Colorado, there will be some.
We stand in the wild zone between packs, probably eight miles north of Breckenridge. No Wolf scents other than ours ride on the wind out here. This is our first time venturing out so far as Wolves. At least I sense the lightness of the Russells' protective spirits. Always warm and full of joy, they follow Cayden and keep the dark spirits back. He's still not completely safe, though. Last week, he suffered a small pain attack after defending me from one Mrs. Connors's literary questions.
The other Wolves eye me, waiting. We keep going north. Lots of woods and small towns to check.
We continue, running under armies of pine trees. Leonora's great uncle Edwin said there used to be other Noble packs around here, but that he doesn't know how they're doing now. Or if they still exist. A scent hits me and I stop. I smell something.
The wind blows from the north, from deeper in the mountains. A few wooded peaks rise ahead. I sniff again, knowing I have the best sense of smell. The message is faint, like a radio signal from a far-away city, and it’s gone as soon as it’s come. Pure wilderness, meadow flowers, and musk. Other Noble Wolves exist out here. Edwin was right.
This pack must be a dozen miles away, nestled somewhere in a nearby town. We’re only six or seven miles outside our territory now.
Another pack, I say, breaking into a run again.
Nervous tingles crawl into my limbs and gather in my chest as we run. Cayden remains beside me as if he senses my nerves. We've strengthened our connection. Maybe he does.
Other smells hit me, strengthening as we weave between tree trunks, jump over boulders, and splash through runoff. Gasoline fumes. Pancakes. Even coffee. A town. And another Noble pack's territory.
An hour passes and we close the distance, bringing scents to life one by one. Other Noble Wolves ride on the wind, with the essence of fresh grass, meadows, mountain air, and drying bark. But above all those familiar scents is one that turns my stomach: a musky, strong smell that screams alpha male. In this case, literally.
Big pack, Remo says.
I look to Cayden as we continue forward. He's been a Wolf all his life.
His pupils widen. When a pack marks a territory this much, just breaching the border is a challenge.
Got it. Dread fills my stomach as Cayden's words sink in.
We crest another hill and the scent of the other pack becomes overpowering. Faint exhaust from furnaces rises above the trees ahead. A small town. Like us, this pack has surrounded their town with their scent, which sticks to a ring of trees around the perimeter. I sniff a nearby tree trunk. The alpha male's scent overtakes everything. The tree smells like he marks it daily. His musky odor contains salt. Anger. He really, really wants other Wolves to stay out.
Not good. Cayden sniffs beside me. This border‘s strong.
Maybe they know about the Savages. We’ve got to have hope, right?
Possible. Everly sweeps up beside us and joins in on the sniffing.
The first Noble pack we're going to meet, and they're hostile. Lowering my nose to the ground reveals about a dozen weaker Wolf scents. Absorbing this pack would help, but facing them could kill.
Everyone looks at me. A heavy sense of responsibility settles over me. Keeping the pack alive is my job. But the risk of staying small is too much to bear.
Cayden thinks nothing. Our gazes meet. I know what he wants to say: that I can do this.
Cross, I think. They'll smell us soon enough.
New strength sweeps over me as I make the order. I take a breath and with a snort, I push past the tree and into new territory.
The wind blows from town at first, carrying our scent away, so we have to circle it, just inside the border, to put the breeze at our backs. We cross just one road and watch, from the trees, as a single car drives to the north, vanishing around a wooded curve. A tiny town. It seems to be the only way in and out. My legs shake from fatigue and I sit down as the wind blows at my back.
Now all we have to do is wait. The border remains at our backs.
Cayden looks at me. If the other pack sees us sitting, they’ll be less likely to attack.
That’s submitting, I think.
Yes. Sucks, but we have to do it.
The rebel in me hates the idea. I may be altruistic, but I still don’t like to take orders. It’s the Royal in me and I fear it. How will I act when the other pack gets here?
Because get here they will do.
I lie down as the wind carries our scent into town. If the other pack comes from there, we won’t smell them coming. But I can listen, so I turn my ears in that direction.
I hear nothing out of place at first, but after several minutes, paws snap twigs and strike dirt. I raise my head, the first to hear the coming pack, and my heart races at how many there are. There must be a dozen Wolves approaching. Maybe more.
Stay down so we can size them up, Cayden says beside me.
Can we communicate with them?
We should.
That doesn’t make me feel better. I fight myself to stay put. Cayden and Everly flank me while Aunt May and Remo stand on the outside. The padding feet intensify, and I spot the first dark shapes through the woods. The Wolves run side by side, and the one in the center is dark brown, large, and intimidating. I glimpse a pair of sharp brown eyes before he descends a hill. The other Wolves, in all colors, follow.
Every instinct tells me to run, that we’ve violated territory lines and deserve to feel stupid, but tradition hasn’t gotten us very far. I force myself to remain in place as the other alpha crests the next hill, now much closer to us, and bolts toward us. The others approach, too. A solid white wolf who limps. Another blond. Two gray Wolves with blue eyes. I count five, six, seven...twelve...fourteen. A large pack. How am I supposed to absorb this one? I’ll never defend the pack or protect them if this alpha decides to rip us apart.
Lie down, Cayden urges me. Show you submit.
I do, even though the challenge is already made. The dark Wolf slows his pace, surveying me and waiting for me to make a move. He's twice my size. Made of solid muscle. Growls rise from the pack behind him. The message is obvious.
Every part of me wants to fight, but instead, I force myself to wait as the rival alpha closes in.
Chapter Two
Waves of tension and sickness wash over me. Cayden doesn't give me any more pointers. All I can do is hug the ground as the alpha crosses the final few feet. He stands over me now. Sniffs. Leans down, so I'm eye level with a row of sharp teeth. Muscle ripples. The brown Wolf must work out while in human form. He does not try to communicate.
He sniffs again, circling around me. I tense, waiting for him to pounce. To bite. My limbs turn to springs waiting for my order. All Nobles can communicate, right? I can't with the Savages, though I can read their body language.
But the way the rival alpha paces around me warns me I should let him speak first. The other Wolves fan out to stand around us, waiting for orders. Yes. Fourteen. They're in all colors and sizes. The scents of meadows and pine needles and fresh air surround me. They're like us. Not Savages. But they're still Wolves.
The alpha appears in front of me and leans down as that we're eye level. You are trespassing.
A strong, but young male voice echoes through my head. He's patient but also angry. Reserved but in control. The Wolf must be in his late twenties. Old enough to have experience being alpha, and strong enough to pose me a real
challenge.
He's waiting for me to respond.
We need help. The Savages keep attacking our territory.
The alpha takes a step back like I've slapped him. But he doesn't let down on his reserved anger. All packs are on their own. Coming together will expose us.
But the Savage King is rising. He'll destroy us all. We can't stay divided.
The Wolves all wait while I lie there. Then the alpha nods at me. I rise. To face a fight or to speak, I don't know.
He died a long time ago, the alpha thinks.
The white wolf steps forward, but the alpha glares at her. She takes her place back with the others.
A wall's going up. I should have known. Before hearing of him from Brett, even Cayden thought Romulus and Remus were just an old myth made up by Wolves to explain their existence.
He's not. We've seen him. If he wins, we all rot away or go Savage. That includes you. I sit up, taking his invitation. We did not want to trespass, but the Nobles need to come together.
Cayden looks at me with warning. I'm giving this alpha the cue to kick us out before listening to our case.
And take the cue he does. The brown Wolf steps forward. Leave us before we tear you apart.
The other Wolves of the rival pack growl their warnings. A few step forward, including the old white one.
Wait!
The Wolf cocks his head. Leave.
A strong sense I should sweeps over me. But I won't. We came miles and miles. I'm a Noble Royal, descended from Remus himself.
The brown wolf balks and snorts. Go!
I've hit a raw spot. Do I have to fight you?
The large brown Wolf snorts again. He's putting up a shield of disbelief. The thought of a smallish blond wolf taking him down is amusing, and might work in my favor. If I defeat this closed-minded alpha, I might get this pack to our side. We could even join and become a larger pack. Yes. We would.
Is that a challenge?