The Alpha Legacy Boxed Set 1-7

by Holly Hook

  But there's still a chance...

  I knew it. You're weak.

  "Shut up," I say. "Get out of my head. Or I'm going to charge you rent."

  My humor does nothing this time. The darkness remains. Romulus is stronger than the other dark spirits. I take a breath and hug the tree, focusing on the texture of the bark. Then I pull at my shirt and listen to the quad again. Cayden's almost here.

  And then the darkness lifts. Maybe Romulus is allergic to love.

  I run towards the sound of the quad as Everly walks out of the trees, now in human form, motioning to me. But I ignore her. I don't need her to tell me things are bad when I already know they are. A dark shape and a headlight emerge from the trees. Cayden weaves around trunks like a pro and jumps over the fallen log like it's nothing. Not only does he sing and shove down guys twice his size, he also could compete in professional sports and locate me without directions. My mate never ceases to amaze me.

  "Cayden!" I run towards him, floored that he drove into Savage territory alone. He must have risked his life to get through the trees.

  He turns his face up to me even as he winces in pain. Stopping the quad under a large tree, he keeps it on but falls off, rolling on the ground.

  "Cayden!"

  The curse. He's still trying to protect me. I forgot. It's still here, maybe even more so while we're in this territory. We're on the dark spirits' land. The Russells' spirit guardians aren't as effective here, but I sense their light rays and their warmth trying to form a shield around Cayden. I lie over him while Everly screams his name behind me. More of the darkness pulses through me as I still his thrashing form.

  "I knew you were glad to see me, Brie, but wow," he says in relief. He rasps his words, but I don't care.

  I want to tell him that he shouldn't have come here, that he should have stayed in Colling and swayed Lawrence, but I'm so glad to see him I don't care. The shadows retreat, leaving a warm ray of sun that casts light and happiness on my skin. Yes. Most of the guardian spirits are staying around Cayden as I predicted. "Is there anything not impressive you can do? How did you know I was here?"

  "I just felt that you were in the Savages' territory. Once I got close enough, I could smell you. I should take you for a ride. Never driven a quad before, but I got the hang of it fast."

  "No kidding. Would love to. Out of here." I keep my tone light as Everly hovers over us. I bet she's shaking her head. I might be alpha, but Everly is stubborn like her brother. I kiss Cayden on the cheek, and whisper into his ear, "We get Callie out of here. Now."

  We rise, and I find Remo, also now dressed, standing beside Everly. Callie and Alex talk to each other in low voices. Remo tilts his head in the direction of the mansion, where they stand.

  "I swear, I'm fine." Callie.

  "We have to be sure. The Noble Order was strict for a reason," Alex says. "We've had incidents in the past, and believe me, they're not an easy thing to deal with."

  "My jacket protected me."

  "You seem nervous."

  "That's because this was my first real fight. Sheesh." Callie's losing it. I have to intervene, but I can't tell Alex what to do. The Hunters and the Nobles are separate entities.

  But I run out of the woods and join them. Cayden shoots me a look of terror as he joins me, but I'm glad to have him in my corner. He's the best person at improvising I've ever met.

  "I still smell the Savages in the area," I say. "We need to go, and we need to go now. Cayden brought a quad. If you want Callie out of here, we'll get her out first."

  A mixture of relief and worry comes over Alex's face. He wrinkles his beard and thinks. He's collected his crossbow and his hands tremble as he grasps it. As if he's debating on what to do, or thinking about what he might have to do.

  "I smell them too," Cayden says, whirling and facing the woods. "We all need to go, before they regroup and attack. I can tell you guys have just been in a bad fight. After killing a few of them, they'll want revenge. That's what Savages know." He has no trouble sounding nervous. On and off the stage, he performs.

  "We've got to go. We're weak," I say.

  Alex nods at Callie. But his look promises an investigation later.

  I grab Callie's arm and pull her towards the waiting quad. It rumbles and waits, and the long seat on it promises room for two people. I want more than anything to get on with Cayden and wrap my arms around his middle as we zip through the woods. The happy memory of him carrying me through the woods fills me for a moment. That was before life got too complicated.

  Cayden climbs onto the quad, and Callie, dropping her crossbow and blood-stained dagger, follows. I watch her wrap her arms around Cayden. There's no room for me.

  "Take her to the Lowe cabin," I say. "No. Take her to my house. The Savages won't find her there."

  Cayden nods. "Got it." He cranks the handle of the quad and zips off into the woods, following the gravel trail and barely missing the bodies. Callie's leather coat flaps as they go.

  And I glimpse blood on her right thigh. Her blood.

  Horror balloons in me as her coat flaps back into place and Cayden turns away. No doubt he can smell it.

  "Let's get out of here," I shout to the others. Now I can really smell the Savages. The rotten wood scent strengthens, blowing from everywhere at once as the wind changes. Tree branches groan in the wind, threatening to fall. I tuck Brett's book back into my jeans and pull my shirt over it. Burning hay. Toxic herbs. Dancing shadows. The Savages and the cult are bringing reinforcements to finish us. And from the smell of it, there are more of them than before. They must be a mile away, but one thing is clear: they've been busy infecting people and expanding their pack.

  The thought makes my heart race. My urge to fight rises to the surface, but I think of Cayden on that quad, speeding away with Callie, and I wave to Everly and Remo.

  We run.

  I run against my tense muscles which order me to fight and protect the pack. Brett's book jabs into my ribs but I ignore it. The border gets closer, even as I run through the cloud of hatred and despair. Cayden's quad fades.

  "How far away are they?" Alex asks.

  He's blind to the scents. Brave man. "Less than a mile. There are at least a dozen of them," I say.

  "Just run," Everly tells him.

  I cross the territory border, bolting past the fallen tree and the jagged roots, but we're not safe yet. Not until we reach our own border. The neutral zone is a free-for-all.

  Cayden speeds up ahead, rushing to get Callie back to my house. He's already in our area. But Alex stops and digs into his pockets. "Wait!"

  "For what?" I ask, stopping. "You'll die out here. I know you're a great Hunter, but—"

  He produces a large glass spray bottle, and the pine scent it contains washes over me before he even sprays it on my skin and clothes. The vapor makes me cough and hugs my skin with a hint of slime. He's masking us.

  Why didn't he do that to begin with? We're having a talk when we get back.

  "Not perfect, but it'll help," Alex says, turning to Everly and Remo and spraying them, too. "It might buy us a few minutes."

  "Good idea," Everly says, a rare thing.

  We all smell like pine trees. The Noble smell vanishes on us, but it lingers on the wildlife trail we've used. Everyone stares at me, waiting for my decision.

  I hear the Savages now, snapping twigs. They're less than a half mile away. At least a dozen Wolf paws hammer the ground. The first growls meet my ears. If I don't make the right decision, Everly and Remo die. And so does Alex.

  "I'll divert them. Run!" I say, turning away.

  Typical, Romulus whispers with disgust.

  And why do you want me? I think.

  Remo, Everly, and Alex bolt down the trail while I veer off into tall grass and into trees. Nothing usually walks here. I crash the dead weeds, making sound, masking the escape of my pack mates.

  And it works. Far back, the Savage pack diverts from the main trail. Underbrush crunches an
d parts as they try to circle my location. And they move faster than me, too. I'm in human form. I could shift again, but that means dropping Brett's book. My clothes. And likely taking another curse.

  Cayden screams silently in my head. He senses this. In the distance, the quad dies—maybe even at my house—and then starts up again. I know what it means, and run towards the sound, no matter how hopeless it is.

  I pump my legs.

  The Savages close in by the second. All dozen are on me now. Even as a Wolf, I can't fight them all. But if they kill me, at least Romulus won't steal my form. And since he's stuck to me, he can't order them around.

  He can't order them around.

  As the thought rolls through my head, I sense his panic.

  I might have gained the upper hand.

  Stopping, I whirl and face the direction the Savages will emerge. And I wait.

  Am I weak now?

  He doesn't answer. The invisible force presses down on my chest, as if he's trying to enter my form, but it stops at a paw print instead of turning into a mountain. I can bear it. Balling my fists, I square off with the trees, watching and waiting. Dark shapes move within and approach. Though I've left the dark spirits behind, invisible ants march over my skin. Romulus is trying to decide. Darkness sways and retreats at the corners of my vision as the first Wolves emerge from the trees.

  The quad screams again.

  I close my eyes for a second, hoping Cayden can see where I am. Or that he can follow the crushed trail in the weeds.

  Side by side, the Savages emerge.

  The male I killed wasn't the alpha after all...because an even larger Wolf, a steel gray male, stands in the middle and growls as he approaches. The intent in his icy blue eyes is clear. I'm going to die, I have no chance, and he's not going to make it slow. I count eleven other Wolves approaching, none with a shard of mercy. Romulus picks at my skin as the pressure on my chest abates. He's leaving and rejecting his attachment to me now that I stare death in the face. It's just what he did with Mr. Saffron.

  The coward.

  That's his weakness.

  It's too bad I've discovered it too late. The Wolves continue to close the distance, slowing as if to let me wallow in despair.

  And now that Romulus is gone, fear explodes.

  I'm going to die. Cayden's going to find me and his sun will set again. Permanently.

  "I'm sorry," I mouth.

  The alpha peels back lips and growls again. I've never seen him before, and I stare into those icy eyes as they suddenly darken. The alpha balks and steps back, drawing confused stares from the other Wolves. Romulus, in desperation, is trying to take his form.

  I take the distraction and run into the trees behind me.

  A headlight peeks through the underbrush.

  "Cayden!"

  He jumps another fallen log, holding onto the quad like a pro. I trust him. The quad's body bounces with the impact, but Cayden looks like a dark angel sitting on top of it.

  "Get on!"

  I race to him and leap onto the back, which still smells of Callie's blood. But I don't care. Wrapping my arms around Cayden, I hold on as he turns the quad, throwing mud into the face of a Savage Wolf. The light brown Wolf lifts her paw to her face to clear the mud, and we leave her in our wake as Cayden speeds away.

  "Hold on!" he shouts.

  I can't ask about Callie now. As we ride, I feel the pressure of Romulus gone. He's left. I was about to die and he left. The victory makes me want to laugh. Trees zip past and Cayden's warmth soothes me. Everything's going to be fine. He can fight his curse—somewhat—and I can get the Savage King to leave me alone.

  "We're awesome!" I shout.

  "Just enjoy the ride back," Cayden shouts.

  "But Everly and Remo!" I shout.

  "I saw them. They're almost back in our territory. I think you saved their lives, Brie." Despite the fact that he's driving and without a helmet, he faces me and dodges another tree. Cayden can navigate by the feel of the air. I know, because I can feel the difference of the wind blowing off the trees ahead.

  "What? You're not mad that I did that?" I ask.

  Cayden weaves around another tree. We quiver as the quad pumps out fumes, throwing them at the few Savages who dare to chase us. I look back at them, to see the alpha giving chase, but by the second we put distance between us and him. Darkness still dances in the alpha's eyes, trying to settle. Romulus is trying and failing. No ritual's helping him here. With luck, we'll leave him disembodied.

  Cayden raises a hand and flips him off.

  The Wolf stops and growls while the others mill around in confused circles, not sure what to do. What the heck. I flip him off too.

  Chapter Fifteen

  "What do you have under your shirt?" Cayden asks as we break into our territory. "Everly texted me earlier. She told me you and the Hunters were spying on the cult to come up with a way to attack them later. And that you had a Hunter who might work against you if he knows your heritage." He continues to drive, and we cross our border. It smells of our pack, and with a sniff I realize Abigail has added her scent to it. Active woman.

  "A present," I say, lowering my voice as I speak into Cayden's ear.

  "What happened?" He looks at me with disbelief, pupils wide. Like he can't believe something would give us a break. "And why did you go with those Hunters by yourself?"

  "Everly and Remo were with me." Even though I'm alpha, I'm still floored by Cayden's dedication. The thought fills me with warmth. "And get us back to my house, and I'll show you your present."

  Cayden finds a wider trail, one with quad tracks already on it from others, and turns down a narrow one towards my house. Then he goes completely off-road and we bounce up and down. My heart races with the thrill. Holding onto Cayden without the threat of Romulus or his curse feels good. We haven't relaxed together or had any real fun for a while. Not since that wonderful night after the Russells fought the cult.

  Things should always be this way.

  And maybe, now that we've both discovered ways to fight back against our inner demons, our dream can come true.

  Cayden drives us into the field behind my house, and I smell Aunt May and Abigail. Then I see them over the weeds. Abigail circles the back of the house while Aunt May waits at the back door, arms crossed in a clear sign she's worried about me. I know what's happened. Aunt May forgot about Abigail and rushed here when she heard about my adventure.

  But I'll forgive her. Abigail's proven herself.

  I wave as Cayden zooms into the backyard and finishes our crazy ride with a half-donut. We stop near the swing I haven't used all winter. And I don't care if the others are watching. I kiss Cayden right on the lips.

  "That was the most amazing quad driving I've ever seen," I say.

  Cayden leans back, all cool. The sun comes out again and brings out the highlights of his hair. I spot every shade of red in them. "It was nothing."

  "Yeah, right."

  "Well, actually, it was almost nothing, because the gas tank was on fumes when we got into the yard," Cayden says, tapping the gauge. Then his phone buzzes. "Oh. Must be Everly and Remo." He looks at a text and nods. "They're all okay and are walking back now. The Savages have stopped chasing them."

  "Why are you in such a good mood?" I ask.

  He gives me a broody look for effect. "Is that better? You don't like seeing me happy?"

  "Of course I like seeing you happy."

  Cayden looks at the sky while Aunt May walks over. "I am now. Trust me, it was harder than anything I've ever done to leave you in the Savage territory. But after I dropped Callie off here and rushed back to you, I felt better. Like everything would be okay. I don't know why."

  Then I lean close to him and give him a teasing smile and whisper in his ear, "I got rid of someone."

  His jaw falls open in shock. "You what?"

  "Brie?" Aunt May stares at me, also open-mouthed. Behind her, Abigail stops pacing and watches me. It's as if I've jarred
her out of her thoughts.

  I can't divulge too much with Abigail there. So I speak to Aunt May more than Cayden. He'll have to wait for the full story. "The Savages were chasing me, and we left them in the dust. It was awesome. Those Savages are cowards and that's their weakness." I emphasize that last word. Abigail might have proven herself, but I still don't know how quiet she can stay.

  Abigail nods.

  Cayden gets off the quad and grabs my arms. "We can talk about it later."

  I wish I could spill the whole story. Are we almost at the end of this?

  "Callie's inside," Aunt May says in a low, serious voice.

  I know she doesn't mean to, but she snaps me back to the ugly reality we're facing. I nod to Cayden. During the ride, I forgot all about her. Another wave of guilt sweeps over me, but with a headshake from Cayden, it flees into the background. Romulus might be gone now, but there's no guarantee he won't come back.

  "Then we have to see her injury," I order, sweeping into the house.

  I'm in control. Alex is gone and I'm sure he'll stay that way for a while. Could he really turn on Callie if she's infected?

  His pained words come back.

  Yes.

  He might have turned on someone before.

  Cayden frowns at me as he joins me in my kitchen. I smell Callie, and she's lying on the couch. The spicy scent of inflammation follows. I'm not close enough to detect any trace of a Savage.

  "You'll be able to tell if she's in trouble," Cayden whispers in my ear.

  I eye him. Guilt's my downfall and Cayden's, too. Our gazes meet. "If she's infected, then I can't...then I can't do what we need to do." My heart races as I interlock my fingers with Cayden's. Just feeling like crap for hurting or driving Callie away might bring Romulus back. It's possible my reprieve is just temporary.

  And Callie.

  She just wants to help to Noble Order. We get along. She's distant, but I already feel that she's family. A piece to a giant puzzle I never thought I'd have.