No Claim

The Alpha Brothers:Book Two

G. Bailey

Contents

Description

Join Bailey’s Pack

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Epilogue

Spin off series, Vampire Captive.

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Author Note

Stay in Touch

About the Author

Excerpt from Runes of Truth-

No Claim Copyright © 2019 by G. Bailey

All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

The author acknowledges the trademark owners of various products, brands, and/or stores referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

For more information about the author and her work, visit-

www.gbaileyauthor.com

Cover design by FrostAlexis Arts.

Edited by Helayna Trask.

Created with Vellum

Description

Strength no longer hides in the weak, instead it is shown by the new alpha. Elodie Masters.

Will Elodie be able to make the Alpha brothers kneel and submit?

Or will they go to war?

Elodie Master struggles to learn about her new role, as well as the secrets of her past as she decides how to rule her new pack.

No one wants war, but Elodie cannot forgive the alpha’s who stole her heart. With war, brings loss and destruction that no one wants. The Alpha brothers aren’t the only wolves Elodie should be running from…

A secret is coming, one that only brings death.

18+ with dark themes.

Join Bailey’s Pack on Facebook to stay in touch with the author, find out what is coming out next and any news!

www.gbaileyauthor.com

Prologue

My heart pounds in my chest as I ride up to the large gates that are the only way into the pack that I know of. I pull my horse’s reins, slowing him down as we get a good distance away, and River stops at my side with his horse. Alpha, Letric and Alaric are on the other side of this door, and I have to see them again after they broke my heart. I don’t know how I’m going to feel when I see them, but I have put it off for far too long. River looks down at me, and I know if I changed my mind, rode back to the castle and hid there forever, he would be at my side. Though a deep part of me itches to see the Alpha Brothers again, to hear each of their voices, even if I know it is going to hurt. I nod once at River, my mouth too dry to force actual words to leave my lips.

“Open the gates!” River shouts, his voice echoing as the wind carries it. A few silent moments pass before the gates swing open, and I squeeze my legs around the horse, urging it on. We ride through the gates, and I stop the horse the moment I see Alpha standing completely alone in the middle of the path. His long black hair whips around in the wind, caressing his bare chest and the top of his low trousers. His dark eyes fix on me, just as I stare right back, and my wolf growls low.

“Lodie?” a small voice questions, and I suddenly notice Annie at Alpha’s side, holding his hand. He wasn’t lying, dammit.

“Hello, Annie,” I manage to say, glancing back at Alpha who moves to stand behind Annie, placing his hands on her shoulders, and she looks scared. With how Alpha is silently moving, the dark, evil look in his eyes, I would be too in her position. She is just a child, but to Alpha? She is a tool to get me to do what he wants, and he knows it.

“Come with me, Elodie. Now,” Alpha demands. I miss his voice the moment he stops speaking, and I know it will haunt my dreams for a long time more. They each have this effect on me, but Alpha is the worst. His damaged, broken soul calls to me because we both are the same in a messed up way. We both want to destroy each other and rebuild the broken pieces afterwards. This time, I can’t do that with him, and he knows it. My heart is already broken, and what pieces I can fix will go to loving my baby. That’s the hard part of this all, that even if the Alpha Brothers aren’t in my life, I will have a part of them with me. Always.

“No,” I reply. I need to see how he reacts, how he cares. I look around for Letric, Alaric and even Misty, but there is no one else here.

“Don’t you want Annie safe?” he asks.

“You won’t hurt her,” I reply. I know it deep in my soul that he won’t, and I also know this is not how I want us to have our first real talk. It has to be on my terms. I’m too angry, in too much pain to just walk to him and let him control the world again.

“Are you really brave enough to call my bluff?” he asks. “Sweet Elodie, you know I’ve killed worse than this child to get what I wanted.” I don’t reply or even react to his taunt, because that is all it is. A taunt, a threat, but it’s not real. I know the real darkness in Alpha, and the look in his eyes isn’t that right now. See, they all made a mistake keeping me so close, making me fall in love with every part of each of them, because I learnt too much. I know them, and that makes me more dangerous than Alpha could ever know. This isn’t a game he is going to win. The stakes have changed, and I am no longer a pawn. I’m a queen.

Chapter 1

Alaric

"Alaric, what are you doing out here alone?" Mary asks, and I hear her small footsteps in the sand as she comes over to me. "The pack is gathering, and your brothers need you." I glance at Mary, seeing her brown hair and kind eyes that remind me even more of the reason I am not at the pack gathering. There are only thirty people on the island anyway, they do not need me there. Letric and Alpha can deal with them alone.

"I don't want to play alpha. I want to go back and see if my mother is still alive," I say, looking out at the rolling waves of the sea and to the bridge in the corner of my eye. The sea is dark and moody today, fitting my emotions well as I watch it. Alpha never talks about our mother, only the crimes of our father and why we need to stay away from him. Alpha only has his stories and I have fleeting memories of a man that liked to hurt us. Letric doesn't remember either of them at all.

"She isn't and a deep part of you knows that," Mary says, her tone firm and true as she comes and sits next to me in the sand. "Alpha and Letric are the only family you wish to find."

"They only care about fixing old buildings and letting in outcasts," I mutter. "And helping look after you. I don't want that."

"To build a new pack, it takes time and hard work, Alaric," she replies, watching the waves. "You have no clue of the cruelty out there and what your brother is protecting you from."

"I miss my mother, even if I just barely remember her now," I say, knowing she is right and looking down at the sea as the harsh waves brush against the sand. "It is the eleventh day I was born today. Alpha and Letric have forgotten."

"Did you not tell them?" Mary asks. "You certainly did not tell me as I would have found a way to celebrate with you."

"No, he didn't tell us at all," Letric shouts, running down the beach and stopping right next to me, kicking sand all over me as he stops. I push the sand off me as Alpha walks down the beach, and Mary gets up. She pats him gently on the arm before walking off down the beach as Alpha comes to sit next to me.

"Why didn't you tell us it is your birthday? We could have celebrated," Letric says, flashing me a toothy grin.

"I don't want to celebrate the day I was born without my parents," I admit. Alpha growls, and I turn to face him, seeing his anger and annoyance as he stares down at me.

"I have a way you can see your mother, and even our father, if you wish," Alpha finally says. "I am not good at talking, describing the past to you."

"How then?" I ask, desperate to know about my mother.

"My memories. If we cut our hands, share our blood, and make a bond, I can show you them, but it comes with a cost. We will be able to hear each other's thoughts, talk in each other's minds, and you won't be able to just run away from us then," Alpha explains to me. "I will do this for you. My family."

"Can you show me, my mother?" Letric asks. "I don't want to see my father, but my mother... I don't even know what she looks like."

"I will show you everything I remember," Alpha promises as he slides a dagger out from his trousers’ clip. Alpha cuts his hand before offering me the dagger next. I swiftly cut a line down my palm, only mildly flinching at the pain. Letric does the same before holding his hand out. I place my hand on Letric's, instantly feeling the bond. Alpha adds his hand a moment later, and suddenly a flash of Alpha's memories flash into my mind. I see a woman with dark hair, beautiful eyes and a large stomach walking down a long corridor, singing a song. She pauses when she sees me—no, sees Alpha—in the vision and comes over to him.

"Are you okay, little one?" the woman asks, her voice is soft, sweet and so familiar. She is my mother, I know it straight away.

"You are not my mother!” Alpha shouts, and I can feel the hot tears falling from his eyes.

"No, I am not, but I want to be your friend. I'm carrying your baby brother, who will be your best friend if you let him. We are going to name him Alaric after my father."

"Alaric?" Alpha whispers as he slides his small hand into my mother’s open one. "I want a brother." The memory fades so quickly, only to be replaced by another. This time we are in a market, surrounded by people as we walk past stall after stall. Alpha gets to one with our father next to him, where a very attractive blonde woman is selling bread. She smiles at us, looking a little nervous as she rubs the back of her neck.

"You are to come back to the castle with me," our father demands. I look up at him as he grins once at her before turning and walking away. I stay a little longer, watching another man hold the woman and cry, begging her not to go. All the memories fade suddenly as I let go of the hands and wipe away the fallen tears. None of us can say anything out loud for a long time, nor do we really know the words to say in the first place.

"Thank you for this gift, Alpha," I manage to say, knowing that the memories of my mother and Letric’s mother can never be forgotten now. He gave us a little bit of our past to help us face our future.

I shake my head as I knock on the Ruxan Alpha's door, wondering why that memory decided to haunt me right at this moment when I need to be focused on Elodie's mother because Elodie is missing. She is gone, and if she is with my father, I should have killed her to save her the pain my father will cause. The idea of any harm coming to her makes me want to throw up. My sweet El doesn't deserve any kind of pain in her life. And I have to save her—if there is anything left of her when my father is done. I hope we can get there by tomorrow if we ride fast enough, and at least he will not have that much time alone with her. The door opens and Cipher answers, and right behind him is Elodie's mother, Melina. How I didn't recognise her before, figured it out before, is beyond me. She is the image of Elodie. They are both beautiful and share their graceful presence.

"What do you want?" he asks, crossing his arms like I am the last person he wishes to see. After what Alpha just did to his daughter, I soon will be.

"My brother wants to see you both at his tower. Now," I state.

"Understood," Cipher replies, looking back at the man in the room who I assume is his beta. "You know my orders if I am not to return."

"If those orders harm any of my pack, I am coming for you first," I warn the man. He doesn't reply to me, choosing to walk away, and I try not to find that irritating. I know I am on edge, taking things more personally than they are, but El is in trouble. I'm no longer in a rational mood. I can feel my brothers’ emotions, their panic and anger are only feeding my own.

"They will not," Cipher says, but I highly doubt him to be telling me the truth. I step aside, suggesting they walk out. Cipher walks past me, and Melina goes to as well, but I catch her arm.

"You look so much like her."

"Then keep her safe," she whispers and pulls her arm away before walking to catch up with her mate. If Melina cared at all for Elodie, why did she say Elodie was dead and hide her?

Chapter 2

Letric

"A few of the women of the pack are arguing about being the alpha female," Alaric states, coming to sit next to me on the table, and reaching over for a roll of bread. I dip my own bread in my soup that Mary made and nearly groan at the taste. This food is damn perfection.

"No mates. Women only cause arguments that we do not need," Alpha growls out his opinion that we already knew.

"So you want us to never take a mate? Just share a woman for one night and throw her away the next day like a used toy?" I bluntly say because they both know I've never agreed with it. We let them live in the pack, find mates and live their lives. If I'm honest with myself, I don't remember their names or much about them now. Each one of them was nothing more than a one night person to share. I've heard rumours of what it is like to meet the woman you would want to spend forever with, but I've yet to ever feel that emotion.

"It is for the best. We cannot be good mates to any woman. If we each took a mate, it means sharing our emotions for each of them in our minds. We share because it makes sense, it stops jealousy and confused emotions," Alaric tries to reason with me, and Alpha agrees in his mind without saying a word as he eats his food.

"I'm not against sharing with you; I'm against never taking one of them as a mate," I reply out loud.

"The women are beautiful, smart, talented but an alpha female? No, none of them could be that, and that is why they are forgettable," Alaric states. "They couldn't rule, not without a lot of bloodshed."

"Maybe we should make a formal agreement to never take a mate. It would save this conversation happening again," Alpha suggests.

"I agree to the same," Alaric says, and they both look towards me.

"I agree as well," I say, having a sneaking feeling that promise is going to come back and bite me one day when that perfect woman comes along and changes everything.

The memory clouds my mind as I stare at Misty's body on the floor, the way the blood pours from her neck, and how her head is bent at an odd angle. She reminds me of Elodie. Our Elodie who slammed into our lives, changed every rule, and made us happier than we have ever been. Now she is gone, and we are just sitting here, covered in blood, and waiting to start another war.

We will save her, Alpha speaks into my mind, clearly picking up on my internal war.

Before he destroys her? I reply.

Whatever he destroys, we will fix. Elodie is ours, and she always will be, Alpha states, and I can only fill my mind with images of Elodie. Her long brown, silky soft hair. Her soft pale skin, her seductive lips and big blue eyes. Every part of her runs through my mind, desperately clinging to memories because she is not here.

"NO!" Cipher screams, running into the tower with Melina right behind him. He picks up his daughter, screaming still as he holds her. "You killed her! Why would you?"

"She helped someone take what is mine," Alpha states, holding Elodie's necklace in his hand, letting it sway in the wind before he puts it away.

"I do not know what you are talking about, but you will pay for this. Your pack will pay for this!" he hisses. I watch Melina as Cipher continues to threaten us, and I see nothing but relief on her face as she stares down at Misty's body. She is relieved her daughter is dead, but why? This woman confuses me to no end. Alaric rolls his eyes, having enough of this conversation as he walks forward and, in one swift motion, rips Cipher’s head off his shoulders, spraying blood all over the room. Well, all this blood is never coming out of the rug. Melina finally reacts, screaming and falling to her knees. I frown when her screams mix in with the sounds of screams outside. Alaric turns around, looking towards the town as the shouts and pleas get longer and louder. Alpha walks to Melina, lifting her head with his hand.

"What is going on out there?" he demands. "Tell me now, or you will regret it."

"He ordered our pack to kill everyone if the alpha died. Cipher had a blood bond with his beta...and they must know you killed him. They won't stop, not even if I asked," she says. Alpha growls, a very frustrated growl I know all too well.

If you love Elodie as we do, you cannot kill her mother, I warn Alpha through our connection. He stares down at Melina for a long while before letting her go.

"The baby you abandoned just saved your life. Be sure to thank her if you get lucky enough to see her again," Alpha tells her before walking out of the tower.

"We save our pack and then head for Elodie. We do not have a choice," Alpha states, his growl terrifying as he shifts. I shift too, as well as Alaric, before we all run into the pack. Into the chaos that is destroying and killing our pack. Let us hope Elodie can survive until we can deal with the mess here.

Chapter 3

Alpha

"Swim faster, you have to swim faster," I urge Alaric, knowing he needs to be fighting the current that is pulling him away from me. Letric holds his small arms around my neck tighter, his weight pushing me further into the water. The waves are loud, much angrier than when we first started swimming, and the dark clouds above us look like a storm is near when there was no storm before.

"There is nothing out here," Alaric cries. "I am too tired." His words are garbled with water, and I shake my head of the water getting in my ears as I keep swimming.

"There will be something soon. Just don't give up!" I shout at him, the harsh waves are so loud that I doubt he can hear me. "Alaric, do not give up!" My final words are lost as a big wave slams into Letric and me. I grab his arms, pulling him to me as everything blacks out. I don't remember how long I was sleeping, but I remember waking up with a mouth full of sand and coughing it out on an unfamiliar beach.

"Alpha?" little Letric calls, and I sharply sit up, wiping the sand from my eyes and feeling water brushing against my feet as the world comes into view. Letric runs over to me, and I breathe out a sigh of relief. He is four years old, and I didn't think he could make the journey considering he can't swim. Letric wraps his arms around me as I stand up, picking him up with me.

"Have you seen Alaric?" I ask about my younger, only six year old brother. I spin around, seeing the old bridge that is broken in half and impossible to pass. We had to swim, we had to escape the mainland and our father. If it cost us Alaric, I don't know how I would live with myself. I walk down the empty beach, shouting Alaric's name and praying that he will hear us. That he is near. As the sun starts to reach the middle of the sky, I finally see him lying on some large rocks, with blood covering his head. I put Letric down and run over to Alaric, pulling him up and looking at the healing cut on his head. At least he is alive.

"Is he o-okay?" Letric asks, getting to us and climbing the rocks.

"Yes, just sleeping. We need to find some shelter until he wakes up," I say, thinking back to the little path we passed not long ago that led up the island. I pick Alaric up, throwing him over my shoulder and climb off the rock. Letric runs over and takes my hand as we walk back to the path and start to head up it.

"What if there are bad people here?" Letric asks as I walk up the path.

"They can't be worse than what is behind us on the mainland. We will make our home here, I feel it is safe," I say, just as we get to the end of the path where a big clock tower stands. The clock doesn't work, but the brick structure is just about holding in place. In the distance are three more towers, and ruins of houses lead all the way up to them. I look down at a book by my feet, which Letric picks up, wiping off the leaves and dirt. I still smile.

"This is our pack. The Luxa Pack and our new home."

I stand on a rock, looking up at the big gates of the Xan Pack, remembering the day I escaped with my brothers and we ran for our lives from this very place.

"Why isn't he letting us in? Taking Elodie was to get our attention, it doesn't make sense," Letric muses from my side. Alaric doesn't say a word, but his swirling emotions say enough to me. He is worried sick for Elodie. He hasn't slept this last week, none of us has as we saved what we could of our pack. We lost three hundred pack members in the fight and those who are left are devastated by the loss of their loved ones. We have made camp in the forests around the Xan Pack, knowing we will be here for a while no matter what. The doors finally open hours after I asked for an audience. Instead of my father or one of his betas, a guard runs out the doors. He comes nervously up to us, bowing his head once.

"Who are you?"

"The alpha sent me with a message," he says and clears his throat once. "Alpha Elodie has taken control of the pack since killing Alpha Tanner. She has stated you are not welcome in the pack until you submit to her." Shock ripples through my body as I reach for the wolf. I crush his neck under my hands, ignoring his screams before throwing his dead body in front of the gates. Seems our sweet Elodie has been causing trouble.

That is our girl, Letric replies, though he is clearly still troubled by how Elodie managed to kill Tanner.

Now we need to save her from herself before she destroys everything. I don't reply to Alaric's warnings as I turn and walk back into the forest. We need a new plan, and we need to find out what happened to our Elodie.

Chapter 4

Elodie

"Alpha Elodie, your private quarter is ready for you now," River tells me just after he comes into the room and stops near me. I still can’t get used to him calling me Alpha, or anyone for that matter. Not long ago, I was lying in mud and treated worse than the dirt. I run my eyes over my pack, one I was born to rule. The snow covered mountains, the grey brick houses, the horse-drawn carriages that run down the paths with people walking at their sides. This place looks like a story from a book I used to read as a child, and it does not seem real. I keep coming back to this room when I’m not needed, wondering if my father stood where I am and looked down the mountain.

"I've told you more than once that you don't need to call me Alpha. Just Elodie, or something else, but nothing so formal," I say, looking away from the window that is an impressive view over the pack, and the best one I’ve found in this building I have explored. “You did kidnap me and then help me. We don’t need to be formal with each other.” River softly smiles at me, and I realise how much he is different from any man I’ve had in my life. He is a good wolf, one who fights for what is right, and he isn’t using me. Not in any way I can see anyways.

"Alright then, Elodie. What are you going to say to the pack when you meet them tomorrow?" he asks.

"I have some ideas, but you might not like them," I reply. Even though I have not left the castle, I have heard enough from the guards and staff that look after the place about what the pack is like, and nothing I’ve heard so far is good. Women are treated like slaves, mates are not respected, and children are far from protected like they should be. The horses are worked until they die, every tree is cut down and burnt, but yet they do not plan any more. Everything is used, destroyed and never fixed in this pack, and things need to change.

"I like your ideas so far," River replies, smiling at me. In the last week, I've changed a lot of the old pack laws, ones that were cruel and no wolf should abide by them. We are going back to older laws, and that is what I will tell people today. I smooth down my light blue dress that is beyond beautiful. It sparkles as I move, the bodice is tight, and the train flows out. With my crown on, and the pack bowing to me, I feel like a queen. A queen with a broken heart, that is.

"Have they left?" I ask, knowing River will understand who I mean without me speaking their names. It hurts to talk about them, but they are on my doorstep and can’t be ignored.

"Since Alpha killed the man you sent with your message yesterday morning?" River remarks. "No, they are still there. Waiting."

"Why aren't they attacking us? It doesn't make sense to just wait in the forest," I reply, remembering how River explained they have set up camp in the forest, and it looks like the entire pack are out there. Women, children, horses and men. The Alpha Brothers didn’t just bring an army, they brought the pack. But why?

"Maybe they know you are carrying one of their children," River suggests the most likely option.

"Possibly, but they could take the pack without hurting me," I respond. Alpha doesn’t care for me, none of them do, so even if I was hurt a little, I know it wouldn’t matter as long as he got the pack.

"I grew up with the Alpha Brothers," River tells me, and I didn't expect that. I wait for him to tell me more as he pulls his eyes from me and to the view of the houses down the mountain.

"Were they always so..." I drift off, not having the right words for them. Cruel? Heartless? I don't know them, because the Alpha Brothers I fell for were none of those things in my mind. Not until Misty turned up. The idea my half-sister is with them now, just outside my pack walls makes me so mad that my nails turn into claws, and I have to push back my shift. My wolf wants to be out all the time, and I suspect it is a mixture of being locked in my mind for so long and protective of our growing child.

"No, they were kind, good friends. Well, at least Alpha was to me," River replies. “Letric and Alaric were younger than us.”

"Do you know his name?" I ask.

"No, because Alpha Tanner refused to let anyone address his son as anything but Alpha. It was his way of showing power," River explains. “His way of making sure his son was fit to lead, but when he didn’t choose a mate and became what he did, everything changed.”

"They were no claims, like me. Alpha told me about his past a little bit, so did Alaric and Letric," I reply.

"You were closer to them than I thought, if they told you that," River suggests, but I don't answer him. "I believe no claims are just wolves who are so powerful, so unique, that they need longer to embrace their true selves. It is likely the very wolves the packs treat like slaves have the power to be stronger than any of us."

"You can be very poetic at times, River," I say, grinning at the handsome wolf.

"I'm just good with words, part of my beta job. Speaking of which, you should assign two more wolves to protect you. I have suggestions, but it might be better if you go into the pack and find out yourself who you want to choose. With me at your side, that is," he says, crossing his arms.

"I will think about it," I reply. It does make sense to have some more people around me I trust, but I’m not sure who to trust. River is different from the other wolves in this pack.

"Can I show you your rooms now?" River asks, holding out an arm for me. I link my arm in his for an answer and let him guide me out of the small room and into the corridor. I didn't want to move into the alpha rooms until Alpha Tanner's things had been removed and every trace of him gone. River was quick to find me a temporary room while he had wolves change the alpha's rooms. I know River's room is right next door, making it easy for him to protect me.

"River, do you think they will leave?" I ask, walking down the stone corridor that is lit up by torches.

"No. You're here, and they will fight to see you again," he tells me.

"They chose Misty," I reply. “They never wanted me for more than fun. I was never going to be someone serious in their lives. It was me that thought—well, hoped—it was more.”

"Then they are fools. Anyone can see you are worth far more than she ever could be," River says, pausing in the corridor. We stare at each other for a moment, and not for the first time since we met, I see how attractive River is. How seductive with his words he is. He clears his throat, letting go of my hand, and I shake myself out of it. I know I need River at my side but as nothing more than a friend. I can't mess that up, and I doubt he feels the same way. "Here you go. I will be next door and come to you later on. Oh, and the cooks are bringing you some food shortly. I ordered your favourites."

"Thank you," I reply.

"Anything for you, Elodie," he says, bowing his head once before walking to the door opposite mine and going into his room as I'm stuck watching him. I place my hand on my stomach, reminding myself that I need to focus on securing the safety of my pack. Nothing else can get in the way of that.

Chapter 5

Elodie

I open the double doors to my new rooms and close them behind me as I take in the room I now have. It's a big step up from my old room—if you could call it that—in my old pack. I didn't have a space of my own with the Alphas in the Luxa Pack. It was just them letting me into their lives, their places, and using me for what they wanted. I was stupid to ever think I was more than that to them. A tear runs down my cheek as a flood of emotions hit me as I stare around the room. It's beautiful, with a very large white wooden bed, cream sheets that match the thin cream curtains that blow from the wind of the balcony. I walk further into the room, seeing two doors and the dark wooden floor beneath my feet. One of the doors is open, showing me a large bath tub in a blue tiled room.

On the other side of the room is an elevated platform, where a white wooden crib is resting, with a light blue blanket inside it. River thought of everything I could ever need, and I know that I was lucky to have him kidnap me, in a way. I would have been left at the Luxa pack, watching my alphas and Misty together as I had their bastard baby. Now I know who I am, and my baby is anything but a bastard. This room is perfect but lonely. I miss them so much, much more than I can tell anyone. I can't afford to break down in public or let anyone see me like this. I have been strong, if not for myself, for my baby. He—or maybe she—is all that matters now. I walk to the balcony and push the large doors open, instantly feeling the snow and icy wind pushing against my face as I stare down the mountain. Even if I am alone, I sure do have a stunning view to look over.

"It is rather cold out for the new, pregnant alpha to be all on her own," a sweet voice chimes, just as I feel a cold blade press into my side. I keep myself calm, even when every part of me wants to scream, to fight, knowing whoever this is could kill me before I'd even get a chance. They are talking to me instead of just killing me, so there is hope that this wolf wants more than just my death. You don’t talk to your prey.

"That would be a big mistake," I coldly reply, seeing the woman more as she walks to stand in front of me. I would guess the woman isn’t much older than I, but her eyes suggest she is older than I suspect. She is gorgeous with tanned skin, silky brown hair that is up in a complicated bun, and on her cheeks are two hearts in black ink under her large brown eyes. They remind me of the daggers on River's cheeks that I haven't asked him about yet. I should have found out what they mean, as I'm clueless to who this woman is.

"You may have killed our old bastard alpha because he didn't see you being strong, but I've fought my whole life to survive. I was going to kill him. I had it all planned out, but then you turned up," she says, keeping her eyes locked on mine.

"Who are you?" I simply ask. “I want to know the name of the woman that is going to try and kill me, at least.”

"Angel," she replies. “And it will not be trying.”

"Is that your real name?" I ask.

"It is the name I was given when I was sold to the brothel at eight years old. I don't speak my other name that my dead parents gave me," she replies.

"Brothel?" I ask, not familiar with the word. “And I am sorry for your parents’ deaths.”

"A place where men come. Literally, my dear. We are sex slaves for the pack, willing or not, the old alpha never cared. I worked my way up to become the leader of the brothel and did my best to protect my girls while fucking the old Alpha Tanner. I was going to kill him," she muses, cocking her head to the side. “And my parents sold me like I was nothing, and they died in an accident not much later on. Funny how life always gets its revenge.”

"You slept with the alpha and planned to kill him to end the brothel? To free your girls?" I ask. “And your parents deserved what they got.”

"Yes," she replies, pursing her lips in annoyance. "Don't go making me fake promises that you will end them. End all the pain in this pack and the way the women are treated."

"It wouldn't be a fake promise, but I would need your help," I reply, which seems to make her pause, and the pressure of the dagger she presses into my side eases a little on instinct.

"My help?" she asks, her voice suggesting I surprised her a tad.

"I'm new, and I don't know what truly goes on in this pack. You could say I have been sheltered my whole life. I know you have every reason to want to kill me and take the pack, but they won't listen to you if you do. Whereas, I am the alpha by both blood and death. That is something no one else can be," I tell her the honest truth. I never knew my father, or my long line of family that ruled this pack, but it is in my blood to be alpha. I want to know more about my family’s past, but only when the pack is not in turmoil like it is. “And I respect your commitment to saving my pack and sneaking in here to kill me. You are determined.”

"You're a dangerous woman, you know that? Beautiful with a talented mouth that could persuade anyone to do anything. And with a bloodline that makes you born to be an alpha, you could be unstoppable," Angel muses, letting out a long sigh as I see the realisation creep into her eyes. Killing me will not help anything. I haven’t even mentioned the Luxa Pack being right outside our doors, and if I were gone, I know Alpha will kill them all to prove a point. To become one pack like he has always wanted.

"Lower the dagger, we both know you won't kill me. I want to go back inside and wait for my food as we have a long talk about my pack. Tomorrow is going to be an important day," I say, and she slowly lowers the dagger. Angel pulls up the end of her long purple dress, revealing a black garter on her upper thigh, where she clips in the dagger before pushing her dress down and winking once at me. “I might even share my food with you if you are hungry?”

"Why is tomorrow important?" she asks. “And we don’t get food like yours down in the pack, so yes.”

"Change is happening tomorrow, and I know the men of the pack are not going to like it. I need you on my side, Angel. So, make your choice. If you want to leave, then fine, and we will never speak about this day again. If you want to fight with me, then stay and expect that it will not be an easy few months," I say, holding my head high as I turn around, taking a big risk leaving my back open to her. I walk into my room and slide my shoes off by my bed sliding on to it and crossing my legs.

"For what it is worth, Elodie, I had no intention of killing you. I've been watching you for days, and I know you are a good alpha. I worried that you just needed a little push to get the ball rolling," she says, but I highly doubt it didn’t cross her mind at least once to try and kill me.

"I need another beta. The position is yours, if you wish it," I say. “Then I want your advice in finding three more betas that can be trusted and useful to make the changes we want.”

"The first female beta?" she says in complete shock. “You want a whore as your beta?”

"Do not call yourself that. Ever. Do you understand me, Angel?” I ask her, and she shakily nods. The confident girl gone for the first moment since we met. “We are not whores because of the life we were forced to live by men. You will be the first of many female betas. I plan on teaching my child that female or male makes no difference when it comes to those you can trust to be in charge," I say, watching a tear run down her cheek.

“Yes, Alpha Elodie,” she says, bowing her head once.

"Now come and sit down and tell me of the changes you suggest for our pack tomorrow. I have a few ideas I wish to run past you afterwards," I say, and she confidently smiles before coming to sit next to me, and we discuss the future for the pack. One that does not thrive on the suffering of women.

Chapter 6

Elodie

"How did you sleep?" River asks after I walk out of my room in the late morning, and we head down the corridor to meet with Angel outside. I smooth down my yellow dress, the most practical thing I could find to wear in the wardrobe. I would like to have riding clothes in there at some point as riding in carriages—which I assume we are today—is a lot of effort to simply go into the village. River was beyond surprised to see Angel in my room last night when he came to check on me later. After I explained Angel was my new beta, he simply accepted my choice, even though it clearly shocked him. After twenty minutes where River questioned Angel on, well, everything including her loyalty, he seemed to trust her enough to let her stay.

"Very well, the bed is super soft, and the cushions you can just sink into. Though I keep being sick in the mornings, which means I can't sleep in much if I’m being honest," I say, placing my hand on my stomach without thinking on it much.

"I don't know much of pregnancy, but I remember my mother having similar symptoms when she was pregnant with my sister. I believe an herb mixture tea helped her. I will find it for you after today," River says.

"You don't have to, though I would appreciate it if you did," I reply.

"I want to help you however I can, Elodie,” River states as we walk past the throne room, where someone has dragged a large table into the middle of it with large chairs on each side. “Ah, the leaders of the districts have asked for a meeting in a few days. They are five very old, very rich men who train your army, manage your farms and fishing farms. They basically run the day to day activities of the pack.”

“And what do you think of their natures?” I ask.

“From what little I know of them, they are not bad men. They are well-respected and care deeply for their mates. They never allowed the alpha to make them share like everyone else. In some ways, Alpha Tanner was careful not to annoy them all too much as they do their jobs and keep to themselves,” he explains to me just as we get outside and see Angel waiting by a carriage, with a woman stood at her side. The woman has long blonde hair that is completely shaved off on one side of her head, and there are black markings there that I can just about see.

“What do the markings on your face mean?” I ask River.

“The daggers mean I trained for five years in the school of defensive training and came out top of my class. They are honourable marks that helped me get my position as beta,” he explains to me, which makes some sense to have marks that are of importance.

“And what do Angel’s marks mean?” I ask. River seems to think on how to word his next sentence to me for a long while, and I do not blame him.

“That she is sold to the brothel,” River replies, his tone tense as I almost freeze in disgust, though River sees it all over my face. “It is not a nice mark to have, and I don’t agree with it.” I don’t reply to River, not having the right words to say at all. That is a horrible thing to have done to anyone, and yet it doesn’t take away from Angel’s beauty and strength, which I only admire in her. I step right in front of her, and she offers me a hand which I shake with a smile.

“Elodie, this is Pela who we spoke of last night,” Angel introduces me. I turn and offer Pela my hand to shake, knowing it is an honour to meet someone as brilliant as she is.

“Angel told me all about how you and your husband have been stealing children from the brothels and looking after them in your large home. That you are protecting them and any child that needs a warm bed and food,” I reply, remembering the story of a woman strong spirited enough to save many lives.

“Children are gifts, no matter who they are. It has been difficult to keep them all in my home, but we make it work,” she replies. “My husband and I make it work because what choice do we have? The children do not have a choice and do not deserve to know the cruelty of men.”

“How many children do you currently look after?” I ask her.

“The last count was seventy-two,” she tells me, and I nearly cough in shock at the high amount. Why aren’t the parents protecting their children in this god damn pack? Things need to be changed, now. The more I think on it, I start to remember how River told me the alpha made mates share their women, and that no doubt caused a lot of bastard children to be conceived. Now I will stop that ever happening and bring back the respect of mating; there shouldn’t be more children born without being wanted. Not in my pack. Not anymore.

“River, how many spare rooms do we have in the castle and all the outbuildings?” I ask, knowing the land is vast up here and most the outbuildings are just kept like pretty statues. It’s crazy why any leader would want all these buildings and such a large home without sharing it.

“The outbuildings themselves are vast. I would say at least five on the left side of the castle could house around a hundred people. As you know, the left side buildings are being made ready,” River replies, clearly seeing where I am going with this from the tone in his voice. “The castle has five floors, and the two lower floors have twenty rooms that are not in use.”

“Pela, please bring the children to the castle where I will take them in,” I turn to tell her.

“You don’t have to do that—” she says, but her eyes betray her. She needs the help, I can see it. She is too skinny, and the bags under her eyes are deep. Looking after that many children must take its toll.

“Yes, I do. I am Alpha, and they are my pack children who will be looked after and protected until they find suitable homes or grow older,” I reply and look away as Pela shakily nods, looking towards Angel.

“I told you she is different,” Angel remarks. “An alpha we need to protect for the good of the Xan Pack.”

“You have my undying love and protection. The pack will be told of your kindness,” Pela says, bowing her head.

“River, will you let the staff know of the changes and make sure there are enough people hired to cook, clean and look after the children. We have all that gold in the basement room to pay them with. Oh, and find a suitable teacher who can come in a few times a week to teach them,” I tell him.

“Yes, Elodie,” River says, smiling widely at me before walking over to the guards outside the doors as I keep my eyes on him, his tight leather clothes and weapons littered everywhere. He must be really muscular under those clothes.

“River is a handsome one, isn’t he?” Angel muses, and I look back, shaking my head.

“Most wolves are attractive,” I remark, crossing my arms and ignoring my burning red cheeks.

“Yes, but River never did come to see me or my girls. Or any woman in the pack to my knowledge. And I know everything that happens behind closed doors in this pack,” Angel remarks. I roll my eyes at her, knowing I’m not discussing River with anyone. River may be very handsome and slowly becoming a constant in my life, but I doubt he feels the same way about me. I’m the messed up, pregnant ex-no claim that is causing trouble for him daily.

“So, Pela, Angel tells me you can fight as well as save children,” I say, changing the subject and trying to keep my thoughts off River. Which isn’t easy at this point. If it is not River with his blue eyes and handsome features in my head, then it is the Alpha Brothers who make my heart hurt and my eyes sting from unshed tears. “I need a new beta just like you.” Pela lowers herself to her knees, but I lean forward, catching her arms gently and helping her up.

“I wish to bow as I accept your offer,” she remarks.

“We don’t bow here. My betas never bow as we respect each other too much, alright?” I say, and she nods as I let go of her hands.

“Are you ready to go into the pack then?” River asks as he comes back to my side.

“Ready as I will ever be to do this,” I reply to him, looking over at Angel. “Did you get everything ready like we discussed?”

“Yes, it is all ready for your word.”

“Then we shall go and make some changes the Xan Pack will never forget.”

Chapter 7

Elodie

"Are you sure this is a good idea? The pack are not used to such major changes," River asks in the carriage just after Angel and Pela have climbed out, and the sound of the gathered people reaches my ears. When I climb out of here and do this, the pack will have to change. No one said much as we rode here, and I kept an eye out of the carriage window at the difference of this pack to any pack I’ve been in. I can’t help the little thoughts that itch in the back of my mind that I miss the Luxa Pack and the beaches. I like the cold, the snow and the beauty of it, but the warmth of the sun and sandy beaches still haunts my mind. Maybe I miss the Alpha Brothers, and my mind is trying to pretend it is the area I miss instead of them. That is likely the real truth to it.

"Do you think they deserve to suffer? That this way of life is right?" I ask, because I highly doubt he does. River has seen what the Luxa Pack is like and how that life can be. I admire the Alpha Brothers’ rules and how they keep the pack governed. This pack is wild, lost in anger and pain, and today that changes. I know deep in my soul this is the right thing to do, but River’s words make me pause.

"I never said that. I just can't see you get hurt," he replies, reaching over and placing his hand on my shoulder. “I won’t see you hurt ever again.” I try not to react to his kind words, knowing he likely means them in a protective way rather than the loving way he speaks them. I’m not his mate, and I need to remember that. I think the Alpha Brothers got me confused about everything, even friendships.

"Then you best protect me, beta," I quickly say, and he narrows his eyes at me as I climb out of the carriage and climb down the two steps. I blink at the sun in my eyes for a moment before the clouds hide the sun, and I can see the massive crowd of people standing around the carriage and the wooden platform in front of us. Angel and Pela stay at my side as we walk the few steps to the platform and climb up the five steps, with River close to my back. The crowd is pretty silent, which is eerily frightening as I turn around and face them. So many faces look back at me, all different eyes, different hair colours, and pale and tanned skins. The pack is a mixture of so many people, filling out into the far distance and further than I can even see. I'm their alpha, their leader, and I pray they won't hate me for this.

"Hello, my pack. I've spent many days getting to know your customs, your rules and the rules the previous alpha left behind. Then I thought about what I should do. As you might already know, I was a no claim. A pack slave and no better than trash until the moment my old alpha's heart was ripped out of his chest in front of me, and I was saved. Blood, pain and destruction led me to this moment, and I believe so did fate. I am destined to be here in this moment, born to be the alpha of you all and to make the decisions that are difficult. I know change is hard to swallow, and I do not want to change all your lives, but I must," I say and pause as they start whispering loud enough that I can't talk over them for a moment. "Pack is family, it is love, and it is a choice to be together instead of being alone in the darkness of the world. Yet somehow, this pack has forgotten the very core beliefs of our ancestors, but no more is that to happen. We have forgotten how to respect our mates, to protect them with our lives, and to only be with them until death takes us. We have forgotten to protect our children, to treasure them because they are our future. We have forgotten that the pain of others in our pack is our own pain. We are pack, not strangers in the dark, and we will treat each other with respect and love from this day forward."

"And if we don't?" a man shouts. The crowd parts a little so I can see him. I look up at the sky, seeing the sun is nearly in the middle of the sky, and my plan will happen soon.

"For those that don't agree with my rules, you may leave the pack. I will not stop you from leaving and neither will anyone else," I honestly reply to him.

"And what if we decide to challenge you instead?" he asks in a threatening tone that makes River growl low. I grab his arm, stopping him from attacking the man as just in that moment massive explosions blast across the pack in every direction as five brothels blow up from the bombs we have set. As I look back at the man, fire burns right behind me, lighting the pack up.

"Then you will die," I growl out. The man looks to me, then to the fire which burns in his eyes before he turns around and runs away, with quite a few men following right after him. I slowly watch as the remaining people lower their heads in a respectful manner, and a low chant fills the air. It takes me a few moments to understand what they are saying.

"May Alpha Elodie forever rule." River whispers to me, bowing his head once at me, and I hold my head high as smoke wraps around us, and the end of the old pack rules dies with the brothels.

"We should get you back to the castle," River suggests to me. “The guards have their orders to let anyone that wants to leave go and to kill anyone that tries to interfere with your rules.”

“What would I do without you, River?”

“I have a feeling you could do anything without anyone, Elodie,” he replies. I grin up at him just as two guards run through the people, breathless, and they both bow when they get in front of us.

“Alpha Elodie, Beta River, we have an important message,” the one says, still breathless. He must have run here, likely not being able to get a horse ridden through the amount of people.

“Out with it then,” River says, standing close to me.

“The alpha of the Luxa Pack has a young child, and he is standing outside the gates of the pack. He said if Elodie doesn’t come to see him and Annie, she will regret it,” he says, his skin going a ghostly pale white as a low growl escapes my lips.

“I’m going to kill him,” I bite out, looking across at the two horses tied up nearby. I run down the steps, well aware of River following me as I get to the horses and untie one of them.

“He is taunting you, and I wouldn’t be your beta if I didn’t suggest you didn’t go,” River says.

“Annie is mine, and I am going,” I say, climbing up on the horse and grabbing the reins. Alpha is not in charge now, and it is about time he realised it.

Chapter 8

Elodie

My heart pounds in my chest as I ride up to the large gates that are the only way into the pack that I know of. I pull my horse’s reins, slowing him down as we get a good distance away, and River stops at my side with his horse. Alpha, Letric and Alaric are on the other side of this door, and I have to see them again after they broke my heart. I don’t know how I’m going to feel when I see them, but I have put it off for far too long. River looks down at me, and I know if I changed my mind, rode back to the castle and hid there forever, he would be at my side. Though a deep part of me itches to see the Alpha Brothers again, to hear each of their voices, even if I know it is going to hurt. I nod once at River, my mouth too dry to force actual words to leave my lips.

“Open the gates!” River shouts, his voice echoing as the wind carries it. A few silent moments pass before the gates swing open, and I squeeze my legs around the horse, urging it on. We ride through the gates, and I stop the horse the moment I see Alpha standing completely alone in the middle of the path. His long black hair whips around in the wind, caressing his bare chest and the top of his low trousers. His dark eyes fix on me, just as I stare right back, and my wolf growls low.

“Lodie?” a small voice questions, and I suddenly notice Annie at Alpha’s side, holding his hand. He wasn’t lying, dammit.

“Hello, Annie,” I manage to say, glancing back at Alpha who moves to stand behind Annie, placing his hands on her shoulders, and she looks scared. With how Alpha is silently moving, the dark, evil look in his eyes, I would be too in her position. She is just a child, but to Alpha? She is a tool to get me to do what he wants, and he knows it.

“Come with me, Elodie. Now,” Alpha demands. I miss his voice the moment he stops speaking, and I know it will haunt my dreams for a long time more. They each have this effect on me, but Alpha is the worst. His damaged, broken soul calls to me because we both are the same in a messed up way. We both want to destroy each other and rebuild the broken pieces afterwards. This time, I can’t do that with him, and he knows it. My heart is already broken, and what pieces I can fix will go to loving my baby. That’s the hard part of this all, that even if the Alpha Brothers aren’t in my life, I will have a part of them with me. Always.

“No,” I reply. I need to see how he reacts, how he cares. I look around for Letric, Alaric and even Misty, but there is no one else here.

“Don’t you want Annie safe?” he asks.

“You won’t hurt her,” I reply. I know it deep in my soul that he won’t, and I also know this is not how I want us to have our first real talk. It has to be on my terms. I’m too angry, in too much pain to just walk to him and let him control the world again.

“Are you really brave enough to call my bluff?” he asks. “Sweet Elodie, you know I’ve killed worse than this child to get what I wanted.” I don’t reply or even react to his taunt, because that is all it is. A taunt, a threat, but it’s not real. I know the real darkness in Alpha, and the look in his eyes isn’t that right now. See, they all made a mistake keeping me so close, making me fall in love with every part of each of them, because I learnt too much. I know them, and that makes me more dangerous than Alpha could ever know. This isn’t a game he is going to win. The stakes have changed, and I am no longer a pawn. I’m a queen.

“Where are your brothers?” I ask. “Did they not want to see me again?”

“Close by,” Alpha growls out.

“You know what I want, and we can have an alliance. You submit to me, then you can go back to your island and live out your days with Misty, Alaric and Letric in peace,” I reply, keeping my voice neutral. “You wanted peace, change within all packs. You can have that now.”

“Misty is dead. I snapped her neck myself,” he replies, and my hands tighten as shock ripples through me. For the first time since I came out here, I drop all my pretense, my hidden emotions, and just feel the moment here as I stare into Alpha’s eyes. Misty is gone…why would he do that? She was everything he wanted. I might be an alpha female now, but I wasn’t back then, and to their knowledge Misty was the only one. My only sister—even half-sister—is dead. Why does that make me happy?

“What?” I reply, not knowing what else to really say because I can’t tell him that makes me happy. It doesn’t matter right now. Not in this moment where I need Alpha to tell me I’m more to him than just a woman in his bed.

“Are you upset to hear your sister is dead? She died just after her lips touched mine for the first time,” he tells me, and I tighten my hands in fists. Not at hearing she is dead, but that she dared to kiss Alpha. My Alpha. God, why am I so possessive of them all? The thought of them kissing anyone but me makes me want to lose my mind.

“He is just playing a game with you, Elodie,” River gently tells me, reaching his hand out and brushing it against mine. I glance up at his river blue eyes, ones who can almost instantly calm me.

“River, I’m surprised you are still alive. For now, at least,” Alpha says, though you can’t miss the deadly cruel tone of his voice which is different from how he speaks to me. Even now.

“Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Alpha,” River bravely replies.

“Elodie doesn’t suit you, pup,” Alpha retorts. “And if you try to take her from us, we will see how many pieces I can rip you into—”

“Enough!” I shout, regretting it a little when Annie looks even more scared, and yet Alpha keeps his eyes locked on River, and River does just the same. “Let Annie go and submit to me. Then this will all be over.”

“We will never be over, little Elodie. Never,” Alpha says, and leans down, whispering something into Annie’s ear before, to my surprise, he lets her go, and she runs off into the forest without looking back once. “But I will never submit to anyone.”

“Then we have a problem,” I reply, crossing my arms. “I won’t give up my pack, my right to be alpha.”

“What happened with Alpha Tanner? How did he make you like this?” Alpha asks. “What happened to my sweet Elodie who loved to fuck me to make me happy?”

“What do you think he made me like?” I ask, knowing he is only trying to rattle me, to make sure he can get under my skin with harsh words.

“Cruel and less sweet than you were,” he replies. “So much more like him, if anyone.”

“Maybe you should have come after me a week earlier, and you would have found out what happened to me,” I retort. “Oh, but I was never enough for you to come for me. You had Misty; even if she is dead, you still didn’t come for me.”

“Bitterness doesn’t suit your pretty face, either,” he replies, and for the first time since I stood out here, his words hurt a little bit. I don’t say anything, but I do look away into the forest, knowing the Luxa Pack are hiding there. Can Alaric and Letric see me? Do they want to say something?

“This conversation is over if you are going to just insult her,” River growls. I pull on my reins, turning my horse around and galloping back through the doors, hearing Alpha’s words so loud that he could have spoken them into my ear. It’s like he can train the wind to carry his messages, making sure I can never really escape him.

“You are mine, Elodie. I always get what is mine.”

Chapter 9

Elodie

“Alpha Elodie, how lovely to meet you,” a man says the moment I walk into the throne room with River, Pela and Angel at my side. I spent the rest of yesterday in bed, running over everything Alpha said, and my morning sickness stayed with me all day instead of just the morning. It’s like my baby can tell he was near and is punishing me or something. I push away thoughts of Alpha to look at the man in front of me that I could guess is in his late sixties, maybe older, with long grey hair and a serious expression. He wears a long blue cloak which, as I look at the other men in the room who all seem a similar age, I notice they are wearing the same cloak. All of the others are sitting down, keeping their eyes on the papers in front of them, and it is clear this man is their leader.

“I’m afraid I do not know your name,” I reply, knowing I should have asked River to go over all their names with me at some point.

“Han, leader of the north side of your pack. I manage the farm, river and mainly the food source for the pack,” he says, offering me a hand to shake. “My daughter, Pela, speaks very fondly of you.” I shake his hand and smile, knowing what he is saying without words. He helped the children and his daughter, most likely making sure no one noticed and told the old alpha.

“Ah, I see. Shall we sit down?” I ask.

“I hope it isn’t too impolite to mention this, but you do look like your father. You even carry yourself in a similar way to how he did. I was a good friend of your father’s, and I mourn him to this day. When news came to me of you, I was delighted to meet his daughter,” he says, stopping me from going to the table. I am curious about my father, and I have so many questions to ask my mother. She should be the one I ask first though, but perhaps I can talk with Han alone sometime after.

“Maybe we can talk alone in the future, and you could tell me more of my father?” I ask him.

“It would be an honour,” Han replies, nodding his head at me in a respectful way before going to his seat. River pulls out the seat at the top of the table, and I sit down before he steps back and stands near me. Pela and Angel do the same, though they choose to guard the doors instead.

“Now, we need to discuss your betas first. It is important you are protected by more than one beta and your new friends,” a man says, though he doesn’t introduce himself which I think is incredibly rude.

“They aren’t my friends, they are my betas. I will choose two more if and when I meet suitable betas,” I reply, and very slowly his pale cheeks turn red.

“Females cannot be betas! It has never been heard of in pack history. As a female wolf with no mate, you would do well to take strong male wolves as your betas before choosing a mate, that is,” Han instructs, lifting his head high and surprising me a little with his attitude towards female betas. I know it is going to take a long time for the pack to come over to my way of thinking that all wolves should be equal. In the last two days, we have had a big number of the pack leave, but when River looked into it, he found it was a lot of men, and the women have decided to stay. We are making changes which will force the Xan Pack to be better, but it doesn’t mean they will smile while the changes happen.

“Who says I will take a mate?” I ask, crossing my arms and sitting back in my seat.

“History, my child—”

“One, I am not your child; I am your alpha. Two, if you second guess my choices again, I will kill you. Do you understand?” I wait for his nod, because at the end of the day, I can’t let anyone speak to me that way, to challenge me and suggest I need to make changes that I do not. “You are not my beta; therefore, you do not advise me. You may have known my father, but I am not him either,” I reply, looking over at River who flashes me a little smirk before I wait for this wolf to reply.

“U-understood, Alpha Elodie,” the man mumbles before lowering his head. I look back at River, and a long growl leaves my lips as I see a large hand wrapped around his throat. Alpha steps forward from behind River, lifting him in the air as he does. River struggles, fighting his grip, and I try not to show how much it upsets me. River is having a strange effect on me these days, and I’m more than just protective of him because he is my closest friend here.

“You will speak to me, to us, Elodie,” Alpha demands, his voice as dark and twisted as the expression on his face. He is furious, and it almost makes me want to smile like River is doing. River doesn’t need my help, Alpha just doesn’t realise it yet. I had to make a plan to get the Alpha Brothers here, on my terms, to talk. When River suggested this idea, I was wary, but it turned out the right thing to do.

“It’s a trap!” Letric growls from the side, and he walks out, his hands in the air with two of my guards’ swords held at his neck and side. Alaric comes out the shadows on the other side in a similar position. I try not to spend too much time running over their black clothes, the cloaks that are dark blue, and how each of them looks more stressed than the next. Alaric has large bags under his eyes, and he looks pale. Letric doesn’t look any better. Are none of them sleeping?

“I wanted to speak to you after our disagreement yesterday. Thank you for walking straight into my trap. Now sit down, Alpha.”

Chapter 10

Elodie

“You won’t hurt them. I can call your bluff as much as you called mine yesterday, little Elodie,” Alpha replies. “You can’t kill those you love, and that is your true weakness.”

“River knew you as children and knew how you escaped from the pack, because he helped you. We left that entrance open on purpose because I want to speak to you on my terms. If you hurt River, this conversation will be over,” I reply, “because you are right, I won’t hurt those I love, but I will avenge them. Don’t test me.”

“Lucky she likes you, pup,” Alpha cruelly tells River before throwing him on the ground a few feet away. He quickly gets up as I scan him to make sure he is okay, but he keeps his eyes on Alpha as he walks back to my side.

“Why don’t we all sit and have a conversation,” I suggest, waving a hand at the seats at the end of the table. There is silence after my suggestion, and I have no choice but to lean back in my seat, seeing the nervous looks of the other people in the room. They didn’t agree to my plan, and I highly doubt they want to be here, against the Alpha Brothers who they wouldn’t stand a chance of stopping.

“We missed you, Elodie.” Letric is the first open to finally saying something, but he has to say words that hurt. Dammit. I reluctantly pull my eyes to his, seeing how vulnerable his expression is, and I’m sure it mirrors my own. Until I saw Alpha outside the pack, and he told me that Misty is dead, I’ve been doubting every action I make. I don’t know if they are the heartless monsters I’ve desperately tried to convince myself they are. I gulp down the building emotions of hurt, betrayal and damn annoying love I have for these men, knowing it will do no one any good for me to show them any emotions right now.

“I will talk to you alone,” Alpha remarks, walking over and stopping right next to my chair. “Make them leave before I do,” he says. Before I’ve even said anything, I hear the chairs being pulled back, but none of them make a move to stand. They are scared old men, which I understand why they would want to get out of here.

“Leave. I don’t want blood shed here,” I say, pulling my eyes to Han and seeing the utter relief in his eyes. He nods once in agreement, getting up, and the others are quick to follow him out of the door.

“Pela, Angel, you may leave us,” I tell them as they stand holding the door open, waiting to be told if leaving is the right decision. At least some of my pack are loyal. They nod once before going out of the doors and closing them shut behind them.

“And River needs to leave,” Alpha demands.

“No, River stays, or I do not,” I quickly reply to Alpha, my voice firm and unmoving.

“Are you that scared to be alone with us, Alpha Elodie?” Alpha replies, and no one could miss the sarcasm over the word alpha.

“The last time you had an alpha meeting, you ripped the alpha’s heart out. I’m being cautious,” I reply, and Alpha only smiles in a rather creepy way as he sits in the seat Han was just in, but he presses his leg against mine. The small contact feels good, and I hate myself for it. Alaric and Letric sit on the other seats, and River sits on my other side, facing Alpha. The guards keep their swords close to Alaric’s and Letric’s necks, never flinching or acting scared as they keep their word. They will die to make sure I have a bargaining tool. Alaric somehow keeps me looking at him, because he looks so shocked. When he finally talks, it isn’t exactly what I expected him to say.

“When were you going to tell us about our baby then?” he asks.

“Eventually,” I say, and Letric smiles, and for a moment I smile back at him before Misty’s smug expression fills my vision. Along with how their father hurt me, nearly killed me, and planned to make sure I would want nothing more than death when he was done.

“So Alpha Tanner was your father,” I add in, feeling the need to bring that up because they never told me. I wish they had.

“And we all know who your father was, and who your mother is,” Alpha replies. Good, at least we are on the same page.

“Is my mother still alive?” I ask.

“Yes, and wants to see you,” Alaric answers, and I suck in a breath. I almost convinced myself the brothers would have killed her, so I’d never have to have a talk with her. I don’t want to know why she abandoned me and chose to bring Misty up instead. Anything she tells me is going to hurt.

“What do you want?” I ask. “Why are you here exactly?”

“You trapped us, so surely it is what you want that is important here,” Alaric retorts.

“I want you to respect me as alpha and submit to me. I want peace more than anything else. I don’t want my baby born into war and pain,” I honestly answer.

“Our baby,” Alaric rather coldly corrects me, and I finally look to him. “That baby is not just yours, Elodie.”

“Its fathers left me to be beaten, tortured and likely killed by their father. You do not get any claim on my baby because I’m the only one that fought to keep him alive!” I say, feeling frustrated.

“How do we know it is ours? You are close to River now,” Alpha retorts rather than trying to make an apology, and I grit my teeth, reminding myself that he is just trying to aggravate me.

“I’m not a few weeks, I’m at least a month or further along to have a bump under my clothes. Though I do not like your suggestion,” I calmly reply, which seems to annoy him.

“We didn’t come here to argue with you or fight you. We miss you, that is the truth of it. I’m so relieved you survived and killed our father,” Letric says, and I look over, seeing nothing and hearing nothing but truth in his words.

“You miss me?” I ask Letric. “Is that truly all you came to tell me? And expect me to believe?”

“Believe what you want, but we are sorry,” he replies. “So fucking sorry for everything.”

“He is not sorry one bit, and that is the problem,” I nod my head at Alpha and meet his eyes.

“I want to be in the baby’s life. We will not be leaving today,” he says after a long pause.

“Do you assume I’m so heartless that I will stop you knowing your child?” I reply.

“I feel like we don’t know you at all. We have no fucking clue who we let into our beds and into our heads,” Alpha states, leaning closer. “I had no idea how dangerous you are. If I did, I would have killed you when we met.”

“Liar,” I whisper, feeling a hot tear fall down my cheek. “You knew exactly who I was and how dangerous I was. You may all claim you don’t want a mate or want someone to love you, but it’s not true. You all crave love, pure and simple love, because of what Tanner did. So, do not blame everything on me, Alpha. I’m not the one running scared here.”

“We aren’t running,” Letric interjects. “If you will have us as guests, then we want to stay here in the castle until after the child is born. Then we can come up with a new plan.”

“You did just say you won’t keep us away from the baby,” Alaric smoothly adds, using my own words against me.

“I did,” I say, and pull my eyes to the guards. “Let them go, please, and then leave.” The guards instantly do as I requested and walk out of the room, the doors swinging shut behind them.

“If you stay here, your pack cannot enter the pack unless an alliance is made. We will have pack fights if it is any other way,” River states, offering his advice which is pretty dangerous in front of these wolves that look inches away from trying to kill him.

“Agreed. We are not here for an alliance,” Letric replies, keeping his eyes on River.

“Nor do I want one. I want you all to submit. I am alpha, my child will be alpha of all packs. That is the change that is coming, and you can choose how you want to deal with it. I will protect my child, and I will get him the peace he deserves to be born into,” I stand up as I finish talking and walk out of the room, with River close to my side, and none of the Alpha Brothers say a word. At the end of the day, I want what is best for their child as well. If they go against me, they go against their baby which makes everything more complicated.

Chapter 11

Elodie

“Thank you for the food, it was stunning as usual,” I say, watching the kitchen staff push out a trolley of empty plates out of my room where I’ve been since the Alpha Brothers moved into the castle today. I know I’m hiding, and that makes me a coward, but part of me needs a break from them to deal with my emotions that are out of control. I see the curtain twitch once again in the corner of my eye as I shut the door and turn around. I go to reach for my dagger on the side table just as the person moves into the light.

“Can we talk?” Alaric gently asks, just before stepping out from where he was hiding in my room. “I know you’re angry, confused—”

“I’m not confused, but yes, I am angry,” I reply, crossing my arms and not bothering to ask why he snuck in here and how long he has been hiding. “What did you expect?”

“We never chose Misty; it was a trick. Alpha suspected who you really were, but we had to know for certain,” Alaric tells me, stepping closer with every word. “Though we made a mistake, we should have told you everything. We should have trusted you.”

“So, you all fucked her until she told you what you wanted? Didn’t you even think once about me?” I ask, my voice catching. “Or did you never care? Was it just me that felt something?”

“We never touched her like that. We couldn’t, and we wouldn’t. You don’t realise it yet, Elodie, but you had our loyalty and love from the first time we met you,” he softly says.

“You took me back as a slave to keep in your beds, I wouldn’t say you were loyal to me,” I reply. “And this is all hard to believe. Everything about my life is hard to believe now. Everyone has lied to me. Everyone.”

“The moment Alpha told me I couldn’t watch or stay with you that first night, I knew how he felt. I felt it too, but my brothers? They don’t trust or let anyone stay close. Except for you,” he says, his words almost a caress against my skin as he talks. “It’s just been us, Elodie. Me and my brothers alone all this time, and everyone betrayed us. We didn’t let people close to us because we couldn’t trust them. We know what it is like to be in your shoes, and we recognised your pain just like it was our own. That’s why we are good together, why we fit.”

“How can I trust any of you ever again? You asked to stay here until the baby comes, and we can make an agreement of some kind, but every time I see you, it just makes this harder,” I admit, rubbing my arms. “I know none of you want to submit to me, but I know it is the only way I could trust you all. You’re right, we are both broken, and broken people can’t be trusted.”

“We hurt you, and we made a big mistake, I get that. Though we have a plan to show you that we are yours and devoted to you,” Alaric replies. “And we want to discuss our future when you realise that we never intended to hurt you. That we are here, at your side and in your heart for good.”

“You know what I want, Alaric. I told you today, and I don’t believe I was ever anything more than someone to keep your bed warm. You never opened up to me, none of you did. I found out who your father was as he beat me, and you weren’t there to save me. I can’t forget that,” I say. “I won’t forget it.”

“We would have come sooner if we could,” he replies. “But submitting is not in our nature.”

“Then break your nature for me. Mates submit to each other, and alphas take mates. So don’t pretend it has never been done,” I reply.

“Alpha has never submitted to anyone. I’ve only ever submitted to him, and the same can be said of Letric,” he tells me. “Alpha never submitted to Tanner, and he beat him endlessly because of that.”

“I’m sorry he did that, but I know this needs to happen for our baby. For my trust. Or I will never be able to trust any of you again,” I reply, rubbing my arms with my hands as saying that out loud hurts.

“Elodie,” Alaric pleads.

“Leave. Just go,” I ask. “Please.”

“I can’t leave you alone like this—” he starts to say, but River interrupts.

“She isn’t alone. Now, my alpha asked you to leave, so leave before I make you,” River growls out, stepping out from the balcony where I sensed he was. River is always near, protecting me. Alaric lets out a low growl when he turns to face River.

“We both know who would win that fight. I always beat you as a kid,” Alaric replies. “You did always come back for more though.”

“A lot has changed since you left, Alaric. We aren’t kids anymore,” River states. “And we both have someone worth fighting for now. It won’t be a fight for fun or for an alpha we both hated.”

“I’m going to leave, for Elodie, because being upset isn’t good for the baby or her,” Alaric says, looking once at me; the look is so full of longing, and it’s confusing as much as it hurts. “Though if you touch her, River, then I won’t even get a chance to kill you. Alpha will tear you to pieces.” Alaric walks to the door, sadly smiling at me once more before walking out, and the moment the door closes, I can’t hold in the tears anymore. I wrap my arms around myself as big hot tears stream down my cheeks. River surprises me by stepping in front of me and pulling me into his arms. I rest my head on his chest as I cry, breathing in his calming leather and what I think is chocolate smell of his clothes.

“You smell like chocolate,” I finally say, chuckling through the tears.

“Yeah, that’s a long story. I could take you to meet my sister and explain the chocolate smell tomorrow if you like?” he asks.

“I’d like that,” I say, smiling up at him. I freeze when River rubs his thumb against my cheek, wiping the tear away.

“You are playing with fire, River,” I warn him, knowing it is risky to even call him out on how he is staring at me. He is looking at me like Letric did when I sang that song and then he kissed me not long after. River is a handsome wolf, protective, strong and slowly becoming a best friend to me. This is dangerous, especially when my emotions are all over the place.

“Elodie, sometimes being near the fire is worth the chance of being burned, because it is just so beautiful,” he says, keeping his hand on my cheek.

“River, sometimes I think you could charm anyone into anything,” I reply, smiling a little.

“You aren’t in the right head space to deal with any of us wolves. I’m your friend first, no matter what, but I won’t lie to you. Ever. Now I’m going to run you a bath, and then go to the kitchens to get you those sweet cakes you like so much,” he says, though he doesn’t move and neither do I. We are both paused like this, neither of us knowing how to break the moment up. We are both addicted to each other, to the moments we secretly share in the shadows as we pretend to be friends instead of admitting the truth. Sometimes the truth can only bring pain and heartbreak. Pretending can be oh so much simpler.

“You don’t have to…” I slowly reply.

“Look after you like you deserve? No, I don’t have to, but I want to. Elodie, you need to get used to being cared for. You are too special to go unnoticed and unloved,” River says, gradually letting me go and walking to the bathtub. I cross my arms, a warm feeling burning in my chest, slowly making the pain that the Alpha Brothers left seem that bit easier to endure.

Chapter 12

Elodie

“I don’t think I will ever get used to the way they pause and nod to me as we walk past. I used to be a nobody, a pack slave who was mostly ignored unless something was needed. Now everything is so different,” I say to River as we get to the village and people start noticing us. I haven’t been here since my last trip with Angel, and I was not treated as nicely then. The males did not like their brothels being burnt down, but as I glance back at Angel and Pela, I know I made the right choice when it came to what is best for my pack. My new betas stay close, though River will always be at my side. I tossed and turned all night, thinking of Alaric’s promises and how much I just wanted him to hold me. Though he can’t, and until Alpha makes his mind up on whether he will submit to me, nothing will change.

“What are you thinking so deeply about?” River asks. I look up at him as we walk on the stone path, loving how the dim light that shines through the clouds reflects in the deep pits of his swirling blue eyes. He really has such deep, unique eyes that remind me of the beach at the Luxa Pack.

“Things I can’t change,” I admit, biting down on my bottom lip for a second. “Well, stubborn alphas I can’t change, to be exact.”

“They don’t deserve to have your attention with how they are acting,” he replies, most likely talking about how they are walking around the castle like they own it and me as well. They have made countless changes to several rooms and chosen rooms that are just underneath mine so they are as close as they could possibly get. I want to tell them to stop it, but that requires talking to them, which I haven’t really gotten around to yet.

“I want to believe everything they are telling me and they didn’t betray me, but I can’t. I can’t accept it was a week before they came to save me. I can’t accept—”

“That they didn’t put you first like they should have done?” River adds in.

“Yes,” I reply, knowing River would understand.

“You shouldn’t have to accept that. Not from the people you are in love with,” he replies.

“Is it that obvious I am?” I quietly ask.

“You have a big heart, Elodie. Just be careful who you let into it,” he replies. “Though I don’t like the Alpha Brothers, I do think they aren’t all bad. They just had a bad life, and it messed them up in ways none of us could understand. They need love, your love and your child’s, to be exact. They are fools not to realise that though.”

“I’m not the only one who has a big heart, River,” I counter, and he smirks.

“Dangerous fact to point out about me. I’m the beta who has a side job of kidnapping, just like you’ve always known since I met you. I’m not the best kidnapper when I come back to save the ones I’ve kidnapped,” he replies and winks once at me. I laugh, not really being able to help it, and I suddenly realise that is the first time I’ve laughed, really laughed, in a long time. It’s funny how laughing can instantly make you feel a tiny bit better.

“Why are you still at my side? Why did you choose me?” I ask, feeling his hand brush into mine as we walk, and for a second, he links our fingers and lets go. The simple contact makes me shiver, and my hand itches to reach out.

“I like a bit of danger in my life. Plus, it can be pretty addictive and seductive to be around you,” River replies and goes to say something else, but he is interrupted.

“River!” a girl shouts, breaking up whatever that was between us as we both turn to see a dark haired, little girl running out from a door to us. She is the spitting image of River with dark blue eyes and long black hair. The girl wraps her arms around River’s waist when she gets to us, and he hugs her back as she stares at me. I glance back at the door, seeing a blonde woman holding a toddler, waiting and smiling like she has been waiting a while. Her eyes are locked on River. I swallow the odd, sad feeling that builds in my throat when I realise the woman could very well be his partner, from what little I know. I never asked if he had a mate or anything. What a fool I am. River isn’t a no claim as far as I know. He couldn’t have been to be a beta for Tanner.

“Who is this?” the little girl asks, looking at me as I snap myself out of it.

“Elodie, this is my sister, Arabella,” River replies.

“Nice to meet you,” I say, making her shyly smile as she lets go of her brother.

“Same. Bye!” she says before running off back into the house.

“No patience whatsoever, that one. Arabella got her wolf about two months ago, and she has been running around ever since,” River explains to me. “I swear she only sits down for five minutes before she is off doing something or getting into trouble again.” I laugh, walking back towards the house where Arabella ran to.

“What age did you get your wolf?” I ask him, curious.

“Younger than I should have done,” he tells me, not adding more to that as we get to the woman at the door.

“Hey, River!” the woman says rather sweetly as we get to her. “Alpha Elodie, it is an honour to meet you!” I smile at her before looking up to River to introduce us.

“Elodie, this is my cousin, Jelaya,” River introduces me, and I can’t help the sigh of relief that slips out of my lips as River turns to talk to her. I smile at the baby in her arms, the reality of seeing a baby reminding me my own will be here before I know it. “Thank you for watching Arabella. Has she been any trouble today?”

“None at all, but I have to get going,” she says, hugging River and smiling at me before walking off with her baby in her arms.

“Please come in,” River says, pushing the door open to the small house. It’s all open plan with stone walls, a large kitchen, double doors open to a garden with a river at the bottom of it. The lounge has some sofas, bookcases and a little table where Arabella is drawing. There aren’t many female touches around, and the place reminds me of Alpha’s tower, with added food and children’s things. It’s almost like River doesn’t live here much, which he likely doesn’t because of his job. I wonder if he would be happier moving Arabella into the castle, where he could still protect me and see her too. I make a mental note to ask him later on about that idea.

“What are you drawing?” I ask, walking over to Arabella as River shuts the front door. I look over her shoulder at the big grey wolf near a river which she is colouring in. She is a fantastic drawer even at her age. Everything is incredible in detail.

“It’s for my claimed mate. I get to see him tomorrow, and we always give each other drawings as gifts,” she says, grinning at me. “He likes my gifts, and he always makes me little rock statues.”

“That’s so lovely,” I say as River comes to my side and looks down at the picture.

“That’s mum’s wolf,” River says, though he isn’t good at hiding his feelings in his tone. It hurts him to see this picture. I don’t think as I reach for his hand and pause when our hands touch. River slowly links his hand with mine, never looking once at me or acknowledging the move. He just takes my comfort that he currently needs. “I’m surprised you remember her so well.”

“She looks like you, but your wolf is a much darker grey,” Arabella replies. “I see mum’s wolf in my dreams. She never really left us, you know that?”

“I know, sister,” River states and clears his throat. “Elodie has a white wolf, big and fluffy. Almost cute like a teddy bear.”

“That is so cool!” Arabella says staring up at me with wide eyes.

“Maybe Elodie could show you one day, but for now, I’m going to start dinner. Want to help out, Elodie?” River asks, dropping my hand when he seems to finally notice he is holding it.

“Love to,” I reply, flashing a smile at Arabella before following River into the kitchen where he starts opening cupboards, pulling out different ingredients. “What are we making then?”

“A classic Xan recipe. I thought you might like to try some of our foods as you order a lot of fish and Luxa Pack recipes,” River says, handing me a tub full of vegetables. “Could you cut those up while I sort out the steaks.”

“Sure,” I say, picking up a knife and starting to peel the carrots first since they will take the longest to boil. River fills up a large pot of water for me before putting it on the stove, then he lights up that and a hot plate. He marinates steaks with herbs as I cut up the vegetables, adding them to the pot. “I didn’t notice what food I’ve been eating. I guess I miss the pack more than I want to admit.”

“The Luxa Pack is a beautiful place. I’m sure you will return there one day, Elodie,” River says, but I highly doubt it. Going back there would require the Alpha Brothers and me to be at peace, and I would need to trust them completely. I don’t see that happening any time soon with how Alpha has been acting. We don’t talk for a few moments as I run over his words in my mind and thoughtlessly cut the vegetables up.

“River…where is your mate?” I blurt out, not really thinking about how unwise it was to ask him such a personal question.

“Dead,” River coldly and quite quickly replies before picking up a steak and placing it on the hot plate, the sizzling sound the only noise in the otherwise silent room.

“I’m—”

“Don’t say you are sorry, Elodie. You didn’t know her, and neither did I really,” he warns me, and for the first time since we met, his voice is cold with me. Like we are strangers. I walk over, placing a hand full of carrots into the pot, and stop right next to him.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you by bringing up the past,” I say.

“I know you didn’t, you just want to know me, and I don’t get why that is. You have them, and you don’t need another messed up asshole in your life,” he says and slams his hands on the side. “I didn’t mean to say that to you.”

“I don’t have them,” I reply, knowing exactly who he means. “And you are not messed up or an asshole.”

“Trust me, I am,” he replies, turning to look at me with those icy blue eyes. “My mate died because of me.”

“That can’t be true,” I say, not believing it. “You are brave, selfless, and I know deep in my soul you are too good to give up on anyone you care for.”

“It is true, and I’ve never touched another woman since. It was my promise to her dead body when I held it in my arms, and every moment I’m with you, I want to break it. I’m an asshole, and you are best off staying a little distance away from me,” he says, and I know telling him sorry won’t help the situation.

“River, what happened to her?” I ask. “Will you tell me, because I’m not going anywhere.”

“We were fourteen, kids really, but so excited to mate in a few years. We were on a date in the higher mountains, talking about mating when we were older, laughing, joking around. We snuck out every weekend since we were eight years old to see each other…but that weekend was different,” he says, not looking at me as he turns the four steaks over one by one. “There was a slight quake in the mountain, which caused an avalanche. They happen sometimes, but usually we can hide in our houses to keep safe. I remember seeing the wave of snow knocking down trees just before they hit me, and I shifted. I was knocked out and luckily survived, but she was dead. It was my fault for taking her there and not protecting her like a mate should have done.”

“That was not your fault, and she wouldn’t blame you. River, you can’t stay guilty forever over something you didn’t cause,” I tell him truthfully. I place my hand on his cheek, turning him to look at me as I step closer and see so much pain in his eyes. “You can’t spend the rest of your life running from life because you feel like that is what she would have wanted. River, anyone that cares for you wouldn’t want that.”

“Elodie,” River whispers my name ever so gently, and I lean closer, pressing my lips gently against his without thinking about it. I just want to comfort him, show him he is worth loving. I freeze when I realise he hasn’t kissed me back, and I pull away, stepping back.

“I can’t. I just can’t,” he whispers, rejecting me and shaking his head. He looks away from me when I can’t hide the pain I’m feeling in my heart. “I want to be your friend, nothing more. You are just confused, and I am not the man for you.” I don’t argue with him or say a word as Arabella comes into the room.

“Elodie, want to see the chocolate bean machines that River fixes in his spare time? Some of them even have chocolate in them we can try,” she says. “Our parents used to make the machines, and everyone loves chocolate.” I finally know why River smells like chocolate now.

“I’d love that,” I say, thankful for the escape.

“I will call you for dinner when it is done,” River tensely says, and I feel like I’ve just broken some part of our relationship, whatever it was anyway. I guess I felt something that he didn’t, and now I wish I could forget.

Chapter 13

Elodie

“Elodie!” Letric shouts as I walk to my room and pause just outside. I look back down the corridor to see Letric jogging to me, stopping close and running a hand through his hair. He has changed into black, tight leather trousers, a grey shirt and a long cloak covering his shoulders, and his hair is cut shorter than I’m used to seeing him. River very quickly dropped me off at the throne room before making up some excuse and disappearing but saying he would be close by anyways. I didn’t even say a word because it was more than awkward at dinner and then even worse on the way back home.

“Hello,” I say a bit lamely. I suddenly feel guilty for kissing River, even if he didn’t kiss me back. It’s the hormones and the fact River is kind, charming and handsome. It’s all just messing with my head, and why should I feel guilty anyways? I don’t even know what I am to the Alpha Brothers who are insisting on staying here.

“Can we go for a walk? I just want to talk to you alone for a bit,” he asks. “And this part of the castle still freaks Alaric and Alpha out, so they don’t come up here unless they have to.”

“Sure,” I reply, letting him lead me down the corridor, and we pass the throne room down the next corridor before either of us says anything into the building silence between us. “Why does my room freak them out?”

“You forget who used to live here,” he says, and I bite down on my lip. Damn, they did live here and hated it, though Letric was only a toddler, so I doubt he remembers much of the place. Alpha and Alaric, on the other hand? They must not be able to forget.

“Of course, Alpha and Alaric grew up here,” I mutter. “I didn’t think about how difficult this must be for them.”

“And ran away from here. Alpha swore he would never return to this place unless he was alpha, and yet we are all back for you,” he says. “Alpha never changes his mind or goes back on his promises, but with you? Every rule is getting broken in the best way we never knew we needed.”

“I’m sorry this place brings back bad memories. Hopefully in time, we can make new ones with the baby,” I admit.

“How are you? The baby?” he asks, his eyes fluttering to my stomach that is hidden by my dress.

“Fine as can be. I have a healer coming to see me tomorrow to check on the baby and make plans for the birth,” I explain to him.

“Can I be there? I’d really love to,” he quickly asks the moment I stop speaking.

“The healer will be here at ten in the morning,” I say with a small smile, leaving it up to him if he wants to come. I can’t help the nice, warm feeling I get at the idea of Letric being there with me tomorrow.

“This is tense and more awkward than I thought it would be,” he finally says as we walk past a lot of empty rooms that have lounges, studies, a library and a mixture of other rooms I haven’t explored. We pass the room I like the most because of its amazing views of the pack.

“Same,” I say, looking up at him and breathing in a deep sigh before asking the question I need to ask. “Did Alpha really kill Misty?”

“Yes, I promise he did,” Letric firmly replies.

“Why didn’t you come after me when I was taken then? I know you don’t want a mate, but if you care at all, you should have—” I’m cut off when Letric gently takes my hand in his, and we both stop in the corridor.

“I never wanted a mate until I met you, and now, I don’t know how to let you go. We were attacked by your mother’s pack from the inside. It took a week to save our people, kill the people who betrayed us, and then come for you. If we had our way, we would have been here instantly,” he explains, his words shocking me and my resolve that they are the bad ones in this. “I was close, inches away from leaving our people to die and come after you. We all were.”

“I didn’t know,” I reply, completely shocked but somewhat happy there was a reason. They didn’t just sit there, not coming straight after me.

“There is a lot you don’t know about how we feel for you, what we want, but I want you to know one thing for certain, Elodie,” he tells me, each word seems to go straight to my heart, teasing it to beat harder in my chest.

“Yes?” I whisper, not trusting my voice to be any louder as I can’t take my eyes off Letric and how he is looking at me. My hands itch to reach for him, to feel close to him once again, because as much as I want to hate him, I want him all the same.

“I love you. I really, really love you, and that will never change. There has never been anyone like you,” he says, his words echoing in a whisper around the empty corridor as I almost feel like slapping myself because this doesn’t seem real. I throw myself into his arms, pushing my lips against his as he groans and lifts me into the air. My legs wrap tightly around Letric’s waist as we harshly kiss, pushing passion and longing from our time apart into every moment. Letric rips away my underwear as I free his erection before he presses me against the wall and slowly inches himself inside of me. I moan, but Letric swallows the sounds escaping my lips with a deep kiss as he thrusts in and out of me.

“I missed you,” Letric whispers into my ear, pushing me closer and closer to the edge with every thrust. “I missed you. I missed fucking you so much. I missed hearing your moans as you come on me. God dammit, I don’t ever want this to end.” I cry out as an orgasm slams into me, and I feel Letric come deep inside me nearly at the same time. The intense pleasure takes a while to die down until I can control my breathing, and Letric gently slides out of me. I am standing on the floor as he tucks himself away.

“I love you too, by the way,” I admit, and he smiles, leaning down to gently kiss me once more. “Though I don’t know where we go from here.”

“Give us all a chance to prove we deserve you,” Letric gently suggests.

“Don’t hurt me then. Please,” I beg.

“Never again, there are never going to be any secrets again,” he promises before he kisses me again, and I let myself be lost in them.

Chapter 14

Elodie

“I invited Letric, not all of you,” I say when I open the door to my room, seeing Letric with both Alpha and Alaric at his side. I automatically smooth down my blue dress, which is in two parts so the vest can be undone without touching the skirt. Angel brought a few of these dresses over for me this morning, explaining that pregnant women usually wear them as the top has room to grow. The vest is also easy to pull up to reveal my stomach for the healer.

“The baby is all of ours, so here we all are,” Alaric replies, walking past me into the room. “Don’t say you aren’t happy we are here. You can’t hide your smile, sweet El,” Alaric teases.

“Come on in," I say, knowing there is no real point to arguing with them now they are here. I walk back into my room, choosing to lean against the door to the bathroom as I watch my Alpha Brothers look around my room. Alaric goes and sits on my bed, putting his feet up like he lives here. Whereas Letric goes over to my cabinet, looking at rows of dresses, shoes and shiny jewelry I have been given that I never wear in fear I might break one of them somehow. I miss my necklace Letric gave me and the charm Alaric added, though I’m sure it is long gone now. Alpha stays by the door, watching me, and when I look his way, I notice how tensely he stands still. He meets my eyes after a long silence between us all, and I can't read his emotions all that much. He is too good at hiding them from me.

"How long until the healer comes?" Alpha asks.

"Does it make you uncomfortable to be here?" I reply to him, curious.

"Considering the last time I was in this room, my father beat me until I saw stars, I would say yes," Alpha tells me. "Though I’m here for you like the heartless bastard you believe I am."

"He is dead, you know that?" I reply. “And I do not think you are heartless.”

“I wish he wasn't so I could kill him much slower for ever daring to touch you," Alpha growls out. I part my lips to say something when the door is knocked on twice and then opened. River walks in first, his eyes widening for a moment at the sight of all the Alpha Brothers in the room before he cools his expression and steps to the side for the woman to walk in. The woman is a little older than I am, her blonde hair is cut very short, and it matches her tight white shirt and long black jacket. Everything about her seems precise except her green eyes which are somewhat kinder.

"Alpha Elodie, this is healer Periya, the best healer in the Xan Pack," River explains as he introduces us. “As you know, this Alpha Elodie.”

"I wouldn't say the best, but I have delivered a lot of children successfully, so that makes me a good healer for you to have at this time," she states. “I will be staying in the castle, at your call whenever you need me, as I suspect you will want to have the child in this room.”

"It's lovely to meet you, Periya, and yes, I want the baby to be born here," I say, holding out a hand for her to shake. We shake hands before she puts her bag on the floor near me and opens it up. I’m more than relieved that she will be staying in the castle and will be there when I need her.

"Right then, are all these males staying in here?" Periya asks.

"Yes," each of them says in unison, even River who has been quiet with me since the near kiss.

"Well, these questions I have to ask you might be a little embarrassing then," she says, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Elodie needs not be embarrassed by any of us," Letric says, a big grin on his face.

"Ask away," I kindly reply.

"How are you feeling, for one?" she asks, kneeling down and pulling out strange metal tools from her bag. "Morning sickness? Any bleeding? Anything unusual you wish to discuss with me?"

"I'm sick every morning, though River found an herbal tea that helps a little," I reply. "And no bleeding or anything else to report."

"That is good news to hear after your fight with Alpha Tanner. Pregnant wolves should not be fighting. Anyway, I wish to examine you, if you don't mind. Could you lie on the bed?" she asks, not giving me much of a choice.

"Sure," I reply, walking to the bed and sitting down on the side opposite Alaric who gets up. I lie down as Periya comes over, sitting next to me.

"Could you lift your top up?" she asks. I glance at River for reassurance, and he nods firmly once. I slowly lift my shirt, exposing my stomach which has a little raised bump now that has been growing these last few weeks.

"That is some bump already," Periya states. "How far along do you think you are?"

"I honestly don't know, but at least a month now," I reply. Periya nods before putting the plug ends of the thing she has into her ears and the circle end on my stomach at the side. She moves it around, pausing in places before taking it off. I stay still as she feels my stomach, sliding her hands around and lower than I would have expected before sitting back.

"The babies feel and sound in good health to me. Two strong heartbeats, and twins are a very rare thing indeed," she says, like we should have known there were two babies. I place my hands on my stomach, paused in the moment of pure shock as she keeps talking, explaining complications of twin births, but I can only focus on the word twins. I’m going to have two babies, and that is not something I ever planned for. The more I think about it, it is rather perfect to have twin baby alphas to rule over such a large pack.

"Twins? Two babies?" I ask.

"Yes, Alpha Elodie. There are two new alphas on the way. I will come back in a month for a check-up, and every month from now on to check on you, but I will be around. I do have many other patients, but you only need to call for me. I will also find two trusted nurses to help with what will be a complicated birth," she says. “I will need help.”

"I will want the names in advance of bringing them here," River states. "I hope you understand that protecting Elodie is the most important job while she is vulnerable."

"Of course," Periya says and stands up off the bed. "Now, Alpha Elodie, no more fights and plenty of rest. Please call for me if you are worried at all."

"Thank you for your help, and I will," I say, nodding once at her as I sit up off the bed. She walks to the door with River, who bows once at me before leaving to escort her out, no doubt. We really need to have a talk about what happened.

"Twins. Double trouble, I have heard," Letric says, somewhat quietly. Alpha has his arms crossed, looking out of the window, and Alaric is just grinning at me like he just heard the best news in the world.

"You sure don't do things by halves, do you, El?" Alaric replies. "Anyway, me and Letric have to go and see Mary. She is fretting around in those houses the pack are in."

"Mary could come here. I didn't even think about her when I invited you to stay," I quickly say, knowing having more trusted people around isn’t a bad thing.

"That would be brilliant. Mary won't admit it, but she misses you, El," Alaric says, winking at me once before straightening up. "Also, before I go, can I take you somewhere tomorrow?"

"I don't see why not," I reply.

"Tomorrow morning it is then," Alaric says, before walking out with Letric following after, waving once at me. The moment the door shuts behind Letric, I look at Alpha who is still staring out of the window.

"We can leave this room if you want. I didn't know about your past here," I gently say to him. Despite everything, I’m still trying to protect him the best I can.

"The room is just a room. I will forget the past and make new memories here," Alpha says, his eyes drifting over to the crib in the room before going back to the outside. Our children will bring new memories, memories that will wash away the pain and darkness in his heart. If only he will give me a chance to help do the same thing.

"We are never going to agree on anything, are we? You don't want a mate, and I will not give up my pack to you. We are two alphas fighting either sides of a war when—"

"When what?" he stops me to say.

"You know what?" I reply. I take a deep breath before slowly walking to him, every step hurting more than the next because I know he will push me away again. That is all he knows how to do. Tanner trained that behaviour into the very core of Alpha’s existence. Love...that isn't something he knows how to do, despite the fact I suspect it is how he feels for me. Loving Alpha will always be a fight, and I will always lose.

"I smell Letric on you, I'm taking a guess you finally believe what we told you. We never betrayed you, Elodie," he bluntly states.

"Yet you did, in a way," I reply, “even if you didn’t betray me with Misty in the way I thought you did.”

"How did we betray you then?" he asks.

"I want more than you could ever give me. Being around you all is like teasing a child with sweets, and eating the sweets yourself," I reply.

"I never teased you, Elodie," he says, though we both know that is a lie.

"You took me as a slave, as nothing, and pretended I meant more to you than just someone in your bed. That was teasing," I inform him of the truth.

"You are more than someone in our bed," he says, and my heart bangs against my chest, wishing he would explain that statement more.

"Then prove it, submit to me. Be mine, like you claim I am yours," I whisper, and my voice catches with emotion I didn’t want to show him so soon. Being vulnerable around Alpha is a dangerous game.

"No," he says, and just like that, I know he will never change his mind. He is too stubborn, too cold to let me love him. To let me into that frozen heart of his.

"Tanner really messed you up, didn't he? You can't even let me get close, even though I can see you want to," I reply, though my voice is bitter and colder than I wanted it to be. I have to stop letting him get to me, because every time he does, it hurts a little bit deeper down in my chest.

"This isn't about my father," he growls.

"Don't you see, Alpha? It always is, and even though he is dead, he is still controlling you and ruining me," I whisper, and for the first time since I've met Alpha, I turn around and walk away.

Chapter 15

Elodie

I knock on the door a few times before lowering my hand, feeling more than nervous about what I'm doing. Last night, I went over the same thoughts again and again in my mind as I walked to the kitchen, got some food and then sat in my room all night, lost in my thoughts. Alpha will always be around, and even if we are at war with each other, I know he won't hurt me, well, not in the physical sense. He can sure break my heart all the same without a second thought. I have to talk to River before seeing Alaric today and get out all of the thoughts. We need to talk because ignoring each other and catching him staring at me strangely all the time isn’t working.

The door opens, and River gives me a surprised look as I try not to cough out my shock at seeing him shirtless. River’s chest is muscular, toned and his stomach is flat with deep ripples of muscle that I just want to reach out and touch. There is a faint line of black hair on his chest, and on his ribs are faint scars he no doubt got fighting. I have to open and close my mouth a few times before I’m even capable of words. This is hormones, it has to be. Though Alpha, Letric and Alaric all look just as incredible without their shirts on and even better with nothing on at all. That makes me instantly wonder what hides below River’s black low trousers, the top button of which is undone, teasing me, I’m sure.

"Morning, Elodie. What time is it? Did I sleep in?" River asks, though he looks amused when I finally snap out of it and meet his blue eyes. He totally caught me, and I don’t even know how to say sorry for it.

"It's four in the morning, so no, I just needed to talk to you. I couldn't sleep," I blurt out and look down before trying to talk again, but he speaks first.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all," I say and shake my head, smiling up at him, seeing how his wavy black hair looks cute in the morning. "This isn't working out how I imagined."

"What isn't working out?" he asks, crossing his arms against his muscular chest.

"You know what? It doesn't matter," I say, going to turn around when River clamps a hand around my wrist and pulls me to his chest, his other arm sliding around my waist, and I feel like I've stopped breathing as I meet his eyes.

"Tell me what you were going to tell me, Elodie," he asks, keeping us close. "Or I can tell you how mad I am about you, and how sorry I am for pushing you away. I thought it was for the best, that the Alpha Brothers would make you happy, but they don't, do they?"

"They don't want me like a mate, and I don't know what they want anymore. At the moment, they push me away as much as you did," I admit. “Is there something about me that makes men want to sleep with me and then run?”

"I'm not fighting this anymore. There was always something different about you, and you have haunted my dreams for longer than I will admit," he says, his warm breath blowing against my face as he speaks. “Trust me, I don’t want to run. I want what is best for you. What will make you happy, and I know that could be me if we try this.”

"River, if they find out," I start off, “I don’t trust how they would react.”

"I will handle the brothers, and if they stop being idiots, you can handle us all," he tells me, and I don’t get to reply as, in the next moment, his lips are on mine. River groans as he kisses me, and I slide my hands into his hair, pulling and tugging him as close as he can get as his hands explore my back.

"Elodie," River groans against my lips as we walk backwards into his room, and he slams the door shut behind us. River picks me up, carrying me to the bed where he lays me down before crawling over me. The next few moments, we rip each other’s clothes off, both of us desperate to get as close to each other as possible. River smiles down at me the moment my dress slides off my legs, and very slowly runs his eyes up and down my body.

"I have to admit something before we go further," River whispers to me, his hands caressing up and down my stomach, teasing me with the slow movement. I keep my eyes locked onto River's as I reach closer, placing my hand on his cheek, rubbing my thumb over the dagger marks that feel indented almost.

"I've never done this. I told you I didn't find another mate after—" he stops and clears his throat. "Well, I never took a woman to bed either."

"Why did you wait?" I ask, trying to hide the smile that I will be his first.

"There was no one I ever wanted as a mate until you. Now there is just you, and I want you. I want every part of you, as a mate as well, if you will have me," he says, and I freeze, totally shocked he just said that to me. No one has ever said they wanted to be my mate before. As a child, I would beg, cry and plead for someone, anyone to claim me as their mate. It was all I ever wanted, and as I got older, I came to accept it never would happen. Now that it has, I don’t know how to process it.

"You want me as your mate?" I ask, stroking my fingers down the side of his face and over the marks on his cheek as I wait for his answer.

"I've already submitted to you and fell in love with you. Mating is something I want with you more than anything," he says.

"I want the same, I want you. I just am scared of the Alpha Brothers’ reaction," I admit. “I don’t think I could live without you in my life, River. Not anymore. You kidnapped every part of me, including my heart and soul that day we met.”

"Do you love them as they love you, Elodie?" he asks, thinking on my words.

"You know that answer, but loving them isn't enough for them to want forever at my side," I answer.

"They want you forever, they just don't realise it, but forget them for a moment. The choice is yours, Elodie. If you want me as your mate, you call your wolf and bite me. I will never reject you. My wolf is as much yours as I am," he tells me.

"How did I get lucky enough to meet you, River?" I ask, wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling myself closer.

"I kidnapped you, remember?" he replies, and I chuckle as I climb over him and kiss him. I moan against his lips as I feel his hard cock near my entrance, and his hands go to my hips, tightening.

"I'm yours, River," I whisper against his lips. River slowly lowers me onto him, filling me up as I moan out, digging my nails into his chest.

"Hell, this is perfect," River groans, burying himself all the way inside of me. River reaches up, kissing me as I slowly move my hips. “Show me what you like, Elodie.” I hesitate for only a moment at his words before taking one of his hands and placing his thumb on my clit, rubbing it in the way that sends me close to the edge. I moan as River flips us over on the bed, taking control and thrusting harshly into me. Every moment is perfect, filled with pleasure, and I can’t help the loud moans that escape my lips. Just as I get close to my climax, I call my wolf and reach forward. I bite down on River’s neck as I come, the pleasure being uncontrollable as River bites my shoulder too and finishes with a long growl that makes us both shiver. I instantly feel the difference of a mating bond between us as I lean back, seeing the bite mark on River’s neck heal and leave a white symbol behind. The mating symbol, covered in blood. River kisses me, and neither of us needs to say another word, this is perfect.

Chapter 16

Elodie

“I don’t want to let you go,” River says, tugging me back to his chest and kissing me once again.

“I promised Alaric I’d spend today with him, and I need to explain this,” I say, tapping a finger against my neck.

“No need to explain. Everything is quite clear,” Alaric says, making me jump and turn around to see him standing in the corridor, his body shaking with anger. It’s his eyes that scare me the most and make me want to rush to him, to hold him close. He looks destroyed, just before he turns and walks away.

"Alaric, wait!" I shout before I run after him down the corridor, through a pair of doors he throws open. I close the door behind me before watching Alaric stop right before the line of trees that spread into the forest behind the castle. He suddenly shifts, the sound of his shift and his ripping clothes filling the silent space before it stops, and Alaric’s large white wolf stands still. I don't have to speak to him to know he wants me to shift, to see my wolf for the first time. I walk further into the clearing and close my eyes. The shift feels like a ripple of pure power all over my skin, but it isn't painful like it was the first time I shifted. This is only the third time for me, but it feels so natural when my wolf takes over my mind. There is just calm peacefulness as the world blacks out for what feels like a long moment, but it can only be seconds in reality.

I open my eyes, seeing the world in such a vivid difference to how my normal eyes see the world. My wolf makes the world so much more alive. I run to Alaric's side, slowly rubbing my side against his and stopping next to him. Alaric's wolf turns its head to meet mine, our eyes locking together. Wolf or not, Alaric's emotions are reflected in his eyes either way. I hurt him with River earlier. There is no doubt I smell of River now, and he saw that kiss goodbye outside his room. I never wanted to hurt them, and I want to fix this, but I don't really know how.

Alaric suddenly shakes his head and runs off at full speed into the forest. I quickly chase him, following him around the trees and jumping over fallen branches. My paws dig into the moss as I run, and the snow falls lightly around us from where the trees let it fall through them. Eventually, Alaric comes to a stop at the bottom of a clearing, where a small lake sits frozen. Even the waterfall is frozen, and there is no sound of running water, only peaceful quiet. Alaric shifts back, standing completely naked in front of the lake, the cold air moving his hair around a little in the wind.

"You have a beautiful, strong wolf, Elodie, but come back to me. We need to talk," he says. My wolf practically purrs before I close my eyes and another ripple of power sweeps over my body, pulling me back to myself. I stand up in the clearing, wrapping my arms around my shoulders as the cold wind blows snow against me. Alaric walks to the side, picking up a hidden bag from behind a rock and pulling out two cloaks. He clips his over his shoulders before coming over and wrapping mine around me. He clips my cloak together, never once looking at me until it is done, and he places his hands on my shoulders. When he finally meets my eyes, my voice catches in my throat at everything I can see in them. Everything I can feel. Pain, worry, jealousy, and most of all love.

"Do you love him, Elodie?" he asks, his voice almost sounding detached.

"Yes," I reply. “He is my mate, and I didn’t mate with him without being sure he is forever in my life.”

"Do you love me?" he asks, and I can sense the doubt in his voice. He thinks I’ve chosen River over them.

"I always have done. Even when you never loved me back," I admit. “You saved me, showed me what it was like to be loved and alive. Even if you broke me in the end, I still can’t help but love you.”

"When I saw you with him, I realised for the first time that I could lose you. That you won't be coming back to our pack, sleeping in our beds and letting us love you," he says. “It never felt like sharing with my brothers, it never did, but with River..well, everything is different.”

"I am not going back there to a place where I was just your slave you slept with," I tell him. “Besides, this is my home, my father’s home, and I know this is the place I am meant to be.”

"You were never that to us, and you know it," he counters. “If you were just that to me, you would have been in and out of our bed after one night.”

"Then change your mind about submitting and taking a mate. That is your only way to prove to me everything you say is true! Can't you see that?" I say, feeling frustrated. “You get jealous about me, but you won’t commit to me.”

"Alpha, Letric and I made a promise to never take a mate when we were children. We agreed to never let a woman come between us and our fight for no claims and a world where you do not need to have a mate to exist fairly in," he explains. “We want a world in which wolves grow up in their own rights, choose their mates because of love, and have the option to be alone if they wish.”

"This isn't a fair world, Alaric," I reply. "Your old promise now only hurts one person: me. Even if I do agree with your ideas."

"We never wanted to hurt anyone, that was the whole point," he mutters.

"This is more messed up than any of us ever predicted it could be," I say, and Alaric moves an inch closer, leaning down and resting his forehead against mine for the simple contact. The need to be close to each other. We stand like this for a long time, neither of us moving or wanting to speak anymore because there is nothing to be said. They won't change their mind, and that will always hurt me.

"I will speak to my brothers, Elodie. If it is a choice between losing you and taking you as our mate, there really isn't a choice," he says. “I can’t lose you.”

"You mean that?" I ask, sliding my hands to his chest and staring up at him.

"I will do whatever it takes to make this right between us all," he says, placing his hand to my stomach. "We have a future to think about."

"I love you," I whisper, before reaching forward and kissing him. He pulls me close as he deepens the kiss, our bodies pressed tightly against each other. I pull back and start kissing down his neck, slowly lowering myself to my knees in the cold snow. I slowly rub my hand up and down his hard cock, and he lets out a long, deeply attractive groan. I move closer and slowly lick the end before sliding him all the way into my mouth, and his hands slide into my hair in response as he lets out a long, possessive growl.

"If this is what River has been teaching you, I might come and watch him teach you." I move faster after hearing his words, wondering how perfect that would be in my mind. Both of them, enjoying me. Alaric groans as he comes in my mouth, and I quickly swallow all that he gives me before standing up. He gently cups my face before kissing me and leaving me breathless.

"Now it is time I repay the favour, hmm?" he says before falling to his knees and opening my cloak. Alaric can repay the favour any day.

Chapter 17

Elodie

"I don't think a meal is going to make any of this situation better," River states, watching me as Angel finishes curling my hair, which she offered to do when I explained my slightly insane plan for tonight.

"They won't hurt you while I’m there, and it is best we just get this out of the way. They aren't leaving; you are my mate, therefore, you are not leaving either," I say and turn to look at him. "These babies are on the way, and I don't want them born into a war zone between you all." I glance down at my stomach, which is growing by the day. The healer believes I’m only four months along, so we have a while before the babies come.

"I'm not the problem, Elodie," River states.

"Good luck, El. You are one courageous woman,” Angel says, placing her hand on my shoulder and squeezing once. “I wanted to thank you for helping all the children get settled. Their new teachers also enjoyed your visit the other day also. Speaking of new, I must get back to my new mate. We would love for you to come over for dinner one afternoon.”

"It will be fine, and I’d love to meet your new mate," I say, shaking my head and standing up. I glance at myself in the mirror, seeing how lovely my hair is curled, thanks to Angel, and the purple dress which puffs out in different colours and is tighter around my little bump.

“Fine is a brave word to describe tonight,” River adds in.

"Not brave, just I want this to work for us all. We are so close to having it worked out," I say. Angel sadly smiles at me like she knows something I do not before she leaves the room, shutting the door behind her.

"Except that Alpha wants me dead, Letric isn't speaking to you. It's only Alaric who is trying to talk his brothers down from the crazy ideas they are no doubt brewing up in that blood connection of theirs," River states, coming over to me and wrapping his arms around my waist.

"You know they can talk to each other like that?" I ask, not aware that many people know of their connection.

"Yes, it is a childhood gift. If you make a blood bond as a child, you are given that power," he explains it to me. No wonder I’ve never heard of it before the Alpha Brothers. That is a big burden to take on as a child.

"I wish it was the same for mates. I'd love to know what you are thinking," I say, knowing I can only feel his emotions when we are connected somehow, like usually during sex. River had explained the longer we are mated, the stronger the connection will be.

"I will always tell you what I'm thinking, and right now?" he moves his lips next to my neck, his warm breath sending shivers through me. "I'm thinking about ripping this dress off you and using my lips to make you moan in that sexy way I love."

"Maybe you can do just that but after dinner," I say, rolling my eyes at his attempt to get out of this meal. River takes my hand in his, letting out a long sigh as I walk with him to the door. We go down the corridor in silence, both of us nervous what this meal could bring.

“Elodie, my you look different these days,” Mary says, stepping out from a room and closing the door behind her as we walk to her. Mary doesn’t look like she has changed at all, though she has a bigger smile than I’m used to seeing. Mary surprises me by wrapping me in a tight hug and letting go, looking down at my bump.

“They need you, the stubborn fools. They will need the pureness of these babies in their lives as well. A light to banish the dark past,” she says, and bows her head before walking away.

“Time for the arguments to start,” River says, pressing a hand into my back to lead me down the corridor. I know there will be arguments, but I guess I keep hoping the arguments won't be too bad. We walk into the dining room where Alpha, Letric and Alaric are sat in chairs at the end of the table, and Alpha’s eyes seem to draw me to his as River closes the door behind us. The table is laiden with cooked meats, potatoes and various vegetables all down the middle that I know Mary had a hand in making from the smell alone.

“Is Mary ruling the kitchens now?” I ask, sitting down between Alaric and River. “I just bumped into her in the corridor. She looks happy.”

“The last time I saw her, she was ordering the kitchen staff around like her personal army. It was amusing,” Letric says, and I grin at him.

“Nothing really changed then,” I say. We all serve our own food and eat in silence, the silence becoming more and more awkward the longer it goes on.

“What is this meal about, Elodie?” Letric asks.

“River is my mate, as I’m sure you know, and I think it is time we all sit down to talk about it.”

“Brave woman,” Alaric mutters, and Letric just laughs.

“We have always known Elodie is brave as well as brazen,” Letric says. “It’s why we love her.”

“Then why are we all arguing still?” I ask.

“Because you chose him over us,” Alpha growls out, pushing his chair away and standing up. “You chose someone who could never be worth you as a mate.”

“And you think you are worth her?” River laughs, standing up and walking to Alpha who watches him with pure disgust and what I suspect is jealousy.

“Yes,” Alpha states firmly before lifting a hand and punching River in the face. River falls backwards from the sudden hit, but manages to save himself and spins, swinging his fists into Alpha’s face. They both fall flat to the ground, rolling around and landing punch after punch. I go to stand up, but Alaric grabs my arm, making me watch two people I love kick the crap out of each other.

“Stop it!” I shout, looking at Alaric. “Stop them. Now!”

“Let them work it out how men do. How wolves do. They will not kill each other, but leave if you cannot watch,” Alaric suggests. “If you leave, you do not want this.”

I pull my arm from Alaric and stand up, intending to leave, but I pause when I see the big jug of water on the table. I lean over and pick the jug up and walk to where River is on top of Alpha, punching as Alpha fights right back. I pour the jug of water over them both, enjoying how they cough and sputter, and River looks up at me in as much shock as Alpha.

“Grow the hell up! Both of you. Are you fools enough not to be able to see that fighting only destroys one person: me?” I throw the jug on the floor and walk to the door, stopping right in the middle of it. “All of you work this out. If you care for me at all, you need to.”

“And if we can’t agree?” Alpha asks, his heart breaking question making me pause.

“Then you can leave my pack and never come back.”

“Maybe I will,” he replies, and I run out of the room before he can see my tears.

Chapter 18

River

"Get out of here," Alpha growls as I pick myself up off the floor and wipe a hand across my bloody lip. I spit out the blood in my mouth before I cross my arms. That wasn't a fight at all, and Alpha was only warning me no matter how it looked. It was a game to try and scare me off. If he wanted me dead, he would have tried a lot harder than what he just did. My wolf healing is kicking in already, healing all the bruises and broken ribs. I look at where Elodie just left, knowing we need to fix this all. I could walk out of here and go to her, let her cry on my shoulder about Alpha, but that wouldn't be the right thing to do. At the end of the day, she loves these Alpha Brothers, and they made her the woman she is today. I can see they are good for her, in a twisted way.

"No, we need to talk," I state, and Alpha just watches the door where Elodie just left after he threatened to leave the pack. I know he couldn't leave if he tried, that is why his feet are planted firmly on the ground. Yet his words hurt her, and that cannot keep happening time and time again. It isn't fair, not to Elodie or the children. I love Elodie, I did from the moment I met her and sensed exactly who she is. I don't know if she was always meant to be my mate, but either way, she has my heart and my life for as long as I can live it at her side. I doubt the next years will be simple or easy, but I plan on making sure she lives them out the best that I can. I know her children are not mine by blood, but I will protect them and love them because they are part of my mate. I hope one day we could have a child that is ours, but that is a talk for the future if I can get Alpha to stop being a stubborn idiot.

"Maybe the rest of us should talk if you are just going to fight, Alpha," Alaric says, standing up off his seat and coming over to me. "For the record, I am not against you being in Elodie's life. You helped her when we couldn’t, and I see how she feels for you."

"We have not discussed this," Alpha says, briefly looking at his brothers. "And he is not family, nor part of this conversation." I know that was more meant for me than them, because Alpha could have just said it in their minds if he didn't want me to hear. There is a silence between us all as they clearly talk in their minds, something that I wish I could hear.

"Yet...he is part of this," Letric adds in. "I want him to stay."

"We all love Elodie, and she is our alpha female. You all wanted love as kids, acceptance and freedom. Can you not see she offers just that to not only you but everyone? The people follow her, adore her, and they will accept her children in the same way. Elodie is meant to be alpha, an alpha that was brought up as a slave and knows how hard life can be. She will make the right changes for this pack and for all packs if you let her," I say, and silence follows my words. They know I'm right, but it now depends on whether they are all too stubborn to listen to me.

"You are suggesting I submit to her, let her lead all the packs," Alpha says, "a pack I fought long and hard to secure."

"The Ruxan Pack is hers, the Xan Pack is hers, and you know the heart of the Luxa Pack belongs to her as well," I say. "You will be at her side, and at your children's sides as they rule. The future is theirs, and it is what is best for them that truly matters here."

"Sharing has never been a game I like to play," Alpha growls.

"But for her, I know you can learn, Alpha. Or you can leave, break her heart, and I will fix it for her. The choice is yours," I reply. I walk over to him and offer him my hand to shake, knowing it is risky to push him this far. I remember Alpha as a messed up kid who wanted to be more than he was and hated his father, although there was this side to him that was caring; he just hid it well. It shocked everyone in the pack except for me when he and his brothers escaped. I watched how he fed them bottles of milk, how he taught Alaric how to walk and held Letric when he cried. I was a kid who didn't understand at the time that they had no mums around to do these things, and it was left on Alpha's shoulders. That was the past, a bad past that we all need to put behind us to focus on Elodie. I realised I had to put my guilt for my old mate dying behind me and make a future with the woman I love. Alpha needs to do the same thing. I know his brothers are already at that point, they don't need convincing. There is a long pause between us all where I am not sure if he is going to take my hand or not, but he does. He squeezes my hand tightly as he glares at me.

"I still do not like you, but for Elodie, you can stay," he states and raises his head high.

"Thanks," I mutter, pulling my hand back. "Will you go and see her? She must be upset."

"I need to think, but I will see her," Alpha states, before turning around and walking out of the room.

"Now he has decided not to murder you in your sleep, want to go for a drink?" Letric asks, sounding pretty relieved.

"Yes," I say, nodding my head to the door. "Wait, was he really planning on murdering me in my sleep?"

"Yeah, we told him no. It was only his fifth death plan since we got here, which we knew meant he liked you," Letric fills me. That isn't concerning at all.

"I certainly need a drink now," I say, rubbing my face as we head down the corridor.

"Do you think El is alright?" Alaric asks. "Maybe we should go to see her."

"Alpha needs to fix his mess, we can't interrupt even if we wanted to," Letric says, and I agree. "Plus, I think it is time we had a little chat up.

Chapter 19

Elodie

I roll over in bed, pulling the sheets closer to me as the coldness of the room slowly wakes me up. I blink a few times, before the unsettling cold breeze blows against my bare shoulders and back as a strange thought comes to me—I never left the windows or doors open. I never do.

I sit up just as hands press around my throat from the side, and a man climbs on top of me, pressing me into the mattress as his hands get tighter and stronger around my neck, feeling like he is inches from snapping it. The man’s face is hidden in the shadows, but I can smell him, and he smells awful. Like rotting food and dirt. I try to scream, to push to him away, but nothing works as he holds me down. I close my eyes, pushing my wolf out, but in all the panic, nothing happens. I open my eyes and reach up, digging my nails into his eyes.

“Ahh! You stupid whore!” the man growls, slamming me once more into the bed and loosening his hands on my neck so I can shout for a moment.

“Help!” I scream, but my voice is cracked, nothing more than a whisper as he tightens his hands on my neck once again, my wolf healing just about keeping me alive.

“Die, and know my alpha will take your pack,” the man says as black spots appear in my vision. Suddenly, the hands are ripped away from my neck, and the man screams. He begs, cries and pleads as I sit up to see Alpha tearing him to pieces at the end of the bed. Blood splatters everywhere, covering me and the bed, but I don’t take my eyes off Alpha who just saved me. I taste the man’s blood in my mouth, the warmth of it covering my naked body and the white sheets covering my legs, and I am nothing but thankful for it. I couldn’t save myself, and Alpha did instead. Alpha throws away what’s left of the wolf before standing at the end of my bed, breathing heavily.

“I thought you were going to leave,” I whisper, remembering what I cried myself to sleep thinking.

“I couldn’t,” he tensely says. “I cannot leave you, even though I want to.”

“Why, Alpha?” I ask, crawling across the bed and the blood to him. I kneel in front of him, pausing for a second before placing my hands on his bare, blood-covered chest and feeling his fast beating heart under them. Alpha doesn’t reply as he slides a hand around my neck, pressing his thumb gently into the place where he can feel my pulse.

“If I say it, you can’t die. Or leave me. Ever,” he demands. “Ever, do you understand me?”

“Tell me,” I whisper, because I know I wouldn’t leave him. I couldn’t.

“I love you, Elodie Masters,” he says, and it feels like my heart is pieced together bit by bit as he tells me everything I’ve wished he would for such a long time. “You make me different, accepting and wanting to change. You remind me that, even though this world is cruel, dark and lost, there is love and peace to be found within it. I want you in my life, forever.”

Alpha doesn’t give me a chance to speak, he just slams his lips onto mine, his blood covered hands pushing me back onto the bed. I gasp as he parts my legs and reaches down, freeing his cock from his trousers. Alpha holds my head in his large hands, his thumb slipping into my mouth as he thrusts deep inside of me. Alpha slows his thrusts down, sliding in and out of me as he kisses me deeply, making me aware of nothing but him. We are covered in blood, recovering from pain, and yet love is the only thing that links us. I didn’t think it could ever be enough, that I could ever love the monster of a man inside of me. But it is. Love is enough for us.

I don’t know how long Alpha thrusts in and out of me, his hand exploring my body as he makes me come again and again before he finishes and shouts out my name. As we lie in silence together, my head resting on his chest, he starts to hum a sweet lullaby I’ve never heard before. His hand rests on my stomach, and he begins to run little circles with his finger on my bump. A tear escapes my eye at the sight, the song and how haunting it is. How he is humming it to our children. When he stops humming, he keeps his hand on my stomach.

“My mother used to sing this song to me. I don’t remember the words, but the music of the song has always stayed in my mind,” he tells me, and I know it means a lot for him to tell me anything about his past. I hope one day I will know everything about Alpha’s past before me, what made him the way he is and so lost in the darkness I had to save him from.

“You remember your mother?” I quietly ask.

“Only little things that are good. I remember her death more than anything else,” he tells me, and I look up from his chest, resting my head next to his on the bed as he wraps an arm around me.

“I’m so sorry, Alpha,” I whisper, not having the right words for how sorry I feel for him.

“My children will never see their mother’s death until they are old men and she dies peacefully with her mates. I will make sure of it,” he whispers to me. “I will always protect her.” I smile at his protectiveness, the thought that we will have so many years together in peace. I don’t miss how he suggested mating then, and I am almost worried about bringing it up.

“We have many things to discuss, like mating,” I whisper. “Have you changed your mind?”

“For you, I will think on it. I made a promise to my brothers, and they must agree first,” he explains to me. “But we have all the time in the world to make changes. I want to enjoy us for now.”

“That I can agree with,” I say, smiling widely as Alpha pulls me on top of him and kisses me like he never wants to let me go. And he never has to.

“I have something for you,” Alpha states, pulling back from the kiss. I wait as he leans off the bed, picking up his trousers and pulls something out of the pocket. He holds my necklace out to me, and I smile widely, picking up off him and smoothing my fingers over the wolf and heart. There is a new charm added, a crystal diamond that is smoothed into a circle shape.

“You added one,” I whisper.

“It’s from me. You have a charm for us all now,” Alpha states, taking the necklace back off me and helping me slide it over my head.

“Thank you,” I say, wrapping my arms around his shoulders.

“You never have to thank me, Elodie. You saved me when I didn’t know I needed it,” he admits, and I know it is taking a lot for him to tell me that. I kiss him, showing him how much I love him back. And always will.

Chapter 20

“I wondered when you might come to see me,” I say, sensing my mother before she even says a word. I look up from the book in my hands, from where I sit on my throne with River and Alaric nearby. After the stranger attacked me in my bed, I keep someone close at all times. We couldn't figure out who the man was or why he tried to kill me, but we assume he was working alone as there have been no other attacks.

My mother is so beautiful, it is always one of the first things I think when I see her. Her long brown hair is like glossy waves, none of it has turned grey with age yet. Her figure is slim, hidden in a red dress, and freckles line her cheeks that I didn't inherit, though I still see some of myself in her, but I am a tiny bit of her beauty. Misty looked more like our mother, and I wonder if that is why she kept and raised her over me.

“Can we speak? Alone?” she asks. I look back at River and Alaric and know they can understand my answer without questioning me.

“Yes, but I want you to come with me,” I say, sliding off my seat and walking over to her. “We will be back soon.” I nod my head to the door, and she walks near me, her eyes watching me closely as I lead her to the room down the corridor. I push the door open to the bright room, which has a skylight made of different colours that shines down on the room. On one of the walls, there are three paintings that River helped find hidden in the basements. Each of the men is clearly related somehow, but I want to know which one my father is. River said he could tell me, but I want to hear it from her.

"Which one is my father?" I ask her, but she doesn't look up at the paintings. Like she knows it will hurt her to see them.

"You look so much like him, can you not tell, Elodie?" she replies, tilting her head to the side a little.

"The middle one?" I ask. "Look at him." At my demand, she does and walks over to the paintings. She gently places her hand on the edge as I see tears streaming down her cheeks. I look up at the painting of the man with black hair, my eyes and a lot of my features. He is handsome, with a big build and a cold expression that tells me he didn't want to sit for a painting at least. He is my father and just a stranger that I could never meet.

"What do you want me to tell you, Elodie?"

"Is that why you came to see me after all this time? To tell me a story?" I ask. "The time for stories has passed. I am not a child anymore."

"You want to know though, don't you?" she asks. "To understand why I left you."

"Why did you?" I ask as she stares at me.

"When I found out I was pregnant with you, I couldn't have been happier. I loved your father more than even my own wolf and wanted a future with him. I ran to him, telling him our one night together produced a baby and that I could leave my mate who hadn't touched me in years to be with him," she explains. "But he didn't believe me. He didn't want either of us and claimed that getting me into his bed was nothing more than a show of power against the Ruxan Pack."

"So, you sent me away?" I ask, trying not to feel sorry for her. She still left her baby to be brought up in another pack as a slave. My lost and destroyed childhood is this woman's fault. A mother should protect her child, and I can't see that she ever did that for me.

"I did so much more," she whispers. "I made you invisible, the best gift I ever gave you."

"I don't understand," I say, furrowing my eyebrows.

"I know," she says, and steps closer to me and pauses when she sees my hostile gaze. "My mate knew you were not his and demanded you be killed when you were born. Your father told people what I had said, and the new alpha—Tanner—wanted to take you in. He was going to bring you up and make you carry his children. I couldn't let that happen."

"So, what did you do? They all thought I was dead," I ask, because it doesn’t make any sense.

"Luck changed everything for you on the day you were born. See, your parents—the ones that brought you up—were in the pack seeing their sister who moved there a long time ago to be with her mate. They had a baby while visiting the pack—a very early labour—but the baby did not survive. I was in labour at the same time, and you came into the world around the same time. In the same healer's hut. The mother I gave you to agreed to swap her dead baby for mine as long as we both never said a word. It killed me to swap you, but I knew you would live. That is all I wanted," she tells me all this as she moves closer and places her hand on my cheek. "I would hide you again a million times, even if you had a hard life growing up."

"You kept me safe," I whisper. "You really didn't want me to go?"

"Never," she says, her voice catching as she cries. "Every time we visited, I would sneak off to see you, to watch you. I hated that you were a slave when you were born to be an alpha. I've always loved you, and that will never change."

"Mother," I whisper, covering her hand with my own. I scream as a dagger pushes through her throat, and blood pours down her neck. Her hand drops from my cheek as I cry out and as her eyes widen, getting brighter for only a second before they fade into lifeless reflections, and her body falls to the floor.

"No," I whisper, my hands shaking as I look up from her body to the woman standing right behind her.

"Whoops," she says, and lets out a long, cold and cruel laugh. "Did I interrupt a personal moment?"

Chapter 21

Elodie

"Elodie!" Letric shouts as he runs into the room first, followed by Alaric, Alpha and River each one of them looking more murderous than the last.

"I am only here to talk, but if you touch me, be warned that poor Mary will be ripped to pieces by my mates," the woman warns. Clearly this trap is all planned out. I can’t risk Mary’s life, she means too much to the brothers. I run my eyes over the woman in front of me, her long black hair is in a plait down her back, and it is messy like she hasn't washed it in a while. Her clothes are in no better condition, and she doesn't smell the best either. Where the hell is she from? I'm guessing an outcast, but to get into the castle unseen is impressive for an outcast. Too impressive when I think about it.

"Then talk. Who are you?" I ask, my body twitching with the urge to shift and rip the woman in front of me into pieces for what she just did.

"I suggest you talk before we kill you for murdering the Ruxan Alpha," Alpha growls. “We had an alliance with them, an agreement to protect her.”

"Oh, dear brother, I have wanted us to meet for such a long time. See, you left me behind with him, and now that choice is back to haunt you," she says, smiling widely as I flash a confused look at the brothers. Alaric and Letric look confused, running their eyes over this woman for some kind of familiarity. Though Alpha, he looks like a ghost just slapped him in the face.

"Left you? Brother? You are insane," Alaric interjects. “We do not have any other siblings, and Tanner would have made it know if there was a sister around that we somehow missed.”

"My name is Katriel, and I am your sister. I was left behind when you all ran away, wasn't I, Alpha?" she says, laughing like a crazy woman as she reveals things that no one in their right mind would believe. "Or should I say Malric. That is your real name, right? How would I know that if I wasn't who I said I was?” I stay frozen as Alpha nods once, his eyes drifting to me for a moment, and I know instinctively she is who she says she is. Alpha hasn’t even told me his real name, and the only people that know are family because of Tanner. This woman couldn’t know this, not unless she was close to Tanner.

"One of the maids was heavily pregnant just before I left. I’m guessing she is your mother, but our father beat her to death. No baby could have survived that," Alpha says, shaking his head. "You survived that?"

"Yes, I did, though I didn't know about that little bit of information. Our sweet dad forgot to tell me that," she says and lets out another one of those creepy laughs. “Though he was always dishonest about many things.”

"Tanner brought you up?" Letric asks, and she only tilts her head to the side. “I’m sorry we weren’t there to stop that.”

"Yes, he did, in the mountains. See, he didn't want me in the pack until it was the right time. I found my mates in the outcasts, and now I am back!" she says and claps her hands together.

"I'm sorry we couldn't help you," Alaric says and breathes out a deep breath. "But why did you kill her?"

"She was in the way," Katriel states. "It was nothing personal. Oh, except it was a little, if I really think into it."

"I'm going to kill you for it," I threaten, meaning every word. “I don’t care who you are. You killed my mother, and you will pay the price for it. You didn’t even give her a chance to defend herself before you killed her. It was a cowardly way to kill someone.”

"Oh good, we are at the death threats already. See, I planned to just take over when my dad died, but then you killed him. I'd say we are even now. An eye for an eye is the saying, right?" she states, with a grin. I step over my mother's dead body and up close to this lunatic.

"I do not care what the saying is...you. will. die. for. her," I spit out. "Do you understand?"

"Oh, you will die first, and my brothers over there right after you. Oh, and the pretty boy," she says, running her eyes over River. “Though I might keep him alive for a little bit as a play toy for me. He certainly looks fun.”

“I would rather you kill me,” River states, and I can’t help but smile at his rejection.

"Oh sister, you do hurt us so," Alaric jokes, walking over and stopping close to my side. "But I'm afraid we will not let you kill Elodie or us. Or even the pretty boy, we decided we do like him, so he is protected."

"So, leave," Alpha says, coming to stand on my other side. “Sister or not, you killed Elodie’s mother.”

"Or we will make you leave," Letric finishes off, standing by the door with River at his side.

"This is not the welcome home I planned. First, you kill my mate who was stupid enough to get caught trying to kill her," she says, huffing as she points a sharp nailed finger at me. "Now I don't even get a hug from my long lost brothers. This is a bad welcome home day, indeed."

"Leave my pack, before I make you," I growl out. “I am inches away from killing you right now. The only thing that is stopping me is the fact you are their sister. You get a chance to run.”

"Oh, I will leave and return in two days on the full blood moon at the base of the mountain. In the town square so everyone can see," she says, smiling like I am missing something.

"Don't say something you will regret," Alpha warns her, but the smirk on her face suggests whatever she needs to say is what she planned all along. After all, she did say she wanted to talk.

"I challenge you, Elodie Masters, for pack Alpha. May the old rules guide us, and I will be back on the full moon. May death be our final goodbye," she says, grinning widely before waving and turning around. We all watch her skip out of the doors like the crazy person she is before there is silence between us. I fall to the floor next to my mother, pulling her head on to my lap. I very slowly close her eyes, wishing we had more time with each other. Little did I know she did everything to protect me, to give me the best life she ever could have. My mother deserved so much more than to die in here.

"I can't fight while pregnant. I will lose against her and her mates," I say, remembering how anyone can challenge an alpha if they have alpha blood, and their mate can fight at their side. I suspect she has more than one outcast mate, and if they are anything like the one I fought in my room who Alpha had to kill, they will be strong.

"Then you need more mates. There are three wolves, alphas, who love you and will fight for you. There is no way you are going into that challenge alone," Letric states, placing his hand on my back.

"We will set my mother to rest tomorrow," I say, not being able to think of anything else in this moment as I hold my mother’s empty body. "Then we fight for our future and to avenge her."

They don't say anything as each of them comes to sit around me, placing their hands on my back and shoulders, offering what comfort they can to me in this moment.

"I wish we could have had more time, but I will make sure you are not forgotten, mother. My children will hear stories of you and how you saved me. The world will not forget," I whisper to her, leaning down and pressing my lips on her forehead. "I will never forget my mother who kept me safe."

Chapter 22

Elodie

I watch the fire burn what is left of my mother on the wood pyre we built for her in a garden behind the castle. The flames spread into the sky, sending little flecks of fire in every direction and gently blowing them away in the wind. My red dress blows around my legs, my arms rest at my sides, and my hair gently moves around my shoulders. I don't know when I begin singing a song, but I do sing for a long time, letting the wind carry my voice away with my mother's soul.

"Elodie," Alaric carefully calls for me the moment I stop singing. I turn around and see him standing by the door, with his arms crossed against his cloak-covered chest. He’s wearing dark trousers and a gentle, loving expression on his face. I walk over to his side, linking my hand into his.

"I am alright," I say.

"I know you are. El, you are the strongest woman I know. We will get revenge," he tells me, leaning down to kiss my lips once before leaning back. "We are waiting for you. I know this night is more rushed than we’d like, but we want to show you how our future could be."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" I ask.

"Come on," he says, tugging on my hand. We walk into the castle and down the corridor, right to the end. Alaric pushes open a door with a long descending staircase. I haven't been down here before, though I have been meaning to find out what this room is. We walk down the stairs into a large circular room, with a large bathtub in the middle of it, set in the ground. Alpha and Letric are in the pool, resting back in the water. Alpha turns when he sees me, his eyes resting on mine as he pulls himself out of the pool only a little. I try to process all the very attractive alphas being naked in this one room. It's an overload of sensations, but the major one is that, no matter what they look like, I love them. I'm no longer the slave with no chance of a mate. If someone told me as a child that I would have three alphas in love with me, that I'd be an alpha female myself, then I would never have believed them.

"This is the mating pool, closed off for alpha matings only. We spent five hours finding the hidden key for this place," Alaric explains to me. "The water is pulled from a hot spring deep within the mountain."

"They say the water is blessed by angels sent from the skies. Who knows if that is true at all, but the water is lovely," Letric adds, making the place seem more special than it already is. "Perfect for our mating." I don't say it, but anywhere would have been perfect for our mating, a day I never thought would happen.

"Are you all sure you want this?" I ask, feeling a little nervous that they have been rushed into a decision because of the crazy sister coming here tomorrow. The news has somehow gotten around the whole pack, and everyone is ready to see the fight. I have to win this, or there is nothing for my future.

"Certain, now come here," Alpha demands, patting his hand onto the side of the tile. Alaric pulls his clothes off before walking to the pool and sliding in the space between Letric and Alpha. I stay still for a moment, feeling all their eyes on me and wondering if I am brave enough to do this. To mate with them all. It doesn't take more than a moment to figure out that I am more than ready for this moment.

I very slowly unlace the corset of my dress, each tiny movement feeling far more than it is in the silent room. The moment the bottom lace on the dress is undone, I begin to push the tops of my dress down my shoulders. The dress falls to the floor, gathering at my feet as the warm air from the room caresses my naked skin. I step out of my dress and towards Alpha, knowing that he is the first one I need to go to. I want to go to. Alpha smiles up at me when I stop in front of him, and he reaches closer, running his hand up my legs. Alpha grabs my ass, pulling me closer to him as he lifts himself to his knees. I moan, grasping Alpha's soft hair as he buries his tongue into my core, swirling and sucking on my clit. I hear the others getting out of the water as Alpha lies me down on the warm floor and climbs up my body. Alpha doesn't pause as he slides deep inside of me, and I cry out from the pleasure.

"Alpha," I moan, and then Letric’s on his knees next to me, pulling my face to his as he swallows my moans. I feel Alaric kneeling next to me, and he takes my hand, wrapping it around his hard cock as his other hand plays with my breast. The overwhelming pleasure takes over, slamming into me as I feel Alpha lean down and bite into my neck. I pull my lips from Letric to bite Alpha's shoulder at the same time, both of us shaking in pleasure as he finishes.

"My turn," Letric says as Alpha pulls out of me, licking his blood-covered lips. I sit up and look over at Letric, who crooks a finger at me as he sits back, running his hand up and down his hard cock. "I want my mate." He whispers the words to me as I climb onto his lap, sliding down onto him as his hands dig into my sides. I feel Alaric come and kneel behind me, wrapping his arms around me and cupping my breasts. He runs his fingers over my nipples as I ride Letric, getting closer and closer to the edge with each movement. I can feel Alaric’s hard cock hitting my back, and I reach behind me, closing my hand around him. I slide my hand up and down his cock as he rests his head on my shoulder, letting out a loud groan.

"Bite me," I whisper to Alaric, and look to Letric next. "And you." They both don't wait for more than a second before sinking their teeth into each of my shoulders. The pleasure overwhelms me as I feel Letric finish deep inside me, and Alaric all over my back as I bite down on Letric’s neck. The waves of pleasure don't stop as Letric pulls me off him and turns me to face Alaric. I bite down on Alaric neck on instinct, loving the moans that escape both our lips as I do. Alaric carries me to the water, sitting down and letting the warm water cover us. I rest my head on his shoulder, seeing Alpha and Letric climb into the water near us.

"My mates," I whisper, wishing River were here, in a way. I know he couldn't have been. This was our moment, my perfect time alone with my Alpha Brothers.

"The pup will be down soon. I sent him to get those fruits you like and some drinks for us all," Alpha states like he can read my mind.

"Good, we have a lot to discuss about tomorrow, but first I want to enjoy us."

"Mate, you couldn't have said something more perfect," Alaric says and kisses me gently. Whatever happens tomorrow, we have each other. Something I once thought was impossible, and it isn't. So just maybe we can win tomorrow.

Chapter 23

Elodie

"I promise she will be safe with me if you do not come back," Mary tells River, holding onto Arabella's hand. Arabella looks scared, and fresh tears stream down her cheeks every so often. None of us can promise that River will come back safe, and she is too young to really understand the reason why. I’m sure she has, no doubt, heard rumours around the pack of the alpha fight coming up. Though Mary has taken a liking to the girl since she moved into the castle, and we have come up with a plan for Mary to take Arabella and the rest of the Luxa Pack safely back to the island if we lose today. The sun is swiftly setting, and we have to be there before the moon rises in the sky. It is part of the old tradition. If we win, the Luxa Pack are moving into the Xan Pack to create a massive pack that is united. The first law will be banning claim matings. If wolves wish to mate, they can choose a mate they love when they wish to.

"You will come back, right?" Arabella asks. River pulls her into his arms and kisses the top of her head. "I will fight to come back for you. We have to finish that chess game we started, after all."

"We do," she says, letting him go.

"Why don't you run down to the kitchen and start cutting up tonight’s dinner?" Mary asks Arabella, who grins and nods, before running down the corridor. Alaric and Alpha walk out of the throne room, going to Mary and talking quietly with her before they all come over to stand near us.

"Fight for your future, and remember what we discussed," Mary says, patting Alaric's chest in a motherly way before coming over to me. She wraps me in a tight hug and kisses the side of my head.

"You keep them alive. You are the true alpha, and I believe fate is on your side," she whispers to me. Fate is a funny word when it comes to my life. Yes, I do believe in it and that my life has been planned out to a certain extent. I also believe that this is the end or start of a new life for me.

"Fate has been more than kind to me already. I worry I am running out of good luck," I whisper back to her.

"You are not, I pray you are not," she whispers before letting me go. I watch her walk away before looking at my mates, all of them ready for this fight with various weapons. I am planning on shifting, knowing it is the best way to defend my babies. I can't risk fighting in this form, and I know Katriel will want me killed as quickly as possible.

"We need to go," I say, not sure what else I can say as nerves hit me hard. I'm terrified, but I can't let them see it. I know they suspect my emotions either way.

"Remember our discussion. You stay behind us, and we end this. You do not intervene. No matter what," Alpha demands. "You protect yourself and our unborn children."

"I remember the plan," I reply, holding my head up high. "We will do what we must to keep the pack. Let's go," I say, nodding my head towards the doors. Letric keeps his hand locked in mine as we all go to the carriage and get inside. Letric sits on one side of me, whereas Alaric sits on my other. River and Alpha sit on the other side, both of them keeping their gazes fixed on mine. The carriage drives us into the pack and slows down once more and more people fill the streets. The people move slowly, just as I hear them chanting my name. Calling for me to live.

"The people of your pack love you as much as we do. We will win this together," Alaric states. I was once nothing, and now I am more loved than I could imagine. It is a good way to die if this is to be my last day.

"She is your sister; can you kill her?" I ask. "Have you really thought this through? I know what family means to you."

"For you, I would burn the world down. Never doubt it," Alpha remarks. "You are our family."

"The same as my brother, just less fire and vivid imagery," Alaric tells me, his voice is strong and determined. I look towards Letric last, who lifts our linked hands and kisses my knuckles.

"I wish she could be different, that we didn't have to kill her. She is our half-sister...but she threatened you. I will never let anyone touch you," Letric answers me.

"Thank you, and if there is any way we can get into her head, get her to stop this madness, then we will," I say, knowing I have to give her a chance. "But she will pay with blood for my mother."

"Not at the risk of your own life, Elodie," Alpha warns. I nod once at him before looking out of the window, seeing the clearing just before we turn into it. The carriage stops not much later, and Alpha gets out first, and I follow next. River places his hand on my back once he steps out behind me, and I nod at Angel and Pela who are holding people back. They both look more than concerned, but they cannot help me now.

"About time you got here, brothers. It's been a long wait," she says, giggling in a childhood manner as we all step into the clearing. My mates go to my sides, two on each side as we face Katriel and her mates. All five of them. I run my eyes over each of the mates, knowing this just became so much more dangerous for us. Four of them are massive, with big arms and bigger swords in their hands. Two of them are thinner, but the look they give me suggests they are more deadly than their muscular friends. Katriel has a thin white cloak on, similar to mine, and tells me that she plans to shift. The white cloak is a strange comparison to her messy, leaf-covered black hair and dirty face. Her mates all look the same, making me think they don't have a home and spend a lot of their time as wolves in the wild. Wolves that do not look after themselves as they should.

"I accept your challenge, but it is not too late to back out and walk away. I will let you walk away, only this once, mind you. Once this starts, it will end in blood," I state.

"Then it ends in blood. You killed my dad," she growls and pushes off the cloak. In the blink of an eye, she shifts into a massive brown wolf, one that is likely the same size as my own. I close my eyes as I push my own cloak off my shoulders, and my wolf pushes out of my mind. When I open my eyes, I step a large paw on the ground in front of me and let out a long growl. The challenge begins.

I keep my eyes locked on Katriel as she tries to run at me, only to be thrown onto the roof of a house by Alpha before he gets into a fight with one of her mates. I keep my eyes on her, even when I hear screams and shouts. Even when I smell blood and worry about my mates’ lives. Katriel jumps from roof to roof, getting closer to me. I quickly back up and run, jumping onto the roof in front of the one she is on. If wolves could smile, her wolf does before she runs at me. I brace myself for the hit, just before she slams into me and her large teeth snap at my neck as I kick her off, rolling back onto my paws. She slides across the roof, knocking off tiles as she goes.

I slip on a few tiles as I run at her, lunging and biting into her back leg, tasting her blood that fills my mouth. She cries, kicking me off and jumping on me, her teeth digging into my shoulder as her claws latch onto my neck. I whine as I try to shake her off, but it only sends us both flying off the side of the roof. I land on top of her in a gap of people, and her teeth let go of me enough to climb away and circle around to her. She limps in front of me, letting out a loud toothy growl as she lowers herself down to pounce, her mouth dripping with my blood. I growl back and snap my teeth as I lower myself as well, knowing I need to end this fight. We run at each other, crashing in a bundle of teeth, blood and pain. I growl as I slam my teeth into her neck and pin her down to the ground. Every time she moves to fight me, more blood pours from her neck, and I know I've got her. She can't escape this.

To my surprise, she starts to shift back, and I jump off her, watching as she cries, holding her neck. I sense my mates come to stand behind me, and I briefly take my eyes off Katriel to look at them. Alpha is smothered in blood and cuts, including a nasty looking one on his stomach. Alaric and Letric have shifted, both their wolves are in no better condition. River steps out to my other side, holding the head of one of Katriel's mates in his bloody hand. River looks the worst out of all my mates, covered in cuts that leak blood and teeth marks on his chest that I want to see healed. River chucks the head in front of Katriel, and it rolls until it stops by her feet. I close my eyes and pull myself back, opening them again as I crouch on the dirt ground. I lift myself to my feet, ignoring how much my shoulder and everywhere hurts as I stand up.

"It is over. Submit, and leave this pack. My mother has been avenged with your mates’ blood. You can leave," I say, giving her the chance I promised myself I would. Even if I want nothing more than to kill her and finish this.

"And if I don't leave?" she asks.

"Death is all that waits for you in our pack," Alpha states, his voice cold and emotionless. I know she can't stay, she is too dangerous and reckless to be trusted.

"Kill me. They are gone, and I'm nothing without my father and my mates. Kill me. Please," she begs, keeping her eyes locked on mine as she speaks. "Please." Her heartfelt plea goes straight to my heart, because I could only imagine how she feels. Living would be a far worse punishment than death. I step forward only to have Alpha and Letric grab my arms, stopping me.

"She is our sister, we should end this," Alpha states, and Letric’s eyes say the same thing without words.

"I am alpha. I must end this," I say. Tears roll down my cheeks as Alpha lets my arm go and falls to his knees, bowing his head. Alaric and Letric follow right after him, and then River. The effect goes on as everyone around us goes to their knees.

"I submit to my alpha," Alpha tells me. I shakily place my hand on his head, knowing this means more to me than anything else in the world could. I feel my babies kick and move in my stomach, almost like they are reminding me that they are safe. I walk to Katriel and look down at her and feel nothing but sorrow for what her life could have been. In the end, it was her choice to be this way.

"Rest in peace, Katriel," is all I can find myself able to say as I lean down, wrapping my hands around her throat. I turn her head to the side, the crack of her neck vibrating through my arms and ears. I let her dead body fall to the ground before I turn around and look at my mates and my pack as I slide my hands to my bare bump. It is over, and now we have our future to protect.

Epilogue

Elodie

"That is it, Elodie. One more push and your second baby will be here," healer Periya tells me. I scream, squeezing the bedsheets even tighter as I push and push. I feel the moment my second child enters the world, and seconds later, there is a little cry that matches his brother’s. The pain was incredible to push my first son out, and the second was no easier. I am never getting pregnant again, that is for sure.

"Congratulations, it is another boy," she says, wrapping up my baby boy in the white sheets after cutting the cord. Another boy. I have twin boys.

"You did so well. We are so proud," Alaric says, kissing my forehead as he leans over me. Letric sits on my other side, tears falling down his cheeks. Alpha and River are nearby, holding our firstborn son. Each of them looks as exhausted as me, as it has been a long labour since my waters broke ten hours ago. I knew the labour would be difficult, but this was much longer than we expected. We did have two helpers at the start, but I ended up kicking them out when they suggested I needed to hurry up the birth like I had any control.

"Here you go," healer Periya says, and hands me my second baby boy before covering my legs with a blanket and giving us a moment alone. I cry, not being able to help myself as I stare down at his little face and closed eyes. He is beautiful. So beautiful. Both my babies have dark brown hair like mine, and they have features that somehow look like all of their fathers. Alpha walks over, with River right behind him, and I make room for him to pass me the baby. I hold both my babies in my arms, this perfect moment between us as my mates surround me, and we look at our sweet children.

"They are perfect," I whisper, but even perfect doesn't seem like a strong enough word to describe them. I run my eyes over every little dimple, the plump rosy cheeks they have and little pink lips. They are so endlessly perfect that I struggle to be able to pull my eyes from them to my mates.

"It's no wonder, they look so much like you," River says, and we all chuckle. They are too beautiful and amazing to be like me.

"Do you think the names we chose suit them?" Alaric asks. I nod, looking down at my baby on the right just as he opens his eyes for the first time. He has bright blue eyes, ones that remind me of my mother.

"His name is Tiryn Alpha Alaric Masters, first born alpha of the Luxa Pack," I whisper and look at my other son, who has his eyes open too. His eyes are blue as well, but a much darker shade. So dark they are almost black, and he reminds me of Alpha. "And your name is Jatheod Letric River Masters, second born of the Luxa Pack."

"Perfect names," Letric whispers, kissing the side of my head.

"I must clean up Alpha Elodie now," healer Periya states, coming over to us. I happily hand my babies to Alpha and River, who leave the room with Alaric and Letric not far behind them, to no doubt show grandma Mary and aunt Arabella their new family members as they wait outside. I never had a family, but now I have so many that my heart is fuller than it ever has been.

* * *

"Tiryn!" I shout, stepping on another one of his wooden horse toys in the corridor as I come out the throne room. He is always leaving his toys, food or anything around the castle since he started shifting a year ago. I know seven-year-old boys can be messy, but he has to learn to pick things up after himself. I spot a bundle of black fur just before a small wolf runs past me, and I shake my head.

"I will go after our mischievous son," Alaric states, coming out of the room just after me. We have been stuck in a council meeting for the last few hours, a chore we have promised the pack to do once a month to air out large issues in the pack. I kiss him briefly before he runs off down the corridor, and I’m sure he is happy to be able to get out and have a run around after sitting for so long. I lean down and pick up the toy before heading down the corridor to the children's room.

I push the door open quietly, just in case I wake someone up. I pause when I see Alpha stood near the window, our small baby girl in his arms as he sings her a song. Alpha is so sweet with our daughter, just like he has been with our sons as they grew up. I place the toy on the side, not wanting to interrupt their moment before closing the door quietly.

I walk down the corridor, pausing when I pass a window and seeing my family outside. I walk close to the window and look down, seeing Jath's white wolf running with his brother's black wolf away from River and Alaric, who are letting them give chase. They all look so happy as they run around, and the snow starts to cover the ground. It may be summer here, but it is always snowing. We sometimes visit the island, where half our pack choose to live, governed by my betas. Eventually, we hope our sons or our daughter, Faye, will choose to live and govern the pack there. Either way, we have peace and the loyalty of the entire pack. A pack where everyone is a no claim.

The end…

Spin off series, Vampire Captive.

I was a blessed vampire queen until the day I decided to kill my king.

Now I’m a captive of alpha wolves, rulers of the Luxa Pack, and it is no place for a vampire.

They decide to keep me as a slave on this strange land across the sea, and no part of me ever wants to go back to my home.

I ran from my world, from my people, and from everything I had ever known to a world much darker than I ever thought possible.

I crave their blood, they crave my immortality.

They also want my heart, and if they knew who I really was...they would want my throne.

18+ dark reverse harem romance based in the Alpha Brothers Series world.

Possible triggers and dark themes.

Chapter 24

I watch in the shadows as my king roughly thrusts in and out of the woman under him, his grunts only briefly heard over the sounds of her loud moaning. I stare at his long red hair that falls around his face, his toned and muscular body underneath it. My king is handsome. Though his face may be desirable, his heart is revolting. His hands dig into her hips as he finds his completion on a long groan and shouting out my name. My king pulls out of the woman, and she rolls over, looking up at him adoringly. I knew she liked him, and I warned her more than once of what he is truly like, but she didn’t listen.

She leans up as he looks back down at her and slowly slides his hands into her hair. When he lowers his head, making her believe he is going to kiss her, my king slides his hands to her neck, and in one swift moment, breaks it. The sound of her neck cracking will be forever etched into my mind, like the sounds of many people’s deaths before her. After a while, I stopped feeling any shock at witnessing death. It’s now become a reminder that one day my own soul will be free. Death is all that is promised to me now. Her soulless body falls back on the bed almost in slow motion as I watch, powerless to do a thing, like always. This woman was too young, too kind and now ruined.

“Did you enjoy the show? She was your friend, no?” my king asks me, turning and slowly walking over to my place in the shadows of the room. The coldness of my shackles just reminds me that I can’t show him any emotion as I look into his red eyes. She was my friend, in a way. A maid who I had grown to like because we could laugh together. Now she is dead, like every other person who got close to me, except for my king, the only one I wish were dead. “I asked you a question, my dear queen.”

“What answer do you wish for?” I ask him in an overly sarcastic tone as he stops right in front of me and lifts a hand, smacking me hard around the face. I fall to the floor, trying not to cry out.

“You know the answer I want. Lucky for you, she was a good fuck, and I don’t want you tonight. I will return for you tomorrow, sweet Arilee.” I don’t reply to his cold, deep voice as I watch him walk out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

Chapter 25

“The king wishes you to wear this, my queen,” a servant woman says, holding out a deep red dress that leaves little to the imagination. I don’t know why I bother trying to hide anything from him anyway. After he killed my father, he married me and stole my kingdom. Once I conceive and birth an heir, he will get rid of me as well. I am no use to him after that. I pray every day for a second to escape before he gets what he wants. I nod to the maid, pulling my white nightdress off and stepping into the red dress. The next few hours, the new maid makes my waist length dark red hair fall into curls down my back. My hair matches the dress, yet I’ve always hated the colour. It reminds me of death and losing my family. It reminds me of my king and his brutal nature.

The maid places the crown on my head, its yellow stones reflecting the fire light in the room in almost a beautiful way. If anything was beautiful and pure in this castle anymore, that is. I stand up and walk to the door, knocking twice for the guards to open the doors for me. Three guards wait outside, each holding their swords out in case I try to escape while I am not tied up for a night, though none of the guards will look at me because they remember my father, and their very existence means they betrayed their king. And their princess.

I walk in the middle of two guards and follow the one in front down the silent corridors of the castle. The castle used to be filled with laughter, children and love. Now, it’s an echo of its former self. The land is cold, snow falls in what should be summer, and there is nothing but a shell of the land I loved left. I follow the guard into the dining room, seeing my king stood in front of the fire place, his red hair straight down his back and his stance rigid as he watches the fire.

“Leave us,” my king demands. The guards instantly bow and quickly walk out the room. I stand still, knowing I can’t sit down or move until he says so, or he will punish me. The whip marks on my back are a sore reminder. “Come here.” I used to flinch when he demanded me to come close to him, but now I walk over and stop at his side. I place my hands behind my back, holding my own hand to comfort myself in a little way.

“Tell me something about yourself. Before I took you as my queen, that is,” he asks. I watch him closely, wondering exactly what game he is playing. When he first took my kingdom, he tried to pretend to be nice to me until our wedding night, that is. That night, he forced me to feed on him as he stole my blood, my body and darkened my soul.

“What would you like to hear?” I ask him.

“Anything. I want stories to tell our child one day of its mother,” he explains his reasoning, and I gulp down the sickness I suddenly feel. I know one day my king will realise I’ve been sneaking out herbs from the gardens in the day and making a tea that prevents pregnancy.

“My father taught me how to fight with daggers. My mother thought it was a terrible thing to teach a princess, but father believed every man or woman should know how to protect themselves, even a princess,” I tell him.

“Daggers you say?” he replies, resting a hand on one of the daggers clipped to his belt without thought, I guess.

“Yes. Also archery and some mild sword play,” I reply. “He used to say a woman should always know how to protect themselves.”

“Well, I should hope our child only inherits that from you. Come here,” he demands, and I walk to stand right in front of him. My king pulls his dagger out of his belt, and I flinch as he holds it to my neck. He carefully runs the sharp tip up my neck, over my jaw and stops at my cheek. He applies more pressure, and I wince as the dagger cuts in. I feel my blood pouring from the cut, the sweet scent filling the room and causing my fangs to slide out.

“You’re so attractive when you are like this. Weak. Desirable. Under my total control like you should be,” he remarks and grabs my arm with his spare hand and lowers the hand with the dagger. My king pulls me against his body, his hand bruising my arm with how tight he holds me. “Are you scared of me?” he asks, and it’s only then I see the drunken gaze in his eyes and smell the strong stink coming off of him. I slowly place my hand on his chest and slide it down his stomach, keeping my eyes locked on his.

“You like me scared?” I ask, playing the innocent as he places his hand on the back of my neck and grins at me before pulling my lips to his. The kiss is brutal, unforgiving, and his teeth clash against mine as he demands more of me. When my hand finds his trousers, I slide my hand to the left a little and grab the sharp dagger, pulling it out of his hand and cutting my own hand by doing so. He stops kissing me, but it’s too late as I slam the dagger into his lower stomach, and I push up through his ribs, finding his heart. His hand tightens on the back of my neck, his lips parting in shock.

“You b-bitch…” he croaks out as I pull the dagger out and grin in a similar way he just did to me.

“That was for my family. This…well, this is because you’re a fucking bastard and you need to rot in hell,” I spit out before slamming the dagger into his neck. My king croaks, choking on his own blood as he falls to his knees. For a moment, I just enjoy watching him fall to the ground, but the thud of his body reminds me how much trouble I am actually in now. My king might be dead, but his stepsons will take the throne when they return, because I don’t have an heir. There is only one thing for it. I need to run.

I pull the dagger out of the king’s neck, knowing I need to keep it in case I’m seen on my escape. I slide the dagger into a deep pocket in my dress before running to the window. I quickly undo the locks and push the window open, looking down at the harsh sea below. The castle lies on the very edge of the kingdom, and no one knows what is out there other than more seas. I pull myself up to stand on the edge, knowing that what is out there is a better death than my life in here. I look back once more at my dead king, and I smile. I’m free after this, either way.

“Goodbye,” I whisper, touching the side of the castle wall. I’m not saying goodbye to my king, but the home my parents brought me up in, the land I am going to run away from and never save. I jump out of the window, the harsh wind blowing against me as I fall and fall. I feel drops of water on my cheek before the cold sea swallows me whole, pulling me into its deadly, beautiful depths.

Chapter 26

“Who is she? Where did you find her?” a deeply seductive and somewhat cold voice asks me as the sounds of waves and birds calling fill my ears. I can smell nothing other than salt water, sand and something that reminds me of fox blood, but I can’t place it. What are these people? How far did the sea take me?

“Just here on the beach, Alpha Tiryn. I don’t know where she came from, but she doesn’t look like anyone I’ve seen before. Her skin is so pale, and her hair is blood red,” another man replies, though he doesn’t sound as attractive as the other man.

“Leave and tell no one about her. Do you understand? She is mine,” the man demands, an almost animalistic growl sounds nearby, and it sends shivers all over my skin.

“Yes, Alpha Tiryn,” the man shakily replies, and I hear someone running away. Large hands pick me up as the world starts to blur, and darkness tries to pull me back into a sleep.

“Sleep, Red. I have you. Welcome to the Luxa Pack.”

Hello! Thank you for reading No Claim! The next book in this series, Vampire Captive, will be out soon.

Thank you to everyone that helped me write this book. A big shout out to Mads, Helayna, Cora, the Cat’s Pajamas and my amazing Pack Leaders.

Most of all, thank you to my readers.

You inspire me to keep writing every day with your kind reviews and amazing comments.

G. x

Please keep reading for an excerpt from Runes of Truth…

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About the Author

G. Bailey is a USA Today bestselling author of books that are filled with everything from dragons to pirates. Plus, fantasy worlds and breath-taking adventures. Oh, and some swoon-worthy men that no girl could forget. G. Bailey is from the very rainy U.K. where she lives with her husband, two children, three cheeky dogs and one cat that rules us all. And, of course, the characters in her head that never really leave her, even as she writes them down for the world to read!

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Excerpt from Runes of Truth-

Evie

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I ask, trying not to yawn from boredom as I hold my sword at my side, resting on it while I stare at the Protector. He isn’t the typical type that comes after me, that’s for sure. Usually Protectors are all posh assholes in shiny suits, but this guy looks like a fake-leather store threw up on him.

“You must die, and I will be the one that finally–” his boring, predictable speech is interrupted when my phone starts ringing. I sigh in relief, not wanting to hear that same old speech again. I pull out my phone and see Hali’s name flashing. I answer and place it on loudspeaker, resting it on the dumpster near me.

“Yeah?” I answer, looking back at the protector as he runs towards me, his sword raised.

“Evie, when are you coming home? I’m starving, and you promised me Chinese tonight. The good stuff from Chingwa, not from the crappy one you like,” she says as I hit my sword against the protector’s, and swipe my leg under his, knocking him over. I kick his sword away from him, wondering why they even bothered sending this man after me. He is a worthless fighter.

“Yep, I won’t be long, and I’ll get that damn Chinese for you. Anything else?” I ask as the protector grabs my leg and calls on his fire rune, trying to burn me. I laugh, lean down, and remove his hand from my leg. I jump on him, and place my sword under his neck.

“Evie . . . what are you doing right now?” Hali asks, suspiciously.

“Err, nothing,” I reply, kneeing the protector between his legs when he tries to knock me off him. He whines, before coughing out in pain.

“I don’t believe that, but I want my Chinese, so I’m going to stay quiet. Later,” Hali laughs, and then the sound of beeping lets me know she put the phone down. Good, no fifteen-year-old should have to hear this.

“I might let you go, but only if you tell me who sent you,” I say, already knowing his answer before he opens his mouth. They always say the same thing.

“Never. I would never betray my people. Protectors never betray their blood, and we always protect,” he spits out.

“I’m your people, you idiot,” I try to reason with him, giving him one more chance.

“You are not,” he spits out, his voice rife with condescension.

“I’m a protector. I really don’t want to do this, but you won’t give up, will you?” I sigh deeply and then lift my sword, shoving it through his heart before he can reply. His mouth widens in shock as I pull my sword out and stand up.

“Death will find you. We will never stop hunting you,” he breathes out, just before his soul light leaves his body, floating up into the sky. I remember the first time I had to kill a protector, and I saw the light of his soul leave his body. It scared me, but then I saw it as what it truly is, beautiful. Beautiful that even an evil protector has light in his soul. That no matter how many of my own people I am forced to kill to survive, there might be a little bit of light remaining in my own soul. At least I can hope there is.

“If only things could be different,” I say, disappointed in yet another one of my kind. Pulling the pen and little notebook from my pocket that I carry everywhere with me now, I flip it open and rip out a page. I quickly jot down the same thing I do every time I am forced to kill those that come after me . . . my rune name. It is the very reason I am hunted, the thing that many people now fear, and yet, I have no idea what it actually says. I leave the note on his stomach and pick my phone up before walking out of the alleyway, down the empty street.

“Crappy Chinese, here I come,” I mutter, wishing Hali didn’t love that place. They don’t do the bacon fried rice that I love, or anything with bacon in it. The place sucks. I keep my eyes down as I walk down the empty streets of the small Scottish town where I live. The people here don’t come out after dark, too scared of the possibility that demons are around. Little do they know that demons wouldn’t be interested in a small town like this. It’s why I chose to live here. The flashing lights of the Chinese place come into view, and I walk across the road, pulling the door open and hearing the ringing of the little bell. The middle-aged Chinese woman looks up, rolls her eyes at me, and looks back down.

“Hello to you, too,” I mutter, but the woman doesn’t reply to me. I grab a Chinese menu off the side, flipping through it before looking back at the woman.

“I’m ready to order,” I say, trying to get her attention.

“Your child called and placed your order already, Evie.”

“She isn’t my child, more like a pain in my ass. I’ll just wait then,” I grumble, putting the menu back in its place.

“A young girl like you shouldn’t be out on the streets at night,” the woman says, stopping me from walking away.

“Thank you for your concern, but I’m not afraid of demons.”

“No, your kind is never afraid of what they hunt,” she chuckles, as the bell rings behind her. She walks over to get my bag of food before I can reply to her. Not many beings can sense what I am, and I’m quite surprised a human had the ability. She hands the bag over the counter to me.

“How did you know?” I ask.

“My family have always been able to sense things. You should be careful at night, Miss Evie. Demons are not what you should fear.” With those cryptic words she walks away, leaving me standing in the shop alone and wondering if she is mad, or possibly, telling me the truth.