Page 4 of Ascendant King

“It’ll be the ley lines,” Heather said at the same time as me.

“Don’t talk back to your elders,” I said, grinning.

“You admitting you’re old, boss?” Heather teased.

“Yeah, yeah,” I said. “Be careful. The pack is more important to me than drugs, money, or territory, so if something happens when we’re out of range, run like hell and keep everyone safe.”

My words were for the silent member of the phone call, and Heather paused, clearly waiting for Nia.

“Nia says she knows.” Heather grinned, the smile audible over the line. “Is it true that the other alphas do council naked? And that they make you do a full wolf run before you can even meet with them?”

“Goodbye, Heather.” I waited to see if there was anything else.

“Wait, wait, boss, in all seriousness. Nia says it feels like something is waiting.”

“Something?” I pressed. The feeling was one I recognized. It wasn’t so muchLeonwas waiting, or House Morrison, but the tickling feeling that we’d gotten stuck in a massive spiderweb and hadn’t pulled ourselves free yet.

“Something,” Heather said.

“Nia, I care more about the pack thananythingelse.” I waited.

“Yeah, she said she gets it, boss.” Heather cleared her throat. “Good luck tonight. From both of us.”

“Thanks,” I said.

I didn’t say what we all knew: I needed as much luck as I could get.

Chapter

Two

The forest was cool against my fur, but we were going much further into the wilderness. The new ink itched, feeling awkward on my shoulder, but it was the easiest way for Cade to find me, so I ignored it and followed the scent.

Forests were full of scents, full of potential. My nose twitched.Rabbit—rotting.Tree—squirrel—human. Everything swirled together in my nose, and I wanted to chase them all down, track the dim scent of smoke, the unknown mammal that had brushed against the trunk of a tree, all the other scents that I wanted to follow to the end of their trail. Instead, I stalked the one scent I didn’t want to.

Alpha.

It wound among the trees, and I followed it for hours, until I knew I was close. I’d passed through the forest, traveling miles inside. There were no more human scents here; nature had closed in around us.

The other wolves were waiting. They had shifted, becoming human already, their fur traded for the ability to speak. Even though I had been silent, my paws making no sound on the ground, they still knew I was there. A slight shift, a turn of the head. They knew.

I tilted my head, lowering my mouth and biting hard on the new ink on my shoulder. Then, I waited. I wasn’t left long, the sound of a human in the forest loud enough that the wolves gave up all attempts at subtlety, turning to face us.

Cade appeared, his boots loud on the dried leaves and twigs. They weren’t suited for forest walking. He was dressed all in black, as though his tattoos had become clothing, and his eyes flashed, his pale skin reflecting the moonlight.

“You haven’t shifted?” His voice was low, but it might as well have been a shout.

I looked down, and I felt him come close, his hand between my shoulder blades. The pressure itself was reassuring. I wasn’t here alone; Cade was with me.Cadehad decided to come with me, into the middle of the forest, in the dark of night, to meet with the most powerful wolves on the West Coast.

The hand seemed automatic, as though Cade wasn’t even aware he was doing it, but then he pulled it back, and I felt the loss. My back felt cold, my skin shivering.

“Where are they?” he asked. “I can’t see anything.”

Closing my eyes, I forced myself to shift, forced myself to stop being the coward I felt I was. With my human eyes, I saw what he meant. The forest was dark and cold, and out here, there was no way to see. The massive redwoods were so tall they blocked all light from the moon.

“Here,” I said, following my memory, letting my eyes shift back to wolf, taking in the sharp night.

We walked into a small clearing. Cade stumbled and reached for me, grabbing my arm tightly, but as soon as he got his feet under him, he dropped his grip.