Page 126 of Crossed Fates

Our wolves hadn’t exactly liked each other. He’d radiated alpha energy, something my inner beast had read as a direct challenge.

Maybe it had been.

Maybe it hadn’t been.

I hadn’t stuck around long enough to find out, choosing instead to respect the male who had protected and mentored my mate for most of her life. We’d ended on a cordial shaking of hands, a threat lingering in the air.

If I hurt Makayla, he’d hurt me.

That was fine because I had no intention of ever harming my mate. Besides, she’d have my balls in a vise long before he could arrive to help.

She snorted beside me, clearly having read my mind.

“Stop peeking in my thoughts,” I admonished playfully.

“Stop talking so loudly,” she tossed back, using a variant of my words from earlier.

“You two are going to make things interesting around here,” my father said from the back seat. This was his truck, but he’d let me drive. “As to how to handle your pack, let your wolf guide you.”

“I was talking about the thought situation,” I informed him. Even though, yeah, there was that bit to consider, too. With a sigh, I closed my eyes and tried to find an off switch somewhere inside the hive mind. I’d been able to quiet them all earlier with a command, but that seemed cruel to do now. They were all just curious to understand the changes, their admiration and awe shining brightly through each of their invisible cords.

Makayla reached over to rest her hand on mine. “Nathan once said it took him a while to master the privacy screens, but there are ways to manage it all down to a low hum.” She grimaced as she said it, her own mind trying to process it all with mine. “But yeah, this is going to take some work.”

I nodded in agreement. “Well, time to face the masses.”

Only a coward would stay in the car and hide.

And I wasn’t a coward.

I opened the door and stepped out of the truck. Everyone seemed to quiet around me, their gazes all on the one they considered their alpha.Me.There wasn’t even a hint of distrust or question regarding my ability to lead, their minds all open and eager andthankful.

It was a heady mix that left me a bit dizzy, but my wolf took it in stride. He’d accepted the role of alpha long before I had. And some of that arrogance helped me stand tall now.

Because I was an alpha.

Theiralpha.

I might not have been able to accept that a decade ago, but I couldn’t bring myself to regret that decision. Had I not chosen to work for E.V.I.E., I might have missed my chance to meet Makayla.

Together, we made the pack stronger. Fiercer.Immortal. What a total mindfuck that was to accept, but I couldn’t complain. It strengthened my wolves. Strengthened our bonds. Made us a tighter unit.

I embraced that knowledge, pleased with the outcome.

The road was bumpy with a lot of hurdles I would have preferred to avoid, but here I stood… exactly where I was meant to stand.

“Thank you for keeping me and Makayla alive last night,” I said to them all, aware that they would have felt my absorption of their energy through the freshly established pack link. “There’s a lot to explain about what’s happening to Silver Lake. I don’t understand it all. But we’ll learn together.”

“And I’ll help explain as well. You know, since these changes are coming from me.” Makayla’s palm met my lower back as she moved to my side, her show of solidarity bringing smiles to my pack members. It was an action that meant more than words. She intended to stand by me. Forever.

I felt her resolve radiating through our bond, her decision made hours ago after realizing our fates were always meant to intertwine.

This was her pack now, too.

Several pack members hummed their agreements.

Then my mother stepped forward, her pride a palpable energy that wrapped me in a hug long before her arms encircled my neck. I returned her embrace, her happy thoughts bringing tears to my eyes.

I really need to figure out how to turn this off,I said to Makayla, my tone gruff. Because, hell, that was an emotional punch I did not need.