Page 59 of Crossed Fates

Bloody invitations.

Sick pricks.

“What—” Makayla started.

But I shook my head and gave her a pointed look. “Later,” I said under my breath, the word for her ears only. We weren’t going to discuss this on my lawn, with a dead body, in front of my packmates.

She closed her mouth and bobbed her head once.

I jumped to my feet, my hands clenching at my sides as my gaze swept over the group that had accumulated. Alpha or not, I owed it to Tyler to fix this. Hell, I owed it to my dad, too. I owed it to the whole damn pack.

Someone had poisoned my brother.

Then a vamp felt confident enough to drop a body in my yard.

I couldn’t stand for that. Not now. Not ever.

“I’m going to find out who did this,” I said, my voice low and underlined with promise. “And I’m going to make them fucking pay.”

“And how are you going to do that?” Hardt demanded. “You probably brought this to us with all your E.V.I.E. bullshit.”

“All myE.V.I.E. bullshitis how I’m going to fix this,” I retorted, not missing a beat. “All myE.V.I.E. bullshitis how I’m going to find out who killed my brother—the alpha of Silver Lake—and deliver justice.”

He snorted, his disbelief palpable.

A few others conveyed expressions of dubiousness, but more of them appeared relieved.

The pack didn’t doubt my ability to fix this problem. However, some of them exuded skepticism over what came next.

I hadn’t accepted the alpha mantle. I hadn’t promised protection. I hadn’t guaranteed them a damn thing other than vengeance.

How could I protect Silver Lake if I rejected the role as alpha and returned to my previous life? Was that my choice? I wasn’t sure. But if I did go that route, it would sever my tie to the pack completely. I would truly be a lone wolf.

A castrated lone wolf. My inner animal seemed to push that thought at me, but I ignored him. That was the least of my worries, but it didn’t make it any less true.

Focus,I thought.Focus on the here and now and take charge. For Tyler.

I spotted two Silver Lake enforcers in the crowd and called them forward. “Paul. Timothy. Do a perimeter run and see if you can pick up a trail for the vamp smell,” I ordered.

They glanced in Hardt’s direction, and I growled. Their heads snapped back to me, and my expression had them muttering, “Will do” and “Got it.” Then they took off for the woods, stripping along the way.

I gritted my teeth at the very idea of what I had to do next.With all the clenching and grinding these days, I’m going to end up toothless as well as ball-less.

It took me a second to force the words from my mouth. “Hardt, I need you to take Kristen’s body to the coroner and make arrangements with her family to come and pick her up.” I hated asking him for anything, but as the pack beta, it would be expected that he be issued an important task.

He looked like he wanted to argue, and my wolf snarled, ready for a fight. However, to both our disappointments, he nodded and gave Savannah one last hug before approaching the body. Makayla ran inside and returned with a blanket for him to wrap Kristen in. I had no idea where she’d found it. Probably in one of the linen closets. Regardless, it was a thoughtful gesture.

“Thanks,” I said to her.

She responded with a small smile.

Hardt didn’t acknowledge her, his gaze on Kristen.

Then he picked up his head and met my gaze directly. “So you’re just going to run off and play hero and leave your lost, grieving pack members without someone to give them comfort and reassurance?”

“I don’t remember saying that at all,” I replied.

His eyes narrowed. “You’re focused on solving the crime and avenging your brother, not giving the pack what they really need.”