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AFTER A couple of hours of driving around, they returned to their hotel. Wesley sniffed discreetly as they walked through the lobby. So far, he hadn’t smelled any other werewolves, although he scented several kinds of paranormals and non-humans.

Theo and Duncan returned to their room. Keith went to raid the vending machine while Wesley took a shower. He had just walked out dressed in night pants when Keith returned.

“Run across anything unusual?” Wesley asked.

“Nope. If you’re done in the shower, I’m going to take my turn.”

“Go ahead.”

“What’s on the agenda for tomorrow?” Keith asked as he got his night pants out of his duffel.

“Well, would you think it weird if I contacted the leaders of San DeLain and asked to meet with them one at a time?”

“Huh. Why?”

“So, you think it’s weird?”

“I didn’t say that. I’m just wondering why you’d do that.”

“Appearances. If I win this challenge, I’m going to be one of the leaders of the city. I want a good relationship with the others, especially after all the shit that went down here with the hunters.”

“You’re trying to establish relationships, aren’t you?”

“You betcha. They can’t influence the outcome of the challenge, but if I want to be integrated into their circle, I need to make a good first impression. This group is close, from what I can gather, which isn’t surprising considering what they’ve gone through.”

“Smart.”

“And I’ll be coming in as an outsider. I need them to accept me because it will benefit not only me, but my new pack.”

Keith nodded. “Do you plan to have your betas and enforcers with you when you do these meetings?”

“That’s protocol, so yes. Because I guarantee you the leaders will have their most trusted people with them.”

“Then I need to tell Duncan to behave himself,” Keith said.

“Funny, I was thinking the same about you,” Wesley joked.

“I only act like an ass once I get to know people,” Keith said primly.

Wesley snorted.

Keith flipped him the bird as he took his clothes and went into the bathroom.

KEITH SHOWERED, then finished his snack. They watched TV for a little while, then turned the lights out and went to bed.

The next thing Wesley knew, he was watching a battle rage. Shadows moved through the night, then all hell broke loose. Wolves and what appeared to be humans fought each other.

And in the middle of it all was the cutest werewolf he’d ever seen. His tousled short brown hair and large chocolate brown eyes scanned the surroundings.

The omega held his hand out to a young wolf, who immediately grasped it. A female beta covered them as they made their way through the battle. The scent of blood almost overwhelmed the stench of things burning. There were distant shouts and hair-raising growls.

He followed the omega as they drew closer to what Wesley would consider their pack’s square. Then suddenly, the omega came to a standstill. Wesley squinted at what the omega was staring at.

Then Wesley’s stomach dropped as he watched an alpha fight with several hunters.

The omega led his little group to a utility building. Once everybody was inside, Wesley swore as the omega turned around and headed right back outside—toward the fighting, the beta with him.

“Oh no. No, no, no! Go back inside.”

Instead, the omega shifted from human to wolf in mid-stride. He ran toward the fighting, and Wesley’s heart damn near stopped.

“Wesley? Wesley !”

What? Who was calling his name?

“Dammit to hell and back, you have got to stop snarling. Humans don’t make that kind of sound, and we’re surrounded by them in this hotel. Damn your hide, wake the fuck up !”

Was an earthquake happening? Why was he shaking?

“By Fenrir’s paw, if you claw the fuck out of me, I will kick your ass! Wesley! Wake up!”

Wesley’s eyes flew open, and he reacted.

Keith jerked back. “Shit, man! Dammit, you got me. I mean, really, what the hell?”

Wesley blinked at Keith. “Huh? Fuck, did I take a swipe at you? Why the hell were you shaking me?”

“Because, you ass, you were thrashing around, snarling and growling like a wolf caught in a trap, and humans don’t make those kinds of sounds.”

“Oh damn, I was?”

“Yeah. What the hell were you dreaming about?” Keith rubbed the fading claw marks on his arm.

“Damn, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”

“I know. So? What’s going on?”

Wesley shook his head as his heart hammered in his chest. The imagery was too vivid to brush off as just a nightmare. “It felt so real.”

Keith sat on the edge of his own bed across the room, still eyeing Wesley warily. “You want to talk about it?”

“It was strange.”

Wesley had a sickening feeling he knew exactly what he had seen, although he had no idea why . Or even how . He didn’t get visions. Alphas didn’t do stuff like that.

He’d done his research when he’d received the Luna’s Summons. He knew that the Cross Creek’s alpha had been a woman of Asian descent, and the alpha he’d seen was clearly that. And hunters had attacked her pack.

He’d found pictures of Li Li and of her mate, Jerome. And speaking of the alpha mate, why did Wesley feel as though he knew that omega? He was certain he had never laid eyes on him before.

Yet there was an inexplicable familiarity to him, an unspoken connection that tugged at Wesley’s consciousness. Watching the omega dash back into the fray almost sent his heart into overdrive. His wolf had nearly panicked—just stark raving insane when that happened.

Even now, a cold sweat broke out across his skin thinking about it, and a jolt of fear shot through him, a sensation he hadn’t felt in years. The sight had been terrifying.

“Wesley? I’m going to need a bit more than that. Strange how?”

Wesley huffed, annoyed with himself for just throwing that out there and then trailing off. “There was this battle happening between wolves and hunters.”

“Wolves and hunters?” Keith raised an eyebrow. “Now, that’s interesting, all things considered.”

“Right?” Wesley frowned, still feeling the unsettling residue of fear and adrenaline clinging to him. “I saw an omega. He was helping others despite the surrounding chaos.”

“And?”

“And then he ran back into the fray. Just like that.” Wesley snapped his fingers as he replayed the scene in his mind. “He shifted into wolf form and ran straight toward the damn danger. It scared the hell out of me and my wolf.”

Keith leaned forward. “Are you saying you think you saw the attack against Cross Creek?”

Wesley sighed and swung his legs out of bed, resting his elbows on his knees. Moonlight spilled through the heavy drapes, casting a silvery beam across the carpet.

“Wesley? Come on, man, don’t just leave me hanging here.”

“I don’t know, Keith. Maybe it’s just nerves about the challenge, or maybe….” Wesley paused, unsure how to articulate the deep-seated feeling that something significant was happening. But that attack had already taken place.

“Or maybe it’s a premonition?” Keith offered, only half joking.

“Maybe.” Wesley rubbed his face tiredly. “But alphas don’t do that kind of thing, and this has never happened before.”

“Shit. I was kidding.”

“I know. I wasn’t. Either way, I feel like I need to be prepared for anything at this point.”

Keith nodded slowly. “All right then, that’s what we’ll do. Somehow. But for right now, let’s try to get some more sleep. We’ve got a big day ahead.”

As Keith collapsed on his bed, Wesley remained seated, gazing at the moonbeam on the carpet. He couldn’t shake off the connection he felt to that dream omega—somehow important and reassuringly familiar.

With a deep breath to steady himself, Wesley lay back. As he closed his eyes, he couldn’t stop his mind from replaying the image of that omega running bravely toward danger.

It tugged at something primal within him, and he was afraid of what that meant.