Page 2 of Predator (Stope Packs #4)

Jackson hated that he had run into Slate territory the second he found out Emily might be in danger. His pack, the Granite Pack, held territory far north of this Slate Pack. But he had to make sure Emily was safe.

A quick glance at the smaller version of her clarified that if there was danger, it was not coming from this newfound sister. Jackson slowly lifted his gaze to the silent male standing close to the females. “Caidrik,” he said.

“Jackson,” Caidrik returned.

Emily glanced from one to the other, paling. “You two know each other?”

“No,” they both said.

Jackson set his stance.

Emily’s gaze narrowed. “Well, that’s a lie.”

“No shit,” the female in front of her said.

“I’m Jackson,” he murmured.

The female’s eyes were a shade lighter than Emily’s, framed by long lashes that gave her an ethereal look. Despite the delicate features, there was a sharpness in her gaze. “I’m Nadia. I know who you are.”

“Good.” Jackson tilted his head slightly. It was sometimes helpful when his reputation preceded him. Sometimes, it wasn’t. Most people thought he was a party animal, when they truly had no idea how he spent his days. Or nights.

Philip Nightsom’s gaze shifted between them. “Jackson, can I offer you a glass of wine?”

“I’d rather have a beer,” Jackson murmured, his voice low as he took another step closer to Emily, feeling Caidrik’s eyes tracking his every move.

Caidrik’s shoulders went back, his muscles tensing subtly beneath his shirt.

“You’re working for the Slate Pack now?” Jackson drawled, his focus narrowing.

“No,” the Enforcer replied shortly. Caidrik was always a wolf of few words—a trait Jackson had appreciated in the past.

Emily’s black eyes flashed with curiosity. “How do you two know each other?”

“We worked together once, but we don’t really know each other,” Jackson replied, although the truth was more complex. Now wasn’t the time to go into any of that.

“Doing what?” Nadia asked, her curiosity obvious.

“Nothing,” Jackson and Caidrik said in unison.

Philip moved to the barbecue area, where a small fridge sat tucked beneath the counter. The scent of grilled meat lingered in the air as he opened the fridge and pulled out a beer bottle. “Anybody else?” he asked, glancing around.

No one answered. Philip returned and handed the bottle to Jackson. The glass felt cool against Jackson’s hand as he twisted off the top with a practiced motion. He took a long drink, the bitter tang of the beer grounding him.

“With the Copper Pack and the Silver Pack now solidly aligned, considering their Alphas are brothers, our packs need to create a similar alliance.” Jackson shifted his gaze to Philip. “As you know, the Alpha of the Silver Pack is a distant cousin of mine, so I figured that might motivate you.” The words hung between them, heavy with implication. He still hadn’t decided whether Seth was an ally or an enemy, but blood ties often tipped the scales.

Philip nodded slowly. “I understand we need a stronger alliance.” His expression hardened as if he were weighing the invisible pressures.

Victor stepped forward, his broader frame more imposing than Jackson remembered. The guy had clearly been hitting the gym. Hard. Gold winked from a pendant on his chest. “We would like to propose a new agreement.”

Philip’s eyes flashed with something unreadable. The tension in the air thickened.

Jackson didn’t wait for Victor to say more. “You’re not the Alpha here, Vic, and I doubt you ever will be. Why don’t you go do something else? This is a meeting between Alphas.” His tone left no room for argument, and he doubted Vic knew how desperate his pack was for access to the Embervault Mine. He had found veins of rare slate deep in its depths, the nature of which would take the Slate Pack out of the red.

Did Emily even know her pack needed money?

Vic’s chin lowered. There was no doubt he had some Alpha blood in him, but Jackson didn’t have time for this nonsense. The guy’s eyes grew calculating. “I’m not kidding, Jackson. You can’t have Emily. However, it appears we have an alternative.”

Emily’s mini-me gasped. “Listen, you fucktard?—”

Jackson burst out laughing and caught a quick flash of amusement in Emily’s eyes. “I like your sister,” he drawled.

She tilted her head. “I like her, too.”

Nadia frowned and blinked several times. Apparently, their approval wasn’t something she had expected. “You all have to get rid of archaic customs, and I mean right now.”

Emily placed a graceful hand on her sister’s shoulder. “I could not agree more. Let’s talk about this rationally.”

Rational wasn’t something Jackson felt in Emily’s presence. He crossed his arms, still ready to attack or defend if necessary. “Philip, we came to an agreement.”

Emily whirled, giving him her full attention. “I’m not something to be bartered, Jackson.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” He wondered if her father had told her the full truth. “However, considering you were kidnapped months ago and the culprits still haven’t been found and killed, you’re not being properly protected here. As my future mate, that is unacceptable to me.”

Victor stepped forward again, eyes hard with determination. “You can’t seriously be considering this. Emily doesn’t need?—”

“Enough, Victor.” Philip’s voice cut through the air like a whip. “This is a conversation for Alphas, not you. Leave. Now.”

Victor’s jaw clenched, his hands tightening into fists at his sides, but Philip didn’t waver. After a tense pause, Vic spun on his heel and stormed off, his footsteps heavy as he disappeared into the house. The front door soon slammed.

Emily watched him go.

Jackson shifted his stance, drawing her gaze back to him.

She lowered her chin and straightened her posture. “I am not your future mate.” Her voice trembled with fury.

Jackson’s breath hitched. God, she was glorious. She was truly the most gorgeous female he had ever seen in his entire life—probably the most stunning to ever exist, with her light-blond hair and black eyes. She was an avenging goddess. One he’d wanted for years. But it wasn’t just her beauty. They had a connection that scared her and intrigued him. He wondered if she’d be brave enough to admit it. “Your father offered a mating, and I accepted.”

Instead, her lips twisted into an almost sneer—she was too pretty to truly sneer. “We had one kiss when we were teenagers. You can’t seriously consider that created anything between us.”

It had been the best kiss of his life, and undoubtedly, hers, too. Yeah, they’d been fifteen, down by a river with a bunch of shifters, and he hadn’t called her afterward. But he couldn’t. His pack had fallen apart when his father died, leaving him to take over as Alpha far too young. “I wouldn’t mind seeing how you kiss as an adult, sweetheart.”

Pink bloomed across her high cheekbones. Satisfaction warmed him. He’d put color in her face. She’d been too pale for his liking when he arrived. No doubt from shock upon discovering the existence of her new sister. Still, Emily had always made it clear she didn’t want to step up as the Alpha of her pack. Jackson needed a mate—more than Emily realized. So, what was the problem? Besides Victor.

Philip Nightsom sighed, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Jackson, I rescind the offer. Emily has decided to step up as Alpha of the Slate Pack when I decide to retire in about a century.”

The guy didn’t have a century. Jackson cocked his head, staring at the stunning blonde. “You’ve changed your mind?”

“I have,” she said, meeting his gaze directly. “Duty binds us all, Jackson.”

He smelled just a hint of lemon. Was she lying? If so, she was good at it. “I could enforce the agreement. We had it, and you know it.”

“No,” burst out of both Emily and Nadia at the same time.

Jackson smiled. Together, they were fricking adorable. The height difference made them even cuter.

Suddenly, the wind shifted. The hair on the back of Jackson’s neck rose. In unison with Caidrik, he turned toward the opposite tree line as they both caught a scent.

Philip’s head jerked up.

A crash exploded from the front of the mansion, and wolves barreled through the home and onto the veranda, glass shattering in every direction. More wolves bounded out of the forest. The storm had masked their scent, and they’d arrived from downwind.

“Fuck.” Jackson shifted instantly, muscles bunching into his wolf form as he leapt into the air toward the threat. The Ravencall Pack. He could smell them. Emily shifted beside him, her silver-blond coat gleaming, even in the rain. The others shifted behind them.

Jackson reached the leader first and collided with him, teeth and claws tearing into flesh. Fury flowed through his veins. Blood splashed his muzzle, and the tang of copper filled his senses.

Caidrik ripped through two wolves on Jackson’s left, jaws clamping down on their throats until they crunched. Philip lunged past them with his Enforcer on his heels, slamming into another attacker. The Enforcer snapped bones with brutal efficiency.

Emily fought beside them, swift and agile, her smooth coat flashing through the chaos. Nadia moved in tandem with her sister, fighting hard with no true tactics. Had the female never been trained? Caidrik stayed close to Nadia, guarding her flank with lethal precision.

The storm lashed around them, rain blurring the battlefield and turning it slick with mud and blood. Jackson locked jaws with another wolf, rolling and biting until the enemy went limp. Snarls and yelps echoed in the air as the fight raged on.

Emily took down a light gray wolf with a swift bite to its throat, then spun to help Nadia, who had two wolves circling her. Emily lunged, teeth flashing white in the dark, and dragged one of the wolves down, her claws raking its side.

Then Emily slowed. Her movements became less fluid, more sluggish. A wolf clipped her, and she stumbled, just enough to let another attacker slash her flank.

Jackson’s wolf roared in fury.

She bared her teeth at the next enemy. Nadia leapt to her sister’s defense, biting and clawing until the wolf fled into the forest. Caidrik closed ranks beside Nadia, the massive black wolf tearing into another attacker as two more barreled out of the woods, aiming toward the sisters.

Jackson finished off the last of his opponents and charged toward Emily. The scent of her blood hit him like a punch to the chest. He lunged at the wolf attacking her, jaws locking around its throat as they crashed into the mud. The creature twisted and snarled, but Jackson clamped down harder, bones cracking between his teeth until it stilled.

He paused and looked around.

Fifteen wolves lay dead or dying in the rain-soaked clearing. The air reeked of blood, wet fur, and ozone.

He shifted back to human form, chest aching as he rushed to Emily’s side. His hands found her shoulders as she shifted back, collapsing against him—pale, bleeding, and nude. Blood streaked her skin, the gashes along her ribs deeper than they should’ve been. Although the wounds did begin to heal in front of his eyes.

“Emily, what the hell happened? You shouldn’t have taken those hits.” His voice went hoarse.

“I—I don’t know,” she whispered, her eyes fluttering. “Didn’t see him coming.”

Nadia knelt beside them, breathless but unhurt. “She was fine at first. Fighting better than I’ve seen any female fight. But then she just slowed down.”

Jackson scanned the clearing as rain dripped from his hair. Something felt wrong. Emily, strong and trained, shouldn’t have faltered like that.

Philip stepped forward, wiping blood from his face. “Miliki? Call for reinforcements, and I want the entire territory searched for trespassers. Give the order to kill on sight.”

“Got it.” The Enforcer jogged through the rain and up the porch steps, his bare feet kicking glass aside as he moved inside the demolished doorway.

Philip looked at his daughter. “We need to get her inside. Now.”

Caidrik shifted back, standing silent and watchful as the rain continued to fall, soaking the battlefield of broken bodies and blood-soaked mud. “The one near the north tree line is still alive. I’ll ask him a few questions.” He looked down at Nadia. “Go inside and take care of your sister.”

Jackson lifted Emily and turned toward the house, ignoring the wounds along his flanks and the glass cutting into the bottoms of his feet. He partially ducked to cover her from the rain, his mind absolutely spinning.

What was wrong with her?