Page 14

We cut through the forest in silence, only our heavy tread in the fresh snow alerting anyone to our presence.

“This would be much more effective in our wolf form,” Griffen mutters as the terrain gets steeper.

I roll my eyes at his complaining. “But the alpha meeting will be best conducted as humans, and I don’t fancy sitting around in the snow naked.”

He continues to grumble but doesn’t deny my logic. We split off from the patrol group an hour ago, headed over the ridge and along our border to pick up the truck.

“At least you didn’t make us walk all the way there,” he says, climbing in and putting the heating on.

“You are getting old, my friend,” I chuckle. “How can you complain when we would have thought nothing of it centuries ago? And now you wanted heated seats.”

“I have evolved. You should try it,” he laughs.

With my hands on the heated steering wheel, it is hard to disagree. “I admit, I do prefer this horsepower. At least it’s not trying to throw me off.”

Griffen barks out a laugh next to me, and I know he remembers my less than stellar luck with horses over the centuries. “Well, shifters riding horses has always had its challenges. It takes a strong beast not to bolt. Aye, I remember all my favorites.”

So do I. Hundreds of years riding the infernal things, and only a handful ever made it easy for me. I can’t help the smile that forms on my lips as memories of trying and failing to tame obtuse horses wash over me. I really do prefer my truck.

“Well, at least laughing at my expense has cheered you up,” I remark.

“That’s rich coming from you,” Griffen replies. “You’ve been biting people’s heads off all week. Our patrol may understand a little better than most, but they need you to keep your cool.”

The truck falls silent as I steady my breathing and try not to tear into my friend when I know he’s right. I am pissed off. The patrols have picked up on the masked shifter’s scent again this week and more human activity at various points around our territory. Although we do get humans venturing into the mountains occasionally, they’re usually just passing through, not lingering and returning to the same points.

I have no doubt it’s the hunters. I just don’t know what they and the masked shifter are going to do next. And it’s driving me crazy.

“I know,” I say through gritted teeth. “I’m just…”

I trail off, and Griffen cuts in, “I know, you just have more to lose now.”

“Will you stop with that? There has always been much to lose: an entire pack. Those wolves depend on me.” I snap.

“Of course they do. You’re the alpha.” Griffen replies evenly. “But you’re allowed something for yourself, too, you know.”

I grip the wheel a little tighter. “And I have that. I made her my luna; she has the lab, and we are together in every sense.”

We go over a particularly large bump in the road, making the truck veer slightly, and Griffen mutters something indefinable that I suspect has nothing to do with the road. “You had the single most unromantic mate ceremony I’ve ever had the misfortune to attend. I’m not sure that and fucking her means you are together in every sense.”

I see red. I slam the brakes on and turn to him, my vision clouded by my beasts. “Get out of the fucking truck,” I snarl.

He opens his door and steps out, hands held up defensively. “Okay, okay,” he says, taking a step back. “Let’s not do this.”

I get out of the truck, too, my heart pounding in my chest. “Stop telling me what to do,” I growl at him but don’t circle him like I want to. He deserves more than that.

“Rowan,” he says softly, his voice almost soothing, something I would never expect from him. “Remember who you are.”

We stand there face to face, and neither moves for a long moment. Then I punch him. Hard. It feels good to get it off my chest, but I know it’s not enough. He doesn’t move an inch from the blow.

“You done?” He asks, “You feel better?”

We stare at each other for a moment in silence before I shake my head, “No, as a matter of fact. I don’t.”

He finally rubs his jaw. “Well, neither does my face.”

“You shouldn’t piss me off about her then,” I snap. “Besides, it’s not the first time I’ve punched you.”

Some of the tension dissipates as we stand there, and I can’t help chuckling darkly at the ridiculousness of the situation.

“Not even the first time you’ve punched me over a girl,” he reminds me.

“She’s not just a girl, though, Grif,” I say, leaning against the truck.

He sighs. “Yeah, I know.”

There’s a long pause between us as we both consider what that means. “Seems like things are going well, though. She’s bonny and smart enough to keep you interested.”

I smile at his choice of words, a throwback to his Old World heritage that no matter how many years pass living here, he never loses.

“No, they are.” I think. Willow has been quieter the last couple of days, and I think the thought that someone at the lab is betraying us is weighing heavily on her. Or does she suspect I’m not being fully honest with her? “Does it matter how good things are between us if the truth could ruin everything? What is the point of finding my mate if I lose her?”

He stares at me for a moment, contemplating my words. We both know that is exactly what happened to him. Griffen lets out a breath, rubbing his jaw. “You gonna tell her?”

“Not until I can trust the outcome,” I reply. “I have to think of the pack, too.”

Griffen shakes his head and chuckles, “Sure, it’s all about the pack.”

Fighting the urge to punch him again, I walk around the truck and open the door. “We’re late for the meeting, let’s go.”

I’ve already started the engine before he climbs in. We drive in silence for a moment, but I can feel his brain whirring next to me. “Look, we don’t have to talk about it, and I’m in no mood to get hit again because you’re in a bad mood.” I grip the steering wheel but don’t tell him to shut up. “If the bond is strong, if she loves you, she will hear you out. Times have changed.”

“And how did that go with your witch?” I ask, feeling a wash of emotion I’m not familiar with and don’t like.

I almost don’t hear his reply as he stares out the window. “Well, I guess she didn’t love me. And that’s that.”

Suddenly regretting this entire conversation, I look at him. “She’s a fool, old friend.”

“That might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” Griffen laughs, and I feel some of the tension in the truck dissipate. He’s not wrong. I just don’t want to take the risk.

We reach the clearing and spot the other alphas, along with a couple of their betas. Alder and Cade are standing near their trucks as we park.

“How are you always late, Rowan?” Alder laughs.

I greet them both, Cade simply nodding. “We’re here now. Better late than never, right?” I say, slapping Alder on the shoulder.

Brooks, Kayden, Jet, and Grayson are standing by the fire. The alphas all nod in greeting as we walk toward them.

“I know, I know. We’re late,” I say, accepting a beer from Grayson.

Kayden shrugs, “You’re always late; I’m thinking of telling you these meetings start an hour earlier.”

Jet retrieves some food from the truck and offers the wrapped sandwiches around. “Senna sent me with these; if you’re late again, we’ll just eat them before you get here.”

“And I thought we were all friends now,” I say with mock offense.

The jovial mood quickly fades as we settle into the meeting and begin to give individual pack updates. Grayson confirms hunter activity; Alder’s pack killed two hunters who attacked two she-wolves out running, and Jet shows us footage from several of the new security cameras that shows humans moving in groups around the pack border.

“They’re not attacking as before, though,” I ponder, watching the screen. “What are they doing?”

“Gathering intel and regrouping,” Cade replies in his matter-of-fact tone.

I update them on the lab breach. It pains me to do so, because when I offered the use of the lab, it was because I could offer something better than we had, not so that our research would become vulnerable.

“I can sense your frustration, Rowan,” Jet says. “But these hunters and The Order behind them have had a head start. We’re organized now, and we’ve already shown them we won’t be beaten.”

Kaiden nods. “It’s not the first time a pack has been infiltrated. Anything you need to find the traitor, just ask.”

I look around at the other alphas and feel a welcome sense of connection. Griffen stands to the side and gives me a nod, showing he feels it, too. I have previously only known this kind of acceptance from within our insulated pack. Before then, life was spent as distant from others as possible, never really trusting anyone.

I think of Willow, my wolf instantly pulling on the bond, wanting to reinforce his need for his mate. But much like my relationship with Willow, my alliance with these alphas, and the burgeoning closeness between the packs, it is built on secrecy and the necessity to hide my true self. Having done that all my long life, it seems strange that it bothers me so much now.

But can I really trust any of them?

The conversation flows around me, and I invite Griffen to update everyone on the theories around how the traitor has masked their shifter identity. Willow sent a list of possible chemical compounds that she’s been testing in the lab, but none mask the scent as effectively.

“Many of the ancient texts refer to compounds that allowed shifters to mingle with a population undetected, but we don’t have a clear picture yet. Or, more importantly, a way to override it.” Griffen concludes.

“And how is Willow?” Kaiden asks, turning to me.

“She’s fine. Happy,” I reply lightly.

Kaiden seems to accept my answer, smiling. “So I hear,” he shrugs, “You know how women talk. Seems like it was a good idea to take her as your mate. Really worked out.”

The other alphas look genuinely surprised and start hollering and talking at once. “Yes,” I groan. “I took Willow as my mate, and it appears there is a bond.”

The cheers only increase, and I hear Griffen laugh, clearly enjoying my discomfort about the topic. I can’t say he doesn’t deserve a little amusement at my expense after our fight earlier.

“Well, don’t say you weren’t warned,” Kaiden laughs. “you’ll be as bad as us soon if she gets pregnant.”

Jet and Grayson both cheer in agreement, and my world tilts slightly. Why didn’t I think about that? Willow is Volva, which means she has enhanced fertility. The birthrate has fallen so dramatically amongst the shifters that getting someone pregnant has barely been a consideration. But as the other alphas discovered, a Volva mate changes that.

“I didn’t think it possible for you to go any paler, Rowan,” Alder laughs.

Despite the seriousness of the meeting, the news of my bond with Willow seems to offer some light relief, and they’re still teasing me as we split and head back to our trucks. Jet and Kaiden catch us up as we approach the truck.

Kaiden slaps me on the shoulder. “We’ll be with you in a couple of days to set those hidden cameras on the trail. They're top-of-the-range and completely undetectable, so if your traitor heads back that way, we’ll ID them.”

“I appreciate it,” I tell them, meaning every word.

Griffen and I begin the drive back, the sun having long since set.

“The first patrols will be back now. We can park at the old station and walk back in. The guys in the main patrol…” Griffen pauses, and I feel him stare at me. “Are you even listening?”

“Yes,” I sigh, “I was listening and thinking.”

“Mmm,” Griffen replies knowingly. “Anything to do with what they guys were saying? About Willow and pups?”

“It just hadn’t occurred to me. I knew she was Volva…I just didn’t think,” I say thoughtfully.

Griffen whistles. “And would it be a bad thing? I could see you with some little Rowans running around. Maybe not four hundred years ago, but you’ve settled down more these past few.”

I grip the steering wheel, my fingers digging into the hard material. The thought of children was never something I’d entertained. I would never have brought more life into the world to suffer as I had. Was the world really different now? I have lived long enough to know that it’s not always the strongest who thrive. Otherwise, we wouldn’t even be dealing with these hunters at all. Could I protect my family better than my parents did?

And what would Willow think if she found out our pups were part vampire?

“There’s enough to think about,” I tell him. “We have a traitor, hunters on the border, and the Order to think about. I’ll worry about pups some other time.”

He doesn’t say any more, and the truck falls silent, but as I look out at the mountain track, I can’t help but picture a little girl with blue eyes and auburn hair.