Page 2

I am not prone to nerves. I’m too old; though thankfully, I don’t look my age, and dare I say too confident in my decisions to ever waste time second-guessing myself.

This is what I remind myself of, on repeat, as I walk through the forest toward the assigned meeting point. I may be a few minutes late, judging by how high the moon is now, but the other alphas are traveling further, so I’m sure I won’t be the only one.

These days, I rarely walk alone in the forest, and I find myself not rushing, allowing the evening calm to wash over me. As an alpha, my pack constantly dominates my thoughts—more so than ever with the threat of the Order and attacks by the hunters hanging over our heads.

Given our safe haven and previous isolation, the pack is not used to being under threat, and my job has been increasingly tense. Our previously insulated way of life is changing. New information has made it clear that rather than keeping us safe, isolating ourselves was actually making us weaker. And as with hearing all hard truths, not everyone is receptive to listening—even me.

My beasts’ senses dance amongst the trees, and the forest itself responds with an ancient melody. Unsure where my vampire blood and wolf meet, I allow both the reins equally as I walk, keenly aware of the rustle of the breeze at the top of the canopy, the tiniest animal scuttling over the ridge, and the sound of Cade from the Wilder pack approaching some three kilometers from the west. He’s going to be later than I am unless he picks up the pace, as I sense the other alphas are already gathered and have a fire going. I only hope Kaiden remembered the beers; I want everyone in a receptive mood for my announcement.

I know my plan is not without risk, but I don’t care. I value the tentative but growing allegiance with the other packs; I even find myself enjoying the company of my fellow alphas—something I couldn’t have imagined until quite recently. And I know our mutual cooperation is needed to defeat the Order; at least, that’s the outward premise for my generous offer of help I’ll be making this evening. And that should be enough. But frankly, it all pales in comparison to the real reason.

Her. Willow.

The thought alone stops me in my tracks. The forest itself bristles as my body vibrates with purpose—neither a shifter's urge to find its mate nor a vampire’s unyielding determination are for the faint-hearted. Not for the first time, I chuckle mirthlessly.

Almost a thousand years, across all continents, so many lifetimes, and I find my mate tucked away in these forested mountains. A tiny, almost fragile-looking thing, but with curves I’ve waited an eternity for. To have found her in the midst of this crisis with the Order is remarkably bad timing, and that she belongs to another pack when my own swore not to allow outsiders in centuries ago is another issue. But I will not be deterred.

All roads lead to Willow.

Hell, at this point, all thoughts lead to Willow.

Not far from the meeting point now, I try to clear my mind of her beautiful face, concentrating on the meeting ahead, but it’s useless. I remind myself that I can’t be one hundred percent sure she’s my mate. Not yet. That’s why this next step is crucial.

I had assumed my lineage meant I didn’t have a specific mate. It can’t be said I didn’t look for one, as immortal beings often do. But I never had the urge to claim anyone, to spend forever with one. Even during the height of my powers when I was a kingmaker, stealing the hearts of queens and watching empires fall across the old and new worlds, no one woman ever held my interest. And eventually, none did.

My beta, Griffen, would often dismiss this as me simply running out of women, but I knew it was deeper than that. My soul had given up on finding a mate, and the mindless pursuit of women became stale. The thought makes me cringe; anyone who knows me would never describe me as stale.

The isolation of our pack never bothered me. I thought I’d seen enough of the world and grown tired of all the wars. This isn’t my first pack; being a shifter meant I always craved connection, and my alpha tendencies meant that others naturally looked to me for leadership. Rejected and hunted by my father’s pack, I often lived as a lone wolf until banding together with like-minded souls. Some of my old packs have gone on to become the biggest in the Old World, but me? When my vampire lineage was inevitably eventually discovered, they all reacted the same way—violence and rejection. That is why the Nicholson pack has been so successful; instead of keeping our vampire heritage a secret, Griffen and I actively sort out those in need of protection too, and created a safe haven in these mountains. I thought our isolation here was a gift. My mission was to keep my pack safe and build a community where they could flourish.

How wrong I was. And I’m not used to being wrong.

Willow’s research and the discovery of the Volva and their magic changed everything. So, my mate is not only beautiful and brave, but she is also fiercely intelligent.

If she’s my mate , the voice of doubt cautions. That small part of me refuses to believe it’s true and that after all this time, I have found her. My claws involuntarily stretch at the mere thought, anticipation coursing through my veins. Watching her, observing her from afar, the snippets of conversation are not enough anymore. It’s time to make my move.

I pride myself on seeing the full board when playing chess, and if all the pieces align, I can take Willow, destroy the Order, and secure alliances with the other packs all in one move. Checkmate.

I wonder if Willow also senses I am her mate. I have looked for signs of recognition, but she’s bashful, remarkably committed to her research, and…if I’m correct, half-human. Perhaps she does not recognize the mate bond herself. What I do see reflected, though, is desire, even if she doesn’t realize it herself. Her body responds to mine. It calls to me. I have no doubt she will yield to me when the time comes. So, why do I feel so out of sorts?

I try to push away the unusual sensation of nerves and push on toward the campfire I see in the distance. The alpha's voices ring out through the forest. Alder’s laughter, in particular, breaks through; he still retains his Scottish twang, and it never fails to stir old memories of the clans I knew in the Old World. They all had the same rambunctious laughter and a gleam in their eye that Alder hasn’t lost. Of all the alphas, he’s the one I suspect knows the most about my heritage. I knew his particular clan many years ago, and they were well-traveled; I even passed through their territory at one point. Their legends were certainly aware of my kind, though perhaps Alder is young enough to consider them fairytales.

They all suspect, naturally. It’s not lost on me that my differences are quite obvious. I downplay my enhanced senses, and when I shift, I’m more beast than wolf. I can’t hide my luminescent skin, and my aversion to bright sunlight is obvious to anyone paying attention, though it is winter more often than not in these mountains. Those who have met others from my pack will see that they also display some of these traits, though they present more strongly in me. Few are as pure a mix of vampire and shifter as I am—after all, vampires don’t exist. Not anymore.

The thought dampens my mood slightly. I still have so much to learn about this new world and how the changes will affect my pack. But for now, I focus on the task at hand.

As I grow closer, the men’s voices hush, and heads turn toward me. Kaiden is the first to speak up from his spot next to Grayson. “About fucking time,” he drawls, his mouth twisted in a smirk. Brooks snorts beside him, and Cade, who has only arrived minutes before me anyway, scowls but doesn't comment.

As I approach, they hand me a beer, their faces lit by the warm fire. The alcohol is strong but doesn't burn my throat like it should. It’s been so long since I’ve tasted it. Alcohol doesn’t affect shifters as it does humans, and only the strongest spirits have ever given me a buzz. Still, sharing a beer with friends feels oddly nice. My lips curl into a smile as I take a swig, letting the cool liquid slide down my throat. It’s surprisingly refreshing after my walk through the forest and the thoughts that haunted my steps.

“What kept you?” Kaiden teases, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “You live like five minutes away.” He gestures toward my territory over the ridge. “We were starting to think you didn’t want to join us.”

I chuckle, shrugging nonchalantly and rolling my eyes. “I had some pack business to attend to,” I lie smoothly, taking another sip of my beer before setting it aside on the ground beside me. Alder leans forward, his eyes glinting in the firelight as he takes a drink before speaking in that thick Scottish drawl.

“So,” he says slowly, “Are we doing this, then? Kaiden here doesn’t have all night; he’s got a bairn at home.”

At that, the men all holler, and Kaiden and Grayson raise their bottles in the air. “A blessing and a miracle,” he says to the cheers before laughing and adding, “But yes, I will also be in a world of trouble if I’m not home to help.”

Knowing his luna, we’re in no doubt that’s true. The celebrations are heartfelt, though, and why wouldn’t they be? Centuries of falling birthrates only for us to discover that it was our own self-imposed isolation destroying pack fertility. The discovery that the Volva—shifters without wolves—are not a defect but, in fact, our saviors changed everything. Now, there are new babies to celebrate despite the threat from the hunters.

I sigh, my thoughts still firmly on Willow.

"Any news on the borders?" I ask casually, trying to steer the conversation. It's been a quiet few weeks since we last met, and I'm curious if that means the hunters have given up or if they're just biding their time. No one speaks for a moment before Brooks shakes his head.

"Nothing much," he says finally. "A possible few sightings here and there, but nothing worth worrying about."

Cade nods in agreement. "Same. Almost struggling to know what we’re looking for, to be honest," he mutters, taking another swig of his beer.

Alder chimes in next, his eyes narrowed as he squints at the fire. "I've reached out to my old clan in Scotland," he begins slowly. "They’re discussing the situation before getting back to me. Not sure what that means. They’re cautious but friendly. I’ll let ye know when I hear something concrete."

Everyone murmurs in response as Alder turns to me, “And what of you and the Old World? Any contacts further afield that might know anything?”

I feel as though ice has crept around the campfire as all eyes turn to me. I see it again, the flicker of recognition in Alder’s eyes and the sense that everyone gathered wants to hear the answer, some sort of confirmation of my heritage.

I take a long swig of my beer before replying, “I’m quite sure all my old friends are long since gone. I probably have no more ideas than the rest of you. We should keep our attention on the problem in front of us. We are the ones with the most to lose, after all, no?”

They know, and I know, that my accent is most likely European rather than American. I like each man gathered here, but liking and trusting are two very different things, and I’ve only lived to be as old as I am by never confusing the two. They can keep guessing, for all I care; I have no intention of revisiting my past for information on a current problem. As far as I’m concerned, the Old World barely even exists on the map. I have no reason to assume the packs I have known and left behind in the Old World have become enlightened over the years; I’m sure they would still rather kill me than help a halfling. And I have long since stopped caring about their acceptance.

The others murmur their agreement, and I can feel the camaraderie between us returning as more beers are opened and passed around. A few minutes later, Kaiden speaks again: “Rowan, I visited Willow the other night. " Everyone turns at that, knowing Willow is our best chance at uncovering more secrets about the Volva and their magic. “She’s doing her best but making slow progress in that old lab. She mentioned your pack hadn’t provided samples yet. I figured that has something to do with this idea you have to discuss?”

All eyes turn to me, but I don’t care as long as they’re not trying to snoop into my history. Despite my plan with the lab, I have given my pack assurances that our heritage will remain unknown as my own pack members can analyze our DNA before Willow or anyone sees it and bring anything troubling to me directly. I’m not stupid; I know there will be differences within our results, but many of the pack only have minor vampire DNA now, and these differences can be explained by the fact we came from the Old World. Having Willow conduct her research there allows me to control the narrative even more and stop any concerns about our results being passed onto the other alphas. This is what I came here for tonight. Now, I just need to make it an offer no alpha can refuse.

“It’s good news,” I say, standing to address the group. “We are making slow progress, but that’s not our scientists’ fault; they don’t have the equipment. I have changed that. My pack has commissioned a state-of-the-art laboratory, and we have the best machines available. It is all ready. I think Willow would prefer to work from such a facility, no?”

I note a few of the alphas nodding in agreement, but my focus is on Kaiden. He’s Willow’s alpha, and she’s currently working in his territory. “You trying to steal my scientist, Rowan?”

I put my hands up and flash a smile with only a hint of fang. “As I told you a few days ago, Kaiden, my proposition is only to help. Help all of us.”

Kaiden nods, more knowingly than I’d like. “Your pack is too far for Willow to travel; do you suggest she commute or work part-time at your fancy new lab?”

“I’d say the Order is an emergency and should be treated as such. She can stay in one of the apartments at the lab.” I sense his doubts and continue, “Bring her to see; she can decide if she thinks the new lab full of new equipment will help her.”

Packs have not shared people or resources until now. Times are changing, and I feel that among this group of alphas. Can we work together while giving me everything I want? For the greater good, obviously.

Eventually, Kaiden nods. “I’ll bring her if I can drag her away from the lab for even a day. If she thinks it will help us bring these hunters to justice, destroy the Order, or better understand the Volva magic, for the benefit of all of us, I’ll allow it.”

I raise my beer, and the overwhelming sense of satisfaction flows through my body.

Checkmate.