Page 25 of The Reaper's Vow

“You don't understand. I can't—” I swallow hard, embarrassment making it difficult to form words. “I've never been around other wolves. I don't know what will happen.”

“I know exactly what will happen, and I'll kill anyone who gets too close.”

The casual way he talks about murder sends a chill down my spine. “That's not reassuring.”

“It wasn't meant to be.” He takes a sharp turn onto a narrow road that disappears into the forest. “It was meant to be honest.”

“Well, it didn’t come off that way.”

You really don't understand, do you?”

“What?” I shift uncomfortably.

“Female werewolves are rare, Karina. Extremely rare.” He glances at me before returning his eyes to the winding road. “Wolf matings typically produce males. Maybe one in twentybirths results in a female. And those females are guarded like crown jewels.”

I stare at him, processing this information. Another thing my parents never told me. “That can't be right. My mother?—”

“Was one of the lucky few,” he cuts in. “Which is probably why your father took her and ran. Pack politics around females can get...intense.”

“So, I'm what, some kind of endangered species?” The thought makes my skin crawl.

“In a manner of speaking.” His voice drops lower. “Most females are kept under lock and key by their alphas until they're properly mated. Protected from other packs who might try to claim them.”

I recoil against the door. “That's barbaric.”

“Not barbaric. Practical. Females are the future of any pack. The ability to produce pups is...valuable.”

“This is insane. All of it.”

“Welcome to wolf politics, kitten.” His nostrils flare again, and I know he can smell the changes in my scent. “Your parents sheltered you from this world, but they couldn't keep you from it forever.”

I turn away, unwilling to let him see how his words affect me. The trees outside continue to grow denser, the road narrower.

“How much longer?” I ask, desperate to change the subject.

“Ten minutes.” He shifts gears as we climb a steep incline. “When we arrive, stay close to me. Don't look at anyone else. Don't speak unless spoken to. And whatever you do, don't let them know you're afraid.”

“I'm not afraid,” I lie, though my racing heartbeat probably gives me away.

“You should be. Fear keeps you alive in places like this.”

The compound emerges like something out of a nightmare, all timber and stone, designed to blend seamlessly with theforest while projecting an aura of barely contained power. Security lights illuminate a gate flanked by guards who straighten as our car approaches.

My wolf whimpers as we slow to a stop, her earlier confidence dissolving beneath the sheer intensity of so much concentrated dominance. The guards are wolves—I can sense it even through the car windows. Their attention locks onto us with a steady, unsettling focus that makes my skin crawl.

“Reaper,” the guard greets, respectful but wary. “Alpha Anselm is waiting for you in his office. He’s not pleased.”

“When is he ever? I’ll report directly to him.”

The guard’s attention slides toward me, nostrils flaring as my scent reaches him. His pupils expand, a growl rumbling low in his chest before he can smother it.

“Who’s this?” he demands, leaning closer, intent locked on me.

Damien’s arm snaps out, pressing me back against the seat as he shifts his body into a shield between us. “None of your fucking business, Kenny.”

The comment makes my wolf purr even as I bristle at being handled like property. Kenny raises his hands in mock surrender, but the way he studies me carries a sharpness that leaves my skin crawling.

“Just asking,” he says, backing away slightly. “Alpha might want to know why you're bringing an unknown female into his territory.”