Filed to story: Owned by the Alphas Novel
The humans were still bitter over their treatment all those years ago, and it was tainting their view of everything, but I was not my parents.
“And without knowing where the witch is, whether it is the rogue or if she has a creature up her sleeve, we cannot risk that getting inside our walls.
“At the moment, we are safer in here than out there. Winter is here, the days are dark, the nights empty, and that means we need to rely on more than our ability to rip things to shreds.
“We need to make smarter decisions, and until we have the information from Tabitha, we are not moving on the humans,” I ordered, my alpha voice wavering at the end.
I had to make sure they knew I was not losing any more wolves as collateral because of dumb, half-cocked decisions.
We were on the defense. We weren’t as strong, and the humans had put the barrier there for a reason.
If the witch was that reason, then she was getting ready to play her hand, and until I had an idea on what might be in it, I was not showing mine and I was not making the first move.
Not when everything I cared about was on the line.
I waited until I had a slight bow of the head from each of the council members, then nodded to release them.
“Dismissed,” I said, then stepped back as they all left the room.
All of them except Galen.
I spread my hands on the table and hung my head, blowing out a breath, trying to relieve some of the stress.
“You are much better at this than you think, Derik. Much better than they give you credit for,” Galen said, standing slowly.
I nodded but didn’t look up at him. I wasn’t sure if I believed him.
“I have to try. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure she survives this,” I breathed, and he nodded.
“I understand. Before my precious Pearl, I don’t think I could have, but I do now.”
He offered a small smile, and for him, that was huge.
I looked up at him, a smirk playing on my lips. Galen, our most feared withheld beast, and he was in love with a human? It was dangerous, but nothing in our world surprised me anymore.
“I’m saying this because I care, Galen. Be careful with her. She’s human. If you mate with someone else–“
“–then I will rip my wolf from my soul and give that beast to my mate. I will not give up Pearl,” he vowed.
I nodded. There was no point arguing with an obsession, especially one still so new.
“I wish you all the happiness,” I said, and Galen nodded in respect.
He was on his way out the door when he turned to me with a knowing look.
“One more question,” he said, and I waited for him to ask it. “If your human is not actually human, what makes you think her mother is?
“Your winter born was birthed from the loins I now covet. I don’t think that is a coincidence,” he said, his face blank, his thoughts far away before he left me with the remnants of those.
I frowned after him and considered what he had said. But I shook my head. Of course it was a coincidence.
Lorelai and her brother were born early, in winter instead of spring. That was an accident. It had to be because I couldn’t fit any more questions in my mind.
I shook it clear, then packed up the meeting paperwork, filing it in the cabinet before heading upstairs to find my mate.
She was curled up with Brax, him sleeping in his spot between her legs, her head leaning on Kai, her hair splayed over his chest as he curled her tighter against him.
She sighed in her sleep, a small snore escaping, and all my stresses melted away.
I shed off my clothes and climbed in next to her, spooning her, my hand resting on her stomach.
It was the only place I found peace, and with everything going on, I needed that more than anything or I was going to snap.
Not just a little, not get angry, but go full-blown alpha tyrant, ripping apart every wolf, human, or other that stood in the way of the world I wanted for my child to be born into and my mate to become luna of.
I would die for that cause, and thanks to the barrier, the probability of a rogue witch, and a bloodthirsty creature in the cards, that future was looking even more likely.
33. The Whispers
LORELAI
LORELAI
I pushed my fingers into the soil, sighing as the magic released from my aching bones. I was so tense with all the magic inside me that it was starting to take its toll.
I still had to have the bite for the toxin to keep me and our baby alive, which was the best medicine every day, but I still felt like crap.
I couldn’t have the potion since my body was already full, but it was the only thing that took away the nausea and exhaustion, so now I just had to deal.
It made me a little irritable and more than a little mopey.
The wind was strong, throwing the tails of my coat everywhere, my braid fighting to keep my hair restrained, but I didn’t care because releasing even a little bit of the magic made things feel better.
It was still dark, but it always was now, so my eyes adjusted easily, especially with the help of the flame torches my brother and Derik carried.
My alphas surrounded me, a wall of power that had my back, and I smiled at the way that made my heart flutter.
But it wasn’t just their eyes that pierced the darkness. My brother stood there too, guarding, his red eyes even more threatening to the other wolves I could feel watching.
But they were staying well away, their control not there. Carden had made sure that every wolf knew they would be destroyed if they came out of their homes while I was in the gardens.
I didn’t mind so much. I hated restricting them, but the alphas knew more than I did about the winter wolves, so I left it for them to decide, just glad I had somewhere to get rid of the magic that made me feel constantly pressurized and tense.
In front of our eyes, the crops grew healthier, green, springing to life with magic and vitality.
I grinned and pulled my hands out, letting out a deep sigh that felt amazing since I actually had room for it within me.
I rested my hands on my stomach and leaned into Brax, who was the closest to me.
“Thanks.” I smiled, my eyes closing, and he kissed the top of my head.
“Let’s get you back,” he said, his voice tense, his eyes darting to the walls of the city.
I touched the link and frowned at the wariness there.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, and that had all of them frowning.
Brax hesitated a second before he answered.
“Something feels off. My shadows don’t want us out here. More specifically, you.
They’re urging me to get you inside, but they can’t communicate why. That’s…
worrying,” he admitted quietly.
Derik stepped in closer then, Kai bringing himself to cover my back as my brother led the way back through the cobblestone streets, all of them watching every single corner of the buildings and shadows.
A howl ripped through the air moments later before there was roaring and screaming.
Everyone froze and turned to the sound.
Humans were scaling over the wall with axes and swords, full armor, ready for the fight.
Derik stepped away from me, narrowing his eyes at the humans before snarling.
“Wolves! Weapons! Take them out!” he roared into the night, and then they were all running from their homes.
“East wall! Don’t let them through!” Derik snapped, then handed his torch to Kai.
“Get her inside,” he ordered.
Kai hesitated, looking at the humans coming over, then back at me, and I knew he wanted to go. Their wolves were locked inside them too, but their need for violence and vengeance was as alive as ever.
“Go. I’ll be okay, I’ll get back to the mansion,” I said, knowing I had no part in this one.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?