Chapter 153

Chapter 0153

Six months ago

As I drive away from Cara’s birthday party, I call my Beta, Dustin.

“Alpha?” His excitement and hopefulness feel like a punch in the gut. Everyone in my pack was hoping Cara would choose me.

“I’m staying in the city tonight. Have someone clear out my room.” I’d had my room decorated with the expectation that I’d be bringing my new Luna home. There were flowers and candles around the room, setting the ambience for a romantic night of marking and mating. But that won’t be happening, and I can’t bear to see the remnants of my plans. So, I’ll stay in my apartment in the city.

“What’s the plan?” He asks, his tone considerably more subdued. Everyone knows we need a Luna. I’m nearly 25 and have yet to find my mate. Pretty soon, I’ll have to choose a mate. I had chosen someone, Cara, that I thought was worthy of being the Luna of my pack. I haven’t found anyone else that met the criteria that she did.

“We’re going after Eli Gunnar. Meet me at my apartment in the morning and we’ll develop a plan.” Eighteen years ago, my pack was attacked by an Alpha seeking to overthrow my father and take over our pack and pack lands. My father defeated and killed the Alpha, Alpha Jerome, but not before a teenaged Eli Gunnar, known as the Banished Beta, got to my mother and killed her. He was found with her bloody body in his arms. He ran and escaped. My father searched for him for years before he died. I took over the search, even before my father’s death 8 years ago.

Last month, Eli kidnapped Cara and attempted to force the mate bond on her. Luckily, she was underaged and her wolf is strong. She was able to fight off the venom he put in her body. But having him in close proximity has only made me more blood thirsty. I’ve been waiting a very long time to bring the Banished Beta to justice for what he did.

“Do you want some company?” Dustin asks me.

“No. I’ll be fine. Nothing that a bottle of bourbon can’t fix.”

I end the call and make the hour–long trek into the city. My apartment is in the same high–rise building that my company offices are in. Holstin Enterprises, Inc. has two arms, one in construction and one in security. Both are easy businesses for shifters to work in. Since my pack, the largest in the country, is nearly Soo pack members, I need an outside business to employ my pack members and keep

the pack financially stable.

The company is in the human area, and my manager is a human. It’s helpful when there are drifters that come through town for short periods of time. I frequently employ bear shifters, fox shifters and once I even hired a lion shifter, although that didn’t last long as he tried to create a pride/harem with my clients. When drifters come into town, I hire them and depending on their skill set, place them in one of my businesses. They make the money they want and then take off again.

I park in the underground parking garage reserved for residents and employees and head straight to the bar. When I sit, the bartender looks over at me. “The usual?” He asks.

I nod and when he brings my amber colored liquid to me, I shoot it down and tap my glass on the bar. “Just leave the bottle.”

He does and moves on. My mind drifts back to places I don’t want it to be. Back to the time when I still had a chance with Cara. She’s a Guardian, born from two Guardians. She is strong, powerful, fierce and beautiful. Everything I want in a Luna, except she’s not mine.

I’m drowning my melancholy thoughts in my bourbon when a scent I haven’t smelled in a while hits my nose and a beautiful woman sits down next to me. I can’t help but look her over. She’s stunning. Her bronze skin is accentuated with jet black hair that looks like silk falling down to her mid back. She’s wearing a skintight animal print dress with a plunging neckline that shows off her large tits and a short length that shows off her fantastic legs. The dress leaves no question that she’s wearing anything underneath it.

She looks me over before meeting my eyes. “Want some company?” She asks and her voice is like a purr.

I frown at her, my nose tipping up in the air trying to sniff out what she is. Her smile widens as she watches me. Then she leans in crooking her finger to get me closer. I lean toward her and she slides her cheek against mine as she whispers seductively in my ear. “Panther.”