Red

EVERETT

I tap my pen on my desk, glancing at the clock. 3:30. Aurora only went to our room to nap half an hour ago, and this is the fifth time I’ve checked the time.

Focusing on pack business is difficult today. All that I really want is to be with my pregnant mate, listening to her breathing and the baby’s heartbeat. Just an hour and a half to go.

As I try to focus on budget reports, Lucius, my beta, bursts in without knocking. He’s breathing hard. “Alpha, the Red Moon Pack dissidents are approaching our lands!”

I stand immediately, my wolf Chaos snarling with fury inside me. It takes an effort not to shift right there. “Those bastards. How dare they?”

Even before I met Aurora, the Red Moon Pack was our enemy. Our territories were adjacent, and they were always pushing our borders, testing our strength.

Once I learned how they’d treated my beloved mate, they could never be anything but my enemies. They’d tormented her up until the day they banished her and left her body in the woods.

If she hadn’t been special or hadn’t had her healing powers, I would never have had a chance to meet her. She would have been tossed aside like trash.

After the defeat of their cruel alpha, most of the Red Moon Pack had come under Shadow Blood leadership. But there were a few that refused and were banished from my lands.

“Call the warriors. We’ll show them it’s a mistake to challenge us,” I snap. I’m glad for an excuse to flex my strength, take care of a problem, and protect my family.

Lucius grabs me by the shoulder, stopping me from leaving the office. “I can’t, Everett.”

He’s one of the few who can get away with handling me like that, but I still have to bite my lip to keep from snapping at his hand. “Why the hell not?”

He grimaces. “They’re flying our flag.”

A truce. They want a meeting? They’d refused my leadership. What in the Goddess’ name could we possibly have to talk about?

I nod tersely, relaxing my shoulders. Lucius steps back. “Understood. Prepare the warriors anyway. These traitors can’t be trusted.”

“Yes, sir.” He salutes, and takes off, calling out as he runs. “Warriors, take arms, gather in the barracks for orders! Suspicious wolves approaching to parlay!”

Wolves leap into action as he passes. I know these cowards have no chance against my people. We’re well-trained, well-armed, and ready to protect what’s ours.

By the time the Red Moon convoy reaches us, our warriors are gathered and ready. The rest of the pack has been warned to stay inside and be on alert.

One squad is in wolf form, forming the front ranks of the guard around the pack house. Two more are in human form, wearing their full armor and carrying swords and spears.

There’s a narrow path for the ‘guests’ to walk. I’m waiting for them at the entrance to the pack house, wearing no armor, as custom dictates.

My people growl and show their teeth as the visitors make their way toward me. The Red Moon wolves are trying to ignore it, but I can smell their fear.

Only one car, carrying five people, came this deep into our lands. The rest of the convoy is at the borders, full of warriors ready to go in case this truce goes wrong. I have my own people watching them.

I’m not taking chances. If there’s a fight, we’ll be the ones to win it.

I nod stiffly as they reach me. “Welcome to the Shadow Blood Pack House. I see and honor your request for truce. As alpha, I invite you inside under the shadow of peace.”

An older woman speaks for the group, one I don’t recognize. “Thank you. We accept your gracious invitation.” They follow me inside, most of them with hunched shoulders and wary eyes.

I can’t help but glance at the stairs. Aurora is still sleeping, and I don’t want to disturb her. She needs her rest, and stress is bad for the baby.

I’ll find out what the hell these people want before frightening her needlessly. Hopefully, I can get rid of them without her ever having to know they were here.

The visitors are waiting for my directions. I let the silence sit, let them feel my displeasure at their intrusion—only speaking when waiting any longer would be an unforgivable insult.

“Come this way. We’ll speak in our meeting hall.” I lead the way, the woman staying just a step behind me. She’s tall, almost six feet in her heels, and wiry. I’m sure she’s nasty in a fight.

I take my place at the head of the long table. The woman and her people take their seats facing me, their backs to the door. One of them keeps glancing back at it nervously.

Once we are all in and seated, we don’t speak. Ace comes in, silent, flanked by two warriors. Glasses are handed out and water is poured for us all.

It’s an old tradition, dating from the time before cars when travel between packs was done in wolf form and on horseback.

It could be a long and exhausting trip, and it was polite to give visitors time to wet their throats and catch their breath before business was done.

I take a bare mouthful of my drink and immediately set it aside. I don’t want these wolves here any longer than they have to be.

“What is the reason for this visit?” I ask the second I see that they’ve all had a chance to sip from their cups. It’s rude, but I don’t care.

The woman stands, arms crossed behind her back, chin raised. She seems comfortable and confident, secure in her authority. Her eyes are blue and steely; her reddish hair cut short.

Her voice is strong and a little gravelly. “I am Martha, cousin to Joanna, adopted mother of the Luna Aurora of the Shadow Blood Pack.” She pauses to let her words sink in.

For a second, I’m baffled. I have no idea who she’s talking about. Then, it hits me. She means Mama. I’ve only heard her called Joanna once. She told me she doesn’t like it.

Martha smirks as she sees recognition on my face. “I lead the Red Moon during this time of trouble, when we have been robbed of our alpha, luna, and beta.”

I scoff at her. “The Red Moon Pack is under my leadership. Your refusal to acknowledge that doesn’t give you the right to lead.”

“You have no right to call yourself our alpha,” Martha growls before reigning herself in. “Aurora is my kin. I come to claim her and her child and return them to their proper family.”

“Aurora is my mate!” My blood boils; Chaos howls for release.

She shakes her head. “You did not seek our blessing before mating with Aurora. Your disregard for our laws renders your claim null and void.”

But before I can say anything, I hear a small noise, the slightest gasp. I spin around and see Aurora at the top of the stairs, looking down in horror.