Chapter 14

SAMANTHA

Rather than one of the black SUVs, Emerick had pointed me toward his beautiful Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat before tossing me the keys.

A couple of minutes later, I was flying down the forest road feeling as free as I ever had. After the stress of the past few days, sitting behind the roaring engine was exactly what I needed.

Following Emerick’s directions, I pulled up to a cute cabin tucked in the woods. The days were getting shorter, but the pink sky was bright enough for me to see there were no other houses nearby.

Begrudgingly, I cut the engine and handed Emerick back his keys. “Thank you for that.”

“You can drive my stick anytime,” he joked with a wink.

My laugh was cut short when he caught my lips in a kiss. I put my hands on his cheeks, and he twisted one of his own through my hair.

All too soon, he released me, and we got out and walked up the steps to the front porch. I raised my hand to knock, but the door flew open first.

“I’m so glad you made it!” Cassandra’s smile was wide. “Come on in. Michael is just finishing up in the kitchen, and I have some wine you can choose from if you like.”

Cassandra guided us inside and to the living room. The cabin was cozy and warm, immediately making me feel at home.

Although beautiful, it was decorated with an eclectic flair. It reminded me of Cassandra herself.

We three settled onto fluffy sofas as our host cheerfully talked about the wine. I chose what she described as a dry, white with fruity undertones after she said it seemed like something I might like.

I was pleasantly surprised by her recommendation. Although, if what Emerick had said about her being psychic was true, I probably shouldn’t have been.

As we started sipping our drinks, a tall, muscular man with sandy blond hair emerged from the kitchen carrying a serving platter full of bruschetta in one hand and a charcuterie plate in the other.

“Hey, babe,” Cassandra said, standing to help with the food. She turned to me. “Alpha Paulson, this is my mate, Michael.”

I stood and shook his hand. “It’s so nice to meet you. Please call me Sam—both of you.”

Michael gave me a measuring gaze. “Here, we will. But you should have people refer to you by your title in professional settings. They need to be reminded of your rank.”

“Umm, I’ll keep that in mind,” I said, slightly taken aback by Michael’s direct and stern tone.

I had only been the alpha for a couple of days. The thought of “pulling rank” made me uncomfortable.

However, if my brief time as alpha had taught me anything, it was that I needed others to respect me—or maybe even fear me—if I was to deter them from assuming I was weak.

I had to be strong. Not just for me, but for the people I loved.

Michael took a seat next to Cassandra. While they made a stunning couple, the juxtaposition of Cassandra’s warmth against Michael’s stoicism made me smile inwardly.

~Maybe opposites attract in this case.~

“I hate to get right to business,” Cassandra said, “but I would love to get some ideas from you about your alpha ceremony.”

Her face brightened. “Ooh, I know! Michael, can you grab some board games? We can play while we chat! Is everyone okay with that?”

Michael’s expression betrayed that he did not, in fact, seem okay with that, but he went to the built-in cabinets next to the fireplace, returned with a game, and started setting it up.

Cassandra and I slipped into a comfortable conversation about my life, my feelings about becoming the alpha, and my hopes for the pack.

As I shared the story of losing Travis, her eyes welled up, and she cast a longing glance at Michael. He responded by wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close.

I realized that beneath Michael’s tough exterior, he harbored a deep love for Cassie. It was as if he needed to feel her at all times.

Emerick seemed to want something similar with me, and he stayed close throughout the evening but refrained from any overt displays of affection.

Still, it was enough for Cassie to notice, and she often glanced between us, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

The board games were simple, making it easy to relax and providing enough of a distraction to keep me from feeling like I was being grilled.

Even Michael seemed to be enjoying himself, though he and Emerick got into an argument at one point before Cassandra had to intervene and remind them it was just a game.

They dropped it, but I caught them shooting glares at each other when they thought no one else was looking.

As Cassandra’s questions dwindled, I turned to Michael. “Emerick tells me you lead the pack’s Enforcers. What do you know about Emilia’s role in the challenge Gregory issued?”

“Plenty,” he replied curtly. “In a roundabout way, she instigated most of the would-be uprising. And she handpicked Gregory to challenge you because she wanted a family member to be the next alpha.”

“What do you mean she instigated it? Do you have proof?”

He nodded. “We have records of messages and calls. She pushed for the challenge.

“Don’t get me wrong, there is a group that is wary of an outsider and a female being alpha, but I doubt they’d have acted without her encouragement.”

I was taken aback at just how essential Emilia had been to the whole affair. “What was her endgame? Was she planning to run me and my family out of town?”

“No,” he said firmly. “Gregory would have killed you, then Emilia would have sent someone after Luke, your father, and possibly your sister. She wanted to wipe out Elias’s entire line.”

My skin turned cold. “What if I’d submitted?”

“Gregory would have ignored you and killed you anyway.”

I saw a flash of anger in his eyes as his wolf surfaced.

Attacking me and wanting my role as alpha was one thing, but threatening my entire family—threatening my son—was too far.

~Will she accept she lost, or will she try again? To have me killed… To have Luke killed…~

The thought made my blood boil.

“I’ll kill her,” I growled.

“You could,” Michael agreed.

I froze. ~Is that who I want to be? A killer?~

“What are my other options?”

Michael glanced at Emerick. “Perhaps you should discuss this with your beta. My role is to investigate these issues, not to decide the consequences.”

“Well, technically, I don’t have a beta. And I’m not asking you to punish anyone. I just want your opinion.”

He pondered for a moment. “If it were my family, I’d want to hunt her and her entire group down like dogs.”

Ayisha, who had been pacing in my mind throughout the discussion, agreed with his words by letting out a low growl.

I flashed back to my earlier conversation with Stephen and felt a pang of guilt at the thought of ignoring his pleas for me to show mercy to Emilia.

“However,” Michael said, “that might be problematic diplomatically. Emilia isn’t just any wolf. She’s a former luna and is related to other alphas. The fallout with their packs could be catastrophic.”

“She committed treason,” Emerick said from beside me. “The other packs will understand.”

Michael shrugged. “Maybe. This is more your area of expertise, Beta Stone. But the alpha asked me for ~my~ opinion. In my opinion, there’s potential for other packs to seek retribution.”

Emerick didn’t argue further, but I could tell he was seething.

I, on the other hand, was pleased. Not for anything to do with Emilia, but I’d sought Michael’s advice for an unbiased perspective from someone who knew all the facts, and that’s what I’d received.

Overall, I was impressed with his outlook and felt delighted I had someone else I could potentially count on.

“Thank you, Michael,” I said. “Cassie, what do you think?”

“Are you asking as a friend seeking advice? Or because you believe the rumors that I’m psychic and think I can tell you the future?”

“As a friend,” I said quickly. “I’m not sure I believe in psychic abilities. Then again, I didn’t believe in werewolves a few days ago.”

And I certainly wouldn’t put her on the spot after Emerick said she denied having powers.

Cassie returned my wry smile. “Generally, I’m against the death penalty. But Emilia seems very determined.

“We don’t have a prison suitable for long-term use, and I don’t think banishment would solve your problem. She would easily find another pack to take her in and turn against us.

“Unfortunately, I think you need to make an example out of her to deter others.”

I was shocked they didn’t have prisons, but then I remembered what I’d read in the archives about rogues and how the threat of banishment was often enough to keep crime down.

Life as a rogue was dangerous. They were forbidden from contacting their former pack members, including family, and if caught on another pack’s land without permission, they could be killed.

“What if we did a Queen Mary of Scots on her?” I asked, recalling my high school history.

“Didn’t Queen Elizabeth behead her?” Cassie asked.

~Oops, forgot that part.~

“Umm, yeah, I meant before that. She kept her confined to castles to keep her from trying to take the throne.”

Michael gave a slow nod. “That could work. Indefinite house arrest, somewhere secluded. She’d need a security detail. And we’d have to monitor her communications.”

“What’s the guarantee that her cronies don’t break her out?” Emerick demanded.

I shook my head. “There isn’t one. But if we control where she is, we limit her ability to plot or gain support.

“We keep her contact with the outside world limited—just Stephen, William, and me. No internet. Any phone calls or letters she sends are monitored.

“That’s very generous of you,” Cassie offered. “I think it could work, and it’ll be hard for anyone to argue against it.”

Michael grunted in agreement.

Emerick stayed silent. I could tell he was not satisfied.

“Thank you. Both of you,” I said to Michael and Cassie. “Talking this through has really helped.”

“Don’t mention it.” Cassie waved me off. “Now, let’s keep playing. I have a good feeling about the hotels I put up.”

EMERICK

Despite werewolves needing an enormous amount of alcohol to get drunk, Sam still didn’t feel comfortable getting behind the wheel. So, when it was time to leave, we decided to run home instead.

No sooner had we stepped outside than Sam took off around the back of my car, threw her clothes behind her, and leaped out the other side as Ayisha.

I quickly shifted and chased after her, my paws pounding against the forest floor.

She was fast, but so was Zef. I nipped at her heels just as she made a sudden turn, causing me to skid and narrowly avoid a tree.

I shook off the leaves and dirt and stood up. Ayisha had disappeared but was taunting me with the occasional bark.

~Game on,~ I thought, and let loose a howl.

Ayisha was strong and fast, but she lacked Zef’s hunting experience. I picked up her scent and began tracking her.

I knew I was close when I reached the creek, but I struggled to pinpoint her exact location.

I followed the scent trail to the water’s edge. As I bent down to sniff, a twig snapped, and I turned just in time to see Ayisha launching herself at me from a boulder.

She knocked me over with a shoulder charge and stood over me, growling. Zef immediately submitted, rolling onto his back and whining softly.

Ayisha stopped growling and licked my face. Then she sat back, waiting for me to get up and shake off the dirt.

I shouldn’t have been surprised that the pretty white wolf bested me. She and Sam had been exceeding expectations since joining the pack. I felt a surge of pride for my alpha and the woman I loved.

~Wait, do I love her? I barely know her. And yet…~

The realization hit me that I didn’t want to spend another day without her. Sam was smart, strong, kind, and fierce.

~What if she doesn’t feel the same way about me?~

We crossed the small creek that marked the boundary of my property and continued into my yard.

At the door, Ayisha lowered her head. I grabbed a blanket from the outdoor sofa with my teeth and placed it at her feet. I then grabbed a second one and trotted around the corner.

Once out of sight, I shifted back into my human form and wrapped the blanket around my waist.

I waited a moment before returning to find Sam back in her human form, tucked in her own blanket. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes sparkled.

“That was amazing,” she said. “I have never felt more alive. More…free.”

“It’s pretty cool, right?” I replied with a smile.

She nodded enthusiastically, then shivered. “Can we get inside?”

I laughed and punched the code into the keypad on the back door.

Carrying keys as a wolf was impractical. The magic on the pack house and its grounds was convenient, but shifting anywhere else left you without your clothes and belongings.

Tonight, at least, I wouldn’t have to go back to Cassie and Michael’s for our things as I’d dropped a pin and sent it to Jonathan.

After leading her inside, Sam walked over to my mantel where I had a few photos displayed and pointed. “Is this your family?”

“My parents. And they are my older sisters, Paige and Tori.”

“Hmm, I didn’t realize you were the runt of the family,” she teased. “Who is that cute little babe?”

“That’s my niece, Olivia. She’s three now, but I think she was about six months then.”

“She was a really cute baby,” Sam gushed.

“Yeah, she still is. She takes after her uncle that way,” I joked, puffing out my chest.

Sam gave me a mischievous look. “Oh, does her dad have a brother?”

I chuckled. “Thanks for that.”

She nudged my ribs with her shoulder playfully, then leaned into my side. I wrapped an arm around her, realizing that we were both still nearly naked.

“Let me grab you some clothes.”

“That would be great,” she said, still snuggling into my side.

I gave her a quick peck on the lips and ran upstairs to grab us some clothes. I dressed quickly and then found the smallest shirt-and-pant combo I could. They’d still swallow her.

When I got back to the living room, Sam was curled up on the couch, cuddled in her blanket.

“Hopefully these will work,” I told her. “The bathroom is just down the hall if you want to change there.”

Sam looked thoughtful for a minute, but I couldn’t quite read her expression.

When she started to get up from the couch, I reached out to hand her the clothes.

Instead, my jaw dropped as I watched her let the blanket fall away.