“I need to finish reviewing the rest of Alpha Edwards’ files so I can send them over to Matt before our meeting tomorrow,” I reply. “His secretary, Linda, might be more involved in some shady dealings than anyone suspects. I have to figure that out before their business moves forward. Also, I’ll need to block out about an hour this afternoon to handle Alpha Claude’s problem.”
Robin raises an eyebrow. “What kind of problem does he have? Can I help?”
“The truth is, he still thinks he’s in charge of his pack the way he wants, but his father handed it over to me after trying and failing to attack us. I don’t trust him, but I’m not sure how much influence he still holds in his territory. Otherwise, I’d have taken care of him already. He’s demanding new training facilities, warriors to train his pack members, and a school**all within the next year, on Don’s lands. Of course, all at our expense, since he’s stopped focusing on bringing in money for the pack.”
“Didn’t they do a lot of logging but over-farm the land?” Robin asks thoughtfully.
“That’s exactly their doing. He tried to turn pack members against me by blaming the over-farming on my orders. Lucky for me, those pack members aren’t as dumb as he thinks.”
“When you talk to him, get all his requests, including costs and any schematics he’s had drawn up. You know he has them. Send everything over to me. I’ll work my magic with the red tape**maybe we can figure out what he’s really after by looking at the bigger picture.”
“Deal,” she says with a grin. “And you can’t back out now that you’ve made the offer.”
I respond with a small smile and a nod. “You’re ridiculous. You know it’d be better for all of us if you just killed him and saved us the trouble.”
She laughs, half-joking. “If you’re heading out, I’d use the back door. We still have several ‘guests’ hanging around, probably waiting for an Alpha sighting. All the real guests are either still asleep or in their rooms, except for Miss Kennedy.”
I take a sip of my coffee and suddenly choke as the hot liquid splashes onto my bare chest. “You waited until I was drinking to say that?”
“No comment,” Robin says with a sly wink. “But I do find it interesting that’s what made you choke.”
“Do you happen to know why she’s up so early, and where she might have gone?” The question lingered in my mind, but the answer wasn’t at all clear. I needed to rein in this growing pull I felt toward her. “I can’t have a human wandering aimlessly around the pack grounds,” I muttered to myself, frustration creeping in.
“Mate,” my wolf growled sharply inside me. “You can’t control that.”
“She’s still human,” I countered silently, worry gnawing at me. “I’m not sure it’s safe for her out here alone.”
She shot me a raised eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. Normally, I wouldn’t be concerned about the comings and goings of guests. “She’s a warrior,” Robin reminded me, her tone confident. “And not the type to stay up all night. My guess is she went out to train or run**something warrior-like. I didn’t catch which way she went, but I do know she was on foot.”
“Thanks, Robin. Have the others eaten yet?”
“Nope, but they’ve all been out and about until just recently. Looks like you might be running solo for a bit this morning.” She laughed softly, and I had to admit, she was probably right.
I drained the last of my coffee and devoured the breakfast burrito Robin had pressed into my hands. She knew me too well**I’d run myself ragged without eating if left to my own devices.
Once finished, I took her advice and slipped out the back door, crossing the cool stone patio before entering the garage at the rear. Normally, I’d just shift and sprint off, but I didn’t want to leave my truck behind to be found later. Besides, some of those vultures would still be lurking when we returned for a late lunch. The main floors of the packhouse remained open; with so many people and their endless needs, my staff handled as much as they could, making things easier for everyone. Still, that gave some the false impression they had unlimited access to me, forcing me to master the art of strategic sneaking.
I drove over to the training complex, parking in my usual spot. Stepping out, I headed toward the edge where the trees began to thicken. Shifting in front of guests was something I avoided**not all packs were as accepting or open about it. Some were far more conservative, and I wanted to be respectful. Plus, I’d had enough trouble with photos being snapped and shared among the females in my pack. I definitely didn’t need a repeat of that.
Finding cover behind a large tree, I stripped off my clothes, tucking my shorts carefully into the roots before shifting into my wolf form. I loved this part of my day**being out here in the heart of my home forest, running wild, feeling the wind rush through my fur and the warmth of the sun on my back. The scents and sights were heightened, almost overwhelming in their intensity. If only I could spend more time like this, simply roaming and savoring the freedom.
Since I was already here, I decided to start my run along the northern edge of our territory, moving clockwise in a wide circle. My original pack borders were now surrounded by packs I controlled**a fact that had taken years to establish. This arrangement served two purposes: it added an extra layer of protection in case of war or attack, and it provided a central refuge for pack members who had been integrated from other territories.
Still, I made it a point to run our original border regularly. Not to insult or look down on the packs I’d acquired**though that was exactly the kind of rumor people like Claude loved to spread. If it helped keep them in line, I didn’t bother refuting it. The run only took about an hour, and it gave me a chance to check in on neighboring packs as I passed. Warriors on patrol would sometimes pause to share updates and news. My pack had grown too large for me to track every individual, and not everyone understood the system I’d put in place to maintain our safety. That unpredictability worked to our advantage, keeping outsiders guessing.
Kennedy
During the game, the ball suddenly veers out of bounds, heading right toward us. Without hesitation, Emily leaps up and effortlessly stops it. Watching her, I can’t help but think how much raw talent she has**talent that’s being wasted just sitting on the sidelines waiting for her turn to play.
A boy, only a few years younger than me, jogs over. “Hey, Em, thanks for the save. Who’s your new friend?” He sizes me up from head to toe but doesn’t wait for an answer. “I’m Todd, Emily’s brother. And you are?” He flashes a grin that looks like it’s worked on plenty of girls his age.
I chuckle softly and hold out my hand. “Kennedy. One of Alpha Jeremiah’s warriors. Nice to meet you.”
Todd’s eyes light up. “No way! That’s awesome. We’re in training too.” He points to himself and then gestures vaguely behind him.
“When do you usually train?” I ask, curious.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.