The Change (Fated Series: book1)

Nessa

“It’s started,” Jonathan’s voice came through the connection. Nessa glanced at Joel, whose face visibly hardened at the words.

“You okay?” Nessa quickly asked, moving closer to Joel and speaking loud enough for her voice to carry through the speaker.

Joel shot her a warning glare to stay put as Marcus growled at her attempt to scout over to the Pack Law’s side. She quickly glanced at Marcus, hoping that he’d understand her silent message. This was not a time for jealousy or politics. Joel eased the tension that suddenly developed by quickly setting the phone on speaker.

“Jon, you’re on speaker with us and Blackwood.”

“Ness, it’s not that,” Jon’s voice was distant and strained. Nessa quickly caught on what he was reluctantly implying - he was not berserk, yet. Before she could ponder on his words more, Jon quickly reported. “There was an explosion in the Ayton’s Residence before dusk. I doubt anyone survived. We are searching for survivors but with the rain, it’s a recovery mission. The pendejo is clearing his way to the top.”

“How fitting for Alvarez!” Ricardo mumbled loud enough for Jon to hear.

“Who’s that?” Jon quickly caught the unfamiliar voice.

“A teen rogue-informant,” Joel responded casually, eyeing Marcus in a warning. Marcus huffed but stayed silent. “Jon, the Gearys will be next. I will send a word to them. We just found out Pablo is in bed with Alpha Nicolas from Blood Hounds. Iron Hearts’ Alpha Wynton is taken prisoner by them.”

“I’ll keep my eyes open. It figures he won’t want to get his hands dirty. We need to assist Alpha Wynton,” Jon’s voice carried over.

Nessa smiled at Jon’s careful choice of words. They were going on a rescue mission, but in the interest of keeping the Alpha’s dignity they would never refer to it as such. Alphas were proud, powerful and capable. They never needed help. Rescuing implied weakness and it was a blow to the authority and dignity that came with the title. But assistance? Now that was a word that could go a long way.

Assistance was always greatly appreciated.

“We’ll meet you on the way,” Joel suggested.

“I’ll stop by Geary’s then cut through his estate to the border and link with you.”

The connection cut off. Nessa looked at Joel who shook his head. There was no point of trying to force Jon to do small talk.

“Alpha Ned, we’d be leaving in an hour, if you wish to join us,” Joel offered, his eyes cautiously landing on Vanessa, who gave him a smile then looked at the molted green eyes of her Alpha mate.

“I need to do this,” Marcus explained shortly in a gentle voice that could have passed as a whisper.

Nessa nodded her head in agreement. She had always known this day would come when he would exact his revenge, but she had never thought it would be sanctioned by Pack Law. At least now she wouldn’t worry Marcus’ revenge and possible detention.

Alpha Nicolas was a dead Alpha-walking from the moment Ricardo revealed his role in Emma’s assassination. If Pablo wasn’t already dead by the time Jonathan was done with him, Nessa didn’t doubt Marcus would happily finish him off.

The soft kiss on her temple brought her attention onto Marcus.

“Just come home alive,” Nessa replied.

His green eyes sparkled with mischief just before his voice echoed in her head, “Or else what? You’ll spank me?”

“I can’t lose you. Be safe!” She replied through the mindlink, hoping her message would get through his thick skull. Marcus was not invincible, contrary to what he or Ricardo might believe.

A little caution went a long way!

“Always,” Marcus replied before he gave her a tight hug.

There was no turning back.

Joel Rifkin

Joel looked at Nessa as she fussed with Alpha Ned’s jacket, nervously tugging at it as they talked in hushed voices too low to detect even with enhanced werewolf hearing. Separation between mates was nerve-racking, and Joel could not blame her for wanting to preserve the connection for a while longer.

The mating bond was an interesting phenomenon, and a force to be reckoned with. The claim intensified the mating bond making it impossible not to complete. Once that happened, the mates shared a link, stronger than any pack mind link, even the family link did not spread over such distance. The only drawback to having such a personal communication channel was the pining over your mate should you exceed its range. It was nature’s failsafe, ensuring mated couples stayed together. There was a saying, eyes that don’t see each other forget each other. Mates were weakest apart and nature ensured the pull to reunite intensified the further they got and the longer they stayed away. of ensuring.

The longing which settled in one’s absence was said to be more devastating than physical pain.

While mated couples considered the mindlink distance when planning their work commutes, mateless wolves used it differently. Humans called it ‘follow your heart’, but shifters recognized the craving to find a soulmate as indication of a possible mating pull. How matings pairings were selected was anyone’s guess but the yearning for true understanding and love was universal force, aiming to collide two worlds, lives for the sake of creating another.

Many tried using the mating bond as a radar to locate their Fated. The intensified longing was interpreted as wrong direction, while the peaceful existence signified possible encounter. If you narrowed down the geographic location, then you had better chance for your happily forever after. But that took time and discipline that only few could master.

But even the longing was better than the absolute calmness. The lack of any anxiety and need to find a mate, no matter how far you ventured, meant one of two things - either your mate was still underage or dead. Unlike human society where “becoming of age” was associated with a specific number of years, for werewolves it was about reaching a milestone - a maturity level that unlocked the mating pull. It was celebrated by different packs at different age - sweet 16th, 18th and 21st birthdays but it held the same meaning.

That was why when Kathryn and Joel first met; he was surprised when biting rascal turned out to be his mate. Joel slid his right thumb across his left palm where he could still feel the indents of her teeth. She had unknowingly marked him. Their blood mixed and they were blood bound. As she was not of age at the time, the marking did not create the mating pull but only left a jagged scar and the sense of belonging. Until she marked him properly, the scar was his to treasure.

Joel’s own longing for his Kathryn resurfaced. What was she doing? Was she all right?

His fingers reached into his pocket and fished out his phone. He unlocked the screen and was greeted by a picture of Kathryn, cheerfully looking over her shoulder. Her off-shoulder top was letting his hungry eyes glaze over her perfect skin, while her skinny jeans left little to the imagination. Despite their estranged relationship, he knew she would always be a click away. So close, but yet so bloody far!

Why did he have to stay away?

The promise.

In a world where conspiracy and oath-breaking were common, he prided himself in being an honest guy. And as such, he was a werewolf of his word.

Oh, the sweet torture of missing her, especially in times like this, when he unwillingly witnessed an affectionate moment between mates. Nessa and Alpha Ned were drawn to each other, whispering their goodbyes, forgetting they could easily be overheard. Joel felt his face heating the moment his sensitive hearing caught some of their conversation. There was no doubt. Those two definitely belonged together!

Joel turned his back to the couple and walked towards the parked vehicles, trying to tune out their whisper as his own wolf paced demanding his own mate. Joel’s wolf wanted to claim his own mate and could have cared less about something as simple as honor and valor!

Vanessa was right.

What were a couple of years in the big scheme? They were mates, for Goddess Sake! They were destined to have a life-time together.

So why was he so adamant to postpone their happiness? Wasn’t the promise already hurting his relationship with Kathryn? Her sudden desire to push the boundaries, to date, to go out was the only way she could retaliate to his determination to follow up on his vow.

Then why was he so stuck on his promise?

Because he was proud.

What did pride get anyone in this screwed up world anyways?

Before he could change his mind, Joel quickly called Kat’s number. He needed to hear her voice, even if it was the familiar, “Hello. I can’t pick up right now, so leave me a message.”

The phone rang for a long while and just as Joel expected, her voice carried through, “Hello.”

As Joel waited for the damn beep to sound to record his message, his eyes trailed down to Frank who exited the pack house with a quick step, giving the Alpha Pair a disapproving glare, which was deemed as entertaining by Alpha Ned. Joel tried to hide his chuckle with a cough. It still struck him as ironic how much effort Frank put into recruiting Alpha Ned for Pack Interrogation over the years, and how effortlessly Nessa seemed to have captivated the bitter Alpha. On second thought, Alpha Ned was too love struck to even come close to his reputation of a short-tempered Alpha, Joel was used to dealing with.

“JOEL!” The yell made Joel look at his phone. “Talk to me, damn it!”

“Kathryn?” Joel eyed his phone in a surprise.

“Who did you expect? You called me,” her voice sounded sleepy and much less irritated now that they were talking.

She must have been on the line for longer than he thought. He smiled recognizing the concern in her yell to catch his attention. She did care! Was it too much of a leap to think she had feeing for him, too?

Reminding himself not to get distracted again, Joel stated, “I woke you up.”

“You did. Never mind. How are you?” Kat inquired, a yawn slipping passed her lips. Joel’s imagination immediately pictured the curvy lips and her pink tongue...

He shook his head, trying to chase his thoughts away. It was not the time, nor the place! His husky voice betrayed him.

“Good,” he cleared his throat before he spoke, “I just wanted to hear your voice. You okay?”

“Yeah, what time is it?” She asked and Joel heard more shuffling.

“1.45am,” he replied.

“Okay. What’s up at 1.45am, Joel?” Her sleepy voice asked. He heard more rustling. “Wait... is this a sexy phone call?” Her voice quickly sobered up. Joel chuckled.

“Am I not allowed to call you otherwise?” Joel inquired.

“At almost 2am?” Kat questioned and then proceeded to interrogate him further. “What are you doing up this late if you are not thinking about me?”

Joel chuckled, “Business. Pack Law never sleeps.”

“How could I forget?” Kat mumbled disapprovingly. Joel knew she blamed Pack Law just as much as him for the promise he made her. Couldn’t she see that Pack Law was the only thing keeping him sane and occupied so he wouldn’t forcefully mark and claim her? It was Joel who had made the vow, but Pack Law was the Institution which helped him keep it. It wasn't a secret - had he stayed near her, he would have broken his word years ago and fully claimed and mated her. She complained, “Don’t you find it ironic you get a weird satisfaction from catching bad guys but you don't pursue the hot she-wolf who just happen to be your very lonely mate!”

“Kat,” Joel warned her.

“Fine, be like that, proud and lonely,” Kat exclaimed and changed the topic. “What are you wearing?”

“I’m at work,” Joel responded off handedly.

“Got it, you are not fun to talk to at 2am. Snap a selfie, I wanna see you! Please?” Kat exclaimed. Joel’s attention caught the sudden nod Alpha Ned gave to Travis who quickly flanked Nessa as Alpha Ned got into the parked Escalade. His Beta quietly followed. Kat obviously took his silence as a sign that he was considering it, so she pressed.

“I’ll trade you – a selfie for a selfie!”

Oh, how much he wanted to see her!

But now was not the time.

Joel knew there were more important things to deal with at the moment and needed to end the conversation short or risk Alexander and Frank overhearing them.

“Kathryn,” Joel started.

“I will even go first,” Kathryn interrupted and hurriedly added, “I am not wearing much…”

“I’d love that, but I really have to go,” Joel reasoned with her. It was painful to deny her anything especially when his wolf was basically urging him to either do what she wanted or to run to her to properly show her how interested he truly was.

“Gee, Joel, I didn’t ask you for a naked picture for Goddess sake! Not that I will complain if you were to send me one,” Kat tried mock-yelling at him to get her way.

“Kat, I need to go. I will stop by your house the moment I wrap thing up here,” Joel found himself saying. The moment the words slip through his lips, he realized it was time to charge the dynamics between them.

“Yeah, knowing you it will be in three years,” Kat’s sarcasm came through.

“A couple of days. A week at most,” Joel replied shortly, giving her a specific time-frame. Knowing she was pouting because she didn’t get her way, didn’t lessen the affect her tone had on him. Damn it! The vow wasn’t helping them through the separation and Joel started to seriously consider breaking his word.

“You sure?” Her voice was cautiously optimistic.

“Yes, I’ll be there. You have my word,” Joel firmly told her.

“Great. But if you find an excuse not to come over, I swear I’ll be marching to wherever you are and embracing or not, I’ll snuggle you up. And I better not find any hussies drooling over you, or you might have a biting kid-Kat to deal with,” Kat warned him, making him chuckle at the reference of their first meeting, KitKats, his perception of her as a kid and her nickname Kat.

“You would do that?” Joel asked surprised at her persistence. Maybe she had grown up.

“Of course! If you stand me up, I will be more than elated to come and publicly embarrass you in front of all your important friends in Pack Law HQ, which I will have you know, is not that far from here! You could take me out on dates and still be home by midnight, Cinderella,” Kat teased.

“Deal but let us start with a date. Singular,” Joel agreed.

“Oh, my, my! Trying to wiggle out already. There’s nothing singular in dating, which we are not just starting. We have more, or at least should have been by now,” Kat praised him and scolded him at the same time. Her voice carried a little bit too condescending tone than what he would have liked.

“Kat, take the win. I’m yours,” Joel cautioned her as he got into the car with Alex, who chuckled behind the steering wheel. Joel gave him a cold glare, which made Alexander cringe. Maybe his wolf was a bit too prominent.

“Words, words, words, but yet no mark,” Kat casually teased, only to make him growl. Obviously, she was enjoyed points out her position in their mating. His wolf however was too irritated failing to distinguish between playful and serious Kathryn.

“Kathryn!” Joel warned her, suppressing the growl which started from deep within his chest. Maybe calling his mate before he went on a mission was not such a good idea. Joel felt anxious and worried and the upcoming mission had nothing to do with it.

“Chill! I was merely making a point. I know you’re busy, so next time, just take the damn selfie,” Kathryn explained her tone and as he sighed, she had the audacity to chuckle. Her laughter irked him but made his wolf relax almost immediately. “Call me when you have the chance. We need to work on your people’s skills.”

“Good night,” Joel replied.

“Stay safe, Joel,” Kat said and as silence settled and neither one hung up, she teased. “Take care, your Commandership!”

Joel chuckled, shaking his head at Kathryn’s immaturity.

Marcus

Irritated.

A singular word that perfectly described Marcus since their departure from Blackwood. Separation anxiety was a real thing between newly mated couples and it didn’t help his broody mood as the Escalade carried him further and further away. He could feel Vanessa’s raising distress over the diminishing mind link. No matter what he tried to occupy his mind with, the pull to turn and go back to her got stronger. Thankfully, Cameron was the one driving or Marcus would have made a U-turn and headed back shortly after they departed. The four hour drive through Lee’s pack lands was bearable, but as soon as they entered into Blood Hounds soil, Marcus’ concern spiked. It wasn’t the winding roads narrowing, nor the ravines gaping at their side, ready to swallow the vehicle without a trace. It was something different.

He was never nervous before a fight.

What changed?

Nessa!

Marcus quickly probed into Nessa’s mind only to find her mildly tensed. The bond was strong enough to carry through her feelings but not enough for him to mindlink with her.

“Miss me?” Marcus decided to text her instead.

“Alphalicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Marcus chuckled at the abuse of exclamation points. He could imagine her bouncing in their bed at the sight of his message. The excitement that immediately laced their mindlink served to plaster a big satisfied grin on his face. He reminded himself to text message her more often. Another message immediately followed.

“So lonely in bed. Separation sucks! You sure I can’t come, too?”

Marcus took a deep breath. Of course, she would ask him that again. He could almost see the pouting on her face and those eyes he could never resist. But he would not compromise her safety, even if it meant he would be on edge throughout this mission.

She had been very supportive of his mission to avenge his Fated, but it had been a true battle of wills when time came to leave. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her to be with him. Because only Goddess knew how much he really did! What she conveniently forgot to acknowledge was that this wasn’t a carefree stroll in the park. It was a mission. Vulnerability was a good way of getting you killed. And she was his weakness. Hell, she had barely shifted and did not have much training in wolf form. He could not risk her. He would not risk her. Even if that meant upsetting her. How she failed to see the truth about it continued to amaze him. She had tried to talk him into it. Oh, boy did she try to convince him, argued and even threatened him. What was that hard to get? He protected what was his.

He decided he would teach her to properly defend and attack in her beast form. Then she could accompany him anywhere. Wolves that trained together, fought more efficiently together, predicting each other’s moves.

“I need you out of harms way. Travis does not leave your side,” he texted then hit the send button.

Nesss didn’t like being told what to do. Marcus suspected the resentment towards such authority came from the early days of her rejection.

He would rather have her angry at his protectiveness than letting her get hurt. She had been so infuriated with staying behind that some of his demands for while he is away that she hadn’t worried about the separation anxiety.

He could still see her fidgeting against Travis’ hold as he tried to restrain her from chasing down the Escalade as they pulled out. Marcus had been equally distraught at the sight and had fought his wolf, who only wished to rip Travis’ head off.

It was remarkable how quickly the mating bond progressed. Mated couples needed some time to calm down from the mating frenzy before they realized they were mated to a stranger, who they needed to get to know.

It was impossible to fight nature. You simply had to HAVE your mate. At all costs. The mating pull made it hard to deny the need for your soul-mate and you were completely focused on completing the bond and accepting all that your mate was. It wasn’t till you were actually mated that you understood the significance of it all, the details of the past which carved character. That was when the real relationship begun.

Marking and Claiming a mate was a quick decision. Getting to know them, was definitely not as effortless. It took time and practice - day-in and day-out.

Nessa made everything so effortless. There were always more things he needed to say to her. He felt at ease with her. She was there for him and dissipated his anger with a joke or a tease taming his wolf one word at a time. He felt understood, appreciated for all that he was and not just because of his ranks

“He ain’t sleeping in the same room as me so no threesome happening,” her text was entertaining for both Marcus and his wolf. Only she could jump to such a conclusion.

“I only need you, and I need to know how are safe,” he texted back, willing those three dots to reveal the message she took forever to type.

“I understand, so relax! We’re cool. I love you, Marcus.”

“I love you more, Nessa Edwards!” Marcus typed, grinning at how his name suited her.

“Watch your hide and happy hunting!”

Damn it! Now that Nessa mentioned it, Marcus really needed to roam and to hunt. Any form of working out would alleviate some of the tension in his muscles, but it was never a good idea to roam unfamiliar territory, which already placed you at a disadvantage to someone familiar with the scenery. Before Nessa such cautious thought would have easily been overruled. But not now. He had someone to live for.

He smiled as he looked ahead at Rifkin’s vehicle speeding ahead. They have lost the element of a surprise as soon as they crossed into Blood hounds lands. By now Alpha Nicolas was informed of Pack Law’s impending arrival. From now on, they relied on speed.

Joel Rifkin

Joel’s eyes flickered from human to we’re as he scanned the Pack House for signs of life. The mansion stood dark and silent in the distance.

Where was everyone?

Border patrol should have assigned them hospitality team and taken them to Alpha Nicolas.

They encountered no resistance.

Not one living soul.

“Pull over,” Joel said and got off the car before it was even at full stop. He sniffed the air before the other shifters exited the vehicles. Joel needed one scent to lead him to the pack prison. That was where you’d hold and torture a neighboring Alpha.

Nothing.

Were they expecting them?

Joel pulled the map of the terrain and dispatched his unit, giving enough time for Alpha Ned and his wolves to join him.

“It’s too quiet,” Joel explained, pointing at the dirt road leading to the Pack House a few miles up the hill.

“I noticed,” Alpha Ned shortly agreed and then offered, “Pack Prison?”

“A platoon is up securing the Pack house, it’s deserted, another - to those were houses we passed on our way here. Joel relied the information then, tapped the projected Pack Prison on the map. Alex’s group had surrounded the Pack Prison,” Joel informed him of the progress so far. Alpha Ned nodded in agreement and then his nostrils flared. His eyes shifted and he visibly became agitated. “What?”

“Can you smell that?” Alpha Ned asked and then quickly shot a glance at his second in command, whose face fell still and then paled as he took a lungful trying to catch any scent that his Alpha was referring to.

“Lilies”, Beta Cameron mumbled and then his eyes started scanning down the area but no other explanation followed.

Joel kept on looking at them for answer but only silence answered him. So much for sharing information. Those two were concerned about something and actively mindlinking with each other. Joel opened his mind to his own mindlink.

Pack Law was all about rules and order. Chain of Command was practical in its simplicity. Joel could hardly mindlink simultaneously with every single person in his Battalion, but he could sustain a mindlink with his first and second in command. Jonathan and Alex formed the first and second Company of the Battalion. Each company was further divided into platoons, whose leaders linked with their superiors and of course Joel himself to give reports. It was an efficient system that provided information with little to no interferences. There was no confusion in orders or priorities once chain of command was involved.

“Let’s get this party started,” Alex mindlinked.

“Few miles out. Save me Nicolas.”, Jon requested.

“You can’t call dips when I am doing all the work,” Alex complained.

“Fine. But Pablo is mine!” Jon roared into the mindlink.

“Cover all exits,” Joel reminded them effectively stopped the bickering.

“It’s time,” Joel nodded to Frank and made his way to the front entrance of the Pack Prison. He was steadily walking towards the door, when Alpha Ned quietly asked:

“What’s the plan?”

“We knock,” Joel smugly replied and raised his hand to knock on the door. His knuckles touched the polished surface once…. Twice. Just as Alpha Ned raised his brows in a mock question the door slung open and an elderly shifter greeted them. One glance at Joel and the man immediately bowed his head and stepped out of the door.

“Good morning, Commander. To what do we owe the pleasure?” The man started.

Pack Law was powerful enough to demand attention and hospitality even when certain Alphas were anything but happy about their presence. respected enough to and could open any door.

“We would like to speak with Alpha Nicolas,” Joel continued as this was an ordinary visit.

“But of course, the Alpha is in the Pack House. I would gladly escort you there,” the man started and casually attempted to close the wooden doors behind him. Alpha Ned’s eye brows rose up, urging Joel to make a move. Then before the man could snap the door in place, Alpha Ned shoved past him and made his way in the Pack Prison, leaving both his pack Members and the poor guard stunned.

Damn Alphas, so impatient!

Joel passed by the confused guard, “We’ll start here with the annual Prison Safety Inspection.”

The guard quickly reached to stop them, only to be tackled down by Beta Cameron who was overly happy to spring into action. More guards started pouring through the hallways and joining the scuffle which quickly escalated as more wolves got involved.

It never ceased to amuse Joel how much packs prided themselves with their training and often called themselves Elite Fighters while all they could manage was an average brawl at best. Pack Law swiftly restrained them, even without using the silver bands and chains each of the Pack Law representative carried.

“Right. Shall we proceed?” Joel asked and quickly followed the dark corridor that led to a hallway of empty cells. Alpha Ned silently followed with his men.

Alpha Wynton

Alpha of the Ironhearts

His chest was burning.

Even with the accelerated healing of werewolves, Wynton knew he would not withstand this treatment much longer before he sustained a permanent brain damage due to hypoxia. The low oxygen level during the interrogation kept him weak and decreased his speedy recovery. The bruises took longer and longer to heal as the floating sensation increased its duration. Above all, he was beginning to tire. Soon he wouldn’t even have the strength to fight it off.

He was growing weaker.

Such a poor excuse for an Alpha!

Wynton mentally scolded himself for what seemed to be the twentieth time today. They needed him alive or why else keep him on the edge between consciousness and the darkness that promised a quiet last embrace. If they didn’t need him, then they had use of his body to stage the next step of whatever plan they had going. Wynton wished they had killed him days ago. Then he would not know the shame of being defenseless. A true disappointment to all Alphas of substance. He was caught and tortured. Resistance was a futile attempt at hold on to hope, a prayer to the Goddess.

They were going to break him. It was a simple matter of time. The optimist in him, however, held tightly to the comfort. He was not going to die… just yet.

They were meticulous – bringing him to the verge of drowning and then resuscitating him enough to feel his body and spirit weaken. How many times had he woken up by the wrap around his face and the dreaded liquid down his face!

Waterboarding was an effective tool of persuasion.

Wynton had to acknowledge their persistence, too. For the last week and a half, he had been subjected to different kinds of enhanced interrogation tactics. He soon discovered his strengths. Electrical current and good-old-fashioned beatings were easy to handle. Hell, he even preferred silver to the dreaded waterboarding.

He was certain, he would never again enjoy water skiing ever again! They might have even ruined the beach vacations for him for years to come! That was if, by some miracle, he lived through this ordeal.

“How about now?” Alpha Nicolas' voice brought him back to the present. Alpha Nicolas didn’t need to use many words. Being a man of few words himself, Wynton knew exactly what Nicolas wanted from him from the very beginning. Giving in to the demands or even acknowledging them as such was beneath him. Wynton had to compare himself with a donkey. He was dumb and stubborn to know better. To go with a flow… to give in and let go.

No, that wasn’t him.

He was a Fighter.

An Alpha.

And he would not bow down to a poor excuse of an Alpha such as Nicolas, even if that was his last stubborn act! Wynton was buying time, procrastinating the inevitable.

He knew it was pointless. They would eventually kill him once they figured out he wouldn’t comply. Nicolas would find another way to instigate the war that they wanted, even if Wynton was not part of their plan anymore.

“No?” Alpha Nicolas asked and then wrapped the stinky clot over Wynton’s face and began emptying the pitcher.

Instinct took over and Wynton’s body convulsed, desperately trying to fight off the water rushing into nose, filling his sinuses and then flowing down his throat. He prided himself on being able to hold his breath underwater for minutes at a time. That was definitely easier than this.

He had no control.

He was drowning.

“Alpha!” The voice of the newcomer carried through the dazzle surrounding Wynton. It kept him focused on the present. “Pack Law.”

“Escort them to the Pack House,” Alpha Nicolas commanded and then focused his eyes on Wynton. “Even they would not be able to help you so come to terms with the fact, I own you, pup.”

Wynton’s lungs expanded as soon as the wet rug came off his face. He violently started coughing up the water that has made its way into his lungs.

“You’re done,” Wynton managed to snarl before his roar echoed in the empty corridor. “IN HERE!”

One thing you could always rely on was Prisons never soundproofed on the inside. What was the point of torturing someone if his screams would not thunder and seed fear and desperation into those awaiting their turn?

Alpha Nicolas must have realized it, too, as he immediately tried to shove the rug into Wynton’s mouth. The footsteps that were nearing only proved that someone heard him. Friend or foe – Wynton was about to find out soon enough.

The door came crashing down as a man stumbled in and quickly scanned the room.

“What do we have here?” He taunted, moving in the room. “Waterboarding? You must be desperate!”

Wynton could feel the Alpha Power surging from the newcomer.

“You think I enjoy this? No, I am doing it for you!” Alpha Nicolas explained casually, assuming a less intimidated, friendlier pose. The newcomer only shifted his weight and crossed his arms.

“I am not your mate,” the man off handedly replied which seemed to have stunned Alpha Nicolas, too. The man continued with a bit of irritation in his voice now that he had to further elaborate on his statement. “You do things for your mate. You do deals with others. I am neither your mate, nor your friend, so this little charade here doesn’t work on me. Step away.”

“Think of Emma,” Alpha Nicolas cautioner and the pieces quickly made sense. The angry man in front of him was no other than Alpha Ned himself.

“All I ever did was think about her and this very moment,” Alpha Ned calmly said, remaining rooted in his place. “Only a slow and painful death could satisfy my vengeance.”

He casually walked to the table over which a torture instrument set lay.

“Would you rather have me disembowel you or flay you?” His voice was low and commanded attention.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, the pup will confess,” Alpha Nicolas explained.

Alpha Ned gripped the handle of a knife, shaking his head and skillfully flipped it in the air.

Once, catching it by its handle.

Twice, catching it by its tip and quickly throwing it at Alpha Nicolas who was too stunned to stop it as it hit him in the abdomen.

“Time’s up,” Alpha Ned grinned coyly and quickly threw the very same knives, used to torture Wynton at Alpha Nicolas, hitting their target with a dull thump as the metal cut into the flesh. Alpha Ned made his way to the still utterly surprised and stunned Alpha Nicolas.

“Your answer?”

“I had nothing to do with her death,” Alpha Nicolas started.

“Wrong answer,” Alpha Ned informed him as his hand snaked around the handle of one of the knives and pulled it across his abdomen. “I know exactly what you did!”

“Pack Law…” Alpha Nicolas mumbled in defense.

“…are here for Alpha Wynton. Your ass belongs to me!” Alpha Ned growled and then spat through his teeth, “Disemboweling or fraying?”

“Ned,” Nicolas tried to negotiate, only to gulp as Alpha Ned’s hand shifted and clawed at his already gaping wound.

The scream which followed would haunt Wynton for the rest of his life.

Jonathan

Jonathan was annoyed at the constant stream of images Alex purposefully projected to him. What started as a friendly competition quickly got out of hand thanks to their werewolf genes. They weren’t comparing the row number of kills but the ease and efficacy with which they took down enemies.

And so far Jonathan had not encountered anyone.

Not that he was expecting anyone so far off the Pack House. By now all available fighters would be making their way to oppose Pack Law and its descent into the Pack Prison. Scouts were more likely to remain in their position, but other than that, the enforcers would flood the cells and take on the invaders.

And Jonathan was still miles away.

His wolf detected their stench faster than Jonathan had the time to process the scent and put a name to it.

Pablo Alvarez and company.

The moment the name started spinning in his head, the final pieces of the puzzle came together. Pablo was retreating, leaving his “friend” to face the music. In his case, the music being Pack Law and the very unapologetic Alpha Ned.

Jonathan changed the direction and followed the trail that led off away from the Pack House.

Someone must have warned him.

The pure shock on Pablo’s face when he saw Jonathan’s wolf cutting off their escape route was priceless. Pablo Alvarez relied on his seniority to hold his ground against Jonathan’s rage the first time the two titans crushed heads, this time the balance was tipped to Jon’s advantage. And by his expression, they both knew it. Reluctantly even Pablo noticed the last decade had changed a lot of things. Thinking of Pablo as a senile prick brought a smirk on Jon’s face, which in wolf form was a rather grotesque sight.

There was no doubt; Jonathan wasn’t the hot-tempered teen he used to be. He was cautious, more cunning. And just as a proof, Jonathan reigned in his spite for the older wolf and shifted so they could communicate. Pablo followed suit.

Jonathan smirk grew bigger when he realized his own stature was currently intimidating and towering over the once frightening figure of Pablo Alvarez. Jonathan had lived through life that was supposed to have ended all those years ago with that fatal accident that had left his body and soul scarred, but not beaten. He had survived, only to learn family did not treat family in such a horrid way. He had even loved, as short as his mate had allowed it. He was rejected and in his books that meant he had nothing else to lose.

And that was what made him so dangerous.

“Tell the truth,” Jonathan roared at the pathetic excuse of a wolf in front of him.

“Pup, there are many truths. Mine, yours, theirs….” Pablo shrugged his shoulders trying to appear casual, unaffected, cool. He was trying too hard. Jon smiled as he noticed the older shifter was trying to hide his panic.

“You’re done,” Jon promised, rattling even more the old man’s act.

“You’re but a minor roadblock, pup,” Pablo said, making Jonathan growl at him.

“Yet big enough to derail your plans,” Jonathan smirked.

“Oh, but here is where you are wrong. Look around you. You are the only one standing in the way. Soon Fernando will be the seating Monarch and you will be nothing but a memory. Who would even follow you, the unwanted bastard?”

“Wishful thinking,” Jonathan taunted the older man. Pablo’s words only confirmed what Jonathan suspected in his heart. The power-surge he felt must have signified the change in his own rank, which could only mean that the last of the Aytons passed while Geary abdicated. After all he hadn’t expected Alvarez to risk everything without supporters or the influence to hold up the title for longer than twenty-four hours.

“Do you really think you can challenge me and miraculously come out of it alive?” Jonathan chuckled at the Alvarez’ insolence. “And then they say I am unstable. You’re clearly senile!”

“I am wise, something you would never live to be. Who would have thought a drunken night would result in such a grave mistake! Nobody expected you to live, much less to be a part of all this. Unbelievable!” Pablo commented, shaking his head in disbelieve.

“She was your mate!” Jon growled.

“And what good did that do us? Granted, sex was great, but that is not the foundation of a relationship. It’s the common goals that matter. You can always get a good lay, but never a partner,” Pablo commented, making Jon growl even louder at the insensitive comment.

“Partner in crime?”

“You see it as crime, I see it as opportunity!” Pablo sneered. “Your know-it-all aunt must have skipped that lesson. But then again, she’s as predictable as they get! So naive as a pup and now as an adult! I left you live and this is how you talk to me?”

“Jealous yet again for my side of the family, papi?” Jonathan smirked using his relationship to the man in front of him as an insult, and taunted him back. “Is that why you never told me about my family ties to Aunt Teresa and Frank? Were you scared what Frank would do to you if I ever talked?”

“You are insignificant to this. An annoying fly that keeps buzzing that I will gladly swat out of my way. Do you seriously think I did not account for this sordid family reunion? As fun as it was, it has to come to an end,” Pablo informed him coldly. “Monarch Jonathan Graves, the Alvarez family challenges you for the Throne!”

“Family? No cajones to challenge me alone?” Jon raised his eye brow, haunting his opponent.

“It’s called being practical. You should try it. It’s less stressful on your back. You would do well to think before you defend your title, pup, because we’d leave your bones to rot unburied. Suitable ending, eh? We’ll toast you, pup, on Fernando’s coronation!”

Pablo smirked and nodded as Fernando and the Alvarez family made their way to circle Jonathan.

“As a reigning Monarch Jonathan Graves, I accept the challenge issued by the Alvarez clan. May the Goddess have mercy on your souls,” Jonathan managed to say before the first attack came.

Jonathan’s fist arched striking the first wolf, square in the muzzle, throwing him out of range. He heard the fine facial bones of the wolf breaking underneath the force of his fist. Jonathan smiled wickedly. This was the moment he had lived for, the moment he had dreamed for. He was finally going to have the proper justice for his mother’s murder. He was going to lay down his first law or die trying as he was the Monarch, fueled with the boiling rage and bitterness left from the rejection.

Jonathan shifted as the second wolf crushed into his back, paws digging into his flesh. Jon recognized him as his half-sibling Jose, the younger of the Alvarez brothers. Jonathan buckled him off his back and snapped his jaws against the pup’s paw, injuring him and hopefully, if the pup was smart enough, taking him out of the fight. It didn’t sit well with Jon’s wolf to spare anyone after the challenge was issued. The fact, that Jon could injure him, hoping the pup would coward back and stay out of slight was irritating his wolf to no end, making each strike more vicious. More dangerous.

That was the only way one could survive this fight.

Before he could register the moment, Pablo’s jaws crushed into his flank and Jonathan snapped his attention at his prey. Snarling, Jonathan’s powerful jaws shut against the fur and flesh he could reach and bit down hard. Pablo loosened his grip as Jonathan’s own canines sunk into him then retreated and circled Jonathan’s back.

It was clear as day the coward was waiting for the younger Alvarez wolves to tire Jonathan down, before Pablo could bring him down. Some things never changed. The fool had brought these gullible wolves to the slaughter. Couldn’t they see that he was using them as bait?

Jonathan knew he had to make a statement and do it fast, before he ended up defending his title against even more pretenders. His fight was with Pablo and while Jonathan never cared about titles, Pablo had to pay on a very personal level. Jon needed the justice for his mom and what more fitting than serving it as the reigning Monarch.

Or he would die trying.

After all, he had nothing to lose.

Fighting dirty was below Jonathan’s honor, but that didn’t stop Alvarez clan to attack him simultaneously. Their pathetic attempt to tackle him down simultaneously offended Jon, and pissed off his Beast if that was even possible. Rage consumed every scale he had previously used and left him to become even more deadly than ever before. Jon was stronger than all of them combined but the silly pups kept on coming, asking for a visual demonstration of his might. Jon was confident that once he executed one, most would retreat and bow to him. The only question was who would that unlucky dog turn out to be? Jonathan was already contemplating the most effortless way to end one’s life as he was lying in wait for his next attacker.

As old fashioned as it was, snapping one’s neck proved to be effective, painless way to end one’s existence. It would serve as a visual aid for all of the gathered wolves he meant business. As the next attacker lunged at him, Jonathan’s training took over. In a blink of an eye he snapped the neck of poor bastard and threw his limp body to the side.

His message was clear: stay away or die.

He could not be blamed for their stupidity from this point on now, could he?

Nah, he was the highest authority. He was the Law, the Judge and the Executioner, the ultimate Alpha and he was blood thirsty.

Jonathan vaguely remembered the metallic taste of the blood filling his mouth as several wolves tried to take him down. Luckily for Jonathan they had not trained together and were constantly getting into each other’s way, diminishing the strength of their overall attack. Snarling, biting and clawing into bodies became Jon’s main purpose: fight or die. There was no middle way, no high road, no talking or reasoning.

Fight or die.

As simple as that.

And Jon was damn set on living through the day even if only to see Pablo’s death. Not long after, Jonathan found himself shaking his head violently, tearing the mangled limb off the body of his faceless victim.

Yelps, cries and pleas could not deter him from the task at hand - TOTAL and UTTER annihilation!

As he was no longer the staid teenage pup who was defending the honor of his mother and family!

No, he was a killing machine, trained to perfection.

Jonathan had never been cunning, but he had the agility that youth provided and the patience to eliminate anyone who dared to defy him. He meticulously went after his prey, as he was no longer a man.

He was a beast.

Marcus

Marcus made his way through the little clearing in the nearby woods. Battlefield was a better name for it with all the limbs scattered and the blood soaked ground. Jonathan had certainly not shied away from getting his paws and fangs dirty.

Marcus could still not forget the vague scent of Her perfume lingering around the compound. Was it his mind playing tricks on him or had he really seen her there? Was that even possible?

He was stressed. Anxious. Worried.

The way he left things with Vanessa did not sit right neither with him, nor with his wolf. But it had to be done - for her own safety! He could still hear the screams and the curses that his little mate threw at him as soon as he issued the Command. He felt the fury the moment his plan finally registered in her mind. Not only did he leave her with Travis as her shadow, but he had Commanded Travis to take her to the dungeon in Blackwood at dawn and keep her there until the mission was over.

True, it was not the luxury he wanted to provide for her, but the concern for her safety took priority over any insignificant discomfort the location could cause her. Nobody in their right mind would think the beloved Luna of the Blackwood’s Alpha would be in the lowest levels of the dungeon of all places. It was the smelliest and barest location and certainly the last place eventual attackers would search for her. And even if they did, Travis knew the sewers better than anyone else and he could easily get her out through one of the numerous exits… if need be.

She would be alive. And that was what mattered to him.

Oh, yeah, she would make him crawl and beg for her forgiveness, which he would gladly do, once this was all over.

“Are we sure Graves has all his nuts bolted down?” Cameron looked through the wreckage. Even some of the trees had not survived his fury. It was surprising to see how much damage a Royal Wolf could inflict and still be restless. “Hate to point out the obvious, but he might be berserk by the time we catch up with him. Then what?”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Marcus shot back through the mindlink. Capturing and securing a berserk wolf was hard as it meant using brute force to overpower him, chain him and then command him to shift back. But Jonathan was not the usual rogue. He was one of the successors of the Throne, if not the uncrowned Monarch himself! That by itself translated into tremendous power as the Monarch was the Alpha of all Alphas.

Add Pack Law training and you ended up with massacred field as this one.

Marcus only hoped Joel was right about the tranquilizer darts. Inducing a pharmaceutical comatose state was their best option to taking him down… alive.

Both Marcus and Joel knew, Vanessa would never forgive either one of them if they murdered her cousin. Their only hope was to sedate him quickly. Marcus only prayed to the Goddess the small arsenal they carried was enough to calm Jonathan down and allow him to shift back.

Just as they departed from the Escalade, Marcus’ senses were assaulted by the stench of blood.

Lots of it.

They cautiously followed the piles of naked bodies until the gruesome scene revealed itself. Jonathan, or what appeared to be his bloodied wolf, was going at a mangled corpse that appeared to be a male. The multiple gashes and the missing limbs were only the indication of the violence of the fight and the strength of his wolf.

“Jon, enough!” Joel shouted over to the wolf, who lifted up his blooded muzzle and snarled at the group. He was savoring the moment of the kill and they were interrupting. Any Alpha could take this as a Challenge. They could only hope that Jonathan’s wolf recognized them. The snarling intensified and his eyes darkened calculating, stalking. “Jonathan Graves, this is not you. Vanessa will be disappointed and will be first to swat your thick neck for being rude to your friends! She’s already pissed at us, we didn’t take her with us, don’t make us do something that she’ll steam us over for days!” Joel informed his friend.

The growl that erupted said it all. They might be friends, but nobody threatened the Monarch and lived to tell the tale. He lunged at Rifkin and in the same moment, Marcus fired his gun.

Whoever thought the tranquilizer darts enough to knock out a herd of elephants, were enough to take down a berserk wolf was surely next in Marcus’ hit list. It certainly did not help their case he was a Royal-blooded wolf. Jonathan was beyond pissed as he lunged into Joel, who barely had the chance to shift and block the attack.

Marcus had never seen so much fury and rage in one wolf. As the darts came flying, Jonathan’s movements slightly slowed down giving Joel the chance to defend himself. It was an uneven fight at best. Marcus knew jumping in a fight and trying to corner the berserk wolf was suicidal at best. Wolves that had not trained together for two to one attacks were bound to hamper each other’s attacks than to facilitate a take-down. As the darts in his gun finished, Marcus quickly snatched Joel’s gun and emptied it straight in Joel’s back, who felt limp on the ground, before Jonathan could strike him down. The angry Monarch focused on the group, before Marcus’ voice came hard and steady.

“Hail to His Royal Majesty! Bow to the Monarch!” Marcus commanded and then humbly applied as his group was still dealing with their initial shock.

“Blackwood swears allegiance to reigning Monarch Jonathan Graves. Long live the Monarch,” Marcus kneed on the ground, tilting his own neck in submission.

Cameron was shocked and the feeling was shared between everyone in the mindlink. Marcus could only pray Nessa did not catch up on the utter dread Cameron projected through the link, and decide to come up to check on them.

Cameron slowly followed Marcus’ example no knee defenseless in acceptance to the Monarch. The gesture repeated itself through Moonlight’s wolves as Alpha Lee did the same. and that his Beta will silently follow his example. Their example was quickly followed by the remaining Pack Law wolves on the field.

Marcus did not peel off his eyes from the ground as he heard the trot nearing him. For a moment, Marcus questioned himself for his resolution to submit. It was against his nature to accept someone as more powerful to him, to bow or to swear allegiance.

But he had to, if he ever wanted to see his Nessa again. His beautiful, feisty mate, who would have his hide if things here went south. And he had plans for their life together! It was finally time to settle down properly. No revenge. No obstacles. Just him and her.

“TAKE CARE OF HER,” the voice invaded his thoughts and Marcus acknowledged the Monarch’s command with a nod.

The Monarch could link with anyone in his domain and he was the Alpha of Alphas.

The pressure to submit to the authority subsided until it was completely lifted. Jonathan howled then dashed into the forest, leaving everyone frozen on their knees.

Joel Rifkin

“You shot me!” Joel growled at the pair of green eyes that came a little bit too close for Joel’s comfort. Ned slightly stood up and turned Joel onto his side.

“You’re welcome,” Ned smacked his back hard enough to produce a sharp intake of breath from Joel.

His already bruised lungs burned with each breath he was already taking. He didn’t need that smack! Damn, Alpha Ned and his theatrics! Joel growled in reply.

The insult was enough to clear his senses and focus on the present. The first thing his groggy mind registered was the sun was already setting. That only meant Joel could not account for the better part of the day.

What the hell had happened?

Memories slowly started to resurface from his sluggish mind.

Jon had gone berserk.

Damn it!

Before Joel could say anything, his senses decided to regretfully come back. His nose was insulted with the stench.

“Breathe through your mouth,” Ned’s voice instructed.

Joel groaned but followed his advice as his brain was still running dull, taking its own sweet time to process everything. He took a deep breath through his mouth, the much needed oxygen helping clear his mind. The red dots that were previously dancing in his peripheral vision took the shape of bodies and body parts that were all over the field. Joel almost wished he hadn’t seen the massacre.

There was nothing pretty or romantic about battles. Men died and when they did, blood stained the ground, making it sticky and attracting all kind of vermin. And then there was the reek of urine and feces. It was not uncommon for the agonizing bodies to empty their content as they shifted back to human.

“You shot me!” Joel repeated with disbelief.

“I said ‘you’re welcome’,” Ned repeated and helped him to sit against the tire of the Range Rover they came in. After handing him a canteen with water, Ned summarized, “It’s quite a handiwork!”

Joel drank from the canteen and then spit the stale water. It must have been hours since they found the battlefield as the water was warm and tasted stagnant.

“What happened to Jon?” Joel asked, dreading the answer. After all it was his best friend they were talking about.

“The Monarch decided the stench is not up to his Royal standards and split,” Ned started and then growled adding sarcastically. “What do you think happened? He left us to clean up his mess! It would take days if not weeks to properly identify the remains.” Ned laced his words with his anger.

“Pablo?”

“We found his hand or what was left of it. Your fingerprint expert says it’s a match and that it was severed while he was still alive. We can’t tell much more than that. He might be a mangled unrecognizable mess here on the field or he might have walked away. Only Jonathan knows and he didn’t exactly stick around to chat or help with the clean up!” Ned growled and then as his green eyes shifted to Joel he replied coldly. “You’re lucky he didn’t open you up like a tin can. I would have hated to have to explain to Ness how her cousin went berserk and disemboweled her friend in front of me!”

Jonathan would never do that to him.

Or would he? After all Joel was the only one who dared to talk back to the Monarch.

Joel moved his hand through his hair.

“Shit,” Joel cursed. “Frank?”

“He’s sulking because he missed the fight,” Ned informed him.

“What is your excuse then?” Joel asked and earned himself a growl from Ned. A full minute later, Ned focused his stormy green eyes on him.

“Nessa.”

“She all right?” Joel asked him and Ned nodded.

“She’s pissed,” Ned explained.

“Nessa projected her feelings for the Alpha via the mindlink,” Cameron snickered, pointing his head as he made his way towards them. Ned only snarled at his Beta and then ignored him. “She’s livid the Alpha locked her to keep her safe. I’m telling you, it’s quite entertaining. She has quite the imagination. No wonder her book is a bestseller.”

Ned growled in frustration but didn’t say anything.

“It’s nice to see you in one piece, Commander. I would hate to have to charm someone else for my Pack Law training. You managed to piss off the Monarch. I would only imagine it would have been worse if someone else had told him off. You should be thankful to Alpha Ned for thinking on his feet or you would be a pile of minced meat with fancy shreds of clothes, which by the way, I am tired of collecting. Let’s go home already!”

Cameron managed to whine in a manner un-suiting for any Beta.

Ned rolled his eyes and told Joel.

“Find him his damn mate already, so I will have my tough Beta back!”

“Thanks, Alpha!” Cameron winked at his Alpha and then looked at Joel as he was the most important person in his life. “So what do you say we do, boss?”

Joel chuckled at Cameron’s enthusiasm, shaking his head.

This was a new beginning. No other high ranking wolf had ever joined Pack Law for the sole purpose of finding their mate.

It was going to be interesting.