《The Alpha and the Mistake》


 Chapter 1: Prologue

    Chapter 1: Prologue


    When I was ten years old, a drunk driver crashed into my father''s car. They said it was so bad people


    had a hard time telling where the drunk''s car ended and my father''s began. Dad died instantly, so they


    say, and Mom devastated. For a while, I thought I might lose her too.


    Eventually, Mom got better, well sort of. She stopped starving herself and acting like a somewhat


    normal person. Notughing or smiling, Mom seemed more like a walking ghost. That is until she met


    Harry Ford. They met in Minnesota while Mom did extra training for her job and they started dating.


    Finally, she went back to Mom before Dad''s death. Only one little hitch about this whole boyfriend thing


    though. Harry wasn''t exactly human.


    When they got serious Harry revealed his secret to my mom. Somehow, he missed the fact that Mom


    sucks eggs at keeping secrets. Not even five minutes passed before she told me. Luckily for Harry, I


    can keep secrets. You see, Harry''s a werewolf. I know what you''re thinking ¡ª run this guy is totally


    crazy! That''s exactly what I told Mom, so she convinced Harry to do the whole change into a wolf in


    front of me.


    As cool as the whole shift thing was, I found it also disturbing. I mean, what is not disturbing about your


    mom''s boyfriend stripping down to his boxers in front of you? Oh, the icing on the whole cake?


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Apparently, he and Mom were destined to be. Mates, he said, and wanted us toe live with him in


    Minnesota.


    As cool as the whole shift thing was, I found it also disturbing. I mean, what is not disturbing about your


    mom''s boyfriend stripping down to his boxers in front of you? Oh, the icing on the whole cake?


    Apparently, he and Mom were destined to be. Mates, he said, and wanted us toe live with him in


    Minnesota.


    Now, Harry made Mom happy without a doubt so I figured I would overlook his canine inclination and


    didn''t balk at moving. Besides, I had nothing keeping me there in Chatham. After Dad died, I lost all my


    friends. The worst seemed to be over, and in all truth, what did I have to lose, right?


    As it turns out, I had a lot to lose, and the worst was far from over. This is the story of how my one


    simple n get out alive was torn to shreds and stomped into the ground.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    Dean (Ryder)


    School, I can''t believe I am going back to school. Again. I hated it the first time around. Frustrated, I ran


    a hand through my hair. Taking the ce of my younger brother, Dean, in this whole peace treaty


    sucked. It''s for the pack, I reminded myself. Also, for Aunt Helena, and everyone else suffering under


    my uncle''s cruel rule. I scowled and walked inside.


    "And it gets better," I mumbled when I saw how packed the office was. I nudged past two girls giggling


    in an annoying high pitch only fifteen-year-olds seem to have. I waited for my turn. The stench of


    sweat, fruity perfume, and musky cologne made my nose burn. Finally, I had the schedule, though my


    eyes were burning. It''s for the pack. Good alphas sacrificed for their pack. This would be my first.


    Outside the office, I breathed again. I looked at the schedule and groaned. English? I hated English.


    What was the point? I mean really? With another sigh, I waded through the halls, only to stop a second


    a cold day. Instinct kicked in, and I knew what it meant ¡ª my mate! Screw English ss, screw school,


    screw everything, I had to find her. I followed the scent like a starving cat you see in the cartoons.


    Something happened, and her scent changed to burntvender. It ended at a crowd of kids encircling


    my cousin Mike. Typical, some poor soul stuck at suffering his usual bullying. Mike was a mirror of


    Uncle Ryan. He often bragged about who and how he humiliated like it was a great aplishment.


    Someday I could show him exactly what I thought of his favorite hobby, but now I had to find my mate.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    "Of course, it was a mistake. Everything about you is a mistake," Mike said, catching my attention.


    "What''s going on?" I noticed he''s holding a human girl by the back of her neck. Her reddish-brown hair


    covered her face as she stood limply in his grip. Mike turned to face me with a grin, sending chills down


    my spine.


    "Hey, Dean!" Mike pulled the girl around with him and the world stopped.


    This girl my cousin jerked around like a rag doll, was my mate. The pull I felt intensified as our eyes


    met - hers a green, brown hazel. They held a willful gleam, betraying the passiveness in her posture. I


    could tell she wasn''t one to be beaten easily not that Mike wasn''t trying. My eyes drifted to where Mike


    held her. Skin red, no doubt she''d bruise from how tight he was squeezing her.


    Everything turned red, my hands and jaw clenched. God, I wanted to rip into him, tear his hands off of


    her. I''d promise her he''d never touch her again. My ire went cold, doused by a chilly realization. I


    couldn''t help her, not if I wanted to help Dad, my pack, and the people here. If I stepped in now and


    imed her as mine, neither Mike nor Uncle Ryan would ever let me in. I''d lose the chance to get the


    evidence Dad needed to prove my uncle was dangerous.


    Pain stabbed at my chest, squeezing my heart, as I watched Mike smirk that cruel, smug smirk of his.


    "I''m just making sure little Missy Mistake here doesn''t forget her ce. This is Dean, Missy; he''s a


    guest of my father. Why don''t you say hi?"


    The fist around my heart tightened as some of the light drained from her eyes and they dropped to the


    floor. "Wee, Sir."


    "No. That won''t do, get on your knees and say it."


    Was he out of his mind? What the hell? She looked at me then to Mike, disgust, and horror in her eyes.


    My mate shook her head and refused. Pride warmed me, but her defiance only pissed off Mike. He hit


    her hard in the stomach, knocking her to her knees. I jerked as if it''d been me he hit.


    "Don''t you dare ever tell me you won''t again."


    I stepped forward, almost charging him. How dare he treat her like that? I clenched my fist tight, forcing


    myself to stay in control.


    "Now apologize," Mike insisted.


    This time, without hesitation, she apologized and sour bile filled my mouth. Mikeughed, pushing her


    further to the floor. "See Dean, I know how to train humans, eh?" He waved for me to follow,ughing. I


    didn''t want to go but stay with my mate. I hesitated for a moment before following my cousin, hating


    myself. The only silver lining was that once I finished, I''d take my mate out of here and away from Mike.


    "So what''s with the pathetic human?" I had no trouble to sounding disgusted.


    A nasty sneer crossed my cousin''s lips as we walked along the hall. "Missy is the stepdaughter of our


    beta. He''s stupid enough to be crazy for his human mate. Can you believe it? What is worse than a


    human? If that wasn''t bad enough, he not only lets Missy lives with them, but she knows what we are.


    Dad freaked when he heard about it.


    He wanted to take her out, but the beta pulled the whole she''s now part of his family thus under his


    protection crap. Dad can''t touch her or he''ll lose the beta. I can though and I make sure she knows


    she''s nothing more than a disgrace to the beta, even if he doesn''t realize it. She''s nothing, but a dirty


    mistake."


    "What a loser." At this point, I didn''t know who I hated more ¡ª Uncle Ryan or Mike. I wanted to hurt


    them both, and show them the only mistake here was them. My wolf howled for their blood, but we''d


    have to wait. I took a deep breath and pretended to listen to Mike. I''d have to call Dadter. If Mike tried


    to hurt my mate again, I didn''t know what I would do. "See ya, man. I got to get to ss."


    Mike scoffed and sneered at me before making ament about a teacher''s pet. I found his attempts


    to goad me as pathetic as he was.


    English was as invigorating as I expected it would be. The sses following it didn''t impress me much


    either. In all fairness, I didn''t pay attention. By the time lunch came around, I headed outside with my


    sorry excuse for a meal and found a secluded corner. I took out my phone. "Hey Dad, it''s me. We have


    a problem."


    "Ryder? You haven''t been in ck Mountain territory for forty-eight hours. What''s wrong?" Worry


    strained Dad''s voice.


    "I found my mate. Dad. She''s human."


    "That''s all?" Disbelief colored his voice now.


    "I wish. She''s the beta''s stepdaughter and Mike beats on her."


    "Oh, I see."


    "Dad what am I going to do? I almost lost it today. If he hurts her again I don''t think I can keep up all thi


    ¡ª"


    "Calm down. I understand. It''s okay. Try to stay in control but Mike hurts her again, I wanted you to step


    in and tell him she''s yours. No matter the consequences. She is your mate." I smiled, rxing with


    relief. Not sure why I doubted it. Dad would have my back. "Now tell me about our future alpha? What


    is the girl like?"


    "I saw her for only a minute."


    "Then go find out instead of talking to your old man. I want to hear all about her when you do."


    "I''ll do that. Thanks. Talk to youter." I More rxed, I tried to eat this whatever they tried to pass as


    lunch, but I give up after a bite or two. I put my game face on and walked back inside.


    The rest of the day dragged. Mike was in half of my sses. To make matters worse, almost every


    damn girl in the school hit on me. It seemed like the more I tried to tell them I wasn''t interested the


    more they flirted with me.


    Grumpy, I walked to myst ss and found my mate''s scent again. I couldn''t believe my luck. She


    was there, sitting in myst ss. I watched her for a minute as she looked out the window. She looked


    better now, almost happy. I didn''t realize I moved until I took the seat next to hers. My mate looked over


    at me, surprise shown on her face and followed by fear.


    I gave her a friendly smile, hoping she''d realize I wasn''t Mike. I wouldn''t hurt her, but she straightened


    in her desk and stared at the tabletop. Dread filled me. My mate was afraid of me. Of course, I did


    nothing to stop Mike. I didn''t protect her. What kind of alpha was I going to be if I didn''t even protect my


    mate? It wasn''t toote. I could fix this, right? All I needed to do was show her I wasn''t Mike and with


    me, she''d be safe. Unfortunately, the teacher got in the middle and droned on.


    During the whole ss, my mate sat like she was waiting for someone to take a swing at her. Light


    bruises were already visible on her neck. I''d fix this. I''d show her who I really am. When ss finally


    ended, I opened my mouth to say hey or something. With surprising speed, my mate gathered her


    things and ran off into the crowded halls. After a minute of sitting there like a dumbass, I put away my


    stuff and followed her. Several people tried to talk to me, but I ignored them.


    I followed her scent through the hall and to the girl''s bathroom. Damn. I leaned against the wall and


    waited for her; and waited and waited. I check the time on my phone. She''d been in there almost a half


    hour. My mate must know I was waiting for her. Was she too afraid toe out? I shrugged and


    walked around the corner. I turned and listened.


    Five minutester, my mate came out. Peeking around the corner I watched her nce around then


    grin. My breath froze as I watched her whole face light up with that one smile. I''d do anything for her to


    smile at me like that. I followed her, keeping my distance, and trying to ignore the sensation I was a


    creepy stalker.


    She stopped at a locker, and I decided it was now time to make my move. I leaned against the locker


    next to hers, I gave her my best swoon-worthy smile. "Hey."


    My mate flinched, putting her hands into her hoodie pockets, and took a step back. She nced


    around and back to me. Her gaze was still suspicious and usatory. "Hey," she said back in a sharp


    snap. "At least, give me fair warning. Is Mike waiting around the corner or somewhere close? This must


    be your idea. He''s never been this patient."


    Surprised by her this is business, as usual, attitude I wasn''t sure how to answer. "No clue, haven''t seen


    him since the fifth period." On instinct, I reached out to take a piece of her hair between my fingers.


    She jerked away from me pulling out a small can of what I assumed was pepper spray and it probably


    had silver in it too.


    She pointed it at me and by the look on her face, she was ready to use it too. "Don''t touch me. I don''t


    care who you are. Today we''re done. I''ve tried to be good, keep my mouth shut and do what Mike says,


    but there is only so much a person can take. Even if they are some pathetic unwanted mistakes like


    me. So back off and stay away. Let me go home, and we''ll see what happens in round two tomorrow!"


    I detected no fearing off her. She meant every word. Before I could tell my mate I wasn''t like Mike


    she grabbed her backpack and ran. It triggered my instinct to chase but I forced myself to not move. I


    didn''t want to suffer silver burns, but also I didn''t want her to feel threatened. I growled with frustration


    as my mate left my sight. That didn''t go as nned.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    Panting, I rested my hands on my knees. They shook as the adrenaline left me. I was dead, so dead. I


    had threatened Mike''s guest and newest partner in crime. If Dean didn''t pummel me into the ground,


    Mike would be happy to do it for him. I swallowed and tried to control my breath. Breathing in through


    my nose and out through my mouth, I straightened.


    I put the silver spray back in my pocket and smooth my clothes. Today had been a bad day, but it was


    over. Plus, there was a sundae waiting for me at home. Almost tasting the frozen, chocty goodness,


    I smiled and continued home.


    "How did it go?" Harry asked as soon as I closed the front door.


    Now there was a loaded question. I dropped my backpack on the stairs and headed into the kitchen,


    plopping down at the table. "Sundae kind of day."


    Hope drained from Harry''s face. Poor guy, and delusional too, if he thought I wouldn''t have to deal with


    Mike''s crap today. With a sigh, Harry opened the freezer and handed me a huge sundae. "What


    happened?"


    I grinned, rubbing my hands together, taking a bite and savoring it before I answered my stepdad. "He


    wanted me to kneel in front of the new alpha kid, of all things. I refused as a knee-jerk reaction and


    paid for it."


    Harry''s eyes shed bright gold and his face twisted. The expression was an angry, wild thing, and I


    backed up off the stool, shocked and scared. "Sorry, like I said it was a knee-jerk thing."


    Harry ran a hand over his face, taking several deep breaths. "Don''t Brook. Don''t apologize for


    defending yourself."


    Oh, okay. He was mad for me, not at me. Sweet. "It''s cool." I shoveled in another spoonful of ice cream


    then groaned. "No, not cool Brain freeze." I rubbed my forehead, waiting for it to pass.


    Harry looked up at me. His eyes still were a warm gold, but his face didn''t have the Better to eat you


    with my dear expression. Finally, he broke andughed. "You are something else Brook." His


    expression turned serious once more. "Did Mike do anything else to you today?"


    "Nah." Though, I debated whether to mention how the new kid kept staring at me and stuff. Nope, not


    now. I didn''t want Harry to go all big bad wolf on me again.


    "Good, stay on your toes and keep your head down." Harry gave me a light pat on my shoulder. "I have


    to head back. The alpha is having a big dinner, your mom and I won''t get back tillte."


    "No problem. Have fun." I continued eating my sundae, and when finished, I soaked into a steamy, salt-


    filled bath. The hot water easing my aches and pains. Afterward, Iid out on my bed with music.


    Someone had knocked on the window a second before it slid up. Anna climbed inside with a grace and


    elegance I thought should be illegal. Though, that was how werewolves rolled. Anna tried to smooth


    down her frizzy, blonde hair as she sat down on the bed next to me.


    I took out my earbuds and sat up. "No invite?" I had expected her to be at that pack thing Harry


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    mentioned.


    "Nope, I told my parents I didn''t want to go. I''d prefer to study and not get another F in Social Studies


    again."


    I grinned. "And yet here you are with me."


    "Yep, aren''t you a lucky girl?"


    Anna was my only friend in the pack, and then we had to keep it secret. If Mike found out she and I


    spent time together it wouldn''t be pretty.


    "Did you see him?"


    "Him?"


    "The visiting alpha''s son, Dean."


    "Yeah, I saw him. So?"


    "Isn''t he just..." Anne made a grotesque drooling noise.


    "Ew. Okay, that''s disgusting." I gave her a little shove.


    "It''s the truth. If he was any hotter, we''d have a serious problem with girlsbusting in a mass of


    hormones!"


    I couldn''t help butugh with her. Eh, Why not? "Okay. I''ll admit his eyes are the most beautiful eyes


    I''ve ever seen." What harm was there in appreciating one fine specimen of the male species?


    Anna sighed andid back on my bed with a dreamy expression on her face. "Oh God yes! I almost


    died when he looked at me in English." She sighed again, but this time it was a more depressed sound.


    "I tried to talk to him but didn''t have much luck. He seemed kind of distracted."


    "Really?" I started to tell Anna what happened in ss but stopped. The humiliation of today was too


    raw. If I told Anna about what Dean did, it would make it harder to forget and ignore. "Could be he didn''t


    know how to talk to you?"


    Anna snorted, rolling her eyes. "Right. Whatever. I''m not Beth or Tracy."


    "That''s true. You''re better than they are," I replied and meant it. Beth was Mike''s sister and Tracy, her


    wing girl. They both pretty and high up the pack rank which made them spoiled little-entitled brats. Beth


    ruined her good looks by that permanent superior expression she had on her face all the time. Tracy


    looked and acted like a teen version of Crue de Vil.


    The next morning I tugged at my turtleneck as I walked into school. It was too hot for it, but I had


    nothing else. Makeup wasn''t enough. Worse yet, scrambling to find something made me leaveter


    than I had intended. The n had been to get to school early and avoid Mike and gang.


    With a nce down the hallway, I hurried to my locker. Spinning in thebination I stuffed the first


    half of the day''s books into my bag. I didn''t have much time before ss started. It''s not that I''m


    obsessed with being on time. If Mike ditched and caught me in the halls, he would spend the whole


    period bullying me. It had happened a few times and it took weeks for the bruises to fade.


    I mmed my locker closed and turned, almost running into Dean. How long had he stood behind me?


    Creepy much? With a cocky smirk, he started to say something. Next thing I knew stared at me, eyes


    wide, a red handprint on his cheek. My own stung from the p. In my defense, I im temporary


    insanity... and hormones. Yeah. That''s it. It wasn''t my fault at all. Now, if only I could convince him or


    Mike that. Yeah, as soon as I''m made prom queen.


    My sense of survival kicked in, I squeezed past him and ran to ss. Fear sent my heart racing. At


    least, I managed not to bete. Though I practically crashnded on my desk. It earned me a few odd


    looks from people, but I didn''t care. I had bigger problems. I was so dead. This time for real. If he told


    Mike I hit him, Mike would hurt me. I''m talking hospitalization hurt.


    My eyes blurred with tears as I kept my head lowered. This wasn''t fair! I tried to y by the rules. My


    stomach clenched. The teacher droned on, but all I didn''t listen to a word. I don''t know how I turned in


    my assignment.


    The whole day this sickly dread kept growing. By the time Science came around, I was ready to vomit. I


    had one idea that might save my hide. My fingers gripped the edges of my desk until they were white.


    As odd as it sounds, I could feel it when Dean took his seat next to me. I sent a silent prayer to the Big


    Guy. Please let this work.


    "I''m sorry for hitting you. I''m stupid I swear. No doubt Mike''s told you all about how stupid and pathetic I


    am. I promise I won''t ever do anything like that again. In fact, if you keep this between us I''ll do your


    homework for a month." Whatever his reply was, Mrs. Ferguson cut him off.


    As the ss went on, I was sure he''d refuse. So as soon as the bell rang, I jumped from my chair and


    rushed out of the ssroom. Images of a lion hunting a poor innocent gazelle shed through my mind


    as I ran. I dodged and swerved through the masses to get to my locker. Shock mmed into me when I


    saw Dean by my locker. How did he get there before me?


    When I tried to change direction, I slipped and fell, right on my butt. If that''s not bad enough, I slid, and


    I mean slid, right to Dean, stopping right at his feet.


    "Wow, that was... impressive." Dean''s voice smooth and dark and for some stupid reason reminded me


    chocte. "Are you okay?" He smiled, leaving me breathless, or I was out of breath from running.


    Dean held out a hand to help me up.


    If I hadn''t taken the five-yard slide to his feet, I''d be angry he''d think I was that stupid. No way would I


    let him grab me. I stood and dusted myself off. "What do you want?" I turned to open my locker,


    keeping him in my sight. A surprise attack always hurt worse than when I was expecting one. Also,


    something about Dean kept drawing my attention to him.


    "You didn''t let me answer your question."


    I looked over at him, frowning. "What?"


    "Well it wasn''t as much a question but a statement I guess." Dean shrugged, grinning like he knew


    something I didn''t. "You asked what you could do to keep me from telling Mike about this morning."


    Oh right. How did I forget about that? "Yeah, I''ll do your homework or whatever you want. I''m good at


    homework." I put away most of my books except my math. The witch gave us like twenty pages of work


    to do. So not fair, being a minor doesn''t mean we don''t have lives, thank you!


    "I don''t want you to do my homework."


    "Okay, so what do you want?"


    Dean leaned against the locker next to mine and grabbed a piece of my hair. He ran it through his


    finger and thumb. "How about ate lunch? I heard there are some pretty good ces around town."


    My stomach felt like it dropped to my feet while my heart tried to climb out of my chest through my


    throat. "Excuse me?"


    "You didn''t eat lunch today, and I can''t stand the stuff they serve here. So let''s go get something to eat,"


    Dean exined as he brushed my hair behind my left ear. His skin was hot against mine and another


    shiver ran down my back.


    My heart continued its escape attempt. Was Dean flirting with me? A silly giddy feeling flooded through


    me at the thought he might like me.. A millisecondter my brain functioned again. I''m Missy Mistake,


    and he''s Mike''s friend. I shoved his hand away from me. "How stupid do you think I am? Is this Mike''s


    idea or are you that much of a pig you believe you can use me? You know what? Go on, tell Mike. I


    don''t care if he beats me so bad he puts me in aa. Better that than deal with you, Douche."


    Snatching my backpack, I ran home, not stopping until home. At the door, I realized I was crying. I


    hated that it mattered Dean thought so little of me. My head fell back against the door and I closed my


    eyes, taking a few moments to calm myself down. Mom couldn''t see me like this.


    Once I was something close to normal, I walked into the house. "Hey Mom, Harry. Not hungry. I''ll be in


    my room."


    I sighed and fell on my bed. "F.M.L." Just one more year. One more. Earbuds in and music pouring into


    my ears, I broke into my secret chocte stash. This was afort food day. I closed my eyes and let


    the music help me forget everything.


    Rxed, my mood rise when my mother had let herself into my room. She jerked an earbud out of my


    ear, giving me the evil eye only moms knew how to do. "Did you hear me?" she demanded, and I shook


    my head. She gave me a chastising re and huffed. "I said you need to eat something, other than


    chocte. Your friend is here."


    The chocte soured on my stomach. No one except Anna came to see me. Mom would''ve said Anna


    if it was her. "A friend?" I tried hard to keep my voice cool and calm.


    My mother nodded with an mhm. "He''s handsome too." She gave me a sly grin.


    Again my stomach dropped. This time it went through my feet and through the floor tond in the


    kitchen below in a nasty ssh.


    "Come on, don''t keep him waiting. I don''t understand why you''re hiding your friends from me."


    This had to be a nightmare. How did Dean know where I live? When I came down, he was talking to


    Harry, all toofortable with himself. At least, my stepdad had the decency to appear worried. How is


    it possible I''ve met someone worse than Mike?

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    Dean (Ryder)


    "Hey, Dean," my mate said cheerfully when she came down from her room. "I totally didn''t expect you."


    Surprised by her change, I didn''t know what to say at first.


    "Um, yeah. I wanted to talk to you, but you left before I could."


    Her mother shook her head and smiled at me. "Typical Brook."


    Finally, my mate''s real name. I had asked around during the dinner yesterday, but no one knew it. They


    all called her Missy.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    "Always on the go," Brook''s mom continued. "Mike tells me all the time how she never seems to stay


    still."


    I stiffened at my cousin''s name. Was she for real?


    "Dean, is it?" Brook''s mom asked, but didn''t wait for an answer. "You are the alpha''s guest, right? How


    are you settling in? How did you meet Brook? Did Mike introduce you? He''s such a sweet boy, taking


    time out of his day to make sure Brook feels at home."


    Brook groaned with embarrassment, covering her face and I smiled. I decided to ignore the part about


    Mike and answer the only question I could. "Mike introduced us, and we have Science together."


    The beta and Brook looked at each other. The nce was ufortable and nervous. Clearly, her


    mom had no clue what was going on. Now the million-dor question was why? Why didn''t the beta


    protect my mate? Anger flood through me and my heart raced. The wolf wanted out and make him pay


    for his failure. I clenched my fists and tried to calm down. Couldn''t lose it now.


    "Nancy," the beta said. "Why don''t we let them talk about whatever it is they have to talk, and we go


    watch that show you''ve been talking about all week."


    "Yeah, we''ve got a project already in Science. Can you believe it? This early? It''s why he''s here."


    "You get everything ready," the beta insisted to his mate. "I''ll get us some popcorn and take care of


    these two." He ced one hand on Brook''s shoulder and another one on mine. His grip tightened on


    my arm. I had to bite my tongue to keep from pushing it off. As an alpha, his act of dominance rubbed


    me in all the wrong ways.


    It worsened when he pushed me into the kitchen. The only reason, I didn''t put him in his ce was for


    Brook. Once in the kitchen the Brook I was familiar with emerged.


    "This is against the rules. Tell him, Harry. He''s not supposed to be here."


    Rules? What is she talking about?


    The beta red at me. "Look, son..." He put a bag of popcorn in the microwave. "Mike and Brook


    agreed on this. He should''ve told you the rules when you joined in. No bruises on her face or where her


    mother can see them. You need to avoid broken bones or anything that would get her hospitalized.


    Also, none of you should bother her in our home."


    "Are you for real?"


    Brook crossed her arms over her chest as she continued to re at me. "Of course, I''m for real. Even if


    I''m a mistake, I''m still a person."


    "That''s not what I meant." I turned to her stepdad. "You let him beat on her as long as he follows the


    rules, so what? Her mother doesn''t find out?"


    The beta hesitated, ncing over at Brook. I took a step closer to him, my anger getting the better of


    me. Brook stepped between us and she pped me. Again. For a human, she hit kinda hard!


    Her eyes watered as she red at me and her hands shook. "Enough!"


    Instinct mored at me tofort her, tell her everything would be all right. Instead, I stood there and


    let her say what she needed to say.


    "Just Stop it," she said, half pleading, half growling at me. "I don''t know what you''re ying at, and I


    don''t care. Please, go away and leave my family and me alone!"


    Exactly like at school, Brook left before I could utter a word. It seemed I''d have to tie her to a chair for


    us to have an actual conversation.


    "Why won''t you leave her alone?" The beta red at me with yellowed eyes.


    He''s angry? Funny. I growled at him, letting my wolf shine through my eyes. "Why aren''t you protecting


    her? She''s your mate''s daughter and you''re letting it happen."


    "I have no choice. My alpha ordered me to not take any actions against his son. What do you care


    anyway? You''re set out to hurt her like the rest so do-"


    I had him against the wall, my face inches from his. "I would never hurt her! Don''t you ever use me


    of that again."


    The beta''s eyes widened with shock, followed by understanding andter hope. "Is she¡ª"


    I took a breath to calm myself and nodded, stepping back from him.


    The betaughed with his hands on his hips. "She''s your mate." His expression turned serious as he


    focused on me. "You can take Brook to Blue Crescent and away from Mike."


    My stomach twisted. I wanted to, God did I want to, but I couldn''t. Not while I pretended to be Dean.


    The other packs needed more than Mike bullying a human girl. I needed everything I could find. With


    shame, I nced at the floor. "I can''t. At least, not yet. My pack needs me here and ying nice with


    my uncle."


    Hope, or whatever it was, dimmed in his eyes. "I see. The peace treaty. That has toe first."


    Feeling judged I narrowed my eyes at him. "It''s in everyone''s best interest my uncle is no longer alpha


    of ck Mountain."


    The beta opened his mouth to speak when his mate called for him. "Whatever you''re up to, leave Brook


    out of it. She''s dealing with enough without adding a power-y between packs, and her mother. It''s


    not my choice, but Brook''s. I insist you respect that."


    "You can''t keep me from my mate."


    "If she doesn''t want to see you, mate or no, you won''t go near her," he snapped then sighed. "Try to


    reel it in a bit, kid. As you can understand, she doesn''t trust our kind much."


    I blew out a breath. Man. This would not be easy. I looked towards the ceiling and made a silent prayer.


    Well, here goes nothing.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    I couldn''t believe my eyes when I opened the door and saw him standing there. "Harry didn''t throw you


    out?" Traitor.


    "Why would he do that?" Azy, yet smug smirk spread across his lips.


    I did my best to ignore the way it made the butterflies in my stomach flutter. I leaned against the door,


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    barely holding in the sigh. "You''re not leaving, are you?"


    He shook his head side to side. "Nope."


    I left the door open as I sat on my bed cross-legged. Harry and I would talk about this. "I''d ask you why


    ¡ª why go through all this trouble? Yet, one of the first things I learned about your kind is you don''t


    make any sense."


    I expected him to get angry, but instead, his smirk turned into a smile. "Hey, there is a method to our


    chaos I have you know." He walked around the room. Dean paused at every picture, every decoration,


    every stuffed animal I still clung too. It was unnerving, almost as bad as if he had opened my


    underwear drawer and went through it.


    He stopped at a picture of Dad and me and picked it up. I stiffened. "Don''t you dare," I warned him.


    "Say what you want about me, but don''t you dare say anything about my dad." I didn''t care how much I


    would regret itter, but I wouldn''t let them talk crap about Dad.


    Dean set down the picture, looking sad and something like hurt. "I get you don''t believe me, but I''m not


    like Mike. I don''t enjoy making a stupid show of how badass I am by picking on those weaker than me.


    I only hang around Mike because I have to. In truth, I''d love nothing more than to break his stupid face,


    but that''d cause too much trouble for the people I care about."


    Oh? Something about Dean made me believe him. Crazy, right? "If what you''re saying is true then why


    are you here? If Mike found out you''ve been here, talking to me, he''d have kittens."


    Deanughed and shrugged. "Some things are worth the risk."


    I stared at him, debating if mental illness was possible among werewolves. There was no way Dean''s


    mental health was in good standing. "You are the most confusing person I''ve met, and that is saying a


    lot." I shook my head. "Whatever game you''re ying keep my mom out. Dad''s death broke her. Harry


    changed that, made her happy. I won''t have you ruining that."


    "What about you?" His smile soured into a frown. "She''d want you to be happy and safe? Do you think


    she''d be happy knowing what her happiness is costing you?"


    His words stung deep inside me. Guilt swirled in my stomach. I knew Mom wouldn''t like it, but what


    choice did I have. Besides, it was almost over. One more year and I''d be eighteen. I could go anywhere


    I wanted, away from werewolves and Mike. A little bit of patience and I would be free. "Exactly why I


    don''t tell her."


    I appreciated Dean''s whole side with the underdog thing. His concern was kind of sweet, but I didn''t


    need it. "This is none of your business. You''re here a week maybe two? Do what you have to do. Don''t


    worry about me or my life. It''s not your problem."


    "Yes, it is. You''re ¡ª " Dean frowned, ran a hand through his hair. "What about yourself, Brook?"


    Ugh, why couldn''t he let it go? "Okay, I tried to be nice, now I''ll be blunt. I''m not your friend or your


    good deed for the month. I do not need your help nor do I want your help. What I want is for you to


    leave. I do have homework and I''m tired."


    Frustration was obvious on his face. I cringed, waiting for the oing argument. Instead, he sighed,


    ran his hands through his hair before walking to the door. At the doorway, he turned. "What''s


    happening to you is wrong, Brook. I promise I will make this better for you."


    Dean left, and I stared at the empty doorway in horror. I would''ve been less scared if he told me he


    nned to dine on my liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti. Damn it. Figures, I''d run into the


    one werewolf with a heroplex. He would ruin everything. I had to stop him, I wasn''t sure how, but I


    couldn''t let Dean interfere.


    Not knowing what else to do, I started my homework. That''s rightdies and gentleman; Hell hath


    frozen over. I am doing homework but not because I have to but because I needed the distraction.


    What is the worlding to?


    ###


    The next morning I looked at the school and groaned. Even though I was runningte, I stood there. I


    didn''t want to deal with the Superman-wannabe. Despite allst night and this morning, I had no clue


    how to stop him from ruining my life. Then there was Mike. Ugh. I so didn''t want to deal with him either.


    Why didn''t Mom let me stay home? She was callous when I told her I was quite sick. In fact, only a


    negligent parent would send me to school. So what did Mom do? Sent me to school. She even went so


    far as to im if I felt bad I could go to the nurse.


    Right. The nurse. It should be illegal for them to even be called nurses. It didn''t matter if someone was


    vomiting their lungs out if a student didn''t have a fever the nurse couldn''t care less. She''d send them


    right back to ss.


    Again, I tried to tell Mom about the school nurses, but all I got was a paltry "you''ll bete." So I


    exined her moral duty to keep me home, saving the others from this super-contagious virus. Mom


    pushed me out the door, like an unwanted guest. I should go to child services; this has to be child


    abuse and unusual cruelty to a minor.


    The shrill nging of the school''s bell system told me what Mom repeated several times today ¡ª I was


    He gave me a clumsy sort of hug. "Missy! Hey ya, Missy."


    Mike all but yelled it in my ear, making me wince. Also, the boy stank of alcohol. My nose wrinkled. I


    tried to put some distance between us, but his arm wrapped around my shoulders like a snake around


    its lunch. "Where you''ve been, Missy? I didn''t see you at all yesterday."


    "Um, around." I tried to take a step towards school, but he refused to let me go. "We''rete."


    Mike snorted, giving me a disgusted re. "So? It''s not like it will matter if you get good grades or even


    graduate, Missy Mistake." Heughed, reminding me of those cartoon hyenas.


    "I care."


    Mike continued to cackle and snicker. I red at him, noticing he had a nasty ck eye. It piqued my


    curiosity, but I''d never ask. I knew it was none of my business. I tried again to go inside, but he stopped


    me again. "Mike, seriously!" I grimaced, realizing I used his name.


    Instead of hitting me, Mike dragged me away from the school. "Screw School! Come on, let''s go."


    For the first few clumsy steps, I tried to worm my way out from under his arm. I tried to tell him to let me


    go but he ignored me, as usual. Mike was too strong so I gave up until I realized he was heading to the


    woods.


    The woods was their yground. Fear mmed into me, and I dug my heels into the grass. "Wait.


    Mike, where are you going?"


    "Quit being such a whiny bitch," Mike said and pped me hard across the face.


    On the ground, white bursts flooded my vision as the metallic tang of blood filled my mouth. I touched


    my lip and winced. He busted my lip which was against the rules. How would I exin this to Mom?


    Mike scowled and grabbed my wrist. He jerked me to my feet so hard I thought he might pull my arm


    off. "Come on."


    I swallowed, fear welling in my gut as he forced me into the woods with him. This wasn''t typical Mike.


    Something was very wrong. I nced behind us, at school. A moment ago it seemed like hell, now the


    school was my salvation. A Salvation beyond my reach.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    Mike continued to pull me deeper into the woods. His iron grip and impatient tugs made my shoulder


    more than a little sore. Just when I contemted stop walking and let him drag me in true caveman


    style, Mike slowed and better yet let go of my wrist.


    Not sure what to do, I followed him to a clearing. I breathed softly, surprised by the view. It was the


    shore to arge pond. It was so scenic and peaceful I almost forgot how I got here and with whom.


    "Nice isn''t it." Mike sat against a huge rock.


    "Uh yeah, it is." I brushed my hair away from my face. It could also be romantic too, a voice in my head


    chirped. Oh God, anything but that!


    Mike, oblivious to my inner turmoil pulled out arge bottle from his jacket. I stood there, feeling


    awkward. He had done nothing like this before. Terrifying. Mike sniffed as he screwed off the cap with a


    sour expression and tosses the cap to the side once he got it off. "Wanna drink Missy? He waved the


    bottle at me.


    I nearly said something stupid like we''re not old enough to be drinking. Instead, I scrunched my nose


    and shook my head.


    Heughed, the sound echoing through the woods. "Man, you''re so straight and narrow. Don''t you ever


    have any fun?" Mike took arge swig from the bottle. "Damn it, Missy, sit the hell down!"


    I jumped, giving him a quick re and sat.


    "No, not over there stupid. Over here." He gave me a dark re, and I knew I had no choice, not if I


    didn''t want a punch to the gut or something. I balled my hands into fists, I walked over and sat next to


    him. He ruffled my hair like a small child or a pet. "Good girl."


    I swallowed and tried not to let his words or the way he treated me, affect me. Why wouldn''t Mom let


    me stay home today? Mike slung his arm over my shoulders and took another drink. The bottle was


    three-fourths empty, and I suspected he had downed the whole thing himself.


    "Tell me, Missy, what do you think of Dean?"


    I stiffened, my whole body on alert. Why was he asking me this? Oh God, had Dean said something to


    him? Or did Mike know he went to my house? Fear prickled through me, and I made a silent prayer. "D-


    dean?"


    Mike scowled at me, and I cringed, waiting for him to hit me. "Yeah Dean, don''t God damn pretend like


    you don''t know who I''m talking about."


    "Uhm Dean, I know of him. That''s it."


    Mike snorted, finding my answer funny. "Tell me, Missy. Do you think he''s hot? Does he make you go


    weak in the knees? Does he make you think dirty things?" He snickered as he brushed nose against


    my cheek. I pushed him away from me with disgust. Mike cackled with delight. "Oh, I bet he does,


    doesn''t he? I bet you''re quivering right now."


    I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to fight off the embarrassed blush which threatened to take


    over my cheeks.


    "Every damn girl says he''s some hot shit. Have you seen them, Missy? How they line up to drool over


    him?" He pulled me close with an iron grip causing me to wince. "Mrs. Mathers had to move him


    because some girl wouldn''t keep her hands off him." Mikeughed but his expression dark.


    I gave him another disgusted re, and he smirked at me, pleased by my reaction.


    "It''s true. I heard she..." Mike said then leaned over and whispered it into my ear, using the crudest,


    most vulgar vocabry I had ever heard before. Again I shoved him away, my face burning. Mike threw


    his head back andughed again as he saw my embarrassment. "Aww, sweet ole Missy. Did I offend


    your virgin ears?"


    I refused to say anything and kept my arms crossed over my chest.


    Mike grabbed my face and forced my eyes to meet his. "Or did you blush because it''s what you want to


    do to him?" A promise of violence in his eyes.


    "No! I don''t like him." My voice sounded braver than I was - scared out of my mind.


    Still holding my face in a bruising grip, Mike stared at me for a while as if he was trying to rip the truth


    from my very soul. "Good girl," he said after a long moment and released me.


    I rubbed my cheeks, hoping he didn''t leave bruises there too.


    "I''m so sick of that jerk." Mike hit the ground with his fist.


    Funny. Him calling someone a jerk.


    "All they say: Dean is so amazing! He''s so hot and such a nice guy and, oh those abs!" Mike''s lip


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    curled in disgust. "I''ve got better, see!" He lifted his shirt to show me.


    My attention was on anything but his stomach. God, awkward much? I really wanted to run right now.


    "I canceled my ns Monday so I could show him around like my dad wanted and guess what he did,


    Missy? He blew me off the first chance he got. I have barely seen the guy this whole time. Can you


    believe it?"


    I gave him a little shrug, my stomach knotting with nerves.


    Mike tossed the bottle against a tree, shattering it. "You''re so damn lucky!"


    I gave him the have you lost your freaking mind look.


    "Your life may be shitty at school, but you go home to the perfect little family. I bet Harry doesn''t get


    pissed when you go home bruised. No. I bet he coos over you like some precious little thing and gives


    you chocte to feel better because you''re such a good little girl. You''re not even his damn kid. When I


    didn''t keep track of good ole nice Deano, Dad gave me this?" Mike turned his face, so I saw the ck


    eye. "Dad doesn''t ept failure and kiss away his kids'' booboos."


    I wasn''t sure what to say. This was Mike,. The guy who''s been my nightmare for three years. I didn''t


    want to be sorry for him. "I''m sorry."


    Mikeughed, running his hand through his hair. "Man, Missy''s sorry for me. God, you''re so stupid. You


    should be sorry for yourself." He leaned over and kissed me on the cheek.


    I gasped and gawked at him. He didn''t just do that. Please, tell me he didn''t just do that? Where is the


    disinfectant, anyone? "W-What do you mean?"


    "Stupid, stupid Missy. You''d never survive in our world. Why else would Dad make me keep you


    separated from everyone?"


    I only stared at him. The alpha? "He has you keep everyone away from me?"


    Mike gave me a dark re. "Of course, he does, Stupid. "Dad doesn''t want you being someone''s mate


    and ruining things as your mom did."


    "My mom? She did nothing to anyone."


    "Didn''t she? Harry was Dad''s best friend and his most loyal wolf. Your mom stole his loyalty from Dad.


    Harry won''t do anything against her or will make her unhappy. So yeah, he doesn''t want you doing the


    same. So I keep you away from everyone and everyone away from you until Dad takes care of you in a


    way it won''te back on him."


    If I had any doubts about what he meant the crude gesture of his thumb across his throat, tongue


    hanging out of his mouth while his head fell to the side exined it pretty well.


    Mikeughed at my horrified expression. "You didn''t think he''d let you walk away did you? You''re a


    threat Missy, a human who knows about us and isn''t mated to one of our own. Don''t worry, though, it''s


    not only you. He will kill Harry and your mom too. Here''s the best part - Deano will take the fall."


    I stared at him as heughed, clearly pleased. "Why? We did nothing, Harry has done nothing against


    your father."


    Mike gave me a strange look, one I didn''t understand. "Dad can''t be second to anyone, for any reason,


    Missy."


    This wasn''t right or fair. Harry and I had done all we can to make sure he could stay with the pack. I let


    Mike beat me every day so Harry wouldn''t have to choose and this is how the alpha is repaying him?


    Mom was happy again and for what? For it to cost her life, and mine and Harry''s too. "No! He can''t do


    this. It''s murder!"


    Mike''sugh made me sick. I stood and ran. I refused to ept it. No one could be so cruel. I kept


    running, even as tears blinded me and branches tore at my face and arms. I had to get away - away


    from Mike, werewolves, and the whole insanity of this.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    I didn''t stop running until my lungs felt like they would implode. I dropped to my knees, panting heavily


    and waiting for the ck spots to disappear. It couldn''t be true. It couldn''t. I repeated it over and over


    and over in my head. Mike was just trying to scare me in his usual cruel way. I stared up into the


    cloudless sky through the trees. Yet I had a nagging suspicion it wasn''t.


    What Mike had said was so unlike all the other horrible things he usually tells me that it had to be true.


    It was so unfair, damn it. I let Mike beat on me, let him humiliate me, and for what? To see me and my


    family cut down because the alpha has ego issues? Bitter rage filled me. I wanted to do something, but


    what? I''m just a stupid human. Mike spent thest three years making sure I knew I never had a


    chance against them.


    I stood, dusting off my dirty jeans, not sure what to do or where to go. I didn''t want to go home. If I went


    there, it''d all be real. Call me delusional, but I wasn''t ready for real yet. Of course, considering I''m


    lost somewhere in the woods, getting anywhere might be a challenge. I pulled out my phone and


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    sighed - no signal, great. I looked at the sky, trying to judge where I was on the location of the sun.


    It always rose in the west and set in the east right...or was it the other way around. Man, I couldn''t


    remember. I was so screwed! The moss! I thought with a re of hope. I heard moss only grows on the


    northeast side of the tree. I leaned over to examine the nearest tree -it had no moss on it, of course.


    After a quick but unsessful search for a mossy tree, any mossy tree would do, I gave up. I spun a


    slow circle, hoping for some kind of indication of where town was.


    Why couldn''t naturee proper signalization? How do people find their way around in here? I mean


    "Deep dark forest. Can''t be that hard. Welle on feet," I said, paraphrasing a line from one of my


    favorite movies and picked a direction with the hope it led anywhere but deeper into the woods. I mean


    what choice did I have anyway? It wasn''t like anyone woulde looking for me here.


    The sun had nearly set by the time I finally made it back to town. I would have jumped for joy if my legs


    didn''t hurt so much. My legs were doing all they could to keep me standing - jumping waspletely


    out of the question. Why would people walk for fun? I took out my phone again with the idea to tell


    Mom and Harry I was okay. Only, my phone was dead. I sighed and wondered if this day could get any


    worse. Fearing I was tempting my fate, I nced upwards once more. "I didn''t mean it. Seriously, no


    need to make it worse to prove me wrong."


    I shuffled to a small park, I sat on the swing set. My feet throbbing from the walking. Man, it felt so good


    to sit down. My shoulders slumped as my situation became real. The alpha wanted to kill my family and


    me. Would Harry believe me if I told him? Mike said he and the alpha used to be friends. What would I


    do if he didn''t? Would Mome with me if I told her everything? How mad would she be when she


    found out?


    I pushed off and started to swing, letting the back and forth motion rx me. Someone called my


    name, my real name. I nced up and saw Dean. He jogged over to me, and I slowed. "Hey, Dean."


    "Hey. What happened to your face? Are you alright?"


    I couldn''t help it Iughed. I was as far from alright as possible. "The same thing that always happens."


    "Brook, where have you been? Your parents are going crazy. No one had any idea where you were."


    My throat tightened, and the words refused toe out. "I''m not sure exactly where I''ve been. I have


    been around, though, and technically, Harry isn''t my parent."


    "What''s wrong ? You''re acting kind of strange."


    Irritation came from nowhere suddenly, and before I could stop myself, I snapped at him. "Where in our


    like thirty minutes of conversation did you get the idea you know me enough to judge my actions,


    Deano."


    "Deano? Only Mike calls me that. Is that what this is about Did he do something to you? You''ve been


    with him I can smell his scent all over you."


    "I can smell his scent all over you," I mimicked. "That''s kind of creepy. Why would I deny anything,


    anyway? Yeah, Mike and I had a chat. Nothing out of the ordinary." Except, Mike told me I''m a dead


    teen walking.


    "Did he hurt you?" Dean''s words slow and his voice dropped to a deep rumble.


    "You mean more than usual?" I shrugged. "No, not really." Did it even matter? I wasn''t so sure anything


    mattered anymore.


    "Brook, let me help you," Dean pleaded, actually giving me puppy dog eyes.


    "You can''t. Just leave me alone, okay." It was sweet, but there was nothing Dean could do to help me.


    In fact, it was best if he stayed away from me. The more he was around me, the easier Mike''s dad


    could pin my murder on him. God, my murder.


    "I can''t do that."


    "Dean, you''re sweet. I''m sure you''re alpha is very proud of you, but trust me. You can''t help."


    "You might be surprised."


    "Yeah, that''s what I''m afraid of. Surprises usually are bad for me. Leave okay. I''m beyond help, and no


    one can save me."


    "Is that what Mike told you?" Dean demanded and any reply I had died on my lips at the expression on


    his face. His features twisted with rage, making him look like some wild thing. His eyes turned an icy


    blue, and they seemed to be glowing. His nose red like an animal scenting the air. I took in a sharp


    breath, instinctive fear prickling the back of my neck in warning.


    He suddenly jerked back, covering his face with his hand. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to scare you." When


    his hand fell from his face, his eyes were normal. Must be a werewolf thing. Harry did the same after


    the first day of school.


    "It''s cool. I''m kind of jumpy."


    "No it''s not cool, and you shouldn''t be jumpy. Please, Brook. Let me help you."


    "Dean, you can''t. Really. You can''t go against or stop an alpha."


    "What? Why would I need to go against or stop an alpha?"


    Geez, this guy was harder to get rid of than a cold. "It doesn''t matter. My problems, not yours."


    Pure frustration crossed his face, and he sighed. "I could possibly take on an alpha if I needed too."


    Iughed a bitter, humorlessugh. I was ignorant, but not that ignorant. "Please, even I know only


    another alpha can stand up to an alpha. Remember, you can''t go against Mike. It would cause you too


    much trouble. Imagine the trouble you''d be in going head to head with his dad."


    "For the right reason, I would go against Mike or his dad."


    "Will you stop. You''re going to get yourself hurt."


    Dean''s eyes started to do that glow thing again. "There are things you don''t know about me."


    "Yeah, you''re right, I don''t. Give it up this silly idea of being a hero to the sad little human, Dean."


    "I''m not Dean," he snapped.


    Okay. I wasn''t expecting that answer. "What?"


    "I am not Dean. Dean is my brother. My name is Ryder Williams, future alpha of the Blue Crescent


    pack."


    My jaw dropped as I stared at him in horror. A future alpha? Oh God, this was bad. Man, I should''ve


    never wondered if this day could get worse. I tempted Fate, and she answered. Maybe I deserved to be


    called Missy Mistake after all.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    "Oh," was my brilliant response. I had to fix this. I had one alpha who wanted me dead. I didn''t need


    another. I tried to remember everything Harry told me about alphas, I lowered my gaze, sinking in on


    myself to seem smaller and less threatening. "I''m sorry...I didn''t mean..." Dean or better said Ryder,


    suddenly knelt in front of me. I flinched as he took my face in his hands and forced me to look at him,


    face to face.


    His touch was gentle, and my skin warmed where he touched me. "Brook, don''t. I told you I''m not Mike.


    I don''t want...I don''t need anyone to bow to me, especially not you."


    Especially me? Why did he say that? My breath caught as he leaned in towards me. He wasn''t going


    to...was he? His lips brushed against mine gently as if hesitating before he pressing them more firmly in


    a definite kiss. My eyes closed by their own will and I had no idea what to do. Yes, I''ll admit it. I am


    seventeen, and the closest thing I''vee to kissing a boy is when I was nine. Gerald, a stick of a boy,


    gave me a slobbery peck on my lips behind the dumpster at school.


    I kissed him back, praying I was doing it right. My heart turned up to hummingbird speed when he


    pulled my swing towards him, so he was kneeling between my legs. Okay, this blew Gerald''s kiss out of


    the water. When the kiss ended, and Ryder leaned back, A hot flush bloomed in my face. "Why did you


    do that?"


    "Because I''ve wanted to do too since I met you."


    I went tomato red. That''s right just call me Brook ''Beefsteak'' Grigsby. My stomach clenched on itself


    and sending a jolt of shock from the top of my head all the way to my toes. I swallowed and unsure of


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    what to say. I am proud to say I didn''t stupidly ask him why he''d want to kiss me. Actually, the only thing


    I could think of to say was a change of subject. "So, uh, why are you pretending to be your brother?"


    Ryder grinned at me as he sat on the swing next to mine. He pulled the seat of my swing to the side, so


    we were still facing each other. Was this real? I am starting to wonder if I didn''t pass out in the woods


    and this was all some dream.


    "My uncle suggested our packs do an exchange as a show of faith in that sad excuse of a peace


    agreement, he and Dad made. My brother would live with them and my cousin, Beth, would live with


    us. Something didn''t seem right, so I told my dad I''d go in his ce. My uncle never saw my brother or


    me before. I came here to find something, anything to prove my uncle was up to no good."


    I wondered if what Mike told me about his dad nning to put the me of my murder on him would be


    considered no good. Seeing what I knew of werewolves probably not.


    "Me finding you was an awesome surprise," Ryder said, breaking me out of my thoughts. He had a


    strange expression on his face when he said it too.


    Confusion and stomach butterflies made me feel almost nauseous. "What do you mean? I''m no one." I


    tried to appear cool instead of like I''m going to toss my cookies at any moment.


    Ryder grinned again, pulling my swing closer to his. "You''re not no one. Brook, there is something else


    I need to tell you. You''re..." His phone loudly came to life. After a moment of hesitation, he sighed and


    pulled out the phone. "It''s your dad - I mean Harry."


    My stomach dropped. How could I have forgotten about Mom and Harry? Ryder answered the phone,


    silent for a moment. "Yeah, I found her...no...I don''t know she wouldn''t tell me. No, she seems alright


    for the most part...I think so. She said they had a chat,."


    I gave him an irritated look. I didn''t like being talked about as if I wasn''t there. Ryder hooked his leg


    around mine, keeping our swings close as he set his hand on mine. "Alright. We''ll be right there." He


    hung up and put the phone back in his pocket. "I have strict orders you are toe straight home with


    no dilly-dallying. Harry''s words, not mine. What happened Brook? They''re going to want an


    exnation."


    My throat tightened, and I had to bite my lip hard, the pain stopping me from doing something stupid


    like crying. "Mike," I said, not sure why I wanted to tell him. Why a part of me hoped might be able to


    help me. "He said his dad is nning on killing my family and me. He''s mad Mom is more important to


    Harry than him."


    "Not going to happen," Ryder said, sounding so sure of himself. "I promise you, Brook, he won''t hurt


    you or your family."


    I didn''t think he could stop the alpha, but something inside me rxed at his words.


    "Come on, let''s get you home." Ryder unhooked his leg with mine and stood.


    "You''re right. The alpha won''t kill me. Mom will do it for him."

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    Mike


    I looked at the sunlight filtering through the tree limbs. The numbness brought on by the Jack Daniels


    left me. Now I was stiff and had a damp ass. Damn, why didn''t I notice the ground was wet when I sat


    down? Oh. Right. I was half drunk. Standing, I stretched all the kinks out. I wondered if Missy ever got


    out of the woods.


    I meant to tell her the way she needed to go, but the look of pure horrified shock on her face was


    hrious! Did she think Dad would let her just walk away?


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    When I reached the school parking lot, it was empty. Good, the school was out. I was totally over


    school. It''s nothing but a waste of time if you ask me. As I pulled out of the lot and drove home, I


    actually obeyed the speed limits. Unfortunately, even driving so slow the drive only took ten minutes.


    Tammy, my sister''s friend, parked in front of my house. Maybe my day was looking up!


    "Hey girl, what''s up?" Some ytime sounded nice about now.


    "Oh hi, Mike. Hey, is Dean home? He said he''d tutor me in math."


    "I bet he did." Her flush or her biting her lower lip told me what kind of tutoring she was talking about.


    My fist clenched around my keys. I took a calming breath and grinned at her. "He''s not here, though,


    but I can tutor you in anything you need."


    "You are such a pig, Mike." The disgust on her face.


    A pig? What did I say? "Yeah? That''s not what you saidst time."


    Tammy rolled her eyes at me. "Whatever, Mike. Dean is a gentleman so why would I waste my time on


    you?"


    She was begging to get pped. I started to bring up my fist but remembered Dad didn''t want me


    hitting her. Her dad was in good with him, so I had to y nice.


    "Yeah well, as I said you deaf bitch, he''s not here so get your skank ass out of here." I grinned at the


    sh of hurt on her face. Good. When Tammyes crawling back to me, I am so going to make sure


    she''s sorry. Damn Dean. God, I hated his stupid ass. I couldn''t wait until Dad finished pretending to be


    friends with his pack. I was going to have so much fun smashing his pretty-boy face into the ground.


    "Thank you for getting rid of that girl. I can''t stand her. She is like a parasite," Mom said, wiping her


    hands on a dishtowel and kissed me on the top of my head, making the anger vanish.


    Mom was the only one who managed to calm me down when I''m angry. Usually, the only thing that


    made my anger go away is beating the crap out of someone, usually Missy. She was good like that.


    "No problem, Mom. She really is a parasite, came here looking for Dean hoping he''d let her blow him." I


    grunted as she smacked me on the back of the head.


    "Language, Mister. I don''t care if what you say about her is true, it''s not the way to speak. You may talk


    like that with your friends, but when you''re around me, I want none of it."


    Rubbing the back of my head, I begrudgingly gave her an apology. I slung my arm around her waist


    and gave her a hug. She flinched, and the anger trickled back through me. Dad hit her again. "How


    bad?" She''d never let me see the bruises. Always the torso Dad likes to say. Below the chest and


    above the hips. That way bruises are easily hidden by the clothing.


    Mom smiled at me. How could she smile like that? It is something I never understood about my mom,


    and Missy, for that matter. How did they manage to smile and pretend like nothing was wrong?


    "I''m fine sweetheart. It''s not too bad. Your father just couldn''t help himself. He''s under so much stress


    I scowled, but I knew arguing with her would get me nowhere. "Fine. I''m going to my room."


    "Okay, make sure you clean up for Dinner," she told me with a kiss on my forehead before returning to


    the kitchen to do whatever it is moms do there.


    I closed the door and sat on the bed, leaning against the wall. My anger returned as I thought of


    Tammy, Dean, my dad. I hated them all and wanted them dead. With a smile, I closed my eyes


    imagining what it would be like to have their blood on my hands. I wanted to do it. I wanted to see the


    life drain out of their eyes. I opened my eyes and in a slightly better mood. I nced out of my window


    and let a small smile cross my face as I saw Missy.


    She made it out after all. That''s my girl. I knew she''d do it. Nothing keeps her down. I scooted off my


    bed to watch her swing on a swing set like she was six or something. It made me smile even more. I


    know my dad says she is human trash and should''ve never been born but I always kind of liked her.


    She''s a lot stronger than he thinks. No big surprise there, Dad is a fucking idiot half the time.


    Missy always gets up no matter how hard I hit her or what I say to her. It''s nice knowing no matter how


    angry I am she''ll always be there to take the hits to make me feel better. Also, I think we have a lot in


    the truth was I wanted to tell her about Dad. I don''t want him to kill her. I need her. If she''s gone, who


    will take my anger? I can''t risk taking it out on my mom as he does.


    No, I needed Missy just as much as she needed me and she needed me. Missy is like the yin to my


    yang or crap like that. Without me, she''s no one, but some stupid unimportant human. We were meant


    for each other. We weren''t mates or any of that stupid shit. Who really needed a mate, anyway? This


    was more than that. She needed to be there to take my anger. Only she can do it.


    My eyes narrowed as I saw Dean freaking Williams walk up to her. What was he doing there? Anger


    turned in the pit of my stomach as he started talking to her. What did Dean have to talk about with


    Missy? Didn''t I make it clear, no one goes near Missy but me! The more I watched, the angrier I got. He


    kept getting closer and closer to her as he held the chain of her swing. Go away Dean, I swore silently


    at him.


    A growl resonated through my throat when he held her face. I was going to break his hand. To make


    matters worse, I watched Dean kiss her. He actually kissed her! My lips curled into a snarl, I felt the


    nails of my hands grow into ws. She blushed, smiling at him. He was taking her from me. "No!" Dean


    could have Tammy or any girl he wanted. Anyone but Missy.


    I gripped the windowsill, not caring I had splintered the wood. I watched them. "Enjoy it Deano,


    because it''s not going tost long. You are a dead man. I am going to kill you, I don''t give a fuck what


    Dad ns are. You are dead."

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    Dressed in my traditional hoodie and jeans, I groggily walked down the stairs towards the wonderful


    smellsing out of the kitchen. My legs and feet were still sore from my little trip through the woods,


    but the cuts the branches gave me had stopped stinging. I heard Mom rummaging around the kitchen,


    and I hesitated. She was really madst night, like the maddest I''d ever seen her type of mad.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    I told her I ditched school with a couple of friends because I wasn''t feeling well and all we did was hang


    out by the river. So she grounded me for about eighty years after the nearly two-hour lecture about my


    future and how the choices I made today will form who I shall be.


    I will admit, but in Mom''s hearing range, after the first half-hour, I did kind of stop listening to her.


    Instead, I did the standard: yes mom, I''m sorry mom, I won''t do it again. With careful repetition of those


    little beauties and listening for keywords, she never noticed I wasn''t listening.


    My stomach grumbled as I entered the kitchen carefully.


    "Morning. Breakfast is on the table," Mom said. Her terse voice told me she was indeed still mad at me.


    I cringed. "I''m sorry, Mom. I really am. I swear I never meant to make you worry."


    She turned to face me, her lips pressed so tightly together, they were a good shade paler. "I know you


    didn''t, Brook, but that''s not the problem here. The problem is something''s going on, and you''re not


    talking to me."


    The urge to tell her everything and I mean everything started to press against me. I even opened my


    mouth to say it but memories of those days after Dad died rushed to the forefront. With that, I closed


    my mouth and shook my head. "It''s nothing mom. Everything is cool."


    Mom sighed, her shoulders slumped, and she shook her head at me. "Baby girl, I have been your


    mother too long for not to notice something has been bothering you and has been for a long time. I


    can''t help you if you don''t let me in."


    Guilt swelled in me, and I felt so horrible for keeping her out, but I didn''t want to lose her like that again.


    "I''m fine. If there is something you can help with, I won''t hesitate to ask you. I swear mom."


    She shook her head again. "Alright Brook but remember I''m here. For anything."


    When I finished breakfast, I head out. Surprise shed through me when I saw Ryder waiting for me on


    the corner. "Hey Brook," he said, smiling down at me.


    "Hey back." My stomach did that weird twisty thing, making me a bit nauseous. What was it about him


    that made my body act all weird? In all truth, it all still seemed so unreal. I had really expected to wake


    up this morning and find it had all been a dream or at least the parts with Ryder in it. "Should you really


    be walking with me? Mike won''t-"


    "I don''t care about Mike. After what you told me yesterday my dad is going to try to convince the


    surrounding packs my uncle needs to be removed as alpha after what he and Mike have been doing to


    you and are threatening to do," he exined and stared at him for a moment.


    "But I''m just a human. Why would any of your kind care about they do to me?"


    "My uncle, Mike, and this pack, it''s not how we are. I have no doubts the other packs will see what


    they''ve done for what it really is - barbaric and cruel. Those are two things an alpha should never be"


    We stopped by my locker, he leaned against the one next to mine, facing me. "There is something else


    I have to tell you Brook-" The bell rang, cutting him off. "I guess I''ll have to tell youter." With a light


    My stomach fluttered as I watched him leave for ss then realized I needed to get to ss myself. I


    quickly opened the locker, shoving everything I didn''t need inside and mmed it shut. I raced to Math,


    but as I turned the corner, someone grabbed me and shoved me into what I think was the janitor''s


    closet. I turned and pressed back against the metal shelving when I saw Mike closing the door behind


    him. "Mike..." I breathed, fear mmed into me at the dark look his eyes. He must''ve seen the kiss


    Ryder given me. I was dead, so very, very dead.


    "Missy, Missy, Missy," he said moving his head side to side slowly with a disapproving tone. "You of all


    people should know better than run around with Dean Williams."


    Oh, God! Please help me...someone. A shudder of fear tore through me. "We were just...he didn''t


    mean..." My mind ran nk, and I was unable to finish a sentence. He walked closer and the shelving


    bit into my back as I pressed against it. His fist hit me so hard and fast, I was doubled over before I''d


    even realized what happened. The air escaped my lungs, and as hard as I tried, I couldn''t get the air to


    go back in.


    Mike seemed satisfied as he watched me try to gasp for air and just when I thought I might pass out, I


    finally managed to take a deep breath. Grabbing my shoulder, he pulled me back up and into the


    shelving. "Stay away from him, Missy. Stay away, or I will really punish you, got it?" When I didn''t


    answer Mike grabbed my shoulder and shoved me hard against the shelf. "I said got it?"


    "Y-yes, I got it. I w-won''t go n-near R-Dean again." God, I should''ve known.


    "That''s my girl," Mike said, patting my head like I was a pet or a child before he leaned into me,


    grabbing my face. "And don''t let him kiss you again. If he kisses you, I''m going to rip out his spine and


    beat you bloody with it. Then I''ll pay your mom a visit."


    I gasped but nodded quickly. "I-I won''t."


    Mike grinned, apparently pleased with mypliance and leaned towards me until our foreheads


    touched. "I knew you wouldn''t let him interfere." His hand brushed along my still throbbing stomach. I


    stiffened and the hairs on the back of my neck on end. This wasn''t good. He was acting strangely. Mike


    never got this close to me before, and he never touched me like this either. I didn''t like it, not at all.


    "If you behave and do what I tell you, Missy, I''ll protect you from my dad," he said, almost in a whisper.


    "I promise if you follow the rules the only one who will hurt you will be me."


    If I thought I was scared before, it had nothing on right now. The need to escape mmed into me. "I''ll


    behave," I said, my voice shaking. I''d do anything to get out of here right now. "If you protect my mom. I


    promise I''ll stay away from Dean, and away from everyone. I''ll follow our rules until I leave for college."


    Mike''s eyes snapped to look into mine, glowing now. I must have said something wrong, but I didn''t


    understand I agreed with him. "Leave? You can''t leave! You''re mine. I need someone to hurt so I don''t


    hurt my mom or Beth." He twisted one of my wrists as if to prove his point.


    I cried out as the sharp pain raced up my arm. "B-but don''t you have like a mate or something.


    Wouldn''t she do that for you?" I felt awful for even suggesting someone else should take my ce, but


    I had to get out of here.


    Mike snorted, repulsion on his face. "I don''t need a mate," he snapped then sneered at me. "But if


    that''s what you want I can do it." He brushed his nose softly against my cheek. "Could actually be


    fun...I could even turn you so I wouldn''t have to be so careful."


    Terror and panic mmed into me. Oh God, anything but that. I couldn''t let him do that to me. "No!"


    The most basic, primitive part of me screamed to get free. My knee jerked up, hitting him hard in the


    groin. He yelled out in surprise and pain, letting me go as he fell to his knees. I ripped open the door


    and ran, but Mike recovered faster than I expected. He grabbed the back of my hoodie and swung me


    around, throwing me face first into the lockers.


    Pain exploded in my head as I bounced off the metal and hit the floor. My vision was blurry, and I had


    to blink a few times before I get the ck dots to go away. Something warm ran down the side of my


    face. When I touched my forehead, they came back red with blood. I gasped in shock then looked up at


    Mike looming over at me a furious wild look on his face. He looked ready to kill me.


    A scream ripped from my throat and despite it was pointless, I tried to get up and escape, only I


    couldn''t manage to stand so I just kind of crawled and dragged myself away from him.


    Just as he reached out to grab me, I heard Ryder yell, "Keep your hands off her!"


    "Screw you, Dean! Keep your nose in your own business. She''s mine, and I do what I want with her."


    My blood froze as Ryder''s expression turned wild. His body was tense with his hands in fists at his


    sides. His eyes were glowing an icy blue and promised a level of violence I thought only Mike or his


    dad was capable of. "Brook isn''t yours. She''ll never be yours," he told Mike, his voice didn''t sound like


    him at all. Yet, his words eased some of my fear. He''d keep Mike away from me.


    "She already is mine, you idiot. She was mine long before you ever came here! Stay out, or my dad will


    deal with you." Mike''s face started to change into something grotesque and monstrous.


    Ryder''s face took on the same grotesque shapes as Mike''s. "No, Mike, not ever. She''s mine and only


    mine."


    Mike looked as shocked as I was. His? The fear returned, but this time much stronger than before.


    What did he mean by I was his? I didn''t belong to anyone. This wasn''t the guy who kissed me in the


    park and walked me to school. I watched horrified as the two changed into massive snarling beasts that


    tore at each other. Was this what werewolves were really like? Panic tore through me, erasing all


    thoughts but the need to run.


    I don''t remember getting to my feet or running home, but the next thing I knew I crashed into Mom,


    nearly knocking her over. I hugged her tightly, my whole body shaking as I cried. "Brook, what''s wrong?


    What happened?"


    "They''re monsters. I thought... oh God, they''re nothing like us. We have to get out of here."


    "Monsters? Brook, what you are talking about?" Mom brushed my hair away from my face then


    gasped. "You''re bleeding. What happened?"


    "How bad is it?" Harry walked up to us.


    Panic seized me, and I pulled Mom away from him. "Stay away from us! I know what you are."


    He froze looking at me in shock and maybe a little guilty.


    "Brook Veronica Grigsby, what has gotten into you?" Mom demanded.


    "They''re monsters, Mom! Please, you have to believe me. We''ve got to get out of here now. They''ll kill


    us if we stay." I took her hand in both of mine and tried to pull her upstairs.


    She nced at Harry then back to me. "Stop pulling me and tell me what in the world you''re talking


    about. Who are monsters? Who is going to kill us?"


    "Brook," Harry said in a soft, calm voice. "I don''t know what happened, but I promise I''d never hurt you


    or your mother. Tell us what happened so we can help you."


    Instinct still demanded I run, but this time I stayed. "You lied to us. Your kind are monsters! You all will


    kill whoever''s in your way without a second thought." I looked at Mom. "Please, we have to leave. The


    alpha wants to kill us. Mike told me. They''re evil Mike''s been hurting me since we moved here. I didn''t


    tell you, because, well because, but I swear, it''s true. They hate us and want us dead. Please, we have


    to leave."


    "Brook, you need to calm down. You''re not making any sense."


    I made a grunt of exasperation. "Mom! We need to get out of here."


    "I''m not going anywhere until I understand what''s going on and for me to understand what''s going on,


    you need to calm down."


    "What is there to understand. They want to kill us! I can''t believe you''re not listening to me." A scream


    of frustration bubbled out of me, and I ran upstairs. How could she just stand there looking at me like


    that? Harry started, taking a step toward me but I ran up the stairs into my room. I mmed the door


    closed, locking it and sticking a chair under the knob for good measure.


    I copsed on my bed, burying my head in the pillow, ignoring the pain the movement caused me. I had


    always put my mom first, and the one time I needed her to put me first, she refused to listen. I sobbed,


    rubbing the pain in my chest. What was I going to do? I had to get out of here. There was no way I


    could stay. I wasn''t safe as long as I was around werewolves. Why wouldn''t Mom listen to me?

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    "Brook, please let me in," Harry pleaded from the other side of the door. "I swear I won''t do anything.


    Your mother and I are worried. You were bleeding a lot, and we need to make sure you''re alright."


    My head hurt, a lot and I was a little sick to my stomach. "Okay, I''ll let you in." I cautiously opened the


    door and peered out. Harry gave me a weak and tired smile, but my heart leaped to my throat when I


    saw the man behind him. "Who''s that?" I was ready to m the door shut at any minute.


    "This is Doctor Samson, the pack doctor. I''ve asked him toe take a look at you to make sure you''re


    not seriously hurt. Is it okay if hees in too?"


    I nced at the man again, my hand gripping the knob tighter. He was an older man, with a kind face.


    He looked like one of those doctors you see in the old T.V. series who made house visits and stuff. "I


    have silverced mace. If you do anything, I will use it." Harry smiled slightly while the doctor just gave


    me a warm smile. I opened the door, letting theme in. I nced down the hall, d I didn''t see


    anyone else there then closed the door.


    "If you sit on the bed youngdy I''ll take a look at you," the doctor said.


    He gradually tilted my head upwards and tried to brush my hair away from my face, but blood pasted it


    to my forehead and causing me to cry out when he pried it off. The doctor mumbled an apology then


    dug in the little ck bag he had with him. He took something that looked a lot like a baby wipe, he


    wiped clean the side of my face. I winced with another cry as he cleaned around the right side of my


    forehead.


    "Sorry again, Brook," he said, surprising me. I didn''t think anyone in the pack besides Harry and Anna


    knew my real name. "I think you''re going to need a stitch or two. We should get you to a hospital to run


    some tests and keep you in observation for the day."


    I jerked away from him. "I''m not going to the hospital."


    "Youngdy, you took a very hard hit. You''re suffering a concussion. We need to make sure there is no


    swelling or internal bleeding."


    "I don''t care. I''m not going to the hospital."


    "Brook-" Harry started.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "No, no hospitals. They''ll find me, Harry."


    The two men nced at each other, and the doctor nodded. "Alright, no hospitals. I can stitch up your


    head here, but someone will need to watch over you."


    "Well, Harry can do that."


    "Of course," Harry said.


    The doctor took out a small bottle and sprayed an icy liquid over my cut. It was supposed to numb the


    area so I wouldn''t feel anything when he put in the stitches. Whatever it was, it worked. I didn''t feel a


    thing. "There you are, Brook. Keep the area clean. If you get worse, even by a little you tell someone.


    Nothing matters if you''re dead."


    Harry thanked the doctor and as he showed him out said, "And please remember, this needs to stay


    between us."


    "Got it. It seems all I do anymore is keep secrets."


    "What does he mean?" I asked as Harry closed the door.


    He sat down in a chair in the corner and sighed. "He regrly visits our Luna after Alpha Ryan...it''s


    been decided best if she doesn''t go to the hospital where there can be a paper trail. Can you tell me


    what happened today?"


    I bit my lip as I nced at him. I shouldn''t have yelled at him as I did. Harry had tried to take care of me


    all these years. The truth was he''d never given me a reason to fear him, and he''d never acted like Mike


    or Ryder. With deep breaths and my eyes on myp, I told him about what Mike had done to me this


    morning and the fight between him and Ryder. "I can''t do this anymore Harry. I''m terrified out of my


    mind. I need to leave."


    Harry''s head bowed, and he covered his face. His body shuddered as I heard him take a shaky breath.


    "I''m so sorry, Brook. I never thought Mike would''ve gone so far... if I did, I would''ve....Thank God,


    Ryder-"


    "Ryder? He''s just like Mike. He called me his like I''m something he owned. He didn''t think twice before


    turning to violence either." I hugged myself, trying hard not to remember the wildness in Ryder''s face.


    "Brook, Ryder is...he was...well, he was trying to protect you," he replied. "As an alpha, his wolf is


    stronger, more dominant, and protective of the ones they care about."


    Understanding bloomed as I met Harry''s eyes. "It''s an alpha thing?" He nodded. "So not all werewolves


    are monsters. Just the alphas?"


    "No, that''s not-"


    "Harry, I know what I''ve seen. Alphas kill to get what they want, no matter who is in the way. Alpha


    Ryan, Mike, Ryder...all of them just jump into violence as if that''s okay way to solve their problems. I


    don''t even care if I''m right. I can''t do this anymore. I have to get out of here and away from


    werewolves."


    "Perhaps you should think about it for a few days?"


    "Can you promise to keep me safe and away from Mike, his dad, and Ryder?" Harry sighed, giving my


    answer already. "Exactly. The only question is are am I going alone? What''s Mom saying?"


    "Nothing, once I filled her in on what''s been going on she shut herself in the room. She won''t talk to


    me."


    "I''m sorry." I meant it too. Harry was just doing what I asked him to do. My throat closed and more tears


    wereing. "She won''t understand, Harry. She doesn''t know their true faces. Mike and everyone


    have been so nice to her, but I can''t wait for her to see the truth. I have to get away. I have to leave


    now. You need to make her see and keep her safe, Harry. Even if she doesn''t want you too. Get Mom


    away from the alpha."


    "Brook, you''re injured. You-" His phone suddenly started ringing. He took it out of the holster then


    cringed. Harry answered it, his expression turned hard. "Yes, Sir. On my way, Sir." Harry sighed and


    ran a hand over his face.


    "It''s Alpha Ryan. I have to go. He found out about the fight, and he''s pissed to high heaven about it. I


    need to go defuse this situation, or it could get really ugly. Let me get something for you."


    He left and returned with arge yellow envelope. "I understand you have to get away from here."


    Harry handed me the envelope. "Inside is fifty thousand dors and a few fake ids, so you don''t have to


    worry about being a minor. All I ask is you wait. You''ve got a major head injury. Please wait until


    tomorrow, and the doctor can check you out once more before you go."


    I stared at the envelope. Emotions bubbled through me, making it hard to speak. Harry was giving me a


    way out. He wasn''t going to try to stop me. I looked up at him, blinking away tears. "Thank you, Harry.


    You have no idea how much this means to me." Which made having to lie to him all the suckier. "I''ll


    wait until tomorrow."


    Relief washed over his face. He didn''t pick up my life. "Thank you, Brook. Now I have to go."


    Waiting until I heard his truck back out of the driveway, I grabbed my backpack and emptied it of my


    textbooks. I took out a couple hundred from arge amount of cash in the envelope, I stuffed the


    envelope in the now empty backpack. I stuffed as many clothes and personal stuff, like the picture of


    my dad, into my backpack until the only way I could close it was by squeezing the sides with my knees.


    There was still a lot of clothes left in my closet, but I didn''t have any kind of suitcase. Besides I couldn''t


    afford to be loading up the car since I was sneaking out. I sat down on the bed and wrote a quick letter


    to Harry and to my mom, promising them both I would be fine and when they were away and safe too,


    to call me. I left it on the bed and hefted the heavy backpack up on my shoulders before crawling out


    the window.


    I climbed down and got into my Mom''s old Chevy. She always kept a spare key up in the driver''s side


    visor. With an odd feeling of hope and despair, I started the car and backed out of the driveway.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    Dean (Ryder)


    I leaned over in the cheap stic chair as my uncle continued to yell at Mike and I. Like he was fit to


    lecture anyone about putting differences aside in the name of peace, not that I thought he actually


    meant any of it. Right now, I didn''t care. I just wanted to get out of there and check on Brook. The cut


    on her head looked bad.


    "Don''t you think Dean¡­ Dean¡­ DEAN!"


    My attention jumped to my uncle. It was obvious that I wasn''t listening to a word he''d said for a while.


    My uncle scowled at me, and I saw his fists clenched so tight, his knuckles were white. His now amber


    eyes stared down at me with contempt.


    "I''m sure your father would be so disappointed in you. The well-known pacifist''s son getting into a brawl


    with another for no reason." He said the word pacifist as if it was an insult.


    I nearly jumped from my seat to tell him it wasn''t without reason but I wouldn''t put Brook in that kind of


    danger. So instead I took a page out of my brother''s book and shrugged petntly. It only seemed to


    piss off my uncle even more.


    "Fine, if that''s the way you want it. Silver them both. It might humble them up," my uncle said with a


    cruel glint in his eye.


    "What? Dad, you can''t be serious! It was just a stupid fight."


    The alpha charged at his son and Mike shrank, pushing himself back into the chair.


    His dad stopped abruptly in front of him, rage n his face. "I can''t be serious? You got into a fight in a


    public ce full of humans. You are a stupid, pathetic idiot. It well warrants silvering! And don''t you


    dare challenge me again unless you''ve grown a pair of balls and want to be alpha."


    I was stunned. I looked around me, and my disbelief grew. Everyone had a ''business as usual'' attitude.


    This was normal? What the hell kind of dad talks like this to their kids? I felt sorry for Mike. It wasn''t


    enough to forgive him for what he did to Brook though. I still owed him big time for that one. I watched


    my uncle backed away from Mike with a superior sniff. "Silver them."


    Two men came forward each with a ck zip tie. The zip tie had a silver core, stripping a werewolf of


    all their abilities and making them on the same level as a human but the stic coating prevented silver


    burns. As much as I hated making myself so weak in an enemy pack, I had no choice. To refuse might


    be seen as a challenge and an invitation to war. I couldn''t be the one to break the rules.


    I held out my left wrist and let the zip tie be tightened around my wrist. I watched Mike out of the corner


    of my eye do the same. "Good," Alpha Ryan said, with his hands behind his back. "You two will be two


    weeks like this or until I deem both of you have learned your lesson."


    That didn''t make me feel any better. Just the opposite.


    "Harry," he barked, surprising me. I didn''t realize the beta was here. "Ensure that our guest arrives at


    my home while I have a discussion with my son."


    Mike turned a shade pale as Harry nodded. I quickly got out of my chair and followed him out of the


    office. Despite my eagerness, I waited until we were well out of earshot before I dared asked, "How''s


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Brook?"


    "She''s alright," he said tersely, surprising me some. "Most likely has a concussion but her mother and I


    are going to be keeping an eye on her."


    A whole ton had been lifted off my shoulders. "I want to see her. Can you take me there before taking


    me back to my uncles?"


    "No. No, I can''t," Harry said so matter of fact as we got in his truck.


    I stared at him for a moment as we left the parking lot. "Why not?"


    "Because she doesn''t want to see you."


    I grunted as if I''d just been hit. "What? Why?"


    Harry turned to look at me, an odd expression on his face before he turned back to watch the road. "I


    can''t decide if you''re pretending to be that stupid or you really are. Between Mike and you, she was out


    of her mind with fear. She ran home, begging her mother to leave right then and there."


    This couldn''t be real. "But I was..."


    "Trying to protect her, I know, but Brook had never seen the wolf, except once when I shifted for her


    and then I tried to y the part of a big dog. She''s never seen our wild side, and she wasn''t ready for


    the violence of that side, and it''s made her believe we''re monsters."


    "No, no no," I said, holding my head in my hands. Damn it, how did I manage to mess up so badly.


    Harry sighed. "Look, give her a few days. Maybe she''ll calm down enough that you can talk to her."


    He was trying to help but just the thought of being a couple of days without talking to her seemed like


    torture. I sat back up and tried to think positively. This wasn''t the end of the world. Just a couple of


    days.


    Harry''s phone rang, and he took it out with a nce. "Nancy," he said, with obvious relief. It looks like I


    wasn''t the only one in the dog house. His relief soured as he frowned. "She''s gone? Are you sure?


    Alright, I''m on my way right now." He put the phone back and took a sharp turn right that had me


    gripping on the dashboard for dear life. "God damn it, she said she would wait until tomorrow!"


    "What happened?" Harry didn''t answer, only drove back to his house.


    Brook''s mom paced the living room, her face streaked with tears. She looked at the beta with a mix of


    scorn and despair as she shoved a piece of paper at him. He read it and scowled. I ripped the paper


    out of his hands.


    Mom,


    Sorry I didn''t tell you what was going on. You were so happy, and I didn''t want to ruin it, but this world -


    their world. It''s not like you think. I can''t be a part of it anymore. You''re with Harry, and he''ll keep you


    safe, but I''m not safe. I''m nothing more than a thing to the werewolves, and I can''t live like that. Please


    don''t be mad at Harry. I begged him not to tell you anything. Stay away from Mike and his dad, though.


    They want you dead as much as they want me dead. Please, keep close to Harry. He''ll keep you safe,


    but don''t trust the alphas, any of them. They''re the real monsters. I love you.


    Harry,


    Sorry I couldn''t take the risk. Too many things can happen in a day. I''m fine.


    Brook


    I stared at the page. This was a nightmare. I had to be dreaming. Don''t trust the alphas, any of them.


    They''re the real monsters...Those words were like a knife through my heart. She thought I was a


    monster. I looked at the page again, hoping this really wasn''t as bad as it seemed when I noticed


    something else.


    Sorry I couldn''t take the risk... "She said she would wait until tomorrow..."


    I looked up at Harry. My blood boiling. "You knew she was running away."


    Brook''s mother looked at both of us. "What is he talking about, Harry?"


    The beta sighed. "Brook had to leave, Nancy. They were going to end up tearing her apart. Ryan, Mike,


    him." He red at me. "She wanted to leave, and nothing we did or would''ve done was going to keep


    her here, though she promised she wouldn''t leave until tomorrow when we were sure she was okay.


    Don''t worry, she has money and everything she needs-"


    The p rang throughout the room, and Harry looked at his mate in surprise and held his cheek. Now I


    saw where Brook got it from.


    "How dare you." Brook''s mom red at her mate with the same icy, re that Brook gave me when we


    first met. "How dare you do something like this without talking to me? You do not get to decide what is


    best for my daughter. You let her go out into this world, alone, with a major head injury. How is that for


    the best? If it gets worse, Brook might have a car ident or pass out on the side of the road. She


    could die because of you, you son of a.." She hugged herself.


    "Wait, what? What do you mean die?"


    She turned her icy re on me. "What did Harry mean when he included you with Mike and his father?


    Have you been hurting my little girl."


    "Never."


    "What is she to you? Why are you here?"


    I swallowed, suddenly nervous. "Uhm, Brook, is um...my mate."


    Her eyes widened then she narrowed them at me. "What exactly happened today and don''t you dare


    lie to me."


    "I was getting a book out of my locker when I heard her scream. When I found her, she was on the


    ground bleeding with Mike standing over her." I rubbed my neck, so god awful nervous. "I kind of lost it


    and got into a fight with Mike. I didn''t mean to scare her. I just wanted to keep him from hurting her, I


    swear."


    "Wonderful," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Is there anything else I should know about?"


    "My name''s not really Dean. That''s my brother. I''m Ryder."


    She cocked her head to the side and gave me a bewildered stare. "Why would you take your brother''s


    name. That''s not important right now. We have to find Brook."


    "Why did you say she could die?"


    "She had a concussion and refused to go to the doctor. We don''t really know how bad she is," Harry


    said.


    "Exactly, and now she''s all alone out there." Brook''s mother shot Harry a scathing re before worry


    took over her expression.


    "Wait, you said she wanted to go to California?" Harry nodded. "She would have to take the interstate


    to get there, and that runs right through my pack''s territory. They can help us find her, and they''ll get


    her off the road and safe." I took out my phone, taking a picture of one of the pictures of Brook on the


    wall, and texted it to my dad before calling him and exining the situation.


    "Don''t worry, if shees this way we''ll find her. What happened over there?"


    "I promise I''ll fill you in, but right now we have to find her."


    "Are you safe?"


    I sighed, ran a hand through my hair, scowling when I remembered the zip tie. "Yeah, for now."


    Brook''s mother gave me an appreciative look of hope when I hung up.


    Harry, however, red at me. "I won''t let you take her captive, mate, or not."


    I red right back at him. "I can''t decide if you''re pretending to be that stupid or you really are. This


    isn''t about staking a im, Brook is hurt and needs help. That''s the only thing that matters."


    Suddenly I was swallowed in a hug from Brook''s Mom. "Thank Dean, thank you so much,"


    "Ryder," I grunted, as she squeezed me. I clearly have been underestimating human strength. Harry


    continued to re at me as if he''d love to tear out my throat. This was his own damn fault. He should


    have been honest with his mate.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    I sat down on a pic table at the small truck stop. The cold rubber covered bench made a shiver run


    down my spine. I hunched up and leaned over, resting my head on my arm as I waited for nausea to


    pass. I reyed everything that happened this morning in my mind. A shiver of fear ran down my spine


    remembering how Mike and Ryder fought each other.


    After a while, I lifted my head and rested my chin on my arm, feeling the loss of Mom''s presence hit me


    deep in my soul. I had to stay positive. It wouldn''t be forever, but a few days or weeks. Harry and she


    would join me in California. I would finish school, go to college and everything would be perfect.


    "Are you alright?" A girl about my age asked, startling me.


    I jumped to my feet, making me lightheaded. The girl rushed over and took my arm, steadying me. "Uh,


    hi, yeah I''m fine," I said offering her a smile, realizing what I must look like an ident victim with my


    hoodie sttered with blood. "It''s not as bad as it looks, really."


    She gave me a half-smile tossing her pink-streaked blonde hair out of her face. "I don''t know. You


    looked like you''re ready to fall over there a minute ago. I think you should go see somebody."


    Panic hit me. I couldn''t go to the hospital. It would be too easy for them to find me. "No. No hospitals. I


    mean...it''s okay. I''m alright now."


    The girl gave me a knowing smirk. "Right. Of course. I''m Kara."


    Confused, I gave her a wary stare. "I''m Brook."


    "Brook, I''m going to be blunt here. It''s obvious you''re running from something. I get it, but girl, right now


    you''d make a ghost seem bronzed if it stood next to you. I got a friend. She''s really cool about these


    kinds of things. She''s a nurse down at Saint Mary''s Hospital and would be happy to make sure you''re


    alright. I bet she''d even cut through all the red tape crap so you can keep your anonymity."


    "Why would you do that?" I hated to admit it, I was feeling pretty bad, but why would she help me when


    she doesn''t even know me.


    "Because that''s what people do or it''s what they should be doing. I''d like to think if I were looking like


    you do now someone would stop and help me out."


    I chewed my lip, not sure what to do. "How far is it?"


    "Five miles southwest of here."


    "Uhm alright, I''ll follow you in my car." My luck had to change at some moment right?


    "Actually, I think you should let me drive you there. I''ll get my guy to pick up my carter."


    I sighed, rubbed my forehead only to hiss in pain as I get the bump where my stitches were. "Okay,


    let''s go."


    "Great. I''m going to call my friend and tell her we''reing."


    I nodded, leaning back in my seat. A wave of nausea made had me taking slow deep breaths. I did not


    want to throw up in front of a stranger.


    "Hey Misses W. So I''m bringing in someone for you to a check-up. We need the red carpet treatment.


    Yep. Okay, we''ll be there in a few." Kara shed me a bright grin when she hung up and started Mom''s


    car. "She''ll have everything ready when we get there."


    I admit I was a little surprised when she pulled into therge, crowded parking lot of the Hospital. Looks


    like my luck was indeed changing. We walked into the hospital, but instead of going to the reception or


    a waiting room, Kara led me through a mass of identical halls. We went into an empty examination


    room, and once again Kara called her friend.


    We weren''t waiting long when a woman, maybe mid-forties but very good looking, walked in. She


    looked familiar. I swore I''d seen her somewhere, but I had no idea from where. "You must be Brook,"


    she said as she walked up to me "I''m Emily, and it''s a real pleasure to meet you."


    She smiled at me brightly as she put on a pair oftex gloves and my stomach knotted with nerves.


    Emily was friendly but too friendly. It was odd.


    "I''ll stay and help out if it''s all right with you and Brook."


    "She can stay," I said, not sure I wanted to be alone with this nurse, but then again that meant I was


    outnumbered.


    "Alright, let me take a look." The nurse brushed my hair away from my face as she looked the cut on


    my forehead. "It appears to be good, but I''d like to run some tests to make sure the inside looks as


    good, okay?" Emily took off the gloves and handed me a paper gown. "I''ll need you to take your top


    off."


    I started to pull off the hoodie when I heard them both gasp. Realizing my mistake, I quickly tried to pull


    down the t-shirt under my hoodie.


    "No, let me see." Both the nurse and Kara looked horrified.


    "It''s okay. It''s really nothing."


    "That''s nothing. Please, I just want to make sure you''re alright."


    I sighed and lifted my shirt until it was below my chest. Both looked at me with a horrified expression.


    My whole torso was filled with bruises of various ages and colors. Not being able to stand it any longer


    I pulled my shirt down. "All that''s old stuff. It''s no big deal." I looked up at the nurse and froze. Her


    expression was angry, and her eyes were an icy blue, almost glowing. Werewolf. I scrambled back on


    the bed to get away from her.


    "Woah, easy Brook," Kara said, stopping me before I crawled right off the bed.


    I flinched and went to move away from her, but she held onto me. "You''re..."


    "Yes, we are," Emily said, looking much calmer now. "But we''re not here to hurt you. We want to make


    sure you''re okay."


    "I''m not going back. You can''t make me." Who was I kidding? They could so make me. I was just a


    human.


    "Of course you''re not," Kara spat, sounding angry.


    "What?" I nce at them, not sure what to think.


    "No one wants you to go back there. Not your mother, not me, and especially not Ryder," Emily said.


    I sucked in a breath. "You know Ryder?"


    "Does she know Ryder?" Kara said with a snort and augh. "She''s only like his mom."


    I managed to free myself from Kara and get off the bed, but they were blocking the door.


    Emily sighed. "Kara, dear. We''re trying not to freak her out." To me, she said, "Yes, Brook. I''m Ryder''s


    mother and the Luna of Blue Crescent Pack."


    More Alphas. This had to be a nightmare. "What are you going to do to me?"


    Kara looked at me oddly while Emily smiled. "Exactly what I said I was going to do. I''m going to run


    some tests to see if you need any further medical treatment. Once I have the results, we''ll go from


    there."


    "And if I want to leave right now?"


    Emily''s smile fell. "I''m sorry, Brook but I can''t allow you to leave if you''re in need of medical help. I


    would never live it down nor do I think your family would forgive me if you got hurt or worse."


    I bit my lip, fighting tears. I had expected her to refuse, but it still sucked to hear it.


    "Brook, we''re not ck Mountain. You will not be treated like you were there."


    "Yeah, sure. Whatever," I said defeated. Truth or lie, it didn''t matter. I was powerless to do anything to


    stop them.


    Emily sighed again, but the smile returned. "Now, let''s get those tests done shall we?" Sheid a hand


    on my shoulder. I flinched and jerked from her. She frowned but said nothing as she led me out of the


    room.


    An hourter with all tests done, I sat in a little office with Kara as Emily made sure we got the results


    as quickly as possible. More likely Kara was my jailor to make sure I didn''t runoff.


    "Hey Mom-" a guy said as he walked into the office. I jumped startled and turned to face him. He


    looked about my age and height with a football yer type of build. "Well hello gorgeous," he said to


    Kara who rolled her eyes at him. A cocky grin appeared on his face as he noticed me. "Oh, you have


    Kara started tough. "Really Dean? You only now met her and you''re already hitting on her?"


    He shrugged, still grinning at me. I simply stared at the two, not sure what to do or say.


    "And you really expect that to charm the pants off of her?"


    "Well doesn''t have to be the pants. Shir is fine by me. I''m not picky," he said, winking at me.


    "Save it, Mr. Smooth. This is Brook."


    His face fell with what looked like disappointment. "This is Brook? Figures."


    I frowned. Was I missing something?


    Emily walked back into the room as soon as she saw Dean she said, "Dean, save it. That''s Brook."


    Dean sighed. "So I''ve been told. It''s no fair! Ryder never leaves anything for me."


    "Excuse me. I''m right here. What the hell are you people even talking about?"


    Dean started to say something when Emily stopped him with a nce. "I''m sorry. Brook. I''m afraid this


    is a topic you''ll need to discuss with Ryder."


    Oh yeah. That so wasn''t going to happen. As soon as I could, I was going to get back into Mom''s car


    and keep driving until I was a couple of hundred miles from here.


    "Now I''ve got good news and bad news," Emily said. "Good news is I didn''t find anything broken and all


    your organs appear to be in good condition. The bruising as bad as it is is only muscr."


    "Damn, Ryder wasn''t kidding then was he?" Dean asked, looking surprised and his mother shot him a


    chastising re.


    "Hush, please. Brook, I''m afraid you''ve got a concussion, Brook. I didn''t see any swelling or bleeding,


    but I''m still worried about your symptoms. I''m afraid you''re in no condition to be on your own or driving."


    My stomach sunk to my knees. Of course. I''m not surprised. I wonder if I even really had a concussion


    or it was all simply an excuse to keep me here.


    "I get you''re not exactlyfortable with us. So I''m willing to let you stay here in the hospital for your


    observation period but I will have to notify your mother, and as the stepdaughter of a member the ck


    Mountain pack, I''ll have to also notify Alpha Ryan..." Emily said.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "No," I gasped. "You can''t then Mike will know exactly where I am and he''ll make me go back. You said


    you wouldn''t make me go back. I''d rather get in a car ident before I ever go back there again."


    "Chill girl, let my mom finish. Geeze, high strung isn''t she?" Dean said.


    His mother shot him a heated re but offered me a smile. "Brook, the only other option is to take you


    to our home."


    "I vote for that option," Dean jumped in, giving me a wink causing Emily to pinch the bridge of her nose


    with an expression of exasperation.


    "Or we could forgo the whole observation thing, and you could take me to my car." They all gave me a


    pitying look. I''m sure they were all thinking poor little, stupid human. How dumb can she be? "I don''t


    really have a choice."


    Dean walked over me. He slung his arm over my shoulder making me flinch. "Of course you have a


    choice but staying with me is the only smart one." He gave me yet another wink.


    "You mean us, right son," Emily said, shaking her head. "And will you please behave. You''re going to


    make Brook''s already bad image of us even worse."


    "God, what''d I say? Geez, won''t let a guy breathe. Can you believe them, Brookie?"


    Despite everything, I gave him a small smile. Something about Dean put me at ease.


    "Wow, see Mom. I''m not that bad! I got a smile."


    "It''s the concussion, Sweetheart," Emily told him, patting his shoulder with a patient expression and


    looked at me expectantly. "You have the choice of which you prefer the hospital or the packhouse. It''s


    all I can reasonably offer you."


    Frying Pan or the Fire? There was only one choice I could make. I''d do anything never go back to Mike


    or his father. "I''ll go with you."

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    I wasn''t sure what I expected, but a log cabin, a mansion wasn''t it. ¡°Wee to our humble abode,"


    Dean said, getting out of Mom''s car.


    "This is your house?"


    Dean shot me a cocky grin and wagged his eyebrows at me.


    "Yes it''s our house, but it''s also the packs," Emily replied. When she saw my confusion, she added, "A


    packhouse is like a meeting hall, recreation center, and boarding house all mixed up in one. We live


    here but so do many others. I hope this won''t be too much of a problem for you."


    The almost nervous and hopeful expression on her face made me nervous. I kept having the nagging


    suspicion I was missing something important. "I guess not. As long as no one tries to kill me or smash


    me into the ground, I should be good."


    "Oh no. Violence isn''t allowed in or around the packhouse. My husband disapproves of it," Emily said.


    I waited for some sign she was joking, but Emily''s expression remained serious.


    "Come on Brookie, let''s get inside," Dean said. He gave me a wink and followed his mom inside.


    My stomach knotted in with nerves as I grabbed my things and followed them. As we walked through


    the halls, I couldn''t help but feel like a freak show. A lot of people stopped and stared at me, whispering


    to the others with them. I couldn''t hear what they were saying, but I had a good idea. It seemed even


    here they heard about Missy Mistake, the girl who never should have been born.


    Emily and Dean stopped at a door on the second floor. "Here, you can stay in this room for tonight.


    Rest or change ande downstairs with us. One of us will be happy to show you around. The choice


    is yours, and both options are okay," Emily said.


    "You need any help. I am great at unpacking things," Dean said with a sly grin.


    "No, you don''t. You go on and give her some space." His mom waved her hand at him dismissively.


    "That''s no fun," heined but went downstairs.


    She shook her head and smiled at me again. "He means well. I promise. Take care, rest up and try not


    to worry. You''re safe here."


    The jury was out on that one, but I walked inside, dropping my backpack next to the door. The room


    was decorated in dark blues and purples and definitely a guy''s room. There was clothing already in the


    dresser, shampoos, and stuff in the adjoining bathroom and a few posters tacked up on the walls.


    By the name on the trophies, this was Ryder''s room. Why would they put me in his room? I''m sure he


    wouldn''t be happy about that. Again, I didn''t understand. In all honesty, my head hurt too much to try.


    Whatever their n was, I guess it wouldn''t hurt to get cleaned up and rest. I was tired.


    I wasn''t sure how long I slept, but I felt better and a little adventurous. With my hands in my hoodie


    pockets, I wandered around for a bit.


    "Hey, you''re Brook right?" A really tall guy asked. He had to be like over six feet, long blonde hair in a


    ponytail with gray-blue eyes.


    "Uhm, yeah," I said hesitantly.


    He smirked at me and gave me a funny look. "You sound as if you''re not sure."


    "Well, it all depends. What does it matter to you if I''m Brook?"


    "Right, nothing awful. The alpha thought it''d be a good idea if I introduced myself and all that."


    My throat tightened, and I tried not to show how nervous it made me. "Why?"


    He held up his hands. "Because we have a little bit inmon that''s all. My parents weren''t mates


    either."


    "Really?"


    "Yep. It''s not so umon actually." He shrugged and offered me another smirk.


    The way Mike talked, such a thing was practically a crime against nature. "But you''re still a werewolf.


    I''m just a lowly human."


    He tilted his head. " You don''t seem that short to me."


    I started to say something then stopped. "That''s not what I meant."


    He grinned. "I know. My name''s Andy, and I find humans to be pretty cool."


    "Great. Now I''m the weird kid your mom makes you y with because they have no friends."


    "Maybe," he said, drawing out the word. "We could use another weird kid in the gang, Dean is just


    annoying now. Come on, let''s get some lunch."


    "Sure." I shrugged and followed him into arge kitchen. A grandmotherly looking woman smiled at us


    when we came in and without a word set down a couple of tes for us.


    "Thanks, Rose," Andy said before eating the sandwich on his te.


    I watched him eat torn between awe and disgust. He ate messily, getting what looked like tuna sd all


    over his mouth. You''d think the guy hadn''t eaten in a week.


    "Something wrong?" he said with his mouth half full, noticing I''d not yet started on my own sandwich.


    "Andy, you are not an animal, so please refrain from acting like one," Rose said, taking a napkin and


    cleaning his face as if he was a toddler.


    An embarrassed flush turned his cheeks pink. "Sorry," he said, looking at me before grinning at the


    older woman. "I can''t help myself. Your cooking is so good it makes me forget myself."


    She shook her head at him then gave me a sharp re. "You, girl, eat. You''re way too skinny. I don''t


    like the look of your skin either - too pale, too shallow."


    "I am not." Yet, I picked up the sandwich as she gave me another sharp stare. Best not piss off the


    werewolf. "It''s good. Thanks." The woman, Rose, gave me a stiff not and went back to cutting some


    vegetables.


    "So, ready to go see the alpha?" Andy asked once we''d finished.


    My stomach clenched, making the food I just ate heavy. "Why? Why would I go see the alpha?"


    "It''s cool. No worries. That''s just what happens when someone newes into our territory. It''s usually


    just ''hey, how ya doin. Need anything just ask'' kind of deal."


    "Do I have too?" I asked, hugging myself with my arms.


    "To refuse would be rude and insult our alpha, girl," Rose said, her back still to us.


    "Oh."


    "Come on, Brook. I''ll take you to him. I promise it''s no big deal. You''ll see," Andy offered, standing up


    and waving me to follow him.


    I followed him through a maze of hallways until we reached arge room withrge ss windows on


    one side. A bar was on the other side, a couple of tables where several people sat watching a group of


    guys ying pool. There was a table for table tennis, air hockey, and several old-fashioned arcade


    games along the walls. At the pool table, there were about five guys, various ages, ying.


    One of the yers was Dean. He leaned on his pool cue waiting on another, older werewolf to line up a


    shot. The sound of pool balls hitting against each other and the unmistakable sound of one going into


    one of the pockets sent a loud round of cheers. "I do believe Dean you''re getting your butt handed to


    you," the oldest man said.


    Dean rolled his eyes. "Whatever old man. I''m just biding my time is all."


    The othersughed and teased him. Again the sounds of the balls crashing into each other and the


    table before falling into one of the pockets rang through the room, and Dean scowled while others


    thunder. "Well you better hurry up the little pup, this old man is about to win the game."


    "Actually if you could just end his misery, Alpha," Andy said loudly to get the older man''s attention. "I''ve


    brought Brook to see you."


    My eyes widened in surprise. This was the alpha? The room suddenly fell silent as everyone turned to


    look at us. I squirmed under the attention. Sweat making the back of my neck itch.


    The alpha tossed his cue to one of the guys. "Looks like you lucked out this time Dean," he told his


    son. Knowing who he was, I could see the resemnce. "Andy how about you take my ce. Don''t let


    Dean win. Without Ryder here, he''s been getting cocky."


    "Sure thing," Andy said, joining the others.


    I nced up at the alpha who extended his arm for me to take as they do only in old movies or


    romanticedies. ncing over at the others still watching, I took his arm. Thest thing I wanted to


    do was insult the alpha, especially in front of his people. That would only make him more likely to hurt


    me. He walked us out of the room and through a mass of hallways and into the backyard.


    "Much quieter here," he said, walking over to a ck metal and ss table with four matching chairs.


    He pulled out the chair for me, but I stood there eyeing the chair and him suspiciously. "You have


    nothing to fear from me Brook. I''m not like Ryan. In all honesty, I''m honored to finally meet you."


    I frowned, sitting in the chair he offered, and he sat across from me. "Honored? Why would you be


    honored to meet me? I''m no one."


    "No one is no one, Brook," he said, leaning back in his chair. Resting an ankle on his knee, he leaned


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    back in his chair. "First introductions. It''s not right I know your name, but you don''t know mine. I am


    Alpha Brent Williams, alpha of the Blue Crescent pack and Ryder''s father. Now you''re not an idiot, but


    you''ve been through a lot. So I let me ask you this, how much would you like me to exin?"


    I didn''t hesitate. "Everything. I don''t understand why you and your people are so hung up on me


    staying here. You don''t know me. I only just met Ryder."


    Alpha Brent grinned and nodded, apparently pleased with my response. "Ryder may not be happy I


    told you, but we can''t keep waiting for him to quit dicking around, now can we? Brook, I''m honored to


    meet you, and my people and I care about your well-being because you are Ryder''s mate and our


    future Luna."


    I think my stomach dropped to my feet while my heart tried to burst through my chest and run for the


    hills. I surely didn''t hear that right. "I''m sorry, say what?"


    The alphaughed and smiled as he repeated his earlier statement.


    "But...how do you..." This had to be impossible.


    "Ryder told me. He knew you were his mate as soon as he smelled your scent andid his eyes on


    you. Our mate''s scent calls us to them like no other. It''s why he showed such a gross loss of control


    when Mike had hurt you and imed to take you as his own. His own what I don''t even want to


    imagine." He looked genuinely disturbed by the idea of Mike getting his hands on me.


    Suddenly all the little odd things about Ryder made a lot more sense. Another ugly truth was also clear


    to me now too. "You''re never going to let me leave, are you?" All of my dreams of going to California,


    going to college, all of it was gone, just gone. Now I was Ryder''s, and that was all that mattered.


    The alpha frowned as he looked at me. "That is entirely up to you, Brook. Once your observation period


    is over, and you''re given a clean bill of health. You are free to return to your mother''s care and


    wherever that may take you."


    "But the whole mate thing?"


    "Fate has deemed you as the best match for my son and our Luna, but you must decide if my son and


    this pack is the best match for you. However, if you leave Ryder may well follow you. He seems quite


    taken with you already."


    My stomach tightened, and my cheeks warmed. "Follow me? But..."


    Alpha Brent held up his hand to stop me. "It''s his life, his choice."


    I sighed, rubbing my temple, the nagging headache I had before crept up on me much stronger now.


    "Sir," I said softly, deciding to test just how different he was. "I''ll try, but I don''t think I could live here."


    "I understand why you would think that. You''ve suffered at Ryan and his son, Michael''s hands greatly.


    I''m not like Ryan, Ryder isn''t Michael. This pack isn''t ck Mountain. Not all werewolves are the same.


    Please, try to give us the benefit of the doubt and consider life here. I believe you''d like it here if given a


    fair shot. Now let''s get you back to your room. I''m sure you could use some more rest."

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    I stared at my reflection in the mirror and cringed. Death warmed over would''ve been an improvement.


    The cut on my head had swollen into a nice little ck and purple goose egg. I had dark bags under


    my eyes, and I still had a sicklyplexion. I went and got the basics out of my backpack: brush,


    toothbrush, and some makeup, and tackled the daunting task of trying to make myself appear


    somewhat like a normal and functioning human being. I was only halfway through with my hair when I


    heard someone let themselves in.


    "Oh yikes," Kara said as she joined me in the bathroom. "Here, let me help." She took the brush out of


    my hands before I could answer and started working on my hair.


    Okay then. "Thanks."


    "No problem-o. Misses W wanted to check up on you and talk some more."


    "What about?"


    "She didn''t tell me. Probably doctor stuff." Kara shrugged and started rummaging through my makeup


    case.


    "You know, I can do that myself right?"


    "Yeah, well, I don''t really have any girlfriends so indulge me, kay?" Again, she didn''t wait for an answer


    before getting started.


    When she finished, I wasn''t half bad, if you could ignore the ck and purple goose egg. "Thanks."


    "No problem-o. As I said, I have no girlfriends really."


    "Why not?"


    "I''m allergic to bullshit and have no fucks to give to all these drama mas. Come on, let''s take you to


    Misses W."


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    "Lead the way," I said, not exactly eager. I wasn''t going to be leaving anytime soon.


    Kara led me to a small office on the ground floor. The alpha and his wife were there waiting for us. Kara


    showed me inside and left. "How are you feeling?" Emily asked.


    "Good. My head doesn''t hurt so much, and I''m not sick."


    "We spoke to your motherst night. Let her know you were here and being cared for. She''s made it


    abundantly clear that although your condition has improved, you are not allowed to leave this house


    until she arrives this evening."


    Uh-oh, that didn''t sound good. "What about Mike and his dad? Do they..."


    "Unless your mother or her husband told them, they are unaware of your current location," Alpha Brent


    said.


    "So what now?"


    "That''s for you and your mother to decide tonight. For now, go eat and enjoy the day," he replied.


    "Yeah, sure. Thanks."


    Kara was waiting for me outside. "You are so going to be grounded until you''re eighty," she said,


    grinning.


    "How did you know?"


    "Super hearing, duh! Come on. Let''s go see what the others are up to." Without waiting for me to reply,


    she linked her arm through mine and dashed down the hall. I stumbled, trying to keep up with her. After


    another amazing amount of turns and twists, we stopped at arge gym. Andy and Dean were in some


    kind of weightliftingpetition or something. Instinct mmed into me, I dug my heels in, forcing Kara


    to stop when I noticed the girl with them.


    It was Beth, Mike''s sister. She words hit as hard as her brother''s fists. "Actually, I think I might get sick


    again. I should go back..."


    "No, you don''t," Dean shouted, making me jump. "I want you to witness how badly I beat Andy here."


    "You heard him," Kara said with augh, dragging me inside. "What are you two doing now?"


    "This dork thinks he can bench press more than I can," Andy said as lifted up the bar back onto the


    rack, several ck tes were on each side. "That''s three-fifty right there. Let''s see if you can do that


    one."


    "Please! I can do it in my sleep," Dean said, giving me a wink as he sat down when Andy got up.


    "Big talk little man," Andy replied then gave Kara one hell of a kiss. With a blush, I turned away. Beth''s


    face was twisted in obvious envy, and when she noticed me watching, she narrowed her eyes at me.


    Right, so there was that. I looked away from her and watched Dean, lift the bar off the rack. Clearly


    struggling, he lowered and then lifted the weight before returning it to the rack.


    "Boom, baby." Dean sat up with a bright grin.


    "Barely," Andy said then waved at me. "How are you? That is one hell of a bump you got there."


    "I was fine until you said that," I said, adjusting my bangs to cover the goose egg.


    "So you still set on leaving?"


    "No, not yet. Mom won''t let me," I told him.


    Beth let out a nasty snicker, rolling her eyes.


    "Great," Dean said in a near squeal. "With you, it won''t be so awkward with those two making out all


    the time." He hugged me to him. I gasped as his arm pressed against one of the fresher bruises and he


    jumped back. "Oh damn, sorry," he said, looking guilty.


    "It''s okay. Don''t worry about it."


    "It hurt a lot? I''m sure Emily can give you something for that," Kara offered.


    "No, it''s fine. Really."


    "If you''re sure," Dean said andid his arm around my shoulders, this time a lot more careful. "So let''s


    show you around. Come on, guys."


    "What''s the point if she''s going to be leaving tonight?" Beth said, looking like she''d rather I was


    anywhere else but there.


    "She might not be," Andy said. "Besides we want people to feel wee here. Come on Brook. This


    ce has everything."


    He wasn''t kidding. There was a room for movies, an indoor swimming pool, sunrooms, a library,


    studies, and so much more. It was lunch by time the tour was finished. "So Brook, do you have any


    questions about us?" Andy asked as we sat around therge table in the kitchen.


    "I guess..." I wasn''t sure what to ask. Kara waved her hand for me to continue. "So you guys really


    don''t see human as a bad thing or the whole parents aren''t mate thing?"


    Beth made a disgusted scoff, rolling her eyes.


    "Problem?" Andy demanded, giving Beth a cold nce.


    Her eyes widened then shook her head. "I don''t get why you all are so nice to her, pretending it''s okay


    she''s human and not Harry''s daughter. Not only is she a risk, but he''s an insult to the beta." Beth grew


    flustered as Andy grew angrier. "Look what''s the big deal. It''s how it is. Missy knows this so what


    gives?"


    "Missy?" Dean asked, crossing his arms over his chest.


    "Missy Mistake," I told them. "That was my name for them, back there." I wasn''t trying to make things


    harder for Beth. She obviously liked Andy, but I owed her nothing and wasn''t about to do her any


    favors.


    Andy looked like he was about to jump over the table at Beth but Kara wrapped her arms around his


    and gave him a little tug. "Andy, she''s not worth you getting in trouble," Kara told him. The anger


    slipped from him as he nodded, sitting back down.


    "In this pack, there is nothing wrong with being human," Dean said, shaking his head at Beth.


    "Nor is being born outside of a mated couple," Andy jumped it. "It''s not an everyday thing, but it


    happens. Most cases are like yours. One of the pair is human, Others are like mine, and it just causes


    tensions in the family. My step dad and I tend to butt heads a lot. It''s worse between my dad and him.


    They typically can''t be in the same room together."


    Understanding dawned in Beth''s expression, and she looked ready to cry. Now I did pity her. "Okay this


    is probably another dumb question, but what exactly does mate mean? I thought it was just your way of


    saying, husband or wife."


    The others snickered at my question and my cheeks warm in embarrassment.


    "It''s a little moreplicated than that," Kara replied, grinning at Andy who shared her grin.


    "Well mates," Dean started, wagging his eyebrows at me.


    "Is Ryder''s job to exin to her," Andy said, giving him a pointed look. "Sorry Brook, but that''s usually


    something Ryder is supposed to do. Like he was supposed to be the one to tell you that you were his


    mate."


    "But he''s not here. He''s back there pretending to be Dean, and I''ll probably be leaving tonight with my


    mom."


    "B-but Brookie," Dean said with a silly puppy dog pout.


    "No offense, but why do you want to go so badly?" Kara asked.


    Mike. "Lot''s of reasons," I said with a shrug.


    "You know you''re safe here, right?" Dean told me. "They can''t get to you here."


    My throat tightened and tempted to cry. I hated that they seemed to be able to see right through me.


    Kara gasped with excessive dramatics. "Oh my God. He actually said something intelligent!" She held


    her heart and leaned into Andy.


    "You guys are so mean to him."


    Dean put his arm around my shoulders, hugging me again. "See Brookie! You can''t leave. I need you


    to be my backup."

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    Ryder


    I sat in the back seat of Harry''s car, my knee bouncing with anxious nervousness. We headed to my


    pack''s territory to visit Brook. It was risky, but Brook''s mom needed to see her and in all honesty, so did


    I. I needed to apologize and fix this mess. I couldn''t live with Brook thinking that I''m a monster. A weight


    lifted off my shoulders when I saw the packhouse. I smiled when I noticed the unfamiliar car. I admit I


    thought she might run off before we''d get here. I still had a chance to fix things.


    At the door, my parents waited for us. "Wee Harry and Nancy Ford, betas of the ck Mountain


    pack. We are honored that you trusted your daughter to our care," Dad said.


    "I''m just happy you found her and brought her here. I owe you a debt for this Alpha of the Blue


    Crescent pack," Harry replied.


    Dad offered him a smile, obviously pleased. In acknowledging the debt, Harry also acknowledges


    Brook as his.


    "Is she okay?" Nancy asked, her hands twisting the strap of her purse.


    "She has a concussion, but this morning her symptoms improved immensely. You have a very strong


    daughter Mrs. Ford," Mom said.


    Brook''s mom visibly rxed. "Thank you, would you take me to her?"


    "Of course, follow me." With a wave of her hand, mom invited Brook''s parents inside.


    I started to follow, eager to see Brook too, but a look from my dad stopped me. "Do you realize what


    you''re risking by being here?" he asked with an uncharacteristically stern expression.


    "I''m sorry, Dad but I had toe. I really messed up."


    "Yes, you did. You need to learn better control than that Ryder. This won''t be the first time your


    adversary will say something about your mate to get a reaction from you. You have to be the stronger


    and keep your cool."


    I nodded, knowing as much as I hated getting a lecture, he was right. I needed to be stronger. "I have


    to fix this, and if Alpha Ryan finds out I''m here then I''ll tell him I came here to visit with my injured mate.


    That would be an eptable reason for the vition,."


    The right answer because the edges of Dad''s mouth tilted upward. "Good. Now that''s using your head."


    Relieved, I let out a sigh and lifted my hand to run it through my hair again, but my dad grabbed my


    wrist. "What is this?" Anger radiated from his face as he stared at the piece of stic.


    "My punishment for the fight. Both Mike and I got one."


    Dad''s lip curled in a silent snarl and he took a deep breath and seemed to dete. "This is


    uneptable! The fight was stupid and reckless, but it doesn''t warrant silvering. This is all too


    convenient. He''s now weakened you in his territory. My instinct tells me he is nning something."


    "Framing me for Brook and her family''s death," I told him and exined everything Brook had said to


    me the day we met at the park.


    "Would he really go so far as to murder his own because they found their mate?" Dad said, looking


    stunned. "I''ll have to meet with my counsel and figure what to do about this. But right now I want to talk


    about your mate." I stilled. My mate? Why? Did she say something? Has she rejected me already? The


    pain of that single thought made it hard to breathe. "Rx Ryder. I can read your thoughts in your


    expressions. I only wanted to say that she''s everything you told me."


    "How is she dealing with being here?"


    "She''s suspicious, as expected, but she''s not treating us like monsters. She seems to handle your


    brother well enough, and Andy likes her."


    A strange surge of jealousy hit me, although he was only talking about Dean and Andy, who had a


    mate already and my best friend since fifth grade.


    "But I have to tell you. It''s not all fixed Ryder. Brook is adamant about leaving, and well, she knows


    everything."


    "Everything, everything?"


    He nodded. "I had to tell her. Brook knew we weren''t telling her something so I had to tell her the truth


    or risk being thrown in the same group with your uncle and cousin."


    "Okay, so how did she take it?" I never wanted, yet feared, an answer so badly in my life.


    "Well she didn''t go running into the night, so there''s that, but I''m not sure she fully understands exactly


    what it means. I believe she thinks that we''ll force her into it, despite my assurances to the contrary. I''m


    hoping her time around the others will help rx her. I have to warn you, Ryder, while she''s a strong


    young woman, what''s happened to her in ck Mountain pack has affected her. You need to


    remember that."


    "Of course. I''ll do what I can to make her feel safe."


    "Good, now let''s go see where Brook and her family are at."


    We found them in the game room. Harry was ying a game of pool with Dean, Andy, and Marco-our


    beta. Brook stood next to her mom.


    "Hey Bro," Dean yelled at me.


    Brook''s eyes met mine, making my heart race, but she quickly looked away.


    "Come over here and join us so I can kick your ass too," Dean said, waving me over.


    Dad shot him a chastising re but either Dean didn''t see it, or he didn''t care. Even though I didn''t


    want to y, I walked over to the table, taking the pool cue my brother held out for me. Maybe this


    would help show Brook that I''m just a guy and not a monster. "Someday Dean that mouth is going to


    get you in trouble."


    His only reply was that cocky smirk of his.


    The game didn''tst long, and despite all the odds, my brother didn''t beat us all. Nope, that was my


    dad. He was downright awesome at the pool. "Well yed," I told him and noticed Brook and her mom


    were gone. Panic surged through me, but I swallowed it. They probably went for a walk or something to


    eat. I needed to chill. I only had a look for her.


    I set the stick down and was going to leave when my dad called me. "I need to talk with Andy for a


    moment. Please see Harry at my office and introduce him to the council." I silently groaned. I wanted to


    find Brook and talk, but orders were orders. "Yes, Sir."


    The council consisted of Marco, our beta, Jayson our lead sentry wolf, Dr. Mathers the pack doctor,


    Aaron, my grandfather and our acting elder, and Trevor our lead enforcer. "Ryder what are you doing


    here?" My grandfather asked and everyone echoed his sentiment.


    I exined my reasons for being here. All of them gave me knowing grins, they all had their mates and


    knew what it was like, I guess. The council questioned Harry and myself for nearly an hour before I was


    free and then it was time for dinner.


    "Hey man," Andy greeted me as I walked into the dining room. He was with Kara, Beth, and Dean.


    We shared a fist bump. "Hey, how''s it going?" Noticing Brook wasn''t with them.


    "We''re good. She''s with her mom, and no, I don''t know where they are," Andy said.


    "Man, Ryder you are so lucky," Dean told me. "But to be honest, I''ve almost convinced her toe to


    this side of the fence."


    "You wish," I said, shoving him, ignoring the twinge of worry in the back of my mind.


    "Please, Brook is too smart to fall for hisme ass lines," Kara said.


    I nodded to Beth. "Hey, how do you like it here?"


    "It''s great. I really like it."


    Good. After what I''d seen, I was going to talk to Dad. Perhaps there was a way to let her stay here if


    she wanted. "Let''s get something to dinner. I missed lunch." It felt so good being back here with the


    gang. I didn''t realize how isted I was in ck Mountain until now.


    After dinner, I decided to go to my room, take a shower, and get changed before trying to find Brook


    again. I ran a hand through my hair, tired. I hadn''t been getting a whole lot of sleeptely. Thoughts of


    Brook had been keeping me awake, not that I wasining. I opened my door, took a few steps


    inside, closing the door before I noticed that Brook was there...and she was practically naked. My jaw


    dropped as I stared at her in surprise.


    She was in my room, and she only had a towel covering her, and that was wrapped around her waist.


    Her back was facing me, but her arms were crossed over her chest as she looked at me in surprise. I


    should look away, but it was easier said than done. With her wet stuck to her face, neck, and


    shoulders, she looked like a Venus straight out of my dreams. She was beautiful, and only the bruises


    still visible on her sides marred her perfection.


    "Oh my God! You perv, get out," Brook shouted at me, grabbing a bottle of my cologne and threw it at


    me.


    I managed to duck in time to avoid it from smashing my face. My face burned with embarrassment.


    "Shit, I''m sorry. I didn''t know..."


    "Get out," Brook insisted, tossing one of my trophies but this time I wasn''t fast enough. It hit me on the


    shoulder, and it hurt like hell. I red at her, but before I could tell her to stop throwing stuff, she


    demanded, "Don''t look at me, you pervert. Get out, now!"


    As she reached for something new to throw I started to fear for my life. The only thing in reach was my


    bigger trophies with lots of pointy and sharp edges. I left, mming the door, and took a breath. Damn


    it! I was supposed to be reassuring her, and instead, Ie off as some kind of creep. Seriously, how


    could this get any worse?


    A momentter the door opened, and she was now, thankfully, fully dressed. "What is wrong with you?


    Haven''t you ever heard of knocking?"


    Now that''s not fair. "It''s my room, and I didn''t know you were in there."


    "Right, of course. I''d expect ame excuse like that from Dean, but I guess he''s not the one I should''ve


    been worried about."


    A surge of possessive jealousy reared its head. "He hasn''t touched you, has he?"


    Brook sucked in a breath and backed up against the wall. Crap, I was doing it again!


    I blew out a breath as I ran my hands through my hair. "Sorry, I didn''t mean to scare you, again. Can


    we just start over?"


    "Uh yeah, sure," she said, sounding a little wary still. I followed her back into my room where she


    picked up the towel and tossed it into the basket.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    "I mean it. I''m really sorry, especially for walking in like that. No one told me you were here in my


    room."


    Her face turned light pink, and she narrowed her eyes at me. "Why? Would''ve dropped in sooner?


    Perv."


    "What? No! And quit calling me a perv. It was an ident. You''re the one walking around my


    room...like that," I said, running a hand through my hair, the image of her near nakednessing back


    to my mind. I swallowed, too warm all of the sudden.


    Brook started to snicker. "Dude, Dean''s right. It''s way too easy to get a rise out of you."


    She had no idea. "You''re messing with me?"


    Brook rolled her eyes. "Obviously."

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    ¡°So you don''t think I''m a monster?" Ryder asked, looking unsure.


    "No. I just got scared is all. I didn''t really understand what all this werewolf stuff really meant," I said,


    packing my things back into the backpack. "Well have a nice life."


    "Wait, what? What do you mean - have a nice life?"


    I slung my backpack up on my shoulder. "Exactly what I said, have a nice life. Mom''s here, and if I y


    my cards right, tomorrow we''ll be heading to California."


    "So soon, I was hoping..."


    "What? That I''d stay here, y house and give up on every dream and n I made for myself?" I


    demanded with my hand on my hip.


    "Well, no, but..."


    "Right, I might believe you if it wasn''t for that but. You were right about one thing Ryder, it''s time to think


    of myself. So see youter and have a nice life." I moved around him and started for the door.


    "God, I''m bad at this," he said, sighing.


    I froze with my hand on the doorknob. Just walk away, Brook. You have no reason to feel bad. Instead,


    I turned around. He was sitting on the bed, looking as if his Goldfish had died. "Bad at what?"


    "Being your mate. I did nothing to stop Mike. I''ve scared you and upset you to the point you don''t even


    want to consider being with me. And if I can''t take care of you how the hell am I going to take care of


    my pack when it''s my turn to be alpha?"


    Take care of me? Excuse me? My blood boiled with anger. I walked over to him and nudged his


    shoulder. "Who asked you to take care of me?"


    "No one, but-"


    I pushed his shoulder again. "This is the twenty-first century. I don''t need anyone to take care of me!


    I''ve been doing fine on my own."


    "Really? And why did Mike-"


    "I let it happen, it wasn''t that I couldn''t stop it. There is a big difference," I lied. No way in hell I would''ve


    been able to stop Mike, but I didn''t even try either. I let him do what he did because I thought it was the


    only way to keep everyone happy. "Just because you saw me lose it once doesn''t mean I am not able


    to handle myself. When Harry shifted, it was fluffy Twilight werewolf not the American Werewolf in


    London, but here''s a news sh Jacob I got over it, and I can take care of myself."


    I stepped back when Ryder grabbed my wrist. "Brook, I didn''t mean it like that. I only...can you talk to


    me Brook? That''s all I really want to do right now. Just talk."


    Ugh. Damn it, he had to go and be reasonable."Fine," I said, defeated and plopped down on the bed


    next to him. "Don''t guys avoid talking?"


    Ryder smiled. "The twenty-first century, remember? I get it. You can take care of yourself. I only meant


    I want to is all. You''re my mate."


    Still had no idea what he meant by that. "Ryder, let''s be real here for one second. This is all a little too


    much. You don''t know me."


    "I know enough."


    "Enough?" I said, staring at him incredulously. "You''ve known me for a week at best. You haven''t even


    begun to know me. It''s crazy that you''d expect me to stop everything because some goddess said so."


    "I''m not-"


    "Yes, you are. I want to leave, and you''re trying to stop me! Have you ever considered I don''t like you


    or want to be around you?"


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    A dark expression washed over his face. "Don''t say that. You''re right. You still don''t understand so don''t


    say that."


    My throat tightened, and it took everything I had not to run to the door. "Why? What would you do if I


    did?"


    His brow pinched as he looked at me. "Not what you''re thinking. I wouldn''t hit you, Brook. Ever. Let me


    see if I can exin this without sounding like a dick. When you say things like that it makes certain


    instinctse awake and it''s kind of hard to suppress them."


    Yeah, like that exined anything. God, they should write a ''How to'' book or something. I needed a


    manual right now.


    "Damn I''m not good at this," Ryder said, running his hand through his hair.


    "Don''t worry about it. Maybe Andy could tell me, he seems-"


    "No way. He will not talk to you," Ryder barked, and suddenly I wasying on the bed with Ryder on top


    of me. His eyes are now full-on glowy, icy blue.


    "Whoa, wait, what? Isn''t Andy was your friend? Your dad said it was okay if we talked."


    A low growl rumbled out of Ryder as he pressed himself into me. My face warmed. "W-what are you


    doing?"


    "This Brook, this is what I''m talking about," Ryder said, his voice thick and rough. It didn''t sound


    anything like him. "This is the effect you have on me. When you say things like you don''t want to be


    around me, or you want to talk to Andy instead of me, this is what my instincts tell me to do..." He


    pushed into me even more, making me gasp. "And this..." Ryder''s mouth fell on mine, kissing me hard.


    A surprised squeak escaped me. This was unlike the kiss in the park, but I kind of liked it too. It caused


    a shock wave to tear through me. My whole body seemed toe alive, and I gave in to the urge to


    kiss him back.


    When the kiss ended, Ryder rested his forehead against mine. We both gasped and gulped for air. It


    was I''d been running for my life or something.


    "That was..." Ryder said through his heavy breathing. "Damn you nearly killed me."


    I hope that was apliment, it oddly seemed like one, by the way, my stomach tightened. I smiled


    hesitantly, and he groaned.


    "Don''t look at me like that. I''m having a hard enough time as it is."


    Now that didn''t feel like apliment. "Sorry, I didn''t-" I didn''t what? I had no idea what I did wrong.


    Ryder startedughing. "There is nothing to apologize for Brook. You''re just..." he paused. "When you


    look at me like that, it drives me crazy, and I want you. All of you right now but I don''t want to rush you


    or take things further than you''re ready for."


    "Oh," I said and went full-on bright red again. My stomach tightened and my body flooded with warmth.


    "You''re killing me," Ryderined with a groan and kissed me again. His hand on my cheek drifted


    to my jaw, slowly down my neck to my shoulder with a feather-light touch. It sent shocks through me to


    pool down in my belly. His hand moved down off my shoulder and downwards. My heart pounded in my


    ears, my skin seemed to prickle in anticipation of him touching me in such an intimate. I wanted it yet it


    also kind of scared me. All of a sudden he wasn''t there anymore. I blinked a couple of times in surprise


    and a little bit of disappointment.


    "Crap, your mom''sing," Ryder said, ncing at the door with an expression of panic on his face.


    "She can''t see me like this. She''ll kill me!" He ran into the bathroom, closing the door a moment before


    I heard a knock on the door.


    I let out a breath and ran my fingers through my hair. "Yeah?"


    Mom stuck her head in, smiling at me. "Hey hun, have you seen Ryder? His father wants to talk to


    him?"


    "Ryder? No, I haven''t seen him."


    Mom looked at me with an expression I couldn''t read and came inside, closing the door behind her.


    "Brook are you alright? You''re flushed? Did you cry some more?"


    I cringed, remembering the sob session I had with her earlier. She sat next to me, hugging me to her.


    "My poor baby girl," she said, kissing the top of my head. She apparently mistook the cringe for a yes,


    I''d been crying. "I get you''ve been through a lot but it''s going to get better, and until it does, you can cry


    all you want, Baby. Don''t worry about the snot my purse is full of tissues."


    Embarrassment burned through me. Oh, this was wonderful. "No, I don''t need to cry anymore. I''m


    okay." Oddly enough it was true. I wasn''t so afraid anymore.


    "Alright, if you''re sure. Brook, we need to have a talk."


    "Did we just have a talk?" Well, it was more like her lecturing me for nearly an hour about how stupid


    it''d been for me to run away in my condition and I had no idea what it was like to survive on my own.


    "There are still things that need to be discussed, but we''ll talk all about itter when we''re actually


    alone," she said, standing. "Tell Ryder he needs to be downstairs in five minutes or I''ll send Harry to


    search for him. That is when you see him, of course."


    My eyes widened, and my face burned again. "Yeah, sure thing, Mom." How did she know?

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    I knew Ryder heard Mom so I followed her downstairs. Harry stopped us in the hallway. He ushered us


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    both into an empty room, a worried expression on his face. "What''s wrong Harry?" Mom asked, worry


    on her face too.


    "Alpha Ryan knows everything. He knows we''re here and worse, he knows Brook is Ryder''s mate. I''ve


    been ordered to bring you back to ck Mountain territory by six in the morning tomorrow."


    "What? But I can''t go back. Harry, you can''t take me back," I said. My voice in a high shriek as panic


    mmed into me.


    "Of course, he''s not taking you back," Mom said with determined in her eyes.


    However, Harry looked like he was ready to toss his cookies. "If I don''t, it''ll be an open act of


    aggression and he''ll make sure it leads to war."


    I grabbed mom''s sleeve and stared at Harry. He couldn''t really be considering it, could he? Mom patted


    my hand and asked Harry just that.


    "Nancy, I would never give Brook back to him, but I need you both to understand the situation we are


    now facing."


    I let go of Mom, but my stomach still twisted with dread."Can''t I just say I don''t want to go back? Who


    told him anyway?"


    "I don''t know who told him, and I''m afraid your word doesn''t count. You''re still a minor. As Nancy is


    mated with me, we all belong to ck Mountain."


    "Why does Ryan want Brook back home so badly he''d risk war?" Mom asked.


    "Power, Nancy," Harry said with a defeated air about him. "He hates Brent and his nonviolent ideals


    more than anything in this world. As Ryder''s mate, Brook allows Ryan to have power over him and


    through him, his father."


    "What if Ryder got a new mate?" I suggested, though something twisted inside me as I said it.


    Harry chuckled. "It doesn''t quite work like that, Brook."


    "So what are you suggesting we do?" Mom asked. "Besides hand over my daughter to her abusers."


    Harry gave Mom a pleading, sad nce. "Never, Nancey. I swear. Alpha Brent has suggested we stay


    under the pretenses as P.O.W.s while he tries to work something out with Ryan."


    "So why do you look like that?" I asked. There had to be more for him seem so downtrodden.


    "We have to run," Harry told us.


    "What?" Mom said, her eyes wide with shock. "Why would we have to run?"


    "Because this has now all be a power y with Brook in the center. Alpha Brent is a good man,


    but he is an alpha. Alphas must always put the good of their pack before anything and Ryder is an


    alpha. It''s obvious, he cares for Brook, but I can''t promise he wouldn''t sacrifice her to save his pack if it


    came down to that." The downfallen expression on his face was short of tragic. "I''m so sorry, Brook.


    You deserved to have something good in your life."


    My throat tightened, and my eyes burned with the promise of tears, but I wouldn''t cry. "It''s how it is.


    How are we going to run?"


    "Wait a minute," Mom said, holding up her hand. "How can we be so sure Brent or his son would do


    something like this. I understand a mate is something special, right? Why would they even consider


    giving their son''s mate to their enemy? Should I be worried?" She gave Harry a challenging re.


    "No, I''d die first, but I''m not an alpha. You two are the only pack I care about."


    "So how do we get out of here?" I insisted.


    "We have to y it cool," Harry replied. "Brent will never allow Brook out of his territory. He can''t risk


    someone using her to get to his pack. They''re going to expect something from us, so we have to try


    hard not to raise any suspicions. We have to let them believe we agree staying here is our best option."


    Mom pressed her lips together. "They can''t keep us here against our will. That''s kidnapping and illegal."


    "Werewolves, Mom. They can do whatever they want. It''s only illegal if they get caught."


    When Harry gave her a grimace, she shook her head. "Good lord, what did I bring you to?" She pulled


    me to her and kissed the top of her head. "I''m so sorry Brook."


    "It''s not your fault or Harry''s. It''s just the way it is," I told her. I wanted to make sure she didn''t get mad


    at Harry either. Without him, we''d be lost for sure. "Okay, first things first. No way am I letting you stay


    in that boy''s room. Harry do what you need to do to get us out of here. Brook, let''s go talk to Emily and


    find you somewhere more appropriate to stay." Harry and I looked at each other in surprise. Wow, Mom


    in charge. If she was a werewolf, she''d obviously be an alpha.


    We found Emily in the main living room or parlor or whatever the rich and fancy call those rooms. She


    greeted us warmly, and Mom returned it just as warm. It was they were best friends. "Since it seems we


    are going to be staying a while. I figured it best we settle rooming arrangements. I''m aware Brook has


    been staying in Ryder''s room, and I''m assuming with thetest, he won''t be going back to ck


    Mountain. It''s best she stay somewhere else. She is still underage."


    The Luna gave her a brief, odd look then smiled. "I can promise you, Ryder would never hurt Brook,


    but of course, I can understand the need for another room. I know just the one. Follow me." She led us


    back upstairs, and I wasn''t at all surprised when the room she showed us was next to Ryder''s. Not


    subtle at all.


    Mom pursed her lips but nodded. "Alright, this will do for now."


    "Great, well I''m going to get settled in."


    "Wonderful. Nancy, I''d like to discuss this situation some more with you, if you don''t mind?" Emily


    asked.


    "Of course, I will see youter, Brook."


    The next morning I yawned as I sat at the kitchen ind as the Rose set down my breakfast. She had


    offered to take my te to the dining room, but I asked if I could eat in here instead. She seemed as if


    she wanted to argue but didn''t say anything. I didn''t care how she looked at me as long as she


    respected I wanted to be alone. That was the n, of course.


    "Here she is," Andy called out, and I looked up to see him and all the otherse into the kitchen. "I


    told you she''d be in here."


    My throat tightened. I wasn''t so sure I could do this, act all cool and everything. I looked back down at


    my te, tugging my hood lower, and continued eating.


    "Good morning Brookie," Dean said in a sing-song voice. He pulled the hood off my head andughing


    when I red at him.


    "Dean, leave her be," Ryder said, standing behind me. He was so close his body heat seeped into


    mine. It made my pulse race, and my stomach went all fluttery again. Apparently, that wasn''t close


    enough because he slipped his arms around my waist and hugged me too him. He set his chin on my


    shoulder, making my heart go even faster. My body obviously didn''t get the memo he wasn''t on my


    side.


    "Why are you here instead of the dining room?" Andy asked, sitting across from me. Beth sat at his


    side, shooting me an ugly re before gazing at Andy with a dreamy expression. Dean sat next to me,


    stealing some bacon off my te and earning another re from me.


    "Why not?" Beth jumped in. "She''s free to do what she wants. You all don''t have to babysit her."


    "It''s not babysitting, it''s calling including her. She''s our friend," Andy said.


    "It''s cool, I''m fine. I''m thinking of staying in today, catching up on my reading. You guys go do your


    thing."


    Dean snorted. "Come on, Brookie. Reading? You''re not avoiding us, are you?"


    "I''m not," I said, but as soon as I said it, everyone frowned at me. "I like reading. I don''t follow the same


    circles as you guys."


    "Same circles? You realize that sounds some," Dean said.


    "As much as I hate to agree with my brother he has a point," Ryder said.


    "Okay, fine. I agreed to help Mom with some stuff okay. I figured it would earn me some brownie points


    because she''s kind of still super pissed at me. It''s going to keep me busy all day." I pushed my te


    towards Dean, knowing that''d appease him. Andy tilted his head to the side, looking at me strangely.


    Starting to get ufortable, I pushed Ryder''s arm off me and left the kitchen before any of them


    could ask me any more questions.


    In another life, a life where I wasn''t Missy Mistake or someone''s pawn, I might have been friends with


    them. I ran my fingers along the wall as I walked. I really didn''t want to stay in my room, and that would


    be the first ce anyone would look for me. I stopped at arge window, now on the third floor, and


    admired the view. The sun streamed through trees. Birds dashed here and there, and I even saw deer


    with her baby.


    I was so caught up in watching the deer I didn''t notice someone was behind me until it was toote.


    Ryder''s arm slipped around me, and just like this morning, his heat swallowed me. My heart and


    stomach went all crazy. "So this is what your mom asked you to do, huh?" There was no heat in his


    words, but the usation was clear.


    "Uhm, yeah, something like that," I said, trying my best not to lean into him. His whole body stiffened


    against mine. His grip around my waist tightened, making me cringe with a slight sting of pain from the


    bruises.


    "Why are you lying to us, to me?"


    "I''m not..."


    Ryder turned me around to face him, his expression was angry. My breath caught in my throat, and I


    took a step back. "One thing, Brook," he said. "Werewolves can sense lies. We all know you lied to us


    earlier. You''re lying to me now. What gives? I thought we were good?"


    "We''re good enough," I said, not so sure what else to say. I tried to move around him, but Ryder


    blocked me with his arm.


    "Good enough? Brook, what''s wrong. I can''t make it better if you don''t talk to me."


    "Nothing is wrong. I''m fine. You''re fine," I told him. Man, I was really starting to feel awful. Harry


    could''ve warned me this was going to be so hard.


    Ryder sighed, shaking head. "Another lie. Did Dean make you ufortable is that it? Come on, he''s


    an ass, but he''s really harmless." Ryder took my hand and started to pull me down the hall. "Gives us a


    chance, Brook. Seriously."


    "Stop. Let me go. You can''t just drag me where you want. I''m a person damn it."


    Ryder turned, his expression angry. " I really don''t know what I have to do to get you to understand


    that. I don''t think of you any less than myself or any other werewolf. Seriously, Brook, you''re not giving


    me a chance to prove myself. Not that I did anything wrong in the first ce."


    He threw his hands up in the air and suddenly I saw Mike swinging at me. I gasped, ducking, and


    raising my hands to protect myself. Ryder stared at me, shock and disgust on his face. What just


    happened? Shame fluttered through me as for the first time in my life the feeling of being a victim


    bombarded me. "You''re right. Go waste your time on someone else and leave me alone," I told him and


    ran back to my room.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    Ryder


    I growled, running my hands through my hair as I watched Brook run from me. What happened? I didn''t


    understand any of it at all - the lying or acting like I was going to hit her. I stomped through the halls and


    into the pool room where my brother, Andy, Kara, and Beth were waiting. I slumped into one of the


    lounge chairs next to Dean.


    "Didn''t find her?"


    "I did but lost her again," I told them.


    "Weird," Andy said looking thoughtful. "She wasn''t really like that the first day. Wary, but she never


    seemed to avoid any of us."


    "Actually, it''s not so odd for her," Beth said. "She has always been kind of antisocial."


    "She''s not anti-social. Your pack forced her into istion. Big difference," Dean told her.


    I nced at him surprised, not much got my brother angry.


    "Well still..." Beth said, shrugging.


    "She''s not antisocial," Kara insisted.


    Beth bit her lip and looked down at herp.


    "Go, easy guys, Beth is only trying to help," I told them.


    She gave me an appreciative smile from her. "Thanks. Look, she doesn''t want to be here. We can''t


    force her so let''s have fun."


    Andy crossed his arms across his chest. Kara, by his side, with an unimpressed look on her face and


    Dean rolled his eyes. What was their deal with Beth? Not wanting her to feel unwee, I said. "Yeah,


    let''s go." I jumped into the water.


    Soon the others joined us, and we all had a good time. With everything that''s been going on with the


    ck Mountain pack and my responsibilities as future alpha; plus my problems with Brook I needed to


    unwind. What was I doing so wrong? Maybe Beth''s right and she is antisocial.


    If she was how was I going to get passed it? Could I get passed it? Would it be better to leave her


    alone as she wants? I wasn''t Mike, and I was tired of beingpared to him every time she looked at


    me. It wasn''t fair. I reached my room, but as I opened the door, I heard Harry''s voice.


    "Come on, talk to me. You can''t lie to a werewolf. Something happened. Was it Ryder? Did he hurt


    you?"


    I scowled. What the hell? When did I ever give anyone a reason to suggest I''d hurt her?


    "No, he didn''t hurt me. It''s just..." Brook said, her voice so soft I almost missed it. I walked over to her


    door and leaned against the wall.


    "You feel bad. I get it, but careful, we don''t want to alert their suspicions. You''ll never have the life you


    want if they think we''re nning on running. You''re too dangerous for Alpha Brent to let walk away."


    What the hell is he talking about? My hands curled into fists. That bastard, where did he get off lying


    about my dad like that?


    "I know," Brook said, sounding frustrated. "But I don''t like this, Harry. The lying and pretending was


    hard enough when it was for Mom, but now..."


    "Is that what''s got you so upset? Brook, if-"


    "That''s not what upset me. I may not like it, but if I have to be a bitch to Ryder and the others to keep


    my freedom, I''ll do it."


    "So what''s wrong?"


    "Ryder was angry, he lifted his hands, not threatening or anything, but I saw Mike. Suddenly, I was


    cowering, waiting to be hit," she told him, her voice cracking near the end. "I always told myself it


    wouldn''t affect me, I wouldn''t be a victim. I wouldn''t give Mike that kind of power, but...God, I''m so


    pathetic."


    I couldn''t stand to listen to anymore, or I''d end up breaking down the door. I think that''d do more harm


    than good right now. I turned and stormed down the hall. I med Harry as much as I did Mike. If he


    weren''t poisoning her against the pack and me, she''d be more willing to give me a chance. She might


    not have flipped out. I left and went to the gym downstairs.


    I needed to vent my anger and think. I had to figure out how I was going to fix this. There was no way I


    was going to let Brook run away until she saw the truth. I saw Andy was already in the gym. Perhaps


    he could help. I huffed, sitting next to him.


    "You''re starting to sound like the Big Bad Wolf with all the huffing and puffing. What gives?" He asked,


    setting aside the weight.


    "ording to Harry that''s what I am," I said and told him everything.


    "Ouch, between that and Beth, no wonder she''s avoiding us all."


    "Beth? What''s going on with Beth? Actually, why do you hate her so much? Don''t tell me it''s she''s


    annoying because of that little crush she has on you. A lot of girls like you and are annoying, and you


    don''t hate them."


    Andy started to say something then hesitated. "I get she''s a part of your family and a guest here, but I


    can''t stand how hypocritical and mean she is. She acts all nice when she''s around you and your family,


    but when she is alone with Brook or doesn''t think anyone is listening or looking, she''s mean."


    "Mean how?"


    "Beth is giving her dirty looks every time she thinks no one is looking. She''s always saying things that


    seem inoffensive but ultimately makes Brook look bad. Like the antisocial thing earlier. You may have


    to be nice to her, but I''m sure as hell am not."


    I mmed my fist into the bench I was sitting. "This is bullshit! No wonder I''m getting nowhere with her.


    I''m done ying nice and getting screwed over." I stood, starting for the door.


    "Wait, where are you going?"


    "Talk to Dad.I''m sure he''ll have ideas about what to do," I told him.


    Dad was in his office talking to his council when I knocked on the door. "When you''re finished. I need to


    talk to you about something important," I said.


    He waved his hand. "We''re done here, pretty much. Come in, what''s on your mind." I walked in, took a


    chair across from him on the oblong table, and told him everything. By the time I finished Dad''s face


    was nk, but the knuckles of his fist were white. He was pissed and didn''t say anything for a long


    time.


    "Now this is a mess, and there isn''t anything we can do about Harry without proving to Brook he''s right


    about us," he said finally, leaning back in his chair. "I can''t even bring myself to me him entirely. I''m


    sure he genuinely believes what he''s saying because that''s how it is for his pack under Ryan''s rule."


    "So what do we do?"


    "I''ll deal with Harry. You worry about Brook. In order to keep her, you''re going to have to prove she''s


    free to leave."


    "If she''s free to leave then she''d leave," I said, irritated. How was letting her leave going to help


    anything?


    He smiled at me. "Brook is going to be less inclined to leave if she knows she''s free to do so. You have


    to understand since she came to live with Harry, she lost control over her life and through it she''s


    suffered. You try to control or dominate her, Ryder, and you lose her. It''s going to be hard. You''re an


    alpha and by nature are dominant, but you''re going to have to learn how to set it all aside. If you can''t


    then it''s better for you both if she leaves."


    This was going to be hard. "Sure, I can do that."


    Dad''s smile grew. No doubt he heard my uncertainty. "I''m sure you can. I will say this, we can''t let her


    iste herself. That means no meals in her room. She''s going to have to eat like the rest of us. I want


    to see here out at least once, not including mealtimes. Keep an eye on Beth. If she can''t behave


    herself, then we''ll have to be stricter with her. You see all of this Ryder. This is the result of Ryan''s


    cruelty. Beth, Harry, Brook, they''re all the ripple effects of it."


    "Yeah, well we have to stop it. Brook can''t be another one of his victims," I told him.


    "Agreed. Just do as I told you, remember patience, and with any luck, she''lle around. Now, I think


    I''ll go find Harry and his mate for a little chat."


    I nodded, getting up, and heading back to Brook''s room. Surprisingly she wasn''t there, so I let myself in


    and sat on the bed. Only a few minutes passed when she walked in, freezing when she saw me there.


    "Ryder, what are you doing in my room?"


    "Waiting for you." I smiled at her, but she kept eyeing me as if I was a tiger or something.


    "And you just let yourself in?"


    "Pretty much. It was the one sure way I would catch you when you came back. Plus, if I knocked I''m


    not sure if you''d answered." Again, I offered her a smile, trying hard to seem inoffensive as possible. "I


    didn''t like the way we left off, Brook. I don''t like seeing you scared, and I don''t like being the cause of it.


    Sometimes, I forget what you went through, and I really am sorry."


    Emotion shed across her face, but before I could read it, it was gone. She rolled her eyes at me.


    "Whatever. You don''t know anything, Ryder. You have no idea and stop apologizing. It''s pathetic. Aren''t


    all you alphas suppose to be the dominant ones or does it skip a generation." She sneered at me,


    flipping her hair off her shoulder and walking over to the dresser.


    Her words cut through me, and I couldn''t breathe for a moment then I remembered what she said


    earlier to Harry. An act, that''s what this all was, an act. Right? I got up from the bed and walked to her,


    pinning her between me and the dresser. She gasped, and I leaned into her, brushing her hair away


    from her neck, I breathed in her scent.


    "Is that what you want, Brook? You want me to dominate you, make you do what I want?" I didn''t need


    my nose to detect her fear. I sat back down on the bed as she turned to face me. Some of the fear was


    gone, but I didn''t like how defeated she looked.


    "What do you want Ryder?"


    "You know what I want. I''ve said it like a million times now," I said, sping my hands together so I


    wouldn''t do anything to identally trigger her likest time.


    Brook frowned, her eyes zing with anger. "I can''t-"


    "What? Go have lunch with me? Hang out by the pool? Just sit and hang out?"


    Now her eyes narrowed. "It''s more than that."


    "Brook, tell me when did I ask you for more? Tell me one time, only one." She opened her mouth and


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    closed it then with a scowl crossed her arms over her chest. I grinned as I stood and walked back over


    to her. "Please,e and have lunch with me and the others," I asked, rubbing her upper arm. "I''m not


    asking you to stay or anything. Let us get a chance to know you and you us."


    The conflict was in in her expression, and some of the tension in my chest eased. She wanted to


    say yes. That was something, at least. Instead of giving in, she flipped her hair again and scowled at


    me. "Ryder, I don''t want to know you or any of your little friends. Just get lo-"


    I wrapped my hand around her neck and cut her off with a kiss. She took a sharp breath but didn''t fight


    me - good. Keeping it at just a kiss, I pulled back and smirked at her. "You''re lying again, and every


    time you lie, I''m going to kiss you. The bitch queen isn''t you so drop the act." I pried her arms from her


    chest and took her hand in mine,cing our fingers together. "Come on." She didn''t fight me as we left


    the bedroom. Perhaps, there was hope, after all.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    "See this isn''t so bad," Ryder said, leading me into one of the tables in the cafeteria-style dining room.


    He only let go of my hand when we sat down with the others. I didn''t say anything back. What could I


    say? He was just so nice and seemed authentic. It all left me so confused. Harry made it seem like I''d


    lose everything if I stayed, but Ryder was right. He never asked me to stay, not really. It was all so


    confusing and gave me a headache.


    "Hey Brookie," Dean said, waving to me.


    Several people from the other tables looked over at ours, and I hunched up. "Hey," I said in a grumble.


    "You''re really grumpy. Is it that time of the month?" Dean asked.


    He did not just ask me that?


    Andy groaned, ring at him. "Dude, seriously. Shut the hell up."


    "Typical guy," Kara said, rolling her eyes. "Any time a girl is in a bad mood you guys think it''s because


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    of that. Could you be more sexist?"


    "I am not," Deanined. "It was an honest question."


    "Maybe I''m like this because I don''t like any of you," I told them. The words barely left my mouth before


    Ryder''s lips were on mine. He smirked at me when the kiss was over with an I wasn''t kidding look.


    Kara aww-ed, smiling at us while Dean made gagging noises."Okay, so that was something I didn''t


    need to see. I might be traumatized." He shuddered for good measure.


    "Shut up Dean," Ryder told him, but the smile took any heat out of his words.


    "Anyway," Andy said leaning forward with his arms on the table. "I know you like me. Everyone likes


    me." He nodded, obviously convinced of the truth of his statement.


    "It''s true, unfortunately," Kara said, rolling her eyes.


    "I don''t like you," Dean said.


    "You don''t count." Andy shoved him, making him bump roughly into Beth. She looked irritated at first


    thenughed lightly giving Dean a little push back towards Andy. Neither of the guys acknowledged


    her.


    "Come on let''s get some food before all the good stuff is gone. Need us to get you anything Brookie?"


    "Ryder will take care of her," Kara said, standing with the others.


    Dean got a sly smile on his face and elbowed Andy in the ribs. "I bet he does." He winked and nudged


    Andy.


    "You''re an idiot," Andy said, shaking his head.


    "We''ll be right back," Ryder told me with a smile, joining the other heading to the food.


    As soon as they were more than halfway there Beth sneered at me. "You just think you''re so special


    don''t you?"


    "No, actually I don''t," I replied. Beth rolled her eyes at me. "Beth, I get you don''t like me being around,


    but instead of giving me crap about it, why don''t you tell them that you don''t want me here."


    "Right so I''m the bad guy. I''m not as stupid as you look, Missy! Enjoy it while itsts because after


    Ryder has had his fun with you, you''ll be back in your ce. A stupid, unimportant, waste of space. You


    deserved to what my brother did to you. You''re so pathetic, it would be funny if it weren''t so sad."


    Beth kept going, but I stopped listening and red at the tabletop. My hands shook so badly I had to


    fist them to hide it. She wasn''t worth it, just a little person trying to make herself big at the expense of


    others.


    "I guess you''re a big of a slut as your mom," Beth said, catching my attention.


    I looked up at her. "What did you say?"


    "You are a skank, exactly like your Mom."


    Something broke inside me and everything I''ve been hiding away inside me these past years came


    rushing to the surface. There was nothing I could do to stop it either. I jumped to my feet and pped


    her hard. Her eyes widened in shock then she screamed as I climbed up on the table. I tackled her,


    knocking us both to the ground. "You. Don''t. Get. To. Talk. About. My. Mom," I shouted as I punched


    her, over and over.


    "Get off of me, you crazy bitch," she shouted back and kicked me off of her.


    I flew through the air, hit a table, bouncing off of it, and crashed to the floor. Pain radiated through my


    back as I stood. Someone take hold of my arm, but I pushed them away. The pain only fueled my


    anger. Beth shot me a brief but smug smirk. She wasn''t smug when I ran at her again. Eyes wide and


    mouth open, she looked almost afraid. She should be afraid. I was going to tear off her lips, so I''d never


    had to see that smirk again.


    I grabbed her cheeks, digging my nails into the skin. "Like that? How''s that for pathetic? How''s that for


    a waste of space," I yelled over her screaming.


    Beth pulled my arms away from her bleeding face and grabbed my hair in one hand, pulling it hard, and


    the other twisted my arm she still held. She jerked it so hard something popped in my shoulder followed


    by a fresh wave of pain. Tears swam in my eyes, but I didn''t give Beth the pleasure of hearing me cry


    out.


    "Stop it. Let her go," someone yelled.


    Beth did just the opposite. With a superior smirk, she jerked my arm, making me gasp out from the


    intense, stabbing pain. No. I wasn''t going to lose this one. Not this time. I was done losing to damn


    werewolves! I threw back my head, hitting her right in the nose, but my head throbbed from the hit. My


    vision blurred and I stumbled. Someone grabbed me, causing my arm to send pain washing through


    me.


    I tried to shove whoever it was away with my good hand, but they wouldn''t let go. It was probably a


    good thing because the next moment I doubled over and threw up.


    "What is going on here," Ryder''s dad demanded, his voice doing that gravelly growl that werewolves


    did when they were mad. I had to blink a few times to focus on him.


    "She attacked me for no reason. She wouldn''t stop," Beth sobbed, with several blood-stained napkins


    held against her nose. "I was just trying to talk to her and...and," she said in a quivering voice that


    made me angry all over again.


    People started to whisper with each other as they nced at me. My stomach tightened, but I refused


    to feel guilty. If they swallowed her bullshit, well that''s their problem.


    "Insulting someone and their family sounds like a reason to me," Ryder said from behind me. I nced


    back, realizing he was the one holding me up. "Who do you think you are? What right do you have to


    judge her as unimportant or if she deserved to be abused by your brother?"


    Beth flinched, lowering her eyes. "But she attacked me first."


    "Damn right and I''ll do it again," I said, managing to slip Ryder''s grip. I took a shaky step towards her. I


    still had to rip off her lips. Beth screamed like a horror movie extra and clung to the alpha. I took


    another step when the world decided to jump its axis, and I fell, cking out.


    My heavy eyelids little by little opened. Pain shot through my eyes and bounced around my head. I


    started to lift my left hand but there was a twinge of pain, and something held it down. I was in bed, like


    a hospital bed, bed. My left arm was in a sling. My whole body ached. Great, I passed out. "Brook,


    you''re awake," Mom said, her eyes looked red and puffy.


    Oh no. She''d been crying. "Mom, what''s wrong?"


    "What''s wrong? You get into a fight with Beth, end up with a dislocated shoulder, bruising, a


    concussion, and you ask me what''s wrong?"


    "Oh, that."


    "Yeah, that. What were you thinking Brook? She''s a werewolf, an alpha werewolf. Beth could''ve killed


    you? And for what? Because she was an idiot?" Mom''s face flushed red, looking torn between bursting


    into tears and yelling at me some more.


    "Sorry, Mom. I didn''t mean to attack her like that. Something snapped, and it just happened. I''m tired of


    them acting like they''re better than us because of their stronger, faster and better looking."


    She stood, leaned over me, and gave me a kiss on my forehead. "You should''ve walked away, Brook.


    Come talk to Harry or me." Mom''s expression turned suddenly sly. "Of course, I will say the little brat


    got what she deserved." I couldn''t help but giggle at the sly grin she had now. Her expression turned


    serious. "The alphas came to talk to us earlier. They know about Harry''s n to run."


    "Is Harry okay? What did they do to him?"


    "Nothing really," she said, sitting down on the bed with me. "Honey, Harry is wrong about them. His-"


    "Mom, you can''t trust what they say to your face. They are the real-life version of a wolf in sheep''s


    skin."


    Her eyes narrowed at me. "Brook Veronica Grigsby, I have walked this earth far longer than you have.


    Do not think because you and Harry kept what was happening to you from me for so long means that


    I''m an idiot who doesn''t know what''s going on. Now Brent and his wife have much quite honest and


    open with me. I dare say much more than my own daughter has, so yes, I''m quitepetent to say


    Harry is wrong about them."


    I snapped my mouth shut and stared at her, no doubt in wide-eyed shock. I had no idea what to say


    after that.


    "Exactly," Mom said, giving me a sharp look. "After several discussions with Ryder''s parents, I believe


    until this mess with Ryan is resolved it''s in our best interest to stay here. If we run, we''ll be alone and..."


    Her anger faded to a more saddened expression. "Neither Harry and I can keep you safe if they catch


    us out there." She blew out a breath. "I''m so sorry Brook. I''m sorry I have put you in this situation." She


    started to cry again


    "Mom," I said, ignoring the pain as I forced myself to sit up. "It''s not your fault. You couldn''t have known


    any of this would happen."


    She sniffed, hugged me tight, and dabbed her eyes with a tissue. "I''m going to go tell the others you''re


    awake. They refused the leave the waiting room until they were allowed to see you," she said with a


    I sighed, leaning back on the bed, exhausted. Things were changing all too fast, and it was so hard to


    keep up. I had just closed my eyes when the sound of the door mming up made me jump.


    "Brookie, you''re awake," Dean said with a high pitch squeal that made me wince. He ran into the room


    and jumped on the bad, making me gasp as I bounced.


    "Be careful, idiot," Kara said, hitting him on the back of the head.


    "How are you feeling?" Andy asked,ing to stand next to me while Ryder took a seat in the corner.


    "Like one who got their ass kicked," I replied in a t tone.


    "I don''t know I think you held your own pretty damn good."


    "It was about time someone put her in her ce," Kara said.


    "No kidding!" Dean held up his hand. "Come on Brookie, high five it!" I nce at his hand then back to


    him. "Don''t leave me hanging, Sista!" When he started to pout, and Andy nudged me with his elbow, I


    gave in and gave him his high five, fighting a smile.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    "Alright everyone," Ryder''s mom said,ing into the room. "I need to do a checkup so everyone out."


    "Come on Dean," Andy said, grabbing him and pulling him up and off the bed.


    "Hey, I''m family," Dean argued.


    "Out," his mother told him.


    Dean pouted like a three-year-old but left with everyone else. Ryder however still sat in the corner with


    an expression I hadn''t managed to read when his mom shed a light in my eyes.


    I jerked back and glowered at her. She justughed at me. "That looks good. How are you feeling? Any


    nausea."


    "I''m alright. A little sore. So what happens now?" Andy had told me Ryder''s dad didn''t like violence. I''m


    pretty sure they weren''t going to give me a get out of jail free card.


    At first, Emily didn''t reply but instead continued her examination. She took my temperature, checked on


    my left arm, and made me follow a small penlight with my eyes. "I''d thought to give you girls kitchen


    duty, but seeing your state, I''m inclined to give it all to Beth."


    "You''re kidding right?"


    She gave me a curious look. "Why would you say that?"


    "Beth hates me."


    Ryder''s mom frown and shook her head as if asking me "and your point is?¡±


    "You give her all the kitchen duty, and she''ll kill me. No, she insulted me, but I am the one that started


    the fight. I''m in the kitchen right along with her. I will not be looking over my shoulder every time I leave


    my room.


    Emily nodded. "Okay, if that''s what you want." When Ryder''s mom finished, she gathered her things


    and stood. "Kitchen duty or not you need to take it easy. No using your left arm and no more fights.


    You''ve been extremely lucky with your concussion. Let''s not push that luck."


    When she left whatever had been keeping Ryder so quiet was gone. He sat where his mom and been


    and smiled before giving me a peck on the lips.


    I jerked a little surprised. "What was that for?"


    "Well, I like kissing you." He grinned more. "But also because you did well."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Mom offered you an out, and you didn''t take it."


    Something in me froze, and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Was this all some kind of test?"


    Ryder stilled with what really looked like a guilty expression. "No, not at all, but if it was, you would''ve


    passed."


    Narrowing my eyes even more at him. "Yeah? And what would''ve happened if I failed? You all decide


    it''s not worth war and send me back to Mike and his dad?" The words came out a lot more bitter than


    I''d intended.


    "What? No!"


    "Or is it, they''re trying to see if I''m good enough for their son. Can I be a good little mate? You know


    what, tell them to stop wasting their time - I''m not good ''mate'' material."


    Ryder held up his hands. "Whoa, wait."


    "No, I don''t think I will." I threw back the sheets of the bed and stood, ignoring the throb of pain through


    my head. Now wasn''t the time to show weakness.


    "Brook," Ryder said, sliding off the bed.


    "If they want to rescind their offer of protection that''s fine too. I can be gone like that!" I snapped my


    fingers. I started for the door when Ryder stepped in front of me.


    "Brook."


    "I don''t want to hear how you rationalize this bull shit, Ryder. Just get out of my way." I sidestepped him


    only to have him move with me, but before I couldin his mouth was on mine. With a startled


    squeak, I took a step back. Ryder took a step forward, his lips still pressed against mine, and he


    followed me until I bumped into the wall. My anger melted into something else, something warmer and


    darker, and I returned the kiss.


    Ryders slid his hand around my waist, pulling me to him as he broke the kiss and instead, pepper


    softer kisses along my jaw, moving towards my ear. Stomach tight and heart racing, my eyes closed on


    their one as each touch of his lips on my neck sent an electric jolt streaking through me right down to


    my toes. My breath hitched in my throat as his teeth graze the skin between my neck and shoulder.


    Ryder started to suck and nip at the skin there, each time was harder and sharper than thest. I


    gasped when it started to hurt. He stiffened then rxed, stepping back. "Sorry." Embarrassment


    colored his face. "Instincts kicked in, I only meant it to be a quick kiss because...you weren''t letting me


    talk."


    I lifted an eyebrow and crossed my arms over my chest. "You kissed me to shut me?" I should''ve been


    offended, but for some reason, I wasn''t.


    "Well," Ryder rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn''t think you were going to give me a chance to


    apologize before you stormed out."


    "You were going to apologize? Shouldn''t your mom be the one to do that?"


    "No, she wasn''t testing you. Mom doesn''t like games. It was just me sticking my foot in my mouth


    again."


    "And, I didn''t let you apologize. So I-Owe, what are you a vampire too," Iined when I touched


    the part of my neck he''d apparently gnawed on.


    Ryder actually turned bright pink. "Sorry, instincts..." he shrugged. "At least it doesn''t look too bad."


    My eyes widened. "You left a mark? Did you...did you give me a hickey?"


    His embarrassment turned into a smug smirk.


    "Smirk all you want. When my mom sees this she''s going to kill you."


    Ryder shrugged, still smirking. "Then you could grant me one a dying wish.¡±


    "If it''s something guy-ish, the answer is no," I said, crossing my arms again.


    "Guy-ish? I''m not Dean." Heughed, running a hand through his hair.


    "No, I''d like to take you somewhere." He took my hand and with a tugged, led me out of the room.


    "Somewhere? Where exactly?"


    "You''ll see," he said cryptically, giving me a secretive smile.


    We continued to wind through the maze of the house when Ryder opened a door, revealing a small


    living room. In the center was a huge overstuffed couch and across from it was a just as huge t


    screen. There were a couple of love seats scattered around the room and a coffee table in the center.


    "Movie night, what do you think?"


    I smiled at the slight nervous strain in his voice. "It is yourst night alive, so yeah, this is cool."


    Ryder grinned walking over to a couch and sat down, tugging on my hand to sit with him. "What would


    you like to watch? It can be anything, but a chick flick."


    "Those are usually depressing, no I''d rather watch something fun."


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    We finally settled on watching the Avengers and eating our dinner, pizza. After a while, all the


    awkwardness and nervousness was gone. When the movie ended, I noticed just how close we were


    sitting and how at ease I was around him. "That wasn''t so bad. I can''t believe I haven''t seen it until


    now."


    "Good. If there is anything, you''ve never done but wanted to do. Just let me know, and we''ll find a way


    to do it."


    I narrowed my eyes at him again. "So if I said I wanted to go skydiving over the Grand Canyon or to


    Pamplona to run with the bulls?"


    He looked at me strangely as heughed. "Okay so maybe not anything, because that would take a


    while to set up."


    "If I''m honest there is nothing right now. My life has enough excitement as it is. This was probably the


    best thing we could''ve done."


    "Really?"


    I nodded. "It was normal. That''s something I haven''t felt in a long time, Ryder."


    He frowned, nodding then smiled. "Great, that''s what I want." He brushed his knuckles across my


    cheek, sending a wave of warmth through me.


    My heart pounded in my chest so loudly he had to have heard it. "What about you? What would be the


    one thing you''d like to do?"


    "Kiss you again."


    I blushed, ncing down at myp, self-conscious. "Seriously Ryder." I nudged him with my shoulder.


    "Seriously. I really want to kiss you again...so can I?"


    My breath caught in my throat, and it seemed impossible to breathe. Unable to speak, I gave Ryder the


    slightest of nods. He leaned forward until his lips barely touched mine, but it made every cell of my


    bodye alive. Perhaps this whole mate thing wasn''t so bad after all.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    Ryder had put in another movie, but I was falling asleep about halfway through. I woke when I''d rolled


    on my bad shoulder and hissed with the stinging pain. "You okay?" Ryder asked. "Want me to get a


    pillow or something to support your shoulder."


    "No, I''m fine. I should probably go back to my room and go to bed." As me being half asleep wasn''t


    proof enough, I yawned loudly.


    Ryder grinned but held me to him when I tried to get up. "We could justy here for a while. I like this,


    and the couch is big enough."


    "But I''m falling asleep."


    He shrugged. "Yeah, me too, but I don''t want you to leave."


    I started tough, despite the fact I kind of didn''t want to leave either. "Werewolves are so weird."


    Ryder grinned again. "So is that a yes? Will you stay with me? It doesn''t have to be here, we could go


    to your room or mine."


    That sounded a little too... "Uh..."


    "I''m talking about going to sleep, nothing more. Only doing it together."


    "Sure, I bet that''s what you say to all the girls," I told him, sitting up.


    Ryder actually snorted. "They wish."


    I nced over my shoulder at him and narrowed my eyes. "Oh really?"


    "Yep, but this offer is for one girl only - you."


    It was stupid, but it was ttering. I returned Ryder''s smile. "Okay." Why not? YOLO, and all that right?


    "Okay? Really?"


    "Yeah, but let''s go. I''m tired, and my head is starting to hurt."


    Ryder practically jumped off the couch to take my hand and helped me up. Heced his fingers with


    mine as we walked down the hall.


    My nerves grew as we walked into his room. What was I thinking? I was going to sleep in Ryder''s bed


    while he''s sleeping too...at the same time? Ryder sat on the bed, taking off only his shoes before


    pulling back the covers and lying down. I blew out a breath as I did the same. Only I was on the very


    edge of the bed.


    Ryder snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me to him until my back was against his chest. "Just


    sleeping, that''s all," he said, sounding tired. "Do you want me to leave themp on or are you good with


    the dark?"


    "Seriously, what am I, six?"


    He grinned. "Hey, don''t be hating. There is a lot of people afraid of the dark and are older than six."


    "Sounds like you''re talking from personal experience to me?"


    "Maybe."


    I looked at him over my shoulder. "Really?"


    "You''re not going to make fun of me are you?"


    "No, of course not."


    Ryder hesitated. "I was afraid of the dark until I was fourteen. It''s true." I gave him a dubious look. "Why


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    would I dare make up something like that? My rep would be ruined if it got out. I hadn''t shifted yet, so


    my night vision sucked. I always had this paranoid fear of someone being in my room without me


    knowing. Dean knew about it and would always psych me out before we had to go to bed."


    I smiled despite my best attempts not too. I couldn''t help it.


    "You said you wouldn''tugh."


    "I''m not."


    "You''re smiling, that''s like silentughter."


    "Silentughter? Really? I wasn''t smiling because I wasughing at you. It''s just I thought it was kind of


    adorable."


    He gave me a deadpanned expression. "Adorable? Ugh, that''s even worse for my rep. We''ll just have


    to keep this a secret." He grinned again. "So what are you afraid of Brook and don''t go all deep on me.


    I''m talking about is it bugs, heights, water?"


    "Bugs are iffy, they creep me out, but I''m not afraid of them. I can deal with heights, but I get dizzy, and


    I love swimming. I guess what scares me is thunderstorms. You know, the really big ones with all the


    wind, lightning, thunder, and tornadoes. Really freaked me out."


    "Good thing we don''t have too many of those here." Ryder hugged me to him some more. "Night


    Brook. Thanks for staying with me tonight."


    "Night and no problem."


    I groaned as someone shook me. "Come on, Sleeping Beauty. Time to get up," someone said,


    sounding way too cheerful. It took me a minute to realize it was Ryder.


    "What time is it?" I groaned, trying to hide under the pillow, but the ass stole it from me.


    "Almost four in the morning, so you better hurry."


    I managed to peel one eye open to re at me. "Are you kidding me? Four in the morning? Why are


    you bothering me at four in the morning?"


    "Because you don''t want Beth to hate you and agreed to do kitchen duty when starts in an hour. So


    chop, chop." He pped his hands.


    I red at him as I sat up. I was going to kill him if he pped one more time. Just one more and lights


    out! I stood, shuffled to the bathroom with my eyes half-open. I nearly jumped in fright as I looked at


    myself in the mirror. My goose egg was a lovely shade of purplish-brown. My face, in general, was pale


    and puffy. Man, even my eyes were all crusty, and let''s not talk about my hair. Did Ryder saw me like


    this?


    Insecurities raised their ugly head, and I felt myself sinking. I''m sure Ryder is re-thinking whole mate


    thing now. I sighed and turned on the water, letting it warm up. This whole girlfriend/boyfriend or mates


    thing sucked. I never cared about what I looked like when I woke up before. Why did it have to now?


    When I finally got the courage to leave the bathroom, Ryder was in bed - asleep. How dare he...little


    bastard. I went right back into the bathroom, filled up a ss of cold water. With silent, evilughter I


    poured it over his head. He shrieked like a little girl as he shot up from the bed and I tossed the ss,


    thankfully stic, and ran. When Ryder shouted my name, I ran as if the devil was chasing me, which


    in this case just might be true.


    Somehow I managed to make it downstairs without killing myself. I came sliding into the kitchen,


    earning strange looks from Beth and Rose. I ran next to Beth and ducked behind the ind. She gave


    me one of her death res, but I was more worried about Ryder at the moment.


    "If you tell Ryder you haven''t seen me I''ll do one of your dirtiest chores today. I swear it!"


    Beth continued to re at me, but her head shot up when someone came into the room.


    "Brook here yet?" Ryder demanded.


    I bit my lip to keep fromughing, and when Beth didn''t answer him at first, I was sure she was going to


    rat me out. "No, I haven''t seen her," she said finally. "If you do. Tell her she''ste. I''m so not doing this


    by myself since it was totally her fault in the first ce."


    "You''re not covering up for her are you?"


    Beth made a condescendingugh. "Why would I do that?"


    "Alright enough of this silliness," Rose demanded. "You get out unless you''re going to help," she


    demanded to Ryder I assume. After a moment she said, "He''s gone. You can get up now."


    "What did you do to him? Beth asked as we washed our hands.


    "He woke me up and had the gall to go back to sleep even before I left the room. So I gave him a cold


    water bath."


    Beth scowled but the way the corner of her mouth twitched, I think it was only so she wouldn''tugh.


    "You doused the future alpha with cold water?"


    "Yep. He screamed like a fangirl with her crush."


    "You know some packs would consider that an act of disrespect which is punished harshly."


    "Well, then those packs need to get their sticks out of their asses. He totally deserved it, and I''d totally


    do it again. I bet you would''ve done the same thing in my ce."


    She red at me, but I didn''t think it was as cold as before. Suddenly, I wondered if Beth had any


    bruises to hide as I did. I know Mike tried to avoid hitting her but did their father? He hit their mother


    and Mike. Somehow I couldn''t see him sparing Beth.


    "Enough gossip! Time for work," Rose demanded, making both Beth and I jump. "We have almost forty


    hungry wolves waking up soon, and they''re going to want to eat."


    "Yes, ma''am," Beth and I said almost at the exact time. She gave me an odd look, and I made an


    exaggerated shudder.


    "Creepy," I told her.


    "Yeah, no kidding."

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    "I think kitchen duty is ruining my love for food," Iined as I stirred a ginormous pot on the stove.


    "I don''t think I''ve managed to eat a proper meal since we started here," Beth replied, cutting some


    vegetables on the kitchen ind.


    It had been just a week of our punishment with three more to go. I doubted if I wouldst that long. I tell


    you one thing, though, I will never start a fight again. Ever! On the plus side, Beth and I weren''t exactly


    enemies anymore. We weren''t friends, but she stopped looking at me like she wanted to strangle me. It


    might have helped that Dean and the others were nicer to her since I threatened to stop talking to them


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    forever if they didn''t. It proved to be pretty effective, especially against Dean.


    "Seriously I don''t see how you can stand making all this food three times a day, every day."


    Rose rolled her eyes at us. "It''s not so bad. You two just love toin."


    Beth scoffed. "You get up super early, spend hours cooking, hours cleaning. When you finally finish you


    have to start all over again for lunch then again for dinner. How is that not very?"


    "It''s not very it''s my job. Now get rid of those poor orphan girl look. They won''t move me. Now get to


    work. Werewolves aren''t happy when they''re hungry."


    "Well I''m an unhappy werewolf, and I don''t see anyone around here cares," Beth grumbled under her


    breath.


    Rose snorted but kept chopping the meat before her.


    "I swear I''m going to beg Ryder''s parents to give us a pardon or something," I insisted then frowned.


    "Where are they? I haven''t seen them at alltely." Nor had I seen Kara either. Andy said he was busy


    with some work for Ryder''s dad.


    "Did you forget there is a war out there?" Beth''s voice was sharp as she gave me an using re.


    "Is it getting worse? Has the fighting started?" Guilt made my stomach twist. I''d forgotten about the war.


    "It''s war and, of course, the fighting has started. It started a while ago. Where have you been?" Beth


    kept giving me the re.


    This time I deserved. How could I have forgotten? Was Kara involved? My stomach twisted tighter. I


    hurried to finish up to meet Mom and Harry for lunch. I needed to know what was going on. Ryder or


    the others hadn''t said anything, and I hoped, it was because they were as clueless as I was. If that


    wasn''t the case, I was going to be so upset with all of them, especially Ryder.


    Finally, we finished, I cleaned up and met Mom and Harry in the dining room. "Hey Honey," Mom said,


    smiling. "Haven''t seen you much this week."


    "ving over a hot stove will do that to ya." I got theugh I was trying for.


    "Not so fun when you''re the one doing the work. Is it? So what''s going on?"


    "What do you mean?" I gave her an innocent look.


    She didn''t buy it one bit. "You''re usually with Ryder and the others. So I''m assuming you want


    something."


    "Is not spending time in thepany of my loving mother and stepfather, not enough?" I did my best to


    sound offended.


    Harry let out a snort and shook his head at me. "Spill."


    I grinned at them with a shrug. "I was wondering if you heard about what was going on with this war


    that is supposed to be going on between Mike''s dad and Ryder''s."


    "I''m afraid I don''t," Harry said, his expression turning grim. "What little I do know is the violence has


    started. Ryan isn''t holding back. Some other packs have gotten involved, some for us, some for Ryan. I


    heard he promised to give Beth to an alpha thirty years her senior as a mate if the alpha supports him


    against Brent."


    Seriously? Did that monster not have any limits? "Is Mike''s dad winning?" My stomach churned at the


    thought of it. No way was I going to be able to eat like this.


    "No one is really winning. Both sides are evenly matched, both in force and in casualties."


    How did Andy act normal with Kara out there? "Why is everyone acting like nothing is happening?"


    "The fighting still is taking ce on the borders, more specific, the eastern borders. When the pack''s


    hospital became overrun with the injured they set up several medical camps a few miles from the


    borders to tend to the non-critical injured or those who wouldn''t live long enough to reach the hospital."


    "Brook," Mom said, patting my hand with hers. "You shouldn''t think about this. It''s only going to make


    you feel bad, and there is nothing we can do, but wait."


    Maybe she couldn''t do anything, but this was about me, and I was doing nothing. The feeling I should


    be doing something, anything, wouldn''t leave me. Only I had no clue what.


    Throughout the next week, I tried to find out more about the war, but I didn''t get too far. Ryder didn''t


    seem to know any more than I did. When I finally got the nerve to ask his Dad, Brent just told me he


    couldn''t give me details, and I should try to simply enjoy my stay in his home.


    Once I left the bathroom, I sat on my bed and brushed out my hair. Thankfully, it no longer smelled like


    fried chicken. I nced at the clock on the wall. I had five minutes to meet Ryder and the gang for


    dinner. I jumped, nearly ripping out a small portion of my hair when my phone rang. It was Anna. I had


    tried to call her a couple of times since I got here but always got voicemail.


    "Brook," Anna said in a hurry as soon as I answered the phone. "Is it true? Are you really Blue


    Crescent''s future Luna?"


    Well hello to you too. "Yeah, it is. Why?"


    "Oh thank, God. You have to help my family and me! The alpha, he knows we were friends. Please, he


    beat up my dad and my brother nearly killing them. He says he''s going toe backter and finish


    the job. Please, Brooke, help us."


    My heart jumped into my throat. Alpha Ryan was a monster? How could he do these things to his


    people? "Of course, I''ll help. What can I do?"


    "I - we are just outside of Blue Crescent Territory. Can youe and help us pass the borders. We


    don''t want trouble. Just, please Brook. If you tell them we were friends, they''d have to let us pass,


    right?"


    "Of course. I can Alpha Brent toe with me-"


    "No," she shouted, making me jump again. "There''s no time. You have toe now! I think the alpha


    knows we ran. It has to be you, and it has to be now."


    I frowned, not sure what to say. I''ve watched enough videos on Youtube about scammers to figure out


    when someone says it has to be now they''re usually lying. Yet, this was Anna, my one and only friend


    until now. If there was even a chance the danger was real, I had to do something, right? "Alright, where


    are you?"


    "Southeast border, near the interstate."


    "Okay, stay hidden and keep quiet. I''ming." I got out my little can of silver pepper spray, stuffing it


    in my hoodie pocket. When I was in the car, I called Ryder. "Hey, Anna, a friend of mine in ck


    Mountain pack, called. She and her family are in danger. They are trying toe here for asylum. I''m


    going to get them. She says there isn''t much time so I''m on my way now. It''s the southeastern border


    by the interstate." I hung up and stuff the phone in my pocket too.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    Beth


    I sat with my legs dangling into the cool water of the pool as I listened to the boys. They had been nicer


    to metely. Brook did something. I wasn''t an idiot. I knew how they saw me. They didn''t understand. I


    couldn''t help Brook even if I wanted too. Dad made it very clear no one was allowed to show her any


    kindness. If I wanted to survive, I had to obey. But they don''t get that. Their parents are cool and nice.


    "Earth to Beth," Dean said, sshing me with water.


    Andy snorted with an unimpressed look, and I scowled at him. I wasn''t sure why I liked him before. He


    was such a jerk.


    "So what are you risking unsightly wrinkles for?" Dean asked, pulling himself up out of the water and


    sitting next to me.


    I shrugged. "How different our families are. Your parents are cool, and they don''t care if you act like an


    idiot."


    "Hey, I''m not acting like an idiot."


    "True, you just are one," Andy said, sshing us both with water.


    Something eased in me. I was honest, and nothing bad happened.


    "Well, Dad would have a fit if you did back in ck Mountain." Clearing my throat, I imitated my dad''s


    deeper voice. "Alphas are superior to all humans and wolves. If you don''t act with superiority, then


    you''re just embarrassing yourself. I don''t allow embarrassments in my family or my pack."


    They started at me for a moment, and I thought I had made a mistake when Ryder spoke. "I''ll make


    sure you don''t have to go back there."


    "Yeah no kidding," Andy said, shaking his head.


    "Don''t you worry, Bethy poo. We''ll watch out for ya," Dean offered.


    I rxed and smiled back at him. Dean gave me a nickname. He actually gave me a nickname. For the


    first time since well probably forever, I felt epted. Nothing could dim my smile, or well at least that''s


    what I thought before Dean shoved me into the pool. Andy and Deanughed, high-fiving each other


    but, this time, they didn''t seem to beughing at me.


    Ryder grinned as he helped me sit back up on the edge of the pool. "You''re a lot nicer to be around


    now that you''re not trying to be the queen bitch."


    I started to argue then stopped. "Yeah, I wasn''t really nice was I?"


    His phone rang, and he picked it up. "Brook, hope she''s not trying to ditch us again." As soon as he


    answered, I heard Brook go on a tirade about Anna and how she was in danger. Oh no. My stomach


    filled with lead and sunk.


    Ryder looked at the phone confused. "Okay, I gotta go get Dad, Brook''s friend needs help."


    What should I do? I bit my lip, indecision freezing me. "Ryder, stop I''ll get your dad. You need to get to


    Brook before she gets to Anna." I wouldn''t sit by and do nothing anymore. I didn''t need to survive as I


    did in ck Mountain.


    "What? Why?"


    "No time to exin. Her life is in danger, seriously in danger. Go!¡±


    Ryder ran for the door. Andy jumped up and out of the pool. "Wait for me, I''m going with you."


    "We need to find your dad A.S.A.P."


    Dean followed me out of the pool room. "What''s going on?"


    Guilt made me hesitate. "I...Anna, she''s not the friend Brook thinks she is." I broke into a run.


    We found Uncle Brent with his council in his office. "What''s wrong?" he asked as we burst into the


    room.


    "It''s Brook," I told him. "A girl pretending to be her friend for years just called iming she needs


    Brooks help to get into your territory. I...it''s my dad. He..."


    My Uncle didn''t need to say a word before the entire council jumped to their feet and began organizing


    a rescue. A stab of jealousy stabbed my gut. No one in my pack would have ever done anything like


    this for me, and that was wrong. A pack was supposed to be like a family, with people you could count


    on."


    The room emptied of everyone but Dean and my aunt. "Do you realize what you''ve just done, Beth,"


    Aunt Emily said, her voice soft.


    "What did she do?" Dean asked confused.


    "She''s betrayed her father, and if he were to ever find out, she would be exiled and considered rogue


    that is if he decided to let her live."


    My head bowed, and I fought the tears. It was true, but what choice did I have? I was tired of all these


    games and trying to pretend as if I was better than everyone.


    "Why would you do that? You don''t even like Brook?"


    "It''s my fault. Anna was trying so hard to be popr, and I don''t know why I thought it¡¯d be funny for her


    to pretend to be Brook''s friend and tell me and well, I can''t call those leeches friends. We would make


    fun of her and stuff. I only meant to do it once, but when Mike slept with her, he forced Anna to keep


    doing it so he always knew where she was and when he''d be able to ambush her."


    "That''s some cold stuff right there," Dean said.


    "Well, she''s doing the right thing now, when it matters the most."


    "I hope so." Maybe, when this was over Ryder would still want me to stay too.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    I parked the car on the side of the interstate and called Anne again. "Hey Anne, I''m on the interstate.


    Where are you?"


    "Down the hill towards the little patch of woods. Hurry Brook! I can hear theming."


    "Why don''t youe up here. It''ll be-"


    "Please Brook," she said, sounding really desperate.


    I didn''t like this. I didn''t like this at all. "Alright, I''ming. Tell me where you are so I can find you


    quicker."


    She gave me instructions, and I found the small clearing easily. My finger hovered over the button to


    call Ryder''s dad.


    "Brook you came," Anne said stepping out from behind a tree.


    I rxed with relief. False rm. "Of course, I did." I froze mid-step when behind her, Mike''s dad


    emerged from the shadows. My heart mmed in my chest in one hard thump as fear sliced through


    me. I watched, horrified, as a cold, malicious grin spread on Anna''s face. "Why?" I said, taking a step


    back and running into someone. Hard arms wrapped around me trapping me. I looked up, and my fear


    intensified. Mike!


    "Hey, Missy. Miss me?"


    "No, let go of me you, psychopath," I yelled and mmed the heel of my foot on his toe as I pressed


    the hotkey to call Ryder''s dad. Mike didn''t even flinch. "Alpha Ryan, you won''t get away with this," I


    said shouted, feelingme for using such a cliche line, but I was hoping Brent would be able to hear


    me.


    "Thank you, truly, for making this so easy future Luna of Blue Crescent," Mike''s dad said, with a


    mocking bow. "Let''s go, no doubt Brent will be here soon enough."


    "No, I''m not going anywhere with you," I took out the silver spray and sprayed Mike''s hand. He


    shrieked, letting me go, the skin of his hand bubbled up and gooey like all his skin was gone, leaving


    just the muscle and bone.


    I sprinted back to the interstate when someone grabbed my hair and flung me back. Tears filled my


    eyes, and I hit the ground with a gasp.


    "Nice try, but I don''t think so," Mike''s dad said.


    I lifted the spray to give him a good dose in the face when he pped my arm. The sickening crack of


    bone followed by pain, burning up my arm. It was so intense I lost my breath. I couldn''t even scream.


    "Now see what you''ve done. You stupid, pathetic human," the alpha said with a sneer.


    "Let her go," Ryder shouted with Andy beside him.


    Oh no, I led them both right into a trap.


    Alpha Ryan turned his sneer on Ryder. "Ah, the future Alpha of Blue Crescent. I''m honored, but I''m


    afraid I am going to have to decline. You see this girl belongs to me."


    "No, she doesn''t. Brook and her mother are a part of my pack now," Ryder told him.


    The alpha offered him a cool smile. "Then she''s a prisoner of war."


    "Not while I''m alive," Ryder said with a growl, his body starting to change.


    "Now that is a price I''m willing to pay." The alpha''s tone was light as if this was all just some game to


    him.


    I struggled to free myself but stopped when the alpha took my broken arm in his other hand and


    squeezed. Again the breath left me.


    "Alpha Brent, every guard, and soldier are on this way right now. Let Brook go, and you might get


    away," Andy said. His eyes practically glowing yellow.


    The alpha frowned momentarily then forced a grin on his face. "Perhaps you''re right. We should go."


    He took a step back, letting go of my injured arm, but his grip tightened on my other one.


    I dug in my heels, looking behind me to see Mike and Ryder wrestling with each other and Andy was


    racing towards us. Ryan shoved me to the ground, but thankfully I fell on my right arm instead of my


    left. The fall still hurt like hell though.


    The alpha jabbed Andy hard in the jaw. The punch echoed through the clearing making me cringe, but


    Andy just got right back up. He tackled Ryan then used his advantage to m his fist into his face. I


    stood to my feet, holding my broken arm close to me, preparing to run when a sickening crack stopped


    me. My jaw dropped as I watched Alpha Ryan let go of Andy who crumpled to the ground, his neck


    twisted in an unnatural position.


    No, this couldn''t be happening! Not Andy! He couldn''t be...Tears flooded my eyes, and my heart ached.


    What have I done? This was all my fault. God, I deserved to be Missy Mistake.


    "Brook run," Ryder yelled, still fighting with Mike.


    I froze, unable to look away from Andy. He was...and it was my fault. I looked up to see Alpha Ryan


    was walking towards Ryder. My heart seized and fear-filled every pore. I wouldn''t let him kill Ryder too!


    Finally, I managed a screaming picking up a rock from the ground. Enough was enough. I threw the


    rock, using every ounce of strength I had. "You jerks, I hope you all die!" A morbid thrill ran through me


    as it hit him right in his nose.


    His head jerked back as blood burst from his nose and he took a few steps back. I grinned and


    grabbed another one. Amber eyes trained on me, the alpha''s expression was murderous. Good. I


    threw another rock, hitting his left eye. Again he stumbled back and let out several curses. I picked up


    another rock, but when I stood, he was in front of me. I gasped and tried to take a step back, but he


    grabbed me.


    Despite knowing it was useless, I tried to free myself anyway. Alpha Ryan swung me hard, mming


    my back into a tree. ck spots filled my vision as once again I found the rushing out of my lungs. I


    started to slide down to the ground, but Ryan pulled me back up. He started to say something when he


    paused, his head cocked to the side as if he was listening to something. "Lucky for you, I''ve run out of


    time."


    Letting me go Mike''s dad ran to Ryder. He shoved Mike aside and mmed his fist into Ryder''s temple.


    Ryder fell, clearly dazed by the attack. "Take the bitch. I''ll deal with him."


    I struggled to my feet and raced to the alpha. I needed to stop him. I couldn''t let Mike''s dad hurt him,


    but before I even got halfway, Mike grabbed me.


    "Let me go, you bastard!"


    Mike, of course, didn''t listen. Instead, he carried me away from the clearing and shoved me into a red


    van. There were a couple of men waiting and Anna. I screamed again and threw myself at her. I wed


    her face with my good hand. "You..." I yelled, but there wasn''t a word that coulde close to how


    horrible she was.


    Mike pulled me back and forced me on a seat which ran along the length of the van''s sides, but not


    before I''d pulled out a good chunk of Anna''s hair. "Enough," he said, plopping down next to me.


    "You took long enough. See what she did to me," Anna whimpered.


    "Not my fault you can defend yourself from a human," Mike told her. He and the othersughed, and


    Anna''s face bloomed bright red.


    "You got off lucky! Next time I''ll rip out all of your hair!"


    Again the others and Mikeughed as if this was the funniest thing they''d ever seen. It only made me


    angrier.


    "Shut up," Anna snapped at me then after a pause added, "Bitch."


    "How about you shut up," A bulky man told her. "So where''s the alpha?"


    "Dealing with the alpha''s pup," Mike told him.


    "Should we go help him?" By the sound of his voice, the man would rather stay right where he was.


    "My dad can deal with one pup on his own," Mike snapped then smile at me with that cold, cruel smile


    of his. "Don''t worry Missy. He won''t kill your precious mate." he took my hands, and I gasped at the


    sharp painncing up my left arm. Zip tying my wrists together, he said to the others, "Be ready to


    leave as soon as he gets back. Blue Crescent is on our tail."


    A momentter the doors opened, and Mike''s Dad climbed inside, sadly without a scratch on him. He


    hit the side of the van, and it jerked to a start. I sucked in a breath as I bumped into Mike. I expected


    some kind of sneer about staying off him, but he didn''t even look at me.


    "I have to say this went very well," Mike''s dad, looking enormously pleased with himself. Mike nodded,


    but his expression was nk. If the alpha noticed, he didn''t care. Instead, he reached over and tugged


    on the zip tie. I bit my tongue, tasting the metallic tang of blood, as more pain raced up my arm.


    "I did my job," Mike told him, scowling.


    Without a word or hesitation, his dad punched Mike in the face. "Your tone, boy, watch it!"


    Mike shook his head. "Yes, Sir." The words slurred some, and his jaw didn''t look right.


    It took me a minute to realize it was because the punch had at least dislocated it. My eyes widened as I


    watched it heal before my eyes, sliding back into ce with a wet, slurping sound. When I shuddered,


    Mike smirked at me for a very brief second before going nk again. Silently, I breathe in and out, slow


    and deep. The differences between Ryder and his dad and Mike and his was like living on Earth


    After what felt like forever, yet not long enough the van jolted to a stop. "We''re here alpha," the driver


    announced.


    "Good job, men. Get rid of the van and then go have a drink on me," Alpha Ryan said, grabbing the zip


    tie again and got out, dragging me behind him. The pain was so intense I lost my breath and my vision


    blurred. It was only until I was almost inside before I realized this was the alpha''s house.


    A beautiful woman walked into the room as the door close. "Everything going as nned, my alpha?"


    Mike''s dad ced his hand on the back of her neck, pulling her in for a rather embarrassing to witness


    kiss. "It did, Helena. I''d like you to meet the future Luna of Blue Crescent Pack," He pulled me forward


    with a coldugh. "I mean would''ve been the future Luna."


    "Pretty girl," she said but cringed as the alpha growled at her.


    "She''s a pathetic human is what she is."


    "Of course. You''re absolutely right my alpha. I-I apologize. Stupidly, I forgot again."


    "You''re not stupid, Mom," Mike said, a hint of anger in his voice. "She is a worthless human, but she is


    pretty too." Despite the anger, his voice was soft and kind in a way I didn''t think Mike was capable of.


    "What she looks like doesn''t fucking matter. I have more important things to do than bicker with you two


    idiots. Mike, take the girl downstairs and make sure she receives a proper wee, or I''ll make your


    mother regret ever giving birth to you." He shoved me to Mike then pped his mom across the face.


    "Remember, forgetfulness isziness."


    "Yes, my alpha," she said and nodded several times, getting up and heading into the kitchen.


    Mike red at his father, but grabbed the zip tie and pulled me along with quick, jerky movements that


    brought tears to my eyes. God, my arm hurt so much. He pulled into the kitchen and through a door. I


    gasped stumbling a step in the narrow stairwell. If he hadn''t grabbed my shoulder, I would''ve gone


    headfirst down the stairs and into a cement basement, lit by a single bare bulb. On one side was a cot,


    on the wall next to it, nearly the floor, was a thick chain and metal cuff. It all looked liked it had been


    used before. Oh God, they were all psychos!


    "Wee home, Missy," Mike said, pushing me across the basement. With a hand on my shoulder, he


    forced me to sit on the cot. Mike kneeled, taking my right foot and closing the metal cuff around it,


    locking it in ce with a small, but a heavy-looking padlock. He stood and rolled his shoulders. "This


    isn''t the way I like to do things, but orders are orders." Before I could ask what he meant he pped


    me hard, a lot like his dad did to his mom.


    I started to sit back up when his hands wrapped around my throat and squeezed. My eyes shot wide,


    and I wed at his hands, trying to breathe. I wasn''t sure how many times he''d hit me as my head


    became fuzzy. New pain blended in with old. Just when I thought I was going to pass out, Mike let me


    go. I coughed and gasped for air through my raw throat which only brought more pain. Fear trickled


    through me at the realization I might not live through this.


    I sat up, shaking and cold, and nced up at Mike. His face was nk, but his eyes were golden. "You


    shouldn''t have run, you know," he said so quietly I almost couldn''t hear him.


    "Of course, I should have. My mistake was stopping. I am not worthless." My voice hoarse and brittle,


    which was bad enough, but then I felt tears stinging my eyes.


    "I know, but you would''ve lived longer if you stayed."


    I scoffed and sneered at him. Derision dripping from my voice as I said, "Of course, I would." What did I


    have to lose? My life? I wasn''t sure how much longer I was going to hold on to that.


    "Yes, you would, and you know what? I would''ve hit you, yes, but you''d be alive, and Ryder would be


    alive. His family and yours would be alive."


    Ice slide down my spine and through my veins. "What?"


    He gave me a look which almost seemed like pity. "Yeah, Brook. Why else do you think Dad took you?


    He''s going to use you to slowly break down my cousin. My dad is going to show Ryder your bruises


    and cuts. He''s going to spin a tale of half-truths, so Ryder thinks you''re being tortured and raped by


    me. Ryder starts to lose it and control over his wolf. That will start breaking Uncle Brent.


    Once my uncle submits, he''ll kill you, destroying Ryderpletely and in turn destroying Uncle Brent.


    Aunt Emily will probably kill herself or be a catatonic shell at the loss of her mate. Dean is


    and take the pack from him. He''ll kill Dean anyways, just to be on the safe side. Next,es your


    Mom, Harry..."


    How could so many people be so insane? "But they''re your family too. How can you do this to them?"


    "If I don''t I''m dead right along with them. Once I''m gone who will protect Mom from him then, hm


    Missy?" He said, his face turning red with anger. He straightened and sniffed. "That''s something I''m


    sure even you can understand." Mike turned and went upstairs, not once looking back at me. A


    shudder ran through me, and I hugged myself, doing my best not to think about Andy or who else might


    die soon.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    Ryder


    I pulled on the restraints, growling in anger. I didn''t understand how they could hold me down. I''m a


    werewolf! No cloth cuffs should be able to keep me tied to the bed. This was unbelievable. Alpha Ryan


    had Brook, and here I was, strapped to a hospital bed. Who knows what he was doing to her? It was


    my fault. I should have been faster. I failed my mate, and I had to fix it!


    My whole body ached with my wolf being so close to the surface. My nails had grown longer and darker


    while dark hair peppered my arms. The new sharpness of my teeth cut the insides of my mouth, and I


    tasted blood. It only made the wolf even more anxious. I pulled on the cuffs again to no avail and


    howled in fury.


    "If you want out of bed you''re going to need to calm down, Ryder," Dad demanded from the door. His


    face was uncharacteristically hard. In his eyes, I saw the wolf and something that looked a lot like fear.


    I stilled, confused. Was Dad afraid? Did my uncle do something to Brook? "How am I supposed to calm


    down? He has my mate."


    "Yes, and unless you want to hand him the pack and kill your mate, you need to calm down."


    What he was saying made sense but every fiber in my body screamed at me to get free at any cost.


    With a roar, I tried to rip free of the restraints, but again I wasn''t able to. I fell back on the bed panting


    with sweat. I wasn''t about to give up. I was an alpha, and I would save my mate. I clenched my teeth, I


    tried again, and again, and again until my wrists were so raw they bled. Sweat drenched the bed and


    me. I felt my wolf, exhausted as I was, go back into the recesses of my psyche.


    "Finished?"


    I growled at him, but I was too tired to do more. I was a failure. What kind of alpha was I? I couldn''t get


    out of one stupid bed! I failed Brook, and I failed my pack.


    "Good," Dad said, walking over and sitting next to me. "Ryder, what are the rules for being an alpha?"


    Seriously? Did he want to rub my failure in my face? "Dad-"


    "What are the rules?"


    I sighed, trying to swallow down the shame. "Always be fair and just. Alpha isn''t a king but a guardian.


    We serve the pack not the other way around. The good of the pack muste first."


    "Our pack is almost two hundred members strong and around sixty of those members are under the


    age of eighteen. The elderly make up another twenty or so members. This means the civilian


    poption, the children, and the older generation sum up half the pack. They depend on us to keep


    them safe, to protect them and our decisions must be made thinking of them."


    My heart stopped as I stared at him. He wasn''t suggesting...Dad wasn''t considering sacrificing Brook


    for the pack was he? "Dad-"


    "Go on. Say the rest."


    I licked my lips, hoping I was wrong. "An alpha must be strong and true."


    He nodded, his expression grim. "Do you understand what that means?"


    "Take care of yourself, so you''re strong and to be true means you don''t lie to the pack."


    "Not quite. Alphas must be strong doesn''t mean physically or at least not just physically. It refers to all


    kinds of strengths. The strength to be able to admit making a mistake. The strength toy down one''s


    pride. The strength to know when to fight or when to kneel. And the strength to keep going despite how


    dismal the oue looks."


    "No," I growled. "If being a good alpha means I have to let Uncle Ryan keep Brook then I don''t want to


    be a good alpha."


    "Calm, Son. I''m not finished. There is the other part - being true, remember. Being true doesn''t always


    refer to being honest in the sense that you''re speaking of. Despite being in the service of the pack, we


    must also remain true to ourselves. If we betray what''s most valuable to us for the pack, we will only


    foster resentment and hate."


    "What exactly are you trying to say here, Dad?"


    "Ryder, today you''re going to have to bear some of the weight of being alpha. You''re going to have to


    do things you may not like to ensure the safety of the pack and your own. Why do you think Alpha


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Ryan took Brook? He could have taken you instead of her. Imagine, the future alpha as a hostage."


    I paused, realizing he was right. My uncle could''ve taken me. As much as I hated it, he''d bested me in


    the fight. "Why didn''t he?"


    "Ryan is a sociopath. He''s going to use Brook to manipte us into giving the pack to him. He''s going


    to do everything in his power to make you lose control because, in turn, it would push me to the edge.


    He knows I would do anything for my family."


    Something in his expression turned my blood to ice. "What''s going on, Dad?"


    "I need you to master yourself, Ryder," he said, a hint of desperation in his voice. "I need you to master


    yourself for the pack, for me, and for Brook. We all need you to stay strong." He handed me his phone.


    On it was a text from my uncle.


    Such a pretty little mate you have Future Alpha Ryder. Despite just being a human she has a lot of


    defiance and strength in her. Maybe that''s why my son is so fond of her. I can''t seem to get him off her


    for very long. If you don''t want your precious little mate spoiled by my son, give me what I want.


    My blood boiled, and everything went red. I didn''t realize my grip had tightened on the phone until I


    heard the screen crack. I would kill him. I had no idea how I would do it, but I would kill my uncle for this


    and if Mike...if he...I''d kill him too.


    "Ryder," Dad said. His voice sharp, making me look up from the damaged phone to him. "To save


    Brook and the pack, you need to dominate yourself ¡ª strong and true. We have the upper hand here if


    you can do that." As he spoke he removed the restraints on my arms.


    "How do we have the upper hand?"


    "We know what he wants, and as long as Ryan thinks he can get it Brook will be safe."


    "Safe?" Didn''t sound like she was safe to me.


    "He''ll hurt her, yes, but he won''t kill her. He needs her to get the pack. Now here''s the n. We need to


    let Ryan think everything''s going ording to his n. You''ll have to stay out of sight while we spread


    rumors you''ve lost it. Soon, I say two days tops, he''s going to contact me for a negotiation. He''ll


    demand I hand over the pack, but we''ll both know I can''t do that so Ryan will offer an exchange ¡ª me


    for Brook, or perhaps he''ll wait for me to make the suggestion."


    "Wait, you can''t do that. It will leave the pack without a leader."


    "It''s what he expects. He expects I''d do anything to save you, even hand myself to him. We''re going to


    y that card, leading him to the idea he''s forced the pack into a weakened state, and he''ll lower his


    guard. When he does, I''ll be right there to stop him for good."


    Did I just hear him right? Was he talking about...killing someone? "Dad you''re not-"


    "I''ve done it before, and it has to be done. I don''t like it, but he''s given us no other choice. Despite how


    much I loathe the man, I''ve tried to negotiate with him for years. I told you, sometimes you''ll need to do


    things for the safety and well-being of the pack you''re not going to like. I have to do this. I have to do it


    for you, Brook and our pack. Do you understand?" There was something desperate in his voice and


    face. It was like he needed me to understand so he could do what he needed to do.


    "Yeah, Dad, I understand."


    He smiled at me and patted my shoulder a couple of times. "Don''t worry so much. Everything is going


    to be okay. I do know what I''m doing. You just keep to your part and Brook will be home soon."


    "And you too, right Dad?" I insisted. All of this made me realize how unprepared I was to be alpha. I


    was neen and an idiot. I would''ve fallen for my uncle''s trap. The pack needed Dad as alpha more


    than me.


    "I will do my best, Son."


    "Alright. So what do we do next -" I started then remembered. "Andy, is he okay?" God, I was such a


    dick! I should''ve asked about him sooner.


    Dad grimaced, and I felt my chest tighten. "He''ll survive. We arrived soon enough to unblock his


    trachea and prevent suffocation, but his bones had begun to heal over in the broken state. It had to be


    re-broken, and this caused some major nerve damage. The damage was extensive, and we''re not sure


    just how long it''ll take for his body to fully repair itself. As of right now, Andy is paralyzed from the waist


    down, and the estimates for total recovery put it at a couple of years."


    Relief and sadness filled me in equal measure. Andy was going to hate being confined to a wheelchair.


    He was an on the go, outdoorsy, sports type of guy. "Can I see him? Or can hee see me?" I hoped


    I wouldn''t get to be around my friends during this whole time.


    "He''s still pretty out of it, but as soon as he''s able, Kara will bring him to see you. Now I have to get to


    work and set this n into motion. We''ve got a Luna to get back."


    "Dad," I said as he turned to leave. "I hope I can be as good as an alpha as you are someday."


    He now smiled a real and honest smile at me. "I''m sure you will be."

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    $Chapter


    I paced from my cot to as far as the chain would let me go and back again. The cast on my forearm


    was heavy. It surprised me they even bothered to bring in Doctor Samson to look at me. That was


    awhile gone, but that while could''ve been a day or a week. The only window down here had been


    blocked off with cardboard and duct tape, so I had no idea if it was day or night. I hated it, and I hated


    not knowing anything. Was Ryder okay or Kara? Did she even know what happened to Andy?


    I heard the door creak open, and I sat back down on the cot. The soft steps then a momentter I saw


    Mike''s mom''s baby blue ts. When she''d firste down here, I tried to plead with her to let me go. I


    told her Ryder''s Dad would take her and her family in, but she only told me to shut up. Soon after Mike


    can down and hit me a few times, warning me never to upset his Mom again.


    I gave her a narrow-eyed re and a scowl. I saw a sh of guilt before she hid it behind her own


    scowl and a te of food on the floor. Mike''s Mom ced it so far away from me, I didn''t think the chain


    would reach. I continued to give her my best death re. This was her fault. She had the power to stop


    this, stop all of it, not only for me but for her children too. Mike at least got a few bruises, so I had no


    doubts Beth got some too.


    Yet, their mom didn''t care. She just walked around here as if everything was okay and awesome. She


    refused to see anything beyond that. As if sensing the direction of my thoughts she stared down at me


    and said, "Loyalty is nothing you humans understand."


    "So loyalty is letting toxic people beat the crap out of you? Yeah, if that''s loyalty I''ll stay ignorant."


    With a ''hmph'' she turned and returned up the stairs, mming the door. I waited with bated breath for


    Mike toe down and hit me for upsetting his stupid Mom. After a long silent moment and no sign of


    Mike, I rxed and began pacing again. No way I would eat anything they gave me. I wouldn''t put it


    past the alpha to poison me just to make sure his twisted little n worked.


    However, the smell of the food tempted me and my stomach cramped up as it rumbled. I looked back


    at the te, my mouth watering instantly. With a scowl, I walked over to the te. As I expected I really


    had to reach to get it. Once I picked it up, I threw it at the stairs. Satisfaction filling me when the te


    shattered and food sttered everywhere. I gave the mess my own ''hmph'' and resumed my pacing


    until the weight of the cuff began to chafe my ankle.


    I sat on the cot, giving the padlock a hearty tug. I would never be able to break it, obviously, but tugging


    on it made me feel like I was doing something. I sighed and leaned against the wall, staring up at the


    ceiling. It seemed like an eternity passed when I heard the door open again. With a deep breath, I


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    prepared to pay for breaking the te and making a mess.


    "What the hell?" Mike said as he came downstairs then shot me a re. He navigated through the


    sttered food and walked right over to me. I shielded myself with my arms, but I remained slumped


    over from when he pped me across the head. He pulled me upright. "Mom worked hard on that."


    Like I care? I didn''t say it though, being hit once was enough. Mike forced me to sit up. To my surprise


    and dread, he unlocked the cuff around my ankle and pulled me to my feet. "Showtime, Missy," he said,


    grabbing my wrist and leading me upstairs. As soon as I was in the kitchen I had to shield my eyes, the


    light too bright.


    "There''s our little hostage," Mike''s dad said and with a violent jerk, grabbed my bicep and pulled me


    towards him. He dragged me out of the house, unwilling to let me get my footing after I tripped. My


    heart pounded in my chest as he shoved me back inside the van Mike had shoved me in the first time. I


    swallowed as I sat, trying not to flinch as the alpha sat next to me. Mike sat across from me, his


    expression unreadable - not that I wanted too. The alpha hit the side of the van. "Let''s go."


    I had no idea where we went, but the drive wasn''t long. When the alpha dragged me out of the van, we


    were standing in a small field on the edge of a cliff that fell off into a small rocky beach and then the


    ocean. The closeness of the edge made me nervous, Ryan could just toss me off if he so decided. The


    sound of another set of cars tore my eyes off the cliff edge to tworge ck SUVs pulling up next to


    the alpha''s.


    My breath caught as I saw Ryder''s dad get out, along with several of his men. They walked towards us


    until they were about from us. "Oh, what''s this? Ryder didn''te to negotiate for his mate?" The


    alpha said with a sneer. He looked down at me, the smirk grew. "Perhaps I overestimated his affections


    for you."


    Ryder''s dad cleared his throat, adjusting his suit. "My son is...indisposed at the moment," he said then


    his eyes met mine. "But he would''ve been here if possible."


    My throat tightened with dread as Alpha Ryan began tough a cruel, coldugh. "Or maybe he doesn''t


    want a mate my son''s been with first?"


    Anger reced my dread. This was Alpha Ryan''s n. I opened my mouth to tell Alpha Brent, nothing


    happened, but sucked in a pained breath as Mike''s dad squeezed my arm so hard I thought he might


    crush it.


    Ryder''s dad''s expression darkened and his eyes started to do that icy glow thing I''d seen Ryder''s do.


    "Enough, you asked me here to negotiate. Let''s negotiate."


    Alpha Ryan loosened his grip on my arm. "Of course, You want the human, and you already know what


    I want, Brent."


    "I can''t just hand over the pack to you, Ryan. Be reasonable for once in your damn life."


    Mike''s dad grinned. "So if you won''t give me the pack, what exactly is it you''re willing to give me?"


    " An exchange - me for Brook."


    My heart stopped at those words then pounded in my chest like some drummer gone wild. Mike said


    this would happen. He said it would be the start of everything, leaving the people I cared about dead.


    "Alpha Brent," I said. Mike''s dad''s grip on my arm tightened. Ryder''s dad looked at me. There was a


    resolved sadness in his eyes as he offered me a small smile. He knew the alpha would kill him, but I


    doubted Ryder''s dad was aware that he was endangering his family.


    I couldn''t let it happen. I had to do something. I cleared my throat. "Alpha Brent, I''m sorry. I''m sorry


    about leaving, about Andy, about everything."


    "You did nothing wrong, Brook. None of this is your fault."


    "How touching," Alpha Ryan sneered. "I ag-" he started to say, but I cut him off.


    He red at me with angry irritation, but I didn''t care. I focused only on Ryder''s Dad. "Tell Ryder that


    I''m sorry too. I''m sorry, but I can''t let you do this, and I had to stop it."


    "What are you talking about, stupid human," Mike''s dad snapped, but Alpha Brent''s eyes shot wide.


    "Brook, no," he shouted, but it was toote.


    I tackled Mike''s dad. With the element of surprise, I managed to knock off his bnce, and as I kept


    shoving him farther back until he stepped off the edge. Alpha Ryan''s growled at me, his grip on my arm


    tightened as he teetered. "I go, you go, human," he said, softly. His voice was full of malice.


    "That''s the n," I replied and with onest push, sent us both off the cliff edge.


    The world tilted, and I lost perspective of up and down within seconds. Only sharp bursts of pain


    recorded our descent to the rocks. Hitting the ground was the worst painful burst of them all. Blood


    filled and bubbled out of my mouth. Every nerve in my body screamed in agony. I managed to lift my


    head a little to see Iid on top of Alpha Ryan. The remains of his head were the most grotesque thing


    I''d ever seen.


    Mike''s dad was dead, and as I realized I didn''t feel the ocean crashing against us, I would die soon too.


    I let my head slump down against some part of Alpha Ryan. My vision blurred with tears. My life didn''t


    sh before my eyes like they say it does, but I did think of my family and friends. Mostly, I thought of


    Ryder. I regretted not telling him I really did like him and his brand of craziness.


    He''d never know I had stopped thinking of when would I be able to run away to California and how I


    might be able to live here with him. To him, I will always be the one trying to run away. That was the


    worst part of it all. As my vision darkened I pictured Ryder''s face. I was lucky he ever thought I was


    worthy of being with him.


    It was getting harder to breathe and fear trickled through me. Was this what it was like for Dad when he


    died? Would he be waiting for me? Everything was dark now, and my thoughts were sluggish. I didn''t


    want to die! I tried to fight the numbness as a strange buzzing filled my ears. A spark of hot, burning


    pain tore through me, and if I could''ve screamed, I would have. Yet as a flicker of hope shot through


    me, the numbness returned, devouring it and my willpower and I was powerless to resist it. Goodbye


    Ryder...

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    Ryder


    "What time is it?" I demanded.


    "You know full well what time it is," Andy said tly. "You''re supposed to be making me feel better, not


    the other way around. If you haven''t noticed, I''m kind of paralyzed!" He smacked the wheels of the


    wheelchair as if I would possibly miss the fact he was sitting in it.


    I gave him an apologetic grimace. "Sorry man, it''s just Brook," I said, running my hands through my


    hair.


    "We get it but asking us every five minutes what time it is or how long it''s been isn''t going to help


    anything," Kara told me. "Now how about we figure out what we want to do when she gets back."


    "Not a whole lot I can do," Andyined, crossing his arms over his chest. "I''m a freaking disabled!


    Who''s ever heard of a disabled werewolf?"


    "Oh not this again," Kara groaned. "You act as it''ll be forever. It''s only like this until you heal."


    "Right, it''ll heal, but I''ll be Disabled Andy, forever."


    "Oh, grow a pair. There is a lot of people who are disabled and don''t whine like a baby as you''re doing.


    Here''s the kicker, they won''t even heal from it."


    "Right, says the one who can walk," Andy replied, petntly.


    I chuckled as I listened to them argue. "I like Disabled Andy, or maybe I''ll just call you Disandy for


    short?" I hope to relieve some of the tension or put it on me. I''d hate for Andy to say something to her


    andter regret it.


    "You call me Disandy and I will kill you," Andy threatened, but the edges of his mouth started to turn


    upward. "If you really want to see a baby, you should look at Dean. Misses W is forcing him to act as if


    you''repletely out of it and now he''s the future alpha."


    I grinned at the thought. I''m sure Dean was on the verge of cracking by now. "Thanks, man, and thanks


    for trying to keep her safe."


    He shrugged. "She''s our friend. What else was I going to do? It''s not like you wouldn''t have done the


    same for Kara."


    Andy was right. Suddenly a lot of shouting came from outside. "What''s going on?"


    "Let me check it out. You," Kara said, pointing to me. "Have gone crazy, remember." I scowled but


    stayed put. Kara opened the door, peeking out and letting the chaotic soundse in.


    "Hurry, get her on the bed! Tyler I.V. now," Mom said, her voice tight with urgency.


    I stiffened. Mom was supposed to be waiting for Diego to return with Brook. Why was she here?


    "It looks like someone is really hurt," Kara said, still sticking her head out.


    Andy and I raced towards the door at the same time, but just as I got close, a sharp pain shot through


    my foot. "Ow, what the hell, man?" Iined, ring at Andy. He''d run over me with his stupid


    wheelchair.


    "Disables get right of way, punk," he said, pushing in front of me and crashing into Kara.


    "Ow," she yelled. "Get off of me or, at least, let me get out of the way before you run me over!"


    I mumbled an apology and started to back up when I saw Dad. What was he doing here? As much as I


    was happy he''s okay, he was supposed to be a hostage by now. My heart stuttered to a stop when I


    saw there was blood all over him. "I didn''t know what else to do, Emily! It was the only thing I could


    think of." Grief chiseled hard lines into his face. He ran his hands through his hair, apparently unaware


    they too had blood all over them.


    Mom stopped what she was doing and took my dad''s face in her hands. "I understand Brent, but if you


    don''t let me work, it won''t matter. The bite alone won''t be enough to keep her alive."


    Her? Oh God, it couldn''t be. I looked at the stretcher surrounded by nurses and doctors. No! This was


    not happening. I pushed the others out of the way, or they moved, I wasn''t sure which.


    "Ryder, wait," Mom yelled, her hands up to stop me, but someone grabbed me before I reached her.


    "Let me go," I growled, trying to push ahead.


    "Stay back," Diego said, against my ear.


    My strength faltered as I finally saw Brook. The world stopped. I couldn''t move, blink, hell or even


    breathe as I stared at the cut, bruised, and swollen body. If I didn''t already know it was Brook, I


    wouldn''t have recognized her.


    "Come, get her into the O.R. now," Mom barked to the nurses and doctors, who all stared at me with


    sympathy and pity.


    I struggled against Diego as they pushed the stretcher down the hall and away from me. "Stop Ryder!


    You can''t help her. Emily and the medical staff are her only chance. You have to let them work," he told


    me.


    I slumped to the ground, despair making my head spin. This wasn''t happening. How did this happen?


    Rage filled me, and I stood quickly. "What happened? My uncle wasn''t going to kill her." I red at


    Dad. "You said he would keep her alive. You said it!"


    Dad''s expression of grief intensified. "It wasn''t Ryan, or at least he didn''t cause the fall."


    "Mike?" If I got my hands on that son of a¡­


    "No, it was Brook."


    My eyes widened. "What?"


    "She figured out the n and decided to stop him. When I realized what she was going to do...I tried to


    tell her, but it all happened so fast. One minute she was apologizing and the next she was shoving


    Ryan off the cliff and they both fell," he finished, his voice cracking.


    "Oh wow," Kara breathed, her eyes watering over as she stared at my dad.


    "Wait," Andy saiding to a stop next to me. "How is she alive? She would have died on impact."


    Dad nced over at me then looked back to Andy. "The way they fell, Ryan had softened the blow, but


    she was still dying, bleeding from everywhere it seemed. I did the only thing I could think of. I bit her.


    Healing is the first to benefit from the lycanthrope genes. I figured if I bit her..."


    "Well, it looked like it worked. She survived long enough to get here," Kara said, looking impressed.


    I just stood there, not sure what to think. So many emotions and thoughts streamed through my head


    that I barely had time to process one when another took its ce.


    "You good?" Diego asked me.


    I gave him a nod although I wasn''t sure that was exactly true. Brook sacrificed herself to save my dad,


    the pack, me? I wasn''t sure if I should be proud or angry. Why didn''t she wait for us to get her out?


    Guilt tainted my anger, and I sat down, holding my head in my hands.


    "Alpha," Diego said, to Dad. "Shall I treat with ck Mountain''s new alpha. Hopefully, he''s not as bad


    as his father, yes? You need to be here with your family now."


    Dad gave the Hispanic wolf a brief smile and a nod. "Thank you, Diego. Yes, go speak with Helena and


    Michael and see if we can''t end this stupid war."


    The beta left, and we fell in silence, waiting for news. After a moment Kara jumped to her feet. "Her


    mom," she said. "We need to tell Brook''s mom." She didn''t wait for any of us to volunteer before racing


    out of the waiting room.


    It wasn''t long before Harry and Brook''s mom joined us, Harry nearly carrying her. I stayed silent. What


    could I say? What words would be able to express just how horrible this situation. No way would I be


    able to say everything would be okay. Everything wasn''t okay and wouldn''t ever be if Brook didn''t


    recover from this.


    Two hours passed when Diego returned looking grim. "Any news?"


    Dad shook his head. "What about you?"


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    "There is good news and bad news. The good news is that the war is over.


    "And the bad news?" Dad asked, looking up at him.


    "Helena took her life when she learned of Alpha Ryan''s death."


    Grief and Anger mixed and danced along Dad''s expression. He always felt betrayed when Aunt Helena


    had refused to leave Alpha Ryan when showed his true colors as an abusive bastard. Not even when


    the alpha hurt her children and made her miscarriage three times did she allow anyone to even suggest


    she should leave him. "It was to be expected." Dad''s tone was cold. "Anything else?"


    "Ryan''s recement beta, Zackery Algiers, has taken the alphaship and took Michael as a prisoner. He


    was going to execute the boy but..." the beta looked hesitant then sighed. "I convinced him to give the


    boy to us aspensation... I''m sorry Alpha. I know I should''ve discussed this with you, but he''s barely


    eighteen..."


    "No. You did the right thing," Dad said.


    Was he serious? "What? He''s as bad as Uncle Ryan."


    "He''s done what he''s been taught and told to do. Take him to the rogue cells. Keep him there until


    we''re more prepared to discuss his future."


    Really? Mike had abused Brook for years, and they were just going to act like that didn''t mean


    anything. I started to object to the idea when I noticed Mom out of the corner of my eye. I shot up from


    my seat. "Mom! Brook is she...please, tell me she''s okay."


    Silence fell as all eyes turned on her. She looked exhausted. Her skin was pale with dark bags under


    her eyes, and most of her hair fell out of the bun it had been in earlier. "For now, she appears to be


    okay,"


    I let out a breath relieved then paused. "Wait, why for now?"


    "Your father''s bite has sessfully turned Brook, and she''s healing, but slowly. The full moon is in two


    weeks, and the first shift is always very touchy for the bitten. The truth is I don''t know if Brook can heal


    enough from her injuries in two weeks to give her a chance at surviving her first shift."


    I covered my face with my hands. She survived the fall to only probably die during her first shift. Just


    when I thought the nightmare couldn''t get worse. Someone touched my shoulder with a light touch. I


    looked up to see Mom kneeling in front of me.


    "My team is working on a solution, Ryder. There may be ways to soften the shift or speed up her


    healing. We''ve already got several theories working. Don''t lose hope."

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    Ryder


    Iid on the bed next to Brook as I told her how much Dean had been babying metely and how he


    kept asking me if I''m alright when he gave me my lunch today. The hope time I wished she''d open her


    eyes and prove to me everything was going to be okay. Brook had been in aa since she fell. Mom


    said she''d heal better that way, but I hated not being able to talk to her or hear her voice.


    Harry and Brook''s mom came into the room as I finished telling Brook about Dean. I sat up. It was


    awkward lying next to Brook with her Mom in the room. "Hi," I said rubbing a kink out of my shoulder.


    Man, I hated these beds.


    "Hello Ryder," Brook''s mom said with a tight smile. She smoothed down Brook''s hair although it looked


    fine. Must be a mom thing, mine did it all the time to me too.


    A momentter Mom joined us. "Good you''re all here."


    "What''s going on?" I asked, trying to sound as worried.


    Mom gave me a brief smile. "The full moon is tomorrow, and ns need to be made," she told me and


    turned her attention to Harry and his mate. "Brook''s recovery is going well, but as expected, she''s still


    not healed enough that I feelfortable with her first shift. My team and I have a devised a n, and


    with your okay, we''ll begin moving head tomorrow evening a few hours before moonrise."


    Harry and Brook''s mom nodded, waiting for Mom to continue.


    "If we give Brook a super dose of muscle rxants and painkillers, she will suffer much less trauma


    during the shift, especially with Ryder with her-"


    Brook¡¯s mom interrupted her, worry on her face. "Wait, how can he be with her. He''s going to shift like


    the others and how would he help?"


    "He''ll be here in his wolf form and Brook will be able to sense Ryder near, and it will help keep her


    calm. However, we''ll be prepared to introduce her into a deepera if need be."


    "Is that safe, putting her under so deeply?" Harry asked, holding his mate''s hand. "And why can''t you


    silver her to prevent the shift?"


    "It''ll be safe. We''re capable of putting her fully on life support if needed and I want to avoid silver if at all


    possible. While the typical silver-filled stic zip ties prevent a shift, it''s stressful on the werewolf which


    is something we have to avoid at all costs."


    Harry looked at Brook''s mom and gave her hand a squeeze. "It''s your call. What do you want to do?"


    She shook her head. "I don''t know I can make an informed decision on this. What do you think Harry?


    This is your people, your world, does this sound reasonable or like it will work?"


    Harry gave her a kiss on her temple. "It''s our world Nan, but yes, this sounds like Brook''s best chance.


    I think we should do it.¡±


    "Okay, do what you have to do, Emily."


    "I''ll begin the preparations immediately. I promise I''m going to take the best possible care of your


    daughter," Mom told them.


    "You?" Harry asked, looking as confused as I was.


    One that I shared. I''m not a doctor, but I''m pretty sure you need hands. Mom gave us a tight smile. "I''m


    going to silver myself, so I may be able to see the whole procedure through. Painkillers and I''ll be fine."


    Mom sounded like she could be saying that for herself as much as us. Silvering on a full moon was far


    from pleasant. "You don''t have to do that Mom."


    She shook her head. "Yes. I do. She risked her life to save my mate and children. The least I can do is


    share a little pain with her tomorrow night to make sure everything goes as it should. Now if you don''t


    have any more questions, I''m going to start getting everything ready."


    As the full moon came closer, the tension grew. I hardly slept or ate. My wolf was close to the surface,


    making me more anxious.


    "Ryder, it''s about time to change," Mom said the evening of the full moon. Dad was with her. "Before


    Nancy and Harry arrive, we should discuss something. While I know you won''t harm Brook, I am a little


    concerned about the staff. Try to focus on the fact everyone here is going to do everything they can to


    save Brook. None is a threat."


    "Why are you telling me this?"


    "We can be more instinctual when in wolf and despite what instinct may tell you doing nothing will be


    better than doing something. If you can''t help yourself, Gwen has a sedative especially for you ready."


    Now I got the point. If I got in the way, I was out. "Don''t worry I won''t."


    Mom smiled and gave me a nod. Nancy and Harry arrived shortly after. She went through the process


    with them again. When she finished, she gave Brook the muscle rxants and painkillers. "Alright,


    every wolf out. I don''t want any shifting in this room. Ryder that means you too. Go get changed and


    get back here," Mom said.


    "Good luck, Em," Dad said, kissing her cheek and left with Harry.


    I wanted to give Brook a kiss too, but it was just too weird with her mom right there, so I just left to shift.


    There was somethingpletely liberating in wolf form. I shook out my fur before nudging the


    bathroom door open with my snout. A chorus of howls had already begun outside of others who''d


    already shifted. I started to reply with my own howl but remembered I was in a hospital hallway. The


    war had filled all the rooms with the injured, and they needed their rest. I admit,


    I was a little disappointed I couldn''t be out there, but tonight my mate needed me. I trotted towards my


    mate''s room and jumped up on her bed. Sweat beaded along her brow and the edges of her mouth


    turned downward. I look over at my mother. She seemed anxious and scratched at the zip tie around


    her wrist. When Mom saw me watching, she gave me a tight smile. "It''s beginning. Stay close to her.


    Keep her calm in you can."


    Worry peppered through my mind but I snuggled up against my mate,ying my head next to her


    shoulder. The beeping of the machine started to beep more often, and I nced up at my mother. She


    licked her lips in a nervous gesture as she kept her attention on the machine and many others. Mom


    made adjustments here and there. I turned my attention to my mate, I saw her face looked more


    strained than before.


    I hint of fearing from her. I gave off a worried whine and rested my head against her shoulder once


    more. The beeping kept going faster and faster, and soon other machines started making more noises.


    I smelt more fearing from my mate and mom''s was serious.


    "I didn''t think something like this was possible," she said, as one of the nurses showed her something.


    I whined, pleading for her to exin.


    "Her body is trying to fight against the shift, even to the point her antibodies are nuts."


    "Can she somehow sense the shifting?" A nurse asked.


    "It''s possible. Brook is scared of something, I can smell it. Either way, if she keeps going through this


    level of stress, she''ll never survive."


    My heart jumped up into my throat, and I let out a fearful whine.


    "Alright. Let''s do this," Mom began then looked to me. "We have five minutes Ryder. Do anything and


    everything you can to assure her," she said then looked at the others. "If he can''t manage it then we


    take her down as far as we can. We have to get her calm."


    I inched up towards my mate''s face and brushed my snout against her cheek, it was cool with sweat


    and only made me more worried. I huddled up as close as I could to her, hoping maybe my body heat


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    would keep her from getting too cold. I made a small, pleading whine; begging her calm down. She was


    alright and safe. I was alright and safe. The annoying beeping slowed down some, and my mother


    gave me a look of approval.


    Don''t be afraid, Brook. You''re just changing into one of us. I thought with all my strength as I


    whimpered as I brushed my head softly against hers. Please, be strong just a little bit more. Please,


    Brook. I can''t lose you! With a pitiful whine, I sent my thoughts to the goddess next. Goddess, please


    protect my mate. Please help her through this. She can''t die now. Not when she sacrificed so much for


    us. Please, please, please!


    "Good, Ryder. Keep it up. She''s calm now," My mother said, patting my back.


    I gave her a wolfish grin then licked Brook''s face through the saltiness of her sweat was a little gross.


    I''d forgotten about that. I continued my prayers to both Brook and the goddess and making soft noises


    so Brook would hear me. Hours seemed to pass, Brook''s clothing and nket were drenched with her


    sweat. I kept continuing to whine and whimper, sending her my encouragement as best as I could.


    My mother watched the machines like any predator, not willing to miss even the smallest movement.


    She was silent most of the time which drove me insane with worry. I had no idea what was going on.


    Was Brook doing okay or did things look bleak? Suddenly the machines started making a bunch of


    noise. All the nurses and my mother jumped into action, pressing buttons here and pushing them there.


    Brook began to convulse on the bed, and I jumped to my feet, unsure what to do. I didn''t know if I


    shouldy on her to keep her from falling or stay back. I whined with indecision and looked to my


    mother for some direction but she was staring at Brook in surprise. "I don''t believe it," she breathed.


    I looked back down to my mate and made a startled yelp. She was shifting, like actually taking a wolf


    form! I figured with thea, the muscle rxants, and everything, she wouldn''t actually shift. "Hold


    her down," my mother ordered the nurses. "But not too tight, let her bones morph as they should."


    The nurses all fell around me, holding Brook''s arms and legs. She convulsed and twisted violently. Her


    muscles contracted and rxed in grotesque waves. I''d never seen anything like this before. At a


    snail''s pace, her form began to twist and change. Despite thea and painkillers, her face twisted in


    agony. It made my stomach turn, and I was afraid I was about to get sick. My first shift, while it hurt like


    hell, Brook''s shift seemed worse.


    Minutes seemed like hours as Brook changed. I wanted tofort her, but I was too caught up in my


    own fear of what was happening. I was helpless,pletely helpless. My mate was suffering, and


    there was nothing I could do to help her. "Ryder," my mother said to me sharply. "Rx, she can detect


    your fear now. So calm down and keep talking to her."


    I swallowed, forgetting now she wasn''t human she could do that. Iid down next to her but not too


    close, I didn''t want to hurt her and whimpered to her again. All the while, silently sending her


    encouragement. Finally, Brook''s shiftpleted and part of me expected her to wake up or do


    something but she justid there. She was a small wolf, her fur was brown with bright auburn and gray


    highlights.


    She looked like a red wolf, and she was beautiful. I looked up my mother worried Brook wasn''t moving.


    She was leaning over us, looking at Brook. She checked her blood pressure, among many other things


    that I didn''t know what was for. "It''s done. Ryder. She''s going to be okay."


    I gave her another wolfish grin. I stood up, stretched then curled up around my mate, sharing my


    warmth with her and cing a paw over her. Now, this was over, I swore she''d never had to go through


    anything like this again. I took in her scent, taking in the small changes to it now she was a werewolf.


    Good job, Brook. I''m so happy you''re alright. Feeling myself rx for the first time in at least two


    weeks, I drifted off to sleep.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    Imagine being hit by a semi-truck then having said truck back over your broken body, only to run over it


    again. That''s me right now. My whole body ached and my mouth dry. I thought when you died all that


    stuff didn''t happen anymore. Unless I wasn''t dead, but that was impossible. I fell off a freaking cliff. I


    opened my eyes slowly, looking at the room around me.


    No angels or heavenly trumpets and it was too cold and stank too much of disinfectant to be hell. So


    alive - right now, I might have preferred dying. It hurt less. The door opened, and Emily walked in,


    smiling as if she''d just won a million dors. "Hello, Brook. It''s good to see you awake. How are you


    feeling?"


    "Confused," I said honestly. "I am pretty sure I should be dead right now."


    Emilyughed, pulling one of those stools on wheels all doctors have. "It was touch and go there for a


    while."


    A while? How long was I out? I started to ask her when she spoke again.


    "What do you remember after the fall."


    "I remember dying. There was a burning sensation, and I cked out I guess."


    "Burning?" Emily repeated, curiosity filling her voice.


    Okay, now I was even more confused. "Yeah like fire ants under my skin, but it didn''tst long."


    "Interesting," she said but the before she could say more Ryder walked in the room. He stopped


    halfway, staring at me. It was kind of creepy.


    "Hey," I said, self-conscious as he kept staring at me. I nced down at myp, noticing my arm no


    longer had the cast. In fact, it looked good as new.


    Suddenly, Ryder was next to me, my hand in his. "You''re awake! How do are you? Did you know yet?


    Mom, did you tell her?"


    I blinked at him, confused. His momughed, giving me an apologetic grimace. "No, I didn''t tell her, I''ve


    been busy with my checkup."


    I swallowed as I looked between the two. "Tell me what?"


    "It doesn''t matter right now. For now, I want to examine you. Besides the confusion, how are you?"


    I didn''t like the vibe I was getting from her, but I answered her question. "Like I''ve been hit been ran


    over a few dozen times. My body aches everywhere, and I''m really thirsty."


    Ryder leaped off the bed, running, and shouted he''ll get me some water. I blinked again. He was acting


    kind of odd. "Was I that bad or is he just being weird as usual?"


    His mom grinned at me with augh as she checked me over. "You were that bad. I wasn''t too sure if I


    could keep you with us, despite all the measures we took. What kind of aches are these? Is it like


    general soreness or to a specific area? Also, how is the ache burning, stabbing, stinging, throbbing?"


    "It''s a general ache, and more throbbing than anything."


    Ryder''s mom continued to question me for a while, helped me sit up when Ryder returned with my


    water. It was room temperature, but to me, it was pure heaven. "So what exactly happened to me?" I


    asked when I finished.


    "You were right, Brook. When you fell, you were dying and would''ve been dead in a matter of minutes.


    Brent did the only thing he could to save your life. He bit you," she exined.


    "He bit me," I repeated, and she nodded. Did that mean what I think it meant?


    "Yes, starting the change in you from human to werewolf."


    My mouth dropped open with a gasp, and my eyes shot wide. Ryder took my hand,cing his fingers


    with mine, and gave it a soft squeeze. As much as I wanted to return some gesture back. I couldn''t. I


    was too in shock. His mom gave me a small smile and began to exin things about the ability to heal.


    Also, some other things I didn''t understand.


    "So let me get this straight," I said, rubbing my forehead. "I''ve been in aa for half a month, and


    when the moon is full I''m going to turn into a wolf?"


    "Actually, you''ve already shifted once," Ryder said, grinning.


    "What? That''s impossible. I would remember if I turned into a wolf," I said,ing close to hysterics.


    "The full moon passed two nights ago Brook and while in aa you did go through your first shift.


    Complete wolf form," his mom said, her tone cautious now.


    Whoa, this was...I didn''t even know what to think.


    "You must be overwhelmed right now. I get it," Ryder''s mom said. Overwhelmed didn''t even cover it.


    "But you need to rest, you''re still healing from the fall and the shift. Take it easy, no more heroics. Got


    it."


    I grinned despite everything. "I don''t n to," I said adamantly. Next time Ryder''s pack can go save


    itself.


    "Good girl. Now I''m going to make my rounds. The others will want to see her too. I''ll also get someone


    to bring you something to eat."


    When she left Ryder suddenly hugged me to him. "I''m so d you''re okay, Brook. I thought I lost you.


    Why did you even do that?" His voice taking on so many emotions it was a little difficult for me to keep


    up.


    That''s when it, whatever it was, hit me. This smelling off of Ryder. It wasn''t bad, just the opposite.


    Everywhere he touched made my skin tingle, and it rippled through me like some electric wave. "Mike


    told me how his dad was going to use to me to break you then break the rest of your family and my


    family. I couldn''t let him do it, and it was the only option open," I replied, breathless.


    "And you didn''t stop to think we had a n for it?"


    "How was I supposed to know?" I said, a little angry. These feelings were weird. I was warm and tingly


    like I was wrapped in nket straight out the dryer. "Ryder, can I ask you something and you promise


    not tough at me?"


    "Sure."


    "Why do you...smell so good and why is it when you touch me, it weird?" I narrowed my eyes at him


    when he grinned. "Noughing remember."


    Still grinning, he held up a hand in mock surrender. "I''m notughing and I won''t. It''s nice the bond isn''t


    so one-sided now."


    Could I get any more confused? One would assume I''d somehow understood them now, but nope, still


    clueless. "What is one-sided?" He grinned some more, and I let out a little growl, surprising the hell out


    of myself. I pped my hand over my mouth, and now heughed. "You''reughing," I said behind my


    hand.


    "Yeah, at the question. That has to be the most adorable growl ever," Ryder said, pinching my cheek,


    granny style.


    "Ryder," I whined pitifully. "I nearly died, and all you''re going to do is make fun of me now?" I said,


    giving him my best sad face and man did it work like a charm.


    A guilty expression spread over his face as he looked at me in horror. "I''m sorry I didn''t mean-"


    "Exactly! So start answering my questions," I demanded, tossing away my sad face and crossing my


    arms over my chest.


    He grinned and hugged me to him, sending all those weird sensations into overdrive. "What you''re


    feeling is the mate bond. It''s how we are able to recognize each other. Though I''ve never heard it


    described as weird,"


    "You''re a werewolf, everything about you is weird."


    "Yeah, well you''re weird too now," Ryder replied.


    "Which is even weirder. I can''t believe it, I''m not like a human anymore." It was as if I''d suddenly lost


    something very precious.


    Ryder cupped my face in his hands and forced me to look in his eyes. "Hey, you''re still human. You''re


    just a little more than human now."


    I like the way he said it, made everything seem less estranged. I wanted to tell him to thank you, but my


    mouth didn''t want to work as I stared into his eyes. It was like they were pulling me in and I had no


    choice but to fall into them. As our lips touched, it was as if I''d grabbed onto a live wire but not in a


    painful way. It was like a sort of energy ran through me, charging all my cells and bringing them fully


    alive.


    My eyes slid closed as the sensation wrap around me like a warm nket on a cold day. We deepened


    the kiss, and I love all sensation that wasn''t him, me, and our kiss. Never in my life had I experienced


    anything like it in my whole life. Good thing I didn''t die or I would''ve missed. It.


    "Oh God, no! My eyes, my poor virgin eyes," Dean practically screamed.


    Someone snorted. "d to hear you''re finally admitting you''re a virgin," they said, and it sounded a lot


    like¡­


    I pulled away from Ryder, breaking our kiss and Ryder groaned in aint. "Andy! You''re alive! But


    how? I saw him kill you?"


    Andy scoffed waving at me. "Please, him? Kill me? I''d be offended if I didn''t know you better." He gave


    Ryder an apologetic grimace. "Sorry for the cockblock."


    Ryder grumbled a sour reply and helped me sit up when he noticed me struggling. All my muscles had


    the shaky feeling one gets after a hard workout.


    "So why are you in a wheelchair?" I asked, my curiosity ignoring any kind of filter. "Well when you get


    your neck broken isn''t good on the spinal nerves," Dean said with a smirk. "He''s our little cripple now,"


    he added then yelped as Andy ran over his foot with one of his wheels. "Hey, what was that for!"


    "Really, Dean, really," I said, shaking my head at him, then smiled when I noticed Kara. "You''re okay


    too!"


    "Of course. Why wouldn''t I be?"


    I grinned more and shrugged. "So what exactly is going on now?" I asked, taking Ryder''s hand in mine.


    God help me, but I liked touching him or him touching me...yeah so not creepy at all.


    "The war is over," Kara replied, pleased.


    "Alpha Ryan didn''t survive the fall like you did little beastie," Dean said with a snicker.


    I gave him an unamused re then asked, "So this means Mike is the alpha now, right?"


    "Actually, he''s our prisoner," Ryder said, putting his free arm around my shoulders. "One of my uncle''s


    men took over and agreed to give Mike to us as a prisoner."


    "Wow," I breathed, overwhelmed again.


    "You take one little nap, and the world moves on without you," Dean said with a snort. He then


    suddenly climbed on the bed and hugged me, well Ryder and me since he was so close. "Wee


    back, Brookie," he said in an imitation of a fangirl voice which made my ears ring.


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    "Hey get off. She''s mine," Ryder growled at him, pushing him off the bed, making Dean make a high


    pitch squeal and re at Ryder from the floor with a ridiculous pout.


    "Don''t be a dick," Dean replied, standing and rubbing his backside.


    "Watch it, or I''ll ask Mom to teach you how to be alpha again," Ryder threatened.


    Dean''s eyes widened. "N-no, no, no, no. No thank you." He waved his hands above his head as in


    surrender.


    I shook my head leaning back into the bed, tired. "Thanks foring to visit, guys." I rested my head


    against Ryder''s chest.


    "Hey you guys, I think it''s time to call it quits for now. Mom said she''s still healing from the fall," Ryder


    said, and the others nodded. Dean groaned, but Andy threatened to roll him over again. I smiled


    watching them leave and then snuggled against Ryder.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    It took me a couple of days before I was dischargedpletely from the medical ward. I couldn''t be


    happier to get up on my feet and be able to move about. Of course, that was before people started


    smothering me. My mom, Harry, Alpha Brent, Ryder''s mom, Ryder and the gang, and even people I''ve


    never even met before. It was nice at first but after a week of gushing, praises, gifts, and all that I''d had


    enough.


    So I kind of took to hiding when I could again. One thing anyone refused to talk about was Mike. No


    one wanted to talk about where he was or what was going to happen to him. Not even Alpha Brent


    when I asked him. It was downright frustrating. As time went on and people''s expressions were getting


    more serious every time I asked. I had a feeling whatever answer they''d give me I wasn''t going to like.


    Somewhere between then and now, I decided to take matters into my own hands. It took a while to


    finally find out where Mike was. I crept as silently as I could, pausing ever so often and listening for


    sounds of people. These super senses were awesome. They were keeping Mike in a holding cell their


    version of jail. With the war over and only Mike to watch, it wasn''t difficult to convince the few guards


    there were that I deserved to see Mike. If only for revenge sake.


    His cell was underground. Those were reserved for the really dangerous or the really disliked. Despite


    everything, I didn''t see Mike as super dangerous. He was sitting on the cement floor with his knees up


    to his chest and his arms resting on his knees. His head bowed, but he lifted it as soon as he heard


    me. "Missy? Still alive and kicking."


    "It''s Brook now, Mike. I''m not going to be Missy ever again," I told him walking up to his cell.


    "What are you here for, Brook? Want to gloat how now I am the unwanted mistake, now my family is all


    dead?"


    "Beth is alive," I replied.


    "Beth is a traitor who sold out her family for a better one," he said, his tone sharp with anger.


    "Can you me her for wanting to be happy and un-abused?"


    Mike scowled and looked away from me.


    "Mike I''m sorry you lost your parents. I know you loved your mom," I told him, and he still wouldn''t look


    at me. I took a step towards his cell and grabbed the bars. I jumped back a secondter with a yell. I


    looked at my hands in confusion while Mikeughed as if it was the funniest thing he''d ever seen. Oh


    right, I''d forgotten about the silver thing. I was going to have to throw out like half my jewelry now. I


    scowled at Mike. "Oh shut up! I came here to help you, you big dumb idiot."


    "You? Help me?" He repeated with disbelief. "Why would you do that when you hate me?"


    "I don''t hate you, Mike," I told him. "You, in the end, were doing what your dad told you to do because if


    you didn''t you or, worse yet, your mother, would pay for it. I hate Anne. She pretended to be my friend


    and everything for no one but herself and her stupid ideas of being popr. I hate her, and she better


    hope to stay far away from me," I said with a growl. I tossed arge orange letter-sized envelope, rolled


    shut at the top, at him.


    He flinched then looked confused. "What''s this?"


    I leaned against the wall near the bars but making sure not to touch them this time. "Your fresh start.


    It''s not a whole lot, fifty thousand, but it''ll be enough to start over. Harry gave it to me to escape, but I


    don''t want to go to California anymore."


    "You expect me to believe you''re going to give me a bunch of money and what let me walk out of


    here?"


    "Believe it or not, but yes that''s what I''m doing."


    "Why?" Suspicion and wariness colored his expression.


    "You lost her because of me," I said with a pang guilty. "Also, you haven''t done anything so bad you


    need to die for it and fear is never a good decision-maker. Now, don''t get me wrong. You''re a big


    bullying asshole, and I never want to see you again after today, but Beth is getting her second chance


    so why shouldn''t you? Go far away from here and be Mike, not Mike Alpha Ryan''s evil son."


    "My uncle will never let me walk out of here."


    "Probably not, but I convinced the guards to take a break. They think I''m extracting some kind of


    revenge on you. So decide, a fresh start or die as the bad guy?" I unlocked his cell.


    Mike scrambled to his feet and ran out of the door, and I smirked as I closed the cell door, making sure


    not to touch the bars. I walked upstairs, leaving the keys, pleased with myself.


    "So Mike''s gone then?" Ryder''s dad said from behind me.


    I paled, debating if I wanted to turn around or not. Hesitantly I turned on my heel to face the alpha.


    "Uh... Alpha, I can exin," I said, getting in touch with my kid caught red-handed in the cookie jar vibe.


    "I know. There are cameras down there," he said, and I cringed. "I''ve been arguing with my council


    since his capture for this very result. They all are too afraid he''ll be his father and return for


    revenge."


    "We''d be no better than Ryan if we treated Mike like them. As a doctor once said, we have to be


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    better," I replied, d Alpha Brent didn''t seem angry.


    "What doctor was this?" Ryder''s dad asked.


    I scowled at him. "Ugh, you''re not supposed to say what but who! What a way to ruin a joke," I


    "Right, so let''s go tell the others your decision to Mike''s fate and remind them no one has more say


    than you."


    The council wasn''t exactly happy, but I stood my ground, even against Ryder. Mike deserved a second


    chance. When Ryder got over being butthurt about it, he agreed with me. The council was sore for it for


    a while. When a year passed, and there were no tales of the cruel, revenge-obsessed Mike, they got


    over it.


    I''m expecting a little brother in a few months. Mom surprised me with that bit of news. I think Dean is


    the most excited and I have no clue why. I really wish that guy would get his mate already! Beth found


    hers half a year after her brother left. Some up anding, enforcer from Louisiana I heard.


    All I know is she almost fell down the stairs when she first met him. I''d call her idiotic, but now I can feel


    the bond, I get how it makes you do some stupid stuff. Andy recovered fine and is good as new, but


    Dean and Ryder call him Disandy from time to time to piss him off. Now as for Ryder and I, we''re doing


    great. Despite my instincts, we''re taking it slow.


    I won''t have some stupid bond tell me who I should love. It''s not that I don''t love him because I do but I


    want things to be my choice. Like going to college and forcing Ryder to enroll too. If he wants to be


    alpha, then he should be educated as possible. His parents really love me now.


    In the end, I have to say my n to escape to California was utterly destroyed and stomped into the


    ground, but life gave me a much better n I never sawing, and I''m so much happier.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!