Page 1 of Claimed By the Wolf
CHAPTER 1
NOX
Brax arches an eyebrow speculatively and flashes me one of his cocksure grins, like this is a big game. Already, I don’t like the way he’s handling my proposal.
“It’s not a joke, Brax,” I tell the Beta. “Emeric is waiting for an answer. Today.”
His smile falters slightly, and then he folds his arms over his chest. “She’s never going to go for it.”
He’s defensive, despite the smirk on his face, and I don’t blame him.
We’re talking about Brynn here.
I don’t smile back, my face etched in seriousness as I lean forward to splay my hands across my desk. But he’s not taking the threat seriously enough. If things have been tentatively calm between us and Willow Grove, it won’t last much longer without an alliance.
“She has to go for it,” I insist. “Ember Hollow’s future and security are on the line. I shouldn’t have to spell this out for you. Things are far too treacherous without some kind of merger between the packs.”
My best friend stifles a sigh and drops his smug pose, meeting me halfway over the desktop. “Look, Nox, I know you have a job to do?—”
“Being Alpha isn’t a job. It’s a calling,” I interject. “And it’s delicate as hell. That means I have to play nice with those I don’t want to play with sometimes, including other Alphas.”
“But you’re not playing with your own life,” Brax counters flatly. “You’re dragging Brynn into this.”
Our eyes clash for a minute, and I see the wheels turning in his head. He’s protective of his little sister, understandably.
I am, too.
But for the good of the pack, Brynn needs to put her wants aside and fall in line. Up until now, she’s led a relatively cushy life, cared for and protected by us. It’s time she returns the favor.
“I’ll talk to her,” he relents when he realizes I’m not backing down on the matter.
“No,” I growl. “I’lltalk to her. You just make sure she follows through with this.”
Brax snorts. “You have met Brynn, haven’t you?” he asks, standing. “I can’t make those promises.”
I remain in my place behind the desk and watch him amble toward the door, my mind whirling for a minute. Maybe there’s another way, another option.
A memory of little Brynn flashes through my mind, headstrong and sassy, yelling at us for whatever teenage infraction she believed we committed at the time.
But she’s definitely not a little kid anymore.
Overnight, it’s as if she matured into a sensual being, though she’s as willful and defiant as ever.
I wince at the memories of her younger years.
But she is a grown-up now, and that means that she has to make hard choices. And that is definitely something I know about.
Brynn is the best choice for this. Brax will keep her in line, and I can monitor them both. We need an inside scoop on the Willow Grove shifters, and I trust Brynn more than any other female in our pack.
Given her relationship to my best friend, I trust her and her loyalty to all of us.
But Brax is right; she’s not going to mate with the Alpha of Willow Grove happily. She needs to understand how important this is.
“You sure you don’t want me to talk to her?” Brax asks from the doorway.
“Just go get her,” I order my friend. “Emeric wants to meet her.”
He doesn’t move, and I stare at him expectantly.
