Page 165 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
“All right,” I said. “I need you to shift. Can you do that for me?”
Roland closed his eyes, his brow furrowed in concentration. A moment later, his form shimmered and changed, then a small, black wolf pup stood in his place.
I shifted as well, my larger, sandy-colored wolf towering over Roland’s smaller form. I lowered my head, gently nipping at the scruff of his neck—a symbolic gesture of acceptance.
As I did, there was a small shift of energy between us, a subtle but unmistakable connection snapping into place. Roland let out a soft whine, his body going limp with relief.
I shifted back, gathering the exhausted pup into my arms. Zoey stroked Roland’s fur, tears shining in her eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for saving him.”
I turned to Lance as he walked out of the woods.
“George is gone. Can’t find him anywhere.” Lance’s nostrils flared. “Slippery bastard took off as soon as you started helping Ro.”
“Someone in town must be helping him. It’s the only way he could keep getting in and out without being spotted.”
“What do you want us to do?” Lance asked, his eyes searching mine.
I hesitated, knowing what I was about to ask wasn’t exactly aboveboard. But I trusted Lance and Mike. They were my guys, through and through.
“Ask around,” I said finally. “See if anyone’s having money troubles. Gambling debts, that sort of thing. Whoever’s helping George, they’re probably doing it for the cash.”
“We’ll keep it quiet. See what we can dig up.”
“Thanks.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “I know it’s not ideal, but we’ve got to find out who’s working with him.”
As Lance headed out, I turned to find Zoey watching me. I couldn’t read her face, but I could see the questions in her eyes, the confusion and fear swirling just beneath the surface.
“What just happened?” she asked. “With Ro, and the... the shifting, and...”
I took her hand and led her to the couch. “George was trying to use his summons on Ro,” I explained gently. “It’s an ability alphas have, to call their pack members to them. It’s almost impossible to resist, especially for a newly shifted wolf like Roland.”
Zoey’s eyes widened, horror dawning on her face. “He was trying to control him? To force him to go to him?”
I nodded grimly. “Yeah. But by accepting Ro into my pack, by forming that bond with him, I was able to overpower George’s summons. It’s why I had to do it, Zo. I couldn’t let George have that kind of power over him.”
Zoey was silent for a long time. Finally, she nodded, a single tear slipping down her cheek. “I understand. And I’m grateful. The thought of George being able to control Ro like that, to force him to do things against his will...”
She shuddered, and I pulled her into my arms, holding her close. “I won’t let that happen,” I promised fiercely. “I’ll keep you both safe. No matter what it takes.”
She nodded against my chest, her body relaxing into mine. We sat like that for a long time, just holding each other, taking comfort in the solid warmth of our embrace.
But even as I held her, my mind was racing. George was still out there, still a threat. And until I found out who was helping him, until I put a stop to it once and for all, none of us would be safe.
My phone rang, shattering the quiet. I pulled back from Zoey. The number was unfamiliar, but I had a sinking feeling l knew what it was about.
“Noah Alexander,” I answered.
“Mr. Alexander, this is Tom Jenkins from the Regional Fighting Association. We were disappointed to receive your email earlier today that your fighters won’t be competing in the upcoming bout. We were looking forward to hosting you, so wanted to address any concerns you had. Was there an issue with the event or our organization?”
I frowned, my mind immediately jumping to Ky. He wouldn’t have sent that email without talking to me first. “I didn’t send any email. Who was it from?”
“It was signed with your name, but it appears to have been sent from a different account than the one we have on record for you. Is there a problem, Mr. Alexander?”
“My fighters are still in. Don’t cancel any bouts unless you hear it directly from me or Kyler Reid.”
“Understood, Mr. Alexander. We’ll disregard the email, then. Thank you for your time.”
