Page 12 of Twisted Lies
So many she cared about had been beaten, brutalized and often killed for refusing the will of the Alpha. The riches the pack had once possessed blown on whatever Griffin had deemed necessary. Buildings and people crumbled because of neglect and abuse.
No, she didn’t want to go back to that. She didn’t know anyone who did.
“Not at all. I just want every single person here to be able to defend themselves should trouble ever wind up on our doorstep. I don’t want anyone to see Twisted Tail as an easy target filled with wolves who are lazy and weak. Every single person here is a formidable opponent in their own right, I want to make sure we can work together as a team against any future threat.”
Mikah nodded in agreement but his words failed to extinguish the worry running rampant through her head. It had been a long time since she or her wolf stretched their muscles or majik. The run would be nice, not just for her but for the rest of the pack as well.
Maybe her worries were for nothing. Maybe they weren’t—either way it was time to shift and let her wolf out to play.
“Finally!”
***
“Do you smell that?” Jason asked Carter as they approached the field where the pack was supposed to gather.
“Smell what? I don’t smell anything.”
“I’m not sure.” Jason sniffed the air again. His wolf licked his lips, banged against his mind, begging to take control.
“The only thing I smell is your tardiness. The pack went on their run without us.”
Yeah, that was his fault. He had zero cell service at Twisted Tail and therefore zero GPS. He couldn’t find anyone around to ask for directions in the all shifter town, because everyone was already at the Alpha’s place, reading for the run.
“We’re only a few minutes late. If we kick it into high gear, we can catch up to the pack in no time.”
“Let’s do it,” Carter agreed.
Jason sucked in a deep breath, calling the ancient majik inside him. His wolf gladly charged forward, wanting to take control. The wind swirled around him, popping sounds filled the air as bones snapped and shifted into place. His mouth elongated, fur sprouted over his body. His hearing increased tenfold.
“The pack is just over the rise. Let’s go.”He noddded to the area just beyond the tree line.
Carter whined and nodded.
Once again, the sweetest smell he’d ever crossed paths with filled his nose—champagne and chocolate. Decadent. Delicious.
His mouth watered. His legs shot forward, catapulting him through the thick of the trees faster than he’d ever moved.
“Need.”His muscles strained as the wolf pushed on.
“Want.”
“Mine.”
His wolf had never pushed so hard, ran so fast or demanded a damn thing, but whatever he smelled…he wanted it. Now!
Jason tried to pull back, to find a way to control the beast, but it was no use. Animal instinct had set in and drove his wolf like never before. Need like he had never felt exploded through his body, urging him forward.
A series of growls erupted around him. Snarls filled his ears as he found himself surrounded by wolves.
The pack he’d been trying to catch up with.
A lone wolf stepped out from the ranks. His size impressive—nearly double that of the others. The powerful majik of the Alpha pressed upon him once more. His wolf whined and bowed in response.
Jason was strong, but not strong enough to challenge the will of the Alpha. Calder rummaged through his mind—his thoughts, wanting to know everything about the wolf within.
“You belong to no pack. Only to yourself.”
Shame swept over him. He wanted to deny the Alpha’s words but couldn’t. Wanted to say that at some point he’d made a commitment to someone other than himself, but he didn’t. The Alpha saw right through him.
