“It won’t be easy, but I know we will make this work. For the next month, we are allies. I expect every member of my pack to abide by my word. If anyone has a problem with that, they are free to leave right now. Otherwise, we learn to fight alongside each other, notwitheach other. Are we good?”
A resounding bellow of agreement erupted from my pack. I turned and stared at Javi. He nodded and glanced back athis people, asking a silent question with a simple raise of an eyebrow. His pack all nodded in agreement. He looked back at me and shrugged. “We’re good if you’re good.”
“Okay,” I said. “We shift, then we separate into groups, a mixture of your people and mine working together. I’d like the first session to have our strongest people acting as the royals. That will show us what we’re truly working with when it comes to our younger and more inexperienced people. We can organize once we’ve shifted. Good?”
Javi nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
“Maddy, head off to the side. I don’t want you getting trampled by a hundred wolves.” She nodded grudgingly and trudged away from the two main groups.
There was a ripple of movement as dozens of men and women started shifting. I realized in the instant before I shifted that I hadn’t done this since Maddy and I mated. I had about a half second to think about what changes might be in store for me as I morphed into a wolf.
Almost instantly, I felt a well of power brimming within me and cascading out of my body. It felt like a physical wire connected Maddy and me. I looked around, surprised at the reaction the others were showing. Every shifter had bowed down, kneeling on their front paws, heads lowered, several of them whining in submission. Most surprising was the fact that all of Javi’s pack, including Javi himself, were doing the same. They looked uncomfortable and twitchy, but it was like they couldn’t help falling prostrate in front of me.
The feeling was overwhelming. The power I had over my friends, family, and allies was more than I could handle. The aura emanating from me was like a weapon, and I was too scared to use it. I shifted back as quickly as I could.
Panting for breath, I held up my hands in surrender. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” I shouted, hoping everyone could hear me as they started to raise their heads.
Dad shifted back to human and hurried over to me. “It’s all right, Nico, don’t apologize. This is what being an alpha is. A true alpha, with your mate beside you. This is the power you are meant to have. You will be the strongest alpha in hundreds of years. Harness this power, trust it, and use it to lead us. Lead, Nico. It’s what you were born for.” Dad gave me a broad smile that emanated his pride.
I glanced over at Maddy and, for the first time, I felt her power emanating from her. As she watched us, I could tell she didn’t even realize she was doing it. Her aura was pushing out dominating energy almost equal to mine. It reminded me that she was also an alpha. Two alphas as mates? What would that do for the pack? I’d never heard of that occurring. After a moment’s thought, I decided it could only make us stronger.
I grinned at her, and she gave me a hesitant smile. I shifted back to my wolf form and did my best to reel in the power. It seemed to work. Everyone acted like they weren’t as intimidated by me. I went to Javi and nudged him. The two of us organized the packs into two groups, and then we went through a dozen different scenarios. It was exhausting and difficult, but nothing degenerated between the two packs. I was pleasantly surprised at how both groups worked together. By the end of the first night, my sliver of hope had blossomed into something a little more substantial.
When we were done, Javi and I stood, slicked with sweat and panting for breath. I put out my hand to him. “Thanks for coming out. Let’s shoot for another session tomorrow?”
Javi stared at my hand for several seconds before reaching forward and taking it. He looked into my eyes. “Nico, thanks fortrusting me. Me and my pack. I know I haven’t done much to warrant your faith, so this means a lot.”
I shook his hand. “Stay the course, and do right by us. If you can do that, then we will do right by you.”
Javi inclined his head and grinned. “Fair enough.”
That evening, Maddy and I didn’t get home until well after the sun set. She’d been quiet since the session with Javi’s pack started. It was obvious that she was thinking about something, but I wasn’t going to pry. I went about making a quick dinner for us, letting her work it out in her head.
I was unwrapping a frozen pizza when she spoke. “I could feel everyone’s energy.”
“What?”
“It was like I could read the energy of everyone there.” She looked at me. “You’re so strong.”
“Much stronger now since we’ve mated,” I said, nodding.
Maddy gave me a look that told me she knew I was being deliberately obtuse. “No, Nico. I mean you’rereallystrong. Plus, I could tell you were holding back out there. You… I think you’d have beaten any shifter out there if they’d attacked you. Even if they worked together.”
Hearing her say that filled me with a bit of childish pride. Maddy had seen how strong I was, and it had impressed her. I shrugged and slid the pizza into the oven. “I held back, yeah. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I’m still getting used to this new energy I’ve got—sort of like you are. You aren’t worried about me, are you?”
Maddy studied me, worry creasing her forehead. “I worry about what that power can do to someone. Something like that can go to your head. Remember what all that power did to Edemas? I’m scared that the same thing could happen to either of us. It’s so new and intense. What if it changes us before we really understand it?”
I circled the kitchen island and wrapped my arms around her in a tight embrace. She threw her arms around me and pulled me just as close. I put my lips to her ear. “We are not Edemas—no matter what. Plus, we have each other. Neither of us will let the other turn into some soulless, power-hungry monster.”
Maddy pressed her hands into my back and tried to pull me even closer. I could sense the terror vibrating within her body. She was terrified that we’d lose ourselves to this newfound strength. If either of us succumbed to the power, it would be the downfall of the entire pack. I wondered if, maybe, she was right to worry.
40
MADDY
Nico was out at his auto shop, checking on things. For the first time since we’d met, I was wholly alone at home. His friends were all working on researching the safe houses where my family was hidden. Nico had been uncomfortable leaving me by myself and had mentioned getting one of his brothers or his father to come to watch out for me.
“Nico, you won't be gone that long. It’ll be fine. I’m safe here. Nothing is going to happen. I promise,” I’d said.
