The mix of nerves and anger loosened my tongue. “What makes you think I hitpuberty?”
Half the room checked me out. In their defense, I’d invited theattention.
“Okay, fine. I hit puberty. But it’s a dumb rule. Besides, I was physically absent from Boulder, so I should get a freepass.”
“Rules are rules.” The declaration delivered by a bald elder was like a whip.Scorching.
Bastards.
Silence descended upon the room, punctuated only by the sound of denim rustling againstleather.
Jeb turned pained eyes on me. He was going to ask me to leave. I could sense it in my bones. “Ness—”
Everest blurted out, “Alphas can bring new pledges into the pack at any age, as long as they have pack blood and can change atwill.”
All eyes were on him now. Everest’s cheeks, neck, and ears glowedcrimson.
I mouthed athankyou.
“You’ve been away a long time. Can you access your wolf form at will?” Liamasked.
“Yes,” Ilied.
I hadn’t changed in six years, but now that I was back in Boulder, in proximity to the pack, I supposed it was a question of days until my nails turned to claws, my hands turned to paws, and the fine hair on my limbs thickened tofur.
“When was the last time you became a wolf?” hecontinued.
“Three days ago.” From the corner of my eye, I could see Everest’s lips pinch. Hopefully no one else caught hisexpression.
“The issue remains that there is no Alpha yet,” the white-haired elder said. “Once one is chosen you will be able to plead your case. Until then”—if he saidshooor flicked his fingers, I would punch him—“you are not privy to packdiscussions.”
“Who are thecontenders?”
Exasperated sighs grated up cordednecks.
“Liam Kolane.” The elder gestured to Liam as though I didn’t know who Liam Kolanewas.
“And?”
“That’sit.”
I scanned each and every face around the table. Didn’t all wolves long to be leaders? Especially when the opportunity to become an Alpha so seldom arose? This would probably be our generation’s one and only chance. After forty, a werewolf was no longer eligible because his body couldn’t morph atwill.
I looked at Everest. Challenged him to give Liam a run for his money. Heath would’ve hatedthat.
The elder with the gleaming bare scalp cleared his throat. “Kindlyleave.”
Jerk. “What are the requirements?” I asked. “Besides the age, what are therequirements?”
“The requirements for what, Ness?” Nelson asked, his ebony skincrinkling.
“For becomingAlpha.”
“You must be under forty and have pack blood in your veins,” Everestsaid.
“So Iqualify?”
The planes of my uncle’s face tautened. “Ness—”
