“Of course.”
“Thanks. ’Preciate it.”
He leaves, and it’s like my depression senses I’m alone. I can remove the mask and curl into myself. I’m going to rot in this spot. My depression approves. When I suddenly get the sense that someone’s watching me, I rethink my decision.
Chapter THREE
Caleb
I’ve been stalking her for months, picked up on her patterns. Many days she spends in despair, and this disturbs my wolf. Though I played a small part in her suffering, my guilt fades when I remember what she did to me, my pack, and my family. And I hate her all over again.
It’s a never-ending cycle.
She doesn’t bother to get out of bed most days sometimes not even eating. The male I often see her with notices and brings her food. Earlier, I watched her eat a lone apple.
Like that could sustain anyone,I snort to myself.
At first, I thought he didn’t know the real her. Maybe he thinks she’s the runt who needs extra support to thrive. Or maybe he’s after her affection.
He might have an antenna for a dick searching for a good lay, and the rest of the rogues fall prey to her good-girl act. The problem is, women who know they’re attractive use it as an excuse to treat others poorly.
But I’m not fooled. I see right through her. Idespiseher. She works fornothing. She earns nothing. So, she takes everything. All of them are like that, only thriving off of the means of others. And she’s the worst of them all because she is the puppet master.
“Do this. Go north, not south. They’ve been through enough,”I mock her.
I roll my eyes. Who does she think she is, an alpha? No.
She deserves a damn Emmy. It’s all an act.
Look everyone! It’s the girl who pretended to be a helpless wolf!
Her kind is appalling. We’re predators. At least the guy she’s with knows that and doesn’t try to hide it. That, I can respect. She, on the other hand, pretends she’s not dangerous.
My wolf steps forward to watch our mate sleep in a hammock, a book on her chest as she rises and falls with each breath.
It’s not an act. Mate struggles,my wolf tries to convince me.
I growl at him. My wolf and I don’t agree on much when it comes to her.I don’t know why you’re defending the woman who killed our father. Do you realize what kind of risk that puts our generational power in? She is dangerous. If we die, his power is lost forever. That not only makes us vulnerable but every other pack, clan, and coven that relies on our resources year-round,I remind him.
My power as an apex hunter passed to me after Father’s death. Forces pass to the firstborn, then to their firstborn, down the generations. Not every family has ancestral power. My mother was not blessed this way.
When a firstborn dies prior to having children, the power dies with them. It doesn’t pass on to a sibling. It simply vanishes. That’s why it’s so important to preserve powers and ensure they continue on. It’s also why the Hunt is so important and why I’m an only child.
Being the apex hunter is the only reason I and the rest of the realm don’t struggle to make it through the winter. The royal pack pays my family a healthy sum each year to feed our allies who are less skilled.
Offended, my wolf points his nose up to the roof of my mind.There’s no need to shout.
I wipe my face and apologize. He and I guess by default,we, are sensitive to the mate bond. But him so much more than me. Our wolves are born of the Moon Goddess, which makes themmore susceptible to the bond. He’s hurt by what she did, but he cannot sustain a grudge against her, by instinct. And as time goes on, the bond only grows stronger, as does the desire to claim her.
The first time I saw her, he wanted to get a closer look, and I told him no. Over time, the bond let him wear me down, sending me from the pack for hours to find excuses to get closer to her.
I’ll make it up to you. We’ll get a closer look, I tell him.
I quietly leave my vantage point in the tree that overlooks the valley. Alaina used to spend a lot of time in this tree, but now that she’s gone, it’s become my favorite lookout spot.
I find the rogues’ proximity to my territory insulting. It’s like they don’t see us as a real threat, so they’ve made camp close by.
Watching her, I climb down. Thanks to my inherited powers, I could locate a needle dropped miles away if I wanted. Because I’m still learning to turn it off, I can hear every feral creature fucking for miles, too. It’s how I know Alaina calls Dax her king in bed.
