Thecouncil coursed their agreement. “We will spread the word to all packs. By nextweek, we will start making our presence known to the vampires. Send a messagethat killing the humans is off limits,” his father, a council member in India,said over the tablet.
Holyshit.My mate could be inspiring and scary. God help whoever tried to takefrom him the things that he wanted. I knew then that I would marry him. Icouldn’t let fear dictate my life. I couldn’t let the vampires win. I wassecond in command. I was a dominant. That meant I did whatever the hell Ipleased, and I didn’t take crap from anyone! The pack began undressing. It wastime for a run. I put the tablet down.
‘Twomonths,’I sent to Kai.
‘What?’He caught my eyes from across the crowded lawn. I took off myshirt revealing my teal lace bra.
‘I’msetting a date. I’m going to marry you in two months. It will be spring. Therewill be flowers and good weather.’I unclipped my braand smiled. His eyes roamed over my body and I shifted in seconds.
‘Thiswill be the longest two months of my life,’he groaned.I trotted over to him and nudged his neck. The pack was still shifting.Breaking bones could be heard all around us. Kai was achangedwolf, notborn of two werewolf parents, and so he had a gift. Because I was the Matefinder,I was able to absorb his gift as well as have my own. Kai trotted out to awell-worn path into the thick woods. The rest of us followed.
Itook in a deep breath through my nose. A rabbit was nearby. I was a vegetarianwhile in human form but my wolf had other appetites. I allowed her to catch arabbit last week and as long as I let my full wolf come to the surface and notmy human self, it didn’t bother me. I debated going after the rabbit andenticing Kai with a little race for it, when I smelled something else. I tookin another deep breath. It was another wolf, but not a foreign wolf smell. I wastrying to figure it out when Emma whined behind me.
‘Roguewolf. Protect the females,’Kai told the pack. Max and theother dominant wolves immediately formed a circle around the females. Thereweren’t many of us. Anna’s power was extreme strength, she hardly neededprotecting, but she found her way inside the circle. Izzy was a badass fighterand didn’t need protecting either, but she trotted into the circle andpositioned herself next to Emma. Emma was our first pregnant female and also asubmissive wolf. A few other females from the Portland pack trickled inside theprotective circle. I tried to make my way out of the circle, but Max tightenedit, blocking my way. I met Max’s eyes and growled.
‘What’sa rogue wolf?’I asked Emma. We could communicatetelepathically while in wolf form.
‘Awolf without a pack. Usually very vicious if they have survived this long. Theyare very dominate, usually Alphas. They keep to themselves. They don’t reallyhave a territory so they don’t smell foreign,’she told me.
Icontinued to stare at Max, and gave him a little growl. He lowered his eyes andbacked up to let me out of the circle. Max and I had a history. I hated tothrow my pack rank in his face, but I wasn’t about to let my mate meet some viciousrogue wolf alone.
Kaisaw me and let out a small growl.
‘Ifigured you wouldn’t listen.’
‘Nope.So what’s this rogue want?’I asked him.
‘Ifhe’s a recent rogue, he will want to join a pack. If he has survived beingrogue for a long time, then he only wants to be left alone or to cause trouble.I will know when I see him.’
‘Survived?Is it hard to be rouge?’I pondered. The smell wasstronger. It wasn’t unpleasant like a foreign wolf, but my hairs were rising.My wolf didn’t like it.
‘Wolvesneed a pack. It’s in our nature. Rogues who have been that way for a long timeare usually mentally unstable. They end up killing themselves or going crazyand trying to kill others. The council puts them down.’
‘Jesus.’
Icould see him. He was trotting right toward us with amazing speed. He was ahuge wolf, like Kai, and all black. Only a few white whiskers around his mouthgave him any color. I inhaled deeply. Whisky. Smoke. Pine. Kai stepped infront of me.‘He’s been a rogue for a while. Smells like an Alpha. Stayback. I’m not kidding, Aurora. These guys have taken out entire packs.’
I steppedbehind Kai and watched. The wolf stopped in front of us and stared behind Kai,directly at me. Kai let a growl rip from his throat. A few of our wolves behindme howled. The rogue shifted into human form. It was slow and painful, but hedidn’t flinch. We couldn’t talk to other wolves in wolf form unless they werepack. Kai shifted instantly.
Both men werestaring each other down.The rogue had dark blackhair that was wild and dreadlocked; it hung halfway down his back. He waschiseled and buff with scars that littered his deep mocha skin.Not aword was spoken. A dominance challenge was in place. When a wolf wants to test someone’sdominance without a fight, it begins with a staring contest. Having been throughmany myself, I knew how tempting it was to test other wolves, but it was rude. Youdidn’t stare at an Alpha of another pack. Wanting to prove he was more dominantthan Kai pissed me off! I could see sweat on Kai’s brow. Oh, this jerk! Ishifted instantly without thinking.
“You’retrespassing, rogue! What do you want?” I shouted at him. My voice came outgruff, still going through thechange. The man grinned from ear to ear. Hebroke eye contact with Kai to look at me. I hid my body behind Kai but staredat him.
“I’mhere looking for you,” he said, holding my gaze.
“Whatdo you want with my mate? Choose your next words carefully. They may be yourlast,” Kai told him boldly.
Icould hear rustling behind me. Max and the dominants were coming closer, nodoubt. I held the rogue’s gaze even though I was beginning to feel the strain.Anytime someone wanted to test my strength or my dominance, it only served tomake me stronger.
Therogue grinned at me again. “There is a rumor going around that the Matefinderis here on Mount Hood. That she has found hundreds of mates already. I’m feelinga little left out.”
“Loweryour eyes!” Kai told him.
Myhands were feeling shaky. How long had I been holding his gaze? I wanted tokneel, to bow my head. It’s like he was putting those thoughts in my mind. No!A larger part of me wanted to prove I was stronger than he thought. Was thatsweat on his upper lip?
“You’llhave to excuse me, Alpha. I don’t get company often. This is my idea of fun,” hetold Kai.
“Well,it’s not mine. Take your eyes off of my mate, NOW.” Kai stepped forward and theman broke eye contact immediately. He looked at Kai and smiled.
