Chapter 1
Jury knelt in the wet mud, panting. She was in human form as a show of submission, and since she was already on her knees, she sent up a quick prayer. She’d heard that Alpha Koe was fair and just; now she was praying that both were true because she was cornered and would now rely on that grace.
The plan had been to slip through Koe’s territory unnoticed while borrowing his reputation to keep Bragga—her old Alpha—and the rest of the Biters pack off her trail. The Biters wouldn’t dare challenge Koe and his Allegiance pack by coming uninvited onto their land. She’d thought sliding through would be a smart play on her part. She was unaccompanied and uninterested in laying a challenge, but now, with solid rock at her back and the sound of wolves approaching, cutting off her only escape, she realized she’d messed up. She shouldn’t have come here. She should have taken her chances by sticking to the highway. She should have hitchhiked. She should have…. Well, it didn’t matter now. She was fucked!
Head swiveling, she sought any escape, even as the pack of monstrous-sized wolves stepped into the cave entrance where she hid. She’d hoped the Allegiance pack would think her too smart to duck into the dark cavern that yawned in the mountainside. Honestly, she was, but she was also exhausted. She’d been on the run from her own pack of Biters for the better part of three days. Tired, she’d opted to rely on her brain, which proved to be a mistake. She hadn’t eaten anything and had only minimal to drink. Her brain was lagging and not the best guide in her current situation. She’d screwed up.
As the shifters stepped closer, sealing off the cave, she shook her head in self-contempt and defeat. “I’m sorry,” she offered quickly, lifting her hands, palm side out, as a show of surrender. “I was only passing through.” It was the truth, and she was glad for it when the largest wolf lifted his snout and scented the air. He was attempting to detect deceit. Lowering his massive head, the wolf looked at her, eyes flashing dangerously as his lip ticked up in a snarl. It was cut short, though, as the wolves behindhim parted. With one last tick of his lip, the snarling wolf stepped aside too, and then the silhouette of a man filled the entryway.
Jury’s gut clenched. From what she could make out, the man was tall with wide shoulders and legs like tree trunks. Authority radiated from him so fully that Jury whimpered and lowered her hands and head in submission, whispering again, “I’m sorry. I was just passing through. I’m….sorry.”
A deep voice filled the cave, sending chills blasting up her spine with the weight of its aggression. “Who sent you?”
“No one,” she breathed, glancing up.
Body corded with thick muscle, the man stepped closer, his piercing grey eyes locked on Jury. Torn between baring her throat and cowering, she opted to stay on her knees and lower her head, her eyes going to the moist Earth that soaked the knees of her jeans. “I…I’m s-sorry, Alpha Koe. I meant no disrespect to you or your pack.”
She felt the pulse of a shift before a voice she didn’t recognize snarled, “So, she knew it was our territory when she entered it.”
Shit! She hadn’t even considered her admission and the implications of it. She’d just slaughtered her excuse of ignorance. Why couldn’t she stop screwing up? Pinching her eyes shut, she fisted her hands tightly, her nails gouging half crescents in her palms as she willed herself,“Get your fucking shit together!”
Koe’s voice was firm but non-threatening when he demanded, “What are you doing here?”
Shaking her head, she opted for truth and explained in a rush, “Passing through.Only.” Head jerking up, she looked at Koe, hoping he saw the honesty in her eyes. “I’m only passing through,” she repeated. Compelled to explain further as Koe scrutinized her, she added, “I left my pack.” Glancing around, she insanely sought an escape before continuing, “I’m on the run. I’m…”
“A fucking Biter.” The man at Koe’s side spat, voice lashing her with clear disdain.
Gaze slicing to the man, presumably Koe’s Beta, her eyes touched on him briefly before quickly shooting back to Koe as sheheld up her hands. “No! Not anymore. I left the pack. I’m starting new, and…”
“And thought you’d traipse your beautiful, helpless little self through Allegiance Pack territory?” Koe questioned, face a mask of disbelief. “Play on our sympathies? Get us to lower our guard?”
“No!” she denied. “It’s not like that.”
With a jerk of his chin, Koe addressed his pack. “Perimeter check. Now. Let’s make sure she’s not a distraction while her pack infiltrates.”
In a blink, the pack of wolves at Koe’s back spun and shot out of the cave, leaving Jury alone with Koe and the man at his side.
Canting his head, Koe asked, “So how much trouble can I expect? Will Bragga make an appearance himself or just send his Enforcers?”
Jury swallowed hard and looked around Koe’s legs. “I don’t think I was followed. I mean, they’d be after me if they knew I left, but I don’t think they know.”
Koe snorted. “Well, that doesn’t make any sense.” He squatted down to go eye-to-eye with her. “Now does it?”
“I-I don’t…”
He cut her off. “You don’t know if you were followed, but you know your pack would be after you if you left. And you did in fact leave?”
She was distracted momentarily by his looks. Unlike her Alpha, Koe was extremely handsome. Sandy blonde hair was combed back from his face. He had strong cheekbones, dove-gray eyes, and a chiseled jaw that was dusted with a day’s worth of growth. Strong shoulders pressed against the soft-looking material of his form-fitting t-shirt. He was beautiful, but she knew better than to be lured in by beautiful creatures. They were often the deadliest, and Koe’s reputation preceded him. He was one such creature.
“Th-they shouldn’t know,” she stammered.
“Before you continue,” he drawled, “know that I can scent your weariness. I can hear the growling of your famished stomach. I can see the slight tremble in your weary limbs. And I can scentdeceit, so be cautious with your next words. Because staring at you, I know that you haven’t eaten or slept in days. It’s obvious that you’ve been pushing yourself hard.” He paused and then said low, “Like someone who’s being chased.”
“I escaped,” she rushed out. “I escaped after Bragga thought he’d finished me. No one knew except…”
“Except who?” he growled.
Jury couldn’t stop the emotion that flooded her eyes as she lowered her face and tried to suck back the stinging tears as she breathed, “My sister. Narae’s the one who got me out.”
