Page 3 of Alpha Hunt

Bullshit. Who says you want more?

Savannah seems to sense my inner turmoil. She reaches out and squeezes my arm. “Just think about it, okay? Don’t shut the door on love before you’ve even given it a chance.”

I nod, more to appease her than anything else. “Sure. I’ll keep that in mind.”

She smiles, seeming satisfied with my response. “Good. Now, I better go find Sierra before she sends out a search party. I swear, that girl thinks I’m made of glass these days.”

I chuckle, grateful for the change in subject. “Sisters. Can’t live with ‘em, can’t trade ‘em in for a new set of knives.”

Savannah laughs and waves goodbye as she heads for the door. “If you see Gage before I do, tell him I love him to the moon and back.”

“Ugh!” I grunt. “You guys are sickening.” She laughs lightly, unperturbed, and I watch her go, my mind still churning over our conversation.

Is she right? Am I selling myself short by refusing to even consider the possibility of finding a mate?

I shake my head, pushing the thought away. I don’t have time for love or babies. My life is fine just the way it is.

But even as I tell myself that, I can’t quite silence the small voice in the back of my mind that whispersLiar.

Chapter 2

Edirn

The low rumble of voices fills the meeting room as I take my seat at the long table. My gaze sweeps over the now-familiar faces – Jagger at the head, his beta council arrayed around the table. Despite the months I’ve been here at Steel Lakes, I still feel like an outsider among these wolves.

You’ll always be an outsider, Alpen.

My jaw tightens at the memory of my former pack back at Leadmills. And my life before that. A life defined by brutality and mistrust, packs constantly vying for territory and resources. I push those thoughts aside, focusing on the matter at hand.

“We may have a lead on the Wildview wolves,” Jagger’s deep voice cuts through the murmurs. “Alpen?” he says to me. All eyes turn toward me, and I straighten in my chair.

Clearing my throat, I recount, yet again, the threads of information I’d picked during my time at Leadmills. I know I earned some respect in Steel Lakes after I was able to lead them to the previous location of Savannah and Sierra’s pack. But the small rural settlement in the Appalachian foothills had been abandoned when we got there; the rest of the Wildview wolves had either left or been taken.

I still feel the frustration of that moment. I know it had been a blow to the twins, and that weighs on me, too, especially with Savannah so close to the birth of her babies. But the information I’d been able to pick up from Leadmills had been sketchy – just fragments and vague images picked up from pack members. I knew where they’d abducted the wolves from, but there wasn’t much detail on where they’d been taken from there. It’s likely that Rack and his pack didn’t know. I’m feeling increasingly convinced that they were simply a means to an end.

Doesn’t mean I plan to stop searching – the pressure to provide more information hasn’t been lost on me. And this time, after my last few excursions around Leadmills, I’m able to report more.

“I’m convinced that the lost wolves are closer than we realized before.” I lean back in my chair, preparing to let the weight of my words sink in. “As you know, I’ve been spending a fair amount of time scouring the area around Leadmills. I’ve been careful to avoid detection.” My gaze flicks to Jagger. The last time I was in there, they beat me within an inch of my life. I have no desire for a repeat encounter with those animals.

A muscle twitches in Jagger’s jaw, his dark eyes holding mine for a beat. He knows the cost I’ve paid; Rack’s pack left me for dead. With a subtle nod, he encourages me to continue.

“While moving through the region, I picked up on their comings and goings. I’ve noticed covered vehicles leaving the compound and then returning a short while later. Whatever they’re moving isn’t going far.” I recount the snippets of information, piecing together the picture I’ve built over weeks of careful investigation. “Rack was involved in abductions, rewarded with females for his…services. But he wasn’t the orchestrator – there’s someone else pulling the strings.”

“Who?” Jagger’s voice is sharp.

I shrug. “No idea yet. But I’d like to dig deeper.”

Jagger leans forward, resting his forearms on the table. “Then we make preparations to investigate this lead. Assemble a team led by Edirn to—”

“Wait…what?” A dozen heads turn as Casey Stone interrupts. Icy eyes flash my way briefly before turning back to Jagger. The woman refuses to warm to me. I can’t really blame her. The things I’ve sensed locked in the dark recesses of her mind are-

Cut it out, Alpen!

I fix my eyes on her, forcing myself not to delve into her thoughts.

“You can’t honestly be thinking of puttinghimin charge of a team.” She still refuses to use my name.

I clench my jaw as Casey’s cold gaze sweeps over me with undisguised contempt. Her mistrust stings despite my efforts to understand where she’s coming from.

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