Page 29 of Wolf's Endgame

“Like a twig.” Nikan’s fierce satisfaction should have worried me, but I’d recognized a long time ago that the fire in our veins ran hotter than most. It wasn’t always a good thing, but the very moment that Rek became our father, our DNA was against us. “He folded within a few hours,” he said smugly. “Do you remember, in the food hall, he had said he had been in Anterrio Pack, and it was him that told everyone that Landon was missing a mate. I didn’t remember it, I’d been distracted that night…” I watched the flush on his cheeks, knowing it was because he was remembering his hurt at finding out Kezia was my mate.

“We all forgot it,” Royce grumbled. “I meant to ask the prick why he’d been there, but I was more focused on trying to keep Cannon and Kezia apart.”

“Apart?” Leo asked in confusion. “Why would you want to be away from your mate?”

“We haven’t completed the bond,” I answered gruffly. “At the time, we didn’t think we wanted it.” His eyes widened in surprise, and I knew I was scowling in return. “It’s complicated, okay?”

It was Doc’s turn to scoff, but he kept his mouth shut.

“What did Tev have in common with Anterrio?” I asked my brother and knew the answer before he told me. “Stefan, right?” The old pack leader, Bale’s father, knew about silver bullets. “He wanted to know if Bale was carrying on his father’s practices?”

Nikan was nodding. “Pretty much.”

“The apple never falls far from the tree,” I grumbled. I met my brother’s look. “What the fuck that says about us, I don’t know.”

“It says we’re adopted,” he quipped with a wink, and I grinned in return.

“I wish.” Growing serious again, I motioned for him to continue. “What did Tev tell you?”

“Bale’s building something, I don’t know what. I’ve scouted that pack for days, but it looks like it did when we were there last. I can’t see anything that looks out of place. They’re like they always are. Blind and ignorant.”

“Not so ignorant they didn’t almost kill our alpha,” Royce murmured. “We’re missing something.”

Leo was nodding in agreement. “Nikan interrogated the traitor, and I’ve been with him when we scouted after. I’ve been back alone because something didn’t fit. The pack looks the same with two exceptions.”

“Which are?”

“The pack leader is not present. I realized the second time I went back alone. The pack looks better and…happier. I don’t think he’s been there for a while.”

“Which means he’s somewhere else,” I concluded, following Leo’s train of thought. “We need to know where,” I said, stating the obvious as I once more looked out the window, trying to sort through everything that was happening while my whole being screamed at me to find my mate.

“That’s one thing,” Royce spoke to Leo. “What’s the other?”

Leo sounded almost nervous as he spoke. “His beta and his daughter are nowhere to be seen either.”

I spun to face Leo. “His beta? Kris is gone?”

Leo nodded slowly. “I got as close as I could, but I never saw him. Their security is slack too, something it never is when he is there.”

“How often do you scout the pack?” Doc asked curiously. When Leo gave him a flat stare, Doc huffed out a laugh. “Right. Always. Forget I asked.”

“Shifters fight,” I reminded him. “Anterrio Pack may be our nearest neighbor in these mountains, but they are not our allies. And they have no alpha,” I added. “Their pack is prime to be overtaken by rogues.”

“Unless you have silver weapons in your arsenal,” Leo added gruffly. “Then you might just have the advantage.”

“Why would he want you dead?” Nikan asked. “Bale’s never bothered with us before, not even when Rek was alpha.”

“Kezia?” Royce suggested. “No, that makes no sense. He doesn’t even know she’s your mate.”

“Why would that make a difference?” Doc asked. As a scientist, he kept his opinion about the mate bond to himself these days.

“It wouldn’t.” I agreed with him. “Unless…” Royce and I shared a look.

“Kris,” we both spoke at the same time.

“The alpha in the pack.” I closed my eyes as it became clear. “It’s not about Kezia, not to him. Fuck. We’ve been blind!”

“Her brother is an alpha?” Nikan asked, looking at us both incredulously. “And you didn’t tell us?”

---