Page 23 of The Predator's Wolf Mate

“Fuck.” How I wanted it to be a coincidence and the message a wrong number.

Clearly, it wasn’t.

If they wanted these kids, they were going to have to come through me. And then my head did what it always did. It complicated things and had me ready to run to the bathroom as it replayed my earlier conversation with Ryan. What if… What if this isn’t about them?

What if it’s me? What if I brought this mess here? If I were the one to take away our safety. If Ryan had heard of this place, who’s to say the men who stole me hadn’t also? Sure, a lot of them were dead. But a lot isn’t all, and it only takes one.

Chapter Eighteen

Aziz

Jack cocked his head at me that morning, watching me get dressed. “Where are you off to?”

“What makes you think I’m going somewhere?” I stopped and looked down at myself. It had been four months since the threat came in a message on my phone. We’d continuously run perimeter checks and beefed up security, but it had become apparent that the threat over text message was hollow. We had loosened up things a bit but I still kept watch.

“You’re wearing those pants. You only wear those pants if you’re leaving the compound or this house.”

“I do not,” I argued with a smile.

“Yes, you do. Trust me. I’ve been watching you and taking you in for a long time, alpha.”

Bryant cooed in his arms. He still had a morning feed from his papa’s chest and had just finished up. Jack wanted to wean him completely but also knew the little one was comforted by it.

“Do I need to apologize again?” I asked sincerely. I would continue to be sorry for the time I was in limbo between Jack and Bella. I did the right thing, but it came at a price to my omega. A price I could never repay.

“No. Of course not. But you didn’t answer my question.”

I chuckled. “A team errand. Nothing fun, trust me.”

He nodded. “Okay. Don’t have fun without me. We’ll be here.”

I hadn’t exactly lied to my omega. Not really. I’d received another message, this one from my former clan.

The one Bella used to be the alpha of.

The one that wanted me to take her place.

I didn’t know what this person wanted to tell me, but whatever it was, they refused to say over the phone. Even encrypted email was denied. They wanted to see me in person.

Great.

I ran back to my clan lands as my hyena but stopped short of crossing the perimeter. I was no longer Bella’s mate and shouldn’t have been on clan land without explicit permission from Eliza, the new alpha.

“Don’t come over. They will be able to scent you.” A voice came from my right. I turned and shifted at the same time, putting on my clothes.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“I’m David. Eliza’s son. She told me to come and let you know what was going on.”

“Go on,” I said as David emerged from where he was hidden behind a tree.

“The clan is being torn apart. We are half as many as the last time you decreed Eliza the alpha.”

“What happened?” I asked as a new guilt rooted in my stomach.

“Someone came in and claimed ownership over all the omegas and females. Even my mother has been demoted. This person is taking over everything. If he continues, there will be nothing left of this clan.”

“I understand why you are upset but, David, I gave over this clan to your mother. Why call me? I’m not in a position to take over.”

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