Page 1 of Revenge of the Blood Pack

SHIFTER CRIMES

REVENGE OF THE BLOOD PACK: BOOK 1

ONE

Asha

A hand pressesforcefully over my mouth, waking me in an instant. Before I can think, I react, sending the person flying to the ground. Leaping out of bed, a growl rolls up from my belly, filling the air.

I’m breathing hard when I look down and see my mom lying on the floor under me. Her scent, that of lilacs and sunshine, washes over me, but I still feel like a wild animal. Like my wolf has taken control. My instincts are screaming to attack, but my brain is catching up, wondering why the hell my mom was pressing her hand over my mouth.

Luckily for her, my wolf calms.Icalm even though my racing heart doesn’t. My clenched hands fall to my sides, and then I’m just staring down at her. Confused. Waiting for some kind of explanation.

“Asha.” Her voice breaks as she speaks my name. Almost like she’s holding back tears. And my mom… she never cries.

Damn it, did I hurt her?I spring back a little and reach out a hand, then help her to her feet. My gaze goes to her leg as sheputs her full weight on it. Even though my room is too dark to see if I triggered any new pain from her old injury, I’m relieved when she seems to stand with ease.

“Mom?”Why does she seem so upset? What the hell is going on?

“Listen to me.” Again, there’s pain in her voice. Pain I don’t understand. “You need to take your sister and go to the End.”

A chill rolls down my spine and every hair on my body stands on end.No. No, she can’t be telling me to go there. The End is an emergency plan. The place our pack of misfits and half-breeds has been trained to go when we’re completely fucked.

I shake my head, trying to form a response.

“I had a vision.” Her words are low and ominous, dropping like stones between us. “We don’t have time to save everyone, but if we leave now, your siblings and I might just survive.”

She can’t really be suggesting we just run right now. “There’s nothing we can–?”

“Nothing,” she whispers. “Death. Blood. Destruction. It’s coming for all of us, and we’re almost out of time.”

My heart aches.Whatever is coming for Blood Pack, our plan is just to… to let it destroy everyone? Our neighbors? Our friends? The people who are family almost as much as we are?

“What if–?” My mind is scrambling for a solution to a problem I still don’t entirely understand.

“There’s no time! Go get your sister downstairs. I’ll get your brother.” And now, she isn’t sad. She’s angry. Authoritative.

What? Wait.“Where’s Simon?” My question comes out breathless, almost like I’ve been running.

“His girlfriend’s.”

Of course.Okay, death is coming for us. The clock is ticking, but now my mind is working. There has to be a better way. “You won’t make it to him in time. Let me go. I’ll send Isabella to the End and get Simon, and you go warn the watch tower.”

“Asha…”

“It’ll be faster. You know it will be.”

We stare at each other. I know what she’s thinking. She’s sending me into danger. Back into town. Away from the End. But also, that Iamfaster. And that if she doesn’t let me go, chances are that she and Simon will die. She’s never before let me take a punch for her, but I’m not a child any more. She has to know this is the right choice and that we’re just wasting time even talking about it right now.

Closing the distance between us, she yanks me into a tight hug. “Alright,” she whispers into my ear. “But you’re going to live. You’re going to be okay. Promise me.”

“I promise I’ll get us all out of here alive,” I tell her, and I mean it.

She turns and limps out the door as quickly as she can, and I ignore the fact that I’m only wearing a tank top and shorts, shove my feet into my boots, and run for my sister, my heartbeat filling my ears.

Speeding past my sister’s room, I find it empty, but I didn’t really think she was there to begin with. Rushing down to the basement, I can already hear her kicking the punching bag like it’s the face of the last boy who broke her heart.

Which is probably exactly what she’s imagining.

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