Page 29 of Wolf's Mark

“Yeah, I guess so. What’s wrong with my instinct? It’s saved our asses more than once.”

His snort was followed by a few select curse words. “You’re kidding yourself. Now, what are you worried about? Finding a suitable mate? That would be troublesome since you’re such an arrogant asshole.”

“Someone in this family needs to be.”

“I don’t mind telling you that I have no intention of following this new referendum. Such bullshit. What are they hiding?”

That was the question of the hour.

I waited until he’d poured two shots, sliding one in my direction. As I moved closer, he wrapped his huge paw-like hand around the tiny glass, lifting it in a salute.

“Maybe the sun always rise on your ass.”

“That’s a toast?” I asked, already laughing. He was also the comedian of the family.

“Hey, at least I can wing it. Now, talk. I want to hear your thoughts.” He threw back the shot and immediately poured another. I could tell he was annoyed I never kept up with him.

“There’s something in the air. Obviously, the packs are facing something the council didn’t want to mention.”

“An enemy.”

“Undoubtedly. Didn’t you smell the stench?” Often our pheromones overreacted when we were sexually aroused, enraged, or lying out our asses.

The poor guy almost choked as he attempted to do the second shot. Precious liquid spewed from his mouth and I could tell he was none too happy with the waste. “Yeah, it’s called the stenchof shit. What are you talking about? You’re like some goddamn poet.”

I was more eloquent than either one of my two brothers, which was why I’d garnered the CEO and marketing position in the corporation. As Riker would say, I had the pretty face.

“The great Wolf family, caretakers of secrets and lies.” That’s the way I’d always thought about our ancestry. It wasn’t fair, not really, especially to our mother but members of our family were supposed to be the supreme alphas. It was as if we were still living back in barbarian times.

He took a deep breath. Our last name was on the nose, which had always brought the family more than a hint of amusement when discussed. It wasn’t necessarily considered legitimate given it had been thrown at our ancestors two centuries before. The name had simply stuck because the label had followed us decade after decade.

Until our DNA and makeup began to alter and the past became something of a legend.

But we still couldn’t change who and what we were, no matter the breeding with outsiders or the decades that went by. We were wolves.

Through and through.

We were dangerous predators.

And we could shift when needed, which was almost never.

“Why the fuck do you say that?” he asked. Neither Riker nor Chase liked to talk about the possibility of other packs attempting to interfere in our lives, or that we might have someunknown enemy out there waiting in the shadows. But the possibility always hung in the air. And it always would.

I had to admit it was something that still surprised me. “I almost turned the other night and it was with minimal provocation. My control wasn’t there. I hungered to shift. When has that happened?”

Riker waited until I threw back my drink, remaining quiet as he refilled the glass. “Why? Anger from the meeting?”

“No. Because a woman I was drawn to was almost accosted. I reacted automatically. I almost slaughtered the two men in front of the women.”

“You did so without thinking?”

“Yes.”

“And did you turn?”

Sighing, I shook my head. “Not fully, but I was right there. I could feel my wolf chomping at the bit. The desire for blood almost consumed me. I could see the men’s pulsing veins and hungered to rip them apart.” I didn’t even recognize my voice.

He rubbed his jaw before looking away. “We can’t allow that to happen. We’ve come too far. We have too much to lose. Whatever is going on, we can’t lose sight of what we do on a daily basis and what we believe in. I’m getting to be like Chase. I don’t give a crap about their rules.”

---