Page 112 of Fated to the Warrior Wolf

Had the girls or Gael followed me out here? Was Olisleepwalking again? No, that was ludicrous in the broad daylight. Everything had been perfectly normal with her besides that one weird-ass night. Plus, a deep inhale told me I didn’t scent anyone from my own pack. I carefully gathered my letters and tucked them into the end of the log, safely out of sight, as I continued to listen. If they were close enough to hear, my wolf would be able to scent them if I shifted. But Brielle had warned me that shifting would get more difficult the further along I was, and I was pretty damn fast on foot. So, I waited, and I listened.

There were alotof someones in the woods. The sounds of a large number of people trekking through underbrush were unmistakable, and they didn’t seem to be trying to keep quiet. The closer the sounds got, the more I realized the voices weren’t just talking. They were angry.

Unease filled me as I realized they were heading right toward me from the deeper forest, and I glanced around for any reasonable place to hide, but found none. This part of the forest was old-growth, well-spread, mature trees that, sure, I could duck behind, but a shifter would scent me in a heartbeat. In the past, I would have climbed a tree—one of my many beneficial skills learned growing up as a poor tomboy in the South—but that wasn’t safe or possible with my constantly expanding midsection. On the off chance I fell, I could really hurt Petal and myself.

Shit. Should I make a run for it?I hadn’t bothered to bring my cell to call back to the castle because I liked the uninterrupted quiet out here.

But if I bolted, they would for sure hear me, and I was more than two miles from the castle. While I was fit, I wasn’t so egotistical to think no other shifter could run as fast as I could.

My wolf pressed forward, and suddenly, the decision was no longer mine as I landed on all fours, furry. She took us off to theside, away from the beaten running track I’d been frequenting, and deeper into the forest on silent paws.

My wolf’s light tan fur wasn’t themostinconspicuous in the deep green of the forest, but she was lower to the ground and quieter than I could ever dream of being in human form. And if no one in the group was shifted… maybe they’d write me off as a wild wolf? I wasn’t so giant to be confirmed on sight as a shifter.

She wove us between trees, slowly but surely putting distance between us and the oncoming horde.

And then I heard it.

“Hey, do you smell that? Somebody’s been out here. I think they went that way. She smells… weird.Good,” a male voice I didn’t recognize said with a threatening growl.

“She smellsfertile,” another male voice added. “We should chase her down and see if she’s up for a little fun.”

Their laughter made me feel sick to my stomach.

Shit.

My wolf picked up the pace, but it was too late for stealth. I heard part of the group break off, heading in my direction and moving much faster than the rest, as a few excited howls broke the air.

She flattened her ears and bolted deeper into the forest.

This was officially a chase.

FIFTY-FIVE

Gael

This debrief was grating on my nerves. I didn’t give two shits that Varga’s idiot son thought we’d faked the evidence or the Drakenia guild connection. We had proof, we had the witnesses safely locked down, and anyone who didn’t like it could choke on the receipts.

But I couldn’t say that because Reed and Lucien were going round and round in circles on what felt like hour eleven of debate over the next steps.

I was either going to pass out from boredom or break some of Kane’s antique furniture in this destructive mood. The buffet table had a giant, age-fogged mirror that would probably be very satisfying to take behind the woodshed with an axe. It wouldn’t fix my and Leigh’s problems, but it sure would make a satisfying sound when it shattered.

My daydreams about ruining ugly old furniture were interrupted by my phone going off with the emergency ringtone. It was Andrei, from the guardhouse. I had it to my ear in a second.

“We’ve got bogies. At the perimeter, heading toward the castle. And have you guys seen the latest news on PackNet?”Andrei’s voice was strained, and I gestured for Sergei to flip the TV on the far wall of the office. “I’ve already called Cristian to lock down the castle and called in every extra pack member we have for security, but this doesn’t look good, Gael.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“Baby Varga is stirring up shit he has no business meddling in. This might be a fucking mob he’s sent to our doorstep.”

“We’re on it. Keep me posted on the perimeter and close the drawbridge.” I swore and hung up the phone without another word as none other than Petró Varga’s sadistic bastard face appeared on the big screen. Everyone in the room fell silent as the red breaking news banner flashed underneath him.

ODL Gives Dire Warning * Adult Omega on the Loose * All Species Encouraged to Be on High Alertwas running on repeat under his face.

“Kane, there’s a lynch mob practically on our doorstep. That was Andrei. He’s called in all hands, but we need to get the women out of here and go defend the borders.”

Dirge stalked closer to the screen, arms crossed as he glared at the younger Varga, who was currently speaking apologetically with one of the prime-time male PackNet reporters. It must be a hell of a scoop if he was on midday. Sergei cranked up the volume so we could hear him.

“As soon as I heard about the ODL’s pronouncement, I knew it had to be Pack Blackwater. I mean, the new so-calledhigh alphahimself was there petitioning the IGC about omega’s rights. Can you believe that?” Varga shook his head, and my stomach filled with lead. “We wolves, for the most part, hate the ugliness in our history as much as every other magical species. But can’t we all agree that omegas are dangerous? It’s sad, but the sacrifice of a few protects so many. Frankly, they should be ashamed of themselves. Harboring an omega is a capital offense, in my opinion.”

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