Page 37 of Unexpected Alpha's Claim

“The third day. That’s what has me scared.”

“Why?” I ask, nervousness making my heart beat faster.

“Because I can look into your future and Samuel’s and Ray’s, but not Nora’s,” she said, her tone darkening. “The reach of my orb knows no bounds. I can look into anybody’s future, as long as they’re alive. This means that, sometime in the next seventy-two hours…”

“Nora will die,” I completed the phrase as cold chills ran over my limbs. I stared off into the darkness, considering. “And you can’t see anything about it?”

“No, not a thing,” she said, sighing heavily. “As you know there are few creatures that can threaten the life of a wolf shifter. If there was another sorcerer in the area I’d know it. That leaves me to think that it can only be the vampires.”

“Shit,” I muttered.

“They move fast, Raul. My spies can warn us, but I doubt their warning will reach us fast enough to save Nora. Which is why I believe we have to get ahead of this. Now.”

“I’m listening,” I declared, folding my arms across my chest.

“The best defense is a strong offense. We have to go out there and track them down,” she advised, her eye contact and the steadiness in her tone telling me loud and clear that she meant every word. “Their last known location was Louisville. It’s a fishing town, about seventy miles northeast from here.”

“Are you kidding me?” I furrowed my brow, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. “How the hell are we going to do that? They’ll smell us from half a mile away. We don’t have a clue where they’re holed up, not to mention I just fought last night.”

“We don’t have to do it tonight,” she said, worry speeding up her voice and fear taking over her eyes. “I’m very proud of you for what you did, and I respect your need to rest, but this is yoursister, firstborn. Would you rather stay here and wait for those foul creatures to end her?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?!” I exclaimed, unfurling my arms. “Of course, I want to do something to prevent her death, but your suggestion is just crazy. My pack is about a hundred strong. What should I do? Rally them up and tell them we’re going vampire hunting?”

“That’s not what I said,” she pointed out, her gaze darting over to Nora’s kitchen. “It’s got to be you and me. Donotworry about our scents. I can use potions to mask them; we’ll smell just like those vampires. And wedon’thave to engage them. All we have to do is find out their movements. Gather information, see if we can figure out if they are targeting her, you, or what. Once we have information, we can protect her. Is that clearer?”

“Crystal,” I muttered, looking away from her. As much as I hated to admit it, her suggested course of action was a good solution to the problem. It might have been dangerous, it might have been borderline crazy, but it sounded like our one and only choice. “When do you want to do this?”

“It’s not a matter of whenIwant to find them,” she clipped out. “It’s a matter of when we can pinpoint their location more easily. Vampires don’t go out in broad daylight. They wait for the cover of darkness. That’s when they’re most active.”

“Tomorrow night, then,” I suggested, my voice returning to its normal standards. “Ten o’clock. And let’s hope those potions of yours work, or it’s not likely that either of us is getting out of this shit in one piece.”

“Fear not, Raul,” she replied, sweetening her tone. “My potionsdowork. I’ve been using them to walk around in your town. How else do you think I got to know so much about you?”

I stared at her blankly for too long as I processed that information. Anger flashed, but I knew it was foolish to try and fight her, not even considering she was my best ally against the bloodsuckers.

“You’re making me feel like a moron,” I confessed. “How long have you been doing that?”

“Long enough,” she smiled, her gaze on Monica and Nora. Each carried a tray as they walked to the gazebo alongside one another. “They seem to be getting along well, don’t they?”

“Yeah,” I agreed, watching the two of them happily chatting. “Here’s a question for you. Since you’re so worried about Nora, why don’t you take her to our grandpa’s sanctuary? Wouldn’t she be safer up there?”

“Really…?” I detected some irony in her voice. “Let’s say I do that. What if tomorrow you or one of your brothers winds up missing? Am I supposed to do that withallof you? I’m not your babysitter, Raul. This is a threat. It’s much better to deal with it.”

Damn it, I thoroughly believed that my question would have put her in an awkward position. Helena was smart, though. She sidestepped my little trap with ease and putmein the awkward position.

Why? Because I couldn’t argue with her. The threat might have been miles and miles away, but it could also be upon us in a matter of hours. It was my duty to protect my blood, bred into my genes. Besides, if I didn’t do it, no one else would.

25

MONICA

Flamboyant? Loud? Childish?

All three adjectives would be a fitting way to describe the Crawford family and they would all do justice to them. Their mannerisms were unlike anything I had come across. Ray, the youngest brother, was quite the joker.

According to Raul he was twenty-four, but, judging by his behavior, he had the mental age of a ten-year-old. He pulled practical jokes on everybody, except me. His sister was his most common victim. In one instance, she had tried to sit down, and he slid the chair out from under her. The result? Nora dropped to the ground, before taking her frustration out on him. She had some serious fight in her. A couple of slaps ended Ray’s chuckles, much to the amusement of Raul, Sam and Helena.

For all their strange behavior however, I enjoyed myself. The four of them were clearly very close and it was nice to see such a tight-knit group. Even after Nora’s angry outburst, Ray didn’t complain about her getting physical. I could think of a number of people who would have torn the place apart if anybody had laid a hand on them. Not so for the Crawfords. Instead, they kept onteasing each other, amid a hearty dinner, lively conversation and plenty of wine.

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