Page 49 of Unexpected Alpha's Claim

“What the…?” Collins froze halfway through his sentence, then his voice lowered to a growl. “Who the fuck is this?”

“I am Helena van Zant,” she introduced herself, shifting her gaze to him. “And since I’m here to help you out, I’d rather you kept foul language out of the conversation. Thank you, very much Collins.”

Her rebuke combined with knowing his name didn’t sit well with him or anyone in the pack. The tension in the room was skyrocketing, shifting from fear to anger bordering on rage. Helena had presented herself as a target, which was a stupid idea. Except I knew how powerful she was, and they didn’t.

“Helena’s alright,” I said, intervening and turning a circle so I could meet each of their eyes. “She’s saved my ass more than once in the past few days. And to be clear, I wouldn’t have been able to kill that Alpha vampire without her help.”

“How do we know she’s not here to harm us?” Stones asked, his voice picking up in speed and strength as he asked the question they were all thinking.

“Fools…” Helena shook her head in annoyance. “I’ve been coming to Dawson since before most you were even born. And yes, in case you’re wondering how, I do it by doing the same thing that prevented you from smelling me tonight. I use magic to cover my scent.”

The crowd grumbled, looking from her to me. As the Alpha they had to follow my lead, but they weren’t happy to have the witch in their midst or flaunting her powers that could fool them.

“As I said, she’s okay,” I repeated. “She’s a friend. Treat her as such.”

“Thanks first born,” she said, with a nod. “Now to business: I hate to say it, but you’re wrong. You didn’t kill their Alpha in Louisville.”

“How can you be sure?” I asked with a growl while narrowing my eyes.

“Vampire clans usually disperse once they’re left leaderless,” she answered, walking towards me with sure steps and a casual obliviousness to all the shifters who might want to tear her apart. “This one didn’t. That and my spies tell me that there is a group of sixty or so vampires that are about seven miles from Dawson.” Gasps of outrage mixing with renewed bouts of fear filled theroom. “They’ll be here by nightfall tomorrow. I strongly suggest you all get ready for battle.”

She might as well have pronounced that she was holding a hydrogen bomb. Loud chatter filled the room. Every pack member preferred to voice their own views that almost instantly became a shouting match as each one tried to drown the others’ ideas out with sheer volume.

I let it build, staring at Helena the entire time. I wanted to know more, but there was no way to ask, she’d never hear me. The look in her eyes though told me all I needed. She wasn’t lying and we were in serious trouble.

I pushed my way through the crowd to the bar and leaped up on it. I slammed my foot down as I yelled.

“Hey! What the fuck is this?” Silence fell across the room almost instantly. The wolves in them each knew who the Alpha was. My dominance filled the room. “What’s the matter with you? Weknewthis day would come, didn’t we? So,whatif it’s tomorrow?”

“It’s just too soon, man,” Sammy interjected his opinion in his usual, mild tone. “Most of us thought we had some time to prepare for this. Including me.”

I met my brother’s eyes and saw his fear. I understood it, but I couldn’t coddle him or them. The situation was too dire for that. We had to get ready to protect what was ours or we’d lose it all.

“I respect that,” I nodded, “but this is what it is. You all got that?” A murmuring of assent came from around the room, albeit reluctantly. “We’re all shook up right now. Kenny’s death is a lot to take in. Everyone go home. Get some rest. We meet tomorrownight at the edge of the forest. I’ll have a plan in place by then. Goodnight.”

Unwilling to wait for their reaction, I headed for the door. I had nothing else to say to them, and I was sure that, whatever else we discussed, it would not help our situation. It was clear that though I had tried to prevent a war between us and that accursed race, my efforts had been in vain.

The vampires had decided to come to the valley. Now they were threatening my people with annihilation. As the Alpha of this pack I was going to make sure those bloodsuckers regretted their decision to ever set foot in our lands.

31

RAUL

Ihated the way I had had to leave Monica, but there was more I had to do before I could go to her. What do I do with her? The vampires were coming, and she couldn’t be here. I didn’t want her anywhere near them. Anywhere where they could possibly even get a hint of her scent. I turned the problem over and over while trying to focus on the next thing that I had to do.

In my haste, I had forgotten Sam’s truck at Monica’s house. On our way back home, I apologized to him and told him that I would take him up there to retrieve it in the morning. He shrugged and nodded, taking it all in stride. I was glad he didn’t insist on getting it tonight.

I was worn down by the events of the day and I knew that leaving her like I did wouldn’t have done me any favors. Right now, I knew that I was too distracted and heart-torn about the pack’s losses to handle her.

I entered my neighborhood alongside Sam and instantly caught her scent. That was odd. She hadn’t been to my cabin in forty-eight hours and her scent of sweet caramel had been much fainter, it shouldn’t have been this strong.

As my house came into view, I saw that the front door was wide open, and Nora was sitting on the top landing of the steps. She had a white envelope in her grasp and was exchanging words with Ray who stood behind her.

I didn’t have to hear their words to know something is wrong. I could sense it and smell it on both of them, on top of the fact that there is no doubt that Monica had been there. After I told her to stay put. Stay inside.

Damn it, woman. You’re going to have to learn to listen to me. To fucking trust me.

I broke into a jog, running right up to my brother and sister, letting Sam trail behind.

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