Page 28 of The Alpha King's Fate

“Have you... Do you want to be a warrior, Josh?”

The kid frowned as if he didn’t understand the question.

“I mean, I haven’t forced you to do anything, have I?” It was a weird conversation. He’d never had to ask anyone such questions, but Layla had him second-guessing himself.

“No, Alpha. I’ve been training to become a warrior since I was a kid.”

He nodded and looked over the rest of the trainees.

“You’ve all been working hard, but I need you to push yourselves harder now. I need you to stay focused. We were lucky with the Hunters in town, but we all know how quickly that situation can change. Know your limits; you need to rest, too, ifyou’re going to be of any use. Finish up here, then go eat and rest.”

They were back sparring before he’d left the field, proving their dedication. That was what Layla should have been doing, too.

He sighed as he walked into the packhouse. He wasn’t being fair. Layla didn’t know what was coming for them. When he’d been teaching her about their world, he’d told her that the Circle were dangerous and worse than Hunters. He didn’t want to risk her trying to run away again if he told her about the summons before she was ready.

“Jax.”

He turned from the stairs when Dylan rushed into the lobby.

“The Crimson Valley pack Beta called and said their scouts still haven’t returned. They want permission to come out of lockdown to search.”

If those scouts were dead, their Alpha would have felt it. It wasn’t like the Hunters to leave a wolf alive, so this had to be something to do with witches, as he’d first suspected.

“Call Ryker on our old system and tell him he can go out and search, too. Small teams, regular contact.”

Dylan nodded but didn’t move right away.

“What is it?”

“I don’t want to make you panic when you have to think of your meeting with the Circle, but the other packs that wouldn’t let me in seemed very agitated. I thought they were just being too cautious, but what if they’re missing people, too.”

Then that would confirm that they had another enemy working in the background. Someone was plucking people from under his nose while he was dealing with his grief. He couldn’t deny that anymore. Their peace had already shattered; it was time he told Layla everything so she could prepare.

“You should postpone your visits until we know what’s going on,” Dylan added.

“No. I’ll go and see the situation for myself. Tell them that I’m coming.”

There was no more time to waste. He took the stairs two at a time, with his mind filled with all the scenarios that could happen once he told Layla. She would have to stay back until he knew what they were dealing with. If magic was involved, he and Cain would smell it a mile away. It would be better if she stayed safe in the packhouse so he wouldn’t get distracted trying to protect her.

He was almost past Britney’s door when he heard Layla’s voice.

“Just eat your damn food and let me think of how to get us out of this shit you dropped us in.”

Her tone had so much anger, but he would have felt it even if he hadn’t heard it. And he would have felt the fear radiating from the younger woman. It was like a feast for his depraved soul. It had been a long time since anyone had been that scared around him or Layla.

His mate came out and quickly locked the door. Her whole body shook with the anger she was trying to hold in.

“What shit did she drop you in, Layla?”

Layla turned, her eyes wide as their gazes met.

“It’s nothing,” she said, then her lips curved into that overly bright smile again. Her heart pounded away, and her anger still overpowered any other emotion he could feel through their bond.

‘Liar,’ Cain growled in his head.

He didn’t need the beast to tell him that.

“Are you seriously going to keep lying to me right now?”

---