Page 46 of Fated to the Enemy Alpha

“It’s not important,” he said, then added more gently. “How was Betty last night?” he asked instead.

My gaze shot to him, my chest fluttering as he said her name. “Her fever’s gone,” I shared.

“That’s good,” he said with a smile. Once again, my heart twisted, not knowing what to do about the tenderness I saw in his expression.

But…maybe this was an opportunity.

I looked at the time. 5:00 p.m. It wasn’t too early to knock off.

“Listen, can I take an early finish?” I ventured. “I really need to get some sleep.”

Once again, protectiveness stole over Stephen’s face. A softness that made my heart twinge played at the edges of his mouth. “Of course, go—get some rest.”

Thanking him, I stepped into the office’s mundane corridor, my heart racing as conflicting emotions surged. The want in his gaze was palpable, a tether that both anchored me and stifled me.

But I quashed the feeling down. I needed to follow the trail of breadcrumbs my mom had left for me by myself.

Soon, I drove out of the parking lot toward the docks. The Hudson River shimmered in the fading light, its surface dancing like liquid silver as I navigated the congested streets of New York. The salty scent of the water wafted through my slightly cracked window, mingling with the earthy aroma of wet asphalt.

In the distance, the silhouettes of warehouses loomed against the horizon, their weathered facades whispering secrets of a bygone era. Approaching my family’s old warehouse, my heart raced with anticipation. The memory of my mother’s voice urged me on.

With my shifter strength, I ripped the padlock off the chain wrapped around the gates and stole into the warehouse. Shadows draped across the dusty wooden floorboards while the faint sounds of the river lapping against the docks reached my ears.

“Beneath the second window to the right of the door,” my mother’s voice echoed in my mind, each word a mantra that drove me forward.

I inspected the bricks carefully and found four that looked loose. With a steady hand, I removed the first and then another, creating just enough space to reach into the hollow. Cold metal met my fingers, sending a thrill of hope coursing through me.

When I finally laid eyes on the lockbox—adorned with delicate swirls—I traced the dial mechanism on the front. It had six numbers, requiring the right code to unlock whatever secrets lay inside.

Hope surged through me, and I felt reinvigorated, warmed by the memory of my mother’s voice urging me onward. I clutched the box to me, hugging it to my chest, feeling as if she were guiding me to her.

Chapter 18

Stephen

I sat in my car in the Blackthorn Corporation parking lot, scanning the lot to check that no one was near.

It was early evening, and no one was in sight. I dialed Ben, my best friend and the first shifter to join my fight against Magnus after my mother’s death. Ben was the son of two shifters who had emigrated from Europe, disconnected from their pack’s roots. We had met at university, and his desire to belong to a pack had paired with my need to mobilize my own group of shifters who could move against Magnus.

He picked up on the third ring. “Hey, everything all right, buddy?”

“Hi, Ben. As good as it can be.” I’d already filled him in after Lina demanded I leave Philadelphia upon discovering my role as leader of the rogue wolves.

“What’s up?” he asked, his tone bristling with alertness. I pictured him on his balcony in Astoria, overlooking the Hudson. After university, he’d settled there and shared a condo with Victor. Vic came from a rural pack in Michigan, but due to moving to New York for work after university, had likewise been missing running with other shifters. He and the majority of our other rogue brothers came from the same backgrounds and had joined Ben and me in their quest to belong to a pack in the city. I knew that one day, Vic and many of the others might relocate back to their own packs, but with the loyalty and friendship they’d given me, they’d always have a place with me.

“Magnus has set a date for Lina and his mate ceremony for this Saturday,” I said.

“What do you want to do?” he asked.

“I want you and the pack to be ready to move on him on Saturday.”

“At Blackthorn Villa?” Ben asked.

The ceremony was set to take place at Blackthorn Villa. In some ways, it felt like a bad case of Deja-vu as I imagined the villa decked out once more for the ceremony as it had been years ago.

But something in my gut told me it wouldn’t be that simple this time. There were too many players on the board, with too many secrets and agendas for my rogue wolves to end this so easily.

“He’s suspicious,” I said. “The ceremony’s due to take place at the villa, but I don’t see it being that simple. He’s keeping his cards close to his chest more than ever.” Magnus had told me more about the outcome of the deal with Haldon than he had spoken or directed orders concerning Lina. I didn’t like how quiet he’d gone on that front.

---