Page 52 of Alpha's Choice
I caught the first sign of emotion in him at my question. His frustration was apparent. “We lost track of it before it reached the western border.”
“It could still be in pack lands?” I felt a sense of dread thinking about the possibility of pack members coming across it. “Is that why the pack is in lockdown?”
“We think it slipped past the border patrol but don’t want to take any chances, especially since it got by them onto pack lands once already.”
I hesitated to share what lingered in the back of my head since I woke. “I may be wrong, but I wonder if it could be a vampire.”
The look Sebastian gave me made me feel like a child. “There’s no evidence vampires ever existed.”
“A month ago, I didn’t think werewolves existed.”
“Either way, it’s not your problem anymore.” Sebastian closed his notebook. “You’ve chosen not to be part of this world.”
A twinge of guilt twisted my gut. “But-”
“Thank you, Ms. Chambers, for your time.” He held out a card to me and stood. “If you remember anything else relevant, please let me know.”
He stopped just before leaving the room. “You should be aware the Council keeps a close eye on humans who know of our existence.”
His words resembled a threat. I squared my shoulders. “I have friends and family here. I won’t do anything that could cause them harm.”
He nodded and left, leaving me dissatisfied with his dismissal of my theory. It fit the evidence as I knew it. A bat-like creature with sharp teeth, single bite wounds, plus Neil’s blood loss.
I decided to research vampires while I was still here. I could slip into the library without crossing paths with Tobias.
* * *
Tobias
My wolf was clawing at my insides, trying to take control. If I let him out, he’d find Emma, and I didn’t need her to witness me out of control.
If only I held it together while she was unconscious. I almost wolfed out at the hospital every time the doctor checked her.
Ironically, it would have been easier for me if we had completed our bond, not worse like everyone thought. Because we didn’t have that connection, my wolf needed constant reassurance that she was okay but couldn’t stand anyone else touching her, not trusting them to keep her safe.
He also wanted to hunt down the creature that hurt her but couldn’t leave her side, where he could watch her slow, even breathing, and know she was alive. Under normal circumstances, I’d be able to manage the dual instincts of my wolf and human. Alphas trained all their lives to control the beast inside. But the mate bond added a new level I was unprepared for.
I agreed to sedation, as long as they could wake me as soon as Emma came to, but my wolf took control when he realized what was happening. Thankfully, they subdued me.
Waking to sparks from Emma’s hand in mine, I was sure everything would be okay. I was all prepared to convince her to let me complete the bond between us. Then she ended things.
I never expected to have problems when I found my mate. I was an Alpha. A prime mate for a she-wolf. It never occurred to me I would have to convince a human that the mate bond was worth it.
The doorbell rang, and I ran to open the door. Maybe Emma changed her mind or wanted to talk.
Megan stood there with a stack of books in her arms. “Hey, Tobias. We found some more resources for Emma.”
“She’s not here.”
“Well, can I just leave them for her? She’ll be back.”
“No, she won’t.”
Megan brushed past me and put the books down on the coffee table. “Don’t be silly.”
“She rejected me.”
She froze before turning to look at me, her expression morphing from disbelief to concern. “Why would she do that?”
