Page 42 of Wolf Heart

"And all three of you are Alphas." I shake my head.

"Crazy, I know. Not many would do that."

He’s right about that. Both Casey and his father would kill any rivals to their pack. “He was just a lone wolf then?”

“Not exactly.” He kicks aside a stone that tumbles and strikes the trunk of an oak tree. “He was newly selected Alpha of his pack before we fucked it up for him.”

I trip over my feet and Aspen reaches out and grasps me around my waist, helping me maintain my footing. “He has a pack?”

“Not anymore.” A pained expression fills Aspen’s face. “We kinda pissed off a witch with triplet daughters."

My stomach tightens. Witches and wolves have an uneasy truce at best. They like to keep to the cities and separate from us. I shake my head. No, I have to stop thinking that way. I'm half witch even though I don't feel magical or special at all. I feel broken. Like something inside me, besides my wolf, is missing or buried.

I force myself back to the conversation. "Do I want to know?"

"Wasn't Raven's fault." Aspen gives a wry chuckle. "They were to be a gift to a Warlock. Needless to say, there's no reasoning with an enraged mother and witch."

"Then why didn't she curse you and Dex? Why go after the pack?"

"Cause in her mind, it was the worst way to punish us. To see Raven's suffering." He looks away, the muscle in his jaw working before he speaks again. "When we came back, there was nothing left but carcasses.”

I cover my mouth with my hand as my stomach rolls. “I-I’m so sorry.”

“Now you know why Raven fights them every chance he gets.” Aspen shakes his head, his face pale. “It’s going to get him killed one day.”

Is that why Raven said for us to run if we come across any more lost ones? That he’ll sacrifice himself to save his two packmates without concern for himself? The fact he’s hurting this much has my heart twisting with empathy in my chest.

“What’s your story?” I ask Aspen. “We’re you part of a pack before you met Raven or Dex?”

“Not much to tell.” He steps over a muddy hole that I have to veer around to avoid. “Four older brothers fighting to be Alpha only to have the constant worry someone will challenge you…” He shakes his head. “No thanks. I like to pick my fights not worry about being ambushed or stabbed in my sleep.”

“That’s awful, they wouldn’t do that would they?” But even as I ask, I know the answer. Too many in my own pack would if they believed it could win them the title of Alpha.

Raven stops and presses a finger to his ear.

“What’s going on?” I ask, trying to catch up to him while Aspen and Dex’s long strides equal three of mine.

“We’re being tracked.” Raven stops to wait for us. “We need to move now.”

He leads us through the woods and no one speaks.

I glance over my shoulder, but there's nothing there.

"Is it lost ones?" I whisper.

Dex glares at me like I've done something horrible. "No. It's your pack."

"Wha—"

A prickling sensation skates down my spine. Casey. Agroup of wolvesflankhim, hunting with their leader.Theirlethalteeth andclawsglintinthelight,hungry forblood. Their shadowslengthenuntiltheyseemto reachoutandgrabme.The snappingofbranchesandthe crackle oftwigsripthroughthe air andmakemy stomachheave.

I swallow hard as I stare into the eyes of my impending doom. I know that I can’t survive this fight. No wolf, no magic. Nothing.

My wolf whines, pining for Michael but I doubt he’s here with the others. And even if he was, I’m not ready to see him yet. Not until I’m fixed and the bond between us broken. Then he can regret his mistake. Let him feel what rejection is like.

"We'll hold them off. Get Juniper out of here," Raven snaps. His eyes flash amber.

Dex grabs my hand and yanks me after him. I stumble over vines and broken branches as we run.

---