Warren Icantbelievethat ArricandIgotcaughtinthisbeartrap.FuckingBrady!Iknowhestheonewhosetthistrap.Heknewthatheand hispack wouldretreatthisway.Iracedaround,attemptingtocutofftheirescaperoute,butIdendedupcaughtinthetrap. Iknowmypackwillcomebackforme,buttheyreinabattleandIvebeenwaitingforthemtofindmeforhours.WhenIwasntabletocutBradyoff,theycontinued followinghispack,huntingthemdownlikethefuckingdogstheyare. IknewimmediatelythatIcouldntshift.WhileIcouldusemyhandstospringthetrap,itwas toorisky.Iwasntwillingtolosemylegandthereforemyrank as Alpha .Whilethepainissignificant,ArricandIarestrongAlphas,andIknow itsonlyamatteroftimebeforethepack findsme andgetsmeout ofhere. Wedbeenstrugglingwithawaytogetthedamntrapoffwhenwedsmelledher.Ivebeenlookingformymateforovertenyearsandnow,here,inthemiddleoftheforest,inthemiddleofanareacoveredin bloodfromarecentbattle,Ifindher.HercinnamonandnutmegscentinstantlycalmsArric. Herwolfisabeautifulreddishbrowncolor andshesobviouslyskittish littlething.ThroughallofherconversationwithArric,sheneveroncegaveushername.So,as soonasshereleasesthetrap,1stepbackandbegintoshift ftsoIcantalktoher. Theshifthurtslikea fuckingbitch,mybonestryingtoreshapebutunabletoinmylegbecausetheyreinpieces.Iwatchhereyesgo wideandshe scootsback,fartherawayfromme. Easythere.Youjustgotmeoutofatrap.Imaybe aviciousAlphawhenImhunting mypacks attackers,butImnotthekindofmanwho killssomeonewhojusthelpedme,Isay.Becauseshedidntgivemehername,ImresistanttogivinghermineuntilIknowwhatpackshesfrom . Yousaidyoureadoctor! Imstudying tobeone,shesays,watchingmecarefully. Forhumansandwolves?Iaskher.ItsunusualandImindesperateneedofagooddoctorinmypack.Mydoctorneedstoretire.Ineedsomeoneyoung,someoneintelligent,someonelikemyhttlematehere,totakeovermypackhospital. Whatpackareyoufrom?Iask,notsureIcare.Imatwarwithsomanypacksthattheoddsofherbeingfromoneofthem,arehighlylikely.Ofcourse,shesouthere onherown,notfightingwithapack,whichisalsounusual. Im notfroma pack.Im alonewolf.Didyouwantmetolookatyourleg?Inoticethatshechangesthesubjectawayfromher.Interesting.Ormaybenot,lonewolvesare aloneforareason.Itmakesmewonderwhathappenedtomakemymateatlonewolf. Yes.Iwouldappreciateyourmedicalassessment,Isay,wantingherclosertome.Iknowhertouchwillhelpwiththepain. Shemovescloserandherintoxicatingscentfillsmynose asItakeinherbeautifulbody.Shehadlookedshybutdeterminedwhenshedshifted.Herlean bodyisntasmuscularasthewolvesin mypack,whichmakesmethinkshehasnt been partofthe packwarsfora while.However,thesoftnessofheronlyaddstotheallure.Myfingertwitchwithmydesiretotouchher. Whatsalonewolfdoingouthereallbyherself?I ask. Lettingmywolfout.Itsnoteasywhenyougotoahumanuniversity,shesays,notlooking upatme.I,ontheotherhand,cantlookawayfromher.Shesbeautiful.Thereddishbrownfurofherwolfisnowlongreddishbrownhaironthewoman.ItfallsoverhershoulderasshelooksatmylegandIwatchasshedistractedlyflicksitbackoverhershoulderandoutofherway,asifthisisacommon occurrenceinherdailylife. You knowtherearepackwarsgoingonaroundhere,Isay.She maynot bemineyet,butIwanthersafe. Chapter2 Therearepackwarsgoingqueverywhere.IfItriedtofindsomeplacewherewarisnthappening,IdhavetoruninthehumanareasandriskhuntersshootingAnnika.Youregoingtoneedsurgeryonthisleg.Youhavemultiplefractures,severalbeingcompoundfractures,shesays,onceagaindivertingtheconversationfromherself. IalreadyknewIwas goingtoneedsurgery.IcouldseeArriesbusesstickingoutofhislegwhenwewereinthetrap. Annika?Yourwollsnamemeansmerciful?Howappropriateforadoctor,Isay,stillstudyingher.Herfingersonmylegaregentle.Sheseemstoinherentlyknow wheretotouchsothatitonlycausesminordiscomfort. Graciousormerciful,yes.AndAnnikaisawonderfulwolf,shelaysproudly,stillnotlookingup atme. ImabouttotellherthatAricagreeswhenIhearmyBetashow Mymatesheadsnapsupand1smellthescentofherfearasherheartratespikes.However,shedoesntrun.Shelookslikeshesabouttotake aprotectivestanceinfrontofme.AperfectLuna,pushingherownfearasidetohelpsomeone inneed.1smile.Shesperfectforme Relax,itsmypackcomingbackforme ,Itellher. Oh,wellthen,thatsgood,youneedtogetsomeplacesafe.Hopefully,theywont attackmeforhelpingyou. Illprotectyou.Isay,smiling atherdiscomfort. Mywarriorscomerushingup,surroundingusasmyBeta,Charlie,shiftsandsnarlsatmymate.Whoare areyou? Isnarlathim,startlingbothofthem.ShestheonewhogotmeoutofthebeartrapIwas in.Standdown!Icommand.Iwontallowanyonetodisrespectmymate. Helooksather,thenturnsbacktomefrowningbeforecrouchingtolookatmyleg. Howbadisit? Bad. Okay,letsgetyoubacktothepack,hesays ,gettingacouple ofwarriorstohelpmeup.Iwrapmyarms aroundtheirshouldersandliftmybad leg,grittingmyteethagainstthepain. Ready,Alpha?Charlie asks, Yeah,letsgo. Charlie shifts,taking pointasguard ,andthewarriorsholdingmestartto move fast, Wait!Isay, andeveryonestops.Bring thedoctor. Thedoctor?oneofmywarriorsasks Thegirl !Bringthegirl,Ibark,turningtolookather.Icanseethatshewasreadytoslink away .Iwatchherturnandlookbehindherasifjudgingwhetherornot shecanmakearunforit Donteventhink about it,Isaytoher.Charlieswolf ,Gregor,movesswiftlytoherside,nudgingherforwardwithhishead.IdontlikehowcloseheistomynakedmateandArriegrowlssoftly. Hereyesflashuptomine.Ishouldgo,shesays.Likeyousaid,therearealotofpackwarsgoingonaroundhere.Iprobablyshouldgethome. Home?I ask.Iknow Isoundarrogant.Thewoman isalonewolfgoingtoschool .Whereexactlyis homeforher?Imnot lettinghergobacktowherevershe wantstogo.Illneverseeheragain.IknowfromthelittleIvelearnedabout herthat shellneverletherwolfruninthesewoodsagain .And,bythetimeIhealedandwentto findherattheuniversity,Imsure 2/3 Chapter2 shedhavetransferredShejooskittishtostaywhereshemightgetcaught. School,shesays,clarifyingherintendeddestination. *Hnim, well,asyoujustreiterated,itsnotsafeouthere,especiallyforalonewolf.Whatkindof AlphawouldIbeifIleftyoutofendforyourself?No,Ithinkyoushouldcomewithus,Isayandmyvoiceholdsnoroomforargument. Shepressesherlipstogetherandstands,nodding,and reluctantlyfollowingbehindme. After her grandfather's death, she unexpectedly discovers that both her sister and boyfriend betrayed her, taking away the family fortune left by her grandfather. Determined to seek revenge, she decid...