Chapter 0018

“Athena, we’re heading back to Silver Creek tonight.”

My stomach plummeted.

He was sending me back.

He finally realized I wasn’t worth keeping.

My eyes squeezed shut. My breath hitched.

I should’ve acted like the others Isabella told me about.

I should’ve thrown myself at him.

I should’ve tried harder.

I never should’ve accused him.

Rough fingers lifted my chin. “Athena, look at me.”

I kept my eyes closed tight.

“Athena, I’m not returning you.”

I didn’t believe him. I knew it was inevitable.

“I’ll do better,” I pleaded. I still didn’t know my future here, but anything was better than going back to my brother.

“You’re not listening. I am not sending you back.”

I peeked through my lashes.

“We,” Alpha Alexander pointed to Beta Sebastian and himself, “are going back tonight.”

“Is that wise?” Isabella muttered. She glanced my way and sighed. “What if it’s a trap?”

“Raven, I can handle myself. That pack barely has a hundred members. I could take them in my sleep.”

“Are you taking Julian?” Isabella asked.

“Hadn’t planned on it.” Alpha Alexander’s gaze returned to me. “But now I think I will.”

“And if they’re not there? Like last time?”

“Then we burn it to the ground.” He shrugged. “Might do that anyway.”

He watched me, waiting for a reaction.

“If you see Marcus, rip his guts out through his throat.”

Isabella’s jaw dropped. Beta Sebastian stared too.

But Alpha Alexander, a slow smile spread across his lips.

“Gladly,” he murmured.

He turned to Beta Sebastian. “We leave at nightfall.”

Beta Sebastian gave a sharp nod and left. He pulled a protesting Isabella with him.

Now it was just Alpha Alexander and me.

“You’ve thought about his death?” he asked, curious.

“Marcus—”

“Don’t call him Beta. Twat. Prick. Spunk bubble. Call him anything but Beta. He lost that title.”

“Okay.”

“I have more questions. But first, why do I smell my brother on you? Is that why Isabella asked if I was taking him?”

“He said he wanted to get to know me.” I didn’t want to cause trouble.

“Let me guess. Because you’ll be family someday.”

I nodded. He frowned.

I wanted to curl into a ball and disappear. I didn’t need more problems.

His head snapped toward the window. “Athena, stay here. Lock the door behind me.”

He rushed out before I could ask why.

I saw Julian, Sebastian, and other men catapult out the door. Some were already shifting.

I quickly closed the door and slid the lock.

I had no idea what was happening.

They sensed something I couldn’t.

Panicked, I shoved chairs in front of the doors.

I sat under the window, hugging my knees.

Silver Creek had never been attacked. Our pack never attacked anyone. I was lost.

Peering over the window frame, I saw a huge beast being dragged from the trees by the wolves.

It was tall and muscular with strange tufts of dark fur. A human-like body, but its head was a giant wolf’s.

I’d never seen anything like it.

It dug its back feet into the ground as the wolves tried to pull it into the clearing.

Large claws swung at the wolves as it fought to break free.

Then someone grabbed its neck.

They ripped its head from its shoulders.