Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87193 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87193 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
“Someone get him jeans,” Caidrik bellowed.
An enforcer reached into the truck and tossed over a pair. Seth stepped into them quickly, barefoot on the ice.
The hair on the back of Caidrik’s neck prickled. “Hey, Seth.”
“Caidrik,” Seth said. “How’s it going?”
“It’s been a weird day,” Caidrik admitted.
Brother Jeremiah coughed, his face turning a mottled red. “Seth Volk,” he yelled, pointing at a bare-chested Seth. He yanked a cross from inside his shirt to hold toward the Alpha. “Heaven—”
“Shut up, TJ,” Seth said, fastening the jeans. “We’re wolf shifters. We turn into wolves and turn back into humans.”
Brother Jeremiah gaped, his mouth moving like he’d swallowed too much water and couldn’t breathe.
Seth ran a hand through his thick black hair, his blue eyes flashing. “Why did you kidnap these morons?” He turned to Caidrik.
“It wasn’t me,” Caidrik said.
“It was me,” Solomon murmured, stepping closer, clutching the grimoire to his chest. “It’s part of the trials.”
Seth cut a look to Caidrik and then to Luca. “Two of you left, huh?” Obviously, he was well-informed, which only made the whole thing more irritating. Seth didn’t do surprise well. He didn’t do chaos well either. The wind tugged at his hair and snapped at the edges of everyone’s jackets. “If either of you become Alpha,” Seth said, voice carrying clean, “please tell me you’re getting rid of these archaic fucking challenges.”
“Absolutely,” Luca said. “It’ll be my first job.”
Caidrik didn’t bother playing polite. “Since I’ll be the Alpha, I fully plan to change these laws,” he murmured. He didn’t know why, but Seth was sort of amusing. It took a lot to piss off Seth Volk publicly, and he looked like he was two seconds from grabbing Solomon by the coat and shaking him until the grimoire fell out. That alone almost made this worth it. Almost.
Caidrik stared at Seth a second longer and then let his eyes slide to Brother Jeremiah. “Did you call him TJ?”
“Yeah,” Seth said. “We grew up together. We’re old friends.”
That was a bit of a surprise.
Brother Jeremiah’s throat bobbed when he swallowed. His skin had gone pale enough to make his red nose stand out even more. He still held himself upright, but his shoulders kept tightening like he was bracing for impact. The two men behind him huddled close, watching the wolves and the pack and the open space around them.
Seth turned toward Brother Jeremiah and kept his hands visible. “Listen. We’re not evil. We’re not spawns of the devil. We just shift into wolves. It’s not a big deal, dude.”
Brother Jeremiah gulped and studied Seth for several long moments, gaze flicking over his face, no doubt noticing the calm tone. “This does make a bit of sense,” he admitted. Then he lifted his chin. “Did you kill your mother all those years ago?”
“No,” Seth said immediately. “Of course not.” He sounded weary. “Also, I’ve got a few things to tell you about the sheriff’s death.”
Brother Jeremiah’s expression twitched. “Um, okay?” The guy sounded lost.
Seth turned toward Caidrik and the entire pack. “I give you my word as the Alpha of the Silver Pack that these three men will not tell our secrets. I’ll kill them first, but I would like to give them a chance to live.”
Caidrik studied him. Killing humans wasn’t his thing. “I accept your word, and I’m fine if you take them.” He glanced over at Luca, because Luca needed to be in this too.
“Fine by me,” Luca said, shrugging. “But if they speak, you’ll be at war with our pack.”
Seth rolled his eyes. It was quick. It was subtle. “Sounds good,” he said, like Luca had just told him the sky was blue. Then he winked at Nadia. “Good to see you again, Nadia.”
Caidrik’s head snapped down toward her before he could stop it. “When did you meet?”
Nadia shrugged, pulling her jacket tighter at the collar. “My group might have passed through the Silver Pack years ago. Looking for farming land.” She sounded calm, but her cheeks were pink from cold and emotion. “I’m surprised he remembers me.”
The female was impossible to forget, and it was endearing that she didn’t know that. Caidrik focused back on Seth. “Get them out of here before someone changes their minds.”
“No problem,” Seth said. “Can I have the truck?”
“It’s all yours,” Caidrik muttered. The truck was the least of his problems, and if Seth wanted it, Seth could have it. He’d hand him the damn bleachers if it meant this ended without blood.
Seth motioned toward the truck, and the two quiet humans ran forward and jumped into the back.
Brother Jeremiah stayed where he was, looking around at the pack and the field, eyes bright with shock and anger and whatever else was happening behind them. “You’re all wolf shifters?”
“Yep,” Caidrik said.
“You all can turn into wolves?”
Caidrik didn’t have time for this. “Yep.”