The Lunar Warriors: The Elemental Wolves Book 2 (Part 1) Read online

There! He did it again, and even looked away. Jackpot!

  Guys, I think I’ve got someone. Stay cool, though.

  “The main question I have for the traitor is: Why? Why would you give your loyalty to an enemy instead of your packmates? Who do you think would have your back in the coming war? I can guarantee that it won’t be the enemy! They’ll cut you down as if you were nothing, but you help them? You go against your alpha? Against the Mother of All? Your wolf should turn its back on you!”

  With that, I turn away. I know that I don’t have to say anything else. The fact that I received a reaction at all is telling enough. Add in the fact that I can still smell his shame is another nail in his coffin. The others around him aren’t dominant enough to smell it because it’s actually kind of subtle, but my wolf and I latched onto the scent as soon as we caught a whiff.

  I walk over to the guys, and give them a slight nod.

  Got him.

  Who?

  In the patrol group? I wouldn’t peg any of them as a traitor.

  Figures.

  How do you know who it is, Den?

  I ignore their bickering as I try to wrap my head around this news. It’s a tough pill to swallow, and has me in a slight panic in regards to the overall security of our pack.

  I’m going to go over and do the same thing with the other groups. Denahi, help me out? I want it to look like we still don’t know who it is. He might be working with somebody else, too.

  On it.

  We make our way around the room, being sure to use our intimidation tactic on each exactly the way I did with the first two. I’m serious about not giving anything away, and Den makes sure that there aren’t any accomplices.

  He’s a scary mother fucker to lie to.

  Once we’re done with our rounds, we meet back up with the guys in the center of the arena.

  Who wants to do the honors?

  Krix is the most diplomatic.

  I’m getting tired of talking, guys.

  Cash, you’ve been doing good so far…

  Nope!

  I’ll do it.

  Whoa, I don’t think Den is the best choice. I look at him right before I say this, and even my mental voice fails me. Dude’s pupils are practically spitting fireballs at us right now. Well, not at us, but you know…

  He’s pissed.

  It’s not a good thing when a hothead gets pissed.

  It’s especially bad when a hothead can literally make things… hot.

  Denahi

  I’m sick of being caught off guard with shit.

  We knew that we would have a traitor because someone had to have let Benson in, but this?

  This shit is too much. How the hell will the pack ever feel safe again? I don’t even want to leave my mother unprotected now, let alone my fucking mate.

  Do you know who he is?

  Yeah. I saw the same twitches you saw with the one in the patrol group. The one that glanced away, right?

  Yeah, I think that’s him

  Wait, should we pull a few others aside, too?

  Why the hell would we do that, Cash?

  I don’t mean to sound snappy, but my wolf is really pushing at me to rip into this traitorous piece of shit.

  Yeah, that numb shit is wearing off. I honestly hope I can make it come back. I don’t want to create a massacre, or a damn forest fire.

  If we call him out right here in front of everyone, it’ll cause an uproar.

  Good! He deserves it.

  Mavrin! Let me finish, damn it!

  Fine, okay. No need to get all hormonal.

  Okay, that one was way left field. I almost laugh because it was such a random thing to say, but my temper is still sparking. It’s really starting to seem like he and Cash really have switched personalities, though. This isn’t the Mav that I’m accustomed to.

  Not good. I need stability right now.

  Go ahead, Cash.

  Thanks, Krix. He shoots Mav a withering glance before he continues.

  If he gets attacked by the pack, we won’t get to draw first blood. We won’t get to be the ones to fuck him up. Our wolves need to be the ones to do it. Hell, WE need this shit before we can go get our girl back.

  Fuck, you’re right. Okay, you do it. Call out some randoms, and have the others leave.

  We turn back to the males, and Cash does his thing. I have to say, he’s very smart about the ones he chooses. Along with the one we mainly suspect, he’s called out two big trouble makers within the pack, Dean and Ricky.

  Toby follows behind them. He’s someone whose family hasn’t really been on board with the prophecy since it was told to our pack a couple hundred years ago.

  He’s also called out Finn, who I’d forgotten about. His mate rejected him decades ago, and he chose to be bitter and hate on other mated couples instead of finding himself a replacement mate. The pack wouldn’t question any of these men if they went against the alpha, and did this.

  Well, except for this one.

  The one that we know actually did it. That one has everyone looking at us like we’re crazy, but we ignore it. No one else in this room besides my brothers are able to smell as well as I can. Their dominance is too low.

  Our dominance is higher than the alpha’s, so I’m not surprised. Our wolves are content to stay under the rule of a weaker alpha because they’re set on another purpose. We don’t want to rule a pack. At least, not yet. Any other shifter would’ve had to challenge the alpha, or would’ve left the pack to avoid the alpha challenging them.

  It’s instinctual.

  I realize that I’ve been in my own head when Krix suddenly speaks.

  “Four of you shouldn’t even question why you’re here as a suspect-

  “

  “Look, I know we like to play around sometimes, but my brother and I wouldn’t do some shit like this! All we do is play pranks on people!”

  “I said you were suspects, not that you’ve actually committed the crime. We wanted to question you without the pressure of so many others watching to give you a chance to be honest without witnesses judging you. Do you want to explain why you should be innocent? You decided to speak up first, so the floor is yours, Dean.”

  At some point, the pranks get old. They’re only a few years older than us, but should have grown out of their childish bullshit by now. It’s annoying, but they don’t have anything to worry about from us. They’re just hear as a buffer, so I tune out their whining as I keep my eye on the true traitor.

  “What about you, Finn? Anything you’d like to say in your defense?”

  “I didn’t do it.”

  I can’t stand this guy. I know it hurts like fuck to have your mate reject you, and the pain never really goes away unless that bond is replaced, but that doesn’t give you the right to be an asshole to other couples. He just can’t let anyone be great.

  “Care to explain why you think we should believe that?”

  “Because I said what I said, and I meant what I said. I don’t give a fuck about your damn mate, or what happens to her. Doesn’t mean I’d go out of my way to do some shit like this. I have better shit to do.”

  Guess that’s that, then.

  I glance at Toby, and can’t help but to feel a little bad for him. We’re a product of our environment, and his has taught him that the prophecy is basically bullshit. The Coltons have spoken out against the prophecy for the past two hundred years, and have taught their children to feel the same. Toby’s not a bad guy, but he’s too gullible. Can’t blindly follow whatever someone tells you, even if they are family.

  “Toby? What do you have to say?”

  “Look, I know why you think I might’ve done it. My family isn’t the best example of how to follow and worship the Goddess, but even we wouldn’t go so far as to do something to hurt an innocent girl. We just don’t believe in the prophecy.”

  His pale skin has a red tint to it like he’s blushing. The red hair isn’t doing him any favors either.

  Cash does a bett
er job of pulling that off.

  He must be embarrassed, and I don’t blame him. I’d be embarrassed, too if my family were still denying something that has facts to back it up. How else can you explain our ability to wield elements? Just dumb.

  Now that the pointless bullshit is over, we all turn to the last man standing. This is going to be hard for everyone to accept. Paul is the head of our security, and is supposed to make sure that our members and territory are safe at all times. To find out that he knowingly allowed an enemy to come in and abduct one of our female pack members is going to have the all the women panicking, and every male at his throat.

  Sucks to be him.

  “And you, Paul?”

  I ask the question before Krix has a chance to. I can’t hold back anymore. My wolf and I are on one accord with our desire to end this shit. Letting him rise to the service a little more, I strain to hear the rhythm of his heart beat to see if it changes at all.

  It’s racing.

  “Why am I here? You guys don’t think I had anything to do with it, do you?”

  Okay, that sounded cliché as fuck. Don’t all the guilty people in the movies say something like that?

  “We just want to know why you think we’d suspect you.”

  Damn you, Krix! I just want to beat this bastard’s ass, and so does Mavrin if the sudden wind gusts around him are anything to go by. Sometimes, I think my brother can be a little too accommodating.

  “You have no reason to!” Yo, no need to yell. “My job is to make sure the pack is protected, and I do that.”

  “Really? So, you’re saying that my mate is protected right now? You’re telling me that she was protected early this morning? She was in her own fucking home! You say your job is to protect the pack and one of our members was taken. My mate was taken! How the fuck was she protected?”

  “She would’ve been if she would’ve just stayed where she was!”

  What. The. Fuck?!

  Chapter 9

  Cashel

  We’re all in a state of shock, just standing staring at the six-foot two asshat in front of us. Even the other males are looking at him like she’s crazy.

  “What do you mean,” Krix asks. Good thing because I don’t think I can make my mouth work right now.

  He sighs, and lowers his head that’s covered in scraggly looking brown hair. He looks like he needs to bathe. Matter of fact, dude looks stressed as hell all of a sudden.

  “I’m just a delta. I’ve worked my way up the ranks, but my wolf’s dominance will never be more than that of a delta.”

  “The fuck does that have to do with anything?” Denahi seems to have recovered from his shock, but Krix waves him back when he stars to advance on Paul.

  Let him finish.

  We know he did it, though!

  But we can at least get his reason before we handle him.

  Makes sense, but I can tell that Den is struggling. Same, bro.

  “My older brother is an alpha. I’m kind of a disgrace. My father said there’s no way I could belong to him because my wolf is too weak. He banished me, but Alpha James took me in.”

  Seems like a hell of a way to pay back the man who saved you from going rogue, but I digress.

  “My wolf still feels loyalty and obligation to my bloodline. I’ve tried to stay away from them, but I run into my brother every now and then when he wants something done. Since he’s an alpha, he can force me to do things for him.”

  “Why haven’t you brought this issue up with the alpha?”

  “Do you think I like this shit,” he yells. “Do you think I enjoy being weak? I’ve worked hard to be stronger. No one here has worked harder than me! I’ve EARNED my position in this pack!”

  All of his rage sudden leaves him, and shoulders that looked strong and broad a second ago now seem burdened by the weight of the world as they droop. His tanned skin has a weary pallor, and his brown eyes are dull.

  “I didn’t want to go whining to the alpha about how my big brother was bullying me… but I should have before this.” He pauses as his eyes fall to the floor again. “When he gives me an alpha command, my wolf can’t help but to obey. I’m powerless to stop him from controlling me. It hurts so fucking bad when I try to fight it, and nothing I’ve done has ever lifted his ability to flex his alpha power on me. Not even swearing my fealty to another alpha.”

  I take a second to digest his words before I respond.

  “So, you’re saying that your brother made you allow an enemy onto our land, and there was nothing you could do about it?” I ask this in the form of a question because there’s no way I’m understanding this clearly. It honestly sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me.

  “You don’t understand! The only way to break my brother’s commands is to get a stronger alpha that is over me to directly order against it. I can’t ask Alpha James to do that because my brother orders me not to. I wouldn’t even be able to tell him now if her were standing with you guys. I’m physically incapable because of the alpha command. I’ve tried, I swear! I haven’t been able to eat or sleep since he called me to command me to do this shit!”

  I look to my brothers, and they’re just as confused as I am. I mean, it’s possible. If a wolf has a strong familiar bond, it can overpower an alpha bond because of a stronger blood tie. It happens with bloodlines all the time, it’s why many wolves try to stay in the same pack, and others usually refuse to take rogues in if they have family somewhere else.

  Speaking of alpha commands…

  “You four, out! You’re not allowed to speak of this conversation to anyone other than the alpha and his betas until after the situation has been handled.”

  The other four males that were asked to stay all jerk they’re heads towards me simultaneously as their eyes briefly glaze over upon hearing the command in my voice. One by one, they each walk to the doors at the far end of the building, and exit the arena. I turn my attention back to the guys to find them all staring at me.

  What? I thought that you guys had forgotten that they were here.

  We did. We’re just shocked that you noticed.

  Yeah, man. You’ve been on your game today. It’s freaky.

  Thanks a lot, Mav. Someone has to do the thinking around here.

  I turn back to give Paul my full attention, ignoring the looks that my brothers keep throwing my way. I would say that it’s annoying that they think I don’t take anything seriously, but I get it. I’m usually playing around, but I never really have to be serious when they’re handling that shit.

  We all have our times to shine, and mine is now. There’s something else that they haven’t notice, by the way.

  “Why would your brother ask you to do this? Who is he?”

  “He said he needed to get… her out of the way. Said that I had to do this for my niece because she deserves the position more. He promised that she wouldn’t get hurt! I didn’t know that he was sending an enemy pack. He just said that someone would be coming to take her away to another, but I wouldn’t have to worry about anything!”

  “Who the fuck is he?!”

  Denahi is practically roaring at him now, but he hasn’t made any moves. I’m too focused on Paul’s answer to be able to stop him, anyway.

  He just shakes his head in defeat, and keeps talking like he didn’t even hear Den speak.

  “He spoils the shit out of her. It was fine when it was toys, but people can’t be bought like that. You can’t make someone be with you. He thinks getting rid of your mate will make you choose her, but it doesn’t work like that. I tried to tell him, I did! She wants you, and Jahla was in her way. She goes crying to him, and here I am doing the dirty work for them. Whatever Candace wants, she gets!”

  That has all of us standing frozen once again.

  “What?”

  Even Krix is at a loss for words.

  “What is your niece’s name?”

  We stand there as he gathers his self. When he takes a deep breath and finally lifts his eyes bac
k to us, he has tear tracks running down his cheeks. There’s desolation swimming within his gaze, but also resolution.

  “My niece’s name is Candace Slade. Her father, my brother, is Alpha Patrick Slade of the Glendo Pack in Wyoming.”

  Welp, todays the day that bitches die.

  Benson

  I’m sitting at the dinner table with my family, and I’m once again disappointed with my meal.

  I thought that everything would be better when I got her back, but I’m still not satisfied.

  My food still tastes bland, and I don’t have an appetite. I don’t even want to participate in this lame ass conversation. Blythe is just so damn annoying!

  Why haven’t I ever noticed that? Maybe I’m just overly irritated, and it’s bleeding into everything else in my life.

  I tune out the conversation going on around me, and focus back on my main problem.

  Jahla.

  She’s changed, and I don’t like it. I wanted her to be terrified when she came to from the chloroform, but her eyes were defiant. She looked at me with a fire that was never there before.

  It’s kind of a turn on.

  I shift in my seat to subtly adjust my sudden hard on, but settle when Dad glances my way.

  That’s another thing that I need to handle. I have to tell my father what I’ve done. I have no doubt that he’ll applaud me for my actions. Of course, he’ll be happy to have the famed Lunar Child back in his possession. I can’t wait to see the pride shining in his eyes, but I’ll wait before we have the discussion.

  I want to have a little fun first.

  I mentally scan the table that I set up in the basement where she’s being held. There are so many fun toys that I’m excited to try out on her. I’ve never gotten to play with anyone else like this, so each step is going to be trial and error.

  That’s the fun part, though.

  “Benson!”

  “Oh, sorry. What’s up, Father?”

  “I said that I’d like for you to accompany me to my office if you’re done. You don’t seem to be eating, anyway.”

  “Uh, I’m not really hungry. Sure, I’ll come with you,” I say, even though I know it wasn’t a request.

  Dad doesn’t make requests. He demands to be obeyed.