another pack—but what he really wanted was revenge.
Asa had proceeded to tell Trager the story of how the Ravendale pack came to be. Almost twenty years ago, when Trager was only four years old, Jax, the alpha of the Ozarkas, took a mate. Trager remembered the grand celebration, and the way the alpha’s mate had been paraded around camp in a fancy dress. People had brought the couple gifts and sang songs and played games. Trager had eaten more candy that night than he could hold, but his tiny wolf had kept him from being sick.
What Trager didn’t know were the circumstances surrounding the most important mating in Ozarka pack’s history. Besh, their new first mate, did not come willingly to her mating ceremony. Even though she bore the alpha’s mark, his imprint, and she was his destined mate, she hadn’t wanted to belong to him. The reason chilled Trager to the bone: she’d had another.
Besh was in love with a wolf not destined to be hers. And worse, the wolf was in love with her too. They’d attempted to run from Jax but his team had hunted them down, brought her home, and beat her lover nearly to death. As his punishment for trying to take what was the alpha’s, Jax had ordered him to live, remaining with the pack so the wolf could watch Besh become Jax’s mate.
But the beaten heal . And members of the pack who knew Besh’s hand had been forced, rallied behind the young wolf. Time passed and he, along with his supporters took their complaints to the pack Elders, who called for a forum. Hopeful that they could free the young female from an unwanted mating, the adults of the pack gathered in the arena. The forum had been cut short though, with one statement from the first mate: “I have chosen my fated mate, Jax, of my own free will, and hereby request that the liar and traitor, Cael, be expelled from the Ozarka pack for the remainder of his life.”
Trager stared at the blond beast at the bar. Cael hadn’t just been expelled. He’d taken a third of the pack with him. And apparently, he’d grown it to such a number he felt he could take down the alpha who’d stolen his love.
But what about the rest of the Ozarka wolves? The innocents like Gabby? They didn’t deserve what Ravendale was planning.
Asa slid stealthily into the seat across from Trager. He was massive, but nothing compared to Cael and his muscle-bound cohort. More along the lines of Trager. The older wolf hunched his shoulders, apparently trying to seem smaller or more inconspicuous.
“About time,” Trager muttered.
A red eyebrow, tinged with gray, arched. “Things are a bit… volatile right now.” His gaze drifted over to his alpha. “Besides, it’s not like we had an appointment, loner.”
“True.”
“So, have you come up with a plan yet?”
“Me? I thought you were going to work some kind of magic on your end while I put out a warning to Ozarka.”
Asa ran his hand through his hair. “I suck at magic. Listen, I don’t know how much longer the Elders can hold him back.”
Trager glanced at the alpha. His glare sliced through the room like a missile seeking a target.
“What’s your stake in all this?” He knew Asa had never been a part of Ozarka so he had no connections there, no reason to tip the scale. And as for his claims about not wanting a war, Cael looked like a freight train that couldn’t be stopped.
Asa’s mouth became grim. “I have my reasons.”
“Not good enough,” Trager snapped. “In order to warn Ozarka, I have to bring my mate into this. That means I better have a damn good reason for doing that. So far, you haven’t given me one.” He didn’t have to know Trager had reasons of his own. Gabbi and Farrow.
Asa’s eyes narrowed. “You think I’m an idiot, boy? I know you have family there, and I’m guessing you don’t want them in the middle of this.”
“I wouldn’t risk my mate for the people who threw me out.” It was true. But Gabbi and Farrow weren’t part of that.
Hunching
Asa had proceeded to tell Trager the story of how the Ravendale pack came to be. Almost twenty years ago, when Trager was only four years old, Jax, the alpha of the Ozarkas, took a mate. Trager remembered the grand celebration, and the way the alpha’s mate had been paraded around camp in a fancy dress. People had brought the couple gifts and sang songs and played games. Trager had eaten more candy that night than he could hold, but his tiny wolf had kept him from being sick.
What Trager didn’t know were the circumstances surrounding the most important mating in Ozarka pack’s history. Besh, their new first mate, did not come willingly to her mating ceremony. Even though she bore the alpha’s mark, his imprint, and she was his destined mate, she hadn’t wanted to belong to him. The reason chilled Trager to the bone: she’d had another.
Besh was in love with a wolf not destined to be hers. And worse, the wolf was in love with her too. They’d attempted to run from Jax but his team had hunted them down, brought her home, and beat her lover nearly to death. As his punishment for trying to take what was the alpha’s, Jax had ordered him to live, remaining with the pack so the wolf could watch Besh become Jax’s mate.
But the beaten heal . And members of the pack who knew Besh’s hand had been forced, rallied behind the young wolf. Time passed and he, along with his supporters took their complaints to the pack Elders, who called for a forum. Hopeful that they could free the young female from an unwanted mating, the adults of the pack gathered in the arena. The forum had been cut short though, with one statement from the first mate: “I have chosen my fated mate, Jax, of my own free will, and hereby request that the liar and traitor, Cael, be expelled from the Ozarka pack for the remainder of his life.”
Trager stared at the blond beast at the bar. Cael hadn’t just been expelled. He’d taken a third of the pack with him. And apparently, he’d grown it to such a number he felt he could take down the alpha who’d stolen his love.
But what about the rest of the Ozarka wolves? The innocents like Gabby? They didn’t deserve what Ravendale was planning.
Asa slid stealthily into the seat across from Trager. He was massive, but nothing compared to Cael and his muscle-bound cohort. More along the lines of Trager. The older wolf hunched his shoulders, apparently trying to seem smaller or more inconspicuous.
“About time,” Trager muttered.
A red eyebrow, tinged with gray, arched. “Things are a bit… volatile right now.” His gaze drifted over to his alpha. “Besides, it’s not like we had an appointment, loner.”
“True.”
“So, have you come up with a plan yet?”
“Me? I thought you were going to work some kind of magic on your end while I put out a warning to Ozarka.”
Asa ran his hand through his hair. “I suck at magic. Listen, I don’t know how much longer the Elders can hold him back.”
Trager glanced at the alpha. His glare sliced through the room like a missile seeking a target.
“What’s your stake in all this?” He knew Asa had never been a part of Ozarka so he had no connections there, no reason to tip the scale. And as for his claims about not wanting a war, Cael looked like a freight train that couldn’t be stopped.
Asa’s mouth became grim. “I have my reasons.”
“Not good enough,” Trager snapped. “In order to warn Ozarka, I have to bring my mate into this. That means I better have a damn good reason for doing that. So far, you haven’t given me one.” He didn’t have to know Trager had reasons of his own. Gabbi and Farrow.
Asa’s eyes narrowed. “You think I’m an idiot, boy? I know you have family there, and I’m guessing you don’t want them in the middle of this.”
“I wouldn’t risk my mate for the people who threw me out.” It was true. But Gabbi and Farrow weren’t part of that.
Hunching
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