All Ethan’s plans were falling into place. Ella had confirmed that Michael’s family was hidden and under strict surveillance. Noah and Hannah were safely surrounded by her loved ones. Owen was with the Kagans, and the shifter agents were on Maria’s trail. If that wasn’t enough to ease the tension in his shoulders, Michael himself had announced to the pack yesterday that he would be passing on the spirit wolf to Ethan. The only thing left was the actual transfer.
There was no reason to worry, but he did. A sense of trepidation had settled over him and his wolf. He couldn’t shake the feeling something was wrong.
A thorough scan of the grounds around the sacred circle didn’t reveal anything suspicious, but with the number of shifters congregated in the clearing, it was difficult to zero in on any threats. The entire pack, children and elders alike, had come out to watch the ceremony most often performed between father and son.
Even the few males who watched him with anger didn’t surprise him. He met their gazes, one by one, until they glanced away. Their subtle acceptance of him as more dominant wouldn’t keep trouble at bay. Ethan fully expected to have to deal with their animosity after taking over, maybe even face a challenge.
Violence and danger were part of pack life. He might not like it and wished it were different, but change didn’t happen overnight. All he could do was attempt to avert it. Well, that, and guide his pack into the modern world where they had to respect human laws and ethics as much as the ones of nature. No longer could they live in seclusion or view themselves as superior.
If they did, they were nothing more than a race of fools.
Head held high, Michael strode forward. He took a similar position next to Ethan inside the ceremonial ring that would seal around them in mere minutes. Whoever was inside its boundaries during the magical window would be subject to the one rule established by the gods—the pack alpha would either have to pass on the spirit or kill his opponent.
Michael surveyed the crowd. “Do you see the jealousy in their eyes? I do. They will be on you the moment you become alpha.”
“I can handle them.” And Ethan could. It just saddened him to have to do so.
“If you say so, but you realize you’ll never have their respect, don’t you? The speech I gave about how I viewed you as my son and that I believed you were the right choice to lead the pack into the next era was a load of bullshit. They know it, and the rumors have started flying about how you were able to manipulate me into giving up my pack.”
“Tomorrow they’ll learn the truth.”
“Yeah.” Michael surveyed the clearing, then faced Ethan. “And you’ll wish you’d acted like a true dominant, not a human wannabe. They’ll be furious that you allowed me to walk away.”
There was truth in his statement. Many shifters would demand Michael’s blood for his crimes. Ethan was one of them. He wanted Michael to scream and beg for his life. Ethan wanted to break his legs and set his house on fire. He wanted Michael locked away in a cage and turned into a lab rat. But… Ethan wanted the trafficking ring shut down more.
“A dominant is someone who cares for and protects those weaker than him. It’s you who’s forgotten that.”
“An alpha is forced to make the tough decisions, and I struggled with my choice for years. I finally came to one conclusion.” Michael waved his arm to encompass the pack. “It’s not the individual bodies that matter, but the essence of the pack spirit we hold. Without it, we are nothing. Ensuring it survives is more important than any single life.”
“And without a strong communal bond, we are nothing more than animals.”
Michael shrugged, then glanced at the moon. Seconds away from the moon’s peak, the magic of the spirit wolf hung heavy in the air. It teased Ethan’s psyche with hints of power. His skin tingled, and his breathing quickened. He inhaled, dragging the sweet-scented air into his lungs.
“It wants you.”
Michael’s whispered words held defeat.
“Yes.” Ethan glanced at the male beside him. “I am a Jager, its rightful host. The gods chose my ancestor to be their warrior.”
Michael swept his gaze over him. Recognition dawned in his eyes. “The Hunter.”
Ethan nodded. The group of human soldiers hand-selected by the gods were named for the traits they’d embodied. The Jager was the most successful hunter of the ancient world. The Kagan was the group’s leader, a great thinker who held a wealth of knowledge. There were others—healers, trackers, slayers, and soldiers. Each male was the best of the best and became the first hosts to their animal spirits—the first alphas. Or at least that was the story told in the book he had acquired, the one written by a Kagan pack member.
“You know our history, then?” Ethan asked.
Michael gazed in the direction of the Kagan pack lands. “My grandmother was a Kagan. She loved to tell stories.”
“Not stories. They’re truth.”
Michael shrugged. “If you believe in that sort of thing.”
“I do.”
“And I believe in karma, Ethan Jager.”
The satisfied look on Michael’s face sparked Ethan’s unease, but the time to find out what it stemmed from was up. Within one heartbeat and the next, the full moon reached its peak. A wave of energy swept out from the center of the ring, and an iridescent dome formed around them, locking both Michael and Ethan inside. Colors flashed in the hazy covering. From red to gold, the bright sparks danced over the surface.
Though it was beautiful, Ethan took in the sight from the corner of his eye. He kept his gaze locked on Michael and watched in awe as the spectral shape of a wolf formed behind him. The ghostly animal tipped its head back on a silent howl. The call was meant for its host, the keeper of their pack’s living soul.
Ethan felt it reverberate within him, demanding he claim his destiny. He stepped forward, and the spirit wolf turned its glowing amber eyes on him. Intelligence and cunning showed in the spirit’s expression. Ethan met the animal’s gaze… The Hunter’s gaze.
“There’s a sale going down today featuring several feral males who’ve proven themselves as hunters.” Ella’s words drifted through his head.
Realization dawned. It wasn’t just the first alpha who embodied the traits. They all did. Each and every member of their pack held the same potential.
“An alpha is given two choices each time he enters the circle with another male.” Michael’s voice carried over the clearing, loud enough for those watching them to hear. “Death or transfer.”
“Which have you chosen?” Ethan asked the words expected for the ceremony.
“To abide by the spirit wolf’s desires. It wants to teach us a lesson.” Michael unleashed a single sharpened nail. He gouged a deep slice into his palm. Blood dripped. “On strength and worthiness.”
Michael held out his hand, palm side up.
“Then let it. I don’t fear its teachings or desires. We are shifters, and survival is in our nature.” Ethan inflicted a similar wound on his palm, then grasped Michael’s hand.
A flip switched inside Ethan, and the force of the spirit wolf swamped him. Warmth surrounded and penetrated him. Ecstasy and pain followed. He squeezed Michael’s hand, tearing a groan from the male. The spirit rushed from Michael to Ethan through their mixed blood.
On and on, the power of the spirit wolf flooded him. He saw flashes of faces, from long-dead members to their children. All held a piece of the spirit wolf. The thin threads wove into Ethan’s psyche, joining each and every member to him, including the ones who no longer resided on their pack lands. Ethan connected with their missing members, catching glimpses of their life, their pain, their heartache, but, more importantly, their surroundings.
Like a slideshow on fast-forward, each scene flashed before him too quickly. He couldn’t focus on any yet he knew he’d be able to recall them. He opened his mind and accepted the gift of knowledge from the spirit wolf. Within one heartbeat and the next, the pictures faded, but the spirit wolf didn’t release him.
One last image burned in his mind—Owen tossing Hannah from a moving car, rage on his face.