Chapter Two

Shaking was trying to consume her body. Tala pushed to her feet, stepping away from Marrok. She’d had to force her wolf into submission, almost like creating a box for that part of herself and shoving the wolf inside it, locking the door behind her. Even now, her animal was ripping at her mind, trying to break free.

Her wolf had never attacked anyone without Tala being in on the decision. Never.

Why now? Why their mate? Oh gods. Was this a sign that she’d made the wrong decision? That she shouldn’t be here?

“She must be upset about earlier,” she tried to reason.

Marrok stepped closer, but she stepped back. Until her wolf, who was scrambling against the inside of her head, calmed down, she didn’t trust herself around him.

“In the meeting?”

She shook her head. “After.”

He searched her expression then grimaced. “Let me guess. Sandalio?”

“Yes.” Deep breath. Then another. “I’m being watched. His words.”

A growl crawled out of his throat, his eyes flashing brilliant yellow, his wolf close to the surface, protective. As if he had any right to protect an alpha. He was part of the problem.

“You aren’t helping any,” she snapped.

Another grimace. “The medical staff thing?” he asked.

She crossed her arms with a glare.

He crossed his with an answering glare. “I thought we agreed that we need to move the combined packs here. We have more land and enough space for everyone.”

The Banes territory spanned a few hundred acres. Over years of working together, they’d form what, to the outside world, appeared to be a town. A main complex where the alpha lived and where all meetings and business were carried out sat at the heart of the territory. Recently reconstructed, the modern glass building managed to fit seamlessly into the natural surroundings, but also stood out as a beacon of prosperity. On the back side they’d located all the training and weaponry. The pack’s homes spread out from the front side, but still relatively close together. While the Canis pack’s land was roughly the same size, they’d ended up widespread with no community center.

They’d agreed to move—

“I thought there’d be no more disagreeing with me in public.”

“I wasn’t disagreeing. I was pointing out what we’d already agreed.”

Her wolf growled in her head, pacing and still unsettled, twisting nervous knots in Tala’s stomach that she feared she’d never unravel.

What was with her? Before the mating, her inner beast had been all about Marrok and his wolf, practically begging for them.

Mate, Tala mentally chided.

Her wolf snapped her teeth, not having it.

Perhaps the animal side of her was feeding off Tala’s own frustrated energy? Marrok, as a mate in the bedroom was… Even now her traitorous body yearned. Marrok as a mate out of the bedroom? If she had been born submissive, he also be fantastic.

But she wasn’t. She was an alpha with a pack watching her every move, their every interaction. After the last month, her pack was far from impressed. Sign from the gods or no, she was losing their respect, one small decision at a time.

Unable to reconcile the opposing emotions buffeting her, Tala spun away to retrieve her knives. A growl rolled out of Marrok, and she spun to face him, hands on her hips.

“Did you growl at me?”

He had the grace to give a sheepish grimace, but at the same time managed to appear unapologetic. “Come back here. We’re not done.”

A command. Her traitorous body would have obeyed had the wolf inside her not leaped to attention and growled her fury. The deep rumble of it purred up Tala’s throat.

Marrok’s brows slammed down over his eyes. “What the hell, Tala?”

Did he really not get it?

Before she could set him straight, the high-pitched scream of a child pierced the quiet of the forest.

Knives forgotten, instinct had Tala sprinting, muscles burning with the speed, in the direction the scream had come from off to the right.

“Go along the river. I’ll hit the woods,” Tala yelled.

“Wait!” Marrok called.

She stopped mid-stride and spun to face her mate, who pointed. Following his direction, she discovered a mountain lion shifter slinking out of woods into the clearing where she stood, not fifty feet from her.No way had the cat shifter, notorious loners, not smelled or seen the evidence that it had wandered into pack territory.

Dammit.

Why the hell was this so damn hard at every single turn? Another predator shifter in their territory wouldn’t help things with the members of their packs at all. This land was protected…by the alphas.

It swung its head, feral eyes glaring directly at her. Before she could yell out, silence settled over the area like someone hit a mute button, muffling any noise. Not a creature dared move or even breathe.

Anger seared her insides. Whatever this shifter had done to one of her people, he’d answer to Tala. Now.

She sprinted across the clearing, her wolf pushing her to superhuman speeds.

The mountain lion crouched, ready to pounce, and waited for her to come closer. Tala hesitated only a fraction at the fact that he didn’t run—normally cougars didn’t take on more than one wolf, especially not two alphas, because the odds were against them and they were smart. But not this shifter.

Tail whipping behind him, he prepared to fight. Only she had no intention of fighting that way.

Still running, Tala pulled one of the sticks out of her hair. From one of the many secret compartments on her vest, she produced a tiny blow dart and slipped it in the end of her weapon.

“Tala, no!”

Although she hadn’t heard him behind or beside her, Marrok suddenly jumped between her and the cougar. She didn’t stop fast enough and slammed into his outstretched hand. Her momentum flipped her sideways, and her face connected with the trunk of a tree with a sickening crack, the wood splintering under the impact. Nausea flooded her gut and crept up her throat as stars danced in her vision, competing with a blackness determined to consume her.

She dropped to the ground, shut her eyes, and sucked in a long slow breath, fighting the wave of unconsciousness. Finally, her head stopped buzzing. Forcing her eyes to open, she found Marrok kneeling over her, his face creased in concern.

“The cougar?” she asked, her head clearing quickly. Accelerated healing was one of the best bonuses of being a wolf shifter. She levered up and got her feet under her.

“He ran off.”

“Dammit, Marrok. Why didn’t you stop him?” Her wolf growled inside her head.

“I decided my mate, who I slammed against a tree, was too important.” Real concern filled the words, but she was too focused on his actions.

She leveled a glare on him that would’ve had anyone in her own pack running for cover. “Speaking of which, why the hell did you get in my way?”

She could’ve leveled the cougar with one dart. The poison wouldn’t kill a shifter but knock him out for hours. That’s all they needed. Her wolf snarled and pushed against Tala’s control, furious they’d been thwarted.

“My mate, still in human form, was going up against an already shifted mountain lion.”

She shoved him in the chest, and irritation rose more as he didn’t budge. “Your alpha mate.”

An itching sensation in her eyes told her they’d changed as her wolf pushed harder. The metallic taste of blood dripped on her tongue as her canine teeth elongated in her mouth, and pricked lips shut tight around a multitude of expletives she held back. Pissed didn’t begin to cover it.

Marrok scowled, but before he could comment, she stalked off into the woods. It was either that or snap his neck. Instead, she focused on making sure the child who’d screamed was safe.

Her mate followed in silence. Smart man. For once.