If there were any doubts before, there were none left after witnessing Ella on that call.
Stone smiled to himself.
Doug pulled off what Stone never thought he’d have the balls to do. He blocked Silas from becoming Alpha.
They’d both known Silas had plans in motion to shift allegiances, but Doug had doubted his Beta would go as far as murder to get what he wanted. That doubt cost him his life.
Now, against all odds, Ella Breene is destined to become the next Alpha of the Black Crater Pack. And she’s hopelessly clueless.
If she could stay alive long enough to shift for the first time, she might have a chance. But the odds aren’t in her favor. Silas has already tried to cut his potential loose ends, even without proof she was a threat.
The extent to which Silas has been willing to go is astounding, but Stone shouldn’t be surprised. Silas was the reason the pack had shunned Stone in the first place. But if he had tried to warn the pack, after everything, it would just come off like petty vindictiveness.
Stone didn’t have time for that bullshit.
Yet, somehow, without even realizing it, without knowing it was a possibility even… Ella had tapped into her Alpha voice.
The power that rolled through her command was enough to make Stone snap to attention.
As the pack’s Omega, that’s saying something.
In some ways, that suited him fine. It made him harder to control. Not that it was an easy feat, to begin with.
Yet, somehow, he was compelled to obey, just the same.
Hell, the command wasn’t even for him.
He could only imagine what the guy on the other end of the line must have thought.
Then again, mundane humans could be absurdly oblivious. By the sound of things, that one more than most.
Regardless, if Stone was going to be able to protect Ella and her kids—and keep Silas from taking over as de facto Alpha—it would mean having to invoke the Law of the Bitten.
Doing something like that without absolute proof won’t go down without a challenge. But it could be the only hope Ella has to stay alive.
He needed to summon a pack meeting before Silas tried again to end his competition.
“Thank you so much for dinner,” Stone said, as he edged near the door. “You know, I should really be going.”
Ella’s eyebrows rose into her hairline. “I thought you were going to stay until the EMTs arrived.”
She didn’t say it out loud, but it was clear to him that being left alone right now was freaking her out. Even if she didn’t know him, she trusted him enough to keep her safe. Unexpected warmth spread through his torso.
Stone brushed his fingertips across his lips. “No, yeah… You’re right. Sorry, I was getting ahead of myself. I didn’t want to impose, but I can stay. ”
He’d forgotten about the EMTs. The markings on her neck had already vanished and he knew better than most how fast a werewolf heals as they closed in on their first shift. They wouldn’t find anything wrong with her.
Just then, Stone heard the slamming of a vehicle’s doors.
Seth’s muffled thoughts tumbled at him like a gnat buzzing around his head.
Thanks to his Omega status, he couldn’t quite make out his pack mate’s thoughts as clearly as he could when he was a full member of the pack. However, he could still sense the energy of their owner.
Good timing.
Stone’s anxiety lessened a bit. Seth was loyal to Doug and he’d take good care of Ella and the kids. Whoever was with him as his partner today wasn’t a part of the pack.
Ella turned toward the doorway at the same time Stone did. Her increased sense of hearing was already kicking in.
“Someone’s here,” she announced, as a hint of panic flashed across her beautiful face.
For as long as he could remember, he’d been a loner. Someone who would rather spend his time trying to find a cure to the madness that had infected them both, rather than find a mate. But lately, he found himself wishing he could keep that fear on her face at bay. The desire to protect her was growing and he didn’t understand why.
Was it always this way with a new Alpha?
He held out a hand. “Stay here. I’ll see who it is.”
Fear shone in the faces of the two kids, but without waiting for their responses, Stone left the kitchen and made his way to the front door.
He could only imagine how this change would tip their world upside down when it actualized.
While he couldn’t hear Seth’s complete thoughts, Stone knew his scent. He could also smell the medical bag Seth or his partner carried on the other side of the door. The objects inside carried a distinctive odor he’d gotten very accustomed to at the hospital.
“Hey, Seth. Gordon,” Stone said, tipping his head at each of them as he opened the door.
Seth’s dark eyes flashed with curiosity, but he knew better than to say anything out loud.
Gordon’s blue eyes widened with surprise. His red hair stood on end like he’d just gotten out of bed. His freckles were blotchy, likely a result of a hard night of partying.
“What are you—?” Gordon began.
Seth placed a hand on his partner’s shoulder. His dark skin was in deep contrast to the white of his partner’s EMT uniform. “Duty first.” Seth then turned to me. “Stone, where are the woman and her two kids?”
Stone stepped aside and pointed to the kitchen. “Back there.”
The two of them nodded and continued past him.
For a moment, he stuck his head out the door and perked his ears. No one else from the pack was nearby and as far as he could tell, everything was as it should be.
That was a good sign.
Things should be on the up and up.
If he could get Seth on his side, Stone might have a chance toward winning the pack over with his invocation. If nothing else, maybe he could get Seth to stay behind and protect Ella and her family until he could return. Either would be ideal.
Stone turned on his heel and followed after the paramedics. By the time he entered the kitchen, Gordon and Seth were already hard at work. Seth was inspecting Ella’s neck, while Gordon was giving the daughter a once-over.
Stone stood back, leaned against the wall, and observed the room. As an immunologist, he had more medical training than the two of the EMTs combined. But it was best, he’d found, to let people do their jobs without interference.
Sure, he could have tried to warn Seth through their pack bond, but it was doubtful he’d be able to pick up on all of Stone’s thoughts anyway. And it could mean alerting others in the pack to what was up. Instead, he would talk to Seth the old-fashioned way.
Besides, when it came to Ella, he already knew they wouldn’t find anything wrong with her.
Thanks to her imminent shift, Ella would be in perfect health. Better than she was a couple of days ago, he wagered. The kids, on the other hand, he hadn’t really assessed, but based on his limited observations, they were scared, not hurt.
After the longest twenty minutes of his life, the assessment was finally over as Seth declared, “You’ll be okay. Your trachea is fine and there’s no lasting damage that I can see.”
Then, he turned and shot Stone a significant glance. A question appeared in his eyes.
Stone took that as his cue. “Seth, can I have a word?”
Gordon and Seth glanced at each other.
Seth nodded. “Sure.”
Stone walked out of the room and made his way for the front porch. He needed a bit of privacy for what he was about to say.
Once the door was closed behind them, he inhaled slowly and released the breath. “Seth, we have a problem.”
“I kinda figured. What’s going on?”
“That woman in there…” he began, unsure of the direction he should take. He finally spat out, “She was bitten by Doug.”
Seth blinked a few times without saying anything.
“I’m sure Silas has already tried to claim—” Stone continued.
Seth raised a hand. “Yeah, that asshat already laid claim, but if Doug chose someone else, that changes everything.”
Stone nodded in agreement. “Ella was attacked because Silas knows.”
Seth’s eyebrows tighten. “Are you sure?”
Stone pressed his lips tight and nodded.
“Then you have to invoke the—”
“I know. But I need to make sure Ella and the kids are safe while I’m gone. Silas killed Doug, I won’t allow him to kill…” his words petered out. He hadn’t told anyone about Doug. And he sure as hell didn’t want to consider Ella being murdered.
“That’s a serious accusation,” Seth said, his voice a hushed whisper.
“It’s not an accusation. I watched it happen.” Stone flashed a warning with his eyes.
Seth leaned in. “Holy shit. Why didn’t you bring this to the council?”
“Because I’ve been a little preoccupied keeping that woman in there safe,” he said and jabbed a finger toward the house. “She’s a walking nightmare without a clue what’s going on.”
“You haven’t told her?” Seth asked.
“No, I—” Stone shook his head. “I haven’t had a great opportunity. What with the attack and all. And to be fair, I wasn’t positive she was turning until a few minutes ago. I didn’t see Doug bite her—but I felt it. Or something when I stumbled on the two of them. But today, I witnessed her tapping into her power. I have no more doubts.”
“That explains the lack of evidence from her attack. I mean, there’s literally no sign whatsoever.” Seth heaved out a breath. “Go, I’ll hold down the fort here. The pack is already divided since Doug’s death.”
“Murder,” Stone corrected.
Seth nodded, then shuddered. “Murder. If Silas gets his way, the pack is going to self-destruct.”
Stone heaved a sigh. “If they don’t accept the invocation, it already has.”