Vivian Arend: Wolf Flight

To Jess Dee and Rhian Cahill and Mari Carr. You’ve taught me, encouraged me and cheered for me. I’ve been so fortunate to share this adventure with such amazing writers.

To the rest of International Heat . Joy, Jambrea, Val, Lila and Theresa. We may be spread around the world, but I never feel like you’re more than a hug away.

As always to my hubby, my source of endless location inspiration. We need another trip down the Yukon River. Soon.

September, Whistler, British Columbia

The Whistler pack house was crowded after dinner, with small groups gathered around the room talking amongst themselves. Conversations quieted for a moment as laughter burst out from where the Alpha and his cronies sat in the prime seats before the huge stone fireplace. An icy warning trickled up Missy’s spine, and she gave up on the discussion in front of her. She rose from her chair and headed quietly toward the exit, weaving between the couches and recliners that filled the meeting and relaxation area for the pack.

Missy had no illusions about the precariousness of her position. As the widow of a high-ranking wolf, even one whose position had come from his family relationship instead of his power, she was an obvious target for any of the wolves looking to improve their standing in the pack.

Which would be, oh, pretty much everyone. Only she wasn’t worried about all of them, just one very dangerous individual.

It could have been worse. It would have been worse if she hadn’t managed to keep her secret. Hidden her developing skills away not only from her late husband but the rest of them.

Even now her Alpha’s gaze burned as she walked with her head down, attempting to remain small and unnoticeable as she slipped through the common area toward her apartment at the back of the complex.

“Missy,” Doug called. “Come here.”

She turned toward him, the hair on the back of her neck standing upright as a shiver of disgust raced over her skin. She had hoped to avoid this summons for far longer. Stopping a polite distance away to stand before the massive fireplace, Missy clutched her fingers together and averted her eyes at the last second.

“Jeff has been gone for a month now,” he noted, his long well-groomed fingers tapping on the arm of the overstuffed leather chair. His stylish business suit, clean-shaven chin and immaculately groomed hair sharply contrasted with what she knew of his personality. She’d seen his wolf kill more often than necessary, even for an Alpha trying to maintain order in a large pack.

Missy rocked on her feet uneasily. Doug rose from his seat to tower over her petite frame, the heat from his body close enough to overwhelm the fire’s warmth. She stared away from him, looking over the heads of the wolves sprawled on the couch immediately in front of them. Don’t let him know how much you loathe him. Don’t show any sign of disrespect. Others in the room looked on with curiosity for a minute before turning back to their own conversations. Only the wolf enforcers she spotted scattered inconspicuously throughout the room tensed, ready to spring into action if needed.

The level of paranoia her Alpha encouraged among his warriors shocked her. Did they really think she would challenge Doug? It seemed few pack members were aware he was less than the honourable businessman he pretended to be. Missy wondered how much the Alpha shared with his closest allies, how many of his wrongdoings the other leaders of the pack approved. Or were the Beta and the rest ignorant victims as well?

“Does it bother you to hear me talk about my brother? Do you miss him that much?” Doug’s refined voice prickled in her ears. “I didn’t think you pined for his conversation or longed for his arms to hold you at night.”

He laughed softly and the sound grated on her nerves like nails on a blackboard. Over the past couple years Missy had become aware of slow changes in her abilities, including an increased sense of others’ motivations. The evil Doug delved into permeated every fiber of his being, and Missy turned her head away to avoid showing her disgust. She swallowed hard and forced down the emotions that threatened to engulf her. Her anger, her fear. The almost overwhelming desire to turn and flee from his presence.

She couldn’t run, not yet. She needed more time. Time to find an escape from the trap she knew closed around her as each day passed.

Doug ran a finger down her cheek, plucking at a blonde curl, and her gorge rose. Missy concentrated on presenting a calm façade, forcing her eyes to blink naturally as she slowed her pulse, her breathing. Calming all the telltale signs that could alert this powerful werewolf of her intentions.

He was her brother-in-law, her Alpha, but she refused to let him control her. The finger continued a slow path down her body as she stood stock-still.

“Jeff never did know what a treasure he had, did he?” Doug asked, his dark voice dirty like an oily slick over her skin. He leaned close to whisper in her ear. “My sweet Omega.”

Her eyes flickered for a split second before she tamped down the surprise. How could he have discovered what she had worked so hard to hide? She was still learning to control her untrained skills, including the ability to read and manipulate others’ emotions, to calm and ease them. Omegas were rare and highly desired among the shifter community. With appropriate guidance, she would be a blessing to a pack. Under the wrong influence, her skills could be deadly.

There were no doubts in Missy’s mind what kind of leadership headed her pack at the present time.

Doug chuckled, a light sound that nevertheless made her skin crawl. “Oh, yes, I know. I’ve always known. You can’t hide potential ability from an Alpha who’s looking for it.” He flicked a finger over his head and the wolves seated around them dispersed, conversations fading away to leave them intimately alone. Missy’s fear tripled and icy fingers crawled up her spine in spite of the fire blazing at her back.

Doug lifted her chin with a thick finger, tilting her face as if he were examining a side of beef at the butcher’s. He snorted and spoke softly, his words for her alone. “When I blackmailed your family into your marriage to my brother, I hoped you would end up permanently linked with him. With a mate connection between you, I would have mastered you both. But like everything else Jeff touched, he ruined my plans. He wasn’t even strong enough to trap you with a false FirstMate.”

Missy shuddered inside at the thought. Like every wolf she longed to find her mate, the one who matched her not only physically but emotionally. Forced into a loveless marriage to save her family had been bad enough, but it would have been far worse to imagine herself belonging body, mind and soul to Jeff simply because of overactive pheromones.

A strong hand wrapped around her neck, pulling her closer as Doug stared, his nostrils flaring as he examined her face minutely. “He was woefully delinquent in training you to be obedient. But he’s gone now, that unfortunate incident, you know.”

Missy’s heart thumped harder as the truth of the accident flowed involuntarily from Doug’s mind to hers. Images flashed—ropes cut by knives, a falling body, triggered rock falls—she blinked slowly, carefully. The information transferred between them as clearly as if he had spoken, the knowledge a gift and curse of being an Omega wolf.

His own brother had killed her husband. Closing her eyes to shut out the pain, she forced her tears to remain hidden. She may not have loved Jeff, but he hadn’t deserved to die in that manner. The crackle of the fire sounded loud and eerie as she searched for something to concentrate on to clear her mind of Doug’s filthy touch.