Brent’s expression as he came in the front door was sour—even for him. “Can you take this up to Charlie?” I asked, thrusting the thick volume into his hands as I walked out of the library.
“What is it?” He peered down at the weathered spine even though we both already knew. There was only one book that looked like that. The pack law book was thick and old. Maybe even older than Thill. Brent handled it carefully as he turned it over. “Why does Charlie want this?” he added.
“To play catch up,” I said, even though I already knew it was more than that. I’d seen it in her eyes when she’d asked me. She wanted to find a loophole to this whole contest thing. I couldn’t blame her. “Can you take it up to her?”
“I’m on my way,” he grunted, already heading for the stairs. One thing about Brent, he didn’t waste words.
I moved past him toward the front door. My job here was done, at least until tonight’s soiree. For now, I needed air. To be alone. And woods. My wolf needed to breathe.
My hand on the knob, I paused at the sound of Brent’s voice calling down to me. “You headed anywhere in particular?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Just out.”
“Do yourself a favor and avoid the back acre.” He grimaced. “It already smells like vermin.”
“Will do.” I saluted him in thanks. “Later,” I said and slipped out into the front yard.
The porch creaked in all its usual places as I bounded down the steps onto the grass. I turned away from the hillside with the view of town and took a right toward the forest.
Three steps in, I realized Brent was right. The air was ripe with visiting humans and the promise of vampires. A catering truck was parked behind our pickup, blocking me in. Just as well. I’d rather run. But with all these people around setting up for tonight, I needed to be discreet.
I slipped quietly between two dollies loaded down with champagne and coolers for the outdoor bar Dad had ordered. No one looked twice and even as the alpha in me bristled at being ignored, I was grateful for the anonymity that came with being a teenager in a world full of adults.
The air inside the forest was cooler and damp in the fading afternoon. Lengthy shadows ran like columns between thick redwoods. I inhaled the sweet scent of pine and wet bark and exhaled what I hoped was all the bullshit clogging up my normally clear head.
Dad hadn’t spoken to me since the council meeting. Not because he was ashamed or guilty for the blood oath. He was pissed at me for physically reacting—challenging him, he’d said to me on the way home last night. It was the last thing he’d said. I was too twisted up to care.
Part of me hoped Charlie did find something in that book to stop this madness.
Leaves crunched behind me, soft but loud enough for my heightened wolf senses to balk at. I whirled, halfway to shifting as I scanned for the threat.
“Relax, boss. It’s just me,” Carter said as he stepped around one of the larger tree trunks at the edge of the path.
My shoulders sagged and I exhaled, stuffing my wolf back inside. “I almost killed you,” I said as he came up beside me.
His mouth quirked. “You almost tried,” he corrected.
When I didn’t react to his humor, his smile faded and he bent closer, searching my face. “What is it?” he asked. “Did something happen?”
I shook my head at that. Something else. Because my mother’s murder, a duel against my sister, and impending nuptials to an abomination didn’t qualify. There had to be something else. But he was right. We were both sort of waiting for the other shoe to drop. Instead of answering, I turned away and kicked the tree, wincing at the throb it left behind. But I welcomed the pain—needed it considering the swirling mess of my insides.
“Regan, talk to me,” Carter said, stepping closer and reaching for my elbow. He spun me around to face him and I blinked up into his blue eyes, intent with worry. The familiarity of his gaze, of the scent of him—years of friendship and trust—made my throat close. Charlie hadn’t had any of this. Coming into the pack had been her first real shot at it. And here I was, basically taking it all away from her again.
She had no idea what she’d been thrust into—or what she was up against. And I couldn’t do much to help her either. Not while I fell into the category of her opponent.
“It’s Charlie,” I said and Carter’s grip relaxed by a few inches. Clearly, he’d been expecting something worse—whatever that was.
I slipped free and turned away again, kicking at the dirt as I wandered along. Carter followed behind me, but I didn’t meet his gaze. Some part of me was too embarrassed. He was right. There were much worse problems than Charlie’s adjustment.
“What about her?” he asked.
“She … she’s foreign,” I said finally. “Not an inch of experience or knowledge of our world. Her world,” I corrected with a frown. “She’s lived her entire life with humans, completely clueless that anyone else like her even existed.”
“And that bothers you?” Carter asked, his tone way too gentle and understanding for my liking. It only made my concern more real.
I huffed. “It’s going to get her killed. Or worse.”
“Worse?” Carter echoed.
I whirled, choosing temper over concern. “Apparently in all our instruction about the Rossi monsters, we failed to actually explain they were vampires. She was oblivious. Almost walked right into the party tonight unaware. She could’ve killed one of them if she hadn’t been on guard, prepared to restrain herself.”
“Shit.” Carter let out a low whistle. “We dropped the ball on that one.”
“How can Dad expect her to survive here, much less compete? She’s never even hunted before. She can’t win and it’s going to humiliate her and alienate her from the pack even more.”
“I’m sorry, Regan,” Carter said. “What can I do?”
I look up at him, surprised. “You would help her?”
“Of course.”
“Why?” I asked, too shocked to put it more delicately.
“Because it would be helping you. You’re my alpha. The boss,” he said, attempting a joke. I half-smiled, but it disappeared too fast.
“Tonight. At the party, will you keep an eye on her?” I asked. “Make sure she doesn’t get into trouble with one of them. Or Dad’s agenda for her, whatever that is.”
“You want me to hang out with Charlie all night?” His brows crinkled and he pressed his lips together.
“Is that too much?” I asked.
“No, I just thought … I was going to offer to do the same for you. Escort you,” he added. A slight flush tinged his cheeks and I stared at it in confusion. Carter was embarrassed? For what?
“I think Charlie needs a babysitter more than I do,” I said.
“I wasn’t— I meant that you and I would … Yeah, okay,” he said, running a hand through his light hair until it stood up on end. He looked away, suddenly not meeting my gaze. Something felt off, though I had no idea what.
“Okay,” I echoed.
In the silence, Carter’s mouth thinned. “What is it, Carter?” I prompted when he only continued to glare into the trees.
“I hate that your dad did this behind your back. Or at all. Marriage? To a vamp? It’s …”
“Horrific, I know,” I said, watching the way his nostrils flared and his fists bunched. His form shivered at the edges, his wolf pressing up and out, and I knew he was seriously pissed. “Calm down,” I said. “We’ll figure it out.”
“I hope so.” He grunted, muttering something under his breath that I missed.
“What did you say?” I asked.
“Nothing. Look … I’ve been thinking. We can fight this if you want. You have the support of the younger generation. Me, Bevin, Lane, all the others stand behind you. We’ll do what you say in order to change their minds.”
Alarm speared through me as I realized what he meant. “What? Like a rebellion or mutiny or something?”
“I wouldn’t call it that, but we would break away. Leave if we had to—”
“No.” I shook my head. “Absolutely not. We are not starting an uprising. Not now.” I looked around, half-terrified my father was standing close enough to hear this nonsense.
Carter wasn’t deterred. “Even Bevin agrees, if we work together—”
“Bevin still thinks Justin Bieber was the most influential figure of 2012,” I hissed. “We are not taking political or tactical advice from her.”
Carter sighed. “Fine. I just want you to know you have our loyalty.”
“As friends,” I corrected meaningfully. “But your ultimate loyalty is to the pack. Not one person, certainly not me. And I am not doing this. We are part of a whole. Without the whole, the part is only pieces.” Carter blinked and finally relaxed.
“Who said that?” he asked.
“My mother,” I said quietly. “And she was right. Please don’t bring that up again.”
“I won’t,” he said. “And your mom was right. But … Regan, for me, you are the whole.”
My heart thudded irregularly. “What does that mean?” I asked.
Again, Carter’s cheeks flushed pink. “Just that … whatever. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Okay. I’ll see you tonight,” I said slowly, still lost. Or maybe it was terror that sent my pulse racing as he shifted uncomfortably. I looked at the buttons on his shirt, unwilling to meet his eyes as the girl side of my brain attempted to decode his words. Did Carter mean more than just declarations of leadership? I’d thought he was speaking as a true beta, a supporter, a second in command. But something about the way he’d said it made me think maybe he meant more than that.
“See you,” Carter mumbled, turning on his heel and melting into the greenery until I was once again alone.