Page 44 of Bound

I nod. “I want to start looking for reasons why she can’t change back to her human form, so look for anything aroundshifting. Especially if it focuses on wolves who can’t shift or struggle to shift.” He nods and heads to the bookshelf.

“I’m on it.”

Eventually, Maddox joins us, and the three of us spend the evening reading through every book we own. Only one thing is made clear to us: whatever is going on with her is not documented in any of these books.

Chapter 22

Hunter

Ipace back and forth in front of our large fireplace, running my hands through my hair in agitation. This situation sucks, and I have no idea what to do.

“What are we supposed to do?” I growl in frustration. “We can’t take her to see Kane while she’s unconscious!”

“I know,” Maddox says with a sigh as he stares down at his hands, where they are resting between his knees. “But he knows she’s here now, and as alpha, he technically has the right to meet any new wolf on pack lands. If we don’t go to him today, he’ll come here tomorrow.”

His words are met with multiple growls from our pack.

It’s been two days since we arrived home, and she hasn’t woken up once. If her breathing hadn’t been so steady, I’d be extremely worried instead of just half panicked. The worst part is that Kane now knows we have a wolf here and is demanding that we bring her to meet him.

Westgrove might be Alpha Marcus Kane’s pack, but the five of us, six now if we include our little red wolf, were our own group within it. The Silverstorm Pack.

Having an all alpha pack was unheard of, so was having one within another, but Marcus didn’t really care what we did, as long as he got to be in charge of Westgrove.

“You should be running the pack,” Chase says in annoyance to Maddox, and I have to agree with him. It’s always been his to take, but he’s been content to let his uncle Marcus run it.

“I’ve never wanted it before,” Maddox admits before glancing at her. “But I see now that I would be able to better protect her if I was the Westgrove Alpha.”

“What’s been stopping you?” I ask out loud for the first time.

He looks at me, almost surprised by the question, then shrugs as his eyes move back to her. “You probably all think I’m weak, letting Kane run the pack all these years.”

“None of us thinks that,” I tell him with a frown.

“You think we’d let you be our pack leader if we thought you were weak?” Gage asks.

“Besides, Maddox Silverstorm,” Chase says, a smirk pulling at his lips. “You think we’d name our pack after you if we didn’t think you were strong and worthy?”

Maddox has never had a confidence issue before; alphas never do. Even as the shortest alpha in the entire Westgrove Pack, at five-foot-ten, he still radiates stronger alpha energy than anyone else, and I know he could beat any one of us in combat, even Bain, and he’s a savage beast.

“I’ve just never had the desire to run this pack. It doesn’t feel like mine. I know that probably doesn’t make any sense.” He shakes his head and sits up a little taller. “I’m sorry.” He looks at each of us with a strained smile. “Everything with her is just throwing me off balance.” He gestures to the little wolf and I nod.

“We should give her a name.” I turn to Chase in confusion,and he nods, pointing at her in Bain’s lap as he continues. “We can’t keep referring to her as the little wolf.”

“He’s right,” Gage adds. “Besides, if we have to introduce her around, we need to call her something.”

I glance at Chase and can see the tiniest hint of a smile on his lips. “You already have a name picked out, don’t you?”

He grins at me and nods. “Red.”

I look at her beautiful red coat and nod. “Yeah, that seems pretty fitting.”

“Hands up for those who agree,” Chase says, raising his own hand. I lift mine and the others all do the same, even Bain.

“Now that’s decided, what are we going to do about Kane? We can’t take her to him like this,” I ask, gesturing to her unconscious form. I’m desperate for her to wake up soon. Even after she came back to life, she managed to wake up the next day and run through the woods for almost an hour.

Was that run too much for her? Did we push her too far? It’s impossible to know without speaking to her.

“We will extend an offer for Kane to visit us tomorrow,” Maddox tells us. Bain growls, making Maddox frown at him. “I’m sorry, but I can’t keep him away any longer.”