Page 31 of Two Years Gone

Zane lowered his head.

“Yes, Alpha.”

I finally woke from my shock.

“Why?”

Alpha Daniel turned to me.

“Why what?”

“Why am I moving into the pack house?”

I searched his face as he paused. For a second, I had a feeling he didn’t have a reason.

“You will be taking over as head cook soon, and I want you in the pack house so that we can train you on the behind-the-scenes work your mother does. Head cook is more than just what you see.”

I lowered my head.

“If I promise to come in early, can I stay at home?”

Zane stood up.

“Yes, Ella, you can stay in your home. Dad, she doesn’t need to live here to—”

Alpha Daniel stood, radiating authority, and cut him off.

“I had hoped this could be done easily. Ella, you will move into the pack house as soon as possible. Tonight, if not tomorrow. Zane, do you wish to argue my wishes again?”

We both lowered our heads.

“No, Alpha,” Zane replied.

Daniel turned to me.

“And?”

“And I’ll move into the pack house as soon as possible,” I added.

Alpha Daniel sat back down in his seat.

“Thank you. You may leave now.”

We both stood and walked out of the alpha’s office.

I stopped in the hall; my face covered in panic. I didn’t want this at all. I began to hyperventilate.

I closed my eyes and was oddly calmed when Zane placed a hand on each shoulder.

“Ella?”

“I… I need a minute.” I ran out of the pack house, sprinting down the hill and into the woods. I hid behind a tree andstripped off my clothes, shifting quickly and running off to clear my mind.

I let my wolf take over as I tried to swallow what had just happened.I can’t do this. I can’t be near him!

I heard my wolf whine. She didn’t want this either. We had both been hurt by the rejection, and my wolf hated how Zane had acted since then. She didn’t like him acting as though he owned us.

I ran hard and fast through the forest and stopped as the sun began setting. I sat by a creek, and I could feel the worry of my wolf for me. I was falling apart.