Page 18 of Return to the Pack

The rest of us shift into wolves and launch into the fight.

We’re all tearing at one another’s throats when another vampire—the bloodsucker known as Drake—blurs into the clearing and shouts, “Why are you destroying us? You broke your agreement.”

There’s a pause in the fray, and I shift into my human form.

“What are you talking about?” I demand. Giving away pack land to get Luna back from the vampires may not have been my most brilliant move, but I’m a man of my word. I always keep my agreements.

“You gave us land, and now you’re killing us,” Drake says coldly as he walks in a slow circle around me.

He’s a big man, at least six foot six, but I’m not intimidated by him.

“Why would we do that?” I glance at the others of my pack, who now stare at us.

Blood stains their fur and faces.

The vampires we’ve been fighting gingerly feel their wounds. One of them runs his tongue along the inside of his mouth before spitting out a tooth. He gives a derisive snort and glares at me as if I’m the one who took out his tooth.

“Because you’re all a bunch of animals,” Drake says, coming to a stop before me and drawing himself up. “We can’t trust you.”

His bespoke suit clings to him like a second skin. The way he holds himself makes him look like royalty. For all I know, the asshole is the vampire prince.

“I may be a lot of things, but I’m not a liar,” I growl. Blood drips down my cheek. I wipe it away with the back of my hand. “I gave you that property fair and square. Why would I turn around and kill you?”

“Tell them.” Drake’s hand sweeps toward Evan, one of the other vampires.

Evan, the asshole who took Luna before, bares his fangs. “We were attacked by wolves midday when we were all in repose. Then you same lying mutts attacked the humans we keep as food. Several of them are now dead.” He spits a mouthful of blood in the ground near my feet.

My brow furrows as I turn my attention toward my pack.

Several shake their heads, and another shrugs, indicating they don’t know what the vampires are talking about either.

“We didn’t do shit,” I say, directing my attention back at Drake. “I have full knowledge of my pack.”

“Liar,” Evan snarls.

My body stiffens, and I’m about to launch at his throat when Drake reaches out his hand to touch Evan’s shoulder.

“Let him speak,” Drake says.

“When did this happen?” I demand.

“Over the last couple of days. We figured you’re all desperate to get your land back since the storm took out many of your homes.” Drake’s eyes appear as cold as glaciers as he looks down his nose at me.

“And that speaks to the reason it couldn’t have been us—our pack is all consumed with repairing and restoring the houses that the storm destroyed,” I reply. “When would we have time to murder you or your food stock? Not to mention we have no quarrels with humans.”

Drake’s hands land on his hips. “Are you saying there’s a rogue pack in the land?”

My skin prickles at the reminder of the wolf who attacked Luna. “I don’t know,” I say slowly. “I’ve been too busy dealing with the storm to stay abreast of other packs. Kato?” I nod at my sentinel, the spy of our team.

Kato’s excellent at what he does, but he might have been too busy to have noticed other wolves in our territory. He pushes back his long, raven-haired mane from his face. “I’ve seen nothing. Since the storm has abated, I’ve patrolled the area when I could find the time, but I haven’t seen any rogue wolves.”

I lift my hand to my face and stroke my jaw. It’s got to be those mutant wolves, and not only are they brutal, but they’re sneaky, leaving no trace of their presence. “A mutant wolf attacked one of our own,” I admit to Drake. “It was larger than any of our pack members, hopped up on some kind of drug, and brutal. It was the second attack on her life—she’s the one who you caged.” I lean toward Evan, rage in my eyes, remembering how I had to negotiate with the only thing I had left to get her back—by giving up pack land.

Drake’s eyes narrow as he studies me. “Why should I believe you?”

“Why shouldn’t you believe me? Have I done anything to make you not trust my pack or me? They weren’t happy I gave you our land, yet they respected my wishes and left you alone. And yet, you’ve been the ones who have infringed on the boundaries of the land. Before the storm hit, the pack told me they’ve spied you in our land.” I’m seething, but my demeanor is calm as I gaze into Drake’s lifeless eyes. “Maybe it’s you who haven’t kept to your agreement.”

Evan and the other vampires shift side to side, eyeing one another out of the corners of their cold, dead eyes.