I was hiding in the laundry room when I heard my Alpha confess to murdering my parents.
“Getting rid of Beta James and his mate is complete. Clay, it was all your idea. Rex and I just carried out your plan.”
My father. My stepmother. Their monthly date night. The car in the ravine. Holding hands even in death. None of it was an accident.
I pressed my hand over my mouth to keep from vomiting.
“I want Cara,” Paxton continued. “When Lisa leaves for her shopping trip, I'll make my move. Clay gets Luna. Rex gets Brenna. We'll Alpha-command them to accept if we have to.”
I found my sisters that night. Told them everything in their bathroom with the shower running so no one could overhear. Brenna didn't cry. She just went very, very still. “We leave in two days,” she said. “Act normal.”
Two nights later, Paxton used his master key to get into my bedroom while I was in the shower. I walked out in a towel to find him propped against my headboard like he owned it. “You belong to me, Cara. There's nowhere you can go to escape me.”
That was the night we ran.
Brenna told us past the gate. I bled through my jeans from a claw wound in my calf. We've dumped the SUV, taken a bus, and now we're on a train heading toward a pack my sister won't name—afraid word might reach them before we do and get us turned away.
Somewhere behind us, Paxton is hunting.
But somewhere ahead, an Alpha named Jaxon just got a warning from his witch ally: three female rogues are coming tonight. Let them in. They're being chased.
One of them, the witch said, is his mate.
---
Chapter 1
Cara’s POV
(Pronounced Car-a)
“What in the hell are you doing in here?” I heard an angry voice behind me. I hate the fact that I never got my wolf because a heads-up that he was coming back early would have helped. I had already put all the money and all the documents in the hidden safe into my duffle bag. I was glad that he didn't know that there had been almost fifty thousand dollars hidden in here when he moved into our home. The safe had been closed, locked back, and was now hidden under the rug. There was no way that he would have known what I was here to do. I was certainly not going to tell him. That money belonged to my family, and I was taking back what belonged to my sisters and me.
“I just wanted to come and visit with my parents again. I still miss them,” I replied, slowly standing up and facing him.
Did you forget that this isn’t your home anymore? Do you normally break into homes? I didn’t allow you in here, and I know for a fact that the house was locked when I left. So how did you get in here?” he asked. He yelled the questions at me as he looked around the room to see if anything had been broken or disturbed.
I held my hand up, with my key hanging from the keychain. “With this. I just wanted to say goodbye to my father one last time. That is why I was in his office. I didn't touch any of your things. I won’t come back. Here is my key,” I told him.
“Your father didn’t want you here anymore. Even I know that, and I am still a new pack member. Once you were proven wolfless, no one wanted you here anymore. You are a waste of valuable resources. You eat our food and can’t help protect the pack. Don't tell me that you are unaware that you are worthless. You need to get a man willing to stand up for you and protect you. If you can find one here that is willing to do that. Don't forget that you are the lowest member of the pack. The only thing that you have going for you is your looks. I wouldn’t mind having a quick taste, but I don't want to claim you either. Since you were so nice and delivered yourself to me like this, no one has to know,” Clay said as he stepped forward.
I quickly took a large step back and then walked to the other side of my father’s desk. “No, thank you, Clay. I am not interested in you. I will leave my extra key for you here on your desk. I am leaving now,” I told him as calmly as I could. I hated seeing his eyes travel over my body. He was disgusting, and I knew I needed to get out of there as quickly as I could.
“I know Paxton wants you, but one little taste won’t hurt,” Clay said as he headed for me. I kept a piece of furniture between us as I worked my way closer to the door. I turned to run out the open door when I felt his hand claw dig into my left calf as he tried to grab me. I screamed out in pain and dropped to the floor as he was holding me in place with his claw.
I could feel the damage he was doing to my leg, tearing through muscle and tendons as he held me down. He took the opportunity to crawl closer to me and smirked. “I don’t care what you want, witch," he spat at me. "I just want a little taste to tide me over until Paxton is done with you, or gets you pregnant. Then I can get my turn with you,” he told me as he used his pointer finger on his other hand to make a claw and slice through the fabric of my shirt and bra.
He was looking at me so hard he never saw my sister coming. She punched him in the side of his head and knocked him out cold, falling on top of my stomach. When he was knocked out, his claws retracted and became his fingers again. Brenna helped me shove him off and helped me off of the floor. She then helped me get to our parents' SUV. It was real now. Our plan is in motion, and we either escape or are forced against our will into relationships with men we despise.
Brenna (pronounced Bren-a) opened the back door for me and flipped the seat forward to allow me to lie down on the floor of the third row. Luna was already hidden, lying down in the floorboard of the second row. If we get caught, she and Brenna will have to fight to save us. I can’t help them with this next part. That is why I volunteered to go grab the money. I knew Clay had a meeting with Gamma Rex and Alpha Paxton this morning. Clay just came back unexpectedly. I guess he needed to grab something because Paxton enjoyed hearing the sound of his own voice. He would never have a meeting that only lasted five minutes.
I refuse to even think about the fact that it could be a set-up for us. I slid the ruined bra and t-shirt off of me and grabbed a t-shirt out of my duffle bag. I quickly slid it over my head. I refused to potentially be exposed if this ended up being a set-up. They might be trying to lure us into a false sense of security. We have to leave. I would rather die than stay here and face the plans that Paxton has made for me and my sisters. Fear chokes me as we approach the gate to our pack. This is it. My heart feels like it is going to pop out of my chest. Luna and I are silent as Brenna rolls down her window and greets the guard.
“Hey Stan, can you get the gate for me. I need to go pick up a package for the Luna,” Brenna asked.
“Sure, Brenna,” We heard him say as he headed over to open one side of the gate, and then the other. The pack had money. Why didn't they spend it on getting a new gate? We looked pathetic being so old school like this.
“See you when you get back, Brenna. Be safe,” he told her.
“Thanks, Stan, you take care. I will see you soon,” Brenna replied as she rolled her window up as she passed him. This was it, the moment of truth. She pulled forward slowly as we left, not causing any attention to us as we left the pack. I watched through the gap in the seat, and she watched him cautiously in the rearview mirror as we pulled away. None of us breathed until she finally said, "The gate is closed." She was scared that he could scent Luna, as she was a wolf or the fact that I was back here bleeding. We lucked out that Brenna was a trusted member of the pack. She was well-known and well-liked by all.
We had passed the first challenge but weren’t safe yet, and we all knew it. It was a short matter of time before someone came to look for Clay. Once that happened, they would know that we were gone. We didn’t even reject the pack. Brenna told us to wait thirty minutes until we knew they would be looking for us before we did it. Doing it now might only let them know we were gone sooner rather than later.
“Luna, grab a piece of paper and write this down,” Brenna stated. Luna was now sitting in the second row, happily writing down everything Brenna said. Although Brenna is the middle child, she has always been the one who protected both Luna and me while we were growing up. She gave out a list of medical items and Luna wrote them all down.
Brenna came across as cold and direct, but we knew her as loving and kind. She was stressed and worried right now, so she was in what I liked to call ‘battle mode.’ She was not going to calm down until we were all safe. She would put herself into the line of fire to save either of us, and I was thankful for her. If we made it, it would be because of her plan. At this point, I only trusted my sisters.
“Luna, tear the list in half so we can split up and get this done as quickly as possible. Go ahead and get some of the money from Cara. We will need at least a hundred dollars to get all our items. You grab your half of the list, and I will grab mine. We will meet at the register. Cara, as soon as I stop, I will flip the back seat forward. Please use the time we are gone to try to get in the back seat. I know that you are in a great deal of pain. If you can't do it. We will help you when we get back. I am so sorry you got hurt, but Luna will treat and wrap your leg while I drive. We have to get this done as quickly as we can. They will definitely be coming after us,” Brenna said as she pulled into a local store.
She flipped the seat forward for me to climb over and gently stroked my hair before saying, “I love you, Cara. Things will be fine, but I can’t relax until I know that we are all safe. We need to get on the road as quickly as possible, and I still need to fill the SUV up,” Brenna said before she closed the door to go into the store.
I was sweating from the pain, but I was not going to let it stop me. Sometimes, I wished I had a wolf. She would have already started to heal me by now and would have helped me bear the pain. I felt ashamed that my younger sisters had to rescue me because I was not a wolf.
I hate this. As the oldest sister, I should have been protecting them, but I couldn’t. I was a hybrid, half wolf and half witch. My mother left me behind. He was the Beta of our pack, the Kamaria Pack. Don't think it is fancy, they just chose a fancy word for moon. It was named that way to show respect to the Moon Goddess, Selene. Take my word for it: the Moon Goddess will not be blessing that forsaken pack any time soon.
They returned to the SUV quickly. Luna opened the door, flipped the seat back, and got into the SUV to treat my wounds. Brenna pulled up to a gas station and went in to pay. She returned with a bag of snacks and drinks for us all. Luna finished wrapping up my leg and climbed into the front passenger seat. “Lay down, Cara. We will drive the next 200 miles before we dump the SUV. I don’t want them to be able to track us by it,” Brenna told me.
I laid down and drifted off into a fitful sleep. I was praying to the Goddess that we would make it to the next leg of the journey.
Running Away
Chapter 2
Cara’s POV
I felt weak as we ran towards the train station. I could feel blood trickling down my leg. I knew that was what was draining me so badly. This is the third, and hopefully last, change of transportation for the next several hours. We had just gotten off a bus that we had been on for the last few hours. I know that I am holding my sisters back, but they both refuse to leave me behind. I will never forgive myself if I am the reason that we are caught. I picked up the pace and ran as fast as possible towards the terminal. I have to push through the pain. If we are caught, our futures would be unimaginable; it would not be a life we would want to live.
My sister, Brenna, said that we would fight to the death if they found us. That will again make me the weakest link. Brenna ran ahead into the terminal to buy our tickets. Luna and I entered the building a few minutes later. Brenna waited until we could see the terminal in the distance before running ahead to grab the tickets. The train was leaving in less than ten minutes, and we had no time to spare.
Luna had an arm around me, and I hoped that the black jeans that I was wearing would keep anyone from noticing that I was bleeding. I need to get to where I can sit down, and I will stop the bleeding. I wish I had time to go into the nice bathroom in the main terminal, but Brenna is motioning for us to come follow her as soon as we enter. She is right; we have no time to lose here. I knew they would be on our trail with the best trackers. The Alpha, Paxton James, would never allow me to leave.
He has an unnatural attraction for me, and he is not going to let me go. I was never his, to begin with, but he has come on way stronger since our parents were killed a month ago. His Luna, Lisa Phillips, is also a huge problem for me. She has hated me for the last 5 years. It was probably longer than that, but she hid it. Just like everyone else in the pack did. I didn’t belong there, but my father was one of the strongest fighters there. He meant business, and the former Alpha, Hugo, didn’t want to fight him over it. Dad had Alpha genes in his background. Alpha Hugo wouldn’t take the chance of my father challenging him and taking over the pack.
Dad never wanted to run the pack, all he wanted was to protect the pack, and his family. That was it. He didn’t want to do the paperwork or have to endure long meetings. He liked to train people, and he loved us. He was always happiest at home with his family. Dad had fallen in love with my mother. He had met her in the woods during a run and couldn’t keep himself from coming back, over and over again. My mother, Saoirse (pronounced Sur-sha), never wanted to fall in love. She was content living in the woods, alone. She had a peaceful life but eventually fell in love with my father.
The problem with that? Witches don’t always have mates, like wolves do. They don’t look into each other’s eyes and fall in love in the blink of an eye. They were not always bonded like that. When I was two, my father left the pack for a special training three hours away. When he returned, he had Ellen with him. He had already marked her, which was a slap in my mother’s face. He probably figured that he might get weaker when confronted with how my mother would take the news, so he did it before he left the other pack. He wanted to show respect to both Ellen and her father.
Ellen was the daughter of the Alpha who was putting on the training. She was the third of four children. It was easy for her to leave with her mate. She had no real ranking there, anyway. My mother had wanted to take me with her. She told Dad that she could tell I was a witch and already had powers inside me. She warned him that she couldn’t sense a wolf in me.
My father thought she was lying and told her if she tried to take me, she and I would be hunted down. He reminded him that one or both of us could be killed if that ended up happening. I would be far safer with him than I could be with her. Plus, how could she teach me about being a wolf? He refused to listen to what she had to say and kicked her out. My mother cried as she packed the few belongings she had. She left and never returned. I had learned everything I knew about my mother from the Omega that cooked for our family. She became my nanny, as my father and stepmother didn’t waste any time having my sisters.
Ellen was never cruel to me. She just favored her daughters over me. She was less likely to comfort me. She was always a little cold to me. I was a constant reminder that my father had fallen in love with another woman. A reminder that he didn’t need the mate bond to want to be with my mother. His love for my mother was a slap in the face to Ellen. It still hurt even though I knew why she was standoffish to me. I was not to blame for what happened before I was even born. I hadn’t caused any of this, but I felt the brunt of the blame for it. Dad and Ellen never said it out loud, but I felt their frustration towards me. Especially after I didn’t phase at eighteen.
After that, Dad washed his hands of me. I was still allowed to live at home, but things changed between us that day. He didn’t hide the fact that he regretted that he didn’t allow my mother to take me away with her. He knew now that she hadn’t lied to him, but it was sixteen years too late to make a different choice. My mother was long gone and had never come back. She had never called to check up on me or tried to spend time with me. She left me behind to suffer at the hands of these wolves. My younger sisters are the only saving grace for the last five years.
They never treated me as less than them in any way. In their eyes, we are the same, equal. I love them the same way. They knew I was a hybrid, but Brenna has protected me since I turned sixteen. She was only fourteen then, but she was a strong she-wolf. She didn’t hesitate to confront Lisa and her friends while we were in school. Our pack has almost 900 members, so our school is large. The elementary and intermediate school is on one side of the main area. The middle and high school is on the other. My graduating class consisted of only forty people, so blending in was hard for me. The assembly hall was built separately, right behind the school building.
Brenna seemed to have a sixth sense regarding Luna and me. She knew when we needed her and always showed up for us. Even when they started figuring it out and tried to stop her. She surprised them all. She is a ruthless fighter, just like Dad. He was always impressed with how skillful she was as a fighter. She listened well, and as far as I am concerned, she is absolutely fearless. She doesn’t mind taking a hit, but she will make sure that you remember the fight. Several people in the pack were surprised that she phased and got her wolf so early. All because of her Alpha genes.
I have been told that I am a carbon copy of my mother. I have wavy blonde hair and cornflower blue eyes. I am also fairly curvy. That was the main reason that Lisa hated me so much. The boys were attracted to me, but none of them would take me as their own. None of them was willing to mark me. I was a disgusting hybrid that never should have existed, at least that is what I have heard. Hateful whispers that were always said behind my back. Their words were disrespectful and ugly. It always happened unless I was with my family. That was the only time I didn’t have to suffer over what the others would say about me.
Brenna is standing and waiting for us at the railway car we will ride on. She was speaking to the man standing there with the step stool to make it easier for us to step up onto the train. They were both looking in our direction. I could tell that Brenna was doing her best not to call over and demand that we move faster. We had stopped running after we entered the building. We didn’t want to attract any more attention than we were already getting. We were all very attractive, but we didn’t look alike at all.
Brenna was 5’10” tall with a long, lithe figure. She looked like an athlete standing there. Her golden blonde hair was darker than my platinum blonde hair. Her was board straight, while mine had waves in it, despite me never curling it the first time. Her hair was more sun-kissed, while mine was just too much. It was like a beacon on top of my head, attracting attention wherever I went. Brenna was beautiful. She looked a lot like her mother. Her hazel eyes were stunning, with several gold flecks inside the brown orb. They were almost hypnotizing. Her hair was up in a high ponytail. It was a sign that she meant business. She would wind it up quickly in case of a fight. She had relief all over her face as she had the man check our tickets before he and Brenna helped me up the two steps of the stool.
Luna was right behind me, wrapping her arm around my waist as we headed to our seats. I was glad they were bench seats so we could lie down and get some rest. I will do that as soon as I get my injury tended to. I don’t heal as quickly as my sisters do. Luna looked worried about me as she helped me onto the bench. She is the same height as me, at 5’9”, but she is different than Brenna and me.
Luna is sweet and kind, the nicest one of all of us. She had our father’s brown hair and gray eyes. She is a pretty good fighter but doesn’t like to fight unless she has to. She doesn’t like hurting others. I suspect that if it came down to it, she might even be able to give Brenna a run for her money. She is a fierce competitor. The concern shining in her gray eyes almost makes me break down and cry. I think we are safe, but I don’t know that for a fact.
We need to take turns sleeping so no one can sneak up on us. There is no way we would go back to our old pack. They are going to hunt us down, and we have to be careful until we know we are safe. I am exhausted. I lay my head down on the bench seat to get some much-needed sleep. I hadn't slept well in almost forty hours. I couldn’t put it off any longer and quickly passed out.
The Start of it All
Chapter 3
Cara’s POV
I was having horrible dreams, ones that started with the incident that started it all. I dreamt that we were back in the pack right after my eighteenth birthday. Since I couldn’t phase into a wolf, I was considered lower than an Omega. They made sure I got all the jobs that they considered too gross or nasty for them to do. So, I cleaned all the toilets in the pack house every day. I also cleaned the restrooms in all the main areas, like outside the dining room, near the large living room, and in the small arena for major events and town hall meetings. Lucky me.
“Well, who do we have here?” I could hear Lisa’s voice coming from behind me as I cleaned the last stall in the women’s room.
“It’s the worthless bitch who can’t even phase,” Tanya mocked.
“The curse of our pack. I wish to the Goddess that your worthless whore of a mother had taken you with her when she ran off with her tail between her legs,” Bridget chimed in.
“Don’t talk about my mother,” I told Bridget as I stood up. I took a large step away from the toilet to distance myself. I remember getting caught by them in here the last time. I couldn’t fight them off, and they knew it. They knew that talking about my mother and sisters was the only subject to work me up.
“What are you going to do?” Lisa asked me in a smug tone as she stepped closer to me. “You have no powers and no wolf. How are you going to try to stop us?”
They shoved me against the wall as hard as they could. Tanya and Bridget wasted no time in grabbing my arms, so I couldn’t break free from them. Lisa let her claws on both hands extend. She has constantly been trying to hurt me, and the smile on her face was not one that I would soon forget. She was jealous of me, and it was eating her up. She wanted to ensure Paxton kept his eyes on her and not me. She could have him. I certainly didn’t want him. She was intent on really doing some damage today.
“Don’t do this, Lisa. You are going to get in trouble for it. I won’t just let you hurt me and walk away. I will demand that the elders punish you,” I told her. That comment bought me about ten seconds as she thought about it.
“Who would believe you, Cara? It is going to be my word against yours, slut. Plus, Tanya and Bridget will be on my side. No one wants you in this pack. Hell, even your dad doesn’t want you here anymore. You are wolfless so that only leaves you to be a witch. No one feels safe having you around. I am about to do the whole pack a favor. I won’t be letting you walk away today. Trust me, you are better off dead,” Lisa announced. The contempt she felt for me was clear in her voice.
“We would,” I heard Brenna’s strong voice ring out. I looked over to see her and Luna standing just inside the door.
Lisa knew she only had a minute to complete whatever it was that she was planning to do. Brenna was only sixteen, and Luna was only fifteen at the time. They didn’t pose a real threat to them. Lisa, Tanya, and Bridget were eighteen, the same as I was. Only our immediate family knew that Brenna had received her wolf early. We all knew that Luna would probably be phasing early, too, most likely this year. Dad was sure it was from their having Alpha blood. He didn't even try to hide his disappointment in me while mentioning it.
Lisa scoffed as if she wasn't scared and quickly moved forward to try to choke me. She wasn’t going to miss this opportunity. I felt Lisa's claws briefly on either side of my neck before Brenna grabbed her and pulled her off of me. Benna had also changed her right hand into a claw. Brenna had grabbed Lisa’s right arm tightly to keep her from getting away. I saw where Lisa's eyes had been focused. I knew from what she had said to me that Lisa was probably going to try to tear the main vein in my neck open and let me bleed to death on the floor in this bathroom. Brenna yanked her away from me before she could do the damage she wanted. Lisa cried out in pain as Brenna’s claws sank further into her arm as she pulled her back.
The door suddenly slammed open with Lisa’s mother, Emily, the current Gamma female, standing there. She was shocked to see that Brenna held Lisa’s arm with a claw. “What the hell are you doing to my daughter?” she screeched out, attracting attention from those in the hallway.
“How come you didn’t come in here to help my sister when she needed help from your ugly daughter? Or were you just being the lookout for her while she tried to kill my sister? I bet you both want Cara dead or out of the pack. Clearly, your daughter wants to be Luna bad enough to kill off her competition. That is really sad. I hope you realize that even if you did kill her, Paxton would pine for her. Don't be so surprised, Lisa, even we noticed Paxton can’t take his eyes off of Cara,” Luna announced as Brenna kept her grip firmly on Lisa’s arm.
“Let her go this instant! If you hurt her, I will report you to the Alpha,” Gamma Emily spat out.
“Then have your spoiled daughter tell her friends to let go of my sister. I will let go of your daughter once they release Cara. I won’t let go until then. I may be young, but I know who I can and cannot trust around here,” Brenna stated calmly. She was not scared at all at having two Gamma females mad at her.
“You are no better than that witch you have for a sister. Why would you want to defend her against us? Your whole family would be better off just letting Lisa deal with her. It is a shame that you two can’t see that for yourselves. One day, you two will learn that you can’t trust a witch, even if she is your sister,” Gamma Emily told us before nodding to Lisa.
“Let her go!” Lisa shrieked. She was in pain, and her wolf couldn’t heal her with Brenna’s claws still inside her arm. I am sure it hurt her; Brenna was strong.
Tanya and Bridget were reluctant to let me go. They did it, but not before shoving me back into the wall. I could feel their anger and frustration at having to let me go. Brenna was true to her word and let go of Lisa. Lisa held her arm and stepped up to whisper in my ear.
“It isn’t only me who wants you dead. Thank your sisters for rescuing you this time. I will catch you later, Cara. I won’t allow Paxton to choose you over me. That will happen over my dead body,” Lisa told me. She headed for the door with her friends and her mother before stopping.
Lisa turned back around and said, “Brenna, you should have made better choices today. I will find a way to get you back, too.” The door then shut quietly behind her. The threat was real. Lisa wanted me dead, and the hate she felt for me was real. She didn’t try to hide it, as they knew I was powerless against them. I had no one here who could train me on how to be a witch. Even if I had, they would have forced me to leave here to learn. I couldn't stay here anymore once I had powers. The pack would be too scared to allow me to return.
She was right. No one wanted me here, not even my father and stepmother. They didn’t have to pretend anymore. Since I wasn’t a werewolf, I was branded as being worthless. I could only depend on my sisters from that moment on. They were the reason I got up each morning. They were how I made it through each horrible day. I was only there because I wanted to stay close to them. I wanted to try to protect them despite not having a wolf. I dreamt of a day when I could care for them as their older sister. To protect them as they protected me.
I Cannot believe my Ears
Chapter 4
Cara’s POV
The bad dreams just kept coming to me as I watched Lisa get more and more out of hand like it was one long movie reel. She never came after Brenna. She was always after me. I was the one she had a problem with. She also knew that she would lose a fight against Brenna. She had no other choice than to keep after me. She could easily beat me up, especially with the help of her friends. She did it every time she got a chance. She made sure that if my arm was broken, it wasn’t my right arm. That way, I could keep on working.
A rib or two here, a finger there, as she kept the doctor in business for a solid year. Seriously hurting me at least once a month. Once Brenna caught on to what was happening to me, she gave Lisa a taste of her own medicine. She asked to spar with Lisa during training. Lisa didn’t want to, but she was too embarrassed to refuse. She wanted to portray herself as strong. Paxton had taken over the pack at twenty-one, and she was nineteen. She wanted to be Luna. Admitting that you were scared of a seventeen year old, was not Luna behavior. Brenna broke her arm, the same one she broke on me, as well as a rib and a few fingers in that sparring match. She was absolutely deliberate in doing so.
Luna had told me that Brenna bent down to speak to Lisa after the fight. Lisa was hurting pretty bad and couldn’t get up. Luna told me that Brenna warned her to stay away from me. I wish I could say she did, but that didn’t happen. Lisa just got smarter about it. She became Luna, as she was the best option in the pack for him. At least, she had convinced the pack she was. She had already been sleeping with him for years, so it was a no-brainer. She got what she wanted. She had rank over me now and made my life a living hell like it was her job.
She included additional work to my already busy workload. I wasn’t ever allowed a day off. I wasn’t a wolf and would occasionally get sick, but that never mattered to Lisa. I was not allowed to stay home, no matter what. I worked at least ten hours a day, seven days a week. Lisa got her wish. I didn’t complain, but I was a shell of my former self. I couldn’t have breakfast at the packhouse, so I had to get up extra early to make it at home. I had to, as she worked me until dinner. Most days I was so tired, I just showered and fell into bed to get as much rest as I could. I bore it for my sisters.
I could see the concern they had for me. I could see the worry in their eyes. I downplayed it and took it for a few years. The last year and a half were the worst. Lisa couldn’t bear Paxton a heir. He stayed quiet for almost three years after he claimed Lisa as his chosen mate.
In a town hall meeting, he announced he would be looking “For a qualified pack member to bear my child. Someone who will provide an heir that I can be proud of.”
I felt sick. I knew what he was thinking the moment he looked at me. It didn’t go unnoticed, either. Lisa was breathing fire as she glared at me. I don’t want him, I never have, and never will. He is a pompous jerk who only cares about himself first and the pack second. Despite my being a hybrid, I knew he meant me when he spoke. If he wanted a she-wolf, that is what he would have said. Saying ‘packmember’ was as good as declaring that it was me that he was after. I am not going to allow that to happen. I started making plans to leave the pack at that moment.
I woke up at that point at the start of the next nightmare. My heart rate was too fast. I was sweating as if I had been running away from my dream. That nightmare was the moment our lives changed for the worse. I can handle tough work. I toughed through the broken bones and never missed work. I took it as my punishment for the alleged sin of my mother being a witch who dared to fall in love with a wolf. There was no use arguing with a pack full of wolves who believed that I should have never been allowed to exist.
FLASHBACK
I had been in the laundry room when it happened. The kitchen was on the wall behind the laundry area with a separate entrance. They did that to try to keep the area clear and out of the way of the kitchen traffic. Paxton’s office was on the opposite wall. When the kitchen staff had a falling out, I could hear them arguing through the vents, but only if the machines were not on. I had never before heard anything from Paxton’s office until that day.
My sisters and I have all been depressed and upset since the death of our parents last month. They had gone into town for their monthly date night and just never returned. The police came to the pack the next day to tell us that their car had been found in a ravine. They were holding hands when they were found, their love for each other still evident, even in death. It was hard moving on, as we loved them both. But we were forced to move forward because Paxton forced our hand. He had a replacement Beta here the day after the police had notified us of their deaths.
Clay has been here on numerous occasions. He usually flies here because it is quicker. Paxton always picked him up at the airport to bring him here. They always attract attention, whether they are together or apart. Paxton gives off a stronger Alpha aura. Paxton had dark brown hair and deep blue eyes. He had a handsome face and a strong jawline. He commanded attention from most, just not me or my sisters. Clay had brown hair, longer on top and shaved on the sides. He had soft brown eyes, but there was nothing soft about who he was on the inside. There was nothing nice or kind about either of them.
They were proud of the work they put into looking the way they did. They trained hard, and their bodies reflected it. They looked like they had been chiseled from stone. Broad shoulders and strong abs. They were never alone, no matter where they were. Even marking Lisa and making her his mate didn’t slow Paxton down. They seemed to feed off of each other’s body count.
It wouldn't be suspicious if you didn’t look at it too hard. I should have known that it wasn't a coincidence when he showed up with everything he owned in a U-Haul driven by a friend. He drove his truck, which was also filled to the brim with his stuff. It should have been impossible for him to have driven eight hours and loaded that truck so quickly. I just hadn’t been thinking clearly as I was still mourning. Paxton forced us out of our home the same night we were told of our parent's deaths. He gave it to Clay the next day. Clay was one of Paxton’s best friends. Clay was a few months younger than Paxton at twenty-four years old. Clay was the second son of a Beta in his former pack and was thrilled to get the Beta position here. Clay’s older brother had received the Beta position in his former pack.
I wouldn’t have even been there, as it was after hours, but my work had taken extra time that day. I went around making sure all the machines were empty, and the lint traps were clean enough for me to start the laundry immediately the next day when I heard them talking.
“Have you moved in?” Paxton asked.
“Yeah, I had help, so it went fast. They left about an hour ago to return home and turn the truck back in. Thanks for the call asking me to be your Beta. I hated thinking I would have no rank in my old pack simply because I was second-born. You are lucky to be an only child, man,” Clay responded.
I was rolling my eyes and getting ready to leave when my attention was grabbed by what Paxton said next. “I made the girls move out of the house so you could move in. I thought having them closer to us in the packhouse would be better. We will start working on them when Lisa goes out of town next weekend. She wants to go shopping in Los Angeles and is flying there with her friends. I plan on getting Cara to agree to be with me while Lisa is gone. I know that the pack won’t like it, but I want her. Our children will be handsome,” Paxton brags.
“You have had a hard-on for that girl for at least the last six years. She doesn’t want you, man; you need to face it and let it go. Pick someone else to play around with,” Clay replied. I sighed in relief as it seemed like Clay seemed to realize that no matter what Paxton did, I would not be receptive to it. I had just relaxed when my world was shattered.
“I have already had a taste of most of the unmated she-wolves here. I don’t want the ones who are easy to get anymore. I only want Cara. Besides, I have already gone too far to stop now. Getting rid of Beta James and his mate is complete. Clay, you are just as much a part of this as we are. Don't forget, it was all your idea. Rex and I just carried out your plan. You are just as much to blame for this as we are, so don’t try to back out now. If you don’t help us, we won’t help you take Luna as your chosen mate. I am their Alpha. I can Alpha command both her and Brenna to accept you and Rex as their mates. Their parents stood in the way for far too long. They would never change their minds about letting their daughter pick their mates. I know they would be happy to have chosen mates. They don’t need to find their true mates. They were having difficulty refusing to see our side of it, so I took them out of the equation. They needed to know their place. I am the Alpha here. No one can stop me from taking what I want,” Paxton announced.
Wait, what did he say? Did he just admit that he killed my parents? That they came up with a plan to get rid of our parents so they could force us to be with them? My stomach rolled, and I knew that I was about to lose the little food I had in my stomach. I rushed over to the sink on the wall as the trash can was too far away to make it. I knew I needed to calm down. I rinsed my mouth out to get closer to the vent again. I need to know the whole story so we can make up a plan to get out of here. I refuse to bend to Paxton’s will. I will not allow him to offer my little sisters up as some kind of screwed-up award to give to his band of disgusting men.
What I want, I Get
Chapter 5
Paxton’s POV
“Brenna was made for me. I can’t wait to mark and mate her. She will be a great Gamma female. There is no stronger she-wolf in our pack. I can't wait to make her mine,” Rex stated. I knew he was the one to choose her for the job, as he had wanted Brenna for a long time, too. She was a strong fighter, even stronger than he was. He couldn’t overpower her. He is from Gamma blood, and Brenna has Alpha blood in her, with a Beta ranking. That was the second reason that Rex hadn’t come forward to try to force her to be his. The shame of being bested by a woman would have made him furious. The main reason was that we were not confident that we could beat their father, James, in a fair fight. My father was still afraid of him, deferring to Beta James too damn often over the years.
My father was weak as an Alpha. I dealt with Beta James efficiently and without getting a scratch on me. I have lost any respect that I had for my father. I did what he couldn’t do, and I don’t feel bad about it. Plus, Beta James had hurt Cara. He wasn’t mean to her, but he allowed the pack to become more aggressive towards her in the last five years. I had to agree to make Lisa my Luna to get her to lay off Cara. I only slept with Lisa because she was always there, offering herself to me. I never had to look for company. She always placed herself in front of me. She seemed to be under the impression that she was some type of prize or something. She wasn’t.
She was well used before I had her, but her father was the Gamma. He also pushed for me to accept her, and Lisa was attractive. She was a ranked she-wolf, and although I only wanted Cara, I couldn’t have her. All three of Beta James’ daughters were off-limits to me and everyone else. He wanted all of his daughters to find their true mates, not to settle for being a chosen mate. I know what happened to him was the reason why he felt that way. I had already marked and mated with Lisa. Beta James knew I wanted Cara, but he had the nerve to tell me that I made my bed, now lie in it.
So I bided my time. Once I realized that Lisa was not going to be able to bear my child after the last three years. I waited another year before making my big announcement to the pack. I knew that Cara got my message loud and clear. Unfortunately for me, her father realized it, too. He had come to my office the next day to warn me to leave her alone. That was his biggest mistake. He couldn’t tell me, his Alpha, what to do. He signed his death sentence that day. I made sure to get rid of them both at the same time. I had to make sure that the girls were alone. The rest of the pack wouldn’t help them. It would be easier to control them this way.
I had called Clay the previous week to tell him to pack up and get out here, even before they had been found. Clay had given me the idea of what to do the last time we spoke. We had come up with the best plan for all of us. I knew when they were going out, they never kept it a secret. I knew that they would never be coming back. I sent Rex to follow them into the city. It would be obvious if I had gone there myself to do it. No one would question Rex about it; if they did, I would run interference for him. We were in it together to be able to get our dream girls.
I had a thing for Cara a lot longer than 6 years. Clay and Rex just weren’t aware of it, as I kept it to myself. When I turned thirteen and Cara was eleven, I knew I liked her. I didn’t care about the rumors that flew around her. I knew that Beta James had fallen in love with a witch himself. It was taboo, but I didn’t care. Cara was the most beautiful girl in the pack. The most beautiful girl I have ever seen. She was what I deserved to have as a mate.
I knew that Cara was the proof of their love. I know that looking at Cara over the years had to be hard for Ellen to do. She was not a bad step-mom to her. The fact that the pack was against her didn’t matter to me. I was completely in love with Cara when I was sixteen. It has only got stronger over the years. Being near her was heaven, but I couldn’t do it very often. In fact, it was rare for me to be able to be near her. So, I picked up the hobby of bullying her occasionally. I wished to the Goddess I hadn’t. I know that because of my actions, others followed along with my bad example.
Everyone picked on her from that point on, getting progressively worse. They felt that she was less than they were, all because her mother was a witch. Cara wasn’t a witch. Her mother left when she was still little, and she had no training. I couldn’t feel any power in her. She was as defenseless as a human here in the pack. The only reason that she was safe was because no one wanted to piss her father off. That changed once she turned eighteen and didn’t receive her wolf. I felt terrible for her. I could see that things went from bad to worse for her.
Beta James wasn’t outrightly mean to her, but he didn’t defend her like he used to, and the whole pack knew it. Her sisters did, and any who hurt her, had the same thing dealt out right back to them. The pack learned Cara may not have her father’s support, but she sure had her sister’s support. Only Lisa and her friends persisted in it. Most likely because she believed the pillow talk after we had sex. I didn’t want to take her on as my chosen. I only did it to get her off Cara’s back. Lisa knew I cared for Cara. Lisa’s threat to kill Cara was not an idle one. Lisa pointed out that the pack didn’t like Cara, and one small accident could likely kill her. I did what I had to do to protect her from Lisa.
Being belittled and occasionally shoved was far less punishment than what Lisa wanted to dish out to her. Once Lisa became Luna of the pack, she settled down for a while. She was very jealous of Cara. So, I avoided Cara and allowed Lisa to give her demeaning jobs to keep her calm. One morning at breakfast, it hit me. Lisa was scared of Brenna. That was the real reason that she backed off of Cara. The fact that Lisa laughed in my face when I confronted her was eye-opening for me. I never realized it at all, and it took me years to figure it out. I felt sick about it. I had been convinced that I had sacrificed myself for Cara, only to find out that Lisa had stopped because of Brenna.
Things went downhill fast for us at that point. I couldn’t stand to be around Lisa anymore. I stopped sleeping with her, and I didn’t want her to bear my heirs anyway. I always wanted Cara to be the mother of my pups. She was half-werewolf despite not being able to phase. I was sure that she could give me strong pups. The problem was that Cara couldn’t stand me. She didn’t want me. But I had already made the announcement to the pack. Cara immediately understood what I was trying to say. She knew she would be the one to provide the pack with their heirs.
I was sure that everything would work out fine after she bore the pack heirs and a few choice words from me. I would deal with Lisa. I warned her that if she hurt Cara, she wouldn’t finish the week. I was serious. I would kill her with my bare hands. No one was going to take Cara away from me. I would wage war on whoever tried to. I was serious; I would risk the whole pack to have her.
“Paxton, what is up with you, man? You completely zoned out on us,” Rex asked.
“I was just thinking about how I need to deal with Lisa. You know your sister is a possessive bitch. I only accepted her as my Luna because I knew Beta James would never allow me to claim Cara. I thought she would chill out by giving her the title she wanted, but she hasn’t. She eased off for a little while, but she has been pissed off ever since I announced that I would choose a pack member to bear my pups,” I replied.
“You knew who she was before you accepted her. She is a royal bitch to everyone, including me and Dad. The only people she likes are her two friends and Mom. That is it. The fact that Brenna will be my mate soon will ensure I don’t get anywhere near Lisa again. I know why you chose her. You would have been better off leaving the pack and finding someone else to be the Luna here. Lisa will never leave another girl alone. You must know that she uses the pack funds as her personal bank. She will run us into the ground and leave when the money runs out. You already knew it before you marked her,” Rex scoffed at me like I was stupid.
“I know how Lisa is. I guess if I need to, I can have Lisa visit the cells permanently. I don’t want to have to fight with her constantly over this. I am the Alpha here. What I want to happen is the most important thing. Cara will eventually learn to love me back. Once she has given me a pup or two, I am sure that she will grow to have feelings for me. It is only natural. Otherwise, she will end up locked in her gilded prison in a special room. One that allows me to ensure she stays pregnant with my pup until she learns that she should appreciate me more. I have done everything in my power to make Cara mine. She needs to have the proper appreciation for all that I have done for her,” I replied to Rex.
I watched Clay and Rex nod in agreement with what I just said. I was serious. I couldn’t kill Lisa; it would hurt me, too, as we are marked and bonded together. Lisa would live until I could find a way to reject her and break our bond. After that, I will decide what I want to do to her. If she is draining the pack's funds, as Rex stated, I am sure that they will be fine with me putting her to death for it. The pack funds are not for her to piss away. I have mentioned that before. The only reason that I am allowing it this time is because I want some time alone with Cara. I need a few days to charm her. But, if she refuses to come to me willingly, that is fine, too. The decision isn’t hers anymore. It is mine, and what I want, I get.
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