Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 68913 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68913 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“What?” A low growl began to rise in Cole’s throat. “You’ll never have her—she’s mine!” He snarled, the fur standing up on the back of his neck, which made him look even bigger and more menacing.
“You can’t claim your own sister as a mate!” Rickter scoffed at him. “Though I’m very glad you tried—in just a few minutes I’ll be showing the evidence of what you did with her to the entire Council. Once they see how you molested your own sweet little sister, I’m sure they’ll agree that you’re no longer fit to be Packmaster and that the Pack needs a better, more experienced male to lead it.”
“You can’t take my place that easily, Rickter,” Cole growled. “I’ll let the Council know you’ve been planning to replace me!”
“Do you really think they’ll care once they see the pictures of your own little sister dripping with your seed?” Rickter demanded. “Speaking of Delilah, it’s time for her to get ready for her Choosing Ceremony.”
“No!” I gasped, backing further away from him.
“You don’t fucking touch her!” Cole snarled, keeping himself between me and the shotguns.
Rickter lunged forward but instead of the gun, he suddenly had the spray can again—the one he’d used on Cole earlier.
“Cole, watch out!” I screamed and my big brother ducked his shaggy head but not quite enough. Some of the spray caught him in the face and he began to wobble—suddenly unsteady on his four feet.
“He’s almost out—Kurt, you take the girl,” Rickter snapped. I saw Cole’s eyes roll up to look at his second in command even as he collapsed to the floor.
“Kurt?” he growled. “How…could you?”
Kurt looked ashamed as he stepped past Cole’s big Wolf body.
“Sorry, Boss,” he mumbled “I have to stick with the winning side, you know? Come on,” this last was directed at me as he took me by the arm.
“Cole! No!” I struggled away and ran to fall on my knees beside him. I wrapped my arms around his big, shaggy neck and buried my face in the ruff at his neck. “Oh big, brother!” I sobbed, pressing my face into his soft, warm fur. “Oh, please!”
“Lilah…” His eyes were barely open and it was clear he was making an immense effort to speak. “I’ll…come…for…you,” he rasped out. “Love…you.”
“I love you too!” I sobbed. And then Kurt and the other Alpha were dragging me up off the floor, away from Cole’s Wolf.
“Go on, my dear,” Rickter said to me, his eyes crawling all over my naked body again. “Get ready for your Choosing Ceremony. And just know that it is my knot you will be accepting by the end of the night!”
“Never!” I spat at him. “I’ll never let you knot me! I don’t want anyone but Cole!”
“I’m afraid it’s against the Unbreakable Laws to let your own big brother knot you,” he said, making a face. “Also, once the Council declares me the new Packmaster and I let all the Alphas know I want you for myself, no one else will dare to try and knot you. They’ll leave that pleasure to me. And I promise, it will be a pleasure to bend such a headstrong little bitch to my will.”
“You’re dreaming!” I snarled. “I’ll never give in to you, Rickter—never!”
“Oh but you’re wrong, my dear,” he purred, giving me a lascivious look. “By the end of this night you’ll be wearing my breeding bump with pride. And by the end of the year, you’ll be bearing me the first of many sons to start my dynasty!” He motioned at Kurt. “Now go—get her to the Elder Bitches so they can ready her for the ceremony. I have some business with the Council before I can take my pleasure with her.”
And then Kurt and the other Alpha guard dragged me out of the hut, away from Cole’s prone body to get ready for the ceremony I dreaded.
17
COLE
I woke up when someone sprayed something cold directly into my sensitive nose.
“Boss? Boss, wake up. Cole, come on, please!” A familiar voice was saying in my ear.
I sneezed, wondering why everything looked like it was in black and white and why my nose was so sensitive. Then I realized that I must have somehow fallen asleep while I was in my Shifted form which is not something I’ve ever done before. Though my Wolf is a big part of me, I still feel more comfortable sleeping as a human.
“Boss, please!” The familiar voice said again.
I lifted my head and shook it, trying to get my vision to clear. When it did, I saw Kurt—that traitor—standing in front of me. I lunged at him, snapping for his throat and he barely pulled back in time.
“Cole, it’s me!” he exclaimed.
“I know who it is—you helped Rickter!” I snarled.
“Only so he wouldn’t blow a hole in you or your sister!” Kurt protested. “And I’m here now to give you the antidote to the Wolf’s Bane spray he used on you. Hurry and get up—you have to get to the Council meeting and speak your truth before the Ceremony starts!”