Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

T here was a werewolf standing in the middle of her driveway.

That wasn't such an unusual occurrence given Morgan was part of a pack of werewolves. What was unusual? She didn't recognize the colossal giant. He was huge, like he'd been bottle-fed steroids as a baby. It gave him the appearance that he'd been put together wrong—muscles grafted on top of muscles, as if sewn together by a mad scientist.

The ogre kind of looked odd not being green.

She was so distracted by the hulk that she missed the massive wolf that trotted out from the tree line to stand in the middle of the driveway, playing chicken with their truck.

Kincade cursed, slamming on the brakes as they pulled up to the coven. Everyone flew forward when the back wheels kicked out, gravel pinging the undercarriage as they skidded to a stop. Ryder wrapped her in his strong arms to keep her from launching into the windshield

The SUV stopped just inches from the wolf and his human counterpart.

They didn't even flinch.

Morgan wasn't sure if they were that confident the truck would stop in time, or if they thought they could catch a two-ton SUV with their bare hands.

The aggression in the vehicle ratcheted up until the air felt like soup. Ryder held her so tight that his growl vibrated in her chest, something she felt more than heard. She didn't need to look at him to know his teeth and claws were on display.

Draven held two knives in his grip, his bright blue eyes dark as he contemplated murder and where he could bury the bodies.

Morgan sighed when the rest of the guys appeared just as pissed. Steam rose from Ascher, his hellhound wanting to come out and play. Kincade had partially turned to stone, all the better to knock someone's head off their shoulders. While Atlas looked the calmest, it was a lie. Even though it was still daylight, a pale lavender tint spread across his skin, the dark elf in him wanting blood.

The guys had been on edge since they learned that her grandfather, an honest to goodness god, was alive and hunting for her.

Which left her to be the reasonable one.

Fuck.

We are so screwed.

With a grimace, she wiggled out from Ryder's comforting arms. He tightened his hold, resisting letting her go—no doubt the strange wolves in his territory were freaking out his wolf. She was actually surprised he managed to maintain his human form.

She knew better than to even bother asking the guys to stay in the vehicle. She suspected something like that would get her locked in the trunk—thankfully, they didn't have a trunk.

"Let me do the talking." She waited for all the guys to acknowledge her before opening the door. As soon as her foot hit the ground, the guys were out of the vehicle and she was surrounded.

She tried to peer around them, even going so far as to rise on her tiptoes, but got nowhere. She considered herself lucky to be able to breathe with the way they crowded her. The necklace she wore warmed, the metal twisting and turning, leaving a stunning, snarling wolf dangling on the end of the chain.

Not very helpful.

She waited for a sign or intuition to strike, but the magic left in a rush.

While she knew they were wolves, she wasn't sure if that made them friend or foe.

"Guys—move." It was like they couldn't hear her, and she began throwing elbows. Draven grunted when one landed in his kidney, then he reluctantly stepped aside and allowed her to observe their visitors.

The wolf, now in human form, stood with his back to her as he pulled on a pair of jeans, the muscles of his back flexing. Ascher growled at the display, while Kincade wrapped a possessive arm around her waist and tugged her back against him.

Morgan rolled her eyes before throwing a look at him over her shoulder. "I have seen more than enough ass in my life with you guys strutting around naked. I'm not going to keel over with the vapors."

Draven snorted, his blue eyes stormy as he glanced at her. "It's more due to the fact that he was presenting himself to you."

"Hardly." It was her turn to snort at the absurdity. "He's a shifter. I've been told many times over the last week that being naked is very natural to them."

Draven pursed his lips like he'd tasted something sour, but Atlas spoke before he could say anything. "It's one thing for your pack to act that way, it's different when another pack does it."

She narrowed her eyes on the new arrivals. The man had turned and smirked at her in a way that raised her hackles. Her cuffs melted down, forming a single short sword in her hand.

He glanced at the weapon, not the least bit intimidated, and cocked an eyebrow. "Is your sword happy to see me?"

Ryder snarled, baring his fangs as he lunged forward. Atlas was barely able to hold the wolf back in time .

It took her a second to process the man's words. She gave a horrified look at the sword in her hands and immediately released the blade.

Which had been exactly his aim.

She couldn't help the way her lips twitched, and she nudged Kincade to release her. "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

She spotted Loki, the massive gardog slinking along the bushes next to the house…if a dog with wings the size of a car could actually slink. His head and front were low against the ground, churning up dirt as he pushed forward, but his backend was high in the air, his pointed tail lashing.

He was three times the size of the bushes he was hiding behind.

Despite his size, he was amazingly silent, moving at the speed of a slug.

The beastie had been practicing, trying to up his ambush game by using her and the guys as his targets.

Surprisingly, he was getting damn good at it.

Draven ran a tired hand down his face when he spotted their protector and released a long sigh, but otherwise pretended not to see anything.

The amusement dropped away from the visiting wolf at her question, his shoulders going back, and a serious look entered his dark green eyes. The transformation was minute, but the change was drastic—he went from the friendly guy next door to a murderous thug.

His brown hair was only long enough to curl, his jaw strong, the angles of his face harsh without the smile to soften his expression.

It was the face of the man who had seen too much and yet survived.

And she knew she wasn't going to like what he had to say.

"I'm Louis, alpha from the Arbor pack. We share the borders to the national park that abuts this land." The hulk behind him shifted and scowled, but Louis didn't pause. "The Alpha Assembly is gathering tomorrow and demands your presence."

"Demands, you say? Interesting. Especially since you're standing on Academy grounds." Morgan crossed her arms and lifted a challenging brow. "And that national park is part of the coven, as you well know."

His smile became sharp, more teeth than anything pleasant. "Every new werewolf in the territory must present themselves to the Assembly. You don't have to go, but your wolves do."

He spoke to her like she was an idiot, his condescending tone grading on her nerves. Magic swirled around her at the threat, and she clenched her hand into a fist to stop it from knocking the fucker on his ass.

Much to her surprise—and annoyance—a black, glittering fog gathered around her hand and the obsidian bow she had taken from the gods formed in her grip. "Are you threatening the people of my coven?"

Louis's eyes landed on the weapon and any amusement vanished. He stiffened, claws slowly piercing the ends of his fingers. His lips curled slightly, and she knew he was fighting the urge to snarl. "Not a threat. We were sent to extend an invitation."

She barely resisted the urge to snort.

Invitation, my ass.

She tried to release her hold, but the damned thing was welded to her hand, almost as if it sensed the threat and refused to leave when she was vulnerable. She glanced at Ryder. "Explain."

A muscle ticked in his jaw, which meant the jackhole was telling the truth, and her spirits plummeted.

"The Alpha Assembly is a committee consisting of ruling alphas." The flat tone of Ryder's voice held no emotions, the man reverting back to the submissive wolf she had first met. "All wolves are subject to their rules."

Needing her wolf back, she marched up to Ryder until barely a space rested between them and grabbed the back of his neck. " You are my wolf. My mate. No one will take you away from me."

Morgan allowed the chaotic magic swirling around her free rein, not bothering to hold back any of it when she turned toward the two intruders. Dark, ominous clouds formed overhead, the shadows around them lengthening, the earth rumbling. Even the wards warbled in warning.

The hulk backed up with a snarl, the hairs on his arms standing on end. Louis wasn't any happier, his face harsh as he glared down at her. When she refused to back down, both men slightly tipped their heads to the side in submission.

Uncertain what was happening, Morgan grimaced, her stomach churned with unease.

Before she could retreat, Kincade came to her side, slipped his hand into hers, and whispered, "Steady."

Blowing out a harsh breath, she dialed back the magic slightly, feeling it curl around her like a protective shield. When she would've demanded answers, the door to the coven opened and Caedmon stood over the threshold.

The elf shifter was dressed as a warrior, his brilliant yellow eyes almost glowing as he strode down the steps toward her, power rolling off him in waves. Loki took that time to launch himself from between the bushes and trot next to him, his head and tail high, his ears forward.

When his bright burnt red eyes landed on the two shifters, murder darkened them until they swirled like lava flowing under the surface. His demeanor shifted, his snout curling up to reveal three-inch fangs.

Caedmon lightly ran his hand down the dog's back, his palm coming to rest on the top of Loki's head, and the beast calmed, leaning against him.

Caedmon remained expressionless, ignoring everything else but her as he stopped in front of them. Dark lines and dots swirled down the side of his face, the tattoos only adding to his badass nature, especially since they were a badge of honor few fae ever achieved .

In the last two weeks, his appearance had changed. He was still slim, but he was no longer gaunt. His black hair now had a sheen to it, his pale face only accentuating the exotic look. If it weren't for the slightly pointed ears, she would assume he was pure wolf in human form.

"My queen." He bowed slightly when he was only a few feet away, his voice a sexy rasp that was hard to ignore.

Louis and his man stiffened, their wolves practically pressing against the undersides of their skin.

A lot more was being said than she could pick up, and she didn't like being left in the dark. "Okay, what the hell is happening?" When she struggled to release the bow again and failed, her annoyance broke free. "And how the hell do I get rid of this thing?"

She shook the bow at Caedmon and glared.

He'd been around almost as long as the gods or thereabouts.

If anyone should know, it would be him.

His eyebrows shot up, his eyes widening when he saw the weapon. He released an almost silent huff of laughter. "Why am I not surprised you managed to win favor with the gods?"

She glared in frustration, then turned toward Kincade and pouted. "Make him play nice."

Kincade smiled down at her, kissing the tip of her nose. "Try smiling at him."

Morgan cocked her head to the side, giving him a confused look.

Caedmon cleared his throat, and she turned to see him coughing into his fist. Then he put his hands behind his back, nodding to the bow, completely in teacher mode. "The bow reacts to your instincts, much like your blades. You have more control over the metal, but the concept is the same. These two wolves are not a threat to you."

She glanced at the wolves and shook her head with a shrug. "Yeah, I know they're not a threat to me, but I don't like them on my property, trying to tell me how to run my coven and wolves. Trying to take my men. "

Caedmon's brows rose at her confession, and he frowned. "The only way they can take your wolves is through a challenge. They're just messengers."

She glanced down at the bow, ordering her hand to release it, but the stupid thing remained, the damn thing mocking her. She turned and glared at Caedmon, speaking through gritted teeth. "Yeah, it's not working."

He tilted his head slightly as he peered down at the bow, then nodded as if to himself before glancing back up at her. "Hold the bow out."

She cast him a suspicious look but did as ordered.

He held his hand out underneath hers, and she narrowed her gaze, not sure she wanted him touching the bow. She trusted him…somewhat. But the bow itself was something she took from the gods. She was feeling protective of the elf and didn't want him to get hurt.

Caedmon waited patiently for her to decide, his yellow eyes softening, silently asking for her trust.

Fuck.

She released her grip.

And the bow dropped, vanishing into a swirl of dark smoke before it even touched his palm.

"It worked!" She flashed him a smile, and he returned her grin.

"It's a reflex." He retracted his arm, slipping it behind his back once more. "Once you get used to banishing it, you'll be fine."

Before she could even form a reply, the two wolves dropped one knee to the ground, their heads bowed, and she blinked at them in astonishment. Not wanting to take her eyes off them, she forced herself not to take a step back and spoke out of the side of her mouth. "What are they doing?"

Caedmon's lips twitched for barely a second when he answered. "I believe they finally noticed the alpha queen symbol on your arm."

She glanced down at the tiny blood red moon etched on her arm, which swirled and glowed under her regard. The bow and arrow symbol over the top didn't detract from it at all.

She wanted to cover it with her hand, not liking the attention…or more specifically, their reaction to it. "Well, make them stop."

This time, there was no stopping the smile, and he chuckled. "They've probably never seen an alpha queen before today. Tell them that we'll attend their Assembly tomorrow." Then his voice hardened as he turned toward the wolves. "They will have no choice but acknowledge your position and claim over the loup garou and werewolves in the coven, releasing you from any duties and responsibilities to them."