47. Anna

47

Anna

The other alphas didn't question or comment when Jax announced that I was guarding the prize, which was TK, and judging the participants upon their return. It was based on both speed, weight, and takedown, which we were monitoring on cameras.

Quite a few members of our pack were participating, and many of those smirked my way, as if they assumed Jax thought I was too weak to participate.

Only Emerson's eyes glittered with cold amusement. He probably knew how I felt about showing my wolf.

Unease slithered down my spine. He could not get to me here. I was surrounded by Amelia and a dozen wolves.

I was safe.

As the horn sounded, indicating the beginning of the hunt, the wolves began to shift. Only Jax hesitated and looked my way again, indecision in his eyes.

I gave him a reassuring smile, but that didn't stop the look of anger in his face as he finally shifted and joined the others.

"If you get any more tense, you'll break," Amelia muttered. "Relax. It's two hours, and then you'll be safe in the house once again."

"It's not just that." I glanced at the sky, unable to shake Irene's words. If Emerson was going to make a move, any kind of move, now was certainly the time to do it. Each shifter was on their own, so no one would be watching him. "Something is going to happen in this hunt. Maybe just not to me."

"You're worried about Jax? Nobody would be dumb enough to attack him on his own land," Amelia snorted, but I noticed she also tensed and glanced around. Now she was worried as well.

She'd also heard Irene's words.

"Eager to get off bodyguard detail?"

"I do as my alpha commands." She slid her gaze to me and grinned. "Although, I will say it's never dull being around you."

"Hold on to that feeling."

If she or any of the other wolves were upset about not joining the hunt, they didn't let on.

Even Jenson wasn't participating. He'd taken to guarding himself tonight.

Anxiously, I stared out at the woods. Irene had done her best to get a warning to Lunessa, but what if she was found out there? If she died and her magic drained, all really would be lost.

"Ah, Anna Kipling. Alpha Jax's mate. I was hoping that we might have a word."

Amelia snarled and immediately placed herself between Emerson and me, but Emerson hadn't crossed the boundary of wolves circled around us.

None of them had moved to defend me either.

Emerson was fully dressed, although I'd watched him shift and join the rest of the hunt. In his hand, he had a small rabbit. "My apologies for startling you. You are the judge of the hunt, are you not? I'm here to be judged."

"The hunt is still another hour, alpha Emerson," I called out. Damn it, my voice shook just a little.

"Yes, but speed and creativity are two of the marks. I think you'll find it rather interesting how I caught this rabbit. Besides, hunting is not a sport I enjoy. I thought I might sit the rest of it out and we could chat."

"Ginger," Amelia barked. "Relieve alpha Emerson of his prize and see to it that his hunt is studied."

The blonde shifter moved and stepped toward Emerson. I almost called out a warning, but Emerson handed over his rabbit without a fuss. Only a small amount of relief swept through me.

"I can't order him to leave," Amelia whispered. "What do you want me to do?"

"He won't kill me." Knowing Emerson could hear every word, I didn't bother to whisper. "If he wants to pass the time here, in this protected circle, he's welcome to."

"Of course I wouldn't hurt you. You're my host," he said graciously as he came closer and sat on the grass. Sitting cross-legged, he stared at me. "I'm sure you've been dying to speak to me. Wouldn't you rather do it now rather than wait?"

He wasn't wrong. I didn't want to be alone with him, but I also didn't want to keep waiting for him to make his move. He had no chance of kidnapping me tonight, not when the woods were full of wolves.

"Amelia, join the guards," I said quietly. "I'll let you know if I need help."

"If you have to shout for my help, it'll be too late," Amelia said anxiously. "Don't do this."

"It's all right. I know what I'm doing." At least, I hope I did.

Furious, she stomped away, but she turned and stared at me. If Emerson tried to move any closer to me, she would strike.

"She'll be able to hear you, you know."

"No. She won't. Sound muting charm, but don't worry. It's only affective at a certain decimal. If you shout, she will still hear you."

I stared at him. "I'm supposed to take your word for it?"

"I know you think me a villain, Anna, but I am not here to harm you. I would never do that. I respect you too much."

"Respect?" I snorted. "You forget that I know you. You respect nothing."

"That is because you do not know what it is that I did for you. Do you really think that shifter you released into the woods would live long enough to return to Jax? I knew your plan. I had my witch heal her enough to get her across the border. I am the reason that Jax found you and murdered your father."

Horrified, I stared at him. "Why?"

"Dean told me he was still killing. He was going to bring ruin down on all of us if he didn't stop. I made it happen."

How casually he admitted that Dean worked for him. He was so confident that whatever plan he had set before would work, he wasn't even trying to hide it. "Cora died," I said tightly.

"You had a witch heal her just enough to make her journey but not enough to heal her? That makes you a monster, Emerson."

"Not a monster. Just a man who understands the bigger picture," Emerson said gently, as if he was talking to a child. "Cora needed to die to inspire Jax to do the same."

"He could have killed me. Then where would you be with your big picture?"

Cocking his head, he studied me with a smile. "What makes you think you're important to my bigger picture, Anna? Is there something special about you that I should know about?"

Annoyed, I rolled my eyes. "What do you intend to do? The Darkwyn coven foresees a future of darkness. How do you benefit from that?"

"Please. The Darkwyn coven are nothing but lying hags. They've manipulated the witches and the wolves of this region for years. Their end will be swift and satisfying for all. It's time for the wolves to be out in the open. To reign supreme. To take the power we've always wanted."

Was he talking about coming out to the humans? To let the world know that magic existed?

That was madness. "And you want to reign as king?"

"I will be a god, Anna. And you will be my goddess. You'll have the kind of power you always dreamed of. No one would be able to hold you back."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Except you?"

"We would be equals. You will be my mate. My lover. My everything."

Bile rose up in my throat. He believed every word he was saying. How could he not see that it wasn't possible? "Jax is my mate. Wolves do not mate more than once. You know that."

"The bond is false. When I break it, you will see. You will come to me willingly."

"You have to know that I'm going to tell Jax everything you've just said. He already knows you're behind Irene's kidnapping and the dead witches."

"It's nothing. A single leaf in a forest. He'll never be able to convince the other alphas without proof, and he has none. Jax is powerful, but he is only a wolf. I have magic on my side." His eyes blazed with intensity. "I will have everything that was promised me."

And just who the hell was promising him anything? Here I was thinking that Emerson was the mastermind, but what if someone else was playing him like a puppet?

A wolf's howl sounded in the night, and Amelia and the others immediately turned their heads. They were feeling something in the pack bond. Something I couldn't. "What is it?" I shouted as I ran to her.

"Trouble," Amelia said shakily. Pulling up her radio, she ordered a status update.

I whipped my head around and stared at Emerson, but he hadn't even bothered to get off the ground. Lying back, he just stared into the night sky.

The radio beeped. "We have a body."