Chapter 23

Sophia Hope

A large, black wolf is staring at me.

He doesn't go after the other wolf. Instead, he circles me, sniffing at me before coming to a stop next to me, his stance protective. He nudges me with his head.

"I'm not hurt, Alex."

Of course I know who this is. My wolf also recognizes him.

A moment later, two other wolves show up. Alex growls and tilts his head in the direction of his fallen companion, who stumbles to his feet and disappears into the forest. The two wolves who came with Alex race off after him.

Alex shifts back into his human form. His eyes are frantic as his hands cup my face. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I insist.

He doesn't seem to believe me, checking every inch of my body that isn't covered by clothes. Not satisfied, his hands reach for the hem of my shirt, but I immediately slap them away.

"Not happening."

Alex studies me. "You're not lying; you're unhurt. If anyone ever lays a finger on you—"

"You'll do nothing," I reply quietly. I glance in the direction of the trees. "You have some interesting friends."

"You are an anomaly."

"Nobody in our pack will ever accept you."

It's not like I have a stone inside my chest. The weight of that wolf's words sink in, and my already bruised heart aches. I'm pretty sure Alex's other companions share the same opinions.

Alex's eyes are fixed on my face as he contemplates my words, and then his expression darkens. "I'll deal with Nathan, and he'll apologize to you for what he said."

Jolted, I exclaim, "You overheard our conversation?!"

"We weren't that far away," Alex admits. There's an odd emotion in his eyes that I find overwhelming. I look away.

"Whatever. I was heading to the lake, but I'll just go back home now."

"I'll take you to the lake—"

"No." I turn around, Nathan's words still revolving in my head. "I'll see you later."

I've only taken a few steps when Alex pulls me back to him, his hand curled around my wrist. I slam into his chest, and he holds me there, looking down at me.

My heart skips a beat at how close we are, and for a second, I think about how easy it would be to go up on tiptoe and kiss him. It feels different now. The simmering heat between us has expanded into an all-consuming hunger. My body craves his touch, and when he has me pressed against his body like this, I can't help but recall how his bare skin felt under my hands, how the sweat tasted when my tongue lapped at him.

I can feel the wetness form between my legs, and I jerk back. Alex, though, has no intention of letting me go.

His eyes are burning with suppressed emotion. "Nathan was out of line. What you said…"

I free myself from his hold, using all my strength. "I don't want to get into it. You should go check on him, make sure he's not hurt too badly. And let me know if I need to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of your friends, as well."

"They wouldn't dare—"

"Clearly, they do dare." I give him a humorless smile. "I should go."

"Sophia…"

Before I can say anything, I hear footsteps, and we both turn around to see Patrick and Jared; they are dragging Nathan behind them as they approach us. A fourth companion is trailing after them, shaking his head with a disappointed look on his face. Patrick tosses Nathan at our feet.

Alex's voice is nothing short of a roar. "Apologize!" He grabs the man by the scruff of his neck and lifts him in the air, forcing him to face me. Nathan refuses to meet my eyes, and I take a couple steps back from him.

"I don't need an apology, Alex. You can't force your people not to feel a certain way about me."

I'm trying to be neutral. I just want to walk away from this whole matter. I want Nathan's words to stop ringing in my ears.

"We don't feel that way about you," the last of the bunch says, his voice grim. "You'll have to forgive Nathan. He has a one-track mind when it comes to this mission—"

"Don't defend him!" Jared says, his lips twisting. "He insulted our Alpha's mate."

"She's not his mate!" A flush of anger creeps up Nathan's face. "She's not deserving enough to be called his mate. She's not even a proper wolf! The Silver Wolf is the only—"

I don't know what I expected to happen, but Alex releasing Nathan just to punch him in the jaw has me gasping in shock. Nathan drops to the grass beneath us.

"Say that again." Alex grabs him by the throat and pins him to the ground. "I fucking dare you."

"What are you doing?!" I ask in alarm. "You'll kill him!"

Alex gives me an incredulous look. "Have you forgotten that he tried to kill you mere minutes ago?!"

I open my mouth and then snap it shut. He has a point. But, "You don't have to kill him. Besides, nothing he said was wrong. That is…Part of what he said is true. I mean —" I don't know why I'm trying to defend Nathan. I guess I don't want to see anybody die because of me. "And you and I are not…We're not exactly mates, so…" I can't seem to get the right words out. Alex is staring at me. As is everybody else. "Just let him go." I grab his wrist, and he doesn't resist when I remove his hand from Nathan's throat. "I'll just be more careful when I go out."

"What do you mean by that?" Alex gives me a concerned look.

I look around at his companions and remain silent.

Patrick seems to understand what I'm not saying, and he sighs. "None of us will try to harm you, Sophia."

I shrug, grabbing the strap of my bag with both hands for good measure. "I should go."

"Not till he apologizes." Alex's voice is icy. He looks down at Nathan, who is pale as a sheet. "If you're going to hurt the woman I care about, then why should I stand up for the people you love?"

I've never seen Alex this angry. The power emitting from him is terrifying and something I've never felt before. My wolf relishes in it, preening at the sight of our mate's strength.

Nathan's head jerks up at Alex's words, a horrified look in his eyes. "You can't go back on your promise!"

"You broke your word, didn't you? I told all of you not to go near Sophia, and you agreed you wouldn't."

"You fucked her!" Nathan screams hoarsely. "Next time you'll give her your mating mark! What about my sister? Who's going to rescue her when you're off with this freak of nature? You said you would mate the Silver Wolf! You have to—"

He's not allowed to finish the sentence because Jared smacks him across the back of his head.

"Shut up, Nathan! Sophia was right. We should not expect Alex to sacrifice his own happiness. Everything he's done since he became Alpha has been for us. When was the last time he did anything for himself?"

"But my sister's life—"

"We know!" Patrick says harshly. "We're not talking about jeopardizing her life. We haven't even found the Silver Wolf yet. We don't even know if we will, or if she'll be able to help us! Going after Alex's mate just to get her out of the way is inexcusable."

Nathan presses his lips together and falls silent.

"I already told you that Alex rejected me," I tell him calmly, "and I'm helping him look for the Silver Wolf. Killing me is pointless. You'll just have needless blood on your hands."

Alex gives me a dark look. "If he kills you, I will kill him. And don't talk about your life like it's meaningless, Sophia."

Nathan flinches, as do I.

"I've always known you were a little hotheaded, Nathan, but for you to take this ruthless approach where my mate is concerned? That's something I'm not going to forget anytime soon," Alex tells him in no uncertain terms.

"I'm leaving," I say abruptly. "This is your matter to deal with."

I don't let them stop me this time. I walk past them all, my heart still thundering in a feverish rhythm, and head toward my original destination: the lake.

I escaped death by a hair's breadth today. Nathan fully intended to spill my blood. I don't have any loyalty toward any of them, but if his little sister is the reason he's acting so recklessly, I can understand. He has something to protect. In his eyes, I was probably an obstacle that needed to be removed.

I trek through the trees, trying not to think of the way Alex called me his mate.

Not his fated mate. His mate.

My wolf feels smug at this development and rumbles happily.

"Shut up," I mumble under my breath. "It was a slip of the tongue. He didn't mean to call me that."

My wolf silently disagrees.

*** **

Lake Mist is a hidden gem in this town. It is said that the lake has been enchanted by witches, and at night, it glows under the moonlight. I've never seen it like that because I've never felt inclined to come all the way out here at night. It's just as beautiful in the daytime, I'm sure—the water is a clear, crystal blue, and the sun's reflection gives the lake a shimmery, mystical appearance.

Somebody had the idea to install a couple of benches around the lake. I think it must have been a human. I can't imagine shifters wanting benches so they can sit and stare at the water. They would rather lie on the rocks or swim in the lake. My preference is usually to dive straight in and try to explore the bottom, which I've never actually reached. But today, I find myself sitting on one of the benches with my legs crossed underneath me, just gazing at the environment. It is serene. I listen to the sound of birds chirping in the trees and see the wildflowers blooming all around. It lets me take a sigh of relief.

Alex was truly angry. I never expected that sort of reaction. Annoyance perhaps. Maybe even irritation that Nathan tried to kill me, especially since I'm helping Alex look for the Silver Wolf. But the kind of fury I saw in Alex shocked me. It's not like he hasn't been protective of me in the past; he always gets agitated when I'm injured or being threatened. But the fact that he turned on one of his own people over me is something I am having a tough time wrapping my brain around.

"Nobody in our pack will ever accept you."

Nathan's words still make me feel small. I lower my gaze to my hands and twiddle my thumbs, trying to keep the raw emotions at bay. I wasn't asking anybody to accept me. So, why does it hurt so much?

I already knew Patrick does not consider me a good fit for Alex. I overheard him saying so. Why should it surprise me that the other members of their group feel the same way?

My wolf's excitement about being at the lake dims at my heavy thoughts.

I am no stranger to exclusion, but this time it cuts me to the core. Pulling my knees up to my chest, I rub my eyes fiercely, mumbling, "I don't need them. So what if they don't want me? I don't want them, either! It's not as if I'm dying to join their pack or anything."

I wipe a stray tear from my cheek.

My chin now resting on my arms, I stare out at the lake. Water has always soothed me. I never understood why, but even as a child, I felt most at peace when I was near a body of water. Even after Noah attempted to drown me, I never developed a fear of water. If there is such a thing as reincarnation, I would like to come back as a shark or a whale. I want to be something fierce but also get to swim in water all day, away from the troubles and heartbreak this world has to offer.

A giggle escapes my mouth as I imagine myself as a shark.

"I'm glad to see you're in a good mood." Alex's voice from behind me has me nearly falling off the bench.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even notice him. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to check up on you." He sits down next to me. "Why were you laughing?"

"I was thinking silly thoughts." I turn my attention back to the lake.

"Like what?" He leans back against the bench, but I can feel his eyes on me.

I feel embarrassed. "I was just wondering if we get another chance at life. Life after death."

"You mean reincarnation?" he asks.

"Yes."

"What's so funny about reincarnation?"

"I decided I want to be a shark in my next life," I declare. "It made me laugh, imagining myself as one."

Alex shakes his head. "I can't see you as a shark. You don't have those bloodthirsty tendencies."

"I could be a shark if I wanted to." I give him an irritated look. "And who's asking you, anyway?"

"I would rather you be born a shifter in your next life, so that we can meet again," Alex says quietly, staring at me. "Perhaps in circumstances that won't separate us."

I'm about to say something nasty to him, but my heart is suddenly filled with a terrible, suffocating sadness. My eyes feel dewy, and I look away from him.

"I'm sure you'll find somebody else in your next life. I want to be a shark."

It's a silly, hypothetical situation, but it still has me feeling miserable. Even in my imagination, I don't want to risk my heart again.

"I don't think I'll find anybody quite like you," Alex murmurs, his voice thick with emotion.

Why is he doing this? Why is he making this so hard for me?

I wrap my arms tighter around my knees. "I don't want to meet you in my next life, Alex. I already regret meeting you in this one."

My words are harsh, but he doesn't understand the agony blazing inside me. Rejection. From every corner, I keep facing rejection. One day, I'm sure my heart will crumble to dust or simply explode from all this pain.

"I guess I deserve that."

I hate the loneliness I hear in his voice. And the hurt. I don't like that I put it there.

"So, what's going to happen to Nathan now?" I ask, desperate to change the subject.

"I haven't decided yet," Alex replies. His voice is heavy. "I always knew he had a temper, but for him to explode like that is unprecedented. When he found out you and I slept together, he didn't say a word. I should have noticed that, when everybody else was giving their two cents, it was odd that he was silent. It never occurred to me that he would go after you, try to get you out of the picture altogether."

"He mentioned his sister."

Alex runs his fingers through his hair, his expression tired. "Nathan's sister, Lexie, was just born a year ago. His parents had been away on a mission during the massacre, so they'd survived unscathed. When they returned years later with their new baby, they resisted giving Lexie to the nursery. And they were executed for it. Lexie is all Nathan has left. I was never going to bring him on this mission, but he insisted."

Suddenly, I find myself sympathizing with the boy—no matter how he acts or dresses, he can't be more than eighteen years old. "You should go easy on him. It's not like he actually managed to hurt me or anything."

A cold note touches Alex's voice. "He would have if I hadn't stopped him."

"But he didn't. You got there in time. And I will watch my back from now on."

He lets out a bitter laugh. "Right now, it feels like I cannot even trust my own people. You are the single most precious thing in my life, and they want to take you away from me."

His words stun me. What did he just say?

I sneak a look at him, and he's watching me, his gaze unwavering.

"You can't say things like that to me, Alex. I don't want you to lie to me."

"It's not a lie!" Alex raises his voice, sounding strained and upset. "You are precious to me. I know you dislike me, and I know it's my own fault for putting you through something you never deserved. I don't have any right to say these things to you or to feel this way or even to want to touch you. But I do. I would have ripped Nathan apart to save you, Sophia. I fully intended to kill him. If you hadn't stopped me, he would be dead right now. He owes you his life, and he understands that now."

"You should go back." I want Alex away from me. I don't want to think about his words and what they make me feel. I don't want to yearn for him. However, instead of leaving as I asked, Alex wraps his arm around me and pulls me to his side.

"For a little while, let's pretend everything is fine between us." His voice is hoarse. "Let's pretend I'm courting you, and we're happy, and all is well in our world."

I close my eyes, not fighting him. I want to pretend that I'm happy. That there's nothing wrong in my world. That I'm not helping my own fated mate look for another female so they can leave me behind.

I want to pretend that I have a mate who adores me and whose presence is a balm on every wound I have ever sustained on my heart.

Silently, I lean against Alex, watching the calm lake.

Pretending.

*** **

By the time I get home, it's quite late, and my heart feels bruised. Alex and I didn't share any words, just sitting there on that bench for hours, till the sun finally set. And once it did, our little bubble of contentment burst like Cinderella's magic at midnight.

I look at the wall clock, belatedly realizing that I had a shift at the bar tonight. My phone died at some point today, and when I plug it in to charge it, I see Elsa's calls. At least twenty of them.

She is going to kill me tomorrow.

I set down my belongings and head to the kitchen to make some dinner. I can still work part of my shift if I leave now, but I don't want to. It's not like I'm taking advantage of Elsa's generosity; I've worked multiple overtimes for her when she needed me to. I've also pulled double shifts when required. But lately, I haven't been on top of my game.

There are still some sandwiches left over from Elsa's delivery yesterday, and I take them out of the fridge. I also have some roasted chicken that I picked up the other day, which I pop into the microwave.

Standing at the counter, I munch on a sandwich, thinking about the day. Hearing the details of Nathan's situation made me realize how terrible it must be for him. I'm no longer angry with him, as I can understand his actions much better now. To him, I was just someone getting in the way of his sister's safety. Would I have done the same thing if I were in his shoes?

I don't get to complete my thought process, because just then, I hear my cell phone ring. Sandwich in hand, I go out to the living room where my phone is charging. The name on the screen has me frowning.

Rita? What does she want with me at eleven o'clock at night?

I answer hesitantly. "Rita, is everything—"

"I need to see you right now."

I've never heard Rita sound so scared. "What's wrong?"

"You need to come to my house right away," she whispers, her voice shaking. "There are a lot of things you don't know, Sophia. I lied about the Silver Wolf. She's not a legend. She's very real. And there are other things you should know. You've been lied to. They've all been lying to you. Everything is a lie!"

"What are you talking about?" I feel my heart racing. "Rita, what's going on?"

"You need to come see me right now," Rita says urgently. "He knows. He knows! I didn't mean to tell him."

"Who?" I press my lips together and wait, but she doesn't answer me. "Rita, who are you talking about? What does he know?"

I wouldn't have a problem going to work at the bar at this time of night, but Rita's house is all the way at the other end of town. It'll take me forever to get there.

"I can't tell you over the phone. He'll find out. Don't let anybody see you, and don't tell anybody you're coming here."

"Who would I tell?" I feel like I've been shaken.

"Go through the woods. Don't use the main road. And hurry! I don't have much time."

The call ends, and I stare at the phone for a few seconds, a shiver crawling down my spine.

Why does she want me to go through the forest? Who is she so scared of?

I stuff what's left of my sandwich into my mouth and walk back to the kitchen to stop the microwave. After putting the chicken back in the fridge, I grab my jacket and cell phone. The battery hasn't had much time to charge, but I might need my phone.

As I make my way down the stairs, I come to a stop on one of the landings, having caught something in my peripheral vision. I look out the window, but I see only darkness. The street lights around my building are not on tonight, for some reason.

Surely, I was just imagining things. But a gut instinct makes me stay there, watching through the landing window that overlooks the street and the patch of woods across from me. At first, I see nothing. And then, a slight movement catches my eye.

There! Two men are leaning against a tree, facing my building. They're not conversing with each other, simply watching the entrance. I'm reminded of Orlando, Noah's assistant. He was watching the building from the same spot the other night.

A sense of unease forms within my chest, and I consider my options. I have a strong feeling that if I leave by the front door, these men are either going to stop me or follow me.

I make my way down the rest of the stairs, but instead of moving to the front of the building, I check the back entrance. Peering through the small window there, I'm not surprised to see two other men watching this door. The whole place is under surveillance. But why?

I have a feeling Rita might know.

There is one other way out of here. I've used it once or twice, but it's been a long time. I head down to the basement. This building and the one next to it share the laundry facilities down here. Both buildings belong to the same person, and the basements are connected as one large space. I walk through the laundry room and climb the stairs into the building next door. The apartments in it are mostly empty, so I'm not surprised when I don't run into anybody. It takes me a couple minutes to find the back entrance of this other building. But when I do find it and peer through the window there, there's nobody outside guarding it. Unfortunately, the door is padlocked.

I don't bother picking the lock; I simply break it with a nearby brick and set it aside. But when I start to open the door, it creaks loudly. I shut it immediately.

I can't use this exit. If I do, the people guarding the back entrance of my building will no doubt hear me.

I look for another way out and see a window with a broken latch. When I raise the window, it doesn't make a sound. It's small, but it might do the trick. I manage to squeeze myself through it, and once outside, I scan the area to make sure nobody has noticed me. Staying behind the bushes that line the buildings, I hurry along till I'm at a safe enough distance to dart into the woods. From there, I run.

It was so strange to see all those people watching my building. Then again, the whole town has been acting strangely lately. I've seen the pack security team wandering around much more often than usual. I suppose, with the appearance of the Northern wolf, there might be tension within the pack, but it feels like there has to be something more than that.

And then there's Rita's odd behavior. What did she mean when she said she lied about the Silver Wolf? Does she know the wolf's identity? And if Rita knows, who else does? I remember she said, "He knows," but she didn't tell me who "he" is. I know most of the people Rita interacts with, but for the life of me, I cannot come up with a single name. Who was she was referring to?

A sense of urgency takes over, and I try to run even faster.

If I'd taken the main road, I would be there by now. But she was insistent I come through the forest. Is her home also being watched?

I finally reach Rita's cottage. It's dark. Not even the porch light is on. I don't see anyone waiting or watching outside. I make my way to the back door, and I'm about to knock when I smell the metallic scent of blood. I go still.

"Rita?"

There's no answer. Alarm filling me, I test the door knob. It's unlocked. I rush inside and reach for the light switch. The kitchen floods with light, and I see bloody footsteps on the floor. They come from the next room, cross the kitchen, and lead into the hallway.

The blood is fresh, still glistening under the light.

But I can't catch anyone's scent here.

"Rita!" I call, my heart pounding as I follow the footsteps. I hear a faint gurgling sound coming from her study. The door to it is always closed and locked, but tonight, it's wide open. I've never moved faster in my life. When I burst into the study, I see Rita sprawled on the carpet, face down.

"Rita!" I cry out her name, horror filling me as I rush forward. I'm by her side in less than a heartbeat, and I turn her over.

Her throat has been sliced. She's bleeding profusely, not dead yet. Her eyes are dim, but she's still fighting.

"Oh, shit! I'll get you to a healer, Rita. Don't worry!" I try to reassure her, my heart beating in sickening fear. What happened here? Who did this to my friend?!

Her hands come up and wrap around her own throat, as if to stem the blood flow. "N-No. Sor—"

She can't seem to get the words out, and with tears in my eyes, I implore her, "Don't try to talk! Save your energy."

But she is desperate to tell me something. Lifting one hand, she points at something behind me. I look in the direction her finger is pointing and see a wastebasket. "In…side."

More blood spills from her mouth, and I sob, shaking my head. "Stop talking! Please!"

She's not going to make it, I realize suddenly. Even if I can somehow get her to the healer, she won't survive.

I hold her in my arms. "I'm here with you, Rita. I'm right here with you. I'm not leaving you. You are not alone."

A tear spills down the side of her face as she gazes at me, a tormented look in her eyes. "S-Sor-Sorry."

"Rita, you can't talk!" I beg her, my voice cracking. "Please…"

I reach for my cell phone, hoping to call the healer. Maybe there's still a chance…But as soon as I turn it on, the battery dies. My heart sinks in distress. I look around in despair and see a landline on the edge of Rita's desk, right next to us. I reach up for it, but as soon as I grab the receiver, I realize the cord has been cut.

My lips move in a silent scream, anguish piercing me. "Who did this to you, Rita? Give me a name!"

I can see the light fading fast in her eyes. Her hand touches my chest as she tries to form a single word. I lean closer to hear what she's trying to say.

"-un," she gasps. "Run."

"What?"

But that's all she could say with her last breath. Her body goes limp.

A broken sound leaves my mouth as it hits me that she's gone.

Holding Rita's body against mine, I weep. I didn't realize just how important she was to me until right now, as I cradle her lifeless form in my arms. I treasured my friendship with her. She was so affectionate, so full of life, and so wildly independent. Even the loss of her mate and one of her legs didn't stop her from living her life to the fullest.

And now she's gone.

I have to notify somebody. I have to alert the pack security team.

My red-rimmed eyes dart around as I search for another phone. And then I glimpse Rita's purple cell phone. It's lying on the floor just a few feet away. My hands are shaking as I reach out to pick it up. There's no passcode on it, and it has some battery left. I dial the security office's number, tears falling from my eyes.

I let out a whimpering sob as I wait for someone to answer.

Finally, a gruff voice says, "Hello?"

I open my mouth, but before I can say anything, a large hand covers my mouth, preventing me from speaking.

In my shock and fear, the phone slips from my hands. When I look up, I see Alex standing above me, his eyes cold.