2. Mai

Chapter two

Mai

S ofia waved at Ryan and me from behind the counter as we made our way to the exit.

"Call me later!" she called out.

I smiled and gave a wave back, pushing open the heavy wooden door, and hearing the bell jingle. The morning air was crisp and fresh, filled with the scents of pine and maple. I took a deep breath, savoring the smells. I still couldn't believe we were here, back in Three Rivers.

Ryan and I headed to his sleek, black pickup, parked just down the street. I could feel the eyes of everyone on us as we walked, their curiosity overwhelming. Ever since Ryan and I had been publicly announced as the new Alpha pair, we'd been getting plenty of speculative looks and hushed whispers from Pack members.

It made sense. For years, Jem and Hayley had led the Three Rivers Pack. Then, everything changed in a blink. Jem was gone, Hayley revealed as a traitor. Brock, Alpha for such a short time, was now on the run. And Ryan and I now held the Alpha positions.

It was understandable that people were unsure about us, this newly bonded pair who were suddenly taking the reins. It didn't help that I'd only been back a few days after being gone for four years. There had been so many changes in such a short amount of time. Now they were wondering what kind of Alphas we would be, if we were even ready for the responsibility. Hell, even I wasn't sure.

"I feel like we're in a fishbowl," I muttered, slipping my hand into Ryan's as we walked along the street.

He squeezed my hand. "Comes with the territory," he said, a slight edge to his voice.

Ryan opened the passenger door for me, his eyes meeting mine as I slid into the seat, sending a little shiver down my spine.

As Ryan started the truck, his hand found mine, his thumb gently stroking my skin. "We'll get used to this," he said quietly.

I nodded.

We drove in silence to the Alpha compound. Two of our new enforcers, Rafael and Ava, stood guard on either side of the gate. They were part of the Renegades, what the Pack was calling those that supported and fought with me and Ryan at the Pack Meet two days ago to challenge Brock and Hayley and win the Alpha position of the Pack. They had risked their lives for us, had proven their loyalty beyond doubt, and I would never forget that. I smiled at them, and Rafael and Ava bowed their heads respectfully as we passed through. The gesture made my stomach flip. I wasn't used to people deferring to me this way. To them, we were the new, rightful leaders of the Pack. To me, I was still Jem's little sister. The one who'd run away when Ryan had rejected me in front of everyone four years ago.

Winding through the compound, we passed the other homes reserved for the Pack's hierarchy, including the house where the Shaw brothers lived, and where me and Ryan had been staying since we got back. Ryan drove straight past it, though, toward the end of the road where the largest house of all stood—the official residence of the Alpha pair.

Ryan brought the truck to a stop in the circular driveway. I stared up at the imposing three-story structure, a knot in my chest. This place held so many complicated memories.

It had been a house of horrors under Oliver's reign, a place to be feared. After Jem and Hayley became the Alphas, they had transformed it into a home. But I'd only spent a few days there before Jem was supposedly murdered there.

Stepping through those doors felt viscerally wrong. It was acknowledging that we really were the Alphas now, but to me this had been Jem's home. And a small, loyal part of me balked at the idea of anyone else taking his place. Especially me. The younger sister who'd disappeared on him.

Beside me, Ryan closed his door and came around to open mine, jolting me from my thoughts. His blue eyes were filled with understanding as they met mine. I'd been putting off going into the house since we got back from the Meet. It was too much; too much responsibility, too many memories, too many nightmares where I pictured Jem dying in that house. But I had to face it. Being in the house sent a message to the Pack that we were here, we were serious about being the Alphas, and we were ready to rule.

Ryan reached out, his hand gently cupping my chin and lifting it, so I met his eyes. "Hey," he said softly, "I know being here is hard."

I leaned into his touch, closing my eyes for a moment. When I opened them, I could see my own pain reflected in his gaze. "It feels wrong," I whispered, voicing the thoughts that had been haunting me. "Being here, taking Jem's place. After everything..."

Ryan's thumb brushed over my cheekbone, catching a tear I hadn't realized had fallen. "We're not taking Jem's place. We're honoring his legacy, continuing what he started. He would be proud of you."

I wanted to believe him. But the guilt and grief were too fresh, too raw. "I left, Ryan. I left you, I left him, I left the Pack. How can I lead them now?"

Ryan pulled me into his arms, holding me tight against his chest. I could feel the steady beat of his heart, the warmth of his body seeping into mine. "You came back," he murmured into my hair. "You're here now, when the Pack needs you most. That's what matters. We'll take it slow."

I nodded, swallowing down the lump in my throat. Ryan was right. We'd take this one step at a time. Ryan enclosed my hand in his, and we walked through the door together.

When I first came here, it had had a cozy and welcoming feel to it. Now, the pastel rugs had been removed and the bookshelves lining the walls had been gutted of their books. I guess Brock wasn't a big reader.

"We'll refill them," Ryan promised, following my gaze to the empty shelves. He knew I loved to read. There hadn't been much time lately for books, though.

We walked past the living room, where I'd seen Jem again after my four years away. I blinked back the tears as I thought about how tightly he'd hugged me and how safe I'd felt in his arms. Here the room was the same, with its high ceilings and large windows that let in plenty of natural light .

A door opened, and Sylvie came rushing toward me from the kitchen.

"Oh, Mai! Ryan!" She caught me in a brief hug, stepping back to look at my face. "You're here! I'm so sorry about your brother."

In her early forties, Sylvie's short brown hair looked ruffled today, like she had taken less time with it than usual, but she still had her three earrings in each ear. Her face was pale and drawn, and there were tears in her eyes. It reminded me that I wasn't the only one grieving. Sylvie had been the chef and housekeeper for Jem and Hayley.

"Thank you, Sylvie. How have you been? Did Brock and Hayley treat you okay?"

"Oh, don't you worry about me. What's important is that you're here. You and Ryan are the Alphas now, just the way Jem wanted it."

I glanced at Ryan, who was smiling warming at Sylvie. I didn't know her well, but Jem had trusted her, and Ryan and his brothers liked her.

"Thank you, Sylvie," Ryan said. "If you need anything—"

"I'll ask. Now on you go," Sylvie tilted her head toward the hall on the left. "The others are already waiting."

I followed Ryan down the corridor to a set of carved wooden double doors and couldn't help but admire his sculpted ass as he walked ahead of me. I still had to pinch myself that Ryan was really mine. He pushed the doors open, revealing a spacious study with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lining the walls. In the center sat a large, rectangular table surrounded by his brothers—Mason, Derek, and Sam .

Mason, with his close-cropped black hair and piercing blue eyes, sat to the right. His leanly muscular frame was tense, and he fidgeted with a small rubber ball, rolling it between his fingers.

Derek, the new Beta of the Three Rivers Pack, sat across from Mason. His military background was always on show in his posture and his short brown haircut. Gray eyes, sharp and observant, scanned the room as we entered.

Next to Derek was Sam, his twin brother. Though they shared the same muscular build, Sam's shoulder-length brown hair and easy-going grin always set him apart. As the peacekeeper among the brothers, Sam's ability to see the bigger picture often clashed with Mason's focus on immediate consequences.

Jase was also there, perched excitedly on the edge of his seat. He wasn't old enough to be an enforcer yet—at nineteen he still had a year to go before he could apply, but he had earned my trust.

"Morning," Ryan greeted them.

Jase jumped up to grab me a chair, beaming. "Hey Mai! How's it going?" His enthusiasm was infectious. I couldn't help but smile back as I sat down.

"Not too bad so far. We'll see if that changes after this meeting."

My attempt to lighten the undercurrent of tension thrumming through the room didn't work. No one, apart from Jase, even cracked a smile.

Ryan cut right to business. "Derek, what's the latest on surveillance around the compound?"

"I've tripled patrols for now and set up a rotating sentry system. No scents have been picked up on the perimeter. "

Derek had become an expert at intelligence gathering and counter-surveillance tactics during his years in the army. Those skills were proving invaluable now.

Ryan nodded. "Good. And the rest of Three Rivers' security?"

"We've increased foot and vehicle patrols of the streets and have eyes keeping watch on key areas—the school, town hall, commercial strip."

"It's vital we tighten security, at least until the dust settles."

Mason chimed in next. "Sam and I have reached out to our PI contacts across the region and put them on alert. If anyone connected to the Three Rivers passes through their territory, we'll know about it. Might help us map their movements."

I felt a swell of gratitude for the brothers' quick, decisive actions. With their help shoring up defenses, Ryan and I could focus on figuring out our next moves. Suddenly, I didn't feel so alone. Because, to be honest, what the fuck did I know about being an Alpha? Ryan had been Jem's Beta, he knew how this all worked. Me? A week ago, I'd been working as a website designer.

My eyes drifted around the study. It still didn't feel quite real, being in the inner sanctum discussing Pack security protocols. I had gone from a wolf on the run, to part of this tight-knit circle now steering the future of the Three Rivers Pack. I felt overwhelmed and totally out of my league.

My gaze stopped on a tumbler on Jem's, well, I guess now mine and Ryan's, desk. It was black with a metal rim and the words Three Rivers Bottley Bar, etched onto the side in silver. But Jem wasn't here anymore, he wasn't going to walk in the door and say, ‘don't worry, I'll take care of everything.' Ryan and I were the Alphas now, and I had to accept that.