1. Mai

Iwrinkled my nose as the scent of azalea and sage drifted toward me. I'd cracked open the car window half an hour ago, hoping to sniff out any danger here, but so far, all I'd caught was the scent of dusk flowers and the neighbors' yappy little dog. I couldn't stay in the car much longer. I had to get into my old apartment and try to dress some of my wounds.

It just brought back too many memories for me to deal with. I'd left here four years ago when I was eighteen and never thought I'd be back. From the outside, the apartment looked the same. Someone had put a new lick of paint on it, but my old bedroom window still had my Pokémon stickers stubbornly stuck to it. My parents had left the place to my brother Jem and me. I'm sure they never thought we'd inherit it so early, but then I doubt that they thought they'd get themselves killed, either. I'd been twelve, and Jem had been fifteen. We'd lost our parents and gained a tiny flat on Huston Road.

Jem wouldn't be here, but I knew my brother; he would never sell this place or tolerate anyone else living here. I'd kept an ear to the ground. I knew he'd killed Oliver after I left and, with his mate Hayley, they were the pair of the Three Rivers Pack.

The Three Rivers Pack. No matter how long I'd been away, it still called to me. It still felt like home.

I closed my eyes and saw again the scenery I'd driven through on my way here, the familiar landscape tugging at my heartstrings. The territory was a living tapestry where the Westfall, Coldbrook, and the Whispering Willow rivers converged in an intricate dance of nature. It felt like an organic fortress, the rivers like protective arms cradling the Pack's land, a natural haven that had once been the only place I knew. The small town of Three Rivers had been built at the apex, with a blend of tradition and modernity. Cobblestone paths led to boutique shops, quaint cafés, and historic buildings that told stories of generations past. The town square had been a magnet for community gatherings, a hub of life where the humans and Shifters who lived here could mingle, talk, and gossip.

I remembered evenings I'd spent there with Sofia Miller, my best friend. Both of us watching the four Shaw brothers, hoping they would notice us. Jem was often there, as well. At least in those days. Now he was Alpha, I doubted he skateboarded around the fountain, flicking water at everyone.

Jem wouldn't be here. But even as I thought about him, I could sense the larger forces that had shaped both of us. The Three Rivers Pack was not just a place; it was a living, breathing land that had given us much and taken away even more. It was a place of rich resources, from the fish-laden Westfall River to the Coldbrook's raging currents and the surrounding forests, full of wildlife and timber, each providing in its unique way for the Pack's needs. Yet it was also a land that demanded vigilance, its strategic importance, where roads from the north converged before making their way to the bigger markets and cities down south, making it a jewel that many coveted. I had a history here, but so did the Three Rivers Pack—a history steeped in alliances, betrayals, and the ceaseless struggle for dominance.

Stifling a whimper, I reached over to grab my bag. I knew my arm was broken, probably a few ribs, too, and my left knee wasn't looking too pretty right now. I could do this, though. I had to. I'd escaped Seth, my scumbag ex-boyfriend, and driven twenty hours to the only place I knew I'd be safe from him. There was no need for me to see anyone from my old Pack; I could camp out in my old apartment, lie low while Seth cooled off, then plan where I could go to start afresh. Again. I'd done it once when I fled this Pack after Ryan… I couldn't think about that now. I had to get inside and try to reset my arm.

I ground my teeth together as I hauled my bag and my body out of the car. I closed the door behind me and took a deep breath. The scents of the forest, the rivers, and the Pack filled my lungs. It was a heady mix, a blend of serene beauty and underlying tension, a mirror of the challenges and triumphs that had shaped me. I was home, and yet I was on edge. But then, that's how it always was in the world of the Three Rivers Pack.

I limped up the steps. I didn't have a key, but I knew if I jiggled the lock a few times, it would slide back. I'd done it enough times when I came back from school, and Hayley, Jem's mate from hell, had locked me out.

The trick still worked, and I stepped through the door and inhaled. It smelled like home. Hell, it looked like home. It hadn't changed at all. Our couch was here, with the same rip on the left armrest. The carpet was the same, old stains and all. It was open plan with a small kitchen to the right and a hallway straight ahead that led to the bathroom and the three bedrooms. Jem and Hayley were hardly here for the year before I disappeared. They were too busy plotting their challenge on Oliver, the previous Alpha. Of course, Jem hadn't really been around before that, either. He'd made his way up the ranks to the Beta spot and left everything at home for Hayley to handle. I don't know if he didn't realize what a flaming bitch she was to me or if he didn't care. Either way, I was used to being alone here. Hayley never wanted to be far from Jem's side, so she left me to it as much as possible. It was my one sanctuary when Hayley wasn't around, and I felt, for the first time in the last forty-eight hours, that maybe everything was going to be okay.

I dumped my bag on the couch and eased myself down. I needed food, medical supplies, and sleep, but there was no way I could head out again. I'd been up for thirty-four hours. The shock of being attacked was wearing off, and the pain of my injuries was seeping into my bones.

I slipped my phone out of my pocket and hit the Takymora Delivery site, hoping they were still in business. If you wanted anything from the shops in town, you ordered it with Takymora, and they'd collect what you needed and deliver it to your home.

I clicked on enough food to last me a couple of days and added some supplies from the family pharmacy in town, then dozed on the couch until I heard a car pull up outside.

I hobbled into the kitchen and grabbed the biggest knife I could find, then opened the door just enough so I could smell who was coming up the stairs.

I relaxed when I realized it wasn't Seth. Or Hayley or Jem. The scent was vaguely familiar, though, but not one I could place.

I opened the door fully to see better.

A kid, maybe about seventeen, stopped at the top of the steps. With blond hair, deep blue eyes, and freckles across his nose, he'd be a looker in a couple of years when he grew into his height and didn't look so gangly.

"Mai? Is that you?"

Crap. I hadn't bargained on anyone recognizing me so soon.

"Jase?" I asked, beginning to put this guy together with Sofia's little brother. In high school, Jase had been an annoying wisp of a kid who thought it was funny to steal our bras and sell them to his friends.

"Fuck, Mai! You look like shit."

"Thanks." I managed a weak smile. I needed to get Jase gone. "Is that my stuff?" I pointed to the three bags he was holding.

Jase frowned at me, then walked forward. I could allow him to get in my space or I could step back, letting him into the apartment. I wasn't ready for anyone to be near me right now, so I backed up. Jase took a quick glance around, then headed to the kitchen, where he dumped the bags on the counter and started to unpack.

"I don't smell anyone else. You here alone?" he asked as he opened the fridge and put away the meat and milk.

"I don't remember Takymoras doing such a full service. Aren't you supposed to drop the bags and run?"

"Yeah, well, a lot has changed since you left." He looked me up and down, scowling at what he saw. "Fuck, Mai."

"You said that already."

"I guess I did. You gonna tell me where you've been and who the hell did this to you? Your brother's gonna flip. Ryan's gonna—"

"I don't want them to know I'm here!" I held up the knife I'd been holding and waved it at him with my good arm. "You promise me, Jase Miller, right now, that you're not going to tell, or I'll cut your balls off before they get the chance to sow those famous Miller oats in every girl from here to Yellowknife."

Jase grinned and held up his hands. "Fuck, Mai. You're still the same badass you were when you left. Alright, you got me. I won't tell."

I hesitated for a moment, then lowered the knife. "And stop saying ‘fuck.' Your sister would slap you upside the head if she knew you swore so much."

"You should hear the words that come out of her mouth these days. You know she's working at the Bottley Bar? Picks up all sorts of interesting new phrases there."

I didn't know she was working there. I hadn't been in touch since I left; too scared Jem would use her to track me down. Sofia would be great at the Bottley Bar. It was a mixed place for Shifters and humans, and she would keep them all in line.

"You're gonna need help setting that arm."

I looked down. My arm was still useless from where Seth had held me down and twisted it. There was dried blood all over my clothes, rips in my shirt and jean shorts, and I was pretty sure my face was a lovely blue-green color.

"Sit." Jase gestured to the couch as he started unpacking the medical supplies I'd ordered.

"I can do it." I just wanted to be alone.

"Not a chance," Jase replied. "Sofia would kick my ass if she knew I left you in this state."

"Really, I'm fin—" The room started spinning, and I crashed heavily to the floor, jarring my bad knee. "Fuck! Fuckity, fuck, fuck!" I yelled.

Jase picked me up and gently placed me down on the couch.

"Who's swearing too much now?" he teased.

"Fuck you!" I said through gritted teeth. I'd had enough of the pain, of bossy fucking werewolves, of being helpless and beat up, and of feeling so damned sad. I wanted to take the painkillers and pass out.

Jase took hold of my wrist in one hand and my shoulder in the other and then twisted.

The pain was blinding for a second, stopping my breath and causing the nerves in my entire body to fire in protest. It was only for a moment, though, as then I lost consciousness.