Mated in Chaos, page 2
The vampires weren’t making it easy.
“Cole. Are you okay?” I looked over at my Beta, my second in command, and nodded at Douglas. Douglas had been blessed at the same time as I had, an older wolf who had taken care of us as children. Although with wolf genetics, we looked the same age. But for some reason, I always thought that he had a little more crinkle at the corners of his eyes. From a life long-lived. From the protection he had given all of us.
“I’m fine. Sorry, I’m woolgathering.”
“I always thought that woolgathering was an odd statement for a wolf.”
I rolled my eyes. “Chase and the Aspens are the ones that actually have sheep on their lands.”
“True. Although that is a good idea. We have alpacas.”
“We have two alpacas. And they don’t like us. And I don’t think it’s because we smell like wolves.”
Douglas’s lips twitched. “They just don’t like you.”
“Ouch.”
Douglas met my gaze, just for an instant, before lowering it, his wolf happy. I knew he had tried to get me to smile, the weight on my shoulders making that harder than usual.
As the Beta of the Central Pack, his job was to see to the needs of the den itself, to ensure that we were working as a cohesive unit. While our den also had an Heir, Omega, Healer, and others, Douglas had the hard job of ensuring that our Pack was ready for anything that came at them from within, considering that the Centrals were a little different from most Packs.
Case in point, we were helping a Pack member move into their new apartment within the city limits.
The four dens of the major Packs in the Pacific Northwest, part of our alliance, took over the entire territories from Northern Washington all the way down to Northern California. We encompassed the Redwood Forest, the coastlines, Crater Lake, and everything that we could. Our territories also included the major cities that humans, witches, and other paranormals that we were just finding out about lived. That wasn’t necessarily meaning that our den was located there. No, we lived within wards within the forests themselves.
At least most of us did. The Talons, Redwoods, and Aspens mostly lived within their own towns within these wards. The Centrals liked to do things a little bit differently.
I figured it was because of how we had started. How we had lived before we became a Pack again. Our original den had been burned to the ground by our own deceit. When the demon was taken back to the hell realm, nothing had been left. Just a scarred patch of land that eventually had grown into a forest of its own, thanks to the blood of all those we had lost.
I knew that I was never going to walk on those lands again without feeling the echoes of wolves past. So we would never live there. Instead, we had a smaller patch of land gifted to us by the moon goddess herself, as well as the Talons and the Redwoods. It was never lost on me that we were able to be who we were because of other Packs. So many of our Packmates lived in the city.
“So, Josiah starts his new job soon?” Douglas asked, and I nodded, box in hand. “Tomorrow he said. But right now, he’s dealing with paperwork. Hence why we’re moving him in.”
Josiah was a newer member of the den, a former lone wolf from the East Coast who had left his den thanks to a growly Alpha who hadn’t understood his people. That was always something that I was afraid of, that I would turn into a manic and depressive Alpha who didn’t understand who needed him.
So I did my best to be careful, to understand the needs of my people. Just like those Alphas around me.
Like the Aspens, we were recruiting new members. We needed the strength of the bonds to the Alpha and the Pack to keep our wards active. The problem was, we also needed witches and magic. And with the major coven having an issue, something I wasn’t even sure I could name, we were losing magic daily. I was always afraid that we were going to be the first Pack to lose its wards, and the protection that came from them. Not only were they protection from outside wolves and forces, but it was also from the humans that wanted too much from us, or didn’t want us at all. As in, they didn’t want us to exist. And now we had to be careful of the vampires.
Those vampires wanted us dead, they wanted to be the only supernatural powers, so they were taking out their highest predators.
And because they used magic that was far darker than anything we had ever touched, anything we could ever dream, they were winning. Oh yes, we had taken out some of their lairs and kisses, but we hadn’t taken out the major players. We didn’t know the major demon in charge, and though we had killed Valac’s mate, that had only set him off again.
Hence the bomb that had nearly killed Lily and the two people that my wolf wanted more than anything.
But not the man. I couldn’t allow the man to want like that. I needed to find my mate when the time came. And an Alpha didn’t get two mates. So I knew that the pull might be there, but that didn’t mean I could give it any attention.
I pushed those thoughts from my mind and helped Douglas finish unpacking at the house. It was decently easy since Josiah didn’t have too many things, but we also wanted to ensure that he had what he needed. So the den maternals had made sure that the fridge was stocked and the pantry wasn’t bare—much like they did for many of the apartments that were part of our den structure. We ensured that everyone had a roof over their head. Rent wasn’t an issue, we knew how to save and scrape as we had done my entire life. So our Pack would be safe. Even if they had to earn money to protect the den with outside jobs rather than be somewhat self-sufficient like many of the Packs could do within the den wards.
I rubbed my shoulder again, annoyed at the ache. Douglas’s eyes narrowed at the gesture, and I waved my hand. “It’s fine.”
“It’s really not fine.”
Douglas narrowed his eyes at me again, then shrugged before we both made our way out of the building and back to our cars.
“I’ll meet you back at the den? I have a few things to pick up.”
“No problem. I’ve got it.”
“You know that Peter won’t be too thrilled that you’re out here alone.”
I barely resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Peter was the Enforcer of our Pack, the one who held special bonds to the moon goddess and the den to ensure safety of both. Meaning he probably didn’t want our Alpha out and about on his own.
I let a little bit of growl into my voice, tired and hurting. It might not be Douglas’s fault, but I was done. “I’m the Alpha. If I can’t take care of myself walking to my car, then we have a far bigger problem.”
Douglas didn’t say anything, just shook his head and walked back to his car. I probably shouldn’t have taken it out on my Beta, but I was tired. Tired that we weren’t enough, that our den was split up. Maybe one day it would change, but then again it didn’t make much sense to do so. Our dens were situated the way that they were because for so long we had moved in secret. Now, humans knew we existed. They knew where we lived and most of the magic that we had. They were aware witches and magic were real. Now the coven had to deal with publicity and the stigma that came with who they were, just like we had to when we were first revealed.
And everything had compounded when the vampires had shown themselves to the world. They were working on their own publicity, and I wasn’t quite sure what it meant. I didn’t know the end game when it came to the vampires.
And that worried me, like most things these days.
“Cole Levin?” an unfamiliar voice asked as I turned, my wolf on edge. I had scented them of course, had known someone was beside me, but they were human, and my wolf hadn’t sensed they were a threat. Maybe I was wrong.
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry, you don’t know me. But I’m one of the business owners near here.”
I nodded. “Nice to meet you.”
The woman smiled, though it didn’t reach her eyes. She didn’t look angry, just tired. I didn’t blame her. With everything going on all over the world, a lot of us were tired these days.
“How can I help you?” I asked.
“I just wanted to know if the Packs needed us for anything. Or, honestly, if you guys had any plan for the vampires.”
There were a couple of other people behind her, I noticed, and the itch on the back of my neck grew more intense.
“We don’t know what their plans are, but we’re keeping tabs on them. Doing our best.”
I wasn’t the Voice of the Wolves. That was Parker, a former Redwood and now Talon Pack member. Thanks to my sister mating into the Pack, we were somehow family. In the distant sense.
“So you don’t know what they want?”
I shook my head. “We know what you do.” Not quite a lie.
“Oh. Well, that’s disappointing.”
I sighed, and if she were a wolf, or one of the human or witch members of my Pack, I would have reached out to squeeze her shoulder. But as it was, I was trying to look smaller than I was. To look less menacing. She might say she wanted me for protection right then, but I knew I had to be careful. If I looked like a dangerous brute, like a wolf on edge, I could harm the reputation of my den. This was why Parker was good at this. He could look innocent and caring, yet strong all at the same time. That was not something I was good at.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to find peace. And we can all live in harmony.”
“That would be lovely. I just wish I knew what they wanted.”
I nodded and was about to say something as a man walked by. “They want us to all rot in hell, just like they should,” he spat before he crossed the street, not caring that the woman and the others with her were glaring at him.
My wolf stood on edge, pushing at me to say something. “We want the same as you. We want peace.” I found myself saying the words even though I wasn’t even sure they were true. Because I didn’t know what the humans wanted anymore. They were scared. I didn’t blame them. I did not know how we would defeat the vampires, just that we needed to. There was no other choice. And somehow the witches, wolves, other shifters, and humans were going to have to come together to make this happen. But I wasn’t the wolf to lead that. My role as Alpha was to protect my den and to work with the other Packs to ensure that it happened. I wasn’t the one to bring humans and witches together. I could barely keep my own den together.
The woman met my gaze and nodded and smiled tightly before she left. Her group went with her, and I didn’t know if I had helped anything or made it worse.
I didn’t have much time to think about it, however, because a familiar scent hit my nose, and I swallowed hard, struggling to keep my wolf in check. It was always so hard to do when it came to him.
Nico Jamenson walked forward, his hair pushed back from his face, a smile lighting up those green eyes of his.
My wolf pushed at me, wanting to nudge him and sniff to ensure that he was okay. That he was healthy. We couldn’t though, because Nico wasn’t alone. He stood next to another man, the two of them laughing, before he turned to me and stiffened ever so slightly. And then it was as if he put on a mask, as if he wasn’t the same man I had saved and who had saved me countless times. Instead, he was just a friend of my Pack. Someone that my wolf didn’t want.
Even though that was all a lie.
“Cole. I didn’t think you’d be out in the city.”
That smooth and smoky voice of Nico’s nearly sent me over the edge, and I held in a growl. My wolf preened for attention while scowling at the other man he was with. Because I scented desire on that other man. This human male wanted Nico. And they were on a damn date. I just knew it. And then I couldn’t say anything about it, because Nico wasn’t mine. I needed to get over it.
Only I knew he was mine. Just like Adalyn was. And that was the problem.
My wolf knew they were my mates. The moon goddess had somehow gifted me with two potential mates.
But I was the Alpha. I didn’t get to have two mates.
Meaning that I would have to choose. Something I would never do.
“I was helping a friend move in. I should head back to the den now. Glad to see you are well.”
Nico gave me an odd look, and I realized how formal I sounded. I turned before he could introduce me to the man at his side, a man who could be his mate for all I knew. Because the moon goddess was fickle these days. There were potential mates out there for every single wolf. Meaning both members, and sometimes all three in other cases that weren’t mine, had to understand and accept the bond. They had to go through the mating ritual in order for them to be mated.
Which meant Nico could sense that I was his, but had rejected me. Because he hadn’t moved forward, just as Adalyn hadn’t. Instead, my wolf was the one that was screwed up, tormented. I nodded at him and the other man, and kept walking, straight to my car.
I didn’t want to see the disappointment or worry in his gaze. I didn’t want to imagine the scent of burned flesh again as I remembered him hurting.
As I remembered the fact that Adalyn and Nico had been hurt because I hadn’t been strong enough to protect them or notice that a magical bomb of black and spiky dark magic had been thrown towards us.
I had missed it all.
By the time I made it to the area of the Pack dens, instead of going north towards mine, I turned west towards the Aspens. I was meeting with Chase, the Aspen Pack Alpha, and we had training to do. We were the youngest Alphas in our area, new at our posts, and dealing with the ramifications of our previous Alphas. At least, we were trying.
I waved as I passed the sentries, who nodded at me, lowering their gazes.
With any other den, they may have forced me out of the car so they could scent who I was. But with the way that our Packs were coming up together, our alliance made it so we could go through wards a little bit differently than we could with other dens. I didn’t know if other magics could work like this, if other Packs had this. But I knew our four Packs were something special.
The fact that Adalyn was an Aspen, and Nico a Redwood, was a significant part of that.
I pulled onto the main street of their den and got out in front of the daycare center. The fact that Chase had wanted me to meet him in front of where the pups were, the innocents, spoke to me of his trust more than any sentry waving me in would.
I needed to burn off some energy, train a bit, then head back to the den to see what they needed. But first, I needed to get Nico out of my system.
And then another sweet scent hit my nostrils, and my wolf whined.
Fucking whined like a pup.
I turned to see Adalyn talking to a tall man with broad shoulders. Her messy auburn hair whirled in the wind, a smile on her face. Her high cheekbones made her eyes look even more stark and captivating. She looked like she had been training, sweat coating her skin, her sword at her back.
I didn’t see a scar on her, nor the boot on her leg anymore.
She looked whole, healed.
And not mine.
She didn’t even look towards me. Didn’t even register that I was there. Her wolf wasn’t running towards me, needing me.
Instead, I was the only one wanting.
Adalyn didn’t even turn away. She bumped the man next to her, a man I knew was mated. Cassius, a strong soldier and wolf who protected his own, was Adalyn’s training partner. The two laughed with one another, and then walked away, their backs to me, not even registering my existence.
I again found myself alone, knowing I needed to meet Chase, but my wolf whining and drawn to two wolves who never wanted me.
I was an Alpha without a mate, without a bond.
And it was the only place I was ever meant to be.
Chapter
Two
Adalyn
* * *
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as my wolf paced, confused, hurt, and angry.
Oh, so angry. No matter what I did these days, the anger that wafted off my wolf seemed to twist around my heart, reminding me that I didn’t have a choice in some things. That no matter what I did, holding back wouldn’t be enough. That I wasn’t enough.
“I can sense your distress. Do you want to talk about it?”
I turned to my friend and sparring partner and shook my head. “I’m fine, Cassius. Are we going to get on with it?”
He raised a single brow, looking elegant and suave as ever. Because that was Cassius. He was one of my best friends, as was his mate, Novah. We had been training together nearly my entire life, having grown up within the Aspen Pack underneath the former Alpha, Blade. When Blade had turned dark, had taken magics he shouldn’t have, and had tried to destroy the Pack, Cassius had been there to protect those weaker than himself. He had done things he couldn’t take back, just like I had. Our Alpha had forced us into it. Our Alpha had used his power along the bonds to force us to follow his orders. There were some things we had been able to get out of, some things people like Audrey, our Beta and one of my friends, had tried to protect us from.
But Cassius had fallen just like I had. It was his mate that had brought him back to a sense of happiness, a sense of pride in his work and in who he was in the Pack. He was a soldier like I was, neither one of us being blessed with the fortitude and power that came with being part of the hierarchy. He said he was grateful for that. That he hadn’t wanted the responsibility of others as he already had for so many years.
I didn’t know if I quite believed him, but some part of me had wanted to be more than a soldier. Not that my place in the Pack was horrendous or unworthy. But I wanted to be something more than what I was. And that just reminded me that I was a horrible person for thinking it. I still had the power to protect my friends, my Pack. Why couldn’t that be enough?
Cassius pushed at my shoulder, and I pulled myself out of my reverie. “I’m sorry. I’m having a weird morning.”
“Then let’s get to it. I want to see that new training move that the Redwoods showed you.” He held the derision in his tone for the Redwoods, my friends from the other Pack near us, but I knew he was only joking. After years of being near each other but being isolated, we were all finally becoming one large, not Pack, but alliance. We could walk within each other’s dens, and while we might be watched and might not be allowed into some areas, we were friends, allies, and had a common enemy.
