"Easy, you feral fuck," I growl in Sean's ear. I can barely hold him. Then, louder, I call out, "I got him. Lower the fucking guns." Thank the goddess Luna Willa insisted on me learning all these holders. This fucker is strong.

I hear the telltale clicks of safeties being engaged again. Sean stops struggling. Not that it means shit. Dude's as feral as I've ever seen. I tug him backward, out of the direct beams of light. Blinking as spots dance in my eyes, I try to see who is here.

"I'm good," Sean growls, "let us go."

"Just let me get both of you psychos out of the striking range of that bitch, yeah?" I mutter.

"He's retreated a little now," he says back to me a moment later. "I can do this."

I pause, wondering, "you regret damaging the blonde bitch?" I half-regret not letting him kill Georgie. It would be a mistake. She knows shit that Conner and Uncle Alex need to know, but goddess, it would have been nice to tell Ili her sister was dead and gone.

Sean lets out a scoff of derision. "Fuck, no."

"Good." I release him when we get clear of the first ring of... what the fuck are they all doing here? Patrolling? This is way more than a simple patrol. Fuck me. Shit. Auntie Cassie and Uncle Mattie are here, along with Carmichael and what looks like the entire pack of LoboGris. Isn't there a fucking party tonight? Cause they're all dressed in black fatigues. I bite my tongue before I stupidly ask if the party is a funeral.

"We saw you leaving and followed you and the puta," Carmichael, steps forward, grinning macabrely. He approaches Georgina and I look at her in entirety for the first time since we entered the glen.

Slumped against the tree, half of her scalp bald and oozing blood, the other soaked in red. She is grimacing, crying, with a swollen nose and two black eyes. She is favoring her left side and can't put any weight on her feet, so the makeshift ropes are digging into her skin.

"You know of hybrids, sí?" Carmichael asks Georgina softly. "Did you think you could hide this forever?" Without another word, he hits Georgina's chest with the flat of his palm. She falls unconscious immediately. "We will let el Diablo question her," he says to me.

"Uncle Devel is here? For Bailey's party? Did he meet Ili yet?" I ask eagerly. Too eagerly. I just shoved my foot down my own throat.

"No," Carmichael says with a hard stare. His freakishly light-blue eyes glare at me. "Your brother and alpha did not invite us. Inuit Genom called us up to Canada."

"Uncle Alex didn't invite you to Bailey's party?" I ask, confused.

Carmichael shrugs. "No. He told us to go north to Inuit's meeting. I don't ask questions about stupid shit."

"That's... weird," I mumble.

"Sí," Carmichael shrugs, then sharply says, "No, Conejita." He snags my Auntie Cassie around her waist. "You stay away from ferals," he murmurs to her, nuzzling her cheek and nipping at her as she tries to squirm free. "Where is Alize?" he snaps at the lurking wolves.

One of the dark shadows moves closer. Alize, with her midnight-dark skin and tight curls shorn close to her scalp, is scanning the trees in a near-constant motion. Over her grey and dark green camouflage fatigues, she has a variety of blades strapped on. Carmichael must read something in her stance because he lets Auntie Cassie go and turns his attention to Uncle Mattie, who is examining Georgie with a critical eye.

Auntie Cassie's caramel eyes are fixed on Sean. Moving closer, she says, "Sean won't hurt me," with complete and utter confidence. "Will you?" she asks him.

"No," is Sean's blunt reply. His attention isn't on my aunt but glued to Georgina with contemplation that promises death to the blonde. I can see why Carmichael hesitated to allow Auntie Cassie anywhere near Sean. The leashed violence in Sean's dark eyes speaks volumes.

Sean swings his gaze to Carmichael. "We will bring our mate the other female's head as her gift," he demands. Auntie Cassie pats his arm gently. Sean forces a smile down at her, but doesn't back down from his totally awesome 'plan.'

Carmichael snickers. He's an asshole, but he loves my auntie and uncle, so I let it slide. Sean does, too, just frowning in response to the derisive sound.

"Why are you going north?" I blurt out.

Carmichael stares at me with those freaky eyes. "I trust only two alphas in this world," he explains. "So when they both tell me I should take the pack north, I fucking listen, sí?"

"Don't bother asking more questions," Auntie Cassie murmurs as she finishes up voodooing Sean and comes over to me for a hug. "Carm is being particularly close-mouthed," she tosses him a pout that has him smirking and winking back.

"The whole pack is here? Even the pups?" I search the growing darkness, but I don't see any of the pups.

"Of course not," Carmichael explains. "The others are in México with Nico." Auntie Cassie and Uncle Mattie must have followed Carmichael here. I bet he was thrilled. Not.

My nerves ratchet upward. It's so sudden that I catch my breath. What the fuck? That came from nowhere. I'm not usually... I catch my breath. I can feel Ili. We must be physically close enough to her, now. My wolf starts madly wagging his tail, excitement pouring from him.

"We are not safe, yet, Brat," Sean murmurs in my ear. His hand rests on my shoulder in an unspoken warning. He's right, I acknowledge. There's a question whether Carmichael will let us go, or will he call Dad?

Carmichael calls Dad, of fucking course.

The phone rings seven times before clicking over to voicemail. Without leaving a message, Carmichael calls Uncle Alex. No answer there, either. Frowning, Carmichael fixes his gaze on me.

"Something is wrong," Sean intones next to me.

"Go back to ClearHowl," Carmichael agrees. "Fuck if I'm taking the time to lock you back up." He turns to his packmates. "We need to rejoin the Lobos. Alize, you will come north with us. Jose, contact Rique and take everyone else to Passionada." He looks at us again. "We will take this female north." It's said with an alpha's conviction. No arguments.

I hug Auntie Cassie again, swiftly, because Carmichael steals her from my arms as soon as he's able. Sean's hand comes down on my shoulder hard enough to startle me a little. "Let's go," he hisses. His shoulders roll with fury at being denied Georgina's head.

We disappear into the forest, hearing nothing but absolute silence. It's as if the world is holding its breath.

---

This dress doesn't feel anything like the white, lacey one from the Mate Celebration. Too bad, because I would love to fidget nervously with holes in the lace. Instead, I force myself to stay still even with eyes boring holes right between my shoulder blades.

Alphason Conner is speaking to the pack. It's a bit like a best man's speech at a human wedding. Gianna and Joel had a human-style wedding a couple of years ago. It was fun.

Everyone cheers and claps as Alphason Conner finishes speaking. Bailey waves, looking absolutely gorgeous in her ivory dress. She sparkles and glows and the tiny pup-bump on display in the clingy white fabric just makes the moment all the more magical.

I peer through the crowd, looking for my family, but can't see them. I'm at the right edge of the raised platform, so my angle isn't the best. I catch Ava's eyes and look away quickly. One of Georgina's friends, she's glaring at me hotly. Mom, Dad, and Phoebe are near the back with some of their friends with pups Phoebe's age. Most of those parents are younger than Mom and Dad.

Alphason Conner has his head close to Bailey's ear. There's something about his stance. Protective, standing a bit too close. Something feels wrong. My she-wolf paces, nervous. I glance around and realize with a shock that Alphason Conner's parents are missing.

"Where is Beta Teague?" I ask Hank in a whisper. I assume that Alpha Alex is with the alpha female candidates, but why is Beta Teague missing, too?

He grunts and shakes his head, frowning. He's been quiet since we arrived, probably because he saw the missing wolves from the beginning.

Bailey catches my eyes from across the and I start to move, drawn forward as if compelled. I reach the bottom of the stairs just as Alpha Alex arrives. Pausing, I wait as the alpha female candidates file in behind him. Still no Beta Teague, and his missing presence is sending whispers around the pack as more and more wolves notice his absence.

"ClearHowl," Alpha Alex announces. "Tonight we are introducing our candidates for alpha female." He pauses as the pack claps politely. "This female will be the left hand of our new Luna, Bailey!" Everyone cheers again, even though Alphason Conner just spent twenty minutes extolling Bailey's virtues. "Come to the front, Bella." Bella steps forward, smiling and waving. Alpha Alex announces another name, then another. Each female waves and smiles to the crowd before rejoining the line.

Hank sniffs as he joins me at the stairs, "it ain't a beauty contest. Not one of those females is a warrior."

He's right. All of the females are dolled up in full makeup, heels, and pretty dresses. I'm not surprised. This is ClearHowl, but now that Hank pointed it out, I can't stop thinking that he's right. Even my simple ballet flats would be a better choice than what the candidates are wearing. Then again, I'm bitter about being down here instead of up there.

Alpha Alex clears his throat. "Tonight is not just about the alpha female." I perk up. It's not? "ClearHowl," his voice booms over the crowd, "tonight, we will witness the alpha Challenge."

Silence falls over the crowd of wolves at the bizarre announcement, before a ripple of whispers radiates outward like a pebble dropped into a still pond. Everyone looks confused, except Bailey and Alphason Conner. He is already stripping off his shirt and shoes, revealing his tattoo of a bee buzzing around a honeypot. On anyone else, it would be adorable.

The crowd stirs, wolves flashing in eyes and canines snapping in the air. This sudden announcement, from our alpha nonetheless, instead of Conner himself, is shaking up the pack. This is not the way it is done. An alpha can't issue a Challenge to anyone but another alpha. It isn't fair to Conner.

"I accept the Challenge," Alphason Conner says. His acceptance is even more strange. He is going to fight for Alpha, but he isn't the Challenger. His voice is clear and steady. He takes Bailey's hand and brings her to the stairs, helping her down. The wolves fall back, leaving Hank and me as the only two standing with our luna. As if a human and a reject from the alpha female pool can possibly guard our most precious person.

Alpha Alex is already nude and in the circle as Alphason Conner kisses Bailey softly and smiles. It's a calculated message. He is the Challenger but is already acting as the alpha, arriving second to the circle, more concerned about his mate than the bloody fight about to commence. When Alphason Conner finally makes his way to the circle, both males nod in respect to each other and I wonder if this is all just for show?

The two males as clash brutally with twisted limbs and low sounds of fury It's easy to see that Alphason Conner will win easily. Alpha Alex hasn't fought a Challenge in a very long time. Beta Teague has fought the Challenges for decades. And... I look around... Beta Teague is still missing.

As my eyes drift over the crowd, I see Gamma Lyall, Alpha Alex's mate. He is standing directly opposite of us, as the mate to the... Challenger? The reigning alpha? His eyes look puffy and red as if he's been crying. My heart clenches.

"It's Ok. This is OK. Normal behavior from wolf people," Bailey murmurs to herself beside me. My heart is in my throat. I slip my hand into Bailey's, holding her tight. This is not right. Something is terribly wrong.

Alpha Alex puts on a good effort. I can tell Alphason Conner is going a bit easy on him. Good, I guess? The passing of the torch and all that, but it's so sudden, so odd.

After twenty minutes, Alpha Alex yields. The pack cheers, but even that is muted by the strange turn of events. Alpha Alex grasps Alphason Conner's arm, congratulating him, before disappearing from my view as he goes towards Gamma Lyall.

Alphason Conner... no... Alpha Conner, comes to reclaim his mate. Standing directly in front of her, he bends to rest his forehead on hers. I feel the tingle on my shoulder blades again. When he stands back up and takes her hand in his, I can see the tremble in his fingers. The adrenaline must be wearing off.

"ClearHowl," Alpha Conner grabs everyone's attention from the stage. "Tonight, we will celebrate the brave females who will compete for the position of the alpha female, and I will announce my Beta and Gamma."

Oh. My. Goddess. Alpha Conner needs a Beta. I watch, dazed, as Alphaso- Alpha Conner opens his mouth, his lips beginning to move. Sean isn't here, of course, and neither is Braxton, and it's all my fault.

Before Alpha Conner can say anything more, a scowl crosses his face. He glares into the dark evening, beyond the crowd toward the inky-black forest. I turn to look, but can't see anything past the bodies milling in my way. The pack stirs, wondering why their new alpha stopped speaking.

"I would like to introduce my Beta. As is traditional any Challenges to the new Beta's position can be announced for the next two weeks. Only ClearHowl wolves may Challenge for Beta." Alpha Conner speaks easily, but without Sean here I don't know what he has planned.

I look around desperately, racking my brain for a wolf that could be Beta. I spot a male edging toward the stage, closer to the new alpha and luna. Trey Wilkinson.

I gasp. Oh, goddess, is this what I've done? Does Alpha Conner have to pick Trey-freaking-Wilkinson as his Beta? How can those two males even work together without killing each other over Bailey?

"ClearHowl, our new Beta, Iliana Thomas."

I wait for Trey to walk up the stairs to join Alpha Conner and Bailey, but he's busy staring into the forest behind past the stage.

Hank gives me a nudge. "Go on up there, Ili."

Right. Because I'm the new Beta. My she-wolf struts along, head held high. She's a beta-bitch. Whatever that means. I've never heard of a female Beta before. Never ever ever.

My heart is pounding in my throat. I try to swallow and can't. I stare at the bee on Alpha Conner's pectoral muscle, wondering how a tattoo is making such a loud buzzing noise. My knees are locked in place, stiff as a board. When I force myself to move I'm shocked that I don't hear the sound of my frozen joints snapping apart like icicles.

My legs mount the stairs. I'm not sure who's driving my body, but it's not me. The pack is practically screaming, the whispers of shock liable to drown me in disapproval. Alpha Conner has a hard smirk on his face when his eyes meet mine. Bailey is talking to herself. Probably reciting mental notes. She had to leave the MacBook at home.

Hysterical laughter bubbles up. I can't be alpha female. I'm not strong enough to take on Challenges for Bailey indefinitely. A Beta, on the other hand, is not a Challengable position. Only the luna and alpha spots are. The two-week period is for pack Challenges, only. If I can survive the next two weeks, then I would never be Challenged as Beta again.

I turn and watch wolves step forward. Six, then seven males, to formally issue Challenge. Welp, that was fast. I'll last ten seconds. Maybe less.

I force myself to hold steady, to keep my face calm and serene, just like before a skating competition. It doesn't matter. None of the males are looking at me. They're too busy eyeing each other; their real competition.

"What is the plan? Why did Alpha Alex force this overhaul tonight? This is insane. More crazy than usual," I say breathlessly, like true word vomit. "Who is really going to be Beta?" I ask Alpha Conner.

He just smiles and stands, arms folded across his naked chest, ignoring the tumult of the pack. The honeybee bulges with his chest muscle. It's still not as cute as it should be. Noisy little thing.

The Beta Challengers are stepping forward. They're beyond excited. Beta Teague has elevated the position of Beta in ClearHowl. 'Beta' means power here. The males have taken over tonight, pushing the alpha female contenders to the margins of the stage. That's annoying. Females don't often get the chance to have titles beyond luna. Then again, I get to be Beta for a hot second.

I feel the itch between my shoulder blades again. The Beta males, lined up shoulder-to-shoulder, begin to rock on their feet, uneasy. The pack falls quiet. My she-wolf watches them intently. I eye Alpha Conner and Bailey from the corner of my eye. They don't move.

Two figures step out of the shadows in the forest. In the deepening evening sky, it is as if their dark forms merged with shadows of the trees like some sort of primitive legend.

They step further into the waning sunlight. Wolves. On paws and covered in blood, they are ferocious, wild, feral. Lips are curled back, revealing sharp canines poised to murder. Their lower forelegs are covered in mud, matting down fur that stands on end along their spines making them appear even larger than they are.

Some of my packmates shriek and flee to other parts of the crowd, but the patrol and warriors are warned off by Alpha Conner's short, barked command to stop. We watch, uneasiness rippling through ClearHowl as we all wait for the rest of the feral wolves to emerge from the woods.

There are only two wolves. I don't look past them as they approach silently, eyes fixed on their prey. On me. I know them both as if they are part of my own soul, my she-wolf howling happily at the sight of them. Oh. My. Goddess. We don't like them, remember?

The chocolate brown wolf takes a nip at the larger, darker one. There is more energy in the brown wolf, more restlessness, if not less power. The dark one snaps back in reprimand and they fall into step together, a pair acting as a pack.

When they bound onto the stage with just a leap of powerful hind legs, I can smell Georgina all over them. My she-wolf whimpers, confused. I press my right palm over my chest as if I can contain my thudding heart. My belly lurches as if an invisible cord is pulling me toward the two savage males.

I'm circled, sniffed, inspected. A cold nose presses into my right wrist, nudging as if looking for a pat on the head. Another snap of teeth and the snout is gone.

"Challengers for Beta can line up," Alpha Conner says calmly as if it's completely normal for Sean and Brax to lurch from the forest on paws like bizarrely graceful zombie-wolves looking for brains to eat.

The two wolves growl and snarl at the Beta Challengers and alpha female Candidates on feet. None of the pack leave, but several look uneasy as they back away to give the two wolves a wider berth on the stage. One or two eye me with confusion and some look at me in sheer derision. Sean and Braxton circle me as if protecting me from the line of Challengers. Posturing and threats make the line fall back just a bit more until Sean and Braxton take their places... in the line.