Chapter 10
Every fiber of his being called out for her. He was halfway back to wolf form when he forced himself to stop. She would not take kindly to see him right now, that much was clear, and from the surging emotions in her eyes, if hatred should win out, he would find her a fierce foe, a wild competitor, and he just might be the one to lose his life.
The whole situation plagued him terribly. Emotions were one thing that could cripple a wolf. Being in a pack meant order, disciple. Being a loner meant you had lacked that order, that discipline, and often singles devoted their lives to crime to try and sort through things. For a while, Anders had run with another wolf. Just the two of them. It had ended badly.
But he wasn’t meant to be a loner, and he couldn’t go back to his family, so where did that leave him?
Nowhere.
His cell vibrated. His father was calling. With a low growl, Anders bared his fangs. He should chuck his phone into the nearest dumpster and flee back into the world. He’d managed for ten years. Surely, he could survive for the rest of his life.
His short life. His father would not allow Anders to exile for a second offense. No, he would require his heart and his head.
Sighing, he answered the call. “Yes?”
“Anders. Where are you?” His father’s voice sounded particularly raspy and harsh over the line.
“I—”
“Have you located her yet? Is it done?”
“No.”
“I should have known better than to trust you. You are not my son. You are not my heir. You are nothing more than an abomination and a thorn into the Shadowed Stars’ side. I hereby disown you and ban you from ever rejoining the pack. Should any of my people come across you… well, let’s just say that the reunion wouldn’t last long.”
Click.
Well, that could have gone better. The only way it could have gone worse was if his father openly declared Anders’s name besides Misti’s on the pack’s hit list.
Knowing his father, that was a distinct possibility.
Exile wasn’t a choice for him. All he could do was flee and try to live until the next sunrise and then sunset and so on.
His life was forfeit, and all because he hadn’t killed Misti Wolventon. Her beauty had blinded him by looks, but her fierceness and now her exile softened his heart toward her. Damn it all, he did want to protect her.
But even she might be willing to kill him on sight. There was nowhere for him to go and no one for him to go to.
He was on his own.
Maybe it was time he started taking matters into his own hands, for him to live his life on his terms. No more taking orders. No more rules. No more obligations. Just him and his wants and needs.
Right now, he needed to satisfy either his lust for a warm body or his lust for a kill.