Enforcer (Stope Packs #5)

Chapter 1

Nadia could make a run for it. Just head out the door of the sprawling mansion, down the drive, and flee Slate Pack territory. Her knees tensed to do just that, but she forced herself to stay still.

“You wanna run?” her sister whispered out the corner of her mouth, looking beautiful in a blue ballgown as she stood in the vestibule.

Nadia edged away from the antique table with its spray of wildflowers and leaned to whisper in Emily’s ear. “I’m thinking about it.”

Em glanced down, no amusement in her black eyes. “Say the word.”

She could. Really could just escape this disaster. Instead of taking the easy way out, Nadia shook her head. “I appreciate it.” And she did, more than Emily would ever know. They’d only found each other months before, but Nadia would die for her younger-by-a-year sister.

Too bad she hadn’t gotten the height. Em stood about six feet tall, whereas Nadia was short for a wolf shifter at only about five-foot-six. Their platinum blonde hair and dark eyes were similar, however.

Emily turned completely toward her, focusing all of her impressive attention. “This is ridiculous, Nadia. Come home with me.”

“I am home,” Nadia said, her voice still quiet. Emily had mated Jackson Tryne, Alpha of the Granite Pack, who was the hottie of all hotties on a magma scale, and she now lived hours away.

Their father, Philip Nightsom, turned toward them dressed in a full tux, his silver hair slicked back. He’d been wounded not too long ago and hadn’t fully recovered as of yet, since he’d been injured with pure silver. “I’m with Em. You don’t have to do this.”

Nadia steeled her bare shoulders and glanced down at her opulent black gown and the crystal sequins decorating the tight bodice.

The luxurious material cascaded to the floor.

Her back still hurt from being stabbed by that asshole Bulwark, who now challenged for her hand.

He should be in prison, but apparently, the old laws trumped the new ones.

“I know I don’t have to do anything.” She’d finally found a home and a pack, and she didn’t want to leave. Even though she’d only been in the territory for a couple of months, she understood duty and enjoyed having a purpose. Even a stupid-ass backward one like this.

The door opened, and Jackson walked inside, shutting it behind himself.

Unlike them, he hadn’t deigned to change into formal wear and still wore faded jeans and a dark T-shirt.

With his black hair and stunning blue eyes, who cared?

Danger emanated from the wolf shifter. He looked at them.

“Philip? This is the last time I’m gonna offer to protect your pack with my own. At least until you recover.”

Philip sighed, his chest not as wide as it had been just a couple months ago. “My pack has spoken, Jackson. They’re not waiting, and you know it.” He glanced down at Nadia. “However, I’m fine if you take Nadia out of here and to safety.”

Nadia shook her head, and her hair slid over her shoulders. “That would put us at war. You know it, and I know it.” Besides, she could figure a way out of this. Somehow.

A clamor went up outside.

She strode toward the door. “Let’s get this over with, all right?”

Jackson glanced at Emily, who slowly nodded. He opened the door, his jaw set tight.

Nadia walked out onto the large wrap-around deck, facing the circular drive with its snow-covered grass in the middle. In front of her stood five males, all tall, all strong. Fanning out behind them were the pack members, standing on the drive and along the tree line. So many of them.

Steam rose from the five males in front of her.

The chilly winter weather didn’t bother any of them.

She tried to keep her face stoic as she walked to the edge of the deck, her father and sister flanking her.

This was so freaking weird. What kind of wolf pack had rules like this? The others didn’t. Only hers. Figured.

“So.” Solomon Rowland hitched over the icy porch from the corner, his brown hair wind-swept, his boots at odds with his formal wear. His tux appeared more navy-blue than black. He clutched the pack’s grimoire in his hands. “Quite unexpectedly, we’ve had five challengers step up for the trials.”

“No shit,” Emily muttered.

Nadia barely kept from elbowing her sister and instead stared at the males.

All five had dressed in black battle gear.

Dark shirts, pants, weapons. Her gaze glanced to the male on the far right, Caidrik, who’d been her assigned protector the last couple of months.

He’d offered to fight for the Alpha position, and she’d agreed, surprised to find other challengers stepping up.

He stared back at her, his eyes an intriguing glowing coal.

Solomon cleared his throat and opened the book, flipping pages until he could read. “Proper notice was sent out to the various wolf packs, and these five have answered the call.”

“Yeah, thanks for that,” Emily said, not so quietly.

Solomon blinked, looking up. “Ms. Nightsom, the pack elected me to the librarian position, and I followed the guidelines in the grimoire.”

Yeah, the guidelines nobody else even knew existed. Why had Nadia dug that old book out of the basement? She was nosy and curious, darn it. And look where it got her. Plus, the final third of the book was in a language she couldn’t decipher.

Solomon was one of the few who could read the old language, and once elected as the librarian, the only person who could keep the grimoire during the trials. Most of the old timers couldn’t even remember what was in the ancient book.

Philip motioned for Solomon to continue.

The young wolf shifter looked back down.

“As per the rules, when a new Alpha not in the direct lineage of the current Alpha challenges for the position, it’s open to everyone with Alpha blood.

Something that hasn’t happened in centuries.

” He looked up at the males. “In a moment, I’ll ask for you to introduce yourself to the pack and state your lineage, which I’ve already verified.

” A light pink tinged his cheeks. “Since, ah, our current Alpha has an unencumbered daughter, she, ah, I mean.” He swallowed again.

Loudly. “She is, um, available as a, I’m sorry, a trophy to be gained as well as the position.

” He blanched. “I’m sorry. That’s what the book says.

I’m do apologize.” He chewed on his lip.

“Why are we following this damn book?” Emily snapped.

Good question. Such a freaking good question.

Philip sighed. “I totally agree, but the law can’t be changed until a new Alpha takes over and changes it.

” He wiped a hand down his face, looking too pale in the winter light.

“I’ve been the Alpha for a long time, my father before that, my grandfather before him, and so on.

We haven’t worried about a challenge for a long time, and I should’ve changed the laws.

Didn’t think it mattered, really.” He shook his head.

“Oh, there were still trials to endure, and the next Alpha might want to change that as well, but there wasn’t competition. ”

“To the death,” Solomon provided helpfully.

Nadia’s gaze went to Caidrik again. If anything, his eyes burned hotter.

She tore her attention away, her body rioting from his heated stare.

As usual. “I don’t want anybody to die because of this.

What if I choose one of you, the rest of you back out, and that’s the end of it?

I understand the soon-to-be-Alpha will still go through trials, but it’d be alone and without the danger of definite death. ”

“Works for me,” Caidrik drawled.

Her head snapped up. He didn’t know she’d choose him. In fact, there was something dangerous about him—more so than the others. Well, than three of the others. The fourth, Bulwark, was too much like Caidrik. On the surface, anyway.

“Not for me,” Bulwark said, glancing at Caidrik. “While my half-brother seems confident, I plan to kill him quickly, so we might as well do this with a prize in mind.”

Fury roared through Nadia so quickly her eyes hurt. “You tried to kill me, you asshole.” He’d stuck a silver knife into her back after she and Em had been kidnapped in December. He’d worked with their enemies in an effort to take over both packs.

“’Twas a mistake, I assure you,” Bulwark said. “One excused now because of the Alpha challenge, since you have Alpha blood in you and there’s an opening here. You could take the mantle, you know.”

Yeah, right. She’d have to fight for her position daily, every time one of these bigger and stronger wolves challenged her.

She was raised as a farmer, not a fighter, and never had thought of leading a pack.

How in the world had she ended up in this position?

“Maybe I’ll kill you.” There was no maybe about it.

He flashed his teeth, looking like his brother. Like Caidrik, who was a pain in the ass but would never stab a female in the back. “I am greatly looking forward to you trying it, little blonde one,” Bulwark said.

What a shitty nickname.

Solomon tapped the book. “Remember that you all have made a blood oath that nobody will take or harm Nadia during this process. Should anyone try, you will be disqualified, and probably hunted by the pack. If we choose.”

“I like that idea,” Nadia said softly, meaning it.

She could just leave, but as she looked out at the pack members beyond the challengers, at the fear and uneasiness on their faces, she steeled her spine.

She already loved this pack, and she wouldn’t desert them.

Why hadn’t she learned to fight instead of farm her entire life?

Solomon continued. “Her safety is paramount. Since we have challengers, each of you will endure ten trials meant to test you in every way possible.”

Philip stepped forward. “What most of you might not know is that you can compete to become the Alpha and refuse the, ah, mating to my daughter. Bring us all into the current times right off the bat.”

Solomon nodded, his eyes lighting. “Yes. When you introduce yourself to the pack, please say you, ah, deny the trophy? That way we can avoid the obligatory sit-downs right after we finish here. Then Nadia may leave with her family.” He nodded at Philip.

“As you know, once the challengers declare, our current Alpha and his family must leave the territory until a new Alpha is decreed.”

Emily sucked in a breath.

Nadia gently brushed her elbow along Em’s. They’d argued about this already. She’d be left alone.

“Um, the, ah, trophy can leave if nobody wants a, er, trophy. So please deny the trophy now.” Solomon glanced down at the book. “That’s the language here, but I’m sure you can find a better way to say it.” He smiled at Nadia as if he were helping her.

She might kill him, too. Well, if she knew how.

He faltered and looked out at the field. “Left to right, please.”

“Bulwark McGregor.” He stepped forward, at least six and a half feet tall with dark hair and darker eyes.

“From the McGregor family that was kicked out of this pack two hundred years ago. I’m the Alpha of the wandering Ghostwind Pack, and I’ll bring over a hundred strong members into this pack when I take over.

” His gaze swept her. “I do not deny the trophy.”

So much for that idea. Dread slithered through her. “I’m no trophy,” she snapped.

Caidrik snorted.

The ass.

The next male, also over six feet with brown hair and light brown eyes, took a step forward.

“Dax Moontel, former member of the Granite Pack. Left to find my way a long time ago and am ready to lead now. I have nearly a hundred wolves who will join with me. All wanderers wanting a home. I’ll take care of this one.

” His eyes sparkled. “While I don’t deny the trophy, I plan to fully woo her before she decides to commit to me. ” His smile held charm.

She smiled back, her face freezing. Her blood wouldn’t flow as hot as needed until the silver left her system.

The third male stepped forward, this one with dark and tousled blonde hair that contrasted with his intriguing green eyes.

“I’m Luca Cross, current member of the remaining Ravencall pack, which has around one hundred members.

Two hundred of our members joined the Granite Pack, as you may know.

The rest of us, strong fighters, are willing to join this pack under my leadership.

” His words and tone remained formal, but his eyes blazed.

“I also don’t deny the trophy and plan to charm her into mating me once I become the Alpha. ”

Huh. Wooing and charm. Well, that was better than the guy who’d knifed her.

“Isaac Pembroke.” The fourth man said. “I’ve been a mercenary my entire life and have fifty wolves, all excellent soldiers, ready to join under my leadership.

It’s a good mix of experienced fighters, younger ones, male and female.

” He had burnished brownish-red hair and blue eyes, as well as a barrel of a chest. “I deny the trophy and would never insist a female mate with me as part of a contest.” He gave a half-bow.

“Nadia, I do apologize on behalf of the entire male species.”

Amusement ticked through her. Now that was a male. She smiled. Perhaps Caidrik would follow his lead. For some reason, she held her breath as she turned her attention to him.

He kept her gaze and hers only as he stepped forward, steam cascading off him in the cold weather.

“Caidrik McGregor, a descendant of the Slate Pack McGregors, who were banished eons ago. I don’t have a pack or soldiers to bring in with me, and I don’t require them.

I’ll make this pack everything it needs to be in order to survive and then thrive.

” He gazed at her, taking a moment. “And I won’t be taking a trophy but a mate.

” His words burned through the icy air. “You will be mine, Nadia. That I vow to you.”