42. Noah
NOAH
I caught George’s scent and snarled, picking up speed as I chased after him through the woods. His scent grew stronger. I was gaining on him.
But then another scent hit my nose just before a heavy weight slammed into my side, tackling me to the ground.
It wasn’t George. Another wolf—muscular, dark fur. We tussled and snapped our jaws, rolling in the dirt and dead leaves. He was strong, but no match for me. With a vicious growl, I pinned the wolf beneath me, my teeth hovering over his exposed throat.
Slowly, the wolf shifted back into human form beneath me. A man, maybe in his late twenties, with shaggy hair. He glared at me defiantly.
I shifted back as well, still pinning him down. “Who are you? Why did you attack me?”
“Fuck you,” he spat. “I don’t answer to you.”
I applied pressure to his throat. “You do now. Talk. Who are you?”
He struggled futilely before going limp in surrender. “Carlo,” he said. “I run with George’s crew.”
I sighed and released him. George’s crew. Of course. That bastard had hired muscle to take me out once again.
But something didn’t add up. I hauled Carlo to his feet roughly.
“If George wanted me dead, why not just take me out from a distance? Why attack me head-on and risk yourself?”
A flicker of unease passed over Carlo’s face before he schooled his features. “I don’t know, man. I just do what I’m told.”
Bullshit. This was sloppy for a planned hit. And George striking in broad daylight, so close to the pack grounds? No way.
Realization hit me like a punch to the gut. This wasn’t a real attempt on my life. Just a distraction...
My blood ran cold. While I’d been busy fighting off Carlo, George had slipped away.
And I had a sinking feeling l knew exactly where that sociopathic bastard was headed—straight for Zoey and Roland.
I cursed and shifted in an instant, tearing off at full speed toward the house. My paws pounded the earth, heart hammering against my ribs. How could I have been so stupid, letting George distract me like that? If anything happened to Zoey or Roland...
I burst through the tree line and skidded to a halt in the yard. The scene in front of me made my blood boil.
Lance was struggling to restrain a snarling, snapping Roland, the young wolf’s jaws smeared with blood. Zoey sobbed nearby, red scratches scoring her arms where she must have tried to hold back her son.
The acrid stench of George’s scent hung heavy in the air. That son of a bitch. He’d used his alpha influence to try to force Roland to come to him.
“Noah!” Zoey cried when she saw me. “It’s George! He’s calling to Roland. I can’t snap him out of it,”
I shifted back to human form and rushed over. Roland fought against Lance’s grip, green eyes wild and unfocused.
“Let him go,” I said. “I’ve got him.”
Lance looked uncertain but released Roland. The young wolf lunged forward, but I caught him easily, wrapping my arms around his writhing form.
I pulled on the pack bond between us, letting the full force of my alpha authority flow through it. “Roland James! Snap out of it!”
Roland whined high in his throat, still straining against my hold. George’s summons pulled at him like a siren song, and I knew it was almost impossible to resist. A newly shifted wolf had no chance against it.
But I’d be damned if I let that bastard take Roland from me. From us.
“Fight it.” I struggled to overpower George’s influence. “You’re stronger than him. Don’t let him control you.”
I thought of my own father then, and the one time he had used his alpha summons on me and my brother. We’d been teenagers, sneaking out to meet up with some human friends in town. Dad had been furious. The force of his dominance had nearly brought us to our knees.
But this wasn’t the same. I wasn’t my father. And I sure as hell wasn’t going to let George tear apart our family.
Slowly, incrementally, Roland’s resistance lessened. He shuddered, then went limp, sagging against me in exhaustion. I cradled his smaller form to my chest.
“That’s it,” I said. “You did good, kiddo. Real good.”
Roland shifted back to his human self, tears streaming down his face. “Make it stop, Noah,” he pleaded. “He keeps calling me. I don’t want to go with him. Please...”
My heart clenched. This kid had been through enough. George’s cruelty knew no bounds.
I glanced over at Zoey and saw the anguish on her face, the barely restrained fury.
Cupping Roland’s face, I forced him to meet my steady gaze. “Listen to me. Focus on my voice. George has no power over you anymore. You’re part of our pack now. My pack.”
He blinked up at me, eyes glassy with fear and confusion. “But he’s my dad...”
“No,” I growled, the word tasting like acid on my tongue. “He lost that right the second he laid a hand on you. On your mom. Blood doesn’t make you family. Love does. And I promise you, Roland, I love you. I will always protect you. No matter what.”
Fresh tears spilled over, but this time, I saw a flicker of hope in those green depths. Roland clutched at my shirt, burying his face against my shoulder.
I held him close, letting my presence soothe his trembling form. Over his head, I locked eyes with Zoey, seeing my own resolve mirrored back at me.
I held Roland close for a few moments longer, letting him draw strength from my presence. When his trembling subsided, I gently pulled back, keeping my hands on his shoulders as I looked him in the eye.
“Ro, I need to ask you something important,” I said. “Will you accept me as your alpha and dedicate yourself to the Boldercrest pack?”
Roland’s eyes widened, a mix of surprise and uncertainty flickering across his face. “What... what does that mean?”
“It means that you’ll be tied to me, to our pack. George’s bond with you will be broken. He won’t be able to summon you or get inside your head anymore.”
“But...” Roland glanced at his mother. “If I join your pack, and Mom wants to leave...”
Zoey stepped forward and knelt beside us. She clasped Roland’s hand. “I’m not going anywhere, baby. This is our home now. Our family.”
Roland still looked scared, his gaze darting between us. I squeezed his shoulders, drawing his attention back to me.
“I promise you, I will never use my summons on you against your will. I’m not George. I will never hurt you or your mom. You’ll always be safe with me, with our pack.”
Seconds ticked by as Roland considered my words, searching my face for any sign of deception. Finally, he nodded, a small, hesitant motion.
“Okay,” he whispered. “I’ll do it. I’ll join your pack.”
Relief washed over me, and I let out a big breath. I gave Roland a reassuring smile.
“All right,” I said. “I need you to shift. Can you do that for me?”
Roland closed his eyes, his brow furrowed in concentration. A moment later, his form shimmered and changed, then a small, black wolf pup stood in his place.
I shifted as well, my larger, sandy-colored wolf towering over Roland’s smaller form. I lowered my head, gently nipping at the scruff of his neck—a symbolic gesture of acceptance.
As I did, there was a small shift of energy between us, a subtle but unmistakable connection snapping into place. Roland let out a soft whine, his body going limp with relief.
I shifted back, gathering the exhausted pup into my arms. Zoey stroked Roland’s fur, tears shining in her eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for saving him.”
I turned to Lance as he walked out of the woods.
“George is gone. Can’t find him anywhere.” Lance’s nostrils flared. “Slippery bastard took off as soon as you started helping Ro.”
“Someone in town must be helping him. It’s the only way he could keep getting in and out without being spotted.”
“What do you want us to do?” Lance asked, his eyes searching mine.
I hesitated, knowing what I was about to ask wasn’t exactly aboveboard. But I trusted Lance and Mike. They were my guys, through and through.
“Ask around,” I said finally. “See if anyone’s having money troubles. Gambling debts, that sort of thing. Whoever’s helping George, they’re probably doing it for the cash.”
“We’ll keep it quiet. See what we can dig up.”
“Thanks.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “I know it’s not ideal, but we’ve got to find out who’s working with him.”
As Lance headed out, I turned to find Zoey watching me. I couldn’t read her face, but I could see the questions in her eyes, the confusion and fear swirling just beneath the surface.
“What just happened?” she asked. “With Ro, and the... the shifting, and...”
I took her hand and led her to the couch. “George was trying to use his summons on Ro,” I explained gently. “It’s an ability alphas have, to call their pack members to them. It’s almost impossible to resist, especially for a newly shifted wolf like Roland.”
Zoey’s eyes widened, horror dawning on her face. “He was trying to control him? To force him to go to him?”
I nodded grimly. “Yeah. But by accepting Ro into my pack, by forming that bond with him, I was able to overpower George’s summons. It’s why I had to do it, Zo. I couldn’t let George have that kind of power over him.”
Zoey was silent for a long time. Finally, she nodded, a single tear slipping down her cheek. “I understand. And I’m grateful. The thought of George being able to control Ro like that, to force him to do things against his will...”
She shuddered, and I pulled her into my arms, holding her close. “I won’t let that happen,” I promised fiercely. “I’ll keep you both safe. No matter what it takes.”
She nodded against my chest, her body relaxing into mine. We sat like that for a long time, just holding each other, taking comfort in the solid warmth of our embrace.
But even as I held her, my mind was racing. George was still out there, still a threat. And until I found out who was helping him, until I put a stop to it once and for all, none of us would be safe.
My phone rang, shattering the quiet. I pulled back from Zoey. The number was unfamiliar, but I had a sinking feeling l knew what it was about.
“Noah Alexander,” I answered.