Chapter Two
Ishifted into Megan for the first leg, just in case someone was out in the trees. I didn’t want anyone knowing that I came from this direction. Once Megan ran more than halfway, we dove under a bush and waited.
There was no sound, and neither my wolves nor my magic could sense anyone in the trees. I shifted to Nix, happy for her to stretch her legs.
You know, when we first found each other, I thought I would be happy just to be included. To be heard this time around. But being able to shift, to run, even for a small time has become such an amazing feeling. Megan’s voice held so much love it hurt my heart.
Megan, I’m sorry we never had this last time.
Megan snuggled up close to me. I’m not saying this to guilt you.
Even Nix couldn’t shift last time. But I wanted you to know how much I appreciate you.
And all the effort you have made to not only include me, but Nix more into your life.
We have been truly blessed to have you to share our lives with.
Thank you. I wrapped my arms around her and looked back out, only to realize that Nix was already nearing the apartment. Goddess, you’re fast.
She snorted. While you two were hugging it out, I was focused. I want to see these letters. She ran the rest of the way to the front sliding door. I saw Sterling sitting at the desk and I shifted back. I walked in and he jumped up.
“Amy!” He ran over and gave me a hug. “How have you been?”
I smiled as I pulled away. “I’ve been great. How’s the family?”
He walked back to the desk and pulled out his phone, showing me pictures of his mate and their baby. “It’s been really great.” Then he slid the phone back into his pocket. “What brings you here?”
I smiled as I stared at him. “You have something that belongs to me.”
Sterling’s eyes widened a bit at that. “No, I don’t.” He looked away and I snorted.
“It’s okay.” I patted his back. “Tanka Sterling.” I watched the relief hit him. The sigh he let out was similar to the ones you give when you walk into your house after a long day. Pure and unadulterated relief.
He turned to me with eyes filled with so much emotion. “I didn’t want to keep it from you.” His shoulders sagged. “Honestly, I-”
“It's fine.” I rubbed his back a little. “I heard it all. And I know it wasn’t you or Jora.” I pushed him gently back around the desk.
“I’m not mad at you. So please do not feel bad.
” I leaned on the counter. “Let me know when you and your mate are free and I’ll make the trip to come see you guys.
” I nodded and waited for him to settle before I questioned him. “Now that I know, can I ask questions?”
Sterling nodded, but I watched his eyes dart to the camera. I understood. “Of course.”
“How long has it been?”
He cleared his throat. “I have been waiting for you since the first year of school.”
That was a punch to the gut. It’s been that long. I nodded. “Fair enough.” I sighed. “I ran here. Since there is no one here, would you be able to drive me home?”
Sterling's eyes lit up, and then he picked up the phone. “Hello, yes, I have Alpha Amy at the desk asking for a ride to the Oakenfang pack lands. No, by me. Yes, she is here for a pickup.” Sterling’s eyes flashed to mine as he waited for the okay.
Sterling’s lip twitched. “Not my intention, but I will keep that in mind. Okay, thank you.” He hung up and jumped up.
“Okay, let me get the car, and I will get the delivery for you at the same time. Meet me up front in two minutes.” He smiled as he ran back to the security office.
I chuckled as I looked around. It should have been weird coming back to this place, but it wasn’t.
This had been my home for a few years and I missed it.
I missed how simple everything was in school.
I got up, sparred, class, food, and training.
Rinse and repeat. I didn’t have to worry about all this bullshit.
Or who I was going to mate with. Thoth and Rowan flashed through my mind.
I heard the snarl before I could smell her. I turned around as the glass door slid open. “Why are you here?” Her voice was as vicious as ever and I felt my lips tug up as I turned to face Nina.
“Hello Nina.” I grinned as I faced her fully. “So rude to charge in here and demand why I am here.” I tilted my head. “Why are you here?”
She snarled. “I go here.”
I felt my grin turn a little predatory. “That’s right, you didn’t graduate yet.
” She growled again, but I shrugged. “I get it, hard course and all.” I tilted my head.
“But why are you here?” She snapped her teeth at me and I felt my eyes flash.
“I might not come here anymore, but I will give you a bit of grace and tell you to remember who you’re snapping at. ”
She seemed to think for a minute, let my words sink in before she snapped her mouth shut again. I watched her anger simmer behind her eyes, but she just nodded, more to herself than me. “I don’t need to answer you.”
“That is true.” I walked closer to her. “You don’t need to speak with me.”
“But you have to explain yourself to me.” Sterling’s voice was glacial. “Now, since you won’t answer Alpha Amy’s question, I’m going to demand you answer mine. Why are you here, Alpha Nina?”
She spun around, and I watched as she tried to puff up. “Who do you think you are speaking to me like this?” She took a step up to him. “I’m…” She looked at me and I watched her mouth tighten. But she didn’t say anything else.
I walked up behind her. “You’re what, Nina?
” I sidled up next to her. “You can’t say you are the next queen now, can you?
” I smirked. “Not since the king announced his engagement.” I tilted my head.
“Now, what is your rise to power? Is it your uncle’s position on the council?
No, can’t be that. He’s dead. Your sisters’ power was next in line?
Has she actually taken over the chair?” I smirked as she paled.
“What could you possibly wield over all of us this time?”
She stuttered. “I’m an Alpha in my own right.” She sneered before she turned back to Sterling. “You’re just a guard.”
I snorted. “He is a Royal Gamma.” I cut a look at her out the side of my eyes. “You do realize that, right?”
“He’s a Gamma.” She sneered.
“A royal one.” I turned to face her. “I have the distinct feeling you don’t understand the difference.”
Sterling crossed his arms. “Not many do.” He looked her up and down. “I am as polite as I am because of my position. But you have run my patience dry, Alpha Nina.”
She snarled. “You don’t get to talk to me like that.
” She pointed to his face. “Royal Pack or not, you are a lowly Gamma, barely a step up from being unranked. You are pathetic.” I threw my head back and laughed as Sterling’s face settled in cold, calculating lines.
She whirled on me. “Why are you laughing?”
“Because you are stupider than I had originally thought.” I strode to Sterling’s side. “You were so obsessed with Rowan, only to get tossed away. And now you are here, insulting his guard and friend.”
She looked between us. “You’re bluffing. He’s just a Gamma!” She shrieked at me.
“I honestly think you never paid attention in school.” She growled, but stayed silent. “Let me spell it out for you.” She crossed her arms and waited. But I could tell on her face that she didn’t expect me to say anything of importance.
“Go on then.” She smirked. “Tell me how important this Gamma is.”
I smirked. “What do you know of the Royal Pack?”
“They no longer exist. It was the Lycan pack, but they are all dead. So the king filled it with random wolves.” She looked at me with wide eyes and a snarky grin.
I nodded. “I mean, you are sort of right.” She looked smug.
“But I mean not really.” Her smile dropped.
“There have always been wolves in the Royal Pack. It’s not just Lycans.
And those wolves that he ‘filled’ the pack with weren’t random.
But wolves he’s trusted, trained, and grown to care about.
Any of them in any position with rank means that he specifically selected them for the position because he is the Alpha of the pack, as well as the King. ”
She rolled her eyes. “So.”
“So…” I snorted. “Sterling is Rowan’s friend, a close friend to be selected to guard his home.” I looked back at Sterling, and he nodded. “Did I get it right?”
He looked down at me and smiled. “Almost.” My smile dropped.
“I don’t normally bring this up because it doesn’t matter, but my family has always been in the Royal Pack, because I’m Rowan’s cousin.
Sadly, I didn’t get the Lycan gene. I was raised with him his entire life.
” Then he turned back to Nina. “Lowly Gamma and all that aside, Rowan is my brother. And you have been told you aren’t allowed here anymore.
If you come here again, I will push for your family to be excommunicated fully. ”
Nina shrieked as she stormed off and I just smiled after her. “Well, that was fun.” I turned to face Sterling, who was staring at me. “Ready?” I walked out the door, and he trailed after me.
“That’s it?” His voice sounded incredulous.
I turned back, confused. “What?”
“That’s your reaction to what I just said. Being related to Rowan, being part Lycan. Nothing?” He crossed his arms.
I felt my brows furrow. “Did you want me to freak out?” He shook his head.
“Lose my mind and beg you to call him?” He tilted his head back and forth like he was considering it.
I snorted. “Sterling, let me just say this. I like you as a friend. And nothing you say will change that. Not your position and definitely not who you are related to.” I reached up and patted his arm.
“Plus.” I pulled out my phone and wiggled it.
“I still have his number. If I wanted to speak to him, I could just call him myself.” I grinned and then turned back to the car.
“You seriously don’t care?” He sounded genuinely confused.
I laughed. “Not one bit. Why would I?” He stared at me for a minute and then walked around the other side of the car and slipped in.
I heard my door unlocked, and I opened the door to see a small box full of things.
I slipped it off the seat and settled with it between my legs.
I closed the door and looked at Sterling, who was already looking at me. “What?”
“I don’t know. I’m just not used to someone not caring about it.” He tapped the steering wheel and then looked at me again. “I’m honestly a little lost.” He snorted.
I looked at him. “Why?”
He shook his head. “This is stupid. But I’m going to be honest.” I nodded for him to continue. “Whenever someone finds out about Rowan…” He scratched the back of his head. “They try to use me to get closer to him.”
I nodded. “Makes sense.” He snapped his face to me, but I just laughed.
“I said it makes sense, not that someone should do it.” I sighed as I did my seatbelt.
“People tend to be at least a little selfish by trait. The worse I find the person, the more selfish they are.” I shrugged.
“But I knew Rowan before I met you, and if I needed to reach him or get close, I could do that all by myself. I don’t need you to help me.
” He nodded and then pulled away, finally heading back to my pack.
“You are right. It’s just a weird feeling.” He cut his eyes to me. “Why are you so nice to me, then?” He sighed.
I laughed. “Because you are my friend.”
“It’s not because I’m a Gamma from the Royal Pack?”
I snorted. “I used that because Nina wants to be close to Rowan. Not because it actually matters.” He lifted his eyebrow, and I snorted.
“Let me explain. I was raised to treat everyone as a person. Not a rank. So I would have treated you the exact same whether you were an Alpha, Gamma, or unranked.”
He thought about it for a minute and then nodded. “You’re right.” He was quiet for a minute. “The box is full of letters, or things that were delivered to you I couldn’t give you.” He pointed to the box between my legs. “The one on top was the very last one.”
I looked down at the envelope. “When was it delivered?”
He sighed. “The morning of your graduation. Right before you came down.” He gripped the wheel tighter. “I’m sorry Amy.”
“Have you read any of these?” I grabbed the letter and twirled it in my hands.
He shook his head. “No, but I have a feeling I know exactly what’s in that letter.” He glanced at me and all I could see was his puppy dog eyes filled with remorse. “I’m sorry.”
The look and his words filled me with dread. I slid my finger under the glue and opened the letter that had only my name written on it. I slipped it out and unfolded it.
Amy,
Goddess only knows why you haven’t called or texted me.
I can only assume you are still mad at me and I get it.
I left you in heat, but I swear it, I didn’t want to.
I wish I stayed, but I knew if I did, eventually you would have hated me.
I couldn’t live if you hated me. I want our first time together to be something spectacular.
And I want you to be sober enough to make the decision with me. No regrets.
Today is going to be bad, and I need you to know what is coming. Your father and I have been working on this plan for over a year, and now it’s time. It’s going to be fucking painful for you, but I swear your dad came up with everything.
Remember, I love you and only you.
Rowan