Embracing the Wolf

Wade took the arrow from me, spinning it between his fingers as he inspected it. I could feel Adam’s pain, though I was sure he was putting on a brave face for the pack.

“How do we get the silver out of Adam’s system?”

Wade looked up, his face softening. “It depends how much got into his bloodstream. If it’s not much, his metabolism will take care of it …”

“And if it’s a lot?” I crossed my arms and dug my nails into my palms.

“We’ll have to call in a medicine man,” Wade said. “But if there was a lot in his veins, he’d be in a lot more pain than he is now. I think we got lucky this time.”

I wanted to believe that, but it was the ‘this time’ that made me realize how easily I could lose Adam.

“Do you need me for anything else?” I asked. “I need to be with Adam.”

Wade nodded and said, “No, we’re done. I’ll ask around and see if I can figure out why a vampire would be on your mountain and hopefully find out who hired them.”

When I left the office, I walked over to the log banister and looked down at the living room. Adam was still lying on the sofa, his eyes closed with an arm resting against his forehead. Maggie and Donald stood off to the side talking amongst themselves. As though Maggie knew I was observing them, she looked up and met my eyes. No words needed, I knew an accusation when I saw one.

Chapter Eleven

I woke up around five in the morning. To be honest, I hadn’t slept more than an hour at a time. I kept tossing and turning, checking on Adam as he lay beside me. He was sound asleep all night, but I could feel his restlessness. His body was fighting off the silver coursing through his veins. Everyone thought he’d be okay, but I still didn’t like seeing him struggle through the blood poisoning.

I checked on him one last time before I crawled out of bed. The sheets were soaked as was his hair from sweating so much, but he was still sound asleep. Leaning over, I kissed his forehead and left the bedroom.

When I exited the hallway, I found Elle, Anthony, and Sawyer sitting around the kitchen table. Their heads all lifted at my entrance, though all of them, except for Anthony, kept their eyes anywhere but on mine. It took me a moment to realize that their strange behavior stemmed from me being their official alpha female now. The ceremony seemed like ages ago.

“Knock it off,” I said, heading over to the coffee pot.

“What?” Elle asked.

Reaching for a mug, I looked over at the table again and their eyes lowered. I set the cup down a little harder than necessary, clearly annoyed. Cringing at the loudness, I lifted the carafe and poured the coffee.

“That,” I said, “… not meeting my eyes. I’m still Anna, the newbie wolf.”

I knew it was their wolf’s way of showing me respect, but I’d always thought it was a hokey attribute. It’s odd trying to talk to someone when they won’t look you in the eye.

“You’re a rarity, Anna.”

I looked over to find Anthony watching me with interested curiosity. It still creeped me out that he looked so much like Adam. However, it was their vastly different personalities that made me not associate the two men. While Anthony never struck me himself while I’d been kidnapped, he’d watched as Eve abused me. I have a difficult time putting much stock in a person who can just standby while a misdeed is being committed.

“How so?” I pulled out a barstool and spun around to face the table, hugging my coffee in my hands.

“Alpha’s relish their power,” Anthony said. “You act almost embarrassed by it.”

“That’s because Anna isn’t a pureblood,” Sawyer said. “I don’t mean that as a criticism,” he added. “Had you been born a wolf, you’d be as stuck up as the rest of them.” He slid a sidelong glance at Anthony, but Anthony was still staring at me. The glint dancing in his eyes put me on edge.

Ignoring Sawyer’s comment, Anthony said, “Adam’s a lucky man.”

I frowned, looking away. From what I understood, Anthony always wanted what Adam had. Had I become one of those things? Just thinking about it made my skin crawl.

“So …” I said, desperate to change the subject. “What’s on the agenda for today, Elle?”

I caught Anthony’s smirk out of my peripheral, but I ignored him. The thing was, I was going to have to talk to him in private sometime soon. I needed to not only figure out what he was really doing here, but also thank him for stopping Eve the day I was attacked. Had he not, I would be dead. Being in that kind of debt to someone like Anthony unnerved me. Still, I’d give credit where it was due.

“The whole shindig begins,” Elle said. “Adam was gracious enough to call in caterers so I’m free to enjoy the festivities instead of slaving in the kitchen.”

I smiled. “That’s great. Maybe we can get in some training this morning?”

“Can’t,” Elle said. “I have to help Joe and Asher judge the obstacle course.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Obstacle course?” I shook my head. “We’re one camera short of being a dog show.”

Sawyer laughed, choking on his coffee. Elle slapped him on the back so hard his torso flung forward and he had to place his hands on the table to steady himself.

“You okay, Sawyer?” I asked.

He held up a hand, coughing one last time before he said, “Fantastic.” He smiled. “If Elle’s busy, I’ll train you.”

“Big surprise,” Anthony mumbled not so quietly under his breath. Looking at me, he said, “You’re an alpha now, Anna. If anyone were to notice a mutt training you, it would cement their judgment that you’re not cut out for the position. There’s already been one attempt on your life, do you really want more?”

Did all the purebred wolves think I wasn’t cut out for the position? One thing was for sure, if they found out I couldn’t fight, they would be more inclined to challenge me. However, there was no way I was training with Anthony.

“Let them think what they want,” I said. “Sawyer, I’d love to train with you.”

A small pang still hit me in my stomach whenever I looked at Sawyer. He was gorgeous after all, but that wasn’t enough to draw me away from Adam. A wrecking ball couldn’t drive a wedge between us. While my wolf and I were in love with Adam, my wolf still remembered that night at the lake with Sawyer.

Sawyer began to stand, only to be stopped when Anthony stood up, too, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

“She’s your alpha now,” he said to Sawyer. “Do you want to be responsible for teaching her wrong maneuvers—resulting in her death? Now, I don’t know you very well, but I can smell your attraction to her, and I assume that means you wouldn’t want anything to happen to her, right?”

Sawyer looked at me—well, he looked at my stomach or shoulder, still not meeting my eyes.

“You’re being ridiculous,” I said. “Sawyer is an excellent fighter, and he’s my pack … you’re not. Just because you waltz in here and pretend everything’s peachy, doesn’t mean it is.” I paused to glare at him. I stood up and took my coffee to the sink, my stomach queasy all of a sudden. “You kidnapped me while your mate beat me,” I said through tight lips. My fingers curled around the curve of the sink basin, and I looked over at the table. “No one wants you here, Anthony.”

The kitchen was so quiet I was sure the slamming of my heart would wake up the entire house. Anthony and I held each other’s eyes, neither one of us willing to look away first. I’d be damned if he started dictating who I trained with and putting down my pack in the process. The tension amplified when Anthony walked around the table. Elle and Sawyer’s bodies tightened, readying for a fight. I turned, squaring my shoulders to face Anthony. My wolf writhed inside of me, anxious for a fight. Her temper coursed through my veins like wildfire, giving me a rush of energy.

Anthony approached me, resting a hand on the counter. This close, I could see the differences between him and his brother. Anthony’s eyes had more green than blue in them, and the jaded light shining behind them gave him an air or arrogance, whereas Adam’s light was pure confidence.

Anthony leaned in so that whatever he had to say would remain between him and me. My body tensed, hating how close he was to me.

“I’m here for you, Anna,” he whispered. “And by the end of the week, you’ll be happy about it.”

A snort came out on its own accord. His words sounded important rather than intimate, as though he knew something, but wasn’t saying.

“You know who tried killing me, don’t you?”

He considered me for a moment and then said, “Maybe … maybe not.”

“What’s going on?”

I blinked, looking around Anthony’s large body to find Adam standing in the hallway. His hair was in disarray. Pieces stuck to his sweaty forehead, and his skin looked paler than normal, but his eyes were hard and staring at Anthony.

I moved around Anthony and went to Adam. “What are you doing out of bed?” It was a rhetorical question. I knew my anxiousness toward his brother woke him up. Adam gripped my hand, his eyes still on Anthony.

“I told you not to speak to her,” Adam said. “Mom and Dad may buy your bullshit, but I don’t. If you want to bring me down, do so with me personally, and leave Anna out of it.”

Anthony crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. The smirk on his face was as pompous as the glint in his eyes. The power that normally radiated off Adam was just a subtle buzz, though I knew he was pissed.

“Let’s get you back to bed,” I said, tugging him down the hall. I made a silent promise to myself that when I found the time, I would punch Anthony in the face for stressing Adam out when he needed to be relaxing.

Back in the bedroom, I helped Adam into bed and sat on the edge of the mattress. He brought my hand toward his mouth and pressed a soft kiss to it.