Waiting in the blinding sunshine for Alpha Fyrestone to pass his condemnation left me quaking with fear. Everything I had ever trusted about the pack, justice, fairness and goodness was melting away like a landslide. Leaving me with the scarred remains, ugly, bitter lies that saw me judged as guilty of a crime I did not commit. That I would never commit, Where is Dex? My eyes scan the area behind Rose and Alpha Fyrestone, waiting for him to burst through the packhouse door. To declare he knew me, that I would never do such a thing. Yes I was running out of money but even so I would never have stolen. I was intending to quit the Assessment today, and start my new life in Verna. A low-key simple life of labour but now, watching those dark intense eyes of Alpha Fyrestone I knew even that wasn’t going to be an option. “Kate Winters you are hereby exiled from the Fyrestone pack” his bass voice boomed. His pronouncement bounced around the tall white buildings like an earthquake as I hear
Tattoos done, and I'm feeling good. It was early afternoon when our car finally pulled back into the compound. We had joked the whole way back about Rhett being a coward, adding time on with his breaks. He barely got half his shoulder blade inked and he was a wreck."I'll be telling everyone the Beta Bear is a teddy bear you know, " I joked."I'll be telling everyone you're off the market," he replied with a grin."What do you mean by that," I laughed as we bounced along the cobbles."You know exactly who I mean," he said, rolling his eyes as I merely smiled and rubbed my chin. "Fuck off," I said softly, "I'm this awesome all the time, nothings changed.""Whatever," he said, shaking his head with a chuckle.Rhett hadn’t even switched the engine off before /My chamber, now/ came through from my father. Shit, Kate really must have woken the house up last night because he sounds pissed.Weirdly, Rhett must have got the same memo, shooting me a look of confusion as we shrugged and exited.
Beta Glenn was right to warn me about getting away before the pain kicked in. Well actually he’s just plain old Glenn to me, now he’s no longer my Beta, entitled to my immediate respect and obedience. Raya took us far into the baking shrubland, well out of sight of anyone else before the first stabbing pains began. With a whimper she had to stop, we weren’t following the roads but rather the sun, ensuring we kept going south-west. Scrabbling behind a set of boulders for shade we stayed in wolf form, to ride out the pain. It wasn’t in my heart, not like what I felt when I realised Dex was nowhere to be seen. It was a guttural, deep burning pain. It felt more like a bereavement, a piece of me missing, taken back by its owner because I did not deserve it. Whimpering, Raya curled up and tried to endure the waves of agony. By the time she felt fit to walk again the sun was low and the air began to finally cool. It had been wise to avoid the ferocity of the sun given the distance we had
Yesterday was still a bit of a blur. I know I attended my classes, but I know I learned nothing. I just tried to block out the chattering mayhem. Everyone had an opinion, everyone thought they had seen something untoward. At least they had the decency to leave me, the betrayed best friend, alone. Kate’s name was on everyone's lips except mine. Matt and Cherry were pretty quiet on the topic, thoughtfully holding hands and staring at their desks most of the day. Thankfully today is Saturday, no classes to worry about. Instead it’s just me lying naked in bed with Felix, my hands tracing lines on his bare chest as he holds me close to him. His double bed is hardly big enough for him, I have to be squashed right next to him. Not a problem when he is on top of me. However trying to sleep and have my own personal space to think, it’s fucking nightmare. His pine sweet scent is cloying, too sweet for me to bear. Weirdly, there were no racy dreams of Dex last night, my mind was placid and
I will murder whoever has just opened those wooden shutters. Letting the fiery sunlight in is the last thing my pounding head needs. I’ve managed what many considered practically impossible. A shifter getting so drunk they’ve got a monster hangover. Our ferociously quick shifter healing normally handles alcohol with ease. However when you’re seething with betrayal and you hit litres of the stuff, you get a raging hangover. Silently I came up with some simple, easy to follow rules. Every time I think of Kate in my bed, naked and sumptuously perfect, take a shot. Every time I picture those strands of red silk in my hands, take a shot. Every time I replayed our conversations, asking her who those clothes belonged to, at least five shots. It burned me how she had squirmed in my arms, even with my fingers deep inside her but saying nothing. She had just shivered with pleasure, her eyes flashing the most amazing silver and chuckled. “You know why I’m not telling you don’t you?” “Why
The past couple of days have certainly given me time to think. After standing outside in the chilly early evening air for what felt like forever the wooden doors had finally opened. The tall blonde woman had reappeared, accompanied by a man clad entirely in grey. A long grey button jacket and grey trousers. At his throat shone a large emerald brooch glinting in its gold casement. He was shaved bald, glaring at me like an emperor with his mossy green eyes. Saying nothing, the young woman did all the talking, her hands fluttering nervously. “Come in, please follow me and Alpha Austin will see you soon.” We had walked in single file as she led me down a long corridor. I couldn’t believe the wealth on display as we silently threaded through. Marble floors covered in sumptuous long rolling gold-coloured carpet. Every item of furniture had a golden gilding. It was so over the top. So much wealth in one go made it feel cheap. One clock from a mantlepiece probably contained enough jewels t
Despite my doubts, within a couple of weeks I find myself in a strange new routine. My room is bright and airy, next door to the girl who opened the door to me when I arrived. Her name is Mina Frist. She ensures I am fed, bathed and comfortable and has seems kind and willing to listen to me Except I won’t be sharing any secrets. Every morning I now dress myself like Seraphine. Mina warns me that to look less than a perfect jewelled trinket is to insult Alpha Austin’s generosity. I wore chunky golden chokers for the first day, to hide the lingering neck bruises. Not that Austin called for me. I was trussed up uncomfortably like a toy on a shelf, waiting to be called for and it was maddening. I felt like a stabled horse except I had no idea what race I was to be involved in. Yet to complain was to invite my own death. I realised Seraphine wore mainly burgundy, red and purple silks, whereas my wardrobe was orange and gold. It matched my hazel eyes, but I couldn’t help wondering if
Felix and I are struggling. Well, Felix is trying everything he can think and I’m batting them all away. Now the taut, exciting tangled mess of our sex life has withered, what is there left? He offers to listen to me, buys me the most thoughtful presents and tries so hard but I’m numb. “Talk to me Roxie,” he must have said at least a dozen times this week but there’s nothing to say. Instead I take myself to my room more and more often, losing myself in bonfire scents and self-pleasure. I do miss Felix, I miss the warmth of his strong muscles when he holds me close, the feel of his cock inside me, the way he could make me feel safe against anything. The only time I’m feeling anything like myself is when I’m thinking about Alpha Dex, the next steps. So I’ve spent the past couple of weeks keeping a fairly low profile. I’ve not talked to Berlarot since Kate was exiled either, after hearing from Sinead that extra patrols had been added to try and ensure she didn’t come back for vengeanc