Anais

I couldn’t sleep.

I lay in bed and watched as the moonlit shadows played across the ceiling and walls, then changed with the coming dawn.

My mind couldn’t settle. So much had happened. So much more was and would be happening in the days to come.

With the morning light invading my space, I sat up and looked around. The air was slightly chilly as I got up and made my way over to the wood stove to make some coffee.

I wanted to do anything but think about what would happen today.

Dave Kilian and I had built my small, rough log cabin a few years ago. It took us about a year to finish the whole thing, as we’d cut and milled those logs ourselves in any spare time we had.

It was a simple square room that had a kitchen with a wood burning stove, a small counter space for prepping in one corner, a rickety square table with two chairs we’d also made ourselves, a queen bed, a comfy second-hand sofa, and a cast iron wood burning fireplace he’d thrifted for my twentieth birthday.

I’d made it my own with little decorative touches here and there; a thrifted bedspread, rugs, cushions, vases, and any other decorative items I’d been able to get my hands on.

Our pack was rather secluded, as we were bordered by nature reserve land on our north, east, south, and southwestern sides. The closest town was to the northwest, a three hour drive away—it was our only source of restocking our supplies.

Once a month, various pack members would go into the town to get supplies needed for the pack to function. Anyone in the pack was allowed to have nondescript human jobs, and a portion of their income would go to providing for the pack as a whole. As Alpha, my mother had also had various income-generating ventures outside of the pack that belonged to her.

Which I now own, I had to remind myself.

I was about to sit at my table and enjoy my warm cup of coffee when I picked up on some pack members’ voices.

I hadn’t even realized I was using my wolf senses. With my Alpha traits now activated upon my mother’s death, I had all these new instincts and emotions to deal with on top of everything else.

I took a deep breath and abandoned my coffee. I had a full day ahead of me, so I might as well get started.

Since I’d had a quick shower last night, I grabbed some clean slacks and threw on a blouse before heading out the door.

Today would be the first round of fights. Before the festivities could begin later, I had a lot of things to attend to while members of the pack prepared the training ground for the fights.

I spent the day with the Elders, getting more intimately involved with pack business. I had shadowed my mother on multiple occasions at meetings, so I was thankfully familiar with the basics. I had updates on pack safety, alliances, finance, health, and more—by the time evening arrived, I was both physically and mentally drained.

While I was in no mood for the fights, I had no choice.

Arriving at the training area with the Elders in tow, I was surprised to find that, throughout the day, it had been transformed into a spectator’s ring with logs placed in a circle around it so that people could sit and watch.

What could I say? We did all love a good fight.

By the looks of it, most—if not all—of the pack was already there. As we entered the area, they began to clap and cheer, obviously excited and ready for things to begin.

Never one to shy away from the limelight, Elder Sutton took it upon himself to get the competition started. Standing in the middle of the arena, he raised his hands to signal for silence while the rest of the Elders and I took up seats among the pack. Once he had everyone’s attention, he turned in a circle as he spoke.

“I know everyone is excited to begin. This is a momentous time for Deep Water, years in the making. We will finally have an Alpha pair by the full moon!”

The Rite competitors standing at various points around the ring were laughing and being pumped up by those around them, all while sending smug smiles my way. The idiots still hadn’t realized that they were all so eagerly lined up to get their asses kicked.

“Now, Elder Marion has a few words, so listen.”

He motioned to Marion as she stood from her place in the pack and walked out into the circle. The crowd died down again, waiting to hear what she had to say.

“I know emotions will run high and things can get out of hand, so please be reminded that this is not a fight to the death! Anyone who has to be stopped from seriously injuring another pack member will be disqualified.” She turned to look directly at Gage. “And remember that the winners will not be treated for injuries at the end of the day. This is a test of skill and endurance. May the best man win.”

Sutton guided her back to her seat, then turned back to the pack. “Now, I want our fighters to come forward and each take a number from this bag. Number one will fight number two, and whoever wins will take on the next number. There can only be two fights per day for the winner, and on the third win, we will continue another day.

“With those rules set, let the Rite begin!”

He ended on a flourish, with cheers all around.

We all watched as each competing pack member took a number from the bag. It was no surprise to me when Gage got number one; he showboated and reveled in the attention just like his grandfather, receiving hugs, pats on the shoulder, and well wishes.

All I could think was, I hope he gets his ass whooped.

Unfortunately, hope wasn’t good enough. I needed a miracle.

Gage easily won his matches, and over the next few days, it became more and more probable that he would become the next Alpha male.

With what looked like a clear win, the Elders pushed for me to spend some time with Gage. I knew him as a pack member, but I also had to know him as a possible mate, after all.

Gross.

After his latest fight, the healer had cleaned him up, and now we were walking along the lake shore. When I asked him to join me, I had hoped for at least a little conversation, but he was quiet as I walked.

Had I known I would have to drag words out of him, I would have made some excuse and just not asked him at all.

“We haven’t had much time to talk, Gage,” I said, then looked over at him just in time to see a little annoyance on his face.

His expression quickly changed to what I was now realizing was a well-practiced façade of pleasantry.

He looked my way with a small smile that was on his lips—yet didn’t reach his eyes— before he turned his face to look at the water. “We’ll have all the time to talk when we’ve mated.”

His tone was easy. Matter-of-fact.

“Right. Because only mates talk to each other, huh?”

“Is there a point to all of this?” he said without bothering to look at me. His attention was on two young pack girls giggling as they watched us.

I started to wonder if there was even a brain in that pretty head of his. “The point is to see if we would fit together as mates.”

Gage seemed like the whole package to anyone who was too lazy to find out what was beneath his exterior. Yes, he was strong, but he was also shallow and egotistical. He liked the spotlight as much as his grandfather did, and he wasn’t afraid to show off his strength.

His simple good looks—light brown hair, hazel bedroom eyes, and a charming smile—made for an attractive mate to many of the pack’s women, and even quite a few one-night stands in town. His looks had obviously come from his mother’s side of the family, because pack members that had known Gage’s father said he looked like Elder Sutton, who was not a handsome man.

His parents had decided to stay with his mother’s pack to build their numbers, but after they died in a demon attack, the pack sent Gage, who was still just a young child, to live with his grandfather. That was why they were so much alike.

He finally graced me with a look that said I was boring him. “Does it really matter, Anais? When I’m Alpha, you will be my mate. It's as simple as that.”

“You're pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

His laugh was haughty. “I’m the strongest wolf in the pack. Who else do you think will beat me?”

I hated to admit it, but the smug bastard was right. Unless someone got lucky, he would be the victor, and none of this would matter. I’d even called the Rite myself.

I just wondered if he would still be his grandfather’s tool once he became Alpha.

I was taken aback when he cupped my chin and leaned in toward me. The seductive smirk he gave me would have probably worked, if I hadn’t already known he had no interest in me. He wanted to be Alpha—I was just a way to achieve that goal.

“It’ll happen, Anais,” he said as I pulled back from his tightening hold. He wasn’t trying to be charming anymore. “This can be a good thing, or you can try to fight me.”

“Your adoring fans are starting to stare, Gage. Wouldn’t want them to see you being an ass, now, would you?”

He slowly loosened his grip and gave me a quick peck to the cheek before continuing to walk ahead, not even checking to see if I was following.

It was clear that he wanted to maintain an image, much like his grandfather. I only had to figure out how to use that to my advantage, or else come up with some way to stop his claim when he won the Rite.

I needed a miracle. Unfortunately, I didn’t even know what I should pray for.