Clock is Ticking
Ivy
I was running out of time to get out of this. Every day, the clock ticked faster and faster, a noisy reminder that my life would soon no longer belong to me. Every plan I could think of had failed me, and it was tomorrow that I needed to hide from. It was my last evening to act, and my mother would roll over in her grave if I didn’t make a bold move before giving up. Submitting to my alpha’s and my father’s plan was unacceptable.
Our laws state that if a male doesn’t find their mate by twenty-one, they must choose a mate within the pack by twenty-two or go rogue. Females like me weren’t allowed to take a mate outside the pack, regardless of the circumstances. If you find your fated mate outside the pack and someone finds out before you are marked, you are thrown in the cells until someone is willing to take you as your mate. Once we turn twenty, we cannot reject any male’s request at mating. This was our alpha’s way of ensuring very few ever left the pack, thus hurting our numbers, which have dwindled over the years. If it got too low, the royal court would disband us. Who the fuck would want to live under an alpha who would even come up with such archaic laws? They were in direct conflict with the royal court, but they haven’t given a shit about the West in a very long time—especially Black Moon, which is where I called home.
My efforts to offer myself to Jason, my stepbrother, only led me to give my virtue to him with no reward. It was my twentieth birthday two months ago, so I thought that sleeping with him when he turned twenty-one would solve both of our problems. The bastard chose another mate, calling our relationship tainted because I was no longer a virgin. How hypocritical. He takes my virginity and calls me dirty. And I know he slept with a lot of she-wolves before me. As the future beta of the Black Moon pack, he quickly got access to any unmated woman he wanted. Not that the title should have been his. It should have been Lawrence’s, my brother’s. But he went rogue when he turned twenty-two to avoid this nonsense. He only wanted his fated mate. I hadn’t seen him in at least a decade, as he left soon after our mother died. I assumed that he was likely dead or joined another pack and forgot all about me. We were close but born many years apart. I was a bit of a surprise pup as my mother’s heat was dormant for over ten years following a miscarriage soon after my brother was born.
Anyway, Jason chose my ex-best friend Bea a week ago. He made sure that I walked in on the two of them together when he marked her, which is gross if you ask me. Bea disowned me after he decided to trash-talk me to anyone in the pack who would listen. The way she flaunted the mark on her neck made me sick, and having her move into the house was the ultimate slap to the face. The worst part of it was I never wanted him to begin with. He was just one of the least offensive options, which is saying something.
So what does one do? I don’t know if everyone would agree with my first plan, but I turned to the warriors for my second plan. A lot of them were nice to me as they knew my brother. I thought if I could seduce one of them and have them mark me in bed, I would be free. Five of them later, none would take me as their mate either. You think I would have learned after the first few, but I’ll be honest: I enjoyed the company. Numbing me to the future waiting for me now that I was of age. The deal between my alpha and Alpha Drake was made the day after my mother died. From then on, I was raised like a prized pig—a show dog to be preened and gawked at.
I was nine when my mother died, and she was not my father’s fated mate. For two years after, my father struggled to move forward. He was drinking himself under the table every night and almost lost his position as a beta in the pack because of it. That was until he met his fated mate, Margo. She moved in with my favorite stepbrother in tow, and we lived unhappily ever after. When Alpha Adam proposed that I mate with Alpha Drake in exchange for paying off our debts, Margo talked my father into it. I’m pretty sure she even gave Alpha Adam the idea to threaten to take away his position in the pack if he didn’t. Evil stepmother indeed. That would take Lawrence out of the running for beta, which he could never do to his son. He must have forgotten that my brother was gone, or my father was delusional that he would come home to take his place as beta. The only thing that helps is that my father hated Jason as much as Margo hated me. Too bad he wasn’t worth any sum of money. I knew my father would sell him instead.
Despite all this, I knew my father loved me and regretted his mating with Margo. His wolf was drawn to her, but he wasn’t over my mother. She knew it, and it caused a rift between them. I was the last reminder of that rift that needed to go. So whether I was in Alpha Drake’s bed or on the run, it wouldn’t matter. They would have a chance at happiness.
The all-alphas meeting was rapidly approaching, and the handoff would be made at the royal court. It was a bold move, but as I said, the royal court had a strained relationship with the West. Alpha-King Anthony randomly checks each of the territories in this quadrant for abuse. They had not checked here since he and his mate took down Prince Ryan. The now-dead prince’s stance on not getting involved with our affairs must have continued.
I pulled a pack of cigarettes out of my pocket and lit one up. A stupid habit I picked up with little purpose other than to keep my hands busy. Knitting would have been a better option, but who has the patience to learn such things? Two hits in, and my stepmother came storming out of the packhouse shouting about how good girls don’t smoke and such things. I groaned and tossed it at her, causing her to have to brush ash from her dress. She smacked me across the face, and I decided it was the last time she would put her hands on me. I did not need this place. It was time for me to stop looking to men to save me. My mother always said Prince Charming was often as black as oil inside. It was time to figure out how to save myself. Fairy tales don’t exist in the real world. Even if they did, I had no time to wait for one. As far as everyone here was concerned, I was the pack’s whore. The failure she-wolf that my father was happy to have our alpha sell to Alpha Drake to settle our debts. Those rumors existed because none of them knew the truth.
I put my getaway into motion once my father and Margo were out for the evening. They were attending some event that they would stumble home drunk from and wouldn’t notice I was gone until morning. My stepbrother enjoyed his night differently by entertaining his mate in his bedroom. I heard their grunts and moans from down the hall. Another loud fucking session to rub it in my face. That noise was the perfect poetic cover. They were all so predictable.
The keys to Jason’s motorcycle were on the kitchen table, which I swiped and put in my pocket. One I very much coveted. Not because it was exactly my thing but because he loved it so much. He took away Bea. Margo took my father. Now, I would take what belonged to what each of them loved so much.
My swift packing started with me swiping his keys. Next, I entered my father’s room and packed my mother’s things, which Margo had claimed. Things that belonged to me. I tossed anything I hadn’t wanted in the fireplace and set it ablaze. Then I cleaned out the safe and, for good measure, stole Bea’s motorcycle jacket off the floor. She tossed it in front of my bedroom door, so it seemed fair I had it. Jason bought it for her, and she loved it so much. It was cherry red, and her pitch-black helmet with the red flowers matched was hanging up by the front door. Both looked so much better on me.
Entering my room, I packed a few things, including a photo of my family and some clothes. My mother was an omega, and my father was a beta. It did not lead to a naturally strong wolf. That didn’t stop me from learning to use what was around me to defend myself and having above-average intelligence. My many months fucking the warriors lead me to learn a thing or two about self-defense. They gave me several lessons in weaponry, and that knowledge was worth the pride I sold them. I tucked a knife in my boot and a gun in my waistband.
I’ll admit I had limited knowledge about driving a motorcycle. I had only been on the back of his a few times. But at worst, I crash it into a tree, and at best, I get away. Either outcome I was happy with.
“Fuck this place,” I growled, throwing the bag over my shoulder. I looked down the empty hallway I once ran up and down with my mother. Dancing to music that my father played on an old record player. He swore the sound was better than digital. The man was wrong. This whole pack was wrong; I didn’t need any of them. I left no note, no word of where I was going because I wasn’t sure yet. What did it matter? I mattered to no one anyway.
Richard
I forgot the name of the woman in my bed the morning after fucking her. Two bottles of whiskey will do that to you. She was smoking hot, though, and we had been here at least four times before. I never remembered her name, and it didn’t seem to bother her. Her soft red hair haloed around her head on my spare pillow, and her skin was smooth and perfectly tanned. If I stuck to pet names, it would turn her on and save me from embarrassment.
Before she left my bed, I planned to do much more with her. Her talented mouth and wet, perfectly balanced pussy put her on my top ten list this season. Next season, I’m sure I’ll tire of her, but I’ll let her try out. Plus, it was, after all, my birthday. Why not treat myself before going to the office?
‘Is it?’ Maximus asked me. ‘I don’t remember when it is.’
‘I say it is.’ I ran my hand up and down her back to gently wake her. ‘It’s been at least a year since the last time I thought it was. That’s good enough.’
“Good morning.” She mumbled, turning over into my body.
“Shut up,” I said and kissed her neck, pulling at the skin with my teeth. “I would very much like to fuck you again before you have to leave. Not that interested in wasting time with conversation.”
“Who says I have to leave?” The look on her face and the pout on her lips was almost seductive enough to mark her. The urge to do it to anyone only got worse with age. I was pushing thirty at this point, and in wolf years, that might as well be a hundred. How did I even make it this far?
‘Anthony went back in time and saved our ass.’ Right. Forgot about that for a second. ‘Plus, we are one of the strongest wolves in the kingdom.’ Years of training made Herman, Cayden, and I the perfect trio to keep the army in line. Daren and Lawrence eventually left Blood Moon to join us. The two of them, with Steven and, of course, Anthony, added to the perfection. And our luna-queen made the army unstoppable.
“I do. I have work today, and the boss is very strict about it.” Oriana wanted help today with her training. She told me the trainer she had made her uncomfortable. His aura was too dark, and she fell behind because of it. Val tried to help her, but they often were at odds. They possessed the same power, but Oriana was bright about it, and Val was all in on the dark side. Oriana made those around her love her, and Val made them fear her. Besides, it was Wednesday, so I had to respect date night. We had to move it to an every-other-week schedule as I also needed to ensure Gracie got her night. Unfortunately, my tyrant brother had me working too much to use up two nights of my time. Neither of them minded. Both had that same light. Gracie reminded me of my mother, and we suspected she was all witch with her power. Penny spent the alternate Wednesday helping to train her power. Before that started, the poor pup inadvertently cast spells and curses on everyone she deemed mean. While I approved, it was messy for my brothers and my favorite hot witch to clean up. We learned this is a common problem in young, powerful witches. Luckily, Roman and Kayla haven’t come into their power yet. Unlike my adorable but odd nieces and nephews, they were on a regular pup schedule.
‘Stop calling them odd!’ Maximus was extremely protective of them even when I just had such thoughts. He loved them so completely, and all the energy he would have put into our pups he put into them. It was a void for us both, filled halfway by their love. At least once a month, I visited their graves. Oriana often went with me, leaving behind toys for them and flowers for Lissa and my mother. I missed them all.
While we are on the topic of my brother’s pups, Tobias is still a little shit, and his behavior is only funny when it is not directed at me. At least the biting was under control. He was protective of his mother and sisters, his title, and his mate.
No one understood what was happening in Zachary’s mind except Gracelynn. He shifted when his sister did at four, but other than that, if he had any power, none of us had seen it. Val thought he was holding it all in to go unnoticed, and I was inclined to agree. The problem is that those who keep things in one day explode. Zachary and his brother mostly did not get along because Tobias thought he was too soft. Deep down, I knew it was because Tobias was scared for him. None of us could afford to be soft. In his defense, he is ten, and Anthony wasn’t much different at that age. Our father hardened him, but it wasn’t his nature. Over time, he would learn how to balance his kindness and his strength. All of that means we need to separate the two brothers on occasion.
“The luna-queen does seem like a bitch.” I threw her back, no longer interested. “What?”
“First of all, I was not talking about our luna-queen. And even if I were, don’t speak of her that way. She’s my brother’s mate and very much my sister. I won’t accept you disrespecting her. Now, get out.” I’ll admit Val can appear to be a bitch. She was aggressive with the staff but in a respectful way. They all loved her at the end of the day. She just never wanted to waste time and wanted everyone ready for anything. That doesn’t mean she is a bitch. It means she’s the luna-queen and a good one. Her schedule never ended, and being direct was the only way to be when you are such a busy woman with a lot on your shoulders at all times. My brother acted very similarly, and no one said he was an asshole. The double standard pissed me off.
“I’m sorry.” Her whimper did nothing to change my mind. “Richard-”
“I can throw you out if you prefer.”
“I didn’t realize you had such a thing for the luna-queen.” She pulled her dress over her head and searched around for her shoes. “How does your brother feel about that?”
“I realize it would be impossible for you to love someone you aren’t fucking, but I don’t have that problem.” Goddess, these she-wolves were pathetic sometimes.
“You think very highly of yourself.” She snorted and stormed off.
‘We are getting too old for this,’ Maximus complained. ‘Commit to one of them. I particularly like Winnie.’ He had a thing for her. She was a lot of fun in bed, smelled amazing, and was sweet and kind, but she wasn’t our mate. I didn’t want a commitment to someone who wasn’t, and I was banking on the Moon Goddess giving me a second chance. If only I could find her. I had been around the whole kingdom multiple times. Ensuring order and searching for her on the side. Still, I came up empty.
‘I agree, but she’s not the one.’ We both knew she wasn’t, even if she were our mate. I wanted someone more clever with a bite to back up her bark, not someone sweet who was after me because of who I was. 'She won’t bring us our pups. She won’t be with us in the way we need her.'
We put those thoughts away, got ourselves ready for work, and headed down the hall. My brother and his mate were on edge as it was so close to the all-alphas meeting. It had been ten years since we took over the royal court, and the West still fought our changes. To our dismay, they elected the alpha of Black Moon as their representative. We were convinced that everyone was bullied into it but had no evidence. We were nearly at war with them, and Black Moon was at the forefront of that fight. The kingdom was otherwise at peace, and no one wanted to tolerate their bullshit anymore. So, they would submit at this meeting, or Anthony planned to challenge each of them. Oh, my brother did love to show his strength by killing as many alphas as possible in a day. Unfortunately, only six territories were in the West, so it wouldn’t be enough to beat his previous record.
‘Richard, he doesn’t need to kill them to remove them.’ Maximus was such a wet blanket sometimes. Age had made him too responsible for his own good.
“Morning, Sweetheart.” I let myself into my brother’s room to have breakfast. Val was still the best cook in the kingdom.
“Did you shower, Richard?” She asked me when I scooped Gracelynn up and held her upside down to walk through the kitchen on her hands. She giggled until she begged for mercy.
“Nope. Have training. No point.” She rolled her eyes. It was you reek of sex and cigarettes put my pups down look.
“Training with Oriana.” I didn’t consider that.
“At least go change.” My brother pushed me towards his bedroom, and I gently dropped my niece. “And stop encouraging the circus.”
“Both of you are zero fun.” That wasn’t true. They played with them all the time, but as I said, it was a busy few days. Once school was out for the day, the pups were stuck with Martha and Penny.
“Just not as much fun as you.” Val smiled, and I kissed her cheek to steal bacon out of the pan. “In all seriousness, can you check on the patrols for the meeting?”
“I got your back. Promise.” She nodded and added, in mind-link, ‘Still check the safe rooms.’ Even if there weren’t discourse, it would be concerning. That many alphas in one place resulted in too much testosterone in one room.
‘Always.’ It wasn’t that she didn’t trust me. All of these things she knew would be taken care of. But her pups got a bit defensive in tense situations. We needed to be prepared to lock them down somewhere. That is where Cayden came in. He was tasked with monitoring them and begrudgingly agreed. The pup never disobeyed his mother.
“Morning.” My thoughts summoned the pup, who also reeked of some she-wolf. I was glad he was talented at getting someone into his bed; it helped appease my guilt. With his aura, good looks, and position, it would be impossible for him to strike out too often. One thing I understood, though, was they weren’t his mates. Over the years, it was the one thing we had in common. Besides that, we both fucked Gale.
