Kiss Of The Alpha : A YA Paranormal Romance

Chapter 80: Chapter 80

Heather

"And you think I should break it?"

Even if it was a long shot, I had to at least try. "Yes. If there were some way to convince you..."

She grinned, but it made me shiver. "I think we could come to an arrangement."

I was pretty sure I didn’t like where this was going, but there was no guarantee the books would help Serena. I walked down a step. "What kind of arrangement are we talking about?"

"Nothing too big." Her smile widened, and it made me more nervous. Like a monster was getting ready to swallow me whole. "I’d like for you to live here, where you belong. To study with us and learn our ways."

The people watching were completely still and silent, waiting for my response.

It’d come in handy to know more bruja stuff. I actively wanted to know more about it and learn more about my abilities, but there was no way I was leaving St. Francis’s. The place had grown on me, and I liked being close to Brent and far away from Luciana. "What about the pack?"

She spread her hands wide. "You’d be training to take over the coven when I’m ready to step down, like we’d always planned. You’d have to leave the pack."

That’s what I thought she meant, and it so wasn’t happening. "Even if I wanted to leave the pack, which I don’t...at all...what makes you think I have any aspirations to lead the coven?"

"Everyone wants power." A few members of the coven nodded their heads.

I snorted. "Not me. And you’re forgetting one tiny, little thing. I’m a werewolf."

Shit. The look she gave me told me I’d stepped into her trap. Xander must’ve known it too because his hand tightened on my shoulder.

"I could take care of that if I cast the same spell on you that I cast on Serena."

I swallowed down a growl, barely. The people closest to me took a step back. Except Luciana. She took a step forward.

"Your wolf would go into hibernation," Luciana kept talking, ignoring my reaction. "You wouldn’t feel any pain. Your emotions would be under control again, and you wouldn’t have to fear shifting ever again."

I had to hand it to her. She knew exactly what buttons to push. Yes, my emotions being all wonky bugged the crap out of me. I didn’t enjoy feeling out of control.

And yeah, I was still a little freaked out about the whole shifting thing, but that didn’t mean I wanted to end it all. I was adjusting. Slower than Brent—and pretty much everyone else—would like, but I was adjusting all.

"This lady is a freaking nut job. We should go. Now," Xander whispered in his barely-audible way.

I grunted quietly. Luciana wouldn’t get to me. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. I fisted my hands by my sides. "News flash, lady. Your spell doesn’t work. Serena’s dying. She’s literally wasting away as we speak. Even if I hated being a Were, why would I risk it?"

"There wouldn’t be a risk. Serena was born with her wolf, you weren’t. It’ll be easy to cut it off. And if it did wake, I’d be there to put her down."

Put her down. My nails lengthened, drawing blood as I kept my hands tightly fisted.

The crowd took another step back, but two people stepped forward. Daniel and a girl. Back-up. But for who? Me or Luciana?

This was going to turn into a situation if I didn’t get a grip on my wolf, but she wanted to rip Luciana’s throat out.

Xander pushed some power toward me, trying to keep me calm. It wasn’t as potent as Brent’s, but it was enough. That said, Xander was right. We needed to leave before anything bad happened.

"Thanks for the offer, but no." My words were sharp. "I don’t want anyone else messing with who I am."

"I wouldn’t be messing with who you are. I’d just be putting you back the way you were before you were attacked by rabid dogs. We can overlook your mutt connection, but only if you—"

"Excuse me? Did you just call me a mutt?" My voice was gravelly and lower than usual.

Luciana muttered something, and it felt like something slapped my face.

Red filled my vision. I tried to lunge, but Xander held me back. I spun, snarling at him.

Before I could order him to let me go, he clapped his hand over my mouth. He looped his other arm around my waist, holding me firmly against him as my bones popped. "We’re leaving," he said.

Fur spread along my arms, and I growled. The need to take Luciana down was stronger than anything I’d ever felt before. It was like fire in my veins.

Xander dragged me to the car and shoved me in the driver’s side.

He kept pushing me until I was on the passenger’s side. I went for the door.

I couldn’t leave without putting Luciana in her place. I wanted blood.

Xander hit the locks before I could open the door and put the car in gear.

I raged and yelled, growling nonsense as I tried to get the car door open.

"Stop," Xander commanded as he pulled a u-turn on someone’s lawn, speeding toward the open gate.

When we hit the cattle guard, I felt that slick feeling again, like we were passing through a barrier. But this time it didn’t just feel slimy.

Now, it burned my skin like sandpaper against a bad sunburn. It was painful enough to shock my wolf. My bones cracked back in place and fur slid away.

"Holy fuck," I said, gasping. "Do you feel that?"

His gaze stayed on the road. "I felt something alright."

I rubbed my arms, trying to ease the sensation, but the pain lingered. "Let’s get the hell out of here."

"No problem." He floored it down the bumpy dirt road.

Something was wrong. Did I forget something back there?

The further we got from the coven’s land, the more my fear grew. My heart was pumping so fast, so loud, it was echoing in my ears.

This wasn’t right. I was safe. My wolf had nearly gotten me into big trouble, but Xander had gotten us away in time. My fear shouldn’t be getting worse.

"Are you okay?" Xander said.

"I don’t know." I swallowed. "I’m so afraid, but I have no idea why. We got away from there. I’m fine. You’re fine. Why am I freaking out?"

And then it hit me. "Go faster. Drive." I spotted him in the distance. A wolf running down the side of the road. "Stop. Stop the car. Now. Please." I slapped Xander on the arm. "Now!"

"Okay. Okay." He slammed on the brakes, and my seatbelt strained to keep me in my seat. "Is that who I think that is?"

"Yes." For once, it wasn’t my own fear I was feeling. It was Brent’s. I couldn’t imagine what would make him so afraid, but whatever it was, I wanted it gone.

I un-clicked my seatbelt, jumped down from the car, and started running to meet him.