Forsaken (Book 3 of the Zara's Wolf Trilogy) BWWM - ON HOLD

7. On Guard

Evan doesn't like this one bit.

Ryan only called them over to gloat and to present the hostages. He didn't want to negotiate. He just wanted to rub salt into the wounds. They knew he had Zara, Alicia, Emily, and Aunt Vicky and Nicky. What more did he want?

Of course, the alphas want to try and settle things peacefully. They had already tried that though, and it didn't work. True, this time they have the Silver Stars, the Tallimook, and the Rainier Ridge packs to aid them. With them as allies, maybe Ryan will back off now that he is out-numbered.

At least, they hope they out-numbered Ryan now. They still do not have definite numbers established.

Everyone who attended the alphas' meeting the other day is going to confront Ryan. The plan is to have Keith leave with them after, and then double back to meet with Ryan on his own.

They all know Keith can do it, but they worry that Ryan won't fall for it and will stab him in the back.

It is terribly reckless, but Keith insists they at least let him try. He is willing to die for his alpha, his sister, and her unborn child if it means ensuring her safety.

Evan, however, is ready for revenge. Ready to get back at Ryan for kidnapping Zara, for what he did to his pack, and for how he murdered Megan. Ryan was never punished for that, and Megan's family deserved some consolation for their loss. Evan had never been able to face them after that incident and he would like to one day assure her family that their daughter's murderer had been brought to justice.

Ryan may be his brother, but everything he had done was inexcusable and punishable by death in shifter society.

He wasn't Evan's big brother anymore. That thought made everything more bearable.

As the sun rises in the east, Clyde, Rick, Eric, and Clark watch the small procession before them just outside the alpha's house. Heidi, Clyde's mate, and the future alphas, Owen and Leah, stand off to the side to watch them leave. They will remain at the pack house to ensure its own safety.

Standing next to Evan is Brianna and his parents as Clyde gives a small speech to everyone present, but Evan tunes him out. Not needing the pep-talk, he waits until Clyde gives the order for them to head out.

They shift into their wolf forms and begin the trek south across the Silver Star terrain and to the river that separates the Silver Star's territory from the White Peak's territory.

A pair of Ryan's guards wait for their arrival and howl back to Ryan at the White Peak pack house, their voices rising and falling in the crisp morning air.

The pair of rogue wolves escort them through the woods, all the while they continuously watch their backs for unsuspecting rogues to come running out from behind the bushes and attack them.

Even with four alphas, their betas, and head warriors, they are an intimidating sight to behold, and any lone rogue would be stupid to attack them unless he wanted to be immediately slaughtered.

As one of the weakest members in their group, and quite possibly the biggest target for Ryan, Evan keeps his guard up.

The closer he gets to the pack house, the more his anger and hatred towards Ryan begins to bubble up. After all these years of believing Ryan was dead, and mourning the death of Megan, it is finally spilling over him. Stealing Zara, his home, his life—how dare he! Did the bastard have anything good left in him?

He wants to kill Ryan himself. A part of him itches to be the one to avenge Megan's brutal murder. He owes her that much.

And yet, could he do it? Would Zara accept it? Yes, she's still new to their world, and yes, Ryan deserves it, but he still doesn't think she's capable of handling it well. She's still far too naïve.