"I've spoken to every Alpha I know," Osckar's hands balled into fists so tight, his knuckles lost all colour. "None of them will admit two strange wolves got past their borders."

I leaned back in his office chair as I watched him run a hand through his already scruffy hair, "Of course, they won't admit they've got chinks in their armour. Would you?"

He clearly wasn't thinking right, we barely had a cordial relationship with the alphas in town. I hardly suspected any of them to ask for help or confess they weren't as strong as they fronted. We'd gotten home in a rush, Roman driving like someone set his tail on fire, Bay remained quiet and thoughtful as she stared out of the window. Osckar's voice was the only thing filling the car and with every call he made the tension grew.

This day had turned into everything I wished to forget. It was like the universe just didn't want me to have a little piece. Maybe I deserved it. Maybe in some past life of mine, I majorly screwed someone over and this was my punishment. I sighed, feeling that dark fog weigh down on me.

"You're right," Osckar bared his teeth in frustration, "I know you're right."

"So we've got to come up with some other way of finding out where these guys came from," I said ticking off my fingers as I began to list solutions. "We need to send someone out to find where they're staying. I doubt they've left the state."

"I've already assigned Roman to send some wolves,"

"Right," I paused stewing over how I felt about it, "Tell me next time or include me in the chat."

Osckar closed his eyes, "Sorry, I'm just..."

Not used to having a partner, an equal. I wanted to say.

"I'll do better," he says, coming to stand over me. His grey eyes swirled with emotion as he assessed my face.

"Good", I breathed, taken aback by the sudden closeness.

It had been a while since we'd been this intimate, at least this felt intimate. At every turn, there'd been something in our way and we barely had time to just be with each other. My eyes dropped to his lips, and suddenly my stomach flipped in excitement. I moved closer, just enough so our lips brushed against one another. He didn't move an inch, but I could hear his heart begin to race.

After an achingly long second, I closed my eyes and pressed my lips to his and my senses exploded. His lips were eager against mine, his hand greedily grasping my hair, my waist. I wrapped my hand in his silky soft hair, tugging it gently as our bodies pressed together. We grabbed each other, pulling and tugging, hoping to get closer. He stood me up off of the office chair, our lips still locked together, and then my back was pressed against a wall. His hips pinning mine down.

Our breaths were laboured, and the moment I took a gasp of air, these lips travelled to my neck Leaving a trail of kisses as he went.

A cough pulled me right out of the moment as my eyes shot open. I pushed Osckar back so hard he went stumbling into the desk.

A chuckle dispersed the thick air.

"I see you two have finally, made things right," Cordelia said from the doorway smiling.

"I'm not sure we've finished making up just yet," Osckar said to me with a wink.

A smile tugged the corners of my lips but my embarrassment of being caught so tangled up had me slapping his arm as I walked past him. As much as I enjoyed that heated kiss I wasn't sure I was fully there yet.

"What's up?" I asked, leaning on the back of the chair trying to ignore the fact we'd just been interrupted.

"I heard about what happened at the arcade."

I shot a look at Osckar.

"He didn't tell me," Cordelia said softly, reading every emotion on my face. "I happened to hear some wolves talking about it before they went on patrol."

I let out a heavy sigh, "Yeah, well we have some vague idea that they're looking for someone. They implied they weren't like us."

Cordelia's brows furrowed, "Not witches?"

"I doubt they'd be chasing witches, not after what we went through a few days ago," I paused suddenly feeling anxious, "You don't think there are more witches out there that would come after me do you?"

The thought alone had me sinking back into the dark pit that called for me, a hand brushed my hair back. Osckar was there, grounding me back to reality and I leaned into his touch.

"No, I don't think so," Cordelia said half in thought and half here, "I'll do a tracking spell this evening for witches."

I nodded, "Let me know as soon as you find out?"

"Of course," Cordelia was out of the door in a flash mumbling to herself.

I turned to Osckar, "Let's increase patrols, I don't want to take chances."

                                                                                         xxx

I picked at the bracelet on my wrist as I got into the shower, I'd almost forgotten it was there - yet another reminder of everything turning my world upside down.

I hadn't shifted in a few days, not because I didn't want to but because I had a sinking feeling that the next time I did I'd lose control. My emotions were all over the place, anxiety and fear rocked me as I waited for Cordelia to come back with news. We were still waiting for our scouts to return too.

Roman had called to them through the pack's mind link but no reply came. It had me worried. If they'd been killed or captured we'd find ourselves in another sticky situation. No, it was impossible, the pack was well-trained. Thanks to magic bestowed upon Osckar after making a deadly bargain with cunning witches, they'd been granted extra powers that surpassed any other pack in town.

They had to be ok.

Come to my office as soon as you can

Osckar's voice was gentle but too calm like he was holding back a storm of emotions.

I quickly got dressed and headed down, my stomach turning as I anticipated what he was about to tell me.

I entered the study, and Cordelia, Roman and Jamie were in there. The room suddenly felt so small with all the broad-shouldered men. I looked each of them in the eyes before settling on Cordelia.

"You found something?"

She shook her head, "No, there are no witches anywhere near us."

My shoulders dropped in relief, "Then why do I have a feeling that you're about to give me bad news."

Roman cleared his throat "Our scouts are dead,"

Ringing filled my ears, "How?"

"That's the thing, we found incisions in their wrists and ankles. Their blood was drained and we found them hanging by their feet in the SunnyVille."

My stomach twisted, "Do their families know yet?"

Roman was shaking his head before I finished my sentence.

"Not yet," Roman cleared his throat, "I think, uh, it might be best if you do it."

I recoiled, "Why me?"

I barely knew everyone in the pack to deliver such bad news. I knew the pack had stood with me and them but that was somehow different. This was, too personal.

"You're an alpha, they need to get used to you being our alpha." I turned to Osckar and he nodded in agreement.

"You are my equal, and we'll share the load of loss of life to our pack. I'll speak to one set of parents and you the other."

I nodded.

"Did they get a scent around the bodies?"

"That's the thing," Roman mused taking a step closer. "We didn't find any. Not even a trace of a fox scavenging the area could be found."

"What do you mean you didn't find any?" this could be magic, it was the only logical explanation but Cordelia had said otherwise. "They didn't tie themselves up."

Roman rolled his eyes at me, "We know that whoever did it is good at covering their tracks."

My tongue ran across my teeth, almost as if I was hoping to taste the scent from here.

I looked at Osckar, maybe he'd come up with some explanation.

"I'm planning on visiting the site myself. Maybe there's something that was missed."

"Then I'm coming with you."  I couldn't stay at home and wait for something else to happen.

The world was a scary place, I knew that. In the last few months, I faced so much shit I could barely stand it anymore. I wouldn't let the world take anymore from me. No matter the cost.

"I was hoping you'd say that."  Osckar gave me a small encouraging smile. "We're going to need Cordelia too. Maybe she'll see something we won't."

I nodded once, "I hope whoever did this is not the enemy of the Dreadclaw wolves. If so, I have a feeling we'll be seeing them too soon."

Osckar let out a threatening growl, "Then I'll have no choice but to follow through with pack law."