My alpha said I was free...so the door should be open downstairs...right? I run down the stairs, only pausing to slide my shoes on and look over at the burning fire in the fireplace that someone has lit. I walk to the door and rest my shaky hand on the handle. This is the moment to find out if my alpha is a liar or not. I suspect not, but my heart still pounds as I turn the handle and the door opens with ease. I’m really free.

  The sea air blows against every inch of my exposed skin as I step outside, the warm sun blasting against my skin as I look around. It is quiet, the distant sounds of people drifting to me as I walk down the stone path and then through the courtyard. I look at the two other towers before quickly walking out of the courtyard, down the stone path, and through the archway we came through yesterday. The path goes off in two directions, and I look down the one, seeing stables and two fields in the distance. When I look at the other path, I see it leads down the hill to the village.

  My feet walk towards the village before I've even thought much on it, knowing I want to see the new pack I am part of. I've never felt safe to walk around, not ever. I've always run everywhere in my old pack because it was safer to get out of the way as quickly as possible, but I don't feel scared as I walk down the path to the village. I feel relaxed and at home. Slowly, the stone houses come into view, the flowers plotted outside their windows, and the market is right in the middle of it where wolves are walking around. There are lots of wolves here, and not one of them stares at me at all as I join the crowd. It's so strange...not a bad strange though.

  I walk through the people, looking at the market stalls full of different fruit, vegetables, wooden carvings, jewelry and so many other things that it’s hard to take them all in. The stone houses have many doors, which makes me think they must be homes for the pack. The houses seem to go off in rows every four houses, with many houses behind them on each side. I walk all the way down past the market and come to a clock tower in the middle of a circle courtyard, which leads off into more houses and one main road that I can see goes to the bridge we came in on. The paths through the houses must lead to the beach somehow, somewhere I really want to see.

  I walk to the clock tower, looking once at a group of men talking between themselves. They are the only ones who are stopped, and they are looking at me as they talk. I cross my arms, walking quicker to the tower so I can go behind it to disappear a little from their view when someone catches my wrist, making me stop. I try to pull my arm back as I turn to see the tallest guy of the group has my wrist caught tightly, his brown eyes watching me like a hawk.

  "Now, you are a gorgeous little thing. Where have you been hiding?" he asks, pulling me closer as I use my other hand to try and pull him off me. "You smell very, very good."

  "Let me go," I demand, and he cruelly laughs. His laugh reminds me of my old alpha’s. The laugh he did when he beat me, pulling my clothes off before beating me some more. The memory makes me freeze, and nothing I do seems to get me out of my own memories.

  "You're a no claim, new to the pack, and you're telling me what to do?" he says, still laughing as he pulls me closer to him. I look around to see everyone has left us, and in this moment, I start to panic. In the mix of this moment, my freedom is gone, and I’m back to what I was before. A slave. Nothing. My vision blurs as he pulls me even closer, a sweat building all over my skin as he ever so gently kisses my cheek with his cold, damp lips. "I'm not—" is all he gets out before he chokes. He lets me go as I see a large hand clamped around his throat, pressing hard enough that the skin on his neck is going white. Letric’s angry, stormy eyes meet mine as I stumble back, rubbing my wrist as I finally come back from the memories. From the fear they bring at least.

  "Did you say he could touch you, El?" Letric asks me, his voice like a grumble because he knows the answer, and I shake my head. "Then, my pack mate, you lose a hand for touching her," Letric says and lets go of the man's throat, and he speedily runs away.

  “Thank you…for that…and for the dress, by the way,” I add in.

  “You don’t have to thank me for anything,” Letric replies with a slight sigh, smiling at me for a moment as he runs a hand through his hair. An almost creepy look crosses over his face as his grin grows.

  "W-Why are you smiling?" I ask, very curious why he seems so happy. His eyes drift to my wrist, and his expression changes so quickly. It’s a protective look I’ve seen on other wolves about their mates. I never thought I’d see anyone look at me that way.

  "I love to chase and kill my prey. Today just got more fun," he admits, and then he shifts. His whole body shakes before fur breaks out, and then it's all so instant as he falls to the floor, transformed into a massive white wolf. The wolf looks over at me, coming closer as I hold my breath, feeling nothing but nervous. The wolf sniffs me before licking my wrist where I was hurt, and my eyes widen at the pure tender moment. His eyes twitch just before he turns and runs after the man who hurt me. You shouldn't run from a wolf, let alone an alpha you’ve just annoyed. I guess the man really didn't want to lose his hand and lost his mind. Now he will lose his life.

  There is silence in the courtyard as I see a few curtains shift in the houses, and they all close. I know that I'm being watched, likely the most drama for this pack in a while. I wrap my arms around myself as a slightly colder breeze hits me, and I remember what I was going to do before the man grabbed me. The beach. I want to visit the beach for the first time. I follow the sound of the ocean down a row of houses, passing a few people in hoods who don't look my way. I near the end of the houses, coming to a wooden row of steps that leads down to the beach. I smile and walk down them, pausing before actually walking on the sand and sliding my shoes off.

  "Have you ever walked on sand before?" Alaric asks, making me jump as he walks to my side. I didn't even notice he was here or that anyone was following me.

  "How did you know I was here?" I ask him.

  "I have a mental connection from a blood bond to my brothers. Letric told me what had happened, so I have come to check on you," he explains to me. I thought only mates exchanged blood to make the bond. I didn’t know siblings could do that—or ever did. These alphas just seem to break all the rules, and for some reason, it just makes me more curious about them.

  "I'm fine. You may leave now," I tell him, looking back at the sea and smiling. The sea is so free, just like I want to be. It changes depending on its mood, but it is always perfectly beautiful to look at. I have read so many books that talked about the sea, but it is completely different to be here, looking over at it.

  "You are so brave. No one else in this pack would tell me to bugger off the way you just did," Alaric says, and I chuckle to my own surprise.

  "I know you aren't going to kill me, that is why, I think. I also thought we were close enough for me to talk to you without second guessing my every word. You have drugged me, I thought that made us friends. Though maybe it is because I've also accepted my death a long time ago. If you were to kill me, my life hasn’t been much to celebrate, so death is a blessing. I don't want to die, but I am prepared if you do kill me. So why not say exactly what I think?" I explain to him, the breeze moving my hair around my face as I look up at his reaction.

  "You are oh so fascinating, El," Alaric murmurs, a strange look in his eyes as he stares down at me, and I answer his first question when I’m not sure what else to say.

  "No, I haven’t walked on sand before," I admit to him. “I’ve only read about the sea and the sand. I never left my pack before, you see.”

  "It's a good feeling. The sand is soft, though it can be annoying to get out of your toes," he tells me, and I laugh as he takes his shoes off. "It took me years to like the sand once we came here."

  "Came here? Were you not born in this pack?" I ask him, and he looks out over the ocean.

  "Come and sit with me, if you wish. I will tell you a story, but not one about our past. That is a story we never tell anyone.” He doesn’t wait for my answer as he walks across the sand, his hands in his pockets as the sun casts a beam of light all around him. He looks like an angel, just like the creatures that are meant to live across the sea and be more beautiful than even the sun itself. I take one step forward, sinking my foot into the incredibly soft sand. It feels like I’m taking my first step into my new life.

  Chapter 9

  Elodie

  I follow him across the sand, loving how my feet sink into the sand with every step and the warm sun drifts across my skin. It is so serene here; there is nothing but the waves and the peacefulness of the moment. It makes me forget about everything that happened today and the fact Alaric is on the beach with me. I should be tense around one of the Alpha Brothers that I just don’t know well enough to trust, but that is not the effect they have on me. Alaric sits down, near enough to the water that the waves sometimes brush across his feet. He leans back, tilting his head to see me looking at him, and I don’t pull my eyes away from his for a moment. There is just this thing that stays in the air, both of us feeling frozen in the moment. I eventually pull my eyes away and go to sit down next to him, stretching my legs out so the waves keep hitting my feet with every movement.

  “What story are you going to tell me then?” I ask Alaric after we sit silently for a little while.

  “Would you like a story of war or one of life?” he asks me.

  “Can’t I have both?” I ask, and he smiles before looking back over the sea.

  “Both is a good story, I suppose,” he says and then glances at me before he goes to speak again. “Our land used to be united into one pack. The pack did not treat any wolves differently until one female wolf changed everything. She was the princess, heir to the pack and meant to rule as the new alpha when her father died. She had four younger, spoilt brothers who always fought between themselves. They were not respectful of wolf tradition and did whatever they wanted. Over time, the princess kept a secret—a secret that, in the end, she left our land to be with. She crossed the seas to the other land and was never seen after that. The old alpha died shortly after, his heart not being able to cope with the fact his daughter had been lured across the sea and his wayward sons would be the ones to rule. These sons fought between each other, eventually killing one of the brothers. The other three split the pack up between themselves. They went to three different areas of the land, and forever was the pack divided from that day on.” His story is haunting, and who knows if it is true.

  “Is your story real?” I ask because there are three packs other than the one on this island which is a new one. I know the Luxa Pack only appeared around fifteen years ago. It was big news around the pack, even bigger when people realised they wouldn’t have an alliance with the other packs. And they had their own rules. Everyone discussed it for years as I grew up, and the other two pack leaders came to our pack to try to work out if they should attack the new pack about five years later. I don’t know what happened, but the other leaders left, and no one attacked anyone.

  “Maybe,” he replies.

  “Why were you murdering my old pack?” I ask him, and he tenses up ever so slightly, but I notice it.

  “We believe the packs should be united under our rule. Your old pack was first, and we will attack the next one in two weeks,” he explains to me, and I’m sure I look nothing but shocked as I stare at him.

  “Our pack was weak compared to the others. Or so I’ve heard,” I say, and he reaches over, tucking a little stray piece of my hair behind my ear before resting his hand on my face as he turns to face me.

  “Are you worried about me, El?” he asks.

  “No, don’t be so silly. I don’t even know you,” I say, shaking my head.

  “Yet you are ours, and you are worried,” he says and moves even closer. “Can I kiss you, El?”

  “I didn’t know alphas asked for permission,” I whisper.

  “We don’t, not usually. But I want to keep you around, so I am asking. Tell me yes,” he nearly purrs, his voice deep and seductive, sending shivers all over me. He might not be asking, but he is making sure I don’t want to say no.

  “I belong to you, you don’t need to ask,” I say, knowing it is true.

  “You’re going to be the death of me, El,” he growls before he kisses me. The kiss is surprisingly soft, light, and I have a feeling he is taking in every little bit of how I taste as he kisses me. Alaric’s forest and almost vanilla scent is so much stronger when he holds me close to him, and I realise straight away it is comforting in an extraordinary way. Alaric pulls me onto his lap, his hands sliding to my ass and pulling me against him. I moan into his mouth when the hard bulge hidden under his trousers presses into me, and he chuckles, pulling away.

  “I don’t like beach sex, El. No matter how fucking sexy you are. Sand gets fucking everywhere,” he tells me, and I can’t help but giggle.

  “I never said we were going to have sex,” I reply, reaching up and running a finger over his lips.

  “Alpha invited me over to his tonight. He wants to share,” he tells me as I drop my hand, wondering what I was doing and why he let me touch him like we are lovers. Like we have always known each other.

  “Does he now?” I ask, my cheeks burning red at the idea of two of them doing what Alpha did to me last night. Alaric lifts me off his lap, helping me stand before lifting my hand to kiss the back of it.

  “I will see you tonight, my El,” he tells me before walking away. I stand, watching him go, knowing a deep part of me wishes the sun would set soon so I can find out what it is like to be shared by two alphas.

  Chapter 10

  Elodie

  “Something smells delicious,” Letric comments, coming into the kitchen which Mary has let me take over today. I came back from the beach to find her waiting for me, insistent on me helping her prepare lunch for the alphas. The kitchen is in a basement, underneath the courtyard in the middle of the towers. The kitchen is all made of old, dark wood and wooden cabinets, with herbs hanging from all the ceilings and pans hanging off the walls. There is a large dining table on the other side of the room, where no doubt they all eat at. The room actually smells like garlic, which is mixed into the cheese pasta I have cooked for them. There is also garlic bread I made from scratch cooking in the oven, so that’s what else accounts for the smell.

  “I hope you like garlic. I couldn’t ask Mary as she left me to it once I suggested to her a better way to make bread than how she was doing it. She said I was going to be too much for her to handle and she needed some fresh air,” I explain, feeling a little embarrassed.

  “I remember her saying the very same thing about us all those many years ago,” he tells me, coming over to rest his chin on my shoulder, looking down at the food as his other hand goes to my waist like it belongs there. I can’t focus on anything but the feel of his hand for a long time, the warm and firm way he is holding me. I like anytime these alphas touch me, and I know feeling this way will be the end of me. “You should take her comment as a compliment.”

  “I’ll remember that,” I say, clearing my throat, and I freeze, my hand pausing as I stir the pasta as Letric kisses the side of my neck, his lips brushing across my soft skin.

  “Can I taste some?” he asks, his voice nothing but seductive.

  “Are you talking about me or the pasta?” I ask, and I feel him grin against my neck as I let go of the spoon, only to have him spin me around. He presses me into the stove behind me, the heat from it burning my back as much as his eyes burn into mine.

  “I want both, but I’m only allowed the pasta for now,” he tells me, though his eyes suggest that it’s extremely difficult for him to admit that.

  “Allowed?” I question.

  “Alpha hasn’t given me permission to have you. Yet,” he explains to me.

  “You talk like he owns me, and I have no say in this,” I reply, being bold.

  “I can smell how wet you are from me kissing your neck alone. I know I could bend you over that counter and easily slip inside of you. You want me that badly, so don’t pretend any differently,” he purrs, and I know he is right, yet I don’t say a word. “I’m going to make this harder for you, El. A punishment for you teasing me. I won’t touch you until you ask me, and I will only do exactly what you ask.” Before I can say a word in reply, he moves away from me, leaving me breathless and my skin feeling hot as he goes to the drawers.

  “I will set the table. Alpha and Alaric will be here in a little bit.” Letric doesn’t say another word as I force myself to carry on cooking, searching the cupboards for bowls to put the food in. I carry the bowls to the table where Letric has set up glasses, knives and forks and even lit the two candles in the middle of the table. Alpha and Alaric walk in as soon as I set the garlic bread down, just like they sensed the food was ready. Letric brings over two glass bottles with fizzy water inside them, placing them on the table before sitting down. He pours the drinks for everyone as Alpha sits at the head of the table, locking his eyes on me as I sense Alaric sitting at the side, opposite Letric. I feel nervous seeing Alpha again. After last night, the way his eyes run over my body suggests he is thinking the same thing as I am.

  “Sit opposite me, Elodie,” Alpha commands, and I do as I am asked, sitting at the table. They all immediately start using the large spoon in the pasta to serve their own food before breaking off bits of garlic bread. I hold my hands together, because no matter how hungry I am, I know better than to try and eat with the others.