“What should I do?” I was still so used to everyone having the answers.

“Neah, since you have been here, I have watched you gain confidence, little by little. You couldn’t even step out in the snow.” She laughs about it. “You killed a man the other day. And now, you have just made your way here from the pack house, alone. You don’t need me to answer your question. You already know the answer.

My shoulders drop. “Do you think we can figure this out?”

“My brother hasn’t let anything stop him before. If you have truly made up your mind. He will find a way. Plus Jenson is very skilled in the art of war. It might be worth speaking to him, he might be able to give you some advice.”

“Alpha Dane doesn’t want me to be alone with him.

She smiles and gestures around the empty hospital. “I can come.”

She finds out where he is and quickly writes out a note telling people to link her if they need her and sticks it to the table “Where is he?” He had left when we were at Beta Eric’s home talking to Jess.

“On duty.”

I was definitely not supposed to be going in the forest without Alpha Dane.

We are quiet as we slip into the forest. Raven ensures we are nowhere near the boundaries as we make our way through the trees and into the darkest parts of the forest. I had asked Nyx to keep Alpha Dane out of my head too. Just for now, so that I could think.

The scents were scattered among the trees, making it difficult to pick out individual people. The pack standing guard would change places constantly to help try and keep them alert and to confuse any of those that break through.

“Does Dane know that you are this far out?” Jenson asks as he drops down from a tree, landing in front of us. “Why the hell are you up a tree?” Raven snaps. “Taking a leaf out of Devon’s book. If that was even his name. How can I help you?’

His dark eyes hover on me and it sends a shiver down my spine. It always made me nervous and in the moment, I was grateful that I was not alone with him.

“You wanted to speak to me?” He mutters, doing a quick scan of the grounds.

“Have… have you figured out a way of dealing with them?”

“Almost. Why? Do you have some information that could help?”

Don’t tell him.’ Nyx mutters

“l…I just want it to be over.” I see Raven give me an odd look. Thankfully she swallows her words.

“You came out here to ask me that?” He cocks an eyebrow at us. “You know we are all out here for you. My people are working their asses off to make sure no one gets in. They are so tired that they are starting to make mistakes.

“Mistakes?” Raven quizzes “It’s been dealt with.” He mutters, brushing it off. And by the way he looked at me, I knew they had been punished. “I didn’t… I didn’t ask for any of this.

He places his hands on my shoulders. Every muscle in my body clenched as he focused on my eyes. “Are you trying to get yourself into trouble, Neah?”

He slowly turns me around until I’m facing the direction we had come from. “Go back to the house!” “If I accept my Alpha position, will that help?” I blurt out

His hands leave my shoulders and he moves around in front of me, a deep frown on his forehead. “I didn’t think you wanted to?”

“I told Alpha Dane that I think it is what they aré expecting,” I sigh and look over. toRaven who nods her head at me, wanting me to continue. a] thinkits a trap. I think that Devon was : dupposed to convince me. ‘to accept it. I think…” I groan, “Alpha Bane thinks I should link tem, one at a time.”

“No.” I was taken back by his response. There was no pause or hesitation, just a flat out answer. “No, that’s not what they are expecting. or no, Dane is wrong?” Raven asks

“Both.” He winks at me

‘I don’t…I don’t understand.”

“Devon got in-your head, Neah. But what he wasdoing was finding the lengths you-will go to, to ignore the> Alpha blood. It was a game, a test I’ve sean it before. You are oneof a kindNeah. They know that and we know that too.” Content befongs to 4

“You think she should accept her role?” Raven asks

“That isn’t for me to decide, what I am saying is if she does, it can work in our favour.

“You want me to link them?”

“Oh no. I thinkNt will piss Cassandra off. I think itil draw the bitch and the otherfudkers out, because a whether they like it or not, they will know who the Alpha is and that’s what counting on. no need ‘for linking them.” 4

“Plan B.” Raven mutters. “Plan B.” Jenson confirms He had been hoping for this all along. “What’s…what’s plan B?”

Jenson smiles at me. “You.”