Draven St. James Scent of a Wolf

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.With a jerk hepulled her to her knees in a position of submission.“You will learn your place,” he roared.Those near the podium stood andstumbled back.While many might feel the same, few would actually challenge him.Pricilla’s eyes went wide with fear as she bowed her head.“Alpha, forgive me,”she said between clenched teeth.SCENT OF A WOLF | 23There was no sincerity in her words, but he took them anyway.He couldn’t askfor the impossible.He knew her actions were a desperate bid to achieve power withinthe pack, and the only way to accomplish that was to be mated to the alpha.Unfortunately for her that would never happen.He released her, and she retreated to her seat, where she continued to glower athim.Some things would not change, not matter how he might wish them to.With a lowsigh, he moved back up behind the podium.“Is that all?” Merek asked bluntly.He just wanted the damned meeting to be over.“No.” Lucas stepped forward.“I’ve scented a were—new…close by.”Lucas was a dominant force within the pack, but unlike Pricilla, he was loyal.Thus, Merek knew Lucas bringing attention to the issue wasn’t meant to impedeMerek’s power as the alpha, but to address the matter in an open forum.“I found an injured young man on the outskirts of the woods, and right now he’sat Emma’s home being tended to.”There was a murmur throughout the room.“What do you intend to do with him?”Lucas queried.“Protect him.”“Why?” Pricilla asked with a sneer.If she kept up this attitude, she’d force him to drag her down before the packagain.She was testing his power and abilities at every turn.There was only so muchleeway he could give to pack members before they needed to yield.Otherwise hisposition as alpha would be questioned.“Because he’s sought refuge, and until he reveals himself as a threat, no harm willcome to him.”“But—”“That’s enough.You have my answer.” The fury he felt bled out into his voice.Hebrooked no debate on the subject of his dictates.24 | DRAVEN ST.JAMESEach person bowed as Merek left the room, but the scent of anger was woveneverywhere.Pricilla happened to be part of one of the oldest and largest families intheir territory.It was dangerous to have forced submission in such a public way, butmore dangerous not to.“Are you ready for the battle you’ve started?” Sean asked.A troubled expressionflitted across his face.Merek sent Sean a feral grin that masked his worry.“More than ready.” He wasglad the meeting had concluded quickly, because he was anxious to go check on Coryand see if the small man was well enough to talk to Merek about how he’d come to bein his current condition.SCENT OF A WOLF | 25Chapter ThreeJace stepped down from the truck and breathed a sigh of relief.It was bad enoughto have the dreams in private, but when getting some shut-eye in a stranger’s truck—well, that just wasn’t right.He closed the door and smiled at Bertha.“Thanks so much.” He held out somecash through the open truck window.“No, keep your money.We’re always happy to help a fellow traveler.Are yousure you don’t want to come with us? At least until daylight?” she asked.A fair amountof concern peppered the question.Jace glanced behind him.The woods were dense and shadowed.It wasn’t a placeanyone would describe as appearing safe, but Emma was located deep in that forest.Hehad to go.“I’m afraid not.I have someone I’m going to see.”“Okay, if you’re sure,” she responded with a sweet smile.“Be careful now, ya hear?” Dean added.Jace nodded and advanced in the direction of Emma’s cabin.He had a generalidea of where it was located.He and Jacob had helped Emma find the place but hadremained far beyond the radar of the pack of wolves Emma would be settling with.Emma had voiced her desire to stay in one place and make a home for herself.She’dalways had an odd way of viewing and knowing the world around her.She’d told Jacethat was how she knew she needed to take his mother away from the pack the day itwas attacked.It was with the Northwest Pack she sensed she would find a peaceful place.He’dbeen well aware that questioning her once she’d made up her mind was pointless.26 | DRAVEN ST.JAMESHe trekked toward the scent of the wolves he knew were members of Emma’spack only because they didn’t smell of Erikson.That man had a sour scent.An odor ofdeath emanated from him.Jace remember that stench from when he was a child.Theday his parents were murdered.That day was etched in his memory.He and Jacob were thirteen and had beenstudying in the living room.Jace’s mother had been in the kitchen.Suddenly his father,who had gone to the store, came bursting through the front door.He’d told the boys torun to the safe room, which had been installed in the laboratory where their familyproduced the inhibitors.Locked in the cold, dark room, he and Jacob could hear nothing through the thickmetal walls.It seemed like days but had probably only been hours before the dooropened to reveal Emma’s face.Tears had stained her cheeks, and the smell of deathweighed heavy in the air.But beneath that scent was the distinct odor of another wolf.Ifevil had a smell, that was what it would be.Emma had already covered his parents’bodies and had refused to allow him or Jacob to see them.They packed up the labnotes, materials, and clothing before leaving his childhood home.He had never goneback.When they were older, Emma told them she had smelled that wolf once before—the day Erikson’s pack had decimated the Pack of Light, nearly killing off an entiregroup simply out of the desire for power.The power each member in Jace’s packpossessed.He shook his head to clear the memories of the past and focus on what wasimportant now.He had to get to Emma.Visibility was poor, but his other sensesexcelled in the darkness.His nose twitched.He inhaled deeply.Holy.Fucking.Shit.Merek was close by, his scent rich and spicy, almost dangerous.It was interwovenin the air that filtered past.Having the ability to ascertain a scent in his dreams was oneSCENT OF A WOLF | 27thing that always confused him.Dreams might be detailed, but to actually be able tosmell Merek… Well, it sparked a great many erotic memories.Merek was real, and he was near.The very notion was beyond insane [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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