Stolen by the Alpha Book 2

I stare at the towering walls, Kaden by my side. It feels like a million years since the last time I was here with the Purity Pack. I was just a silly little girl when I left. Now I’m Luna of the Vengeance Pack, and my mate is Alpha Kaden.

The big bad wolf.

I wonder what my parents will think.

Kaden’s right. We have the missing girls. Once we explain everything, they’ll have to like him. Right?

I hear a loud mechanical whine as two large doors slide apart in the wall.

Gulp.

Here goes nothing...

Kaden and I follow Purity Pack guards inside the walls. Milly and the missing girls walk behind us, staring strangely at streets and buildings we used to know so well. After the horrors they experienced down in the tunnels, coming home must feel surreal.

We reach the town square. It seems like the whole pack has gathered to meet us.

My eyes well up with tears.

As much as the Purity Pack screwed me up and poisoned me against my future mate, it still feels good to be home.

“Milly!”

Her parents explode from the crowd, wrapping their daughter in the tightest hug I’ve ever seen.

Milly’s face shines with happy tears. She looks up to give me a thankful smile.

I beam. I’m so happy for her.

The other girls’ parents find their daughters, sharing tearful embraces. My heart swells. I’ve never seen such an outpour of emotion from our pack. With all our strict rules and religion, you wouldn’t think we had it in us.

I see Kaden dabbing his eyes. He notices me and turns away.

“What? I got some dirt in them, that’s all.”

Oh my goddess.

I love him more than ever.

“Mara!”

I recognize my mom’s voice. I leave Kaden’s side to search the crowd for her. I find my parents standing by the Moon Goddess statue in the middle of the square.

By now I’m bawling my eyes out. They are, too. As we hug, I try to forget that the last time I saw them we were in a bitter argument. It feels like a lifetime ago.

“I’ve missed you so much,” I manage to croak.

“We prayed every night for the Moon Goddess to bring you home,” my dad says breathlessly. “Every single night.” Mom nods fanatically.

I hold my tongue. The old Mara would’ve loved to tell them the Moon Goddess didn’t have a damn thing to do with it, but I’m above childish arguments now.

Suddenly a loud wail silences the happy chatter around us.

Everyone’s eyes turn to a middle-aged couple. The woman shudders with sadness.

“Amber? Amber? Where’s my Amber?”

Oh fuck.

We didn’t get them all.

My heart breaks for the devastated woman, wandering the square like a ghost, butting into the family reunions to ask the girls if they’ve seen her missing daughter.

I know it’s crazy, but it feels like this is all my fault.

“Where is she? Answer me, you big motherfucker!”

“I don’t know!”

I look over to see the woman’s husband approaching Kaden, murder in his eyes.

The man squints at the tattoos covering Kaden’s well-muscled arms.

“Wait a minute...you’re from the Vengeance Pack!”

I guess it was only a matter of time, especially considering all the Anti-Vengeance Pack posters I now notice are plastered around the square.

I rush to my mate’s side. He doesn’t seem to know how to react to the grieving father moving on him with murder in his eyes.

“Stop! It’s not Kaden’s fault!”

I see jaws drop all around me.

Why did I say Kaden?

They’d never have recognized him without his hood and gloves.

I awkwardly continue...

“He was cursed…. He helped save these girls....”

“Mara’s right!”

“Kaden isn’t the bad guy!”

Milly and the other girls chime in to defend Kaden, but none of them seem to get through.

The parents fix Kaden with fearful looks. I hear their gasps and whispers.

My mate suddenly finds himself under the big top of this circus.

He takes a shaky step forward, looking a little uncertain.

“I’m Alpha Kaden from the Vengeance Pack. I know many of you believe I have something to do with your missing girls, and, well, I did....”

He struggles to find the right words. I know it’s hard for him to own up to this, especially in front of a few hundred worked-up werewolves who already hate his guts. But I know he can get through to them.

“I… I was being controlled by my evil brother…” he stutters, starting to lose them.

“Bullshit!” A shaky shout throws open the floodgates. The crowd buzzes like a drop-kicked beehive.

“Tell us the truth, Alpha Kaden!”

I hear my own parents’ voices join the throng.

“Where’s Amber?”

Kaden looks overwhelmed. Communication has never really been his thing. More and more angry voices rise around us. This couldn’t be going worse...

Amber’s father picks up a stone from the ground and hurls it over my head toward Kaden. He barely ducks it.

More parents pick up stones, sticks, garbage—anything in arm’s reach—and launch it at Kaden.

“You fools! I don’t know anything!”

Kaden seethes with anger as he shields himself from the raining objects. I can tell it’s taking all his energy to keep from fighting back. I can practically see his wolf clawing to get out, because mine is, too.

I can’t believe the Purity Pack is so ignorant. So unwilling to listen.

We brought back the missing girls. They should at least give Kaden a chance.

It was a bad idea bringing him here. I should’ve known better.

A flinty voice rises above the noise. Everyone freezes.

Alpha Rylan passes through the crowd toward Kaden, the expression beneath his short silver hair predictably sphinx-like.

The crowd parts. Everyone but Kaden exposes their necks in respect to the Purity Pack leader. Even me.

I know I’m in the Vengeance Pack now, but I guess old habits die hard.

Kaden steps forward to meet Alpha Rylan, cans and bottles crunching loudly under his feet.

“Greetings, Alpha Rylan. I’ve returned your missing girls.”

Alpha Rylan’s eyes slowly float through the crowd, seeming to identify each girl. His gaze finds me last.

It feels like he’s staring directly into my soul. Can he tell that I’ve changed? That I’ve mated, with our so-called enemy?

I feel squirmy and awkward.

I feel judged.

It’s like I’m a little girl back in class with the Sisters of the Moon Goddess.

Finally, Alpha Rylan turns back to Kaden. He offers the slightest nod.

“It’s good to have them back.”

“No thanks to you,” Kaden snorts. “You were supposed to send help, remember?”

Alpha Rylan smiles thinly.

“I prayed to the Moon Goddess that our girls would be found safely. All the credit belongs to her.”

“The credit belongs to the Vengeance Pack,” Kaden snarls. “While you sat on your ass saying your prayers, we were risking our lives. And frankly, I think you owe us a little gratitude. Scratch that. A lot of gratitude.”

Holy shit.

No one talks to Alpha Rylan like that.

I hear a few low growls in the crowd.

I watch the smile drop from Rylan’s face. Like the rest of the Purity Pack, I hold my breath, nervously awaiting his response.

“Let’s continue this discussion in my chambers.”

Kaden smirks.

“Lead the way, Alpha.”

Rylan begins walking in the direction of the Moon Goddess temple. The tall and ancient tower looms high above the other buildings within our walls.

Kaden winks at me before falling in line behind Rylan. The crowd parts for them.

Many glowering eyes watch Kaden, but he holds his head high, ignoring them.

I wish my mate wasn’t acting like such an asshole.

But at the same time, I think this is good for the Purity Pack.

They need a little shakeup now and then.

The excitement over, the crowd starts to break up. I can see the missing girls talking to their parents about Kaden. I hope one of them gets through.

Once again, I locate my parents. This time, they don’t look quite as happy to see me. I can sense their feelings of discomfort.

“What is it?”

“Why were you defending Alpha Kaden?” Dad asks with a suspicious tone. “You know he’s our pack’s sworn enemy. Certainly we raised you better than that.”

“You don’t know the first thing about Kaden,” I say, feeling my temperature rise.

“Then tell me what I should know.”

“Let’s just get you back home for a nice home-cooked meal,” Mom interjects, sensing the brewing storm. “We don’t have to talk about what happened.”

I study my parents silently for a moment.

I have to tell them.

Sure, I could wait. Maybe try to break the news over dinner or something. But what’s the point?

Every cell of my body is hopelessly in love with Kaden. I couldn’t hope to hide it from them.

I still feel the dull sting of the mark he’d given me only a couple nights before. The memory of our passionate night together makes my body tingle all over.

They have to know.

I swallow hard.

“I have to tell you something about Kaden.”

“Did he hurt you, Mara?” Mom asks softly. Dad rages.

They look at each other, confused. I stare at the ground.

“Mom, Dad… Kaden’s my mate.”