Cole

“Ally? I thought you were with the family?” Cole said, only addressing her and not her visitor.

“I was,” she said, breaking away from Olivia. “But Lucas and I decided to cut our trip short a little bit early.”

Olivia stuck out her hand to the newcomer. “Lucas? I’m guessing that’s you.”

He moved a motorcycle helmet from one hand to the other before reaching out to grasp her own. “Yeah, that’s right. Friend of the family, huge respect for you guys. Thanks so much for having us.”

Cole appreciated that Lucas was trying to make a good impression and strode across the room to shake his hand. “I guess you know that this is Olivia, and her mate Sam.” It was the first time he’d actually called Sam her mate, and he didn’t like the way it rolled off his tongue.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Where’s Dax?” Isabella asked, craning her neck to see around the room.

“Right behind you, little cousin.” Dax stood in the doorway, towering above both Isabella and Lucas. He was the tallest of the siblings, with a personality that filled the room. He wrapped his arms around her in a quick hug and shook Lucas’s hand. “Nice to meet you, man. I thought I could smell some fresh blood around here.”

Isabella moved forward as Lucas and Dax continued to engage in some small talk. Cole tried not to focus on her, but when he heard her whispering to Olivia about a scratch on Lucas that wasn’t healing, he knew exactly what he was hearing.

“You’ve claimed him,” he said in a whisper so low only she and Olivia would hear. Isabella’s eyes flashed in his direction.

“Have I? What does that mean?”

“Forever,” Olivia offered. Cole watched as her eyes met Sam’s. Clearly his little sister had also partaken in the ritual. It sounded like Isabella’s was accidental though, that would be a conversation for her a Lucas to have at another time. Not in front of the entire family.

Cole retreated to the large fireplace and settled with his hands behind his back. “So what brings you to Crescent Valley, Isabella? Has my little brother been misbehaving at the lodge?” Cole could just imagine Liam starting some ridiculous immature arguments with family members. He never should’ve let him go on his own. But it had been Liam’s idea to have a clan Christmas, some forty or so members from four states. His parents used to host it, but since Bianca’s death it was just another responsibility to fall onto their children. Cole certainly didn’t want to run the weekend getaway, and Liam was the more entertaining brother anyway. So he let him go, but Isabella being here meant it didn’t go well.

Everyone moved further into the room. Olivia sat in a tall wingback chair while Sam stood silently behind her. Dax flopped himself down on the black leather sofa. Lucas stayed near the door. Isabella moved directly in front of the fireplace, putting her hands in front of the flames. “We need to talk about Uncle Joshua.”

“Joshua? What does he want? He already has full control over the West Virginia clan. Which I person ally still think was a poor decision on my father’s part, but he placed them in that position prior to me taking over as alpha. I’m not going to change things up that much, unless you think I need to.”

Cole watched as Isabella carefully threw a look over her shoulder at Lucas standing near the door. “I think he’s going to try something…”

Rage immediately overtook Cole’s body. “Try something? Like what?”

He watched as Dax moved from his relaxed pose on the couch to sitting up. Then he suddenly began walking over towards the windows. He seemed distracted.

“I don’t really know, to be honest. My mother thinks he’s gotten mixed up with the Hemlock clan.”

“Coyotes?” Sam asked.

“Yeah. And he said that some of the clan members are feeling like some of your new rules are too restrictive, Cole. Liam didn’t think it was a big deal; he thought he was just talking crap, but Cole, he said it in front of the whole family. Every clan member that was there plus our guests. You and I both know that that is an act of treason. And I love our uncle, but I’m not trying to get into the middle of something here. I think by coming to you I’ve made it very clear that I’ve chosen my side.”

Cole paced back and forth in front of the fireplace. Isabella’s uncle should have technically been next in line for alpha, Alan, Cole’s father was his step brother, and Isabella’s mother their sister. But Alan didn’t think he was ready, he felt Cole would do better in the job so he put him there. And as much as Cole wasn’t sure he was ready, their uncle definitely wasn’t. “Olivia, call Liam. I want him home now. We need to figure out what this all means, if anything. Isabella, Lucas, I greatly appreciate you bringing this to my attention. I hope you’ll stay for a few days, enjoy our little piece of the world. I’m sure that Dax could show you to some of our guest quarters.”

Dax turned to look at him, “I don’t think I can.”

Cole raised an eyebrow at him. Defiance? He couldn’t believe that he would act this way in front of guests, especially with the information that Isabella had just brought them.

Cole watched as Dax tilted his head towards the window.

“Brother, I don’t mean to interrupt but…”

Cole turned his fiery gaze on his younger brother. He knew that he wouldn’t interject unless it was important, and Dax certainly had the best hearing of the family.

“What is it?”

“I just thought you would like to know that we’re not alone.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Clearly. You’re standing in a room full of people, Dax.”

“Who is it?” Cole asked, staring intently at Dax, willing him to respond. “One of ours?”

“A shifter, yes.”

Cole realize that Dax hadn’t said that it was a clan member. There was a spy among them. “A wolf.”

Immediately, Cole’s eyes narrowed on Sam—he knew that he was dangerous. A wolf among the sheep, sniffing around for blood. He was just waiting for this information, that there was discord among the clan. Dax could sense that he was going to make a move.

He watched as Olivia’s frame filled his vision instead of his initial victim’s, Sam. “I knew…”

Olivia put her hands up in protest. “That’s not what Dax’s referring to, is it? Dax, don’t play games!”

Dax shook his head before turning and looking out the grand window that faced the back of the property. Grassy grounds lay beneath them just before the trees took over. The forest was shrouded in darkness, but as Cole moved behind him, he saw the shimmer of a pair of eyes.

“Is that?”

Dax nodded his head slowly. “A Windego Wolf.”

“We haven’t had any of them in this area in decades. Why the hell would they come back now?”

Dax slowly turned to face him. “I’m about to find out.” Cole watched his brother’s back as he swiftly fled the room. Within seconds, he observed his dark frame cross the grass as he was removing his shirt, clearly preparing to shift if needed.

Cole knew that being alpha was going to be difficult, but he never expected it all to fall apart so quickly. It had only been a few months since his parents left. He continued to watch Dax until he couldn’t see him anymore, his eyes following the route into the darkened forest that he expected him to take. What would he find there? Or a better question, who?