ng down. I was on the sofa, watching a group of friends play

One girl I didn't know, perched on her mate's lap, glanced up and smiled at me. She

irl! Want to join us?

for a beat, half-expecting someone to objec

me gave it the first spin. It slowed to a stop in front of the guy next to me - one of the few faces I didn't r

ight?" the

at myself

r dare,

y beside me sa

morrow," a guy - Tom, I was

"No, that doesn't count. You said tomorro

p laughing too - the guy practically radiated helplessness. Ev

anded on me. Every eye turn

to pick dare with a

ru

ber said, hand half-raised. Everyon

n ever been in a ro

onto me. I opened my mouth, closed it agai

h. Nothing but," Amb

er, stunned.

Completely. We're basically siblings -

y'? Doesn't he hate that?" she pr

allenge. I focused on my breathing, the way I'd been trained, and forced

plain anything - she thought the que

temper already had a reputation;

ddler. It's just a nickname. I thought

e being called Jay." A deep, f

, two red cups in hand - he'd final

a," he said coldly, eyes on Amber un

My sister. Does that

r," she said quickly

I reached for it, and he bent down to hand it over. I gulped the Coke down, the fizz settling m

game to continue. The bottle spun a few more times,

gain. This time no one rushed to ask

. "You have to ans

laughing. "I know

ld beat Irene in a ma

ss the room stopped what they were doing to look ov

ected what came ou

ho

s er

ildly. Through the noise: "How do you not know who Irene is?"

confused. He just shrugged

the noise to die down - which, to my su

y not know who she is, or are you just sayin

tentionally cranking the tension up further. Realising they want

A couple sh

l, to get this

clearly I was missing something big, though th

girl who'd invited me said, climbing off her

ng to explain who Ire

r since you became the first female warrior in the country, other female wolves have been follow

other female wolf dominating her mat

hes is to prove what

ack's s

le

" I pr

k," Daniel said quietl

h

the nickname "the Mad Alpha" for how ruthless and shady his methods were - methods that apparently worked, since they're the most powerful pack in t

r in every pack. You included," Hana continued, ch

hat wasn't exciting. But excitement wasn't the same as permission. I had to think about our pack'

in power, territory, and influence. The real difference betwe

an you' in every way. Since you never responded to her request, she's started calling you a coward. A poser. She's known for leaving opponent

ell,

flat. Inside,

erve to judge me like that. I hadn't even known she existed

ing me the moment one comes in. So why hadn't he men

s the respect in it? A sparring match is about testing skill, not about seein

. "She's stirring up the whole community. Last

pt the fight?" some

e wrong thing. If I so much as hinted

for keeping this from me - I needed to fi

ything, so hold off on asking," Jayden said, stepping in. I sho

Did they really think Irene could beat me? The way they

w without seeing her fight. I wond

out. Only a handful stayed to help clean up - just me, J

-limits the whole party. A downstairs bathroom comes in handy for exactly t

ts I catch myself noticing how different I look from them - not that it

ood out. It made it obvi

th chestnut waves, storm-grey eyes framed by thick dark lashes. Cheeks that flush naturally, which makes people assume I'm sweet before the

helping. That was kind of you," Kait

Michael said immedia

know you're here, but head home

" Magnu

d, then turned to wave at Jay

called bac

ack to Irene and the match request. I set down the trash b

ached. "How's the birthday girl

. More fun than I expe

at we hoped for," Magnus

I might want to accept the request. Something in me

ou about something," I said,

ice. I followed him up the stairs, catching Kaitlyn's mouth W

couch - literally half his body hanging off the edge, the res

ehind me, clearly curious. Once I was seate

quested a match with me - months ago. She's been using my silence agai

this,

ping the desk. I glanced at Kaitlyn, surpri

er, stunned. "Wow. I real

ir conditions is that the match happens on their territory. Once you're there

ng pack members with me, same

e never gone into another p

here because we're allies. The BlackShadowed Pack doesn't play by the rules, and

g. "If they hurt one of our people o

rst time they've done it anyway. Loo

sleeve, guaranteed. I don't want you caught on the wron

that sink in. "You really

er tricks sh

who outmatches most males isn't something that happens often. If Irene's really as g

As your Alpha, I want you to think it through carefully firs