Crossed Fates by Lexi C. Foss

Makayla

I grinnedat Alaric’s taunt and gave up my silent treatment to tease him back. Catch me if you can, Alpha.

Yeah, I’m going to need you to call me that the next time I’m inside you.

I shivered at the promise in his tone. My wolf completely agreed with his idea and tried to turn around and head on back to his house, ready to give Alaric whatever he wanted. I righted our course, refusing her antics. Look, sometimes we have to make him chase us, I chastised her. It makes being caught that much sweeter.

I don’t plan on being sweet when I get my hands on you.

Neither do I, I warned devilishly.

Maybe we should let our animals run the show for a little bit, he suggested. My wolf is craving a playdate with his mate.

I felt him shift into animal form, his energy a warm caress against my mind. Then I caught his thoughts as he entered the woods.

We were definitely linked on an intimate level, a realization that sent a shiver down my spine.

Part of me thought it was hot.

The other part remained uncertain.

We were in uncharted waters with all this mating stuff. The connection could disappear when I left the realm… or not.

What if letting Alaric’s wolf mount mine cemented us together even more? I didn’t want to cause Alaric pain if I left. Nor had I come to terms with the idea of being mated to a mortal.

Put it all out of your mind, Makayla, I lectured myself. One day at a time, remember?

That’s right, baby. Just focus on what I’m going to do to you when I catch you. Alaric’s comment was smug but also low and sexy and rumbling through my body as though he were right next to me.

I have no idea what you’re talking about, Alpha, I said, my tone demure.His responding growl had me grinning and adding, I might need a detailed reminder.

Oh, sweetheart. I promise to be very thorough so that by the time I’m done, you’ll never forget a second.

I giggled. Fucking giggled! Like a damn schoolgirl. But I couldn’t help it. And shit, I was so turned on that it made it hard not to simply flop to the ground and wait for him to ravish me.

Maybe—

I paused and skidded to a halt as a familiar scent reached my nose. My head swung in the direction it had come from, my enhanced night vision making it easy for me to survey my surroundings. I smell something… I silently followed the fragrant trail, like a hunter stalking its prey.

Probably the sweet smell of your pussy, baby. I can’t wait to taste you again.

I’m serious, Alaric. It’s unusual, but I know it from somewhere. It’s almost…

I trailed off, stopping in my tracks and sucking in a quick breath, hoping my instincts were wrong.

Ash.

Bar basement.

Hybrid.

Same odor.

Similar to the one on Kristen’s body, too.

All the details assaulted me at once, my hackles rising. Shit.

Makayla? What’s wrong? Are you all right?

Hybrids. I smell hybrids.

What? Where are you? Where’s Enrique?

I glanced around, assessing my surroundings. I couldn’t see the predators, but I knew they were there.

About a mile east of my spot by the lake. Near the border of Silver Lake territory. Not sure where Enrique is. We separated as soon as we arrived. I hadn’t thought much of it because I usually worked alone. But now…

Branches rustled on my right, and I whipped around to see a large gray-and-brown wolf lumbering through the underbrush, his yellow eyes fixated on me. A human followed him. At least, he looked human.

There’s a big wolf here that I don’t recognize. Brown and gray fur. And his snout is bent at a weird angle. Hmm, I wonder if any other part of him is bent.

Alaric remained silent, but I sensed through our connection that he was not amused.

The other man with him resembles a human… but also doesn’t.

Explain.

He doesn’t smell entirely human. Like there’s something’s off about him. He’s the source of the ashy scent. You know, like the hybrid. A, uh, Vex Junior, I guess? Seemed like a good name for him. He even had the same dark hair and bulky build to him.

Fuck! I’m coming. Don’t engage unless you have to, Makayla. Wait for me to back you up.

A bit too late for that since they’re both staring right at me.

Damn it!

I would have apologized, except it wasn’t really my fault these two jackholes stepped into my path. Besides, it’d been my job to patrol the area for tonight, so… I’d do my job.

Bendy growled at me, low and menacing, as he slowly approached.

Aww, Bendy wants to be friends, I drawled, then growled right back at him. It’s not nice to snarl at new friends, dude.

Electricity ran through my fur, causing it to stand on end as I adjusted my stance.

Bendy snapped his jaw in response.

Yeah, I can do that, too, bud, I thought, then yawned dramatically at his antics. Boring. Next. However, even as I thought it, I felt a hint of unease, my usual sarcasm doing little to calm my nerves.

How did they even get here?I wondered, glancing around. We weren’t that far into the territory boundaries, but to be this ballsy… I swallowed. Alaric…

I’m coming,he vowed.

Vex Junior skulked off to the side, apparently leaving us wolves to work things out. Bendy took a bold step forward, and I moved back—an instinctual reaction to the confidence pouring off the wolf before me.

He wasn’t that big. But the fact that he seemed so confident in his ability to take me down caused all my hairs to stand on end. Either he was underestimating me as a female, or I’d missed something obvious. Both guesses left me feeling uneasy.

I don’t think he’s going to wait for you, I said as Bendy prowled forward. Alaric…

Almost there!

Bendy lunged and I darted to the right, Alaric’s snarl loud in my head as he sensed my rising panic. Vex Junior had circled around behind me while I’d been focused on Bendy, and I was officially trapped between them. Shit.

Makayla!

Alaric’s words were lost as something sharp dug into my shoulder.

A dart.

From a third presence in the woods.

Someone hidden from my view while I’d been focused on Bendy and Vex Junior.

Oh, hell… rookie… mistake, I thought, my mind fogging over. Fuck. My knees gave out, the drug hitting my system far too quickly. Not good. Not fucking good. I…

My wolf whined.

Or maybe I did.

I couldn’t hear well over Alaric growling in my head. And my heart beating. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Someone laughed. The third form barely blinking in my vision. There and gone and covered in dots.

I attempted to shake it off, to regain control and focus my eyes. But black swirls distorted the scene before me, blanketing me in a world of full night. No stars. No light. Not a thing.

Blissful silence descended.

And then… nothing.