Elaine POV
I jogged along the long stretch of road as the sunset. As the Alpha’s daughter, this was the most alone time I had in a while. My Father had big plans but I wasn’t considered important enough to know about them. Lately, he’s been acting weird. He wanted me monitored constantly but he didn’t speak to me directly.
I wasn’t Daddy’s little girl.
After jogging for an hour I walked to the most popular bar in town. I wasn’t allowed to be in the bar because I wasn’t twenty-one yet but they had a restaurant side where I could buy a milkshake.
I walked past a familiar set of cars as I entered the bar.
What are my brothers doing here? Blazer should be practising for his big football game coming up soon.
I walked into the restaurant but saw no sign of my brothers. It was empty aside from the cashier at the counter in the restaurant and bartender in the bar. The bar was on neutral territory which meant it was welcome to all which was problematic because the Blood Moon Pack and the Black Claw Pack hated each other.
I ordered a bottle of water and sat down in the booth. It was nearly sunset. I had to return home soon. I dreaded going back to that house. It was so dull and dark. I couldn’t wait to graduate high school and leave the Pack for college.
I had good grades so in case my Dad wouldn’t pay my tuition I would get a scholarship and then I could be the doctor I dreamed of being.
“What are you doing here little sister?” Blazer hissed.
He slipped into the booth so fast I didn’t notice him enter the building.
“Where did you come from?”
He rolled his eyes. “Shouldn’t you be at home?”
“Is it my house or my prison?”
He flashed me the boyish grin that had all the girls dancing out of their underwear. I grimaced. How could anyone find Blazer attractive? Blazer was my older brother by four months and you guessed it, we didn’t have the same mother.
“You shouldn’t be here kid.”
I gave him a pressed smile. “What dumb thing are you planning? Where’s Nik?”
“Did you see Nik here?”
I wanted to tell him he was Nik’s errand boy and he was always following behind our older brother but I bit my tongue. The car parked outside belonged to Blazer but I assumed they were together.
“I was leaving anyway,” I whispered.
“Never mind, just lay low now,” he whispered as two strongly built men marched into the bar.
“What are you—”
Blazer left me and marched towards them. I only recognized one of them and my blood ran cold. Is that Lucas Shaw? The son of our greatest enemy?
“Welcome back golden boy,” Blazer smirked.
“I knew this was a trap. What are you doing here?” Lucas demanded.
“Why did you come? Not so bright then are you?”
Lucas shared a look with his friend. Blazer rarely looked for fights especially ones that could be so deadly.
“While you’re here I might as well tell you about my night with Fran. You have a sexy cousin. Did you know that?”
My jaw dropped.
Lucas pulled his shoulder back and rammed his fist into Blazer’s cheek. My brother stumbled and fell.
“Say that again!” Lucas barked.
Blazer barked out a laugh. “Is that the best you can do? You really are the runt of the Shaw boys.”
What is he thinking?
“Runt huh?” Lucas licked his teeth ready for another attack.
“Stop!” I ran over to Blazer.
He growled at me. “Stay out of this.”
I stood in front of my brother.
Lucas tilted his head. “You need a girl to fight your battles for you?”
Well, I am an Alpha female so I can take him in a fight but there were a few things wrong with that statement like my curse that made shifting excruciating.
“It’s not like you can take her,” Blazer taunted.
My eyes slightly widened.
Lucas clenched his jaw and his muscles tensed.
Oh crap.
“Lucas,” a voice like thunder called. His tone sent vibrations down my body.
I turned my head to find a man probably in his mid-twenties damp hair and green eyes that matched Lucas’. That had to be Azaire Shaw. The older brother. I sucked in a breath. This isn’t good.
Azaire didn’t bat a lash at me. He was focused on his younger brother.
“Did you come all the way here to pick a fight?” Azaire barked.
“He insulted Fran!”
“You know all the Ryker’s are scum,” Azaire spat.
“Hey!” I gasped.
Finally, Azaire looked at me and my insides turned to jelly. Just as I thought things would get worse Nikolas, our older brother marched into the bar.
“This is forbidden territory.
“This is neutral ground and you know it,” Azaire replied, with the essence of the calmness before the storm.
The corner of Nik’s mouth twitched. “Blazer, take Elaine to the car.”
“What?”
Blazer snatched me off the ground and dragged me out of the building!
“You can pick me up but you can’t fight back? What is wrong with you?”
“Quiet, Elaine. You could have messed things up for us.”
He opened the back door of the SUV and tossed me inside as if I were a sweater.
“You planned this?”
“You need to learn to mind your own business, little sister.”
“I wasn’t going to watch you get hurt!”
Nik and I have a plan.”
“What’s that?”
“Look. There isn’t enough room in this town for the two of us. Now that they have a new Alpha they’re vulnerable. Nik thinks we can take them.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. You have to talk to Dad the second we’re home.”
I swallowed. “Why?”
“Just do it, Elaine and not a word about this.”
Nik wasn’t a wayward son. He didn’t do anything without Dad’s approval which meant Dad was in on this scheme to get rid of the Blood Moon Pack. That meant they had to start from the top. Getting rid of the sexy Shaw men.
