The Change (Fated Series: book1)

Marcus

“What are you talking about?” Marcus questioned. The implication of the mysterious “they” was disturbing. And here Marcus thought Stevens could not possibly manage to irk him more than he had already by simply breathing.

“Our rivalry,” Stevens gulped and then continued steadily “has brought enormous excitement in my either wise dull reign. It has been fun to duel wits with you, boy. You proved to be a worthy opponent. But that wouldn’t matter one single bit, if you are to go down for my demise.”

Stevens took another moment to compose himself. The pauses in his speech made Marcus’ vigilance rise. What was the old mutt getting at? Who were they? For once and for all, Marcus wanted to march to Stevens and shake the truth out of the old prick himself. He fisted his hands, trying to restrain himself. No good was going to come out of it. Stevens lived for the attention, bathing in the spot light. He would prolong this meeting for as long as he could. There was no such thing as a short, precise speech.

Marcus rolled his eyes at Lee, who actually seemed genuinely intrigued by it all. Lee loved a good scandal and could stir drama just by looking at a she-wolf. His reputation as a heart breaker preceded him. Leave it to Lee to find conspiracy theories amusing or better yet educational to perfect his own rendezvous.

“Alpha, he came alone,” Vincent’s mind-linked him.

“Alone?” Marcus could not believe the arrogance of the man before him. Did he seriously have such a blind fate in Pack Law not to be scared of what Marcus might do to him? Silver poisoning or not, there were things his wolf could do to make Stevens wish he was granted the mercy of quick death.

“His panting seems genuine. Should I send for the Pack Doctor?” Vince asked.

“He’s a tough old mutt. He’d recover,” Marcus replied.

“Do you by any chance have some water?” Stevens' hoarse voice brought the attention back to him.

Marcus rolled his eyes and quickly grabbed a water bottle from the hands of one of his scouts. When he approached Stevens, he could smell the sweat on his dusty clothes. As predicted, Stevens had no time to scout the area to discover the dirt road which led straight to the ridge. Instead he had taken the goat track up, which was known to be a training challenge with its narrow curves and slopes, making it a risky job even in broad daylight. Silver poisoning and nocturnal conditions made it deadly. Marcus was quite surprised Stevens made it past the first high ground with his spine intact. That only served to prove how stubborn the old goat could be when he set his mind.

As Stevens drank and spat some of the water, Marcus continued to observe him openly. At their previous meeting, he had been distracted by Nessa’s proximity to fully evaluate his opponent. Not that Brandon’s stunts helped his concentration any better! It was clear. Mating Nessa had to happen tonight. If not for his sanity; then for her own safety! Marcus could not afford to be this distracted, his mind constantly wandering to what lay underneath those bright pink panties of hers.

Marcus narrowed his eyes on Stevens. The last time he actually saw Stevens was shortly after Emma’s passing. Stevens was about fifty pounds lighter and a belly smaller. He certainly did not age well. Marcus found himself wondering what he himself would look like in ten years. Would he gain the beer belly despite the high metabolic rate that werewolves had? No. His pups were going to keep him young. He’d show them the territory. If they were anything like his beautiful mate, they'd be full of energy. Definitely battling weight would not be an issue in his future. However, two or three little rascals of his own sounded just about enough to make his life complete.

“You are in your prime, strong enough to continue from where I left off. Trust the Heinsfeld’s blood to be strong. She’ll give you good heirs. Amazing how the stupid pup let her slip through his fingers,” Stevens chuckled shaking his head. His train of thought could still be followed, but lacked certain cohesion. Why would he bring up Nessa again? The reference to Brandon was so out of hand that Marcus began to think Aaron Stevens had officially lost it. Maybe that was the punishment the Goddess dealt him for taking Emma away.

“You don’t make sense,” Marcus stated the obvious.

“But I do and you know it. She is your future, your treasure. They will not stop at eliminating her to absorb your territory. They’ll get me in an early grave and blame you. Junior won’t have the experience or the support without his mate. You’ll be rotting away if not eliminated because of me. Once you are gone, she’d be an easy target.”

Marcus growled and quickly held him by the scuff of his shirt, “Are you threatening her?”

Stevens unaffectedly patted his arms and commented, “Good, good! Save that aggression for them!”

“Them, who?”

“Northern Hills.”

Beta Cameron Wyland

(Blackwood’s Alpha den)

Cameron lifted his head from the stack of paperwork. Anything was a welcomed distraction from the pile of misery in front of him.

Before he could even respond to the knock, the door opened and Nessa stepped inside followed by her noisy entourage. Cameron smiled and quickly checked up on Travis who calmly closed the door behind Nicole. So no threat to the well-being of the pack. He relaxed in his seat and waited for an explanation.

Nessa fret over a panicked Michelle, while Nicole suspiciously had a far away look in her eyes, completely missing the chance to check up on Travis, who remained composed leaning against the far wall.

“What do I owe the pleasure of seeing you all here?” Cameron started hoping to come out as sarcastic.

He was still disappointed Marcus left him in charge once again. Stacks of paperwork awaited his attention and seal of approval. Praying and hoping that once Nessa was marked things would change, had only increased his disappointment as yet again he was stuck at home, instead out by the side of his Alpha. Cameron craved a change, an adventure, the exhilarating rush of adrenaline the mere second before a big fight.

But no. Marcus had to leave him behind. Whoever thought Betas were power hungry got it all wrong! They just wanted to be part of the action, to get into a good tussle. Was it too much to ask not to be left at the side lines with the women and children? Cameron sighed. Vince should have been the one to be stuck with the dreaded paperwork and to babysit the women. Wasn’t he now mated?

“I’d like you to lift Vincent’s command from Michelle,” Nessa informed him and stood expectedly in front of him. Cameron eyed her with suspicion and then turned to Michelle.

“And what command would that be?”

“He told me under no circumstances to leave the Pack House,” Michelle responded.

“Reasonable request from a concerned mate,” Cameron shrugged off failing to understand what was happening. Travis was unreadoable. Cameron mindlinked Travis, “What’s this all about?” When he didn’t respond he continued, “Travis, what am I missing?”

“I was sworn to secrecy,” Travis explained with mischief that only rivaled Nessa’s.

“We need to make a quick run to the pharmacy. She can’t leave because of the Command,” Nessa explained shortly. Too short and concise, Cameron noted. Something was going on.

“I don’t want to meddle into newly mated mates’ business for no good reason, Nessa. Even for you,” Cameron cautiously replied. “Shopping can wait for tomorrow. Vince will escort you then.”

“No,” Michelle immediately opposed the idea. She looked at Nessa, “Make him!”

“Please Cam,” Nessa tried and when he shook his head she added, using the intonation Marcus did when he wanted to issue a command. “You ARE going to lift the command.”

“Your wolf is emerging. Congratulations, it’s fine and all, but you are all staying here,” Cameron smiled, seemingly unaffected. The internal turmoil from opposing the Alpha female’s command had his gut twisted in all weird angles. Luckily Nessa did not probe his mind or push down the command via the mind link or else he would have not been able to resist the conflict.

“Fine, you win, all mighty Beta,” Nessa continued with flattery. “But you owe me.”

“Nes,” Cameron cautioned her.

“I assaulted an Alpha for you,” Nessa reminded him only for Travis to lean forward, obviously more than interested in her story.

“Your mate,” Cameron dismissed.

“Exactly. And you didn’t even have to ask. Now I am asking,” Nessa told him.

“Begging,” Michelle offered.

“Begging,” Nessa repeated.

“What could possibly be that important?” Cameron asked Nessa.

“Lady business,” Michelle replied and Travis chuckled which earned him a growl from her. Cameron tried to follow the exchange but came short-handed.

“What are you not telling me, Nessa?”

“Must you be this difficult?” Nessa reluctantly replied and Cameron flashed her full smile. She was giving up and submitting to his authority.

“Marcus left me in Charge, so yes, I must!”

“Shouldn’t she be in charge?” Nicole questioned and Cam narrowed his eyes on her. She quickly held her hands up in defeat. All too easily, Cameron noticed. Nessa took a deep breath.

“I need a variety of condoms, preferably something that Marcus likes? I am kind of lost so I was going to buy one of each. You can’t go wrong that way, right? Do you know what he prefers?”

“I see what you are doing. This is highly inappropriate,” Cameron managed to say through his shock. It didn’t matter he was openly critising his Luna. Her revelation alone was enough to get him on the receiving end of a tussle with Marcus. “Friends tell friends exactly what’s going on.”

“You need a break from the paperwork,” Nessa tried a different angle. “I know hanging out with us is not as exciting as running off to wherever Marcus is, but we are way more entertaining than these reports.”

“Nice try,” Cameron wasn’t convinced.

“Fine, I am itching to go out and Travis needs back up if we are going out. I swear, we are going to the pharmacy. Nothing elaborate. I would feel better, heck, I know Marcus will feel a lot better knowing you are coming with. You can link him if you want. Everything is on the up and up, so let’s go,” Nessa pleaded.

“Why?”

“Because a pharmacy of your choice will be much closer and saver than me asking Travis to bring me back to my apartment. I need my birth control,” Nessa replied making Cam gasp. “I only planned to stay here a week. And unless you’ve been living under a rock or something, you’d know I’m claiming him tonight. What’s wrong with me wanting to enjoy him before I get pregnant?”

“That’s it?”

“I need a pregnancy test too, just in case, you know, so we’d know not to go too excitedly at it,” Nessa replied smoothly. Too smoothly. Cameron’s eyes wondered to Michele then back to Nessa who pointedly looked at Michelle as her back was to her group. So it was a Michelle thing. She continued as if she hadn't outed her friend. “Please don’t be such a prune! I bet you have seen him naked when you shift with all the patrols and all.”

“Nes, even if he had glimpsed at the jewels, which is quite good argument, most probably the Alpha wouldn’t… you know,” Nicole blushed and arched her index finger up and down and then up again, which earned a growl from both Travis and Cameron.

“Good point. You see why I need to go in the pharmacy with my girlfriends?” Nessa’s serious face gave no reassurance to Cameron that if he ignored the subject it would go away. How could she keep a straight face while discussing the masculinity of his Alpha? Cameron groaned at the implication that his job was to help her figure it out. She finally had mercy on him as she slowly continued, turning to Nicole, “I should probably make him buy his own condoms. But that would mean no hokey-pokey tonight. You know my policy no-glove-no-love.”

Nessa dead panted.

Brandon / Juliet

(their assigned rooms in Blackwood)

Brandon walked into their room only to find it in utter chaos. If he did not know any better, he would have thought thieves robbed the Pack House. It was amazing how Juliet managed to successfully trash the place in a matter of minutes. Brandon had gone for a quick run after she had stormed out of their room. Juliet sat on the armchair with her feet under her and was so lost in thought she never acknowledged his return.

She was hurt. Devastated. Betrayed.

And he was the cause.

“Hit me!” He instructed, squatting in front of her. Juliet’s attention snapped in his direction. She rolled her eyes at him and then sighed tiredly.

“That would not help fix this situation,” Juliet replied defeated. “If you were here earlier, I might have taken you up on your offer. Then I would have not had to explain to Alpha Ned what got lose in this room.”

“He will understand.”

“You did a number on me,”, Juliet replied out of hand, shaking her head in disbelieve.

She was so damn tired of everything, of EVERYONE. Juliet was sick and tired of constantly being nudged, manipulated and steered in one way or another to serve one or another agenda. She had briefly considered letting go and floating aimlessly in the politics vortex her life had become. Why did she have to find her True Mate today of all days? And that kiss… She immediately touched her lips. That kiss had conveyed so much passion, angst and raw hunger. How could have Brandon given up something as powerful as that for her? If kissing a true mate was as Earth-shattering as she had come to realize, she did not have any doubt of the lengths mate could go to after a mating. To think Brandon had knowingly given up all that for her was something she could not comprehend. As much as the woman in her wanted to vividly hate him, she couldn’t. He had purposefully chosen her and she owed it to him and to Roland to give him a chance to make that choice again.

Though a part of her understood him. In the twisted way that True Mates collided within their little utopia, she knew. She never had the Earth shattering romance with Brandon, but things were good. Have been good for years. What had really changed?

His confession.

His forced confession, Juliet reminded herself. If Alex had not threatened him, he would have never told her. She would have never been this hurt. She would have never felt the betrayal.

But wasn’t “not knowing” worse than “knowing”?

How could he have made her be the OTHER woman? Had he no shame?!

Brandon placed his hands on her knees and her attention again focused on him. How do you handle a situation like this? How do you begin to sort everything out? No self-help-book could help her battle these demons. She blinked and scanned the room. Getting all the bottled frustration out had been cleansing. She reminded herself to leave a nice check too compensation for the damage she inflicted. Juliet’s eyes landed on his brown ones and shook her head.

“I thought we talked about everything. Why didn’t you tell me Vanessa was your Fated?”

“I,” Brandon started and as the words didn’t come to his lips, he sighed. “I know I fucked up. I should have never touched her. I should have rejected her right away. But I couldn’t help myself. I was weak. I wanted to know what it would be like to be with her before I committed to you.”

“Poor excuse,” Juliet replied.

“I know,” Brandon said and then continued looking at her. “I hate seeing you like this.”

“I hate feeling like this,” Juliet countered.

“Look, I’ll do whatever you want me to do. Just talk to me,” Brandon started.

“Did you… when we were together?” Juliet asked.

“No. We mated once. The night of the council,” Brandon answered.

“Congratulations, you screwed both of your mates on one and the same night,” Juliet’s wolf took over and snarled. She took a deep breath and tried to control her urges to snap his neck. “Roland, think of Roland,” she did not wish to explain to her son that she had murdered his father on the account of jealousy! Treason on the other hand,nJuliet thought and then quickly shook her head, focusing on not so vicious thoughts. “What about me? Was I ever going to be enough?”

“Please don’t do this,” Brandon sighed.

“You did this,” Juliet spat. “You knew what I was giving up. You know everything about me, and I had to learn this today! After we had Roland,” she sighed. “Do you have any idea how used and dirty it makes me feel, knowing that you slept with my best friend? That I was the OTHER woman you cheated with? It does not only hurt, Bran. I feel betrayed. I put everything behind because of YOU. For the good of the pack. For the good of us! I built our family, our pack around you! And you could not man up to tell me the truth?” She swallowed and then took a very deep breath. “What are we going to do?”

“It’s up to you, really.”

“Do you still love her?” Juliet asked.

“I love you, but she’s my mate, Juliet. There’s always going to be that connection,” Brandon explained.

“Enough to care or enough to get yourself mangled to death when Ned finds out?” Juliet asked.

“I can’t really help it that I feel possessive over her. But that’s that.”

“She is happy with Ned,” Juliet stated.

“The bastard didn’t ask her consent before he marked her. For all we know he might be pressing her into this,” Brandon exclaimed.

“So Roland will lose his father because you fucking can’t let go? Didn’t she accept your rejection?”

“She did. But I still care for her well-being. Ned is ruthless.”

“Are you fucking blind? He loves her,” Juliet snapped and pushed him away from her person. She walked over to the window. If she did not put the distance between them, she was clearly going to take him up on his offer and punch him. And if she so much as landed one punch, she knew she would hardly be able to stop. Juliet turned to face him, “You have a choice to make. You either accept me as Choice Mate, never look back to her ever again, or by all means be possessive of Nessa. I guarantee you Ned will gladly handle your suicidal wishes.”

“Juliet…” Brandon started.

“Do what you have to do, but I will not let you tangle me or Roland in your mess. You are either with us or you are on your own. You have two days to figure out what you want to do.”

“Jules, please.”

“CHOOSE!”

Marcus

(at Southern Ridge with Alpha Stevens)

“Northern Hills?” Marcus repeated.

Not bad of a conspiracy theory. Blaming your rival pack to save one’s own skin – that could work. But he was not convinced. The implication from earlier did not go unnoticed either. Was Stevens trying to establish a connection between his feud with Northern Hills and a possible favoritism in Pack Law? Who would even bother with such a low life as Stevens? True, he was irritant for years, a torn in Marcus’ eye but for a whole different reason. Even if Marcus were to kill him tonight, he knew Pack Law would see his revenge as just. They would certainly fuzz and probably even strip him of all allegiances he had built, but he never really wanted power to begin with. Packs aligned with him, because he was strong. They certainly did not want to experience his wrath.

The only person, who he feared came in the very luxurious body of one she-wolf, who would have his hide if he got himself in trouble. Thinking about Nessa made him smile. She had specifically instructed him to stay out of trouble while Pack Law was here and he was willing to comply, if he was to be a mated wolf, preferably this very evening. Alphas weren’t powerful, it was the Lunas that dictated all the rules.

Silver poisoning was a torturous end. Stevens would suffer before he finally took his last breath. It would be the ultimate revenge. An easy death would be too swift and peaceful end for someone like Stevens. Marcus wanted him to suffer. Ironically, that Rogue had done a pretty good job.

Silver burned and irritated lycans, but they eventually healed. Silver poisoning was rare, Toxin Argentous – almost never happened these days. There were antidotes that never let the disease progress in rate or to the extent that Stevens had. One could even keep living even with Toxin Argentous for years, provided the correct treatment was timely started. Call it the diabetes of were’s society. The symptoms of the disease could be slowed down significantly. True, the infected wolf would feel the constant burn sizzling with every heartbeat but he would be alive if he refrained from any form of physical exhilaration or even excitement, as they could prove dangerous... Slow, painful torture. The ultimate end of the course of the disease would be a gruesome death – not being able to move as your arteries had progressively hardened by silver.

“Ned, think about it! If I were the mastermind you wish me to be, you would have uncovered proof. You are relentless. Besides why would I leave so many lose ends that could be tied back to me? Wouldn’t I be smarter than that? And how convenient was it to discover the next Rogue with a spoonful of information right when you were beginning to doubt your hatred for me?”

Marcus had to admit, that never sat right to him. He contributed every single new lead that led closer to the culprit to his meticulous investigation. He did not leave a one single stone unturned. And every now and again, he would get lucky and find a lead. But could it have been planted? Stevens as an ugly escape goat? Anything was possible. But did that mean he should believe it?

Stevens must have felt the doubt, so he continued.

“I was framed. I never expected fucking Reverhill to go on a killing spree after Aaron and Anja did not turn out to be mates! I expected retaliation but never this! I wanted to pick up on your brain and that’s why I insisted on your visit. I never thought you’d visit without your mate! How silly of me to rely on you not to be able to keep your hands off your newly mated mate? Why didn’t you act like a proper hormone-crazed newly mated couple and bring her along?” Stevens asked. “My feud was never with you. Yes, I am guilty of indulging myself with teasing you more often than reasonable, but I was never … You were my only hope to end my feud with Northern Hills. Why would I assassinate Emma and leave a trail leading directly to me? I might be old but I am not stupid!”

Stevens had indeed insisted for on the visit. Something about family get-together that Emma kept on chewing his ear off until he agreed.

“I’ve always wondered she didn’t join you,” Stevens continued, not really expecting an answer.

“Morning sickness,” Marcus replied in a hushed voice. Stevens could have never predicted and accounted for that. Or could he? After all they were newly marked and mated. It was not brain surgery to figure out they would soon be expecting.

Stevens must have sensed his turmoil and opted to continue talking.

“I’ll tell you a story. If it sounds reasonable, we continue talking. If not – you do whatever you want to do. But this ends here with us. In fact, you’d help Aaron find his mate. She has to be in your pack. The boy has searched everywhere else for her.” Stevens negotiated.

Marcus chuckled at the old bat. He had fed him a spoonful of information just to set the stage for the real negotiations. The reason to seek him out so desperately hit too close to heart! Blood was thicker than any man-forged bonds.

Personally Marcus never kept a grudge against the pup. Aaron was still a newly shifted pup when Emma passed. Rule number one of any negotiation was to make the other party believe what they were asking you to compromise or give up would be something of value. That always sweetened the pod. In short: play hard to get when making compromises.

“What makes you think I would agree?”

“Because you know what it is like to find a mate. Hell, you, little bastard, you were lucky to get a second chance. I see how whipped you are for the Heinsfeld’s girl. If not for Aaron or me, you’d do it for HER. I assume she would want to keep you for many years to come.”

That sounded a lot like a threat to Marcus.

“I will skin you alive, Pack Law may be damned.”

“I know you could,” Stevens smiled at him. “But you won’t. Because you won’t allow yourself to even take the smallest chance what I have to say might be even remotely useful to keep her safe.” Stevens continued and then used his napkin to brush off the sweat from his face. “So pup, do I have your word?”

Juliet

Juliet took a deep breath and composed herself before she knocked on the wooden doors. The doors immediately opened and Alexander’s surprised face greeted her. She still could not get used to seeing him in the military cut uniform of Pack Law. The traces of boyish mischief were long gone and he had turned out to be a very handsome young man.

“Alpha Gray,” he respectfully bowled his head.

“May I have a word?”

“The Commander went out for a run,” Alex started, while she gently shook her head.

“I actually wanted to talk to you, Alex.”

“Oh,” Alexander said and understanding washed over his face. “Want to come in?”

“Thanks,” Juliet said and moved into the elaborate east wing-dining room had been assigned as temporal Pack Law Headquarters. She quickly made a bee line to the long settee at the end of the room and sat down.

Alex wary eyes followed her and noticed how of all the seats in the room, she picked the very same one his Commander, Joel Rifkin, often occupied. It was the only one with perfect vantage point to the two entrancesl. He smiled. Commanders and Alphas might disagree on everything else, but strategy was not one of them.

Everything in her posture pointed to awareness, to the underlining Alpha title she had inherited. A very controlled and powerful woman sat in front of him. The braids of the insecure girl, he once knew were substituted by an elaborate hairstyle; the sun-kissed freckles on her nose were properly masked by gently applied makeup which accentuated those large olive green eyes. The bright welcoming smile that had given laugh lines around her eyes was substituted with dull-colored-lipstick providing her with professional look.

Alex did not have any doubt in his mind why she was here, seeking him after all these years. She wanted to make sense of the situation. She wanted to ask him about Nessa. Remembering the anger radiating through the family bond from Nessa far more often than not, made it obvious it was highly unlikely Vanessa to reach out to her childhood’s best friend and to give her the proper closure. His little sister had a remarkable grudge keeping ability. It only took him what… six and a half years to finally be able to get her in the same room as him! Even now they barely spoke to each other!

Nessa had taken a liking to Rifkin, and Alex was simply put jealous of their closeness.

“Thank you for intervening,” Juliet smiled. “Though, you should have told me before you left. Then all of this could have been avoided.”

“I honestly thought once they were mated, he would stay with her,” Alex sighed and sat on the settee opposing hers.

“But he did not,” Juliet stated and then tiredly sighed. “And now Roland is caught in between.”

“I’m sorry.”

Comforting an Alpha was not something he was used to. Even if the so-said Alpha was your childhood friend and even if she was a she-wolf, he simply could not muster what to say and how to react? A pat on the back and a promise that everything would miraculously fit into place? To have faith in the Goddess? Alex simply did not know where to begin.

“If I was not in the way, do you think Bran and Nessa would have a second chance?” Juliet asked. Alex uncomfortably shifted. Why would she ask him that? Didn’t she see that his own relationship with Nessa was on the rocks?

Stall.

Rifkin was due to be back soon. He would know better. Alex took a deep breath and then tried to be vague.

“I don’t want to speculate.”

“But if you had to guess?” Juliet pressed.

“Nessa does not forget. Even if Ned disappears from the equation, Vanessa is too proud to forgive. She went through hell, and came back.” The harsh words escaped Alexander’s mouth before he could correct the narrative.

“She seems genuinely happy.”

“Ned,” Alex shook his head. “Who would have thought she would end up with Alpha Ned of all wolves.”

“Your Hero,” Juliet teased him.

“Exactly.” Alex blushed. “Hopefully she had forgotten about my obsession with him.”

“He’s a good role model. Now he is your brother in law,” Juliet smiled. “She is just distracted.”

“He’s not the only role model here, Alpha,” Alex complimented her.

“Pack Law thought you flattery. My job became my life. There’s nothing more to it,” Juliet’s smile disappeared. “I gave Bran two days to decide between Nessa and our family.”

“He’ll come around,” Alex tried to reassure her.

“We’ll see. Nevertheless, I have two days to decide what I want to do too,” Juliet told him then focused her eyes on him. “I need some information, don’t worry, nothing classified. But I would much appreciate it if it stays between us.”

“I’d see what I can do, but I don’t guarantee anything.”

“I understand,” Juliet nodded, “but this is personal. I met my True Mate and he’s Pack Law.”