Kin Bound Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Kin Bound (The Alpha Legacy #5)

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  There's More!

  The Dragon Born Trilogy

  The Abnormals Underground Series

  The Alpha Legacy

  Book 5

  By Holly Hook

  Kin Bound

  The Alpha Legacy #5

  By Holly Hook

  Copyright Holly Hook 2019

  Chapter One

  Going on a mission to defeat another pack's alpha and expand ours should make me nervous. And guilt-tripped. And also fearing for my life, but spring has a way of making everything feel better.

  Running as a Wolf through the woods helps, too. Always does. Loping through the melting snow tiny flowing creeks, I glance at the black wolf that is Cayden. He runs beside me, red highlights shining in the sun. With a playful snort, he takes his paw and splashes me with cold water.

  Hey, I think.

  Everly steps up beside us, a smaller version of Cayden. We have business. As her voice rings in my head, Aunt May and Remo step up beside her.

  We would if we could find another Noble pack out here, I say.

  After a month of wondering how to attack Romulus's cult, contact Remus's spirit, and just figuring out how not to die, we all came to the same conclusion: we need more Wolves to fight. That means absorbing other packs into ours. By force. No alpha will let his or her pack get absorbed if they can help it. Assuming all alphas have that protective instinct I do.

  Cayden nuzzles me. In Colorado, there will be some.

  We stand in the wild zone between packs, probably eight miles north of Breckenridge. No Wolf scents other than ours ride on the wind out here. This is our first time venturing out so far as Wolves. At least I sense the lightness of the Russells' protective spirits. Always warm and full of joy, they follow Cayden and keep the dark spirits back. He's still not completely safe, though. Last week, he suffered a small pain attack after defending me from one Mrs. Connors's literary questions.

  The other Wolves eye me, waiting. We keep going north. Lots of woods and small towns to check.

  We continue, running under armies of pine trees. Leonora's great uncle Edwin said there used to be other Noble packs around here, but that he doesn't know how they're doing now. Or if they still exist. A scent hits me and I stop. I smell something.

  The wind blows from the north, from deeper in the mountains. A few wooded peaks rise ahead. I sniff again, knowing I have the best sense of smell. The message is faint, like a radio signal from a far-away city, and it’s gone as soon as it’s come. Pure wilderness, meadow flowers, and musk. Other Noble Wolves exist out here. Edwin was right.

  This pack must be a dozen miles away, nestled somewhere in a nearby town. We’re only six or seven miles outside our territory now.

  Another pack, I say, breaking into a run again.

  Nervous tingles crawl into my limbs and gather in my chest as we run. Cayden remains beside me as if he senses my nerves. We've strengthened our connection. Maybe he does.

  Other smells hit me, strengthening as we weave between tree trunks, jump over boulders, and splash through runoff. Gasoline fumes. Pancakes. Even coffee. A town. And another Noble pack's territory.

  An hour passes and we close the distance, bringing scents to life one by one. Other Noble Wolves ride on the wind, with the essence of fresh grass, meadows, mountain air, and drying bark. But above all those familiar scents is one that turns my stomach: a musky, strong smell that screams alpha male. In this case, literally.

  Big pack, Remo says.

  I look to Cayden as we continue forward. He's been a Wolf all his life.

  His pupils widen. When a pack marks a territory this much, just breaching the border is a challenge.

  Got it. Dread fills my stomach as Cayden's words sink in.

  We crest another hill and the scent of the other pack becomes overpowering. Faint exhaust from furnaces rises above the trees ahead. A small town. Like us, this pack has surrounded their town with their scent, which sticks to a ring of trees around the perimeter. I sniff a nearby tree trunk. The alpha male's scent overtakes everything. The tree smells like he marks it daily. His musky odor contains salt. Anger. He really, really wants other Wolves to stay out.

  Not good. Cayden sniffs beside me. This border‘s strong.

  Maybe they know about the Savages. We’ve got to have hope, right?

  Possible. Everly sweeps up beside us and joins in on the sniffing.

  The first Noble pack we're going to meet, and they're hostile. Lowering my nose to the ground reveals about a dozen weaker Wolf scents. Absorbing this pack would help, but facing them could kill.

  Everyone looks at me. A heavy sense of responsibility settles over me. Keeping the pack alive is my job. But the risk of staying small is too much to bear.

  Cayden thinks nothing. Our gazes meet. I know what he wants to say: that I can do this.

  Cross, I think. They'll smell us soon enough.

  New strength sweeps over me as I make the order. I take a breath and with a snort, I push past the tree and into new territory.

  The wind blows from town at first, carrying our scent away, so we have to circle it, just inside the border, to put the breeze at our backs. We cross just one road and watch, from the trees, as a single car drives to the north, vanishing around a wooded curve. A tiny town. It seems to be the only way in and out. My legs shake from fatigue and I sit down as the wind blows at my back.

  Now all we have to do is wait. The border remains at our backs.

  Cayden looks at me. If the other pack sees us sitting, they’ll be less likely to attack.

  That’s submitting, I think.

  Yes. Sucks, but we have to do it.

  The rebel in me hates the idea. I may be altruistic, but I still don’t like to take orders. It’s the Royal in me and I fear it. How will I act when the other pack gets here?

  Because get here they will do.

  I lie down as the wind carries our scent into town. If the other pack comes from there, we won’t smell them coming. But I can listen, so I turn my ears in that direction.

  I hear nothing out of place at first, but after several minutes, paws snap twigs and strike dirt. I raise my head, the first to hear the coming pack, and my heart races at how many there are. There must be a dozen Wolves approaching. Maybe more.

  Stay down so we can size them up, Cayden says beside me.

  Can we communicate with them?

  We should.

  That doesn’t make me feel better. I fight myself to stay put. Cayden and Everly flank me while Aunt May and Remo stand on the outside. The padding feet intensify, and I spot the first dark shapes through the woods. The Wolves run side by side, and the one in the center is dark brown, large, and intimidating. I glimpse a pair of sharp brown eyes before he descends a hill. The other Wolves, in all colors, follow.

  Every instinct tells me to run, that we’ve violated territory lines and deserve to feel stupid, but tradition hasn’t gotten us very far. I force myself to remain in place as the other alpha crests the next hill, now much closer to us, and bolts toward us. The others approa
ch, too. A solid white wolf who limps. Another blond. Two gray Wolves with blue eyes. I count five, six, seven...twelve...fourteen. A large pack. How am I supposed to absorb this one? I’ll never defend the pack or protect them if this alpha decides to rip us apart.

  Lie down, Cayden urges me. Show you submit.

  I do, even though the challenge is already made. The dark Wolf slows his pace, surveying me and waiting for me to make a move. He's twice my size. Made of solid muscle. Growls rise from the pack behind him. The message is obvious.

  Every part of me wants to fight, but instead, I force myself to wait as the rival alpha closes in.

  Chapter Two

  Waves of tension and sickness wash over me. Cayden doesn't give me any more pointers. All I can do is hug the ground as the alpha crosses the final few feet. He stands over me now. Sniffs. Leans down, so I'm eye level with a row of sharp teeth. Muscle ripples. The brown Wolf must work out while in human form. He does not try to communicate.

  He sniffs again, circling around me. I tense, waiting for him to pounce. To bite. My limbs turn to springs waiting for my order. All Nobles can communicate, right? I can't with the Savages, though I can read their body language.

  But the way the rival alpha paces around me warns me I should let him speak first. The other Wolves fan out to stand around us, waiting for orders. Yes. Fourteen. They're in all colors and sizes. The scents of meadows and pine needles and fresh air surround me. They're like us. Not Savages. But they're still Wolves.

  The alpha appears in front of me and leans down as that we're eye level. You are trespassing.

  A strong, but young male voice echoes through my head. He's patient but also angry. Reserved but in control. The Wolf must be in his late twenties. Old enough to have experience being alpha, and strong enough to pose me a real challenge.

  He's waiting for me to respond.

  We need help. The Savages keep attacking our territory.

  The alpha takes a step back like I've slapped him. But he doesn't let down on his reserved anger. All packs are on their own. Coming together will expose us.

  But the Savage King is rising. He'll destroy us all. We can't stay divided.

  The Wolves all wait while I lie there. Then the alpha nods at me. I rise. To face a fight or to speak, I don't know.

  He died a long time ago, the alpha thinks.

  The white wolf steps forward, but the alpha glares at her. She takes her place back with the others.

  A wall's going up. I should have known. Before hearing of him from Brett, even Cayden thought Romulus and Remus were just an old myth made up by Wolves to explain their existence.

  He's not. We've seen him. If he wins, we all rot away or go Savage. That includes you. I sit up, taking his invitation. We did not want to trespass, but the Nobles need to come together.

  Cayden looks at me with warning. I'm giving this alpha the cue to kick us out before listening to our case.

  And take the cue he does. The brown Wolf steps forward. Leave us before we tear you apart.

  The other Wolves of the rival pack growl their warnings. A few step forward, including the old white one.

  Wait!

  The Wolf cocks his head. Leave.

  A strong sense I should sweeps over me. But I won't. We came miles and miles. I'm a Noble Royal, descended from Remus himself.

  The brown wolf balks and snorts. Go!

  I've hit a raw spot. Do I have to fight you?

  The large brown Wolf snorts again. He's putting up a shield of disbelief. The thought of a smallish blond wolf taking him down is amusing, and might work in my favor. If I defeat this closed-minded alpha, I might get this pack to our side. We could even join and become a larger pack. Yes. We would.

  Is that a challenge?

  I swallow. Yes.

  The alpha pulls his lips back and circles me. It communicates everything I need to know. Losing could mean death.

  Cayden, stand back. He can't protect me. I can't count on the protective spirits to shield him from the curse, though they'll help.

  Cayden obeys and stands back, but I don't miss the worry and terror in his hazel eyes. I don't want to fight a fellow Noble Wolf. But I fought Cayden already and I can do this again.

  The brown wolf growls as we circle. He's twice my size. I might be a good fighter, but physics are still a problem. Our circle tightens as we lock gazes. The brown wolf's matching eyes are almost Savage, but full of protection. This is an alpha who cares about his pack. And I'm going to bring them into danger if I enlist them to fight Romulus.

  He leaps as the thoughts swirl.

  I backpedal into dirt and pine needles. He snaps, missing my throat by an inch.

  Swiping with a paw, I strike him across the muzzle, drawing blood. The brown Wolf eyes me with shock. He'd expected a quick fight. Droplets fly and the air smells of iron. The scent draws a growl from me as the alpha's pupils dilate and lock on me.

  Cayden leaps forward and growls.

  No, I think.

  Darkness dances at the periphery of my vision. The rival alpha snaps at me again, leaping in front of Cayden and taking advantage of the distraction. Cayden leaps, unable to stop himself.

  He lands on the alpha's back as his pack mates growl warnings. The large Wolf bucks Cayden off. A mixture of light and dark battle at the edges of the world. Cayden yelps, and not just from the impact. From under the brown Wolf's legs, I see him rolling and sticking out his tongue in pain.

  We shouldn't have gone all the way. We strengthened our bond too much.

  The alpha rams me, head down. He strikes my ribs. One cracks from the impact and I roll back. The wave of despair roars toward me, signaling Cayden's approaching death, before it flattens back into the sea. The Coven's light spirits are doing their job.

  I have to focus on mine.

  I stick out a leg, stopping myself from rolling into the white wolf, who stares down at me with calculating brown eyes. That leaves me on my stomach. He closes in, teeth bared, ready to tear out my heart. And Cayden lies to my left, eyes closed, recovering from the attack of pain.

  Everly growls a warning, but being the traditional one, doesn't leap. Aunt May calls my name in my head. Remo snarls. A shadow falls over me. The alpha opens his mouth, descending to my throat—

  I reach out and stick a paw into his mouth. Crushing teeth explode pain through my foreleg. Bones crunch. Blood leaks from a wound that burns like fire. Then cold numbness follows. He's cut nerves. I flail my foreleg, twisting my body to stand, but the brown Wolf maintains his grasp. He bites down harder, and though I don't feel it, the sound of teeth scraping bone makes the world spin. It's a mixture of light and darkness. Of warring good and evil spirits. The trees stretch and twist.

  A splitting, cracking sound fills the air, blending with growling and whimpers of pain.

  And a long, dark shape falls toward the rival alpha, striking him on the back. He releases my destroyed foreleg, which screams as the nerves try growing back. I'm healing, but when I try putting weight on it, a thunderclap of agony follows.

  The branch rolls off the rival alpha's back as he twists, licking the impact point. Hackles rise in distress. The huge branch rolls and stops inches from Aunt May. She eyes me and nods to the alpha. Now is my chance.

  The Russells' protective spirits are working for me.

  I leap onto the brown Wolf, biting his ear and pulling off a flap of flesh. I spit to the ground as blood flows down the side of his face. He growls and yelps in rage, twisting and trying to buck me off, but I remain on his back, holding on, wearing him out. I sense his racing pulse. Metallic adrenaline fills the air. The brown Wolf pants from the effort, and I dig claws into skin and hang on. Biding my time will work. It has to.

  A ring of Wolves stand around us, watching and waiting. Paws shift. Eyes stay locked on us. Tension rises. I glimpse Cayden rising and backing away to join the others. He drags himself, forces himself back. The black Wolf trembles with the effort. My mate won't hold back much longer.
He's still too dedicated. Too in love.

  I sink my teeth into the rival alpha's eye.

  He growls in agony. I maintain my grip on his face, straining my jaw, holding him between my teeth. More blood flows. The taste of iron fills my mouth. He bucks again, but I keep my claws in his flesh, digging, urging him to submit. The alpha emits another growl, and incredulous one, like he can't believe that a Wolf half his size has bested him.

  If he doesn't believe I'm a Noble Royal, he will now.

  And at last, after an eternity of hanging on, the rival alpha kneels. He smashes his jaw to the ground in a gesture that's unmistakable.

  He's submitting.

  I've won.

  And as I rise, leaving him to lie on the ground with lowering hackles and a curling tail, the other Wolves—all fourteen of them—step forward and lower their heads, obeying an ancient tradition. A sense of power sweeps over me, even stronger than the one I felt when I bested Cayden in our fight.

  Though I tremble from fatigue, I know I'd smile if I could. Our pack has just gotten a lot bigger. And we're closer than ever to defeating Romulus once and for all.

  Chapter Three

  Cayden gives me a victory nuzzle as the brown wolf stands. His tail remains lowered and his fur smooth. He refuses to look at me as he joins the other Wolves.

  Thanks, I tell Cayden.

  And then I survey the other Wolves. We all stand in a ring, looking at one another. This is my first time meeting them all, and now I’m leading them. It doesn’t seem fair that I’ve disrupted everything. I might have brought danger to their doorstep. We’re all in the same pack now. Romulus has more targets.

  But we also have more numbers. And if we don’t have them, all the Nobles are in danger. It’s a risk I’m willing to take.

  I sense I’m to step forward. Take us to your town, I say. We need to talk.

  The brown Wolf snorts, but obeys. Head slumped, he turns away from the ring and enters the forest. One by one, the Wolves peel away from the ring and follow. No one protests. This is a pack bound by Wolf tradition. What the alpha says, goes. What if I’ve inherited a whole pack of Everlys?