Chapter OneWillows POVI grab my keys from my desk, shove them into the pocket of my jeans and make my way to the door. My office is small and hidden in the back of Pete's Dojo. It's not the typical location for a Private Detective, but it is perfect for someone who tracks the creatures of the night. No one expects a Private Detective to run an office out of a dojo.I was lucky to land this office. Pete is a very good friend of mine, and he has trained me to fight after hours. Training like ours cannot be done during normal business hours. I'm a Werewolf and Pete; well, he is too. Two creatures alike, hiding who they are in a city full of our enemies and humans.Pete has been helping me dig into my ancestry to see if I have any family out there. I was raised as a baby by a human family who knew nothing of my past or my lineage. They still have no clue to this day that I am a werewolf. My first shift occurred on my s
Ronan's POVThe pen scratches across the paper as I sign the Pack Funds Allocation, Budget form, and add it to the growing pile of forms on my desk. My ears perk up at the sound of the pack training outside. I shove the chair behind as I stand, walking to the window to look out at my family. That's what my pack is, one big family.I have done a lot, sacrificed a lot for this pack and they rewarded me with their undying loyalty. Most Alpha's constantly look over their shoulder for the next power-hungry member to attempt to overthrow them. I saved them from the wrath and rule of my uncle by taking him out. He was a vicious and cruel Alpha. Countless pack members were tortured, and some killed just for sport under his rule. Lower ranking women, Omegas were brutally raped and sodomized for his pleasure.My Father was the rightful Alpha to the Blood River Pack and my uncle, his Beta. The truth came out that my parents died at the hands of my uncle and that is when my
Willow's POV"Here, it's not much, but it's the best I can do with not having a female in the house," Pete says as he hands me a pair of sweatpants and an old Led Zeppelin T-Shirt.I smile graciously, "My go to kind of outfit. Thanks Pete."He shows me upstairs to the bathroom, "You can shower in here. Towels and washcloths are in the closet here," he says pointing at the tiny linen closet just inside the bathroom door."Thanks again, Pete. I don't know what I would do without you."Pete smiles slightly before wrapping his arms around me in a hug, "You are not just a friend Willow. You are family. No thanks are needed."I nod my head at his reply. I may not know where I came from or who my relatives are, but Pete really is the closest thing I have to family. I hope one day that will change and that I will get to know my blood family one day, if they still exist, but Pete, he will always be family to me. I close the door behind him and lock it out of hab
Ronan's POV"All good things must come to an end," I hear Xander say as I pull my shorts on.He is right though. I love running just as much as my wolf does. It's invigorating. The only downfall is the repetitive need for showers due to my wolfs love of rolling around in the mud."Tell me about it. Have you heard anymore from Pete?'Xander nodded briefly, "He sent a text. They safely boarded and should land around noon tomorrow.""Good. I'm going to hit the shower and then try to finish some paperwork. Let me know if anything else comes up," I direct as I make my way up the stairs to the third floor."Most Alpha's save the rooms and offices on the first floor for themselves because of the convenience. I opted to have my quarters on the highest floor, away from prying eyes and ears. Every night the nightmares come. I relive the nightmare of my parents’ death and the night that I killed my uncle and cost his mate her freedom. It's a horror movie on
Willow's POVI wake to Pete nudging me softly. We had arrived in Montana, and I slept through most of the flight. I lift my head from Pete's shoulder and rub my eyes to adjust."Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep on you."Pete chuckles, "It's all good. Did you sleep well?"I nod my head and move to stand in the aisle with everyone else waiting to exit the plane. I look back at Pete. His eyes are puffy and red, and he looks exhausted."Did you get any sleep at all?" I ask, genuinely concerned about my friend.His reply is a short grunt which tells me that he didn't, and he didn't want me to ride his ass for it. Well tough titty said the kitty."Pete, we were safe on the plane. You should have tried to get some sleep. I appreciate that you want to help me, but never hurt yourself in the process. You look like shit."He nudged me forward without saying anything. Once we are off the plane and inside the airport, Pete pulls me to the side and whis
Ronan’s POVGhost is on a warpath in my head, trying to take control. Hearing Willow deny being our mate stirred him up and made him determined to mark her right then and there, whether she was willing or not. That is the last thing I want. She may be an infuriating woman but marking her while she resists will make it physically painful for her and I don’t think that will help make her trust us. If anything, it could scare her away and I have waited too long for my mate to let her go.She seems to like Xander well enough. Maybe I can get him to put in a good word for me. I put the car in drive and continue down the old dirt road to the packs medical examiner’s office. Hopefully Charles completed his examination. It may help us in figuring out who did this to her. Everything about this case from the outside looking in, screams wolf attack but, I can’t shake the feeling that there is more to it. If it was one of my pack members, it brings a whole
Willow’s POVRonan holds my door open and patiently waits for me to climb down out of the SUV. When he closes the door behind me, I start, “If this about me pledging my loyalty to you and the pack I-,” he cut me off.“I know that we got off on the wrong foot and that right now you are not sure about me. It was selfish of me to demand loyalty from someone who has never met me before today and I know you don’t want it to be true, but you are my mate, Willow. That fact alone means that what is mine is yours, including the protection and loyalty of my pack. So, with that said I am not requiring your pledge for you to enter. I would much rather have you get to know me and trust me before pledging your loyalty. Otherwise, I am no better than the alpha before me.”I think for the first time in my life I am speechless. This was a deal breaker for him earlier and now all of a sudden, it’s not. I look at him suspicio
Ronan’s POVAfter showing Willow to her room, I walk Pete to his. I decide to make the most of the short trip by picking Pete’s brain on how to get her to let me in, but I don’t know where to begin. Pete stops mid-stride and looks back at me.“I may have been gone for ten years Ronan, but I know you enough to know when something is on your mind. What is it?”Pete has always been a friend to me, even though he left the pack and didn’t come back until now. I am happy to have him back. He isn’t the same gullible teen that he was when he left, I’ll give him that. He saw right through me.“It’s Willow. Ghost is going crazy wanting me to mark her. I feel the pull to her as I should, but is it possible that she doesn’t feel it? Or that she doesn’t know that I am her mate?”“I think she knows it, but she just isn’t ready to have a mate yet.”I sigh, &ldqu