Page 3 of Mortals and Mayhem
RILEY
“Mom? Dad? You home?” I call out as I walk through the front door of our small pack cottage in the Tongass National Forest of Southeast Alaska. Our family bloodline has served as the alphas of the Shadowcrest Pack since their formation some eighty years ago under their first alpha, my great-great-grandfather, and now—as the eldest kin to the current alpha—I’m next in line to take up the responsibility. “Mom, Dad, where are you?”
I shrug and walk deeper into the cottage, not worried when they don’t answer. That is until I find Grace alone in the kitchen, working on what looks to be her homework.
“Hey, Gracey, where’s Mom and Dad?” They never leave her alone. At thirteen years old, they hated leaving me alone, and she’s only ten, even if she thinks she’s twenty. So, I know they wouldn’t just leave her here.
“I don’t know. They weren’t here when I got home from school.” Her voice cracks and her chin quivers. Tears drip from her lashes.
I’m across the room in a flash, pulling Grace into my arms. “Gracey, hey, what is it?”
Shaking her head in a gesture to say it’s nothing, she tries not to break. I grab her face in both my hands. “Grace, what is it?”
“Something is wrong, Riles, I can feel it,” she sobs, her breath hitching as she gasps for air. “I-I h-had a d-dream last n-night.” Her tears flow freely down her face as her resolve gives way.
“Shhh, shhh. Take a breath, Gracey. Just breathe for me.” Releasing her face, I pull her in and hold her to me, stroking her hair. “Keep breathing. When you’re ready, then you can tell me about your dream.”
Gods, I hope it wasn’t about Mom and Dad. Nonetheless, I already know it is.
Grace’s sobs die and her muscles unfurl, releasing some of her tension. She leans back out of my hold, gathering herself together again. I know her prophetic dreams weigh on her young mind and heart—both a gift and a curse.
A knock at the door has us both flinching. “I’ll get that, sweetie. Why don’t you go get cleaned up, and then we’ll go ask Alastair about Mom and Dad, okay?” Grace just nods her head in acknowledgment and walks down the hall towards the bathroom.
I’m surprised to find Alastair, my father’s beta, standing on the other side of the door. His hair is combed, and he’s dressed in his best suit. Why is he in a suit? He never wears suits. “Alastair? Grace and I were just about to come see you. What are you doing here? Do you know where Mom and Dad are?”
He has a solemn look on his face but what looks like excitement dancing in his usually stoic dark brown, nearly black, eyes. “I am so sorry to have to tell you this, sweetheart, your parents are gone, and they’re not coming back.” His muscular frame seems to block the light as he steps through the door, reaching out to grab me, but I push against him, taking a step back.
“No,” I whisper, shaking my head like that will make the spoken words untrue. “Grace, oh, gods. She … she … oh, gods, no.” I can feel the weight of his gaze on me, and I spin away.
The world around me falls silent, only the sounds of my heart pounding and my blood rushing through my veins echoing in my ears. The room tilts, and my vision swims. I sway on my feet, ready to run, except my knees feel like they may cave at any moment.
A heavy hand comes down on my shoulder, spinning me around and forcing me back into the moment. Alastair grabs my bicep and runs his hand down my arm to my elbow. His touch makes my skin crawl and itch like a thousand ants running just under the surface. I really don’t want him touching me, and my wolf growls in agreement in my head. Something about this feels so wrong, and a deeper instinct tells me I need to protect Grace.
Alastair’s eyes flash with a crimson glow, and as I take a deep breath and step out of his reach, anger flashes across his face. He quickly schools his features back into a more neutral expression.
“What happened to them, Alastair?”
His brows dip, and he seems to choose his words carefully before speaking. “I’m not fully sure. There was a dispute with another pack earlier today. They were called away to help settle it before it turned into a fight, or worse, an all-out pack war. Word has it that a few members of the rival pack were not happy with the agreement made, so they followed your parents when they left, waited until they were alone, and killed them. I am so sorry, Riley.” He reaches out again, but I take another step back, and his eyes flash crimson again. What the hell is that all about?
I take a steadying breath before speaking. “I have to go talk to Grace and explain to her what’s happened. Thank you for coming by to tell me. Please inform the Elder Council I’ll be by to see them as soon as I have Grace settled.”
His eyes widen, and his jaw goes slack for just a moment, shock at my statement maybe. He composes himself so quickly that had I not been studying his expressions so closely, I would have missed the subtle differences. A skill my father taught me to ensure I could tell when someone is hiding something, either by omission or all out lie. “Everyone has a tell,” he used to instruct me. Right now, Alastair is definitely hiding something, and I’d bet it has to do with my parents.
“Riley, I already spoke with the elders. We agreed I would take over the role of Alpha until after you turn sixteen,” Alastair explains.
My head snaps back as if he just slapped me, and I know a look of shock is now plastered on my face.That shock is quickly replaced by anger. Anger for my parents. Anger at Alastair. Anger at the elders. Anger at the gods and the whole damn universe.
“Really? And who told you I wasn’t ready? I may be young, but my father has been grooming me for years to take over. This pack was everything to him, and I’ll be damned if I let someone take away his legacy,” I bark at him as I take a step forward, looking him in the eye, challenging him to say something. Which is not an easy feat—I might add—considering at thirteen, I am only five foot one, and he is easily more than a foot taller than me. Intimidating much? Just a bit.
I hold his unblinking gaze, a silent challenge for dominance. A glint of amusement sparks in his eyes, and he bows his head—not baring his neck as one would to their alpha, but it’s a good start.
“I’ll inform the elders,” he says, a rueful smile splitting across his face.
“Thank you,” I state, and I turn on my heel, giving him my back and head out of the room. I will not show him fear or let anyone take this pack from me. I may be only thirteen years old, but I’ll be damned if he—or anyone else—is going to take what’s rightfully mine.
I sit with Grace for two hours while she sobs into my lap. Nothing is said during this time, nothing needs to be said. I sit quietly, running my fingers through her long blonde hair while she grieves. When it all becomes too much for her exhausted mind and she falls into a restless sleep, I tuck her in and make my way to the meeting hall.
To say I am disappointed in the elders is putting things mildly. They’re not too keen on my way of thinking, fucking Alastair. The smug smirk on his face tells me he knew this was how it would turn out. Asshats, all of them. To make matters worse, they are assigning Alastair to not only be our alpha, but to be our guardian until I take over as alpha. What the fuck are they thinking, the guy gives me the creeps.