Love of Wolves: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (Ashwood Wolves Book 3) Read online

  © 2019 J.E. Cluney

  All Rights Reserved

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  Chapters

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  1

  Being an Alpha sucks.

  Not even two hours after my father, brother and three lovers had left, I was decided on this obvious fact.

  Neema had me running around like a chicken with its head cut off, awkwardly interrupting the lovemaking of my new Pack members to inform them that there could be a possible attack by the five men who’d abandoned the Pack. The sixth was in the custody of my old Pack, undergoing questioning to try to locate the kidnapped females.

  And I could do nothing but let my new Pack know to keep an ear and eye out, and to inform me immediately of anything suspicious.

  Neema was already somehow organizing for new cameras to come in and be installed ASAP. How she was doing this at nearly ten at night was beyond me.

  Ray aided me in filling everyone in on the sudden turn of events, and many shared our distress and anger at their old Pack mates.

  My fiery red curls were a mess as I darted around, getting Ray’s help to set up a few patrols. We needed everyone on guard and prepared for the worst.

  Once the first patrol had headed out, I managed to catch my breath as I slumped onto the bench on the porch. May and some of the others were clearing up the dinner area, and Charlotte was minding the children inside after they’d finished a movie. Many had fallen asleep, but the Pack had expressed their concerns and wished to keep the children together in the safe confines of the lodge until we had more security in place. I didn’t blame them for their concern.

  When Richard ruled, no one dared defy him, and our Pack never raided. With Richard gone and some traitors out and about, the Pack was worried. The men that had left had been cruel, lone ‘wolves that stuck with Richard, acting like his betas. Two of them had actually been his betas, and from what Ray said, they were some serious pieces of work. He’d done his best to avoid them, but they would strong-arm some of the younger men to tag along on hunts and such, trying to bend them to their ways.

  Ray sat down beside me as I took a moment to breathe, clutching the satellite phone tightly. My brother had left it behind for me, in order to contact me if there was any new news.

  “Your Pack will find them, don’t worry,” Ray tried to reassure me.

  “I knew them so well, Beth, Mary, and Bianca. They were like family, they were my Pack mates,” I said as I frowned at the phone.

  “I know,” Ray sighed, his dark eyes troubled.

  “Do you think they’ll come back here? This was their home, what if they’re planning on using the women against me, as hostages?” I turned to Ray, hoping he could answer me.

  “I don’t know,” he shook his head. “It’s possible. They were pissed when you became Alpha, because you were an Ashwood, and you were a woman. Not to mention it would fuck up their lifestyle. Richard shared his she-wolves in heat sometimes. They loved it, I heard them talk about it sometimes,” Ray murmured.

  Great. Just great. Now all I could think about was those three sweet, wonderful women suffering the same fate I had with Richard.

  Would he have shared me?

  No, he’d only share those he stole in heat. I’d used his need to keep me to himself against him in that moment, when I’d seduced him in my attempt to kill him.

  I clenched my hands, struggling to not crush the phone in my new Alpha grip.

  “I hope they do come,” I growled. “I’ll kill them if they hurt them. If they touch Beth, they’re dead, and it’ll be slow.”

  Ray raised an eyebrow at my harsh words, but didn’t say a word.

  Beth was only young, a seventeen-year-old girl who was so vibrant and full of life. She supplied my old Pack with handmade soaps and other goodies, which she was now starting to sell at the markets in the surrounding towns.

  “If they came back, where would they cross the border?” I asked. Ray had tried to help me escape up near Firestone Ridge, informing me it had been a weak spot in the border.

  “Come, I’ll take you to the security room, your Aunt and father were checking it out last night and probably today. I don’t think you’ve seen it yet, have you?” he queried as he stood and offered me a strong hand.

  “No, not yet,” I said as I allowed him to pull me to my feet.

  We headed inside the lodge, and I fought off the ugly memories that wanted to slip back into my mind.

  I reached down to touch my pocket where I’d slipped Ray’s iPod. I’d listen to those songs every chance I got.

  He led me down the hall, and when we came to Richard’s room, I dared a peek inside. It had been cleaned and the bedding stripped. No signs of what had happened, no bloody knife or blood. Only that image seared into my mind of him snarling up at me as I drove the blade into his chest.

  “Hey,” Ray murmured as he touched my shoulder, making me jump and draw my gaze away from the room.

  “C’mon,” he flicked his head at the next door down, and I slowly followed him, still caught up in the scene of Richard beneath me, his disgusting body being pleasured as I rode him before turning on him, desperate to end him. I hated that I’d resorted to that, to having sex with him. But I hadn’t wanted it, it was only a means to an end, something I felt I had to do at the time.

  I followed Ray into the last room, locked with a keypad.

  “It took your dad a while, but he managed to get a new code for it. Being an Area Enforcer has its benefits,” Ray remarked as he punched in a code.

  “It’s 94, 72, 38,” he informed me. “Not sure if it has any meaning or not, but that’s what your father told me after you made me beta. Said only your betas and you would know the code for now.”

  I nodded as he swung the door open, and I stared around at the many monitors showing various angles around the border of the territory.

  “Here,” Ray led me into the room to a large table against the wall, a map of the entire territory spread out for viewing.

  I peered at the map, at the marked areas along the border, the obvious locations for the outposts and a rough guide of where the cameras were.

  “They’ll know where all these are,” I murmured as I touched the map.

  “They will, but so do I. I may have snuck in here a few times. I overheard one of the guys spill the old code, it was the date of Richard’s father’s death. They thought it was hilarious that he’d chosen his father’s death date for the code,” Ray growled.

  “Sick bastard,” I agreed.

  “As you can see, Firestone Ridge is rather open, no close outposts and the cameras are spread too thin. A number of holes to slip through unseen. Same with down in the southern corner. Not all the cameras are active either anymore, like these ones along the west and east,” Ray said as he pointed them out. “He never got around to fixing them since we never got raided. And v
ery few ‘wolves were trying to escape now. They were too afraid,” he muttered as his eyes searched the map.

  “So there are quite a few places they can get through,” I groaned.

  “Yeah, Neema has got plans to build an outpost up near the ridge, and she’ll be making sure cameras are installed and repaired in the dead zones.”

  “Yeah, she’s already got new cameras coming in soon,” I nodded.

  “Could be worth using Pack funds to hire in some extra guards, some paid ‘wolves to help cover us until your Pack rounds them up,” Ray suggested.

  “Yeah, that might be worthwhile.” It was a good idea, and Neema would have all the access ready for me now that Richard had passed. At least the Council was quick on that front, granting me access to all Pack assets and funds. I really needed to go over it all with her now.

  “I can call through to my father and make sure the patrols cover all these areas if you wish?” Ray offered.

  Neema had located all the satellite phones Richard had under lock and key and had distributed them to those whom I was sending on patrol, including Charles.

  Ray even had his own phone now, a requirement since he was a beta. My Aunt had added all of them to speed dial too.

  “That’d be good, I’m going to go check on the children. It looks like they’ll all be staying here for the night. Many of the women are sharing their homes with one another. Everyone is afraid, I can’t believe this,” I growled. To be so afraid of a few men. But from what Ray had said, they were like Richard, brutal and dangerous. And probably his top fighters too.

  “I’m going to find Neema. We need to start running some defense classes. She trained me to be a Huntress, it’s time for them to learn to defend themselves,” I said.

  It was mandatory in my old Pack to undergo some combat training, female or male. Usually included in the classes for the children once they turned fifteen. The adults had been taught too, and we all knew how to defend ourselves.

  I wasn’t afraid of Richard’s old men. I was a Huntress in training, and not just that, I was now Alpha too. They didn’t have the same strength and power that I did.

  I would fend them off if it came to it.

  “That’ll be good. No one here knows how to fight unless they self-taught. There were some lessons at one point for the women, but Richard shut it down when he caught wind of it. Guess he didn’t want the added resistance when he took women,” Ray’s eyes flashed angrily.

  “No one will feel weak or unsafe again. I promise you that. Once this is dealt with, everything will change for this Pack,” I promised.

  Ray just nodded, believing me completely.

  “I’ll go make some calls,” he said as he headed out.

  I followed after him, making sure the door clicked shut behind me before heading off to find Neema. We needed to get some extra muscle in, muscle that could fight. And I’m sure she would know some.

  “Yeah, I know a few guys, a traveling Pack. Biker werewolves that earn the Pack funds by hiring themselves out,” Neema said as I sat with her on the porch. She was sitting guard while the children slept in the living area. They were under the belief it was a sleepover, so sleeping bags, pillows, and blankets had been supplied sufficiently for the night. Charlotte and her boys were in there too, while her mate was out on patrol.

  “Good, we could use them until all the cameras are in. How soon could they get here?” I asked.

  “Depends where they are, they usually travel the area frequently. Especially in the city,” Neema said as she checked her brown pixie hair.

  She’d changed into jeans and a grey top, but I could still see the silver blade sheathed on her belt, and knew she had the hidden silver blade on her ankle too. The same one I’d killed Richard with.

  “Call them, order them in. We’ll pay what’s necessary from the Packs funds. You’ll need to fill me in on all that side. The assets and funds, the business,” I groaned at the thought. I was not a businesswoman. My Dad had tried to teach me, but it wasn’t my thing.

  “Of course. Your father was going to have some men come by and help train the others in investing, to have them work in the offices here for you and help manage the funds for the Pack. That may be postponed though,” she sighed.

  “Do you think they’re okay?” I murmured as I looked out into the darkness, the moon having disappeared behind some clouds. The darkness that engulfed the surrounding forest only made my mind stray, and I tugged it back into focus.

  “Beth and the others? Yeah, I’m sure they’re fine,” Neema said, but I could hear the uneasy strain in her voice. There was no way of knowing.

  She pulled out her phone and dialed a number as I sat silently beside her.

  I listened as she greeted someone solemnly. She asked where they were, and gave me a relieved look when they answered. They mustn’t be too far then.

  “We need men to guard the territory, to assist in patrols for an unspecified amount of time. A few days to start, but may be ongoing. There is reason to believe an attack may be made by five ‘wolves, so we need protective measures in place,” Neema said, her voice ringing with business and authority.

  I sure was glad she was here to help me with all this. I don’t know how I’d be handling this alone.

  “Can they set up camp here? Or should they find somewhere nearby?” she asked as she covered the mouthpiece.

  “Here is fine,” I said. The closer the better.

  She relayed it to the speaker on the other end, and they came to an agreed amount. A hefty price, but one I was willing to pay for the protection for the Pack. Besides, from my understanding, Richard had quite the funds tucked away, especially since he’d done so little for the Pack during his reign.

  “They’ll be here in a few hours, I’ll stay up and handle it, they know me,” she said, and it didn’t sound like I would get a say anyway.

  “What else should I do then?” I asked, lost on what to do next.

  I needed to do something, I couldn’t just sit and twiddle my thumbs.

  “I’ll take you into the security room and show you all the finances and assets, the business dealings of the Pack, everything that I can find and help you understand?” she suggested.

  “Sure,” I deflated. It wasn’t what I wanted to do, but it was something. And as the Alpha of this Pack, it was probably something I had to know.

  Neema stood and led me inside, carefully padding past the sleeping children and down to the security room once more. Ray was inside, frowning at the monitors.

  “How much do you know about finances?” Neema asked instantly as he looked over when the door swung open.

  “A little. My grandad did the finance management for Richard’s father, until Richard took over and had his goons managing everything. My grandad used to teach me such strange things, but momma liked leaving me with him to learn it, said it was better than anything I’d learn at homeschooling. He taught right up until he died a few years back, my grandma passed a year later,” Ray said as he flicked his eyes to me.

  “Good, then you will join us. I see there’s camera’s set up around this lodge, guess the old prick was concerned his Pack might come after him,” Neema scoffed. “But at least we can keep an eye on the perimeter from in here while we go over the finances.”

  “Okay,” Ray nodded, not about to argue with the Huntress.

  Neema sat us down before some blank screens and switched them on, instructing Ray to gather up some paperwork from the filing cabinets in the corner.

  We spent the next few hours learning that a decent amount of money was made from the livestock and the quarter horse breeding. Richard’s father had done some investing during his leadership, which was still bringing in good money today. Not as much as it could be, but enough for now. I mostly just stared blankly at all the reports and sheets, but Ray was clicking through the screens on the computer like a madman, suggesting ways to invest and build the Pack funds. We would have enough for all the changes we wanted to implement,
but Ray believed we could be bringing in much more than we currently were. Neema agreed, and I just went along with it.

  I was more excited when Neema suggested I start looking around for companies to contact in the morning in regards to all the upgrades and new buildings I wanted to implement. Even if we were stressed and concerned, we couldn’t put everything on hold, she said.

  So I began looking up building companies and contractors, checking with Neema on certain things and jotting down a list of potential businesses in the area. We had builders here who would help with the smaller things, like the playground expansion, the barbecue area, but the new lodge build would need to be done by a building business to get it up to code, and to make it as fancy as we wanted it. The builders here were used to more standard, basic builds.

  I had to wait for the cell tower addition as the Area Enforcer would handle that, and my father was too caught up to have that added to his plate, so I’d put it on the back-burner.

  I found some logging companies in the area to assist with clearing out more land for farming, and I knew many of the Pack would assist as well.

  Neema left us alone when her phone rang, informing us that the biker gang was waiting at the main gates in. She had to go down and authorize their presence. I asked Ray to alert the patrol to the new addition, and to get them to return to the main gates to meet them and acquaint themselves.

  Once all that was done, I slumped against the filing cabinet, sleep tugging at my eyelids.

  “Hey, you’ve done all you can for the night. You need sleep,” Ray urged me, stifling a yawn.

  A glance at the nearest monitor screen told me it was 3am, and the drowsiness hit me at the realization of how early it was.

  I allowed Ray to wrap an arm around my shoulder and lead me down the hall to that wretched room. I wanted to be out of the lodge and in a new building away from here, but that was being selfish. Nothing had happened in that room except for May and Ray caring for me and showing me kindness. I focused on that as I strode into the room with Ray, relaxing when I noticed those ugly olive sheets and grey pillows had been stripped and changed. Now they were a sweet cream with yellow floral print on them.