Midnight Kisses Chapter 2
Midnight Kisses
Midnight Kisses Chapter 2 – The thought sent fiery tendrils of anger through my chest.
The ruling pack could bite me, but…
My pace slowed as I compared my fraying cutoffs and tank-top to their
swanky threads. I didn’t need to arrive looking like a Montana farm girl even if I
was one.
All of the guards stood as still as statues. None of them spoke as my dad and
I approached.
“I need to leave now? Like, right this minute?” I mumbled under my breath,
hoping I was wrong. My gaze dipped to my pale feet, the skin dusty all the way
up to my ankles. Sadly, I wasn’t Cinderella; I wasn’t going to a ball, and those beefy dudes were definitely not my Fairy Godmother. An outfit change definitely wouldn’t hurt.
My father gave a curt nod, eyeing the guards with disdain. “Lona is packing
your things and will be out shortly.”
Damn. Damn. Damn.
They should’ve given us a day at least. How was I going to say goodbye to
Callie and Mack? They were out hunting and wouldn’t hear the news until I was
long gone.
I huffed. “Fine.”
“Remember, your cousin is there,” Dad whispered. “He’ll be looking to
expose your weaknesses.”
I grunted and shook my head at the unnecessary reminder. Nolan had always
looked out for Nolan, except when he was chasing some female around like it
was breeding season. His mother and my father didn’t speak after a falling out,
but she still carried alpha blood, so she could technically take over the pack and
so could her son.
“It’ll be fine,” I said, not wanting my dad to worry.
Lona came out the door with my worn duffle; the faded green bag was
almost as big as her body. Tears tracked down her wrinkled face as she crossed
the porch and descended the stairs.
“Lon.” I ran to my childhood nanny, a surge of protective instinct for the
petite woman welling within. “We all knew this was coming. I’ll be fine.”
Apparently, “fine” was the word of the day.
She nodded, sniffling as she handed me my things. “They used to give notice
—at least a couple weeks. I could’ve made a nice dinner…”
Lona displayed her love through food, and no one, including my father,
complained about that. She was an amazing cook.
She pulled me in for a long hug, forcing me to drop the huge duffle I’d just
taken. With her affection, the mixture of fear and sadness swelled within my
chest, bubbling up into my throat. If I didn’t leave ASAP, I was one hundred
percent going to bawl—in front of everyone. Through the bond, I could feel the
clan approaching, and sure enough, when I spun toward the SUV, a Land Rover
no less, the entire pack stood there, crowded in the grassy clearing among the old
pickups and dirt bikes. As one, Crescent Clan all dropped to one knee, holding
their right fists over their chests.
Something they’d only done for my father, in times of great respect.
I was totally going to lose my cool.
Swallowing hard, I bowed to my people. “It’ll be my honor to serve you.”
My father was the alpha link for our people’s magic; his fire magic could
keep them alive in the bitter Montana cold. When he died, Crescent Pack’s link
would transfer to me—if I graduated Alpha Island. I wasn’t ready for the
responsibility or respect that came with being alpha, not yet. It was something
that had to be earned.
My father leaned in and whispered into my ear. “Beware the alpha king and
his heirs. All they want is to retain power, and they’ll stoop to
anything
to get it.”
As if I needed those reminders. Midnight Clan was the reason my pack was
cast out from the magic realm into the mortal world. They were dirty, high mage
suck-ups. I would never get involved with them. I gritted my teeth and nodded as
fierce determination filled me.
I was the only child of the alpha of Crescent Clan. I’d go to the island and
fight for my place, fight for my people, fight to keep our magic strong.
I hefted the canvas bag over my shoulder and marched toward the guards
waiting to take me away. As I approached, I studied them. They looked
identical. Legit. The four dudes were practically carbon copies of each other…
quads, or whatever four people who looked exactly alike were called. Brothers?
Obviously. Same height, build, even the same pinched expression of disgust,
which their matchy-match sunglasses didn’t hide. What was their deal? They
glowered as if I were the offensive one.
Yeah, I hate you too.
Their outfits designated them as royal guards to the king, and anything
related to the Midnight Pack I hated with passion just out of principle.
Dark hair peeked out from beneath their caps as my gaze ran over their
chiseled jaws and then to their muscled arms. Of course, they were beautiful.
The assholes always were.
The closer I got, the more my ire rose until irritation prickled my skin, and I
had to grit my teeth to keep from snapping at them. Who did they think they
were? Sending four guards to collect me like a criminal! Nolan only had one.
This was disrespect through and through.
Obviously, they weren’t too high on the food chain or they wouldn’t be here
in the mortal realm escorting me. But why four? That wasn’t normal.
