Lone Wolf (The Westervelt Wolves, Book 8) Read Online Free PDF Page A

been caught there seemed little reason to not walk over. His Alpha had just ordered him to appear. That meant he had to obey. Didn’t it?
    His wolf paced. Are you asking me? Because I’m not feeling particularly submissive to him at the moment .
    Really? There had never been a time when both Gabriel and his wolf hadn’t wanted to obey Kendrick. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Never a good sign when an Alpha didn’t feel very Alpha-ish.
    He walked toward his father and the witch. She was a young woman, for human and witch standards; harder to tell with wolves, but he’d put her at somewhere around nineteen or twenty years old. So young to be involved in whatever his father had involved her in.
    “Something going on?”
    Kendrick raised an eyebrow. “I met Ruby here through a friend of mine named Drea. Have you met Drea yet?”
    “I can’t say that I have.” Not that he didn’t care about how his father had made this woman’s introduction, but it was late. He’d rather be home.
    “Claudius and I made her acquaintance a long time ago. My life … when I’m not here … it’s complicated.”
    “It can’t be easy dealing with humans, hiding who you are.” Especially considering that, as Alpha, Kendrick’s eyes never changed back from their wolf state. “This witch helps you?”
    “In a way.” His father patted Ruby on the arm and she walked away, but not before staring for a moment at Gabriel. A shiver ran up his spine.
    His wolf folded his ears back. Like she just walked on our grave .
    Kendrick walked in the opposite direction. “Follow me.”
    Gabriel nodded. Apparently he wouldn’t be getting home. Not for a while, anyway. “I brought an idea to the council last week. Did you hear about it?”
    “I did not.” The council didn’t discuss things with him. Just because he happened to have been born a Kane gave him no special rights on the council. His brother Michael held a spot and what went on there remained private.
    “I’m trying to move the pack forward and they’re blocking my every step. Things simply can’t continue the way they are. The humans are going to know we exist whether we like it or not. We have to dominate them or we will die.”
    Gabriel stopped moving and grabbed his father’s arm; a bold move that he hoped would get his father’s attention. “Listen, I really don’t know how hard this must be to manage. I’m not Alpha. I don’t ever want to be. However, I can honestly say that I’ve lived out in the world. We all have for at least a little while. They aren’t going to know unless we make them know. Humans like things to be neat and tidy. We don’t fit in their box.”
    “You’re wrong.”
    He shook his head. “I’m not.”
    “How dare you speak to me like that, boy?”
    Gabriel should look down. But he didn’t.
    Kendrick laughed. “What a time for you to find your balls. That girl—your mate —she’s been good for you. Or bad. Depending on how you look at it.”
    This is such an odd conversation . His wolf pointed out the obvious.
    “What do you mean?” His heart rate picked up. His wolf might find this just odd, but it raised Gabe’s hackles.
    Shift?
    Not yet .
    “I’ve done something. Really, I had no choice and I expect everyone will soon see that. Well, they won’t have a choice. They’ll do what I want because I told them to do so.”
    “What have you done?” He shook his father’s arm. “Tell me.”
    “Well.” Kendrick grinned. “I’m glad we got to have this conversation considering you’ll be killing yourself by morning.”
    “Why would I be doing that?” The only reason he would ever commit suicide would be if something happened to Carrie. “Have you threatened my mate?” Gabe had been gone for a few hours training the pups in defensive skills. What had he missed?
    “No,” Kendrick whispered. “But by the end of the day, you will. She’ll be dead by your hand.”
    Gabriel reared back. His whole body reacted as if