My mate.
My crew.
My territory.
My war.
Sean was gonna paint the flowers red tonight for coming here and threatening the life she wanted. For threatening the people she loved. At the last moment, she pushed off her back legs and leapt through the air. She slammed into Sean with the force of two eighteen-wheelers colliding. She could feel the wave of power from that collision blast through her body, but she didn’t feel the pain. Maybe it was the adrenaline, but she didn’t feel anything as she pummeled her fists against his face. He was off balance as they hit the ground. She sank her teeth deep into his shoulder just as he wrapped his giant hand around her arm. Sean threw her hard, but she dragged her canines through his muscle, inflicting as much damage as she could before she was flung sideways and skidded through the dirt. Grey was on the silverback before he had any time to recover.
In the span of a breath, the clearing had erupted in chaos. Jaxon’s massive grizzly was tearing through two gorillas, Annalise’s She-Devil had her claws sunk deep into the back of another. Eden’s albino falcon was ripping her talons at the face of Margo, Sean’s favorite female. Kaylee’s lioness had another by the leg, preventing her from running. Ben, Barret, Anson, all of them had Changed in a moment and were brawling. She was so fucking proud. Gorillas were huge and with bone-crushing strength, but her crew wasn’t backing down.
It wouldn’t be enough, though.
Thirty gorillas meant certain death for every one of the Red Havoc Crew. They were buying time, that’s all. Their breaths were numbered because gorillas trained for war. Secret wars between each other. Wars over females. Entire family groups annihilating each other for territory. They lived to kill.
Grey was the only one fighting Sean, and she couldn’t get to him. Can’t get to him. Can’t. The female she battled was named Merin. She was one who helped to break her, but Gen wasn’t the same weak submissive she’d been before. She’d spent too much time with the badasses of Red Havoc, and now her gorilla was too angry at this war to let up on Merin. She beat her powerful fists against her and yanked her leg out from under her. Merin was vicious with her fists, and Gen was running out of time. She needed to help Grey. Every instinct in her said to stay close to him, so she hit Merin so hard her arm rattled with the force, and then she bolted for Sean. Grey was latched onto the back of his neck, but he was about to be thrown against a tree. It was Sean’s move, but she could stop it if she was fast enough.
The force of impact with the silverback forced the air from her lungs in a huff. He threw Grey, but messed it up. It was a desperation move to save his throat, and rushed, and she’d hit Sean right as the silverback had grabbed Grey’s leg, so he didn’t go far. He landed on his feet, and then he was bolting for her again. She fought like some wild, injured creature, pummeling Sean with her fists.
Fuck him for telling her she was nothing.
She was the daughter of Kong.
She was mate to the Ghost Cat.
Whether Ben liked it or not, she was going to die as Red Havoc with Red Havoc. This was the crew of her heart.
Something inside of her broke at the thought of this being the end. It wasn’t fair. She hadn’t lived this life long enough. She’d only just found Grey and her crew. She’d only just found happiness.
She was hurting now. The numbness was gone. Sean was ruthless. His teeth sank into her bicep, and there were hands ripping at her. Sean’s females were rallying, protecting him. Where was Grey? She couldn’t see him through the hoard of massive bodies.
Sean slammed her to the ground under him so hard her breath whooshed out of her lungs, and she couldn’t draw it again. He slammed his fists against the ground on either side of her face and roared, exposing three-inch canines. This was it—the end. His blazing blue eyes dipped to her throat, and all she could do with his massive weight on top of her was cover her face as he pierced her skin right at the base of her neck.
But in an instant, the pain disappeared along with his weight, and shocked, Gen looked up to see Torren’s monstrous gorilla stand up on his hind legs, blazing green eyes on Sean as he beat his chest and roared in challenge. Sean was slow to get up off the ground where he’d been tackled.
He’d come. Torren had come for Red Havoc. For her. He’d ripped Sean away from her just in time. Dad would be so fucking proud if he saw Torren slamming into Sean to defend her right now. Panting, she looked around, but Grey had pulled the females off her and was in trouble. Everyone was in trouble. The crew was losing their battles now, playing defense, protecting themselves. Furious, Gen charged the females, prepared to fight to her last breath if it meant helping Grey. He had to exist on this earth, or what was the point of anything?
As she hit the gorillas, a great wind hit the clearing so hard, Gen was slammed to the ground. When she caught her breath again and looked up, a terrifying beast blocked out the entire sky.
Torren had said help was on the way, but she hadn’t expected this.
He’d called in Destruction.
He’d called in Death.
He’d called in his best friend, the mother-fucking red dragon.
He’d called in Vyr, son of Damon and Clara Daye.
The dragon pulled a tight circle and showed his blood-red belly scales and black claws. And with a roar that shook the earth beneath her, Vyr opened his mouth, exposing hundreds of razor sharp teeth. And then he spewed a line of fire across the clearing, cutting off four females charging Jaxon and Annalise. Heat blasted against Gen’s face, and on instinct, she threw off the gorilla Grey was fighting and shoved him toward the woods. They needed to get clear of the dragon’s wrath. This was why Torren had told her to get everyone inside. Vyr wasn’t his father. He wasn’t careful. He was fury and fire, fueled by protective instincts so strong they made him lose his reason and become reckless in battle.
Run. Run, run, run, Red Havoc, because Vyr was going to burn this territory to the ground.
Next to her, Grey was running with graceful, powerful strides. Beside him were Anson, Ben, Jax, the girls, and Barret. On her other side, Torren was running on all fours, twice her size, a fully mature silverback, attention on her. She’d never seen her brother scared, but fear dwelled in his bright green eyes and the set of his mouth.
Through the smoke, Jenny was up ahead with Raif and Bentley, screaming and waving them toward her. Her lips formed the words, “Hurry!”
Heat blistered Gen’s back and urged her faster. Vyr roared again. She couldn’t hear it, but she could feel the earth shaking with it. She’d always been afraid of the red dragon. Everyone was except for Torren.
At the break in the heat, Gen skidded to a stop and spun around. Red Havoc woods were burning, and the surviving gorillas were scattering, bolting across the forest floor and swinging through the trees as fast as they could. Vyr dipped down, jaws open as he scooped ashes into his mouth. Arching his back and beating his massive crimson wings, he lifted into the sky and circled back.
Chest heaving, Gen looked at the line of her friends and her brother, standing there beside her, staring just like she had been at the red dragon as he fed. Silverback, lioness, panthers, falcon, grizzly—all covered in soot and blood. Jenny’s eyes looked haunted as she hugged Raif and Bentley close against her legs and watched Vyr make another pass at the ashes he’d created.
Grey looked over at her, his gold eyes full of question. Are you okay?
Panting and in complete shock, Gen nodded slowly.
Beaston had called Red Havoc the Crew of Two Wars.
Well…they’d just survived the first.
Chapter Fifteen
I don’t think I want you to watch, Grey signed. I think I want to do it alone.
Why alone? Gen signed back.
Grey frowned and stumbled on the explanation. His signs were clumsy, and they weren’t word-for-word, but she seemed to get the gist. I remember the day my dad killed the alpha in our crew. I remember the horror on the humans’ faces. I’ll
challenge Ben, but I don’t want you to look at me like that. Like the humans looked at my dad. At me. Like we were monsters.
The early-morning breeze lifted the ends of her short hair, and she snuggled closer to Grey’s side on the stairs to 1010. He loved her so much it scared him sometimes. She smelled like sleep and fruit shampoo and his Gen. Her signs were much more graceful than his, and thankfully she used the alphabet slowly so he could keep up. Tonight, I’m going to move my stuff into your cabin. It doesn’t matter if you are Alpha, or if you stay at the bottom of the crew. I’m going to move in with you either way. What you are doesn’t matter to me. Who you are does.
Sweet mate, settling the panther inside of him with just a few gestures. People said 1010 was magic, but it was Gen. She was the one who had come into his life and changed everything for the better. She was the best kind of magic. He kissed her temple and cupped her cheeks, and inside, his panther purred when she nuzzled his hand. Affectionate little gorilla. It was as if she’d been made just for him. As if they’d both had to go through struggles so they could appreciate each other fully. He was probably fucking this up, but he signed as best he could, You said I wasn’t a ghost. The other day, you said the words out loud, and I loved the sound of your voice as you said that.
She blushed and tucked her chin to her chest. I see you just fine.
Heaving a sigh, Grey looked over at the crew, who were gathering around Ben in the field of charred daisies. He’d become so comfortable at hiding over the years. So good at being quiet. So good at invisibility. He’d trained his panther to pretend he was something he wasn’t, but he’d gotten careless. He’d worked so hard not to be like Dad, and Ben was going to push him to fight. To really fight. To lose control. Now everyone will see me.
Gen signed slowly. You won’t kill Ben. I know you won’t. You’re scared of being like your dad, but you aren’t. You have more self-control than any man I’ve ever met. Last fight with Ben over alpha. Win or lose, I’ll be waiting to hug you up. Get it done, and we can come back to 1010 and get lost in our bed for a while. Fall back asleep. Move my stuff to your cabin. Last fight, and then we can get back to living.
Grey drew her hand to his lips, kissed them in silent thank you, then pulled her up with him. “No more being invisible. No more Ghost Cat.”
Gen looked so proud as she walked beside him. She’d been so strong in the war with the gorillas. So protective. Perfect. Three days ago, this place had been burned by dragon’s fire in a battle that had showed him just how dedicated she was to him and this crew. She hadn’t run. She’d been in the thick of it, right in the fray, fighting to the death. And truly, if Vyr and Torren hadn’t showed up, it could’ve been to the death.
Brave mate. So fucking brave.
Inside, his panther was snarling, and restless with bloodlust. He was ready to bleed Ben. He’d been kept in check too much as time and time again Grey had left the fight early, just when he was hitting his stride. Why? Because he hadn’t wanted to be alpha. He wouldn’t be any good at it.
He pulled off his shirt and let it slip to the ground as he faced off with Ben. He expected the same fight as every other morning Ben had pushed him for a challenge. But today, Ben left his shirt on, and his eyes stayed blue. Ben’s panther didn’t burst out of him and bleed Grey like he thought would happen. No, instead, the alpha stepped forward and shocked Grey to his bones as he hugged him tightly and clapped him on the back. “You’re ready now. I can feel it, and I know what you’re capable of. I have for a while.”
Ben dropped suddenly to his knees in the ashes and exposed his neck. “I’m tired. Tired of fighting to hold a crew that isn’t really mine to hold. Tired of all the big decisions resting on my shoulders. Tired of staying up nights wondering if I’m good enough to keep you all safe. That’s your burden now.”
“I don’t understand,” Grey murmured as Gen slipped her arm around his and held it tightly.
“If you didn’t want anything to do with being alpha, you would’ve left, Grey. You would’ve taken Gen and gone. But you’re still here.”
“And still a motherfuckin’ monster,” Barret said unhelpfully.
“I want donuts,” Anson complained. “Seriously, can your first alpha decision be to hurry this up so we can get breakfast?”
“I’m going to be super shitty at this,” Grey admitted.
“Grey, you’ve been doing alpha stuff quietly for years,” Ben said. “I know you’ve been watching our backs with the Cold Mountain Pride. I know you’ve protected us from other battles too, and never for attention like those assholes would do.” Ben gestured to Anson and Barret.
“I resemble that,” Barret muttered, chewing on his thumbnail.
“Donuts,” Anson reminded him.
God, this was a crew of idiots and C-Teamers, and Grey was really going to be the king of them.
Jenny made her way to Ben and knelt beside him with little Raif tucked against her. “You won’t suck at this, Grey. You were built for this. You’ll keep the crew steady. They’ll listen to your orders and not question everything.”
Jaxon raised his hand like a schoolboy. “I’ll question everything.” Annalise snorted and knelt in the ashes, then tugged Jax’s jeans and pointed to the ground beside her. With a put-upon sigh, Jax lowered himself too and exposed his neck. “Try not to get us all killed.”
One by one, the others dropped down until, beside him, Gen went to her knees last of all. She smiled up at him, looking so damn pretty with the dawn light touching her cheeks and her crystal blue eyes locked on him like he hung the moon.
He was going to do everything in his power to give her a safe home, and a safe crew.
With a sigh, he said, “First act as alpha… Genevieve Taylor, welcome to Red Havoc.”
Her face transformed into a radiant smile, and her eyes rimmed with tears. Not the terrifying kind, but the kind that made his heart hold onto her a little bit tighter.
She stood so fast and jumped up into his arms with such force, he had to take a couple steps back to keep his balance. She left smacking kisses all over his face and made soft noises in her throat she probably didn’t even know she was making, but were so fucking cute.
“Ew.” Anson crossed his arms over his chest and scowled. “Okay, what’s your second act as alpha?”
Grey set his mate on her feet and murmured, “Fine. Second act is breakfast.”
“I’m driving!” Jaxon and Barret both yelled at the same time. “Jinx! Jinx again! Twins! Jinx, jinx, jinx. Pinch, poke, you owe me a coke.” They’d said it all in unison and were now speed-walk-racing toward their trucks. And then they were jogging. Barret tripped Jaxon, and the grizzly shifter pitched forward and caught Barret’s ankle on the way down. Barret fell on his face, and now they were wrestling in the ashes. The rest of the crew stepped around them, talking quietly amongst themselves like there weren’t two grown-ass men rolling around and punching at each other’s dicks.
God, his crew was weird. Grey gave a private smile. He secretly loved them.
Are you happy? Gen signed beside him.
Grey pulled her close against his ribs and kissed her soundly. Was he happy? Being alpha was going to be a huge pain in the ass, but he didn’t have to hide what his panther was capable of anymore. He wouldn’t have to dwell in the shadows. Everything had changed for the crew in a matter of weeks. Lynn was with the Gray Backs, trying to get better, Red Havoc Woods had been burnt to a crisp by a dragon, they’d survived a war, and now he was alpha. And for some reason, Ben looked relieved. He was smiling down at Jenny and Raif easier than Grey had seen him do in a long time.
On top of all that, Grey found his person. That was the best part—Gen. She was everything he ever could’ve imagined in his other half. She pushed him to be better, and stronger. To reach his potential. And he was the luckiest SOB on the planet to get to watch her grow stronger in the crew. He was so proud that she was his. There was no doubt in his mind that on the hard days of being alpha, she would
be there, lending support and keeping him upright.
She didn’t even know how incredible she was.
With her eyes glued to his lips, he admitted something he used to think would never be true for a man like him. “Yeah, Gen, I’m really happy.”
Chapter Sixteen
Gen stood in front of Grey’s dresser, untangling her necklaces from her earrings. She’d packed in a hurry when she’d left Sean and the family group ten days ago, and the tiny silver chains were all knotted around her other baubles.
Ten days, but it felt like so much longer because she’d changed so much in that short amount of time.
Movement caught her attention in the mirror, and she looked up to find Grey leaned up against the doorframe, watching her with a soft look in his eyes, as though he thought she was beautiful. He was the beautiful one though—Alpha. Caring, dominant, smart, protective, hard-working Red Havoc Guardian, he was everything she could ever hope for in a mate. He was everything she could hope for in a best friend.
I have a surprise for you, he signed.
She turned with a ready grin because she already knew what it was. He gave her an oxeye daisy every day. It was sweet because the entire field had been burned by Vyr, so Grey went out and hunted down the little white flowers for her.
But Grey’s hand was empty of any flower when he offered it to her. Confused, she slipped her fingers against his and let him lead her into the living room and out of the house. The crew was by the fire pit, standing around a box. And when she was close enough, Barret stood aside for her, and she could see inside it. There was a pile of letters nestled in the cardboard container.
Barret set down a giant, blue, plastic water jug and squatted down by the box. His lips formed the words, Read this one first. He handed her a letter with Willa’s name and return address in the top left corner.