Page 94 of The Alpha’s Heir

“No, I guess it’s not.” I kissed her briefly, already missing her taste as she turned and pulled me out of the forest.

“Come on,” she said. “As much as I love a good romance moment, now is really not the time.”

The cobblestone street was empty, but we followed the sounds of chaos down to the water where the bank curved towards the row of cottage-like houses I assumed most of the pack lived in.

“On the count of three!” Alpha Kera stood knee deep in the rising waters with a rope tied to a tree that had been uprooted and fallen into the river.

The shifters moved at her command, and when I turned to find Meg, she was already at the head of the line, right behind Kera.

My heart leapt into my throat and I hurried to join in. Wind and rain beat into my eyes making it hard to see, but the warmth of the bodies pressed in tight blocked the worst of the torrent while we heaved as one.

There was a large crack as some branches broke off and the rope sagged.

“Stay with it!” Meg’s voice was a beacon in the darkness.

Bits of tree were swept downstream as the large trunk groaned and snapped. Finally, it gave way. The pooling water under our feet receded, allowing the river to rush downstream again.

Howls and cheers rang out. Everyone clapped each other on the back for a job well done. I dipped through the chaos, finding Meg beside Kera.

“Trish and Jaxon are widening the river upstream,” Meg told her Alpha. “They’re strong. I think they’ll make it all the way down here.”

“I’ll send help.” Kera nodded, wiping the rain from her glowing eyes as she motioned to a group of shifters nearest the tree debris.

“I think we should—"

“You were right, okay? Is that what you want to hear?” Kera growled at Meg, cutting her off.

I stepped beside Meg, ready to go toe-to-toe with this woman whom she’d just rushed in to help.

“That’s not what I was saying,” Meg growled back as she pushed me behind her.

I tried not to be insulted that I was obviously no help in this situation.

“I’m sorry.” Kera lowered her eyes, and by the look of surprise on Meg’s face, I assumed that didn’t happen much. “Once this is over, I’ll talk to Jaxon about reopening biodiesel trade.”

Meg coughed slightly and then motioned with her chin past Kera to the three new people who stood on the cobblestone street, completely dry as the rain fell to either side of them.

“I think we should figure out who they are,” Meg finished her original sentence.

Kera turned, growling, as the rest of the wolf shifters around us followed her lead.

The man in the middle of the trio was larger than life with a massive jaw and dark beard that flowed with the long length of his black hair.

To his left was a dainty woman in a purple dress with long black hair that seemed to float as she moved barefoot and untouched over the puddles on the street.

To his right was a beastly looking male with glowing hazel eyes that seemed to judge all that he saw and found it lacking.

They weren’t human. I don’t know if I’d heard enough stories to have an idea of who they were, but this time Meg didn’t fight when I pulled her behind me.

Alpha Kera barked out, “Who are you?”

The man’s smile was as dark as the night that seemed to bend itself around him. “Do your souls not recognize me yet, or do you need more time with the living?”

“It’s Hades,” I whispered to Meg, not expecting fevered whispers to break out behind me as the name carried down river.

“The wolf and the warrior. At least he still knows my name.” Hades’s dark gaze cut to me and Meg, and the god cocked his head to the side. “How fortunate for us that love always wins.”

The woman floated forward and tenderly reached for Hades’s offered arm.