Free Torrent (Alpha Love - a Paranormal Werewolf Shifter Romance Book 4) by Olivia Stephens Page B

there’s only so long that the canyon can hold on for.”
    Sofie ducks her head, feeling ashamed that she’s one of the reasons that the drilling started in Spring Canyon in the first place. She’s part of the reason that everything is so out of balance.
    “We can’t hide forever!” Rudy’s outburst shakes Sofie out of her wallowing; reminding her that she can’t go back in time, as Finn had reminded her. She can’t undo what has already been done. But she could damn well do something now.
    “I have no intention of us hiding forever, Rudy. And if you speak out of turn again, believe me you will live to regret it.” The threat in Ashton’s voice is unambiguous and he has made full use of his strength and his height. He looks like he’s filled out, made himself even bigger to intimidate Rudy, to remind the young were exactly why Ashton is the Alpha. Rudy takes a step back, bowing his head submissively, suitably cowed. “I have no intention of us hiding forever,” Ashton repeats, looking around to make sure that everyone has heard him. “And that’s why I’ve decided that we have to leave.”
    Sofie bites her lip as she watches the reactions of the assembled pack. Some of the weres look shocked, their eyes round as saucers, looking for all the world like little kids rather than the dangerous beasts that Luke is trying to make them out to be.
    “We thought that wasn’t decided yet!”
    “We never thought it would come to this.”
    “Leave our homes?”
    “Leave our friends?”
    “They’re not our friends anymore!”
    “Didn’t you hear what they’re saying about us? What they wrote on Ash’s wall?”
    This time Ashton doesn’t let the comments die down naturally. He lets out a low growl and his eyes start to glow golden, bringing the attention of the pack onto him and him alone. Must be another Alpha thing, Sofie thinks to herself, wondering how many more tricks he has up his sleeve that she has no idea about.
    Ashton stands firm, looking every inch the Pack Master that he is, as if he’s trying to share his confidence with them. “It’s the only chance that we have. If we leave then we can find somewhere else, somewhere new to start again. There’s nothing for us here anymore.” Sofie wonders if she’s the only one that can hear the sadness in his voice as he says the words.
    “We could fight! We don’t need to run or hide.” Lola’s voice comes from behind them where she’s sitting on the steps, still too weak to be able to stand for any length of time.
    Ashton levels her with a look that would cut glass. “You of all people should know where fighting will get us, Lo. If it weren’t for Sofie you would have died in that quarry.” His harsh tone softens as he sees just how miserable his pack is looking, how confused and defeated. “I know how hard this is for you all. Believe me, this isn’t a decision that I have taken lightly. But we’re wildly outnumbered and we don’t know how many more Anti-Lycan supporters will be pouring into Beaumont over the next few days. Like it or not, we’ve become a focal point and that means that we’ve all got targets painted on our backs.”
    Sofie opens her mouth and the words are out before she can stop them. “What about the other packs?” All attention is firmly focused on her now and Ashton does not look at all happy at her outburst. Sofie chooses to ignore him for the moment; she knows that she’ll get his full opinion of her behaviour later. “Why couldn’t we call in some of the other werewolf packs? Tell them we need help, ask them to come.” Sofie ignores Ashton’s stare, keeping her voice even and clear. She looks from person to person and she sees the dawn of something like hope on their faces, a hope that Gus is about to shoot down in flames.
    “Much as it would be nice for all the packs of the country to come over and sit around a campfire so we could all sing Kum-Baya together, that shit just ain’t gonna happen!” Gus